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| Chapter 52 (Vol. III, Chap. X) | 第五十二章 |
| Elizabeth had the satisfaction of receiving an answer to her letter as soon as she possibly could. She was no sooner in possession of it than, hurrying into the little copse, where she was least likely to be interrupted, she sat down on one of the benches and prepared to be happy; for the length of the letter convinced her that it did not contain a denial. | 伊丽莎白果然如愿以偿，很快就接到了回信。 她一接到信，就跑到那清静的小树林里去，在 一张长凳上坐下来，准备读个痛快，因为她看 到信写得那么长，便断定舅母没有拒绝她的要 求。 |
| "Gracechurch-street, Sept. 6. | 九月六日写于天恩寺街 |
| MY DEAR NIECE, | 亲爱的甥女： |
| I have just received your letter, and shall devote this whole morning to answering it, as I foresee that a little writing will not comprise what I have to tell you. I must confess myself surprised by your application; I did not expect it from you. Don't think me angry, however, for I only mean to let you know that I had not imagined such enquiries to be necessary on your side. If you do not choose to understand me, forgive my impertinence. Your uncle is as much surprised as I am -- and nothing but the belief of your being a party concerned would have allowed him to act as he has done. But if you are really innocent and ignorant, I must be more explicit. On the very day of my coming home from Longbourn, your uncle had a most unexpected visitor. Mr. Darcy called, and was shut up with him several hours. It was all over before I arrived; so my curiosity was not so dreadfully racked as your's seems to have been. He came to tell Mr. Gardiner that he had found out where your sister and Mr. Wickham were, and that he had seen and talked with them both; Wickham repeatedly, Lydia once. From what I can collect, he left Derbyshire only one day after ourselves, and came to town with the resolution of hunting for them. The motive professed was his conviction of its being owing to himself that Wickham's worthlessness had not been so well known as to make it impossible for any young woman of character to love or confide in him. He generously imputed the whole to his mistaken pride, and confessed that he had before thought it beneath him to lay his private actions open to the world. His character was to speak for itself. He called it, therefore, his duty to step forward, and endeavour to remedy an evil which had been brought on by himself. If he hadanother motive, I am sure it would never disgrace him. He had been some days in town, before he was able to discover them; but he had something to direct his search, which was more than we had; and the consciousness of this was another reason for his resolving to follow us. There is a lady, it seems, a Mrs. Younge, who was some time ago governess to Miss Darcy, and was dismissed from her charge on some cause of disapprobation, though he did not say what. She then took a large house in Edward-street, and has since maintained herself by letting lodgings. This Mrs. Younge was, he knew, intimately acquainted with Wickham; and he went to her for intelligence of him as soon as he got to town. But it was two or three days before he could get from her what he wanted. She would not betray her trust, I suppose, without bribery and corruption, for she really did know where her friend was to be found. Wickham indeed had gone to her on their first arrival in London, and had she been able to receive them into her house, they would have taken up their abode with her. At length, however, our kind friend procured the wished-for direction. They were in ---- street. He saw Wickham, and afterwards insisted on seeing Lydia. His first object with her, he acknowledged, had been to persuade her to quit her present disgraceful situation, and return to her friends as soon as they could be prevailed on to receive her, offering his assistance, as far as it would go. But he found Lydia absolutelyresolved on remaining where she was. She cared for none of her friends; she wanted no help of his; she would not hear of leaving Wickham. She was sure they should be married some time or other, and it did not much signify when. Since such were her feelings, it only remained, he thought, to secure and expedite a marriage, which, in his very first conversation with Wickham, he easily learnt had never been his design. He confessed himself obliged to leave the regiment, on account of some debts of honour, which were very pressing; and scrupled not to lay all the ill-consequences of Lydia's flight on her own folly alone. He meant to resign his commission immediately; and as to his future situation, he could conjecture very little about it. He must go somewhere, but he did not know where, and he knew he should have nothing to live on. Mr. Darcy asked him why he had not married your sister at once. Though Mr. Bennet was not imagined to be very rich, he would have been able to do something for him, and his situation must have been benefited by marriage. But he found, in reply to this question, that Wickham still cherished the hope of more effectually making his fortune by marriage in some other country. Under such circumstances, however, he was not likely to be proof against the temptation of immediate relief. They met several times, for there was much to be discussed. Wickham of course wanted more than he could get; but at length was reduced to be reasonable. Every thing being settled between them, Mr. Darcy's next step was to make your uncle acquainted with it, and he first called in Gracechurch-street the evening before I came home. But Mr. Gardiner could not be seen, and Mr. Darcy found, on further enquiry, that your father was still with him, but would quit town the next morning. He did not judge your father to be a person whom he could so