456小说网

第143章（第1页）

Marywastheonlydaughterwhoremainedathome;andshewasnecessarilydrawnfromthepursuitofaccomplishmentsbyMrs。Bennetsbeingquiteunabletositalone。Marywasobligedtomixmorewiththeworld，butshecouldstillmoralizeovereverymorningvisit;andasshewasnolongermortifiedbycomparisonsbetweenhersistersbeautyandherown，itwassuspectedbyherfatherthatshesubmittedtothechangewithoutmuchreluctance。

AsforWickhamandLydia，theircharacterssufferednorevolutionfromthemarriageofhersisters。HeborewithphilosophytheconvictionthatElizabethmustnowbecomeacquaintedwithwhateverofhisingratitudeandfalsehoodhadbeforebeenunknowntoher;andinspiteofeverything，wasnotwhollywithouthopethatDarcymightyetbeprevailedontomakehisfortune。ThecongratulatoryletterwhichElizabethreceivedfromLydiaonhermarriage，explainedtoherthat，byhiswifeatleast，ifnotbyhimself，suchahopewascherished。Theletterwastothiseffect:

“MyDearLizzy，

“Iwishyoujoy。IfyouloveMr。DarcyhalfaswellasIdomydearWickham，youmustbeveryhappy。Itisagreatcomforttohaveyousorich，andwhenyouhavenothingelsetodo，Ihopeyouwillthinkofus。IamsureWickhamwouldlikeaplaceatcourtverymuch，andIdonotthinkweshallhavequitemoneyenoughtoliveuponwithoutsomehelp。Anyplacewoulddo，ofaboutthreeorfourhundredayear;buthowever，donotspeaktoMr。Darcyaboutit，ifyouhadrathernot。

“Yours，etc。”

AsithappenedthatElizabethhadmuchrathernot，sheendeavouredinheranswertoputanendtoeveryentreatyandexpectationofthekind。Suchrelief，however，asitwasinherpowertoafford，bythepracticeofwhatmightbecalledeconomyinherownprivateexpences，shefrequentlysentthem。Ithadalwaysbeenevidenttoherthatsuchanincomeastheirs，underthedirectionoftwopersonssoextravagantintheirwants，andheedlessofthefuture，mustbeveryinsufficienttotheirsupport;andwhenevertheychangedtheirquarters，eitherJaneorherselfweresureofbeingappliedtoforsomelittleassistancetowardsdischargingtheirbills。Theirmannerofliving，evenwhentherestorationofpeacedismissedthemtoahome，wasunsettledintheextreme。Theywerealwaysmovingfromplacetoplaceinquestofacheapsituation，andalwaysspendingmorethantheyought。Hisaffectionforhersoonsunkintoindifference;herslastedalittlelonger;andinspiteofheryouthandhermanners，sheretainedalltheclaimstoreputationwhichhermarriagehadgivenher。

ThoughDarcycouldneverreceivehimatPemberley，yet，forElizabethssake，heassistedhimfurtherinhisprofession。Lydiawasoccasionallyavisitorthere，whenherhusbandwasgonetoenjoyhimselfinLondonorBath;andwiththeBingleystheybothofthemfrequentlystayedsolong，thatevenBingleysgoodhumourwasovercome，andheproceededsofarastotalkofgivingthemahinttobegone。

MissBingleywasverydeeplymortifiedbyDarcysmarriage;butasshethoughtitadvisabletoretaintherightofvisitingatPemberley，shedroptallherresentment;wasfonderthaneverofGeorgiana，almostasattentivetoDarcyasheretofore，andpaidoffeveryarrearofcivilitytoElizabeth。

PemberleywasnowGeorgianashome;andtheattachmentofthesisterswasexactlywhatDarcyhadhopedtosee。Theywereabletoloveeachotherevenaswellastheyintended。GeorgianahadthehighestopinionintheworldofElizabeth;thoughatfirstsheoftenlistenedwithanastonishmentborderingonalarmatherlively，sportivemanneroftalkingtoherbrother。He，whohadalwaysinspiredinherselfarespectwhichalmostovercameheraffection，shenowsawtheobjectofopenpleasantry。Hermindreceivedknowledgewhichhadneverbeforefalleninherway。ByElizabethsinstructions，shebegantocomprehendthatawomanmaytakelibertieswithherhusbandwhichabrotherwillnotalwaysallowinasistermorethantenyearsyoungerthanhimself。

LadyCatherinewasextremelyindignantonthemarriageofhernephew;andasshegavewaytoallthegenuinefranknessofhercharacterinherreplytotheletterwhichannounceditsarrangement，shesenthimlanguagesoveryabusive，especiallyofElizabeth，thatforsometimeallintercoursewasatanend。Butatlength，byElizabethspersuasion，hewasprevailedontooverlooktheoffence，andseekareconciliation;and，afteralittlefurtherresistanceonthepartofhisaunt，herresentmentgaveway，eithertoheraffectionforhim，orhercuriositytoseehowhiswifeconductedherself;andshecondescendedtowaitonthematPemberley，inspiteofthatpollutionwhichitswoodshadreceived，notmerelyfromthepresenceofsuchamistress，butthevisitsofheruncleandauntfromthecity。

WiththeGardiners，theywerealwaysonthemostintimateterms。Darcy，aswellasElizabeth，reallylovedthem;andtheywerebotheversensibleofthewarmestgratitudetowardsthepersonswho，bybringingherintoDerbyshire，hadbeenthemeansofunitingthem。