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Гордость и предубеждение
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Глава 49
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Pride and Prejudice
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Mr. Bennet made no answer,
2
and each of them,
3
deep in thought,
4
continued silent till they reached the house.
5
Their father then went on to the library to write,
6
and the girls walked into the breakfast-room.
7
“And they are really to be married!”
8
cried Elizabeth,
9
as soon as they were by themselves.
10
“How strange this is!
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And for this we are to be thankful.
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That they should marry,
13
small as is their chance of happiness,
14
and wretched as is his character,
15
we are forced to rejoice.
16
Oh,
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Lydia!”
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“I comfort myself with thinking,”
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replied Jane,
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“that he certainly would not marry Lydia if he had not a real regard for her.
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Though our kind uncle has done something towards clearing him,
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I cannot believe that ten thousand pounds,
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or anything like it,
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has been advanced.
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He has children of his own,
26
and may have more.
27
How could he spare half ten thousand pounds?”
28
“If he were ever able to learn what Wickham’s debts have been,”
29
said Elizabeth,
30
“and how much is settled on his side on our sister,
31
we shall exactly know what Mr. Gardiner has done for them,
32
because Wickham has not sixpence of his own.
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The kindness of my uncle and aunt can never be requited.
34
Their taking her home,
35
and affording her their personal protection and countenance,
36
is such a sacrifice to her advantage as years of gratitude cannot enough acknowledge.
37
By this time she is actually with them!
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If such goodness does not make her miserable now,
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she will never deserve to be happy!
40
What a meeting for her,
41
when she first sees my aunt!”
42
“We must endeavour to forget all that has passed on either side,”
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said Jane:
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“I hope and trust they will yet be happy.
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His consenting to marry her is a proof,
46
I will believe,
47
that he is come to a right way of thinking.
48
Their mutual affection will steady them;
49
and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly,
50
and live in so rational a manner,
51
as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten.”
52
“Their conduct has been such,”
53
replied Elizabeth,
54
“as neither you,
55
nor I,
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nor anybody can ever forget.
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It is useless to talk of it.”
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It now occurred to the girls that their mother was in all likelihood perfectly ignorant of what had happened.
59
They went to the library,
60
therefore,
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and asked their father whether he would not wish them to make it known to her.
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He was writing and,
63
without raising his head,
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coolly replied:
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“Just as you please.”
66
“May we take my uncle’s letter to read to her?”
67
“Take whatever you like,
68
and get away.”
69
Elizabeth took the letter from his writing-table,
70
and they went up stairs together.
71
Mary and Kitty were both with Mrs. Bennet:
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one communication would,
73
therefore,
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do for all.
75
After a slight preparation for good news,
76
the letter was read aloud.
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Mrs. Bennet could hardly contain herself.
78
As soon as Jane had read Mr. Gardiner’s hope of Lydia’s being soon married,
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her joy burst forth,
80
and every following sentence added to its exuberance.
81
She was now in an irritation as violent from delight,
82
as she had ever been fidgety from alarm and vexation.
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To know that her daughter would be married was enough.
84
She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity,
85
nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct.
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“My dear,
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dear Lydia!”
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she cried.
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“This is delightful indeed!
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She will be married!
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I shall see her again!
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She will be married at sixteen!
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My good,
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kind brother!
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I knew how it would be.
96
I knew he would manage everything!
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How I long to see her!
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and to see dear Wickham too!
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But the clothes,
100
the wedding clothes!
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I will write to my sister Gardiner about them directly.
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Lizzy,
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my dear,
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run down to your father,
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and ask him how much he will give her.
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Stay,
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stay,
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I will go myself.
109
Ring the bell,
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Kitty,
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for Hill.
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I will put on my things in a moment.
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My dear,
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dear Lydia!
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How merry we shall be together when we meet!”
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Her eldest daughter endeavoured to give some relief to the violence of these transports,
117
by leading her thoughts to the obligations which Mr. Gardiner’s behaviour laid them all under.
118
“For we must attribute this happy conclusion,”
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she added,
120
“in a great measure to his kindness.
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We are persuaded that he has pledged himself to assist Mr. Wickham with money.”
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“Well,”
123
cried her mother,
124
“it is all very right;
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who should do it but her own uncle?
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If he had not had a family of his own,
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I and my children must have had all his money,
128
you know;
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and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him,
130
except a few presents.
131
Well!
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I am so happy!
133
In a short time I shall have a daughter married.
134
Mrs. Wickham!
135
How well it sounds!
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And she was only sixteen last June.
137
My dear Jane,
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I am in such a flutter,
139
that I am sure I can’t write;
140
so I will dictate,
141
and you write for me.
142
We will settle with your father about the money afterwards;
143
but the things should be ordered immediately.”
144
She was then proceeding to all the particulars of calico,
145
muslin,
146
and cambric,
147
and would shortly have dictated some very plentiful orders,
148
had not Jane,
149
though with some difficulty,
150
persuaded her to wait till her father was at leisure to be consulted.
151
One day’s delay,
152
she observed,
153
would be of small importance;
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and her mother was too happy to be quite so obstinate as usual.
155
Other schemes,
156
too,
157
came into her head.
158
“I will go to Meryton,”
159
said she,
160
“as soon as I am dressed,
161
and tell the good,
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good news to my sister Philips.
163
And as I come back,
164
I can call on Lady Lucas and Mrs. Long.
165
Kitty,
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run down and order the carriage.
167
An airing would do me a great deal of good,
168
I am sure.
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Girls,
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can I do anything for you in Meryton?
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Oh!
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Here comes Hill!
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My dear Hill,
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have you heard the good news?
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Miss Lydia is going to be married;
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and you shall all have a bowl of punch to make merry at her wedding.”
177
Mrs. Hill began instantly to express her joy.
178
Elizabeth received her congratulations amongst the rest,
179
and then,
180
sick of this folly,
181
took refuge in her own room,
182
that she might think with freedom.
183
Poor Lydia’s situation must,
184
at best,
185
be bad enough;
186
but that it was no worse,
187
she had need to be thankful.
188
She felt it so;
189
and though,
190
in looking forward,
191
neither rational happiness nor worldly prosperity could be justly expected for her sister,
192
in looking back to what they had feared,
193
only two hours ago,
194
she felt all the advantages of what they had gained.
195
End of chapter 49.
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