properly consult as your uncle, and thereforereadily postponed seeing him till after the departure of the former. He did not leave his name, and till the next day it was only known that a gentleman had called on business. On Saturday he came again. Your father was gone, your uncle at home, and, as I said before, they had a great deal of talk together. They met again on Sunday, and then I saw him too. It was not all settled before Monday: as soon as it was, the express was sent off to Longbourn. But our visitor was very obstinate. I fancy, Lizzy, that obstinacy is the real defect of his character, after all. He has been accused of many faults at different times, but this is the true one. Nothing was to be done that he did not do himself; though I am sure (and I do not speak it to be thanked, therefore say nothing about it), your uncle would most readily have settled the whole. They battled it together for a long time, which was more than either the gentleman or lady concerned in it deserved. But at last your uncle was forced to yield, and instead of being allowed to be of use to his niece, was forced to put up with only having the probable credit of it, which went sorely against the grain; and I really believe your letter this morning gave him great pleasure, because it required an explanation that would rob him of his borrowed feathers, and give the praise where it was due. But, Lizzy, this must go no farther than yourself, or Jane at most. You know pretty well, I suppose, what has been done for the young people. His debts are to be paid, amounting, I believe, to considerably more than a thousand pounds, another thousand in addition to her own settled upon her, and his commission purchased. The reason why all this was to be done by him alone, was such as I have given above. It was owing to him, to his reserve and want of proper consideration, that Wickham's character had been so misunderstood, and consequently that he had been received and noticed as he was. Perhaps there was some truth in this; though I doubt whether his reserve, or anybody's reserve, can be answerable for the event. But in spite of all this fine talking, my dear Lizzy, you may rest perfectly assured that your uncle would never have yielded, if we had not given him credit for anotherinterest in the affair. When all this was resolved on, he returned again to his friends, who were still staying at Pemberley; but it was agreed that he should be in London once more when the wedding took place, and all money matters were then to receive the last finish. I believe I have now told you every thing. It is a relation which you tell me is to give you great surprise; I hope at least it will not afford you any displeasure. Lydia came to us; and Wickham had constantadmission to the house. He was exactly what he had been when I knew him in Hertfordshire; but I would not tell you how little I was satisfied with her behaviour while she stayed with us, if I had not perceived, by Jane's letter last Wednesday, that her conduct on coming home was exactly of a piece with it, and therefore what I now tell you can give you no fresh pain. I talked to her repeatedly in the most serious manner, representing to her all the wickedness of what she had done, and all the unhappiness she had brought on her family. If she heard me, it was by good luck, for I am sure she did not listen. I was sometimes quite provoked, but then I recollected my dear Elizabeth and Jane, and for their sakes had patience with her. Mr. Darcy was punctual in his return, and as Lydia informed you, attended the wedding. He dined with us the next day, and was to leave town again on Wednesday or Thursday. Will you be very angry with me, my dear Lizzy, if I take this opportunity of saying (what I was never bold enough to say before) how much I like him. His behaviour to us has, in every respect, been as pleasing as when we were in Derbyshire. His understanding and opinions all please me; he wants nothing but a little more liveliness, and that, if he marry prudently, his wife may teach him. I thought him very sly; -- he hardly ever mentioned your name. But slyness seems the fashion. Pray forgive me if I have been very presuming, or at least do not punish me so far as to exclude me from P. I shall never be quite happy till I have been all round the park. A low phaeton, with a nice little pair of ponies, would be the very thing. But I must write no more. The children have been wanting me this half hour. Your's, very sincerely, | 刚刚接到你的来信，我便决定以整个上午的时 间来给你写回信，因为我估料三言两语不能够 把我要跟你讲的话讲个明白。我得承认，你所 提出的要求很使我诧异，我没有料到提出这个 要求的竟会是你。请你不要以为我这是生气的 话，我不过说，我实在想象有到你居然还要来 问。如果你一定装作听不懂我的话，那只有请 你原谅我失礼了。你舅父也跟我同样地诧异， 我们都认为，达西所以要那样做，完全是为了 你的缘故。如果你当真一点也不知道，那也只 好让我来跟你说说明白了。就在我从浪搏恩回 家的那一天，有一个意想不到的客人来乍你舅 父。那人原来就是达西先生，他跟你舅父关起 门来，密谈了好几个钟头。等我到家的时候， 事情已经过去了，我当时倒并没有象你现在这 样好奇。他是因为发觉了你妹妹和韦翰的下落 ，特地赶来告诉嘉丁纳先生一声。他说，他已 经看到过他们，而且跟他们谈过话──跟韦翰 谈过好多次，跟丽迪雅谈过一次。据我看，我 们离开德比郡的第二天，达西就动身赶到城里 来找他们了。他说，事情弄到如此地步，都怪 他不好，没有及早揭露韦翰的下流品格，否则 就不会有哪一位正派姑娘会把他当作知心，会 爱上他了。他概然引咎自责，认为这次的事情 都得怪他当初太傲慢，因为他以前认为韦翰的 品格自然而然会让别人看穿，不必把他的私人 行为都一一揭露出来，免得使他自己有失体统 ，他认为这都是他自己一手造成的罪恶，因此 他这次出面调停，设法补救实在是义不容辞。 他自己承认他要干预这件事的动机就是如此。 如果他当真别有用心，也不会使他丢脸。他在 城里待了好几天才找到他们；可是他有线索可 找，我们可没有。他也是因为自信有这点把握 ，才下定决心紧跟着我们而来。好象有一位扬 吉太太，她早先做过达西小姐的家庭教师，后 来犯了什么过错（他没有讲明）被解雇了，便 在爱德华街弄了一幢大房子，分租过活。达西 知道这位杨吉太太跟韦翰极其相熟，于是他一 到城里，便上她那儿去打听他的消息。他花了 两三天工夫，才从她那儿把事情探听明白。我 想，杨吉太太早就知道韦翰的下落，可是不给 她贿赂她决不肯讲出来。他们俩确实是一到伦 敦便到她那里去，要是她能够留他们住，他们 早就住在她那儿了。我们这位好心的朋友终于 探听出了他们在某某街的住址，于是他先去看 韦翰，然后他又非要看到丽迪雅不可。据他说 ，他第一件事就是劝丽迪雅改邪归正，一等到 和家里人说通了，就赶快回去，还答应替她帮 忙到底，可是他发觉丽迪雅坚决要那样搞下去 ，家里人一个都不在她心上。她不要他帮助， 她无论如何也不肯丢掉韦翰。她断定他们俩迟 早总要结婚，早一天迟一天毫无关系。于是他 想，他第一次跟韦翰谈话的时候，明明发觉对 方毫无结婚的打算，如今既是丽迪雅存着这样 的念头，当然只有赶快促成他们结婚。韦翰曾 经亲口承认，他当初所以要从民兵团里逃出来 |
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