Chapter52 Itwaspainful,exceedinglypainful,toknowthattheywereunderobligationstoapersonwhocouldneverreceiveareturn.TheyowedtherestorationofLydia,hercharacter,everything,tohim.Oh!howheartilydidshegrieveovereveryungracioussensationshehadeverencouraged,everysaucyspeechshehadeverdirectedtowardshim.Forherselfshewashumbled;butshewasproudofhim.Proudthatinacauseofcompassionandhonour,hehadbeenabletogetthebetterofhimself.Shereadoverheraunt'scommendationofhimagainandagain.Itwashardlyenough;butitpleasedher.Shewasevensensibleofsomepleasure,thoughmixedwithregret,onfindinghowsteadfastlybothsheandherunclehadbeenpersuadedthataffectionandconfidencesubsistedbetweenMr.Darcyandherself.Shewasrousedfromherseat,andherreflections,bysomeone'sapproach;andbeforeshecouldstrikeintoanotherpath,shewasovertakenbyWickham."IamafraidIinterruptyoursolitaryramble,mydearsister?"saidhe,ashejoinedher."Youcertainlydo,"sherepliedwithasmile; "butitdoesnotfollowthattheinterruptionmustbeunwelcome.""Ishouldbesorryindeed,ifitwere.Wewerealwaysgoodfriends;andnowwearebetter.""True.Aretheotherscomingout?""Idonotknow.Mrs.BennetandLydiaaregoinginthecarriagetoMeryton.Andso,mydearsister,Ifind,fromouruncleandaunt,thatyouhaveactuallyseenPemberley."Sherepliedintheaffirmative."Ialmostenvyyouthepleasure,andyetIbelieveitwouldbetoomuchforme,orelseIcouldtakeitinmywaytoNewcastle.Andyousawtheoldhousekeeper,Isuppose?PoorReynolds,shewasalwaysveryfondofme.Butofcourseshedidnotmentionmynametoyou.""Yes,shedid.""Andwhatdidshesay?""Thatyouweregoneintothearmy,andshewasafraidhad--notturnedoutwell.Atsuchadistanceasthat,youknow,thingsarestrangelymisrepresented.""Certainly,"hereplied,bitinghislips.Elizabethhopedshehadsilencedhim;buthesoonafterwardssaid,"IwassurprisedtoseeDarcyintownlastmonth.Wepassedeachotherseveraltimes.Iwonderwhathecanbedoingthere.""PerhapspreparingforhismarriagewithMissdeBourgh,"saidElizabeth. "Itmustbesomethingparticular,totakehimthereatthistimeofyear.""Undoubtedly.DidyouseehimwhileyouwereatLambton?IthoughtIunderstoodfromtheGardinersthatyouhad.""Yes;heintroducedustohissister.""Anddoyoulikeher?""Verymuch.""Ihaveheard,indeed,thatsheisuncommonlyimprovedwithinthisyearortwo.WhenIlastsawher,shewasnotverypromising.Iamverygladyoulikedher.Ihopeshewillturnoutwell.""Idaresayshewill;shehasgotoverthemosttryingage.""DidyougobythevillageofKympton?""Idonotrecollectthatwedid.""Imentionit,becauseitisthelivingwhichIoughttohavehad.Amostdelightfulplace! --ExcellentParsonageHouse!Itwouldhavesuitedmeineveryrespect.""Howshouldyouhavelikedmakingsermons?""Exceedinglywell.Ishouldhaveconsidereditaspartofmyduty,andtheexertionwouldsoonhavebeennothing.Oneoughtnottorepine; --but,tobesure,itwouldhavebeensuchathingforme!Thequiet,theretirementofsuchalifewouldhaveansweredallmyideasofhappiness!Butitwasnottobe.DidyoueverhearDarcymentionthecircumstance,whenyouwereinKent?""Ihaveheardfromauthority,whichIthoughtasgood,thatitwasleftyouconditionallyonly,andatthewillofthepresentpatron.""Youhave.Yes,therewassomethinginthat;Itoldyousofromthefirst,youmayremember.""Ididhear,too,thattherewasatime,whensermon-makingwasnotsopalatabletoyouasitseemstobeatpresent;thatyouactuallydeclaredyourresolutionofnevertakingorders,andthatthebusinesshadbeencompromisedaccordingly.""Youdid!anditwasnotwhollywithoutfoundation.YoumayrememberwhatItoldyouonthatpoint,whenfirstwetalkedofit."Theywerenowalmostatthedoorofthehouse,forshehadwalkedfasttogetridofhim;andunwilling,forhersister'ssake,toprovokehim,sheonlysaidinreply,withagood-humouredsmile,"Come,Mr.Wickham,wearebrotherandsister,youknow.Donotletusquarrelaboutthepast.Infuture,Ihopeweshallbealwaysofonemind."Sheheldoutherhand;hekisseditwithaffectionategallantry,thoughhehardlyknewhowtolook,andtheyenteredthehouse. 第五十二章 一想起这样一个人对她们情意隆重，而她们却无法报答他，这真是痛苦，说不尽的痛苦。丽迪雅能够回来，能够保全了人格，这一切都得归功于他。她一想起自己以前竟会那样厌恶他，竟会对他那样出言唐突，真是万分伤心！她不胜自愧，同时又为他感到骄傲。骄傲的是，他竟会一本同情之心，崇尚义气，委曲求全。于是她把舅母信上恭维他的那段话读了又读，只觉还嫌说得不够，可是也足以叫她十分高兴。她发觉舅父母都断定她跟达西先生感情深切，推心置腹。她虽然不免因此而感到几分懊恼，却也颇为得意。这时已经有人走近前来，打断了她的深思，使她从座位上站起来；她刚要从另一条小径过去，只见韦翰却赶了上来。他走到她身边说道：“我怕打扰了你清静的散步吧，亲爱的姐姐她笑着回答道：“的确是这样，不过，打扰未必就不受欢迎。”“要是这样，我真过意不去。我们一向是好朋友，现在更加亲近了。”“你说得是。他们都出来了吗？”“不知道。妈妈和丽迪雅乘着马车到麦里屯去了。亲爱的姐姐，听舅父母说起，你当真到彭伯里去玩过了。”她说，当真去过了。“你这眼福几乎叫我嫉妒，可惜我又消受不了，否则，我到纽卡斯尔去的时候，也可以顺道一访。我想，你看到了那位年老的管家奶奶吧？可怜的雷诺奶奶！她从前老是那么喜欢我。不过，她当然不会在你面前提起我的名字。”“她倒提到了。”“她怎么说来着？”“她说你进了军队，就怕──－就怕你情形不大好。路隔得那么远，传来的话十分靠不住。”“当然罗，”他咬着嘴唇回答道。伊丽莎白满以为这一下可以叫他住嘴了；但是过不了一会儿，他又说道：“上个月真出乎意料，在城里碰到了达西。我们见了好几次面。我不知道他到城里有什么事。”“或许是准备跟德·包尔结婚吧，”伊丽莎白说。“他在这样的季节到城里去，一定是为了什么特别的事。”“毫无疑问。你在蓝白屯见到过他吗？听嘉丁纳夫妇说，你见到过他的。”“见过，他还把我们介绍给他的妹妹。”“你喜欢她吗？”“非常喜欢。”“真的，我听说她这一两年来有了很大的长进。以前看到他的时候，我真觉得她没有什么出息。你喜欢她，我很高兴。但愿她能够改好得象个人样。”“她一定会那样；她那最容易惹祸的年龄已经过去了。”“你们经过金泊屯村的吗？”“我记不得是否到过那个地方。”“我所以要提到那个地方，就因为我当初应该得到的一份牧师俸禄就在那儿。那是个非常好玩的地方！那所牧师住宅也好极了！各方面都适合我。”“你竟喜欢讲道吗？”“喜欢极了。我本当把它看作我自己本份的职务，即使开头要费点力气，过不了多久也就无所谓了。一个人不应该后悔；可是，这的确是我的一份好差事！这样安闲清静的生活，完全合乎我幸福的理想！只可惜已经事过境迁。你在肯特郡的时候，有没有听到达西谈起过这件事？”“听到过的，而且我认为他的话很靠得住，听说那个位置给你是有条件的，而且目前这位施主可以自由处理。”“你听到过！不错，这话也有道理；我开头就告诉过你，你可能还记得。”“我还听说，你过去有一个时期，并不象现在这样喜欢讲道，你曾经慎重其事地宣布过，决计不要当牧师，于是这件事就此解决了。”“你真听说过！这话倒不是完全没有根据。你也许还记得，我们第一次谈起这件事的时候，我也提起过的。”他们两人现在快要走到家门口了，因为她有意走得很快，要摔脱他；不过看在妹妹份上，她又不愿意使他生气，因此她只是和颜悦色地笑了笑，回答道：“算了吧，韦翰先生；你要知道，我们现在已是兄弟姐妹。不要再为了过去的事去争论吧。但愿将来一直不会有什么冲突。”她伸出手来，他亲切而殷勤地吻了一下。他这时候简直有些啼笑皆非。他们就这样走进了屋子。