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Chapter XIX of Volume III (Chap。 61)
HAPPY for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs。 Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters。 With what delighted pride she afterwards visited Mrs。 Bingley; and talked of Mrs。 Darcy; may be guessed。 I wish I could say; for the sake of her family; that the accomplishment of her earnest desire in the establishment of so many of her children produced so happy an effect as to make her a sensible; amiable; well…informed woman for the rest of her life; though perhaps it was lucky for her husband; who might not have relished domestic felicity in so unusual a form; that she still was occasionally nervous and invariably silly。
Mr。 Bennet missed his second daughter exceedingly; his affection for her drew him oftener from home than any thing else could do。 He delighted in going to Pemberley; especially when he was least expected。
Mr。 Bingley and Jane remained at Netherfield only a twelvemonth。 So near a vicinity to her mother and Meryton relations was not desirable even to his easy temper; or her affectionate heart。 The darling wish of his sisters was then gratified; he bought an estate in a neighbouring county to Derbyshire; and Jane and Elizabeth; in addition to every other source of happiness; were within thirty miles of each other。
Kitty; to her very material advantage; spent the chief of her time with her two elder sisters。 In society so superior to what she had generally known; her improvement was great。 She was not of so ungovernable a temper as Lydia; and; removed from the influence of Lydia's example; she became; by proper attention and management; less irritable; less ignorant; and less insipid。 From the farther disadvantage of Lydia's society she was of course carefully kept; and though Mrs。 Wickham frequently invited her to come and stay with her; with the promise of balls and young men; her father would never consent to her going。
Mary was the only daughter who remained at home; and she was necessarily drawn from the pursuit of accomplishments by Mrs。 Bennet's being quite unable to sit alone。 Mary was obliged to mix more with the world; but she could still moralize over every morning visit; and as she was no longer mortified by comparisons between her sisters' beauty and her own; it was suspected by her father that she submitted to the change without much reluctance。
As for Wickham and Lydia; their characters suffered no revolution from the marriage of her sisters。 He bore with philosophy the conviction that Elizabeth must now become acquainted with whatever of his ingratitude and falsehood had before been unknown to her; and in spite of every thing; was not wholly without hope that Darcy might yet be prevailed on to make his fortune。 The congratulatory letter which Elizabeth received from Lydia on her marriage; explained to her that; by his wife at least; if not by himself; such a hope was cherished。 The letter was to this effect:
‘‘MY DEAR LlZZY;
I wish you joy。 If you love Mr。 Darcy half as well as I do my dear Wickham; you must be very happy。 It is a great comfort to have you so rich; and when you have nothing else to do; I hope you will think of us。 I am sure Wickham would like a place at court very much; and I do not think we shall have quite money enough to live upon without some help。 Any place would do; of about three or four hundred a year; but however; do not speak to Mr。 Darcy about it; if you had rather not。
Your's; &c。''
As it happened that Elizabeth had much rather not; she endeavoured in her answer to put an end to every intreaty and expectation of the kind。 Such relief; however; as it was in her power to afford; by the practice of what might be called economy in her own private expences; she frequently sent them。 It had always been evident to her that such an income as theirs; under the direction of two persons so extravagant in their wants; and heedless of the future; must be very insufficient to their support; and whenever they changed their quarters; either Jane or herself were sure of being applied to for some little assistance towards discharging their bills。 Their manner of living; even when the restoration of peace dismissed them to a home; was unsettled in the extreme。 They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation; and always spending more than they ought。 His affection for her soon sunk into indifference; her's lasted a little longer; and in spite of her youth and her manners; she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her。
Though Darcy could never receive him at Pemberley; yet; for Elizabeth's sake; he assisted him farther in his profession。 Lydia was occasionally a visitor there; when her husband was gone to enjoy himself in London or Bath; and with the Bingleys they both of them frequently staid so long; that even Bingley's good humour was overcome; and he proceeded so far as to talk of giving them a hint to be gone。
Miss Bingley was very deeply mortified by Darcy's marriage; but as she thought it advisable to retain the right of visiting at Pemberley; she dropt all her resentment; was fonder than ever of Georgiana; almost as attentive to Darcy as heretofore; and paid off every arrear of civility to Elizabeth。
Pemberley was now Georgiana's home; and the attachment of the sisters was exactly what Darcy had hoped to see。 They were able to love each other even as well as they intended。 Georgiana had the highest opinion in the world of Elizabeth; though at first she often listened with an astonishment bordering on alarm at her lively; sportive; manner of talking to her brother。 He; who had always inspired in herself a respect which almost overcame her affection; she now saw the object of open pleasantry。 Her mind received knowledge which had never before fallen in her way。 By Elizabeth's instructions; she began to comprehend that a woman may take liberties with her husband which a brother will not always allow in a sister more than ten years younger than himself。
Lady Catherine was extremely indignant on the marriage of her nephew; and as she gave way to all the genuine frankness of her character in her reply to the letter which announced its arrangement; she sent him language so very abusive; especially of Elizabeth; that for some time all intercourse was at an end。 But at length; by Elizabeth's persuasion; he was prevailed on to overlook the offence; and seek a reconciliation; and; after a little farther resistance on the part of his aunt; her resentment gave way; either to her affection for him; or her curiosity to see how his wife conducted herself; and she condescended to wait on them at Pemberley; in spite of that pollution which its woods had received; not merely from the presence of such a mistress; but the visits of her uncle and aunt from the city。
With the Gardiners; they were always on the most intimate terms。 Darcy; as well as Elizabeth; really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who; by bringing her into Derbyshire; had been the means of uniting them。班纳特太太两个最值得疼爱的女儿出嫁的那一天,正是她做母亲的生平最高兴的一天。 她以后去拜访彬格莱太太,在人家面前谈起达西太太,是多么得意,多么骄傲,这是可想而 知的。看她家庭面上,我想在这里作一个说明,她所有的女儿后来都得到了归宿,她生平最 殷切的愿望终于如愿以偿;说来可喜,她后半辈子竟因此变成了一个头脑清楚、和蔼可亲、 颇有见识的女人;不过她有时候还是神经衰弱,经常都是痴头怪脑,这也许倒是她丈夫的幸 运,否则他就无从享受这种稀奇古怪的家庭幸福了。
班纳特先生非常舍不得第二个女儿;他因为疼爱她,便常常去看她,他生平从来不肯这 样经常出外作客。他喜欢到彭伯里去,而且去起来大都是别人完全意料不到的时候。
彬格莱先生和吉英在尼日斐花园只住了一年。虽说他的脾气非常随和,她的性情亦极其 温柔,可是夫妇俩都不大愿意和她母亲以及麦里屯的亲友们住得太近。后来他在德比郡邻近 的一个郡里买了一幢房子,于是他姐妹们的衷心愿望总算如愿以偿;而吉英和伊丽莎白俩在 万重幸福上又添了一重幸福,那就是说,姐妹俩从此不过相隔三十英里了。
吉蒂最受实惠,大部分时间都消磨在两位姐姐那儿。从此她所交的人物都比往常高尚, 她本身当然也就大有长进。她本来不象丽迪雅那样放纵,现在既没有丽迪雅来影响她,又有 人对她加以妥善的注意和照管,她便不象以前那样轻狂无知和麻木不仁了。当然家里少不了 要小心地管教她,不让她和丽迪雅来往,免得再受到她的坏影响;韦翰太太常常要接她去 住,说是有多少跳舞会,有多少美少年,她父亲总是不让她去。
后来只剩下曼丽还没有出嫁;班纳特太太因为不甘寂寞,自然弄得她这个女儿无从探求 学问。曼丽不得不多多和外界应酬,可是她仍然能够用道德的眼光去看待每一次的出外作 客。她现在再也不用为了和姐妹们争妍比美而操心了,因此她父亲不禁怀疑到,她这种改变 是否出于心甘情愿。
说到韦翰和丽迪雅,他们俩的性格并没有因为她两位姐姐结婚而有所变化。韦翰想起自 己对达西种种忘恩负义、虚伪欺诈的事情,伊丽莎白虽然从前不知道,现在可完全明白了, 不过他依旧处之泰然,他多少还指望达西给他一些钱。伊丽莎白结婚的时候,接到丽迪雅的 一封祝贺信。她看得很明白,即使韦翰本人没有存那种指望,至少他太太也有那种意思。那 封信是这样写的:亲爱的丽萃:
祝你愉快。要是你爱达西先生抵得上我爱韦翰的一半,那你一定会非常幸福了。你能这 样富有,真叫人十分快慰;当你闲来无事的时候,希望你会想到我们。我相信韦翰极其希望 在宫廷里找份差事做做。要是再没有别人帮帮忙,我们便很难维持生计了。随便什么差使都 行,只要每年有三四百镑的收入。不过,要是你不愿意跟达西讲,那就不必提起。(下略)