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三藏中文网>傲慢与偏见 > 第86章(第1页)

第86章(第1页)

Thefirstweekoftheirreturnwassoongone.Thesecondbegan.ItwasthelastoftheregimentsstayinMeryton,andalltheyoungladiesintheneighbourhoodweredroopingapace.Thedejectionwasalmostuniversal.TheelderMissBennetsalonewerestillabletoeat,drink,andsleep,andpursuetheusualcourseoftheiremployments.VeryfrequentlyweretheyreproachedforthisinsensibilitybyKittyandLydia,whoseownmiserywasextreme,andwhocouldnotcomprehendsuchhard-heartednessinanyofthefamily.

“GoodHeaven!whatistobecomeofus?Whatarewetodo?”wouldtheyoftenexclaiminthebitternessofwoe.“Howcanyoubesmilingso,Lizzy?”

Theiraffectionatemothersharedalltheirgrief;sherememberedwhatshehadherselfenduredonasimilaroccasion,five-and-twentyyearsago.

“Iamsure,”saidshe,“IcriedfortwodaystogetherwhenColonelMillersregimentwentaway.IthoughtIshouldhavebrokenmyheart.”

“IamsureIshallbreakmine,”saidLydia.

“IfonecouldbutgotoBrighton!”observedMrs.Bennet.

“Oh,yes!—ifonecouldbutgotoBrighton!Butpapaissodisagreeable.”

“Alittlesea-bathingwouldsetmeupforever.”

“AndmyauntPhillipsissureitwoulddomeagreatdealofgood,”addedKitty.

SuchwerethekindoflamentationsresoundingperpetuallythroughLongbournHouse.Elizabethtriedtobedivertedbythem;butallsenseofpleasurewaslostinshame.ShefeltanewthejusticeofMr.Darcysobjections;andneverhadshebeensomuchdisposedtopardonhisinterferenceintheviewsofhisfriend.

ButthegloomofLydiasprospectwasshortlyclearedaway;forshereceivedaninvitationfromMrs.Forster,thewifeofthecoloneloftheregiment,toaccompanyhertoBrighton.Thisinvaluablefriendwasaveryyoungwoman,andverylatelymarried.AresemblanceingoodhumourandgoodspiritshadrecommendedherandLydiatoeachother,andoutoftheirthreemonthsacquaintancetheyhadbeenintimatetwo.

TheraptureofLydiaonthisoccasion,heradorationofMrs.Forster,thedelightofMrs.Bennet,andthemortificationofKitty,arescarcelytobedescribed.Whollyinattentivetohersistersfeelings,Lydiaflewaboutthehouseinrestlessecstasy,callingforeveryonescongratulations,andlaughingandtalkingwithmoreviolencethanever;whilstthelucklessKittycontinuedintheparlourrepinedatherfateintermsasunreasonableasheraccentwaspeevish.

“IcannotseewhyMrs.ForstershouldnotaskmeaswellasLydia,”saidshe,“ThoughIamnotherparticularfriend.Ihavejustasmuchrighttobeaskedasshehas,andmoretoo,forIamtwoyearsolder.”

InvaindidElizabethattempttomakeherreasonable,andJanetomakeherresigned.AsforElizabethherself,thisinvitationwassofarfromexcitinginherthesamefeelingsasinhermotherandLydia,thatsheconsidereditasthedeathwarrantofallpossibilityofcommonsenseforthelatter;anddetestableassuchastepmustmakeherwereitknown,shecouldnothelpsecretlyadvisingherfathernottolethergo.SherepresentedtohimalltheimproprietiesofLydiasgeneralbehaviour,thelittleadvantageshecouldderivefromthefriendshipofsuchawomanasMrs.Forster,andtheprobabilityofherbeingyetmoreimprudentwithsuchacompanionatBrighton,wherethetemptationsmustbegreaterthanathome.Heheardherattentively,andthensaid:

“Lydiawillneverbeeasyuntilshehasexposedherselfinsomepublicplaceorother,andwecanneverexpecthertodoitwithsolittleexpenseorinconveniencetoherfamilyasunderthepresentcircumstances.”

“Ifyouwereaware,”saidElizabeth,“oftheverygreatdisadvantagetousallwhichmustarisefromthepublicnoticeofLydiasunguardedandimprudentmanner—nay,whichhasalreadyarisenfromit,Iamsureyouwouldjudgedifferentlyintheaffair.”

“Alreadyarisen?”repeatedMr.Bennet.“What,hasshefrightenedawaysomeofyourlovers?PoorlittleLizzy!Butdonotbecastdown.Suchsqueamishyouthsascannotbeartobeconnectedwithalittleabsurdityarenotwortharegret.Come,letmeseethelistofpitifulfellowswhohavebeenkeptaloofbyLydiasfolly.”

“Indeedyouaremistaken.Ihavenosuchinjuriestoresent.Itisnotofparticular,butofgeneralevils,whichIamnowcomplaining.Ourimportance,ourrespectabilityintheworldmustbeaffectedbythewildvolatility,theassuranceanddisdainofallrestraintwhichmarkLydiascharacter.Excuseme,forImustspeakplainly.Ifyou,mydearfather,willnottakethetroubleofcheckingherexuberantspirits,andofteachingherthatherpresentpursuitsarenottobethebusinessofherlife,shewillsoonbebeyondthereachofamendment.Hercharacterwillbefixed,andshewill,atsixteen,bethemostdeterminedflirtthatevermadeherselforherfamilyridiculous;aflirt,too,intheworstandmeanestdegreeofflirtation;withoutanyattractionbeyondyouthandatolerableperson;and,fromtheignoranceandemptinessofhermind,whollyunabletowardoffanyportionofthatuniversalcontemptwhichherrageforadmirationwillexcite.InthisdangerKittyalsoiscomprehended.ShewillfollowwhereverLydialeads.Vain,ignorant,idle,andabsolutelyuncontrolled!Oh!mydearfather,canyousupposeitpossiblethattheywillnotbecensuredanddespisedwherevertheyareknown,andthattheirsisterswillnotbeofteninvolvedinthedisgrace?”

Mr.Bennetsawthatherwholeheartwasinthesubject,andaffectionatelytakingherhandsaidinreply:

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