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第98章（第1页）

OfMr。Darcyitwasnowamatterofanxietytothinkwell;and，asfarastheiracquaintancereached，therewasnofaulttofind。Theycouldnotbeuntouchedbyhispoliteness;andhadtheydrawnhischaracterfromtheirownfeelingsandhisservantsreport，withoutanyreferencetoanyotheraccount，thecircleinHertfordshiretowhichhewasknownwouldnothaverecognizeditforMr。Darcy。Therewasnowaninterest，however，inbelievingthehousekeeper;andtheysoonbecamesensiblethattheauthorityofaservantwhohadknownhimsincehewasfouryearsold，andwhoseownmannersindicatedrespectability，wasnottobehastilyrejected。NeitherhadanythingoccurredintheintelligenceoftheirLambtonfriendsthatcouldmateriallylessenitsweight。Theyhadnothingtoaccusehimofbutpride;prideheprobablyhad，andifnot，itwouldcertainlybeimputedbytheinhabitantsofasmallmarket-townwherethefamilydidnotvisit。Itwasacknowledged，however，thathewasaliberalman，anddidmuchgoodamongthepoor。

WithrespecttoWickham，thetravellerssoonfoundthathewasnotheldthereinmuchestimation;forthoughthechiefofhisconcernswiththesonofhispatronwereimperfectlyunderstood，itwasyetawell-knownfactthat，onhisquittingDerbyshire，hehadleftmanydebtsbehindhim，whichMr。Darcyafterwardsdischarged。

AsforElizabeth，herthoughtswereatPemberleythiseveningmorethanthelast;andtheevening，thoughasitpasseditseemedlong，wasnotlongenoughtodetermineherfeelingstowardsoneinthatmansion;andshelayawaketwowholehoursendeavouringtomakethemout。Shecertainlydidnothatehim。No;hatredhadvanishedlongago，andshehadalmostaslongbeenashamedofeverfeelingadislikeagainsthim，thatcouldbesocalled。Therespectcreatedbytheconvictionofhisvaluablequalities，thoughatfirstunwillinglyadmitted，hadforsometimeceasedtoberepugnanttoherfeeling;anditwasnowheightenedintosomewhatofafriendliernature，bythetestimonysohighlyinhisfavour，andbringingforwardhisdispositioninsoamiablealight，whichyesterdayhadproduced。Butaboveall，aboverespectandesteem，therewasamotivewithinherofgoodwillwhichcouldnotbeoverlooked。Itwasgratitude;gratitude，notmerelyforhavingoncelovedher，butforlovingherstillwellenoughtoforgiveallthepetulanceandacrimonyofhermannerinrejectinghim，andalltheunjustaccusationsaccompanyingherrejection。Hewho，shehadbeenpersuaded，wouldavoidherashisgreatestenemy，seemed，onthisaccidentalmeeting，mosteagertopreservetheacquaintance，andwithoutanyindelicatedisplayofregard，oranypeculiarityofmanner，wheretheirtwoselvesonlywereconcerned，wassolicitingthegoodopinionofherfriends，andbentonmakingherknowntohissister。Suchachangeinamanofsomuchprideexcitingnotonlyastonishmentbutgratitude—fortolove，ardentlove，itmustbeattributed;andassuchitsimpressiononherwasofasorttobeencouraged，asbynomeansunpleasing，thoughitcouldnotbeexactlydefined。Sherespected，sheesteemed，shewasgratefultohim，shefeltarealinterestinhiswelfare;andsheonlywantedtoknowhowfarshewishedthatwelfaretodependuponherself，andhowfaritwouldbeforthehappinessofboththatsheshouldemploythepower，whichherfancytoldhershestillpossessed，ofbringingonhertherenewalofhisaddresses。

Ithadbeensettledintheeveningbetweentheauntandtheniece，thatsuchastrikingcivilityasMissDarcysincomingtothemontheverydayofherarrivalatPemberley，forshehadreacheditonlytoalatebreakfast，oughttobeimitated，thoughitcouldnotbeequalled，bysomeexertionofpolitenessontheirside;and，consequently，thatitwouldbehighlyexpedienttowaitonheratPemberleythefollowingmorning。Theywere，therefore，togo。Elizabethwaspleased;thoughwhensheaskedherselfthereason，shehadverylittletosayinreply。

Mr。Gardinerleftthemsoonafterbreakfast。Thefishingschemehadbeenrenewedthedaybefore，andapositiveengagementmadeofhismeetingsomeofthegentlemenatPemberleybeforenoon。