..me"..me/傲慢与偏见最新章节！
If gratitude and esteem are good foundations of affection, Elizabeth''s change of sentiment will be neither improbable nor faulty. But if otherwise—if regard sprgg from such sources is unreasonable or unnatural, comparison of what is so often described as arisg on a first terview with its object,and even before two words have been exchanged, nothg can be said her defence, except that she had given somewhat of a trial to the latter method her partiality for Wickham, and that its ill success might, perhaps, authorise her to seek the other less terestg mode of attachment.Be that as it may,she saw him go with regret;and this early example of what Lydia''s famy must produce,found additional anguish as she reflected on that wretched busess. Never, sce readg Jane''s second letter, had she entertaed a hope of Wickham''s meang to marry her. No one but Jane, she thought, could flatter herself with such an expectation. Surprise was the least of her feelgs on this development.While the contents of the first letter remaed on her md, she was all surprise—all astonishment that Wickham should marry a girl whom it was impossible he could marry for money;and how Lydia could ever have attached him had appeared comprehensible. But now it was all too natural. For such an attachment as this,she might have sufficient charms;and though she did not suppose Lydia to be deliberately engagg an elopement without the tention of marriage,she had no difficulty believg that neither her virtue nor her understandg would preserve her from fallg an easy prey.
She had never perceived,while the regiment was Hertfordshire, that Lydia had any partiality for him; but she was convced that Lydia wanted only encouragement to attach herself to anybody. Sometimes one officer, sometimes another, had been her favourite,as their attentions raised them her opion.Her affections had contually been fluctuatg but never without an object.The mischief of neglect and mistaken dulgence towards such a girl—oh!how acutely did she now feel it!
She was wild to be at home—to hear, to see, to be upon the spot to share with Jane the cares that must now fall wholly upon her, a family so deranged, a father absent, a mother capable of exertion, and requirg constant attendance; and though almost persuaded that nothg could be done for Lydia, her uncle''s terference seemed of the utmost importance, and till he entered the room her impatience was severe.Mr.and Mrs. Garder had hurried back alarm, supposg by the servant''s account that their niece was taken suddenly ill; but satisfyg them stantly on that head,she eagerly communicated the cause of their summons,readg the two letters aloud,and dwellg on the post of the last with tremblg energy,though Lydia had never been a favourite with them,Mr.and Mrs.Garder could not but be deeply a?icted.Not Lydia only,but all were concerned it;and after the first exclamations of surprise and horror,Mr. Garder promised every assistance his power. Elizabeth, though expectg no less, thanked him with tears of gratitude;and all three beg actuated by one spirit,everythg relatg to their journey was speedily settled.They were to be off as soon as possible.“But what is to be done about Pemberley?”cried Mrs. Garder.“John told us Mr.Darcy was here when you sent for us;was it so?”
“Yes;and I told him we should not be able to keep our engagement. That is all settled.”
“What is all settled?”repeated the other, as she ran to her room to prepare.“And are they upon such terms as for her to disclose the real truth?Oh,that I knew how it was!”
But wishes were va,or at best could only serve to amuse her the hurry and confusion of the followg hour.Had Elizabeth been at leisure to be idle,she would have remaed certa that all employment was impossible to one so wretched as herself;but she had her share of busess as well as her aunt,and amongst the rest there were notes to be written to all their friends at Lambton, with false excuses for their sudden departure.An hour,however, saw the whole completed; and Mr. Garder meanwhile havg settled his account at the n,nothg remaed to be done but to go;and Elizabeth,after all the misery of the morng,found herself, a shorter space of time than she could have supposed, seated the carriage,and on the road to Longbourn.
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