皮皮小说网

第112章（第1页）

TwodaysafterMr.Bennetsreturn，asJaneandElizabethwerewalkingtogetherintheshrubberybehindthehouse，theysawthehousekeepercomingtowardsthem，and，concludingthatshecametocallthemtotheirmother，wentforwardtomeether;but，insteadoftheexpectedsummons，whentheyapproachedher，shesaidtoMissBennet，“Ibegyourpardon，madam，forinterruptingyou，butIwasinhopesyoumighthavegotsomegoodnewsfromtown，soItookthelibertyofcomingtoask.”

“Whatdoyoumean，Hill?Wehaveheardnothingfromtown.”

“Dearmadam，”criedMrs.Hill，ingreatastonishment，“dontyouknowthereisanexpresscomeformasterfromMr.Gardiner?Hehasbeenherethishalf-hour，andmasterhashadaletter.”

Awayranthegirls，tooeagertogetintohavetimeforspeech.Theyranthroughthevestibuleintothebreakfast-room;fromthencetothelibrary;theirfatherwasinneither;andtheywereonthepointofseekinghimupstairswiththeirmother，whentheyweremetbythebutler，whosaid:

“Ifyouarelookingformymaster，maam，heiswalkingtowardsthelittlecopse.”

Uponthisinformation，theyinstantlypassedthroughthehalloncemore，andranacrossthelawnaftertheirfather，whowasdeliberatelypursuinghiswaytowardsasmallwoodononesideofthepaddock.

Jane，whowasnotsolightnorsomuchinthehabitofrunningasElizabeth，soonlaggedbehind，whilehersister，pantingforbreath，cameupwithhim，andeagerlycriedout:

“Oh，papa，whatnews—whatnews?Haveyouheardfrommyuncle?”

“YesIhavehadaletterfromhimbyexpress.”

“Well，andwhatnewsdoesitbring—goodorbad?”

“Whatisthereofgoodtobeexpected?”saidhe，takingtheletterfromhispocket.“Butperhapsyouwouldliketoreadit.”

Elizabethimpatientlycaughtitfromhishand.Janenowcameup.“Readitaloud，”saidtheirfather，“forIhardlyknowmyselfwhatitisabout.”

GracechurchStreet，Monday，August2.

“MydearBrother，

“AtlastIamabletosendyousometidingsofmyniece，andsuchas，uponthewhole，Ihopeitwillgiveyousatisfaction.SoonafteryouleftmeonSaturday，IwasfortunateenoughtofindoutinwhatpartofLondontheywere.TheparticularsIreservetillwemeet;itisenoughtoknowtheyarediscovered.Ihaveseenthemboth—”

“ThenitisasIalwayshoped，”criedJane;“theyaremarried!”

Elizabethreadon:

“Ihaveseenthemboth.Theyarenotmarried，norcanIfindtherewasanyintentionofbeingso;butifyouarewillingtoperformtheengagementswhichIhaveventuredtomakeonyourside，Ihopeitwillnotbelongbeforetheyare.Allthatisrequiredofyouis，toassuretoyourdaughter，bysettlement，herequalshareofthefivethousandpoundssecuredamongyourchildrenafterthedeceaseofyourselfandmysister;and，moreover，toenterintoanengagementofallowingher，duringyourlife，onehundredpoundsperannuTheseareconditionswhich，consideringeverything，Ihadnohesitationincomplyingwith，asfarasIthoughtmyselfprivileged，foryou.Ishallsendthisbyexpress，thatnotimemaybelostinbringingmeyouranswer.Youwilleasilycomprehend，fromtheseparticulars，thatMr.Wickhamscircumstancesarenotsohopelessastheyaregenerallybelievedtobe.Theworldhasbeendeceivedinthatrespect;andIamhappytosaytherewillbesomelittlemoney，evenwhenallhisdebtsaredischarged，tosettleonmyniece，inadditiontoherownfortune.If，asIconcludewillbethecase，yousendmefullpowerstoactinyournamethroughoutthewholeofthisbusiness，IwillimmediatelygivedirectionstoHaggerstonforpreparingapropersettlement.Therewillnotbethesmallestoccasionforyourcomingtotownagain;thereforestayquietatLongbourn，anddependonmydiligenceandcare.Sendbackyouranswerasfastasyoucan，andbecarefultowriteexplicitly.Wehavejudgeditbestthatmynieceshouldbemarriedfromthishouse，ofwhichIhopeyouwillapprove.Shecomestousto-day.Ishallwriteagainassoonasanythingmoreisdeterminedon.Yours，etc.，

“EDW.GARDINER.”

“Isitpossible?”criedElizabeth，whenshehadfinished.“Canitbepossiblethathewillmarryher?”

“Wickhamisnotsoundeserving，then，aswethoughthim，”saidhersister.“Mydearfather，Icongratulateyou.”

“Andhaveyouansweredtheletter?”criedElizabeth.

“No;butitmustbedonesoon.”

Mostearnestlydidshethenentreatyhimtolosenomoretimebeforehewrote.

“Oh!mydearfather，”shecried，“comebackandwriteimmediately.Considerhowimportanteverymomentisinsuchacase.”

“Letmewriteforyou，”saidJane，“ifyoudislikethetroubleyourself.”

“Idislikeitverymuch，”hereplied;“butitmustbedone.”

Andsosaying，heturnedbackwiththem，andwalkedtowardsthehouse.

“AndmayIask—”saidElizabeth;“buttheterms，Isuppose，mustbecompliedwith.”

“Compliedwith!Iamonlyashamedofhisaskingsolittle.”

“Andtheymustmarry!Yetheissuchaman!”

“Yes，yes，theymustmarry.Thereisnothingelsetobedone.ButtherearetwothingsthatIwantverymuchtoknow;oneis，howmuchmoneyyourunclehaslaiddowntobringitabout;andtheother，howamIevertopayhi”

“Money!Myuncle!”criedJane，“whatdoyoumean，sir?”

“Imean，thatnomaninhispropersenseswouldmarryLydiaonsoslightatemptationasonehundredayearduringmylife，andfiftyafterIamgone.”

“Thatisverytrue，”saidElizabeth;“thoughithadnotoccurredtomebefore.Hisdebtstobedischarged，andsomethingstilltoremain!Oh!itmustbemyunclesdoings!Generous，goodman，Iamafraidhehasdistressedhimself.Asmallsumcouldnotdoallthis.”

“No，”saidherfather;“Wickhamsafoolifhetakesherwithafarthinglessthantenthousandpounds.Ishouldbesorrytothinksoillofhim，intheverybeginningofourrelationship.”

“Tenthousandpounds!Heavenforbid!Howishalfsuchasumtoberepaid?”

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