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第115章（第1页）

Elizabethwasnowmostheartilysorrythatshehad，fromthedistressofthemoment，beenledtomakeMr。Darcyacquaintedwiththeirfearsforhersister;forsincehermarriagewouldsoshortlygivetheproperterminationtotheelopement，theymighthopetoconcealitsunfavourablebeginningfromallthosewhowerenotimmediatelyonthespot。

Shehadnofearofitsspreadingfartherthroughhismeans。Therewerefewpeopleonwhosesecrecyshewouldhavemoreconfidentlydepended;but，atthesametime，therewasnoonewhoseknowledgeofasistersfrailtywouldhavemortifiedhersomuch—not，however，fromanyfearofdisadvantagefromitindividuallytoherself，for，atanyrate，thereseemedagulfimpassablebetweenthem。HadLydiasmarriagebeenconcludedonthemosthonourableterms，itwasnottobesupposedthatMr。Darcywouldconnecthimselfwithafamily，wheretoeveryotherobjection，wouldnowbeaddedanallianceandrelationshipofthenearestkindwiththemanwhomhesojustlyscorned。

Fromsuchaconnectionshecouldnotwonderthathewouldshrink。Thewishofprocuringherregard，whichshehadassuredherselfofhisfeelinginDerbyshire，couldnotinrationalexpectationsurvivesuchablowasthis。Shewashumbled，shewasgrieved;sherepented，thoughshehardlyknewofwhat。Shebecamejealousofhisesteem，whenshecouldnolongerhopetobebenefitedbyit。Shewantedtohearofhim，whenthereseemedtheleastchanceofgainingintelligence。Shewasconvincedthatshecouldhavebeenhappywithhim，whenitwasnolongerlikelytheyshouldmeet。

Whatatriumphforhim，assheoftenthought，couldheknowthattheproposalswhichshehadproudlyspurnedonlyfourmonthsago，wouldnowhavebeenmostgladlyandgratefullyreceived!Hewasasgenerous，shedoubtednot，asthemostgenerousofhissex;butwhilehewasmortal，theremustbeatriumph。

Shebegannowtocomprehendthathewasexactlythemanwho，indispositionandtalents，wouldmostsuither。Hisunderstandingandtemper，thoughunlikeherown，wouldhaveansweredallherwishes。Itwasanunionthatmusthavebeentotheadvantageofboth;byhereaseandliveliness，hismindmighthavebeensoftened，hismannersimproved;andfromhisjudgement，information，andknowledgeoftheworld，shemusthavereceivedbenefitofgreaterimportance。

Butnosuchhappymarriagecouldnowteachtheadmiringmultitudewhatconnubialfelicityreallywas。Anunionofadifferenttendency，andprecludingthepossibilityoftheother，wassoontobeformedintheirfamily。

HowWickhamandLydiaweretobesupportedintolerableindependence，shecouldnotimagine。Buthowlittleofpermanenthappinesscouldbelongtoacouplewhowereonlybroughttogetherbecausetheirpassionswerestrongerthantheirvirtue，shecouldeasilyconjecture。

Mr。Gardinersoonwroteagaintohisbrother。ToMr。Bennetsacknowledgmentshebrieflyreplied，withassuranceofhiseagernesstopromotethewelfareofanyofhisfamily;andconcludedwithentreatiesthatthesubjectmightneverbementionedtohimagain。TheprincipalpurportofhisletterwastoinformthemthatMr。Wickhamhadresolvedonquittingthemilitia。