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第122章（第1页）

Mr。Wickhamwassoperfectlysatisfiedwiththisconversationthatheneveragaindistressedhimself，orprovokedhisdearsisterElizabeth，byintroducingthesubjectofit;andshewaspleasedtofindthatshehadsaidenoughtokeephimquiet。

ThedayofhisandLydiasdeparturesooncame，andMrs。Bennetwasforcedtosubmittoaseparation，which，asherhusbandbynomeansenteredintoherschemeoftheirallgoingtoNewcastle，waslikelytocontinueatleastatwelvemonth。

“Oh!mydearLydia，”shecried，“whenshallwemeetagain?”

“Oh，lord!Idontknow。Notthesetwoorthreeyears，perhaps。”

“Writetomeveryoften，mydear。”

“AsoftenasIcan。Butyouknowmarriedwomenhavenevermuchtimeforwriting。Mysistersmaywritetome。Theywillhavenothingelsetodo。”

Mr。Wickhamsadieusweremuchmoreaffectionatethanhiswifes。Hesmiled，lookedhandsome，andsaidmanyprettythings。

“Heisasfineafellow，”saidMr。Bennet，assoonastheywereoutofthehouse，“aseverIsaw。Hesimpers，andsmirks，andmakeslovetousall。Iamprodigiouslyproudofhim。IdefyevenSirWilliamLucashimselftoproduceamorevaluableson-in-law。”

ThelossofherdaughtermadeMrs。Bennetverydullforseveraldays。

“Ioftenthink，”saidshe，“thatthereisnothingsobadaspartingwithonesfriends。Oneseemssoforlornwithoutthem。”

“Thisistheconsequence，yousee，Madam，ofmarryingadaughter，”saidElizabeth。“Itmustmakeyoubettersatisfiedthatyourotherfouraresingle。”

“Itisnosuchthing。Lydiadoesnotleavemebecausesheismarried，butonlybecauseherhusbandsregimenthappenstobesofaroff。Ifthathadbeennearer，shewouldnothavegonesosoon。”

Butthespiritlessconditionwhichthiseventthrewherintowasshortlyrelieved，andhermindopenedagaintotheagitationofhope，byanarticleofnewswhichthenbegantobeincirculation。ThehousekeeperatNetherfieldhadreceivedorderstoprepareforthearrivalofhermaster，whowascomingdowninadayortwo，toshootthereforseveralweeks。Mrs。Bennetwasquiteinthefidgets。ShelookedatJane，andsmiledandshookherheadbyturns。

“Well，well，andsoMr。Bingleyiscomingdown，sister，”（forMrs。Phillipsfirstbroughtherthenews）。“Well，somuchthebetter。NotthatIcareaboutit，though。Heisnothingtous，youknow，andIamsureIneverwanttoseehimagain。But，however，heisverywelcometocometoNetherfield，ifhelikesit。Andwhoknowswhatmayhappen?Butthatisnothingtous。Youknow，sister，weagreedlongagonevertomentionawordaboutit。Andso，isitquitecertainheiscoming?”

“Youmaydependonit，”repliedtheother，“forMrs。NichollswasinMerytonlastnight;Isawherpassingby，andwentoutmyselfonpurposetoknowthetruthofit;andshetoldmethatitwascertaintrue。HecomesdownonThursdayatthelatest，verylikelyonWednesday。Shewasgoingtothebutchers，shetoldme，onpurposetoorderinsomemeatonWednesday，andshehasgotthreecoupleofducksjustfittobekilled。”

MissBennethadnotbeenabletohearofhiscomingwithoutchangingcolour。ItwasmanymonthssinceshehadmentionedhisnametoElizabeth;butnow，assoonastheywerealonetogether，shesaid:

“Isawyoulookatmeto-day，Lizzy，whenmyaunttoldusofthepresentreport;andIknowIappeareddistressed。Butdontimagineitwasfromanysillycause。Iwasonlyconfusedforthemoment，becauseIfeltthatIshouldbelookedat。Idoassureyouthatthenewsdoesnotaffectmeeitherwithpleasureorpain。Iamgladofonething，thathecomesalone;becauseweshallseethelessofhim。NotthatIamafraidofmyself，butIdreadotherpeoplesremarks。”

Elizabethdidnotknowwhattomakeofit。HadshenotseenhiminDerbyshire，shemighthavesupposedhimcapableofcomingtherewithnootherviewthanwhatwasacknowledged;butshestillthoughthimpartialtoJane，andshewaveredastothegreaterprobabilityofhiscomingtherewithhisfriendspermission，orbeingboldenoughtocomewithoutit。

“Yetitishard，”shesometimesthought，“thatthispoormancannotcometoahousewhichhehaslegallyhired，withoutraisingallthisspeculation!Iwillleavehimtohimself。”

Inspiteofwhathersisterdeclared，andreallybelievedtobeherfeelingsintheexpectationofhisarrival，Elizabethcouldeasilyperceivethatherspiritswereaffectedbyit。Theyweremoredisturbed，moreunequal，thanshehadoftenseenthem。

Thesubjectwhichhadbeensowarmlycanvassedbetweentheirparents，aboutatwelvemonthago，wasnowbroughtforwardagain。

“AssoonaseverMr。Bingleycomes，mydear，”saidMrs。Bennet，“youwillwaitonhimofcourse。”

“No，no。Youforcedmeintovisitinghimlastyear，andpromised，ifIwenttoseehim，heshouldmarryoneofmydaughters。Butitendedinnothing，andIwillnotbesentonafoolserrandagain。”

Hiswiferepresentedtohimhowabsolutelynecessarysuchanattentionwouldbefromalltheneighbouringgentlemen，onhisreturningtoNetherfield。

“TisanetiquetteIdespise，”saidhe。“Ifhewantsoursociety，lethimseekit。Heknowswherewelive。Iwillnotspendmyhoursinrunningaftermyneighbourseverytimetheygoawayandcomebackagain。”

“Well，allIknowis，thatitwillbeabominablyrudeifyoudonotwaitonhim。But，however，thatshantpreventmyaskinghimtodinehere，Iamdetermined。WemusthaveMrs。LongandtheGouldingssoon。Thatwillmakethirteenwithourselves，sotherewillbejustroomattableforhim。”

Consoledbythisresolution，shewasthebetterabletobearherhusbandsincivility;thoughitwasverymortifyingtoknowthatherneighboursmightallseeMr。Bingley，inconsequenceofit，beforetheydid。Asthedayofhisarrivaldrewnear: