登陆注册
3553800000072

第72章

Elizabeth was now to see Mr. Wickham for the last time.Having been frequently in company with him since her return,agitation was pretty well over;the agitations of former partiality entirely so.She had even learnt to detect,in the very gentleness which had first delighted her,an affectation and a sameness to disgust and weary.In his present behaviour to herself,moreover,she had a fresh source of displeasure,for the inclination he soon testified of renewing those attentions which had marked the early part of their acquaintance,could only serve,after what had since passed,to provoke her.She lost all concern for him in finding herself thus selected as the object of such idle and frivolous gallantry and while she steadily repressed it,could not but feel the reproof contained in his believing,that however long,and for whatever cause,his attentions had been withdrawn,her vanity would be gratified and her preference secured at any time by their renewal.

On the very last day of the regiment's remaining in Meryton,he dined with others of the officers at Longbourn;and so little was Elizabeth disposed to part from him in good humour,that on his making some enquiry as to the manner in which her time had passed at Hunsford,she mentioned Colonel Fitzwilliam's and Mr. Darcy's having both spent three weeks at Rosings,and asked him if he were acquainted with the former.

He looked surprised,displeased,alarmed;but with a moment's recollection and a returning smile,replied,that he had formerly seen him often;and after observing that he was a very gentlemanlike man,asked her how she had liked him. Her answer was warmly in his favour.With an air of indifference he soon afterwards added,'How long did you say that he was at Rosings?'

'Nearly three weeks.'

'And you saw him frequently?'

'Yes,almost every day.'

'His manners are very different from his cousin's.'

'Yes,very different. But I think Mr.Darcy improves on acquaintance.'

'Indeed!'cried Wickham with a look which did not escape her.'And pray may I ask?'but checking himself,he added in a gayer tone,'Is it in address that he improves?Has he deigned to add ought of civility to his ordinary style?for I dare not hope,'he continued in a lower and more serious tone,'that he is improved in essentials.'

'Oh,no!'said Elizabeth.'In essentials,I believe,he is very much what he ever was.'

While she spoke,Wickham looked as if scarcely knowing whether to rejoice over her words,or to distrust their meaning. There was a something in her countenance which made him listen with an apprehensive and anxious attention,while she added,

'When I said that he improved on acquaintance,I did not mean that either his mind or manners were in a state of improvement,but that from knowing him better,his disposition was better understood.'

Wickham's alarm now appeared in a heightened complexion and agitated look;for a few minutes he was silent;till,shaking off his embarrassment,he turned to her again,and said in the gentlest of accents,

'You,who so well know my feelings towards Mr. Darcy,will readily comprehend how sincerely I must rejoice that he is wise enough to assume even the appearance of what is right.His pride,in that direction,may be of service,if not to himself,to many others,for it must deter him from such foul misconduct as I have suffered by.I only fear that the sort of cautiousness,to which you,I imagine,have been alluding,is merely adopted on his visits to hisaunt,of whose good opinion and judgment he stands much in awe.His fear of her,has always operated,I know,when they were together;and a good deal is to be imputed to his wish of forwarding the match with Miss De Bourgh,which I am certain he has very much at heart.'

Elizabeth could not repress a smile at this,but she answered only by a slight inclination of the head. She saw that he wanted to engage her on the old subject of his grievances,and she was in no humour to indulge him.The rest of the evening passed with the appearance,on his side,of usual cheerfulness,but with no farther attempt to distinguish Elizabeth;and they parted at last with mutual civility,and possibly a mutual desire of never meeting again.

When the party broke up,Lydia returned with Mrs. Forster to Meryton,from whence they were to set out early the next morning.The separation between her and her family was rather noisy than pathetic.Kitty was the only one who shed tears;but she did weep from vexation and envy.Mrs.Bennet was diffuse in her good wishes for the felicity of her daughter,and impressive in her injunctions that she would not miss the opportunity of enjoying herself as much as possible;advice,which there was every reason to believe would be attended to;and in the clamorous happiness of Lydia herself in bidding farewell,the more gentle adieus of her sisters were uttered without being heard.

同类推荐
  • 两晋秘史

    两晋秘史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 玉室经

    玉室经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 寿昌无明和尚语录

    寿昌无明和尚语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 翠虚篇

    翠虚篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 学天台宗法门大意

    学天台宗法门大意

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生皇后,朕错了

    重生皇后,朕错了

    百般刁难,深受危机,她从容以对。姬妾笑里藏刀,针锋相对,她百般隐忍,冷静为营。他横眉冷对,她面不改色。一朝鞭挞,他懊悔无及,为她不顾一切,奈何爱没出口,她身已陨。陨身归来,她凌厉锋芒尽现,步步反戈,让他再也没有资格碰她!他发誓此生终要将她追回……
  • 念念勿相忘

    念念勿相忘

    “曾经拥有的东西被夺走,并不代表就会回到原来没有那种东西的时候。”念念,勿相忘!
  • 观心论

    观心论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 解放海口(百城百战解放战争系列)

    解放海口(百城百战解放战争系列)

    本书以纪实手法描述了解放战争中,为解放海南,中国人民解放军浴血奋战,纪录了他们可歌可泣的英勇事迹,再现了解放战争的悲壮场面……
  • 戚少,你家青梅又跑啦

    戚少,你家青梅又跑啦

    推荐新书《盛世嫡妃,腹黑王爷太撩人》大爆料:某贵族学校一女子居然进入了会长车内,并给了他一脚!表面上,所有能够出现戚野薄的地方便会出现该女子;然而该女子却数次离开,让一众粉丝牵肠肚挂。看似联姻的外衣下,某人内心早已打定主意,联姻?你是哪位?不存在!戚野薄却早已吃味,将所有的一切偷偷打理好,顺带拔除一切情敌。/我要选择自由/先绑定好我/你是我世界的唯一/强宠!本文一对一
  • 回家过年

    回家过年

    有钱没钱,回家过年。公交车在村口吐出任东锁两口子,门马上咔嚓一关头也不回地走了,没有片刻的留恋。任东锁在省城车站的临时候车棚冻了一宿,鼻子嗓子都不舒服,清了清,一口吐在了路旁的地里,心中说老子回来了!忽然想起在南方那座小城上车时,看着周围的高楼大厦,他也是这么一口痰吐在地上,吓得老婆紧张了半天,还好附近没管市容卫生的。不过那时他说的是老子再也不出来了!心境也大不相同。这大概就是家乡与别的地方的不同。家乡是所有还在外边不上不下漂着、没有扎稳根的人的根。
  • 我是大美人

    我是大美人

    镁光灯下的明星们,对于美的要求那可是非常的严苛,绝不允许脸上出现任何瑕疵。纵然工作缠身,却仍然“国色天香”,想不想探究一下她们美丽的秘密呢?都说女明星们驻颜有术,演艺界的大美女说起养颜来,可是各有想法各有妙招。偷偷告诉你明星们的私房养颜绝招,只要照着做,你也会越来越漂亮喔!
  • 评点李渔:《闲情偶寄》、《窥词管见》研究

    评点李渔:《闲情偶寄》、《窥词管见》研究

    《评点李渔:<闲情偶寄>、<窥词管见>研究》作者杜书瀛,研究李渔30余年,他对李渔研究的理论内涵的发现和阐述,多有超群出众处,自1982年推出《论李渔的戏剧美学》开始,陆续出版了一系列李渔研究的专著,成为享誉海内外的李渔研究专家、行家、大家。《评点李渔:<闲情偶寄>、<窥词管见>研究》是杜书瀛先生关于李渔最新最全的一部专著。他借鉴中国古典文论中特有的“评点”的形式,对清代戏曲家、理论家李渔两部重要著作《闲情偶寄》和《窥词管见》进行全面、系统而深入的校勘、注释和评点。
  • 清微丹诀

    清微丹诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 世上没有多余的人

    世上没有多余的人

    那天,一家人坐在一个小饭馆里一起吃最后一顿饭。冯小勇劝爸爸去投案自首。冯勇沉默了半天,拐着一条腿走到对面的小艾身旁。他看看儿子,看看眼神无比清澈的晶晶,垂下头说:“小艾,我答应儿子。可是,可是你能等我出来吗?”小艾没有表情地问:“这是你去自首的条件吗?”冯勇摇摇头:“不是,我就是想,这个家,这个家对我很重要,我不想成为一个多余的人……”晶晶眨动着一双清澈的眼睛说:“妈妈说过,这个世界上没有多余的人。”