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第111章（第1页）

“What，ishecominghome，andwithoutpoorLydia?”shecried。“SurehewillnotleaveLondonbeforehehasfoundthem。WhoistofightWickham，andmakehimmarryher，ifhecomesaway?”

AsMrs。Gardinerbegantowishtobeathome，itwassettledthatsheandthechildrenshouldgotoLondon，atthesametimethatMr。Bennetcamefromit。Thecoach，therefore，tookthemthefirststageoftheirjourney，andbroughtitsmasterbacktoLongbourn。

Mrs。GardinerwentawayinalltheperplexityaboutElizabethandherDerbyshirefriendthathadattendedherfromthatpartoftheworld。Hisnamehadneverbeenvoluntarilymentionedbeforethembyherniece;andthekindofhalf-expectationwhichMrs。Gardinerhadformed，oftheirbeingfollowedbyaletterfromhim，hadendedinnothing。ElizabethhadreceivednonesinceherreturnthatcouldcomefromPemberley。

Thepresentunhappystateofthefamilyrenderedanyotherexcuseforthelownessofherspiritsunnecessary;nothing，therefore，couldbefairlyconjecturedfromthat，thoughElizabeth，whowasbythistimetolerablywellacquaintedwithherownfeelings，wasperfectlyawarethat，hadsheknownnothingofDarcy，shecouldhavebornethedreadofLydiasinfamysomewhatbetter。Itwouldhavesparedher，shethought，onesleeplessnightoutoftwo。

WhenMr。Bennetarrived，hehadalltheappearanceofhisusualphilosophiccomposure。Hesaidaslittleashehadeverbeeninthehabitofsaying;madenomentionofthebusinessthathadtakenhimaway，anditwassometimebeforehisdaughtershadcouragetospeakofit。

Itwasnottilltheafternoon，whenhejoinedthemattea，thatElizabethventuredtointroducethesubject;andthen，onherbrieflyexpressinghersorrowforwhathemusthaveendured，hereplied，“Saynothingofthat。Whoshouldsufferbutmyself?Ithasbeenmyowndoing，andIoughttofeelit。”

“Youmustnotbetoosevereuponyourself，”repliedElizabeth。“Youmaywellwarnmeagainstsuchanevil。Humannatureissopronetofallintoit!No，Lizzy，letmeonceinmylifefeelhowmuchIhavebeentoblame。Iamnotafraidofbeingoverpoweredbytheimpression。Itwillpassawaysoonenough。”

“DoyousupposethemtobeinLondon?”

“Yes;whereelsecantheybesowellconcealed?”

“AndLydiausedtowanttogotoLondon，”addedKitty。

“Sheishappythen，”saidherfatherdrily;“andherresidencetherewillprobablybeofsomeduration。”

Thenafterashortsilencehecontinued:

“Lizzy，Ibearyounoill-willforbeingjustifiedinyouradvicetomelastMay，which，consideringtheevent，showssomegreatnessofmind。”

TheywereinterruptedbyMissBennet，whocametofetchhermotherstea。

“Thisisaparade，”hecried，“whichdoesonegood;itgivessuchanelegancetomisfortune!AnotherdayIwilldothesame;Iwillsitinmylibrary，inmynightcapandpowderinggown，andgiveasmuchtroubleasIcan;or，perhaps，ImaydeferittillKittyrunsaway。”

“Iamnotgoingtorunaway，papa，”saidKittyfretfully。“IfIshouldevergotoBrighton，IwouldbehavebetterthanLydia。”

“YougotoBrighton。IwouldnottrustyousonearitasEastbourneforfiftypounds!No，Kitty，Ihaveatlastlearnttobecautious，andyouwillfeeltheeffectsofit。Noofficerisevertoenterintomyhouseagain，noreventopassthroughthevillage。Ballswillbeabsolutelyprohibited，unlessyoustandupwithoneofyoursisters。Andyouarenevertostiroutofdoorstillyoucanprovethatyouhavespenttenminutesofeverydayinarationalmanner。”

Kitty，whotookallthesethreatsinaseriouslight，begantocry。

“Well，well，”saidhe，“donotmakeyourselfunhappy。Ifyouareagoodgirlforthenexttenyears，Iwilltakeyoutoareviewattheendofthem。”