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Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Chapter 40
Elizabeth's impatience1 to acquaint Jane with what had happened could no longer be overcome; and at length, resolving to suppress every particular in which her sister was concerned, and preparing her to be surprised, she related to her the next morning the chief of the scene between Mr. Darcy and herself.
Miss Bennet's astonishment2 was soon lessened3 by the strong sisterly partiality which made any admiration4 of Elizabeth appear perfectly5 natural; and all surprise was shortly lost in other feelings. She was sorry that Mr. Darcy should have delivered his sentiments in a manner so little suited to recommend them; but still more was she grieved for the unhappiness which her sister's refusal must have given him.
"His being so sure of succeeding was wrong," said she, "and certainly ought not to have appeared; but consider how much it must increase his disappointment!"
"Indeed," replied Elizabeth, "I am heartily6 sorry for him; but he has other feelings, which will probably soon drive away his regard for me. You do not blame me, however, for refusing him?"
"Blame you! Oh, no."
"But you blame me for having spoken so warmly of Wickham?"
"No—I do not know that you were wrong in saying what you did."
"But you will know it, when I tell you what happened the very next day."
She then spoke7 of the letter, repeating the whole of its contents as far as they concerned George Wickham. What a stroke was this for poor Jane! who would willingly have gone through the world without believing that so much wickedness existed in the whole race of mankind, as was here collected in one individual. Nor was Darcy's vindication8, though grateful to her feelings, capable of consoling her for such discovery. Most earnestly did she labour to prove the probability of error, and seek to clear the one without involving the other.
"This will not do," said Elizabeth; "you never will be able to make both of them good for anything. Take your choice, but you must be satisfied with only one. There is but such a quantity of merit between them; just enough to make one good sort of man; and of late it has been shifting about pretty much. For my part, I am inclined to believe it all Darcy's; but you shall do as you choose."
"I do not know when I have been more shocked," said she. "Wickham so very bad! It is almost past belief. And poor Mr. Darcy! Dear Lizzy, only consider what he must have suffered. Such a disappointment! and with the knowledge of your ill opinion, too! and having to relate such a thing of his sister! It is really too distressing10. I am sure you must feel it so."
"Oh! no, my regret and compassion11 are all done away by seeing you so full of both. I know you will do him such ample justice, that I am growing every moment more unconcerned and indifferent. Your profusion12 makes me saving; and if you lament13 over him much longer, my heart will be as light as a feather."
"Poor Wickham! there is such an expression of goodness in his countenance14! such an openness and gentleness in his manner!"
"There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it."
"And yet I meant to be uncommonly16 clever in taking so decided17 a dislike to him, without any reason. It is such a spur to one's genius, such an opening for wit, to have a dislike of that kind. One may be continually abusive without saying anything just; but one cannot always be laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty18."
"Lizzy, when you first read that letter, I am sure you could not treat the matter as you do now."
"Indeed, I could not. I was uncomfortable enough, I may say unhappy. And with no one to speak to about what I felt, no Jane to comfort me and say that I had not been so very weak and vain and nonsensical as I knew I had! Oh! how I wanted you!"
"How unfortunate that you should have used such very strong expressions in speaking of Wickham to Mr. Darcy, for now they do appear wholly undeserved."
"Certainly. But the misfortune of speaking with bitterness is a most natural consequence of the prejudices I had been encouraging. There is one point on which I want your advice. I want to be told whether I ought, or ought not, to make our acquaintances in general understand Wickham's character."
Miss Bennet paused a little, and then replied, "Surely there can be no occasion for exposing him so dreadfully. What is your opinion?"
"That it ought not to be attempted. Mr. Darcy has not authorised me to make his communication public. On the contrary, every particular relative to his sister was meant to be kept as much as possible to myself; and if I endeavour to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct, who will believe me? The general prejudice against Mr. Darcy is so violent, that it would be the death of half the good people in Meryton to attempt to place him in an amiable19 light. I am not equal to it. Wickham will soon be gone; and therefore it will not signify to anyone here what he really is. Some time hence it will be all found out, and then we may laugh at their stupidity in not knowing it before. At present I will say nothing about it."
"You are quite right. To have his errors made public might ruin him for ever. He is now, perhaps, sorry for what he has done, and anxious to re-establish a character. We must not make him desperate."
The tumult20 of Elizabeth's mind was allayed21 by this conversation. She had got rid of two of the secrets which had weighed on her for a fortnight, and was certain of a willing listener in Jane, whenever she might wish to talk again of either. But there was still something lurking22 behind, of which prudence23 forbade the disclosure. She dared not relate the other half of Mr. Darcy's letter, nor explain to her sister how sincerely she had been valued by her friend. Here was knowledge in which no one could partake; and she was sensible that nothing less than a perfect understanding between the parties could justify24 her in throwing off this last encumbrance25 of mystery. "And then," said she, "if that very improbable event should ever take place, I shall merely be able to tell what Bingley may tell in a much more agreeable manner himself. The liberty of communication cannot be mine till it has lost all its value!"
She was now, on being settled at home, at leisure to observe the real state of her sister's spirits. Jane was not happy. She still cherished a very tender affection for Bingley. Having never even fancied herself in love before, her regard had all the warmth of first attachment26, and, from her age and disposition27, greater steadiness than most first attachments28 often boast; and so fervently29 did she value his remembrance, and prefer him to every other man, that all her good sense, and all her attention to the feelings of her friends, were requisite30 to check the indulgence of those regrets which must have been injurious to her own health and their tranquillity31.
"Well, Lizzy," said Mrs. Bennet one day, "what is your opinion now of this sad business of Jane's? For my part, I am determined32 never to speak of it again to anybody. I told my sister Phillips so the other day. But I cannot find out that Jane saw anything of him in London. Well, he is a very undeserving young man—and I do not suppose there's the least chance in the world of her ever getting him now. There is no talk of his coming to Netherfield again in the summer; and I have inquired of everybody, too, who is likely to know."
"I do not believe he will ever live at Netherfield any more."
"Oh well! it is just as he chooses. Nobody wants him to come. Though I shall always say he used my daughter extremely ill; and if I was her, I would not have put up with it. Well, my comfort is, I am sure Jane will die of a broken heart; and then he will be sorry for what he has done."
But as Elizabeth could not receive comfort from any such expectation, she made no answer.
"Well, Lizzy," continued her mother, soon afterwards, "and so the Collinses live very comfortable, do they? Well, well, I only hope it will last. And what sort of table do they keep? Charlotte is an excellent manager, I dare say. If she is half as sharp as her mother, she is saving enough. There is nothing extravagant33 in their housekeeping, I dare say."
"No, nothing at all."
"A great deal of good management, depend upon it. Yes, yes. they will take care not to outrun their income. They will never be distressed34 for money. Well, much good may it do them! And so, I suppose, they often talk of having Longbourn when your father is dead. They look upon it as quite their own, I dare say, whenever that happens."
"It was a subject which they could not mention before me."
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1
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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2
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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3
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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4
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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5
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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6
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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7
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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8
vindication
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| n.洗冤，证实 | |
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9
extorted
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| v.敲诈( extort的过去式和过去分词 )；曲解 | |
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10
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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11
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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12
profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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13
lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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14
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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15
deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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16
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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17
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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18
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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19
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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20
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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21
allayed
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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23
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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24
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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25
encumbrance
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| n.妨碍物，累赘 | |
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26
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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27
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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28
attachments
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| n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件( attachment的名词复数 )；附着；连接；附属物 | |
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29
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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30
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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31
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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32
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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33
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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34
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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35
lawfully
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| adv.守法地，合法地；合理地 | |
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36
entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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