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Гордость и предубеждение
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Глава 51
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Pride and Prejudice
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1
Their visitors were not to remain above ten days with them.
2
Mr. Wickham had received his commission before he left London,
3
and he was to join his regiment at the end of a fortnight.
4
No one but Mrs. Bennet regretted that their stay would be so short;
5
and she made the most of the time by visiting about with her daughter,
6
and having very frequent parties at home.
7
These parties were acceptable to all;
8
to avoid a family circle was even more desirable to such as did think,
9
than such as did not.
10
Wickham’s affection for Lydia was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it;
11
not equal to Lydia’s for him.
12
She had scarcely needed her present observation to be satisfied,
13
from the reason of things,
14
that their elopement had been brought on by the strength of her love,
15
rather than by his;
16
and she would have wondered why,
17
without violently caring for her,
18
he chose to elope with her at all,
19
had she not felt certain that his flight was rendered necessary by distress of circumstances;
20
and if that were the case,
21
he was not the young man to resist an opportunity of having a companion.
22
Lydia was exceedingly fond of him.
23
He was her dear Wickham on every occasion;
24
no one was to be put in competition with him.
25
He did every thing best in the world;
26
and she was sure he would kill more birds on the first of September,
27
than any body else in the country.
28
One morning,
29
soon after their arrival,
30
as she was sitting with her two elder sisters,
31
she said to Elizabeth:
32
“Lizzy,
33
I never gave you an account of my wedding,
34
I believe.
35
You were not by,
36
when I told mamma and the others all about it.
37
Are not you curious to hear how it was managed?”
38
“No really,”
39
replied Elizabeth;
40
“I think there cannot be too little said on the subject.”
41
“La!
42
You are so strange!
43
But I must tell you how it went off.
44
We were married,
45
you know,
46
at St.
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Clement’s,
48
because Wickham’s lodgings were in that parish.
49
And it was settled that we should all be there by eleven o’clock.
50
My uncle and aunt and I were to go together;
51
and the others were to meet us at the church.
52
Well,
53
Monday morning came,
54
and I was in such a fuss!
55
I was so afraid,
56
you know,
57
that something would happen to put it off,
58
and then I should have gone quite distracted.
59
And there was my aunt,
60
all the time I was dressing,
61
preaching and talking away just as if she was reading a sermon.
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However,
63
I did not hear above one word in ten,
64
for I was thinking,
65
you may suppose,
66
of my dear Wickham.
67
I longed to know whether he would be married in his blue coat.”
68
“Well,
69
and so we breakfasted at ten as usual;
70
I thought it would never be over;
71
for,
72
by the bye,
73
you are to understand,
74
that my uncle and aunt were horrid unpleasant all the time I was with them.
75
If you’ll believe me,
76
I did not once put my foot out of doors,
77
though I was there a fortnight.
78
Not one party,
79
or scheme,
80
or anything.
81
To be sure London was rather thin,
82
but,
83
however,
84
the Little Theatre was open.
85
Well,
86
and so just as the carriage came to the door,
87
my uncle was called away upon business to that horrid man Mr. Stone.
88
And then,
89
you know,
90
when once they get together,
91
there is no end of it.
92
Well,
93
I was so frightened I did not know what to do,
94
for my uncle was to give me away;
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and if we were beyond the hour,
96
we could not be married all day.
97
But,
98
luckily,
99
he came back again in ten minutes’ time,
100
and then we all set out.
101
However,
102
I recollected afterwards that if he had been prevented going,
103
the wedding need not be put off,
104
for Mr. Darcy might have done as well.”
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“Mr. Darcy!”
106
repeated Elizabeth,
107
in utter amazement.
108
“Oh,
109
yes!—
110
he was to come there with Wickham,
111
you know.
112
But gracious me!
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I quite forgot!
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I ought not to have said a word about it.
115
I promised them so faithfully!
116
What will Wickham say?
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It was to be such a secret!”
118
“If it was to be secret,”
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said Jane,
120
“say not another word on the subject.
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You may depend upon my seeking no further.”
122
“Oh!
123
certainly,”
124
said Elizabeth,
125
though burning with curiosity;
126
“we will ask you no questions.”
127
“Thank you,”
128
said Lydia,
129
“for if you did,
130
I should certainly tell you all,
131
and then Wickham would be angry.”
132
On such encouragement to ask,
133
Elizabeth was forced to put it out of her power,
134
by running away.
135
But to live in ignorance on such a point was impossible;
136
or at least it was impossible not to try for information.
137
Mr. Darcy had been at her sister’s wedding.
138
It was exactly a scene,
139
and exactly among people,
140
where he had apparently least to do,
141
and least temptation to go.
142
Conjectures as to the meaning of it,
143
rapid and wild,
144
hurried into her brain;
145
but she was satisfied with none.
146
Those that best pleased her,
147
as placing his conduct in the noblest light,
148
seemed most improbable.
149
She could not bear such suspense;
150
and hastily seizing a sheet of paper,
151
wrote a short letter to her aunt,
152
to request an explanation of what Lydia had dropt,
153
if it were compatible with the secrecy which had been intended.
154
“You may readily comprehend,”
155
she added,
156
“what my curiosity must be to know how a person unconnected with any of us,
157
and (comparatively speaking)
158
a stranger to our family,
159
should have been amongst you at such a time.
160
Pray write instantly,
161
and let me understand it—unless it is,
162
for very cogent reasons,
163
to remain in the secrecy which Lydia seems to think necessary;
164
and then I must endeavour to be satisfied with ignorance.”
165
“Not that I shall,
166
though,”
167
she added to herself,
168
as she finished the letter;
169
“and my dear aunt,
170
if you do not tell me in an honourable manner,
171
I shall certainly be reduced to tricks and stratagems to find it out.”
172
Jane’s delicate sense of honour would not allow her to speak to Elizabeth privately of what Lydia had let fall;
173
Elizabeth was glad of it;—
174
till it appeared whether her inquiries would receive any satisfaction,
175
she had rather be without a confidante.
176
End of chapter 51.
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