Chapter51 THEIRsister'sweddingdayarrived;andJaneandElizabethfeltforherprobablymorethanshefeltforherself.Thecarriagewassenttomeetthemat----,andtheyweretoreturninitbydinner-time.TheirarrivalwasdreadedbytheelderMissBennets,andJanemoreespecially,whogaveLydiathefeelingswhichwouldhaveattendedherself,hadshebeentheculprit,andwaswretchedinthethoughtofwhathersistermustendure.Theycame.Thefamilywereassembledinthebreakfastroomtoreceivethem.SmilesdeckedthefaceofMrs.Bennetasthecarriagedroveuptothedoor;herhusbandlookedimpenetrablygrave;herdaughters,alarmed,anxious,uneasy.Lydia'svoicewasheardinthevestibule;thedoorwasthrownopen,andsheranintotheroom.Hermothersteppedforwards,embracedher,andwelcomedherwithrapture;gaveherhand,withanaffectionatesmile,toWickham,whofollowedhislady;andwishedthembothjoywithanalacritywhichshewednodoubtoftheirhappiness.TheirreceptionfromMr.Bennet,towhomtheythenturned,wasnotquitesocordial.Hiscountenancerathergainedinausterity;andhescarcelyopenedhislips.Theeasyassuranceoftheyoungcouple,indeed,wasenoughtoprovokehim.Elizabethwasdisgusted,andevenMissBennetwasshocked.LydiawasLydiastill;untamed,unabashed,wild,noisy,andfearless.Sheturnedfromsistertosister,demandingtheircongratulations;andwhenatlengththeyallsatdown,lookedeagerlyroundtheroom,tooknoticeofsomelittlealterationinit,andobserved,withalaugh,thatitwasagreatwhilesinceshehadbeenthere.Wickhamwasnotatallmoredistressedthanherself,buthismannerswerealwayssopleasing,thathadhischaracterandhismarriagebeenexactlywhattheyought,hissmilesandhiseasyaddress,whileheclaimedtheirrelationship,wouldhavedelightedthemall.Elizabethhadnotbeforebelievedhimquiteequaltosuchassurance;butshesatdown,resolvingwithinherselftodrawnolimitsinfuturetotheimpudenceofanimpudentman.Sheblushed,andJaneblushed;butthecheeksofthetwowhocausedtheirconfusionsufferednovariationofcolour.Therewasnowantofdiscourse.Thebrideandhermothercouldneitherofthemtalkfastenough;andWickham,whohappenedtositnearElizabeth,beganenquiringafterhisacquaintanceinthatneighbourhood,withagoodhumouredeasewhichshefeltveryunabletoequalinherreplies.Theyseemedeachofthemtohavethehappiestmemoriesintheworld.Nothingofthepastwasrecollectedwithpain;andLydialedvoluntarilytosubjectswhichhersisterswouldnothavealludedtofortheworld."Onlythinkofitsbeingthreemonths,"shecried, "sinceIwentaway;itseemsbutafortnightIdeclare;andyettherehavebeenthingsenoughhappenedinthetime.Goodgracious!whenIwentaway,IamsureIhadnomoreideaofbeingmarriedtillIcamebackagain!thoughIthoughtitwouldbeverygoodfunifIwas." 第五十一章妹妹的婚期到了，吉英和伊丽莎白都为她担心，恐怕比妹妹自己担心得还要厉害。家里打发了一部马车到某某地方去接新夫妇，吃中饭时他们就可以来到。两位姐姐都怕他们来，尤其是吉英怕得厉害。她设身处地地想：要是丽迪雅这次丑行发生在她自己身上，她一定会感触万千，再想到妹妹心里的难受，便越发觉得不好过。新夫妇来了。全家都集合在起居室里迎接他们。当马车停在门前的时候，班纳特太太满面堆着笑容，她丈夫却板着脸。女儿们又是惊奇又是焦急，而且十分不安。只听得门口已经有了丽迪雅说话的声音，一会儿，门给打开了，丽迪雅跑进屋来。母亲高兴得要命，连忙走上前来欢迎她，拥抱她，一面又带着亲切的笑容把手伸给韦翰（他走在新妇后面），祝他们夫妇俩快活。班太太的话讲得那么响亮，说明了她相信他们俩一定会幸福。然后新夫妇转身到班纳特先生跟前，他对他们可没有他太太那么热诚。只见他的脸色显得分外严峻，连嘴也不张一下。这一对年轻夫妇那种安然自得的样子，实在叫他生气。伊丽莎白觉得厌恶，连吉英也禁不住感到惊骇。丽迪雅还是丽迪雅──不安分，不害羞，撒野吵嚷，天不怕地不怕的。她从这个姐姐跟前走到那个姐姐跟前，要她们一个个恭喜她。最后大家都坐下来了，她连忙扫视了一下这间屋子，看到里面稍许有些改变，便笑着说，好久不曾到这儿来了。韦翰更没有一点难受的样子。他的仪表一向亲切动人，要是他为人正派一些，娶亲合乎规矩一些，那么，这次来拜见岳家，他那笑容可掬、谈吐安详的样子，自然会讨人家欢喜。伊丽莎白从来不相信他竟会这样厚颜无耻，她坐下来思忖道：一个人不要起脸来可真是漫无止境。她不禁红了脸，吉英也红了脸；可是那两位当事人，别人都为他们难为情，他们自己却面不改色。这个场合确实是不愁没有话谈。新娘和她母亲只觉得有话来不及说；韦翰凑巧坐在伊丽莎白身旁，便向她问起附近一带的熟人近况如何，问得极其和悦从容，弄得她反而不能对答如流。这一对夫妇俨然心安理得，毫无羞耻之心。他们想起过去的事，心里丝毫不觉得难受；丽迪雅又不由自主地谈到了许多事情──要是换了她姐姐们，这种事情是无论如何也说不出口的。只听得丽迪雅大声说道：“且想想看，我已经走了三个月了！好象还只有两个星期呢；可是时间虽短，却发生了多少事情。天啊！我走的时候，的确想也没想到这次要结了婚再回来，不过我也想到：如果真就这样结了婚，倒也挺有趣的。”