创客小说网

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第94章（第1页）

Theyenteredthewoods，andbiddingadieutotheriverforawhile，ascendedsomeofthehighergrounds;when，inspotswheretheopeningofthetreesgavetheeyepowertowander，weremanycharmingviewsofthevalley，theoppositehills，withthelongrangeofwoodsoverspreadingmany，andoccasionallypartofthestream。Mr。Gardinerexpressedawishofgoingroundthewholepark，butfeareditmightbebeyondawalk。Withatriumphantsmiletheyweretoldthatitwastenmilesround。Itsettledthematter;andtheypursuedtheaccustomedcircuit;whichbroughtthemagain，aftersometime，inadescentamonghangingwoods，totheedgeofthewater，andoneofitsnarrowestparts。Theycrosseditbyasimplebridge，incharacterwiththegeneralairofthescene;itwasaspotlessadornedthananytheyhadyetvisited;andthevalley，herecontractedintoaglen，allowedroomonlyforthestream，andanarrowwalkamidsttheroughcoppice-woodwhichborderedit。Elizabethlongedtoexploreitswindings;butwhentheyhadcrossedthebridge，andperceivedtheirdistancefromthehouse，Mrs。Gardiner，whowasnotagreatwalker，couldgonofarther，andthoughtonlyofreturningtothecarriageasquicklyaspossible。Herniecewas，therefore，obligedtosubmit，andtheytooktheirwaytowardsthehouseontheoppositesideoftheriver，inthenearestdirection;buttheirprogresswasslow，forMr。Gardiner，thoughseldomabletoindulgethetaste，wasveryfondoffishing，andwassomuchengagedinwatchingtheoccasionalappearanceofsometroutinthewater，andtalkingtothemanaboutthem，thatheadvancedbutlittle。Whilstwanderingoninthisslowmanner，theywereagainsurprised，andElizabethsastonishmentwasquiteequaltowhatithadbeenatfirst，bythesightofMr。Darcyapproachingthem，andatnogreatdistance。Thewalkherebeingherelessshelteredthanontheotherside，allowedthemtoseehimbeforetheymet。Elizabeth，howeverastonished，wasatleastmorepreparedforaninterviewthanbefore，andresolvedtoappearandtospeakwithcalmness，ifhereallyintendedtomeetthem。Forafewmoments，indeed，shefeltthathewouldprobablystrikeintosomeotherpath。Theidealastedwhileaturninginthewalkconcealedhimfromtheirview;theturningpast，hewasimmediatelybeforethem。Withaglance，shesawthathehadlostnoneofhisrecentcivility;and，toimitatehispoliteness，shebegan，astheymet，toadmirethebeautyoftheplace;butshehadnotgotbeyondthewords“delightful，”and“charming，”whensomeunluckyrecollectionsobtruded，andshefanciedthatpraiseofPemberleyfromhermightbemischievouslyconstrued。Hercolourchanged，andshesaidnomore。

Mrs。Gardinerwasstandingalittlebehind;andonherpausing，heaskedherifshewoulddohimthehonourofintroducinghimtoherfriends。Thiswasastrokeofcivilityforwhichshewasquiteunprepared;andshecouldhardlysuppressasmileathisbeingnowseekingtheacquaintanceofsomeofthoseverypeopleagainstwhomhispridehadrevoltedinhisoffertoherself。“Whatwillbehissurprise，”thoughtshe，“whenheknowswhotheyare?Hetakesthemnowforpeopleoffashion。”

Theintroduction，however，wasimmediatelymade;andasshenamedtheirrelationshiptoherself，shestoleaslylookathim，toseehowheboreit，andwasnotwithouttheexpectationofhisdecampingasfastashecouldfromsuchdisgracefulcompanions。Thathewassurprisedbytheconnectionwasevident;hesustainedit，however，withfortitude，andsofarfromgoingaway，turnedhisbackwiththem，andenteredintoconversationwithMr。Gardiner。Elizabethcouldnotbutbepleased，couldnotbuttriumph。Itwasconsolingthatheshouldknowshehadsomerelationsforwhomtherewasnoneedtoblush。Shelistenedmostattentivelytoallthatpassedbetweenthem，andgloriedineveryexpression，everysentenceofheruncle，whichmarkedhisintelligence，histaste，orhisgoodmanners。

Theconversationsoonturneduponfishing;andsheheardMr。Darcyinvitehim，withthegreatestcivility，tofishthereasoftenashechosewhilehecontinuedintheneighbourhood，offeringatthesametimetosupplyhimwithfishingtackle，andpointingoutthosepartsofthestreamwheretherewasusuallymostsport。Mrs。Gardiner，whowaswalkingarm-in-armwithElizabeth，gaveheralookexpressiveofwonder。Elizabethsaidnothing，butitgratifiedherexceedingly;thecomplimentmustbeallforherself。Herastonishment，however，wasextreme，andcontinuallywassherepeating，“Whyishesoaltered?Fromwhatcanitproceed?Itcannotbeforme—itcannotbeformysakethathismannersarethussoftened。MyreproofsatHunsfordcouldnotworksuchachangeasthis。Itisimpossiblethatheshouldstillloveme。”