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第140章（第1页）

“Well，mydear，”saidhe，whensheceasedspeaking，“Ihavenomoretosay。Ifthisbethecase，hedeservesyou。Icouldnothavepartedwithyou，myLizzy，toanyonelessworthy。”

Tocompletethefavourableimpression，shethentoldhimwhatMr。DarcyhadvoluntarilydoneforLydia。Heheardherwithastonishment。

“Thisisaneveningofwonders，indeed!Andso，Darcydideverything;madeupthematch，gavethemoney，paidthefellowsdebts，andgothimhiscommission!Somuchthebetter。Itwillsavemeaworldoftroubleandeconomy。Haditbeenyourunclesdoing，Imustandwouldhavepaidhim;buttheseviolentyoungloverscarryeverythingtheirownway。Ishalloffertopayhimto-morrow;hewillrantandstormabouthisloveforyou，andtherewillbeanendofthematter。”

Hethenrecollectedherembarrassmentafewdaysbefore，onhisreadingMr。Collinssletter;andafterlaughingathersometime，allowedheratlasttogo—saying，asshequittedtheroom，“IfanyyoungmencomeforMaryorKitty，sendthemin，forIamquiteatleisure。”

Elizabethsmindwasnowrelievedfromaveryheavyweight;and，afterhalfanhoursquietreflectioninherownroom，shewasabletojointheotherswithtolerablecomposure。Everythingwastoorecentforgaiety，buttheeveningpassedtranquillyaway;therewasnolongeranythingmaterialtobedreaded，andthecomfortofeaseandfamiliaritywouldcomeintime。

Whenhermotherwentuptoherdressing-roomatnight，shefollowedher，andmadetheimportantcommunication。Itseffectwasmostextraordinary;foronfirsthearingit，Mrs。Bennetsatquitestill，andunabletoutterasyllable。Norwasitundermany，manyminutesthatshecouldcomprehendwhatsheheard;thoughnotingeneralbackwardtocreditwhatwasfortheadvantageofherfamily，orthatcameintheshapeofalovertoanyofthem。Shebeganatlengthtorecover，tofidgetaboutinherchair，getup，sitdownagain，wonder，andblessherself。

“Goodgracious!Lordblessme!onlythink!dearme!Mr。Darcy!Whowouldhavethoughtit!Andisitreallytrue?Oh!mysweetestLizzy!howrichandhowgreatyouwillbe!Whatpin-money，whatjewels，whatcarriagesyouwillhave!Janesisnothingtoit—nothingatall。Iamsopleased—sohappy。Suchacharmingman!—sohandsome!sotall!—Oh，mydearLizzy!prayapologiseformyhavingdislikedhimsomuchbefore。Ihopehewilloverlookit。Dear，dearLizzy。Ahouseintown!Everythingthatischarming!Threedaughtersmarried!Tenthousandayear!Oh，Lord!Whatwillbecomeofme。Ishallgodistracted。”

Thiswasenoughtoprovethatherapprobationneednotbedoubted;andElizabeth，rejoicingthatsuchaneffusionwasheardonlybyherself，soonwentaway。Butbeforeshehadbeenthreeminutesinherownroom，hermotherfollowedher。

“Mydearestchild，”shecried，“Icanthinkofnothingelse!Tenthousandayear，andverylikelymore!TisasgoodasaLord!Andaspeciallicence。Youmustandshallbemarriedbyaspeciallicence。Butmydearestlove，tellmewhatdishMr。Darcyisparticularlyfondof，thatImayhaveitto-morrow。”

Thiswasasadomenofwhathermothersbehaviourtothegentlemanhimselfmightbe;andElizabethfoundthat，thoughinthecertainpossessionofhiswarmestaffection，andsecureofherrelationsconsent，therewasstillsomethingtobewishedfor。Butthemorrowpassedoffmuchbetterthansheexpected;forMrs。Bennetluckilystoodinsuchaweofherintendedson-in-lawthatsheventurednottospeaktohim，unlessitwasinherpowertoofferhimanyattention，ormarkherdeferenceforhisopinion。

Elizabethhadthesatisfactionofseeingherfathertakingpainstogetacquaintedwithhim;andMr。Bennetsoonassuredherthathewasrisingeveryhourinhisesteem。

“Iadmireallmythreesons-in-lawhighly，”saidhe。“Wickham，perhaps，ismyfavourite;butIthinkIshalllikeyourhusbandquiteaswellasJanes。”