c4-第2章

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　observe　her　in　compassionate　silence。　At　length；　she　spoke　again。　‘‘I　have　just　had　a　letter　from　Jane；　with　such　dreadful　news。　It　cannot　be　concealed　from　any　one。　My　youngest　sister　has　left　all　her　friends　　has　eloped；　　has　thrown　herself　into　the　power　of　　of　Mr。　Wickham。　They　are　gone　off　together　from　Brighton。　You　know　him　too　well　to　doubt　the　rest。　She　has　no　money；　no　connections；　nothing　that　can　tempt　him　to　　she　is　lost　for　ever。''
Darcy　was　fixed　in　astonishment。　‘‘When　I　consider；''　she　added；　in　a　yet　more　agitated　voice；　‘‘that　I　might　have　prevented　it！　　I　who　knew　what　he　was。　Had　I　but　explained　some　part　of　it　only　　some　part　of　what　I　learnt　　to　my　own　family！　Had　his　character　been　known；　this　could　not　have　happened。　But　it　is　all；　all　too　late　now。''
‘‘I　am　grieved；　indeed；''　cried　Darcy；　‘‘grieved　　shocked。　But　is　it　certain；　absolutely　certain？''
‘‘Oh　yes！　　They　left　Brighton　together　on　Sunday　night；　and　were　traced　almost　to　London；　but　not　beyond；　they　are　certainly　not　gone　to　Scotland。''
‘‘And　what　has　been　done；　what　has　been　attempted；　to　recover　her？''
‘‘My　father　is　gone　to　London；　and　Jane　has　written　to　beg　my　uncle's　immediate　assistance；　and　we　shall　be　off；　I　hope；　in　half　an　hour。　But　nothing　can　be　done；　I　know　very　well　that　nothing　can　be　done。　How　is　such　a　man　to　be　worked　on？　How　are　they　even　to　be　discovered？　I　have　not　the　smallest　hope。　It　is　every　way　horrible！''
Darcy　shook　his　head　in　silent　acquiescence。
‘‘When　my　eyes　were　opened　to　his　real　character。　　Oh！　had　I　known　what　I　ought；　what　I　dared；　to　do！　But　I　knew　not　　I　was　afraid　of　doing　too　much。　Wretched；　wretched；　mistake！''
Darcy　made　no　answer。　He　seemed　scarcely　to　hear　her；　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room　in　earnest　meditation；　his　brow　contracted；　his　air　gloomy。　Elizabeth　soon　observed　and　instantly　understood　it。　Her　power　was　sinking；　every　thing　must　sink　under　such　a　proof　of　family　weakness；　such　an　assurance　of　the　deepest　disgrace。　She　should　neither　wonder　nor　condemn；　but　the　belief　of　his　self…conquest　brought　nothing　consolatory　to　her　bosom；　afforded　no　palliation　of　her　distress。　It　was；　on　the　contrary；　exactly　calculated　to　make　her　understand　her　own　wishes；　and　never　had　she　so　honestly　felt　that　she　could　have　loved　him；　as　now；　when　all　love　must　be　vain。
__　But　self；　though　it　would　intrude；　could　not　engross　her。　Lydia　　the　humiliation；　the　misery；　she　was　bringing　on　them　all　　soon　swallowed　up　every　private　care；　and　covering　her　face　with　her　handkerchief；　Elizabeth　was　soon　lost　to　every　thing　else；　and；　after　a　pause　of　several　minutes；　was　only　recalled　to　a　sense　of　her　situation　by　the　voice　of　her　companion；　who；　in　a　manner；　which　though　it　spoke　compassion；　spoke　likewise　restraint；　said；　‘‘I　am　afraid　you　have　been　long　desiring　my　absence；　nor　have　I　any　thing　to　plead　in　excuse　of　my　stay；　but　real；　though　unavailing；　concern。　Would　to　heaven　that　any　thing　could　be　either　said　or　done　on　my　part；　that　might　offer　consolation　to　such　distress！　　But　I　will　not　torment　you　with　vain　wishes；　which　may　seem　purposely　to　ask　for　your　thanks。　This　unfortunate　affair　will；　I　fear；　prevent　my　sister's　having　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　at　Pemberley　to…day。''
‘‘Oh；　yes。　Be　so　kind　as　to　apologize　for　us　to　Miss　Darcy。　Say　that　urgent　business　calls　us　home　immediately。　Conceal　the　unhappy　truth　as　long　as　it　is　possible。　　I　know　it　cannot　be　long。''
He　readily　assured　her　of　his　secrecy　　again　expressed　his　sorrow　for　her　distress；　wished　it　a　happier　conclusion　than　there　was　at　present　reason　to　hope；　and；　leaving　his　compliments　for　her　relations；　with　only　one　serious；　parting；　look；　went　away。
As　he　quitted　the　room；　Elizabeth　felt　how　improbable　it　was　that　they　should　ever　see　each　other　again　on　such　terms　of　cordiality　as　had　marked　their　several　meetings　in　Derbyshire；　and　as　she　threw　a　retrospective　glance　over　the　whole　of　their　acquaintance；　so　full　of　contradictions　and　varieties；　sighed　at　the　perverseness　of　those　feelings　which　would　now　have　promoted　its　continuance；　and　would　formerly　have　rejoiced　in　its　termination。
