Chapter53 MR.Wickhamwassoperfectlysatisfiedwiththisconversationthatheneveragaindistressedhimself,orprovokedhisdearsisterElizabeth,byintroducingthesubjectofit;andshewaspleasedtofindthatshehadsaidenoughtokeephimquiet.ThedayofhisandLydia'sdeparturesooncame,andMrs.Bennetwasforcedtosubmittoaseparation,which,asherhusbandbynomeansenteredintoherschemeoftheirallgoingtoNewcastle,waslikelytocontinueatleastatwelvemonth."Oh!mydearLydia,"shecried, "whenshallwemeetagain?""Oh,lord!Idon'tknow.Notthesetwoorthreeyears,perhaps.""Writetomeveryoften,mydear.""AsoftenasIcan.Butyouknowmarriedwomenhavenevermuchtimeforwriting.Mysistersmaywritetome.Theywillhavenothingelsetodo."Mr.Wickham'sadieusweremuchmoreaffectionatethanhiswife's.Hesmiled,lookedhandsome,andsaidmanyprettythings."Heisasfineafellow,"saidMr.Bennet,assoonastheywereoutofthehouse, "aseverIsaw.Hesimpers,andsmirks,andmakeslovetousall.Iamprodigiouslyproudofhim.IdefyevenSirWilliamLucashimselftoproduceamorevaluableson-in-law."ThelossofherdaughtermadeMrs.Bennetverydullforseveraldays."Ioftenthink,"saidshe, "thatthereisnothingsobadaspartingwithone'sfriends.Oneseemssoforlornwithoutthem.""Thisistheconsequence,yousee,Madam,ofmarryingadaughter,"saidElizabeth. "Itmustmakeyoubettersatisfiedthatyourotherfouraresingle.""Itisnosuchthing.Lydiadoesnotleavemebecausesheismarried,butonlybecauseherhusband'sregimenthappenstobesofaroff.Ifthathadbeennearer,shewouldnothavegonesosoon."Butthespiritlessconditionwhichthiseventthrewherintowasshortlyrelieved,andhermindopenedagaintotheagitationofhope,byanarticleofnewswhichthenbegantobeincirculation.ThehousekeeperatNetherfieldhadreceivedorderstoprepareforthearrivalofhermaster,whowascomingdowninadayortwo,toshootthereforseveralweeks.Mrs.Bennetwasquiteinthefidgets.ShelookedatJane,andsmiledandshookherheadbyturns."Well,well,andsoMr.Bingleyiscomingdown,sister," (forMrs.Phillipsfirstbroughtherthenews). "Well,somuchthebetter.NotthatIcareaboutit,though.Heisnothingtous,youknow,andIamsureIneverwanttoseehimagain.But,however,heisverywelcometocometoNetherfield,ifhelikesit.Andwhoknowswhatmayhappen?Butthatisnothingtous.Youknow,sister,weagreedlongagonevertomentionawordaboutit.Andso,isitquitecertainheiscoming?""Youmaydependonit,"repliedtheother, "forMrs.NichollswasinMerytonlastnight;Isawherpassingby,andwentoutmyselfonpurposetoknowthetruthofit;andshetoldmethatitwascertaintrue.HecomesdownonThursdayatthelatest,verylikelyonWednesday.Shewasgoingtothebutcher's,shetoldme,onpurposetoorderinsomemeatonWednesday,andshehasgotthreecoupleofducksjustfittobekilled." 第五十三章 韦翰先生对于这场谈话完全感到满意，从此他便不再提起这件事，免得自寻苦恼，也免得惹他亲爱的大姨伊丽莎白生气；伊丽莎白见他居然给说得不再开口，也觉得很高兴。转眼之间，他和丽迪雅的行期来到了，班纳特太太不得不和他们分离，而且至少要分别一年，因为班纳特先生坚决不赞同她的计划，不肯让全家都搬到纽卡斯去。她哭了：“哦，我的丽迪雅宝贝，我们到哪一天才能见面呢？”“天哪！我也不知道。也可能两年三年见不着面。”“常常写信给我吧，好孩子。”“我一定常常写信来。可是你知道，结了婚的女人是没有什么工夫写信的。姐妹们倒可以常常写信给我，反正她们无事可做。”韦翰先生一声声的再见比他太太叫得亲切得多。他笑容满面，仪态万方，又说了多少漂亮话。他们一走出门，班纳特先生就说：“他是我生平所看到的最漂亮的一个人。他既会假笑，又会痴笑，又会跟大家调笑。我真为他感到莫大的骄傲。我敢说，连卢卡斯爵士也未必拿得出一个更名贵的女婿。”女儿走了以后，班纳特太太郁闷了好多天。她说：“我常常想，同自己的亲人离别，真是再难受不过的事；他们走了，我好象失去了归宿。”伊丽莎白说：“妈妈，你要明白，这就是嫁女儿的下场，好在你另外四个女儿还没有人要，一定会叫你好受些。”“完全不是那么回事。丽迪雅并不是因为结了婚而要离开我，而是因为她丈夫的部队凑巧驻扎提那么远。要是近一点，她就用不到走得这样快了。”且说这事虽然使班纳特太太精神颓丧，不过没有过多久也就好了，因为这时候外界正流传着一件新闻，使她的精神又振作起来。原来风闻尼日斐花园的主人一两天内就要回到乡下来，打几个星期的猎，他的管家奶奶正在奉命收拾一切。班纳特太太听到这消息，简直坐立不安。她一会儿望望吉英，一会儿笑笑，一会儿摇摇头。“好极了，彬格莱先生居然要来了，妹妹”（因为第一个告诉她这消息的正是腓力普太太。）“好极了，实在太好了。不过我倒并不在乎。你知道，我们一点也不把他放在心上，我的确再也不想见到他了。不过，他既然愿意回到尼日斐花园来，我们自然还是欢迎他。谁知道会怎么样呢？反正与我们无关。你知道，妹妹，我们早就讲好，再也不提这件事。他真的会来吗？”她的妹妹说：“你放心好了，尼可斯奶奶昨儿晚上去过麦里屯。我亲眼看见她走过，便特地跑出去向她打听，是不是真有这回事；她告诉我说，的确真有这回事。他最迟星期四就会来，很可能星期三就来。她又说，她正要上肉铺子去定点儿肉，准备星期三做菜，她还有六只鸭子，已经可以宰了吃。”