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第134章（第1页）

“Somethingverymuchtothepurposeofcourse.Hebeginswithcongratulationsontheapproachingnuptialsofmyeldestdaughter，ofwhich，itseems，hehasbeentoldbysomeofthegood-natured，gossipingLucases.Ishallnotsportwithyourimpatience，byreadingwhathesaysonthatpoint.Whatrelatestoyourself，isasfollows:HavingthusofferedyouthesincerecongratulationsofMrs.Collinsandmyselfonthishappyevent，letmenowaddashorthintonthesubjectofanother;ofwhichwehavebeenadvertisedbythesameauthority.YourdaughterElizabeth，itispresumed，willnotlongbearthenameofBennet，afterhereldersisterhasresignedit，andthechosenpartnerofherfatemaybereasonablylookeduptoasoneofthemostillustriouspersonagesinthisland.

“Canyoupossiblyguess，Lizzy，whoismeantbythis?”

Thisyounggentlemanisblessed，inapeculiarway，witheverythingtheheartofmortalcanmostdesire，—splendidproperty，noblekindred，andextensivepatronage.Yetinspiteofallthesetemptations，letmewarnmycousinElizabeth，andyourself，ofwhatevilsyoumayincurbyaprecipitateclosurewiththisgentlemansproposals，which，ofcourse，youwillbeinclinedtotakeimmediateadvantageof.

“Haveyouanyidea，Lizzy，whothisgentlemanis?Butnowitcomesout:

“Mymotiveforcautioningyouisasfollows.Wehavereasontoimaginethathisaunt，LadyCatherinedeBourgh，doesnotlookonthematchwithafriendlyeye.

“Mr.Darcy，yousee，istheman!Now，Lizzy，IthinkIhavesurprisedyou.Couldhe，ortheLucases，havepitchedonanymanwithinthecircleofouracquaintance，whosenamewouldhavegiventheliemoreeffectuallytowhattheyrelated?Mr.Darcy，whoneverlooksatanywomanbuttoseeablemish，andwhoprobablyneverlookedatyouinhislife!Itisadmirable!”

Elizabethtriedtojoininherfatherspleasantry，butcouldonlyforceonemostreluctantsmile.Neverhadhiswitbeendirectedinamannersolittleagreeabletoher.

“Areyounotdiverted?”

“Oh!yes.Prayreadon.”

“Aftermentioningthelikelihoodofthismarriagetoherladyshiplastnight，sheimmediately，withherusualcondescension，expressedwhatshefeltontheoccasion;whenitbecameapparent，thatonthescoreofsomefamilyobjectionsonthepartofmycousin，shewouldnevergiveherconsenttowhatshetermedsodisgracefulamatch.Ithoughtitmydutytogivethespeediestintelligenceofthistomycousin，thatsheandhernobleadmirermaybeawareofwhattheyareabout，andnotrunhastilyintoamarriagewhichhasnotbeenproperlysanctioned.Mr.Collinsmoreoveradds，IamtrulyrejoicedthatmycousinLydiassadbusinesshasbeensowellhushedup，andamonlyconcernedthattheirlivingtogetherbeforethemarriagetookplaceshouldbesogenerallyknown.Imustnot，however，neglectthedutiesofmystation，orrefrainfromdeclaringmyamazementathearingthatyoureceivedtheyoungcoupleintoyourhouseassoonastheyweremarried.Itwasanencouragementofvice;andhadIbeentherectorofLongbourn，Ishouldverystrenuouslyhaveopposedit.Yououghtcertainlytoforgivethem，asaChristian，butnevertoadmittheminyoursight，orallowtheirnamestobementionedinyourhearing.ThatishisnotionofChristianforgiveness!TherestofhisletterisonlyabouthisdearCharlottessituation，andhisexpectationofayoungolive-branch.But，Lizzy，youlookasifyoudidnotenjoyit.Youarenotgoingtobemissish，Ihope，andpretendtobeaffrontedatanidlereport.Forwhatdowelive，buttomakesportforourneighbours，andlaughattheminourturn?”

“Oh!”

criedElizabeth，“Iamexcessivelydiverted.Butitissostrange!”

“Yes—thatiswhatmakesitamusing.Hadtheyfixedonanyothermanitwouldhavebeennothing;buthisperfectindifference，andyourpointeddislike，makeitsodelightfullyabsurd!MuchasIabominatewriting，IwouldnotgiveupMr.Collinsscorrespondenceforanyconsideration.Nay，whenIreadaletterofhis，IcannothelpgivinghimthepreferenceevenoverWickham，muchasIvaluetheimpudenceandhypocrisyofmyson-in-law.Andpray，Lizzy，whatsaidLadyCatherineaboutthisreport?Didshecalltorefuseherconsent?”

Tothisquestionhisdaughterrepliedonlywithalaugh;andasithadbeenaskedwithouttheleastsuspicion，shewasnotdistressedbyhisrepeatingit.Elizabethhadneverbeenmoreatalosstomakeherfeelingsappearwhattheywerenot.Itwasnecessarytolaugh，whenshewouldratherhavecried.Herfatherhadmostcruellymortifiedher，bywhathesaidofMr.Darcysindifference，andshecoulddonothingbutwonderatsuchawantofpenetration，orfearthatperhaps，insteadofhisseeingtoolittle，shemighthavefanciedtoomuch.