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第118章（第1页）

Theirvisitorswerenottoremainabovetendayswiththem。Mr。WickhamhadreceivedhiscommissionbeforeheleftLondon，andhewastojoinhisregimentattheendofafortnight。

NoonebutMrs。Bennetregrettedthattheirstaywouldbesoshort;andshemadethemostofthetimebyvisitingaboutwithherdaughter，andhavingveryfrequentpartiesathome。Thesepartieswereacceptabletoall;toavoidafamilycirclewasevenmoredesirabletosuchasdidthink，thansuchasdidnot。

WickhamsaffectionforLydiawasjustwhatElizabethhadexpectedtofindit;notequaltoLydiasforhim。Shehadscarcelyneededherpresentobservationtobesatisfied，fromthereasonofthings，thattheirelopementhadbeenbroughtonbythestrengthofherlove，ratherthanbyhis;andshewouldhavewonderedwhy，withoutviolentlycaringforher，hechosetoelopewithheratall，hadshenotfeltcertainthathisflightwasrenderednecessarybydistressofcircumstances;andifthatwerethecase，hewasnottheyoungmantoresistanopportunityofhavingacompanion。

Lydiawasexceedinglyfondofhim。HewasherdearWickhamoneveryoccasion;noonewastobeputincompetitionwithhim。Hedideverythingbestintheworld;andshewassurehewouldkillmorebirdsonthefirstofSeptember，thananybodyelseinthecountry。

Onemorning，soonaftertheirarrival，asshewassittingwithhertwoeldersisters，shesaidtoElizabeth:

“Lizzy，Inevergaveyouanaccountofmywedding，Ibelieve。Youwerenotby，whenItoldmammaandtheothersallaboutit。Arenotyoucurioustohearhowitwasmanaged?”

“Noreally，”repliedElizabeth;“Ithinktherecannotbetoolittlesaidonthesubject。”

“La!Youaresostrange!ButImusttellyouhowitwentoff。Weweremarried，youknow，atSt。Clements，becauseWickhamslodgingswereinthatparish。Anditwassettledthatweshouldallbetherebyelevenoclock。MyuncleandauntandIweretogotogether;andtheothersweretomeetusatthechurch。

Well，Mondaymorningcame，andIwasinsuchafuss!Iwassoafraid，youknow，thatsomethingwouldhappentoputitoff，andthenIshouldhavegonequitedistracted。Andtherewasmyaunt，allthetimeIwasdressing，preachingandtalkingawayjustasifshewasreadingasermon。However，Ididnothearaboveonewordinten，forIwasthinking，youmaysuppose，ofmydearWickham。Ilongedtoknowwhetherhewouldbemarriedinhisbluecoat。”

“Well，andsowebreakfastedattenasusual;Ithoughtitwouldneverbeover;for，bythebye，youaretounderstand，thatmyuncleandauntwerehorridunpleasantallthetimeIwaswiththem。Ifyoullbelieveme，Ididnotonceputmyfootoutofdoors，thoughIwasthereafortnight。Notoneparty，orscheme，oranything。TobesureLondonwasratherthin，but，however，theLittleTheatrewasopen。

Well，andsojustasthecarriagecametothedoor，myunclewascalledawayuponbusinesstothathorridmanMr。Stone。Andthen，youknow，whenoncetheygettogether，thereisnoendofit。Well，IwassofrightenedIdidnotknowwhattodo，formyunclewastogivemeaway;andifwewerebeyondthehour，wecouldnotbemarriedallday。But，luckily，hecamebackagainintenminutestime，andthenweallsetout。However，Irecollectedafterwardsthatifhehadbeenpreventedgoing，theweddingneednotbeputoff，forMr。Darcymighthavedoneaswell。”

“Mr。Darcy!”repeatedElizabeth，inutteramazement。

“Oh，yes!—hewastocometherewithWickham，youknow。Butgraciousme!Iquiteforgot!Ioughtnottohavesaidawordaboutit。Ipromisedthemsofaithfully!WhatwillWickhamsay?Itwastobesuchasecret!”

“Ifitwastobesecret，”saidJane，“saynotanotherwordonthesubject。Youmaydependuponmyseekingnofurther。”

“Oh!certainly，”saidElizabeth，thoughburningwithcuriosity;“wewillaskyounoquestions。”

“Thankyou，”saidLydia，“forifyoudid，Ishouldcertainlytellyouall，andthenWickhamwouldbeangry。”

Onsuchencouragementtoask，Elizabethwasforcedtoputitoutofherpower，byrunningaway。

Buttoliveinignoranceonsuchapointwasimpossible;oratleastitwasimpossiblenottotryforinformation。Mr。Darcyhadbeenathersisterswedding。Itwasexactlyascene，andexactlyamongpeople，wherehehadapparentlyleasttodo，andleasttemptationtogo。Conjecturesastothemeaningofit，rapidandwild，hurriedintoherbrain;butshewassatisfiedwithnone。Thosethatbestpleasedher，asplacinghisconductinthenoblestlight，seemedmostimprobable。Shecouldnotbearsuchsuspense;andhastilyseizingasheetofpaper，wroteashortlettertoheraunt，torequestanexplanationofwhatLydiahaddropped，ifitwerecompatiblewiththesecrecywhichhadbeenintended。

“Youmayreadilycomprehend，”sheadded，“whatmycuriositymustbetoknowhowapersonunconnectedwithanyofus，and（comparativelyspeaking）astrangertoourfamily，shouldhavebeenamongstyouatsuchatime。Praywriteinstantly，andletmeunderstandit—unlessitis，forverycogentreasons，toremaininthesecrecywhichLydiaseemstothinknecessary;andthenImustendeavourtobesatisfiedwithignorance。”

“NotthatIshall，though，”sheaddedtoherself，asshefinishedtheletter;“andmydearaunt，ifyoudonottellmeinanhonourablemanner，Ishallcertainlybereducedtotricksandstratagemstofinditout。”

JanesdelicatesenseofhonourwouldnotallowhertospeaktoElizabethprivatelyofwhatLydiahadletfall;Elizabethwasgladofit;—tillitappearedwhetherherinquirieswouldreceiveanysatisfaction，shehadratherbewithoutaconfidante。