If　gratitude　and　esteem　are　good　foundations　of　affection；　Elizabeth's　change　of　sentiment　will　be　neither　improbable　nor　faulty。　But　if　otherwise；　if　the　regard　springing　from　such　sources　is　unreasonable　or　unnatural；　in　comparison　of　what　is　so　often　described　as　arising　on　a　first　interview　with　its　object；　and　even　before　two　words　have　been　exchanged；　nothing　can　be　said　in　her　defence；　except　that　she　had　given　somewhat　of　a　trial　to　the　latter　method　in　her　partiality　for　Wickham；　and　that　its　ill…success　might　perhaps　authorise　her　to　seek　the　other　less　interesting　mode　of　attachment。　Be　that　as　it　may；　she　saw　him　go　with　regret；　and　in　this　early　example　of　what　Lydia's　infamy　must　produce；　found　additional　anguish　as　she　reflected　on　that　wretched　business。　Never；　since　reading　Jane's　second　letter；　had　she　entertained　a　hope　of　Wickham's　meaning　to　marry　her。　No　one　but　Jane；　she　thought；　could　flatter　herself　with　such　an　expectation。　Surprise　was　the　least　of　her　feelings　on　this　developement。　While　the　contents　of　the　first　letter　remained　on　her　mind；　she　was　all　surprise　　all　astonishment　that　Wickham　should　marry　a　girl　whom　it　was　impossible　he　could　marry　for　money；　and　how　Lydia　could　ever　have　attached　him　had　appeared　incomprehensible。　But　now　it　was　all　too　natural。　For　such　an　attachment　as　this；　she　might　have　sufficient　charms；　and　though　she　did　not　suppose　Lydia　to　be　deliberately　engaging　in　an　elopement；　without　the　intention　of　marriage；　she　had　no　difficulty　in　believing　that　neither　her　virtue　nor　her　understanding　would　preserve　her　from　falling　an　easy　prey。
She　had　never　perceived；　while　the　regiment　was　in　Hertfordshire；　that　Lydia　had　any　partiality　for　him；　but　she　was　convinced　that　Lydia　had　wanted　only　encouragement　to　attach　herself　to　any　body。　Sometimes　one　officer；　sometimes　another　had　been　her　favourite；　as　their　attentions　raised　them　in　her　opinion。　Her　affections　had　been　continually　fluctuating；　but　never　without　an　object。　The　mischief　of　neglect　and　mistaken　indulgence　towards　such　a　girl。　　Oh！　how　acutely　did　she　now　feel　it。
She　was　wild　to　be　at　home　　to　hear；　to　see；　to　be　upon　the　spot；　to　share　with　Jane　in　the　cares　that　must　now　fall　wholly　upon　her；　in　a　family　so　deranged；　a　father　absent；　a　mother　incapable　of　exertion　and　requiring　constant　attendance；　and　though　almost　persuaded　that　nothing　could　be　done　for　Lydia；　her　uncle's　interference　seemed　of　the　utmost　importance；　and　till　he　entered　the　room；　the　misery　of　her　impatience　was　severe。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Gardiner　had　hurried　back　in　alarm；　supposing；　by　the　servant's　account；　that　their　niece　was　taken　suddenly　ill；　　but　satisfying　them　instantly　on　that　head；　she　eagerly　communicated　the　cause　of　their　summons；　reading　the　two　letters　aloud；　and　dwelling　on　the　postscript　of　the　last　with　trembling　energy。　　Though　Lydia　had　never　been　a　favourite　with　them；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Gardiner　could　not　but　be　deeply　affected。　Not　Lydia　only；　but　all　were　concerned　in　it；　and　after　the　first　exclamations　of　surprise　and　horror；　Mr。　Gardiner　readily　promised　every　assistance　in　his　power。　　Elizabeth；　though　expecting　no　less；　thanked　him　with　tears　of　gratitude；　and　all　three　being　actuated　by　one　spirit；　every　thing　relating　to　their　journey　was　speedily　settled。　They　were　to　be　off　as　soon　as　possible。　‘‘But　what　is　to　be　done　about　Pemberley？''　cried　Mrs。　Gardiner。　‘‘John　told　us　Mr。　Darcy　was　here　when　you　sent　for　us；　　was　it　so？''
‘‘Yes；　and　I　told　him　we　should　not　be　able　to　keep　our　engagement。　That　is　all　settled。''
‘‘That　is　all　settled！''　repeated　the　other；　as　she　ran　into　her　room　to　prepare。　‘‘And　are　they　upon　such　terms　as　for　her　to　disclose　the　real　truth！　Oh；　that　I　knew　how　it　was！''
But　wishes　were　vain；　or　at　best　could　serve　only　to　amuse　her　in　the　hurry　and　confusion　of　the　following　hour。　Had　Elizabeth　been　at　leisure　to　be　idle；　she　would　have　remained　certain　that　all　employment　was　impossible　to　one　so　wretched　as　herself；　but　she　had　her　share　of　business　as　well　as　her　aunt；　and　amongst　the　rest　th