笔趣阁

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第96章（第1页）

ElizabethhadsettleditthatMr.DarcywouldbringhissistertovisithertheverydayafterherreachingPemberley;andwasconsequentlyresolvednottobeoutofsightoftheinnthewholeofthatmorning.Butherconclusionwasfalse;forontheverymorningaftertheirownarrivalatLambton，thesevisitorscame.Theyhadbeenwalkingabouttheplacewithsomeoftheirnewfriends，andwerejustreturningtotheinntodressthemselvesfordiningwiththesamefamily，whenthesoundofacarriagedrewthemtoawindow，andtheysawagentlemanandaladyinacurricledrivingupthestreet.Elizabethimmediatelyrecognizingthelivery，guessedwhatitmeant，andimpartednosmalldegreeofhersurprisetoherrelationsbyacquaintingthemwiththehonourwhichsheexpected.Heruncleandauntwereallamazement;andtheembarrassmentofhermannerasshespoke，joinedtothecircumstanceitself，andmanyofthecircumstancesoftheprecedingday，openedtothemanewideaonthebusiness.Nothinghadeversuggesteditbefore，buttheynowfeltthattherewasnootherwayofaccountingforsuchattentionsfromsuchaquarterthanbysupposingapartialityfortheirniece.Whilethesenewly-bornnotionswerepassingintheirheads，theperturbationofElizabethsfeelingswasateverymomentincreasing.Shewasquiteamazedatherowndiscomposure;butamongstothercausesofdisquiet，shedreadedlestthepartialityofthebrothershouldhavesaidtoomuchinherfavour;and，morethancommonlyanxioustoplease，shenaturallysuspectedthateverypowerofpleasingwouldfailher.

Sheretreatedfromthewindow，fearfulofbeingseen;andasshewalkedupanddowntheroom，endeavouringtocomposeherself，sawsuchlooksofinquiringsurpriseinheruncleandauntasmadeeverythingworse.

MissDarcyandherbrotherappeared，andthisformidableintroductiontookplace.WithastonishmentdidElizabethseethathernewacquaintancewasatleastasmuchembarrassedasherself.SinceherbeingatLambton，shehadheardthatMissDarcywasexceedinglyproud;buttheobservationofaveryfewminutesconvincedherthatshewasonlyexceedinglyshy.Shefounditdifficulttoobtainevenawordfromherbeyondamonosyllable.

MissDarcywastall，andonalargerscalethanElizabeth;and，thoughlittlemorethansixteen，herfigurewasformed，andherappearancewomanlyandgraceful.Shewaslesshandsomethanherbrother;buttherewassenseandgoodhumourinherface，andhermannerswereperfectlyunassumingandgentle.Elizabeth，whohadexpectedtofindinherasacuteandunembarrassedanobserveraseverMr.Darcyhadbeen，wasmuchrelievedbydiscerningsuchdifferentfeelings.

TheyhadnotbeenlongtogetherbeforeMr.DarcytoldherthatBingleywasalsocomingtowaitonher;andshehadbarelytimetoexpresshersatisfaction，andprepareforsuchavisitor，whenBingleysquickstepwasheardonthestairs，andinamomentheenteredtherooAllElizabethsangeragainsthimhadbeenlongdoneaway;buthadshestillfeltany，itcouldhardlyhavestooditsgroundagainsttheunaffectedcordialitywithwhichheexpressedhimselfonseeingheragain.Heinquiredinafriendly，thoughgeneralway，afterherfamily，andlookedandspokewiththesamegood-humouredeasethathehadeverdone.

ToMr.andMrs.Gardinerhewasscarcelyalessinterestingpersonagethantoherself.TheyhadlongwishedtoseehiThewholepartybeforethem，indeed，excitedalivelyattention.ThesuspicionswhichhadjustarisenofMr.Darcyandtheirniecedirectedtheirobservationtowardseachwithanearnestthoughguardedinquiry;andtheysoondrewfromthoseinquiriesthefullconvictionthatoneofthematleastknewwhatitwastolove.Oftheladyssensationstheyremainedalittleindoubt;butthatthegentlemanwasoverflowingwithadmirationwasevidentenough.

Elizabeth，onherside，hadmuchtodo.Shewantedtoascertainthefeelingsofeachofhervisitors;shewantedtocomposeherown，andtomakeherselfagreeabletoall;andinthelatterobject，whereshefearedmosttofail，shewasmostsureofsuccess，forthosetowhomsheendeavouredtogivepleasurewereprepossessedinherfavour.Bingleywasready，Georgianawaseager，andDarcydetermined，tobepleased.

InseeingBingley，herthoughtsnaturallyflewtohersister;and，oh!howardentlydidshelongtoknowwhetheranyofhisweredirectedinalikemanner.Sometimesshecouldfancythathetalkedlessthanonformeroccasions，andonceortwicepleasedherselfwiththenotionthat，ashelookedather，hewastryingtotracearesemblance.But，thoughthismightbeimaginary，shecouldnotbedeceivedastohisbehaviourtoMissDarcy，whohadbeensetupasarivaltoJane.Nolookappearedoneithersidethatspokeparticularregard.Nothingoccurredbetweenthemthatcouldjustifythehopesofhissister.Onthispointshewassoonsatisfied;andtwoorthreelittlecircumstancesoccurrederetheyparted，which，inheranxiousinterpretation，denotedarecollectionofJanenotuntincturedbytenderness，andawishofsayingmorethatmightleadtothementionofher，hadhedared.Heobservedtoher，atamomentwhentheothersweretalkingtogether，andinatonewhichhadsomethingofrealregret，thatit“wasaverylongtimesincehehadhadthepleasureofseeingher;”

and，beforeshecouldreply，headded，“Itisaboveeightmonths.Wehavenotmetsincethe26thofNovember，whenwewerealldancingtogetheratNetherfield.”

Elizabethwaspleasedtofindhismemorysoexact;andheafterwardstookoccasiontoaskher，whenunattendedtobyanyoftherest，whetherallhersisterswereatLongbourn.Therewasnotmuchinthequestion，norintheprecedingremark;buttherewasalookandamannerwhichgavethemmeaning.