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第119章（第1页）

Elizabethhadthesatisfactionofreceivingananswertoherletterassoonasshepossiblycould。Shewasnosoonerinpossessionofit，thanhurryingintothelittlecopse，whereshewasleastlikelytobeinterrupted，shesatdownononeofthebenchesandpreparedtobehappy;forthelengthoftheletterconvincedherthatitdidnotcontainadenial。

Gracechurchstreet，Sept。6。

“MydearNiece，

“Ihavejustreceivedyourletter，andshalldevotethiswholemorningtoansweringit，asIforeseethatalittlewritingwillnotcomprisewhatIhavetotellyou。Imustconfessmyselfsurprisedbyyourapplication;Ididnotexpectitfromyou。Dontthinkmeangry，however，forIonlymeantoletyouknowthatIhadnotimaginedsuchinquiriestobenecessaryonyourside。Ifyoudonotchoosetounderstandme，forgivemyimpertinence。YouruncleisasmuchsurprisedasIam—andnothingbutthebeliefofyourbeingapartyconcernedwouldhaveallowedhimtoactashehasdone。Butifyouarereallyinnocentandignorant，Imustbemoreexplicit。

“OntheverydayofmycominghomefromLongbourn，yourunclehadamostunexpectedvisitor。Mr。Darcycalled，andwasshutupwithhimseveralhours。ItwasalloverbeforeIarrived;somycuriositywasnotsodreadfullyrackedasyoursseemstohavebeen。HecametotellMr。GardinerthathehadfoundoutwhereyoursisterandMr。Wickhamwere，andthathehadseenandtalkedwiththemboth;Wickhamrepeatedly，Lydiaonce。FromwhatIcancollect，heleftDerbyshireonlyonedayafterourselves，andcametotownwiththeresolutionofhuntingforthem。ThemotiveprofessedwashisconvictionofitsbeingowingtohimselfthatWickhamsworthlessnesshadnotbeensowellknownastomakeitimpossibleforanyyoungwomanofcharactertoloveorconfideinhim。Hegenerouslyimputedthewholetohismistakenpride，andconfessedthathehadbeforethoughtitbeneathhimtolayhisprivateactionsopentotheworld。Hischaracterwastospeakforitself。Hecalledit，therefore，hisdutytostepforward，andendeavourtoremedyanevilwhichhadbeenbroughtonbyhimself。Ifhehadanothermotive，Iamsureitwouldneverdisgracehim。Hehadbeensomedaysintown，beforehewasabletodiscoverthem;buthehadsomethingtodirecthissearch，whichwasmorethanwehad;andtheconsciousnessofthiswasanotherreasonforhisresolvingtofollowus。

“Thereisalady，itseems，aMrs。Younge，whowassometimeagogovernesstoMissDarcy，andwasdismissedfromherchargeonsomecauseofdisapprobation，thoughhedidnotsaywhat。ShethentookalargehouseinEdward-street，andhassincemaintainedherselfbylettinglodgings。ThisMrs。Youngewas，heknew，intimatelyacquaintedwithWickham;andhewenttoherforintelligenceofhimassoonashegottotown。Butitwastwoorthreedaysbeforehecouldgetfromherwhathewanted。Shewouldnotbetrayhertrust，Isuppose，withoutbriberyandcorruption，forshereallydidknowwhereherfriendwastobefound。WickhamindeedhadgonetoherontheirfirstarrivalinLondon，andhadshebeenabletoreceivethemintoherhouse，theywouldhavetakenuptheirabodewithher。Atlength，however，ourkindfriendprocuredthewished-fordirection。Theywerein—street。HesawWickham，andafterwardsinsistedonseeingLydia。Hisfirstobjectwithher，heacknowledged，hadbeentopersuadehertoquitherpresentdisgracefulsituation，andreturntoherfriendsassoonastheycouldbeprevailedontoreceiveher，offeringhisassistance，asfarasitwouldgo。ButhefoundLydiaabsolutelyresolvedonremainingwhereshewas。Shecaredfornoneofherfriends;shewantednohelpofhis;shewouldnothearofleavingWickham。Shewassuretheyshouldbemarriedsometimeorother，anditdidnotmuchsignifywhen。Sincesuchwereherfeelings，itonlyremained，hethought，tosecureandexpediteamarriage，which，inhisveryfirstconversationwithWickham，heeasilylearnthadneverbeenhisdesign。Heconfessedhimselfobligedtoleavetheregiment，onaccountofsomedebtsofhonour，whichwereverypressing;andscruplednottolayalltheill-consequencesofLydiasflightonherownfollyalone。Hemeanttoresignhiscommissionimmediately;andastohisfuturesituation，hecouldconjectureverylittleaboutit。Hemustgosomewhere，buthedidnotknowwhere，andheknewheshouldhavenothingtoliveon。

“Mr。Darcyaskedhimwhyhehadnotmarriedyoursisteratonce。ThoughMr。Bennetwasnotimaginedtobeveryrich，hewouldhavebeenabletodosomethingforhim，andhissituationmusthavebeenbenefitedbymarriage。Buthefound，inreplytothisquestion，thatWickhamstillcherishedthehopeofmoreeffectuallymakinghisfortunebymarriageinsomeothercountry。Undersuchcircumstances，however，hewasnotlikelytobeproofagainstthetemptationofimmediaterelief。

“Theymetseveraltimes，fortherewasmuchtobediscussed。Wickhamofcoursewantedmorethanhecouldget;butatlengthwasreducedtobereasonable。

“Everythingbeingsettledbetweenthem，Mr。Darcysnextstepwastomakeyouruncleacquaintedwithit，andhefirstcalledinGracechurchstreettheeveningbeforeIcamehome。ButMr。Gardinercouldnotbeseen，andMr。Darcyfound，onfurtherinquiry，thatyourfatherwasstillwithhim，butwouldquittownthenextmorning。Hedidnotjudgeyourfathertobeapersonwhomhecouldsoproperlyconsultasyouruncle，andthereforereadilypostponedseeinghimtillafterthedepartureoftheformer。Hedidnotleavehisname，andtillthenextdayitwasonlyknownthatagentlemanhadcalledonbusiness。

“OnSaturdayhecameagain。Yourfatherwasgone，youruncleathome，and，asIsaidbefore，theyhadagreatdealoftalktogether。