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第127章（第1页）

Afewdaysafterthisvisit，Mr。Bingleycalledagain，andalone。HisfriendhadlefthimthatmorningforLondon，butwastoreturnhomeintendaystime。Hesatwiththemaboveanhour，andwasinremarkablygoodspirits。Mrs。Bennetinvitedhimtodinewiththem;but，withmanyexpressionsofconcern，heconfessedhimselfengagedelsewhere。

“Nexttimeyoucall，”saidshe，“Ihopeweshallbemorelucky。”Heshouldbeparticularlyhappyatanytime，etc。etc。;andifshewouldgivehimleave，wouldtakeanearlyopportunityofwaitingonthem。

“Canyoucometo-morrow?”

Yes，hehadnoengagementatallforto-morrow;andherinvitationwasacceptedwithalacrity。

Hecame，andinsuchverygoodtimethattheladieswerenoneofthemdressed。InranMrs。Bennettoherdaughtersroom，inherdressinggown，andwithherhairhalffinished，cryingout:

“MydearJane，makehasteandhurrydown。Heiscome—Mr。Bingleyiscome。Heis，indeed。Makehaste，makehaste。Here，Sarah，cometoMissBennetthismoment，andhelpheronwithhergown。NevermindMissLizzyshair。”

“Wewillbedownassoonaswecan，”saidJane;“butIdaresayKittyisforwarderthaneitherofus，forshewentupstairshalfanhourago。”

“Oh!hangKitty!whathasshetodowithit?Comebequick，bequick!Whereisyoursash，mydear?”

Butwhenhermotherwasgone，Janewouldnotbeprevailedontogodownwithoutoneofhersisters。

Thesameanxietytogetthembythemselveswasvisibleagainintheevening。Aftertea，Mr。Bennetretiredtothelibrary，aswashiscustom，andMarywentupstairstoherinstrument。Twoobstaclesofthefivebeingthusremoved，Mrs。BennetsatlookingandwinkingatElizabethandCatherineforaconsiderabletime，withoutmakinganyimpressiononthem。Elizabethwouldnotobserveher;andwhenatlastKittydid，sheveryinnocentlysaid，“Whatisthemattermamma?Whatdoyoukeepwinkingatmefor?WhatamItodo?”

“Nothingchild，nothing。Ididnotwinkatyou。”Shethensatstillfiveminuteslonger;butunabletowastesuchapreciousoccasion，shesuddenlygotup，andsayingtoKitty，“Comehere，mylove，Iwanttospeaktoyou，”tookheroutoftheroom。JaneinstantlygavealookatElizabethwhichspokeherdistressatsuchpremeditation，andherentreatythatshewouldnotgiveintoit。Inafewminutes，Mrs。Bennethalf-openedthedoorandcalledout:

“Lizzy，mydear，Iwanttospeakwithyou。”

Elizabethwasforcedtogo。

“Wemayaswellleavethembythemselvesyouknow;”saidhermother，assoonasshewasinthehall。“KittyandIaregoingupstairstositinmydressing-room。”

Elizabethmadenoattempttoreasonwithhermother，butremainedquietlyinthehall，tillsheandKittywereoutofsight，thenreturnedintothedrawing-room。

Mrs。Bennetsschemesforthisdaywereineffectual。Bingleywaseverythingthatwascharming，excepttheprofessedloverofherdaughter。Hiseaseandcheerfulnessrenderedhimamostagreeableadditiontotheireveningparty;andheborewiththeill-judgedofficiousnessofthemother，andheardallhersillyremarkswithaforbearanceandcommandofcountenanceparticularlygratefultothedaughter。

Hescarcelyneededaninvitationtostaysupper;andbeforehewentaway，anengagementwasformed，chieflythroughhisownandMrs。Bennetsmeans，forhiscomingnextmorningtoshootwithherhusband。

Afterthisday，Janesaidnomoreofherindifference。NotawordpassedbetweenthesistersconcerningBingley;butElizabethwenttobedinthehappybeliefthatallmustspeedilybeconcluded，unlessMr。Darcyreturnedwithinthestatedtime。Seriously，however，shefelttolerablypersuadedthatallthismusthavetakenplacewiththatgentlemansconcurrence。

Bingleywaspunctualtohisappointment;andheandMr。Bennetspentthemorningtogether，ashadbeenagreedon。Thelatterwasmuchmoreagreeablethanhiscompanionexpected。TherewasnothingofpresumptionorfollyinBingleythatcouldprovokehisridicule，ordisgusthimintosilence;andhewasmorecommunicative，andlesseccentric，thantheotherhadeverseenhim。Bingleyofcoursereturnedwithhimtodinner;andintheeveningMrs。Bennetsinventionwasagainatworktogeteverybodyawayfromhimandherdaughter。Elizabeth，whohadalettertowrite，wentintothebreakfastroomforthatpurposesoonaftertea;forastheotherswereallgoingtositdowntocards，shecouldnotbewantedtocounteracthermothersschemes。

Butonreturningtothedrawing-room，whenherletterwasfinished，shesaw，toherinfinitesurprise，therewasreasontofearthathermotherhadbeentooingeniousforher。Onopeningthedoor，sheperceivedhersisterandBingleystandingtogetheroverthehearth，asifengagedinearnestconversation;andhadthisledtonosuspicion，thefacesofboth，astheyhastilyturnedroundandmovedawayfromeachother，wouldhavetolditall。Theirsituationwasawkwardenough;buthersshethoughtwasstillworse。Notasyllablewasutteredbyeither;andElizabethwasonthepointofgoingawayagain，whenBingley，whoaswellastheotherhadsatdown，suddenlyrose，andwhisperingafewwordstohersister，ranoutoftheroom。

JanecouldhavenoreservesfromElizabeth，whereconfidencewouldgivepleasure;andinstantlyembracingher，acknowledged，withtheliveliestemotion，thatshewasthehappiestcreatureintheworld。

“Tistoomuch!”sheadded，“byfartoomuch。Idonotdeserveit。Oh!whyisnoteverybodyashappy?”

Elizabethscongratulationsweregivenwithasincerity，awarmth，adelight，whichwordscouldbutpoorlyexpress。EverysentenceofkindnesswasafreshsourceofhappinesstoJane。Butshewouldnotallowherselftostaywithhersister，orsayhalfthatremainedtobesaidforthepresent。