Chapter47 Intheafternoon,thetwoelderMissBennetswereabletobeforhalfanhourbythemselves;andElizabethinstantlyavailedherselfoftheopportunityofmakingmanyenquiries,whichJanewasequallyeagertosatisfy.Afterjoiningingenerallamentationsoverthedreadfulsequelofthisevent,whichElizabethconsideredasallbutcertain,andMissBennetcouldnotasserttobewhollyimpossible,theformercontinuedthesubjectbysaying, "ButtellmeallandeverythingaboutitwhichIhavenotalreadyheard.Givemefartherparticulars.WhatdidColonelForstersay?Hadtheynoapprehensionofanythingbeforetheelopementtookplace?Theymusthaveseenthemtogetherforever.""ColonelForsterdidownthathehadoftensuspectedsomepartiality,especiallyonLydia'sside,butnothingtogivehimanyalarm.Iamsogrievedforhim.Hisbehaviourwasattentiveandkindtotheutmost.Hewascomingtous,inordertoassureusofhisconcern,beforehehadanyideaoftheirnotbeinggonetoScotland;whenthatapprehensionfirstgotabroad,ithastenedhisjourney.""AndwasDennyconvincedthatWickhamwouldnotmarry?Didheknowoftheirintendingtogooff?HadColonelForsterseenDennyhimself?""Yes;butwhenquestionedbyhim,Dennydeniedknowinganythingoftheirplan,andwouldnotgivehisrealopinionaboutit.Hedidnotrepeathispersuasionoftheirnotmarrying--andfromthat,Iaminclinedtohope,hemighthavebeenmisunderstoodbefore.""AndtillColonelForstercamehimself,notoneofyouentertainedadoubt,Isuppose,oftheirbeingreallymarried?""Howwasitpossiblethatsuchanideashouldenterourbrains!Ifeltalittleuneasy--alittlefearfulofmysister'shappinesswithhiminmarriage,becauseIknewthathisconducthadnotbeenalwaysquiteright.Myfatherandmotherknewnothingofthat,theyonlyfelthowimprudentamatchitmustbe.Kittythenowned,withaverynaturaltriumphonknowingmorethantherestofus,thatinLydia'slastlettershehadpreparedherforsuchastep.Shehadknown,itseems,oftheirbeinginlovewitheachothermanyweeks.""ButnotbeforetheywenttoBrighton?""No,Ibelievenot.""AnddidColonelForsterappeartothinkillofWickhamhimself?Doesheknowhisrealcharacter?""ImustconfessthathedidnotspeaksowellofWickhamasheformerlydid.Hebelievedhimtobeimprudentandextravagant.Andsincethissadaffairhastakenplace,itissaidthatheleftMerytongreatlyindebt;butIhopethismaybefalse.""Oh,Jane,hadwebeenlesssecret,hadwetoldwhatweknewofhim,thiscouldnothavehappened!""Perhapsitwouldhavebeenbetter,"repliedhersister. "Buttoexposetheformerfaultsofanyperson,withoutknowingwhattheirpresentfeelingswere,seemedunjustifiable.Weactedwiththebestintentions.""CouldColonelForsterrepeattheparticularsofLydia'snotetohiswife?""Hebroughtitwithhimforustosee."Janethentookitfromherpocket-book,andgaveittoElizabeth.Thesewerethecontents: 第四十七章 到了下午，两位年纪最大的小姐有了半个钟头的时间可以在一起谈谈心。伊丽莎白不肯错过机会，连忙向吉英问东问西，吉英也连忙一一加以回答，好让妹妹放心。两姐妹先把这件事的不幸的后果共同叹息了一番。伊丽莎白认为一定会发生不幸的后果，吉英也认为难免。于是伊丽莎白继续说道：“凡是我不知道的情节，请你全部说给我听。请你谈得再详细一些。弗斯脱上校怎么说的？他们俩私奔之前，难道看不出一点形迹可疑的地方吗？照理应该常常看到他们两人在一起呀。”“弗斯脱上校说，他也曾怀疑过他们俩有情感，特别是怀疑丽迪雅，可是他并没有看出什么形迹，因此没有及时留意。我真为他难受。他为人极其殷勤善良。远在他想到他们两人并没有到苏格兰去的时候，他就打算上我们这儿来慰问我们。等到人心惶惶的时候，他连忙便赶来了。”“丹尼认为韦翰不会跟她结婚吗？他是否知道他们存心私奔？弗斯脱上校有没有见到丹尼本人？”“见到的，不过他回到丹尼的时候，丹尼绝口否认，说是根本不知道他们私奔的打算，也不肯说出他自己对这件事究竟怎样看法。丹尼以后便没有再提起他们俩不会结婚之类的话。照这样看来，但愿上一次是我听错了他的话。”“我想弗斯脱上校没有到这儿以前，你们谁都没有怀疑到他们不会正式结婚吧？”“我们的脑子里怎么会有这种念头呢！我只是觉得有些不安心，有些顾虑，怕妹妹跟他结婚不会幸福，因为我早就知道他的品德不太端正。父亲和母亲完全不知道这种情形，他们只觉得这门亲事非常冒昧。吉蒂当时十分好胜地说，她比我们大家都熟悉内幕情形，丽迪雅给她的最后一封信上就已经隐隐约约透露也了一些口风，准备来这一着。看吉蒂那副神气，她好象远在她几个星期以前，就知道他们俩相爱了。”“总不见得在他们俩去到白利屯以前就看出了吧？”“不见得，我相信不见得。”“弗斯脱上校是不是显出看不起韦翰的样子？他了解韦翰的真面目吗？”“这我得承认，他不象从前那样器重他了。他认为他行事荒唐，又爱奢华，这件伤心的事发生以后，人们都传说他离开麦里屯的时候，还欠下了好多债，我但愿这是谣言。”“哎哟，吉英，要是我们当初少替他保守一点秘密，把他的事情照直说出来，那也许就不会发生这件事了！”吉英说：“说不定会好些，不过，光是揭露人家过去的错误，而不尊重人家目前的为人，未免亦有些说不过去。我们待人接物，应该完全好心好意。”“弗斯脱上校能不能把丽迪雅留给他太太的那封短信逐字逐句背出来？”“那封信他是随身带来给我们看的。”于是吉英从口袋里掏出那封信，递给伊丽莎白。全文如下：