A letter arrives fromLondon that heralds a speedy resolution to Lydia and Wickham's embarrassingsituation - but what is the cost to the Bennet family?
一封来自伦敦的信，预示了莉迪亚和威克姆的尴尬局面将会很快得到解决--但是班纳特一家要为此付出什么代价呢？
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(READING – Chapter 49)
Two days after Mr. Bennet's return, as Janeand Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house, they sawthe housekeeper coming towards them, and, concluding that she came to call themto their mother, went forward to meet her; but, instead of the expectedsummons, when they approached her, she said to Miss Bennet, "I beg yourpardon, madam, for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got somegood news from town, so I took the liberty of coming to ask."
"What do you mean, Hill? We have heardnothing from town."
"Dear madam," cried Mrs. Hill, ingreat astonishment, "don't you know there is an express come for masterfrom Mr. Gardiner? He has been here this half-hour, and master has had aletter."
Away ran the girls, too eager to get in tohave time for speech. They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast-room;from thence to the library; their father was in neither; and they were on thepoint of seeking him up stairs with their mother, when they were met by thebutler, who said:
"If you are looking for my master,ma'am, he is walking towards the little copse."
Upon this information, they instantly passedthrough the hall once more, and ran across the lawn after their father, who wasdeliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.
Jane, who was not so light nor so much in thehabit of running as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, pantingfor breath, came up with him, and eagerly cried out:
"Oh, papa, what news—what news? Have youheard from my uncle?"
"Yes I have had a letter from him byexpress."
"Well, and what news does it bring—goodor bad?"
"What is there of good to beexpected?" said he, taking the letter from his pocket. "But perhapsyou would like to read it."
Elizabeth impatiently caught it from hishand. Jane now came up.
"Read it aloud," said their father,"for I hardly know myself what it is about."
"Gracechurch Street, Monday, August 2.
"MY DEAR BROTHER,
"At last I am able to send you sometidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope it will give yousatisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough tofind out in what part of London they were. The particulars I reserve till wemeet; it is enough to know they are discovered. I have seen them both—"
"Then it is as I always hoped,"cried Jane; "they are married!"
Elizabeth read on:
"I have seen them both. They are notmarried, nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you arewilling to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side,I hope it will not be long before they are. All that is required of you is, toassure to your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of the five thousandpounds secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister;and, moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her, during your life,one hundred pounds per annum. These are conditions which, consideringeverything, I had no hesitation in complying with, as far as I thought myselfprivileged, for you. I shall send this by express, that no time may be lost inbringing me your answer. You will easily comprehend, from these particulars,that Mr. Wickham's circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generallybelieved to be. The world has been deceived in that respect; and I am happy tosay there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, tosettle on my niece, in addition to her own fortune. If, as I conclude will bethe case, you send me full powers to act in your name throughout the whole ofthis business, I will immediately give directions to Haggerston for preparing aproper settlement. There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming totown again; therefore stay quiet at Longbourn, and depend on my diligence andcare. Send back your answer as fast as you can, and be careful to writeexplicitly. We have judged it best that my niece should be married from thishouse, of which I hope you will approve. She comes to us to-day. I shall writeagain as soon as anything more is determined on. Yours, etc.,
"Is it possible?" cried Elizabeth,when she had finished. "Can it be possible that he will marry her?"
"Wickham is not so undeserving, then, aswe thought him," said her sister. "My dear father, I congratulateyou."
"And have you answered the letter?"cried Elizabeth.
"No; but it must be done soon."
Most earnestly did she then entreat him tolose no more time before he wrote.
"Oh! my dear father," she cried,"come back and write immediately. Consider how important every moment isin such a case."
"Let me write for you," said Jane,"if you dislike the trouble yourself."
"I dislike it very much," hereplied; "but it must be done."
And so saying, he turned back with them, andwalked towards the house.
"And may I ask—" said Elizabeth;"but the terms, I suppose, must be complied with."
"Complied with! I am only ashamed of hisasking so little."
"And they must marry! Yet heis such a man!"
"Yes, yes, they must marry. There isnothing else to be done. But there are two things that I want very much toknow; one is, how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about; andthe other, how am I ever to pay him."
"Money! My uncle!" cried Jane,"what do you mean, sir?"
"I mean, that no man in his senses wouldmarry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year during my life, andfifty after I am gone."
"That is very true," saidElizabeth; "though it had not occurred to me before. His debts to bedischarged, and something still to remain! Oh! it must be my uncle's doings!Generous, good man, I am afraid he has distressed himself. A small sum couldnot do all this."
"No," said her father;"Wickham's a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousandpounds. I should be sorry to think so ill of him, in the very beginning of ourrelationship."
"Ten thousand pounds! Heaven forbid! Howis half such a sum to be repaid?"
Mr. Bennet made no answer, and each of them,deep in thought, continued silent till they reached the house. Their fatherthen went on to the library to write, and the girls walked into thebreakfast-room.
"And they are really to bemarried!" cried Elizabeth, as soon as they were by themselves. "Howstrange this is! And for this we are to bethankful. That they should marry, small as is their chance of happiness, andwretched as is his character, we are forced to rejoice. Oh, Lydia!"
"I comfort myself with thinking,"replied Jane, "that he certainly would not marry Lydia if he had not areal regard for her. Though our kind uncle has done something towards clearinghim, I cannot believe that ten thousand pounds, or anything like it, has beenadvanced. He has children of his own, and may have more. How could he sparehalf ten thousand pounds?"
"If he were ever able to learn whatWickham's debts have been," said Elizabeth, "and how much is settledon his side on our sister, we shall exactly know what Mr. Gardiner has done forthem, because Wickham has not sixpence of his own. The kindness of my uncle andaunt can never be requited. Their taking her home, and affording her theirpersonal protection and countenance, is such a sacrifice to her advantage asyears of gratitude cannot enough acknowledge. By this time she is actually withthem! If such goodness does not make her miserable now, she will never deserveto be happy! What a meeting for her, when she first sees my aunt!"
"We must endeavour to forget all thathas passed on either side," said Jane: "I hope and trust they willyet be happy. His consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that heis come to a right way of thinking. Their mutual affection will steady them;and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly, and live in so rational amanner, as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten."
"Their conduct has been such,"replied Elizabeth, "as neither you, nor I, nor anybody can ever forget. Itis useless to talk of it."
(END READING)
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