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第82章（第1页）

ItwasthesecondweekinMay，inwhichthethreeyoungladiessetouttogetherfromGracechurchStreetforthetownof—，inHertfordshire;and，astheydrewneartheappointedinnwhereMr。Bennetscarriagewastomeetthem，theyquicklyperceived，intokenofthecoachmanspunctuality，bothKittyandLydialookingoutofadining-roomupstairs。Thesetwogirlshadbeenaboveanhourintheplace，happilyemployedinvisitinganoppositemilliner，watchingthesentinelonguard，anddressingasaladandcucumber。

Afterwelcomingtheirsisters，theytriumphantlydisplayedatablesetoutwithsuchcoldmeatasaninnlarderusuallyaffords，exclaiming，“Isnotthisnice?Isnotthisanagreeablesurprise?”

“Andwemeantotreatyouall，”addedLydia，“butyoumustlendusthemoney，forwehavejustspentoursattheshopoutthere。”Then，showingherpurchases—“Lookhere，Ihaveboughtthisbonnet。Idonotthinkitisverypretty;butIthoughtImightaswellbuyitasnot。IshallpullittopiecesassoonasIgethome，andseeifIcanmakeitupanybetter。”

Andwhenhersistersabuseditasugly，sheadded，withperfectunconcern，“Oh!butthereweretwoorthreemuchuglierintheshop;andwhenIhaveboughtsomeprettier-colouredsatintotrimitwithfresh，Ithinkitwillbeverytolerable。Besides，itwillnotmuchsignifywhatonewearsthissummer，afterthe—shirehaveleftMeryton，andtheyaregoinginafortnight。”

“Aretheyindeed!”criedElizabeth，withthegreatestsatisfaction。

“TheyaregoingtobeencampednearBrighton;andIdosowantpapatotakeusallthereforthesummer!Itwouldbesuchadeliciousscheme;andIdaresaywouldhardlycostanythingatall。Mammawouldliketogo，too，ofallthings!Onlythinkwhatamiserablesummerelseweshallhave!”

“Yes，”thoughtElizabeth，“thatwouldbeadelightfulschemeindeed，andcompletelydoforusatonce。GoodHeaven!Brighton，andawholecampfulofsoldiers，tous，whohavebeenoversetalreadybyonepoorregimentofmilitia，andthemonthlyballsofMeryton!”

“NowIhavegotsomenewsforyou，”saidLydia，astheysatdownattable。“Whatdoyouthink?Itisexcellentnews—capitalnews—andaboutacertainpersonwealllike!”

JaneandElizabethlookedateachother，andthewaiterwastoldheneednotstay。Lydialaughed，andsaid:

“Aye，thatisjustlikeyourformalityanddiscretion。Youthoughtthewaitermustnothear，asifhecared!IdaresayheoftenhearsworsethingssaidthanIamgoingtosay。Butheisanuglyfellow!Iamgladheisgone。Ineversawsuchalongchininmylife。Well，butnowformynews;itisaboutdearWickham;toogoodforthewaiter，isitnot?ThereisnodangerofWickhamsmarryingMaryKing。Theresforyou!SheisgonedowntoheruncleatLiverpool:gonetostay。Wickhamissafe。”

“AndMaryKingissafe!”addedElizabeth;“safefromaconnectionimprudentastofortune。”

“Sheisagreatfoolforgoingaway，ifshelikedhim。”

“ButIhopethereisnostrongattachmentoneitherside，”saidJane。

“Iamsurethereisnotonhis。Iwillanswerforit，henevercaredthreestrawsabouther—whocouldaboutsuchanastylittlefreckledthing?”

Elizabethwasshockedtothinkthat，howeverincapableofsuchcoarsenessofexpressionherself，thecoarsenessofthesentimentwaslittleotherthanherownbreasthadharbouredandfanciedliberal!

Assoonasallhadate，andtheelderonespaid，thecarriagewasordered;andaftersomecontrivance，thewholeparty，withalltheirboxes，work-bags，andparcels，andtheunwelcomeadditionofKittysandLydiaspurchases，wereseatedinit。