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第95章（第1页）

Afterwalkingsometimeinthisway，thetwoladiesinfront，thetwogentlemenbehind，onresumingtheirplaces，afterdescendingtothebrinkoftheriverforthebetterinspectionofsomecuriouswater-plant，therechancedtobealittlealteration.ItoriginatedinMrs.Gardiner，who，fatiguedbytheexerciseofthemorning，foundElizabethsarminadequatetohersupport，andconsequentlypreferredherhusbands.Mr.Darcytookherplacebyherniece，andtheywalkedontogether.Afterashortsilence，theladyfirstspoke.Shewishedhimtoknowthatshehadbeenassuredofhisabsencebeforeshecametotheplace，andaccordinglybeganbyobserving，thathisarrivalhadbeenveryunexpected—“foryourhousekeeper，”

sheadded，“informedusthatyouwouldcertainlynotbeheretillto-morrow；andindeed，beforeweleftBakewell，weunderstoodthatyouwerenotimmediatelyexpectedinthecountry.”

Heacknowledgedthetruthofitall，andsaidthatbusinesswithhisstewardhadoccasionedhiscomingforwardafewhoursbeforetherestofthepartywithwhomhehadbeentravelling.“Theywilljoinmeearlyto-morrow，”

hecontinued，“andamongthemaresomewhowillclaimanacquaintancewithyou—Mr.Bingleyandhissisters.”

Elizabethansweredonlybyaslightbow.HerthoughtswereinstantlydrivenbacktothetimewhenMr.Bingleysnamehadbeenthelastmentionedbetweenthem；and，ifshemightjudgebyhiscomplexion，hismindwasnotverydifferentlyengaged.

“Thereisalsooneotherpersonintheparty，”

hecontinuedafterapause，“whomoreparticularlywishestobeknowntoyou.Willyouallowme，ordoIasktoomuch，tointroducemysistertoyouracquaintanceduringyourstayatLambton？”

Thesurpriseofsuchanapplicationwasgreatindeed；itwastoogreatforhertoknowinwhatmannersheaccededtoit.SheimmediatelyfeltthatwhateverdesireMissDarcymighthaveofbeingacquaintedwithhermustbetheworkofherbrother，and，withoutlookingfarther，itwassatisfactory；itwasgratifyingtoknowthathisresentmenthadnotmadehimthinkreallyillofher.

Theynowwalkedoninsilence，eachofthemdeepinthought.Elizabethwasnotcomfortable；thatwasimpossible；butshewasflatteredandpleased.Hiswishofintroducinghissistertoherwasacomplimentofthehighestkind.Theysoonoutstrippedtheothers，andwhentheyhadreachedthecarriage，Mr.andMrs.Gardinerwerehalfaquarterofamilebehind.

Hethenaskedhertowalkintothehouse—butshedeclaredherselfnottired，andtheystoodtogetheronthelawn.Atsuchatimemuchmighthavebeensaid，andsilencewasveryawkward.Shewantedtotalk，butthereseemedtobeanembargooneverysubject.Atlastsherecollectedthatshehadbeentravelling，andtheytalkedofMatlockandDovedalewithgreatperseverance.Yettimeandherauntmovedslowly—andherpatienceandherideaswerenearlywornourbeforethetête-à-têtewasover.

OnMr.andMrs.Gardinerscominguptheywereallpressedtogointothehouseandtakesomerefreshment；butthiswasdeclined，andtheypartedoneachsidewithutmostpoliteness.Mr.Darcyhandedtheladiesintothecarriage；andwhenitdroveoff，Elizabethsawhimwalkingslowlytowardsthehouse.

Theobservationsofheruncleandauntnowbegan；andeachofthempronouncedhimtobeinfinitelysuperiortoanythingtheyhadexpected.

“Heisperfectlywellbehaved，polite，andunassuming，”

saidheruncle.

“Thereissomethingalittlestatelyinhim，tobesure，”

repliedheraunt，“butitisconfinedtohisair，andisnotunbecoming.Icannowsaywiththehousekeeper，thatthoughsomepeoplemaycallhimproud，Ihaveseennothingofit.”

“Iwasnevermoresurprisedthanbyhisbehaviourtous.Itwasmorethancivil；itwasreallyattentive；andtherewasnonecessityforsuchattention.HisacquaintancewithElizabethwasverytrifling.”

“Tobesure，Lizzy，”

saidheraunt，“heisnotsohandsomeasWickham；or，rather，hehasnotWickhamscountenance，forhisfeaturesareperfectlygood.Buthowcameyoutotellusthathewassodisagreeable？”

Elizabethexcusedherselfaswellasshecould；saidthatshehadlikedhimbetterwhentheymetinKentthanbefore，andthatshehadneverseenhimsopleasantasthismorning.

“Butperhapshemaybealittlewhimsicalinhiscivilities，”

repliedheruncle.“Yourgreatmenoftenare；andthereforeIshallnottakehimathiswordaboutfishing，ashemightchangehismindanotherday，andwarnmeoffhisgrounds.”

Elizabethfeltthattheyhadentirelymistakenhischaracter，butsaidnothing.

“Fromwhatwehaveseenofhim，”

continuedMrs.Gardiner，“IreallyshouldnothavethoughtthathecouldhavebehavedinsocruelawaybyanybodyashehasdonebypoorWickham.Hehasnotanill-naturedlook.Onthecontrary，thereissomethingpleasingabouthismouthwhenhespeaks.Andthereissomethingofdignityinhiscountenancethatwouldnotgiveoneanunfavourableideaofhisheart.But，tobesure，thegoodladywhoshowedushishousedidgivehimamostflamingcharacter！

Icouldhardlyhelplaughingaloudsometimes.Butheisaliberalmaster，Isuppose，andthatintheeyeofaservantcomprehendseveryvirtue.”

ElizabethherefeltherselfcalledontosaysomethinginvindicationofhisbehaviourtoWickham；andthereforegavethemtounderstand，inasguardedamannerasshecould，thatbywhatshehadheardfromhisrelationsinKent，hisactionswerecapableofaverydifferentconstruction；andthathischaracterwasbynomeanssofaulty，norWickhamssoamiable，astheyhadbeenconsideredinHertfordshire.Inconfirmationofthis，sherelatedtheparticularsofallthepecuniarytransactionsinwhichtheyhadbeenconnected，withoutactuallynamingherauthority，butstatingittobesuchasmightbereliedon.

Mrs.Gardinerwassurprisedandconcerned；butastheywerenowapproachingthesceneofherformerpleasures，everyideagavewaytothecharmofrecollection；andshewastoomuchengagedinpointingouttoherhusbandalltheinterestingspotsinitsenvironstothinkofanythingelse.Fatiguedasshehadbeenbythemorningswalktheyhadnosoonerdinedthanshesetoffagaininquestofherformeracquaintance，andtheeveningwasspentinthesatisfactionsofaintercourserenewedaftermanyyearsdiscontinuance.

TheoccurrencesofthedayweretoofullofinteresttoleaveElizabethmuchattentionforanyofthesenewfriends；andshecoulddonothingbutthink，andthinkwithwonder，ofMr.Darcyscivility，and，aboveall，ofhiswishinghertobeacquaintedwithhissister.