Chapter47 "Itdoesseem,anditismostshockingindeed,"repliedElizabeth,withtearsinhereyes, "thatasister'ssenseofdecencyandvirtueinsuchapointshouldadmitofdoubt.But,really,Iknownotwhattosay.PerhapsIamnotdoingherjustice.Butsheisveryyoung;shehasneverbeentaughttothinkonserioussubjects;andforthelasthalfyear,nay,foratwelvemonth,shehasbeengivenuptonothingbutamusementandvanity.Shehasbeenallowedtodisposeofhertimeinthemostidleandfrivolousmanner,andtoadoptanyopinionsthatcameinherway.Sincethe----shirewerefirstquarteredinMeryton,nothingbutlove,flirtation,andofficershavebeeninherhead.Shehasbeendoingeverythinginherpower,bythinkingandtalkingonthesubject,togivegreater--whatshallIcallit? --susceptibilitytoherfeelings,whicharenaturallylivelyenough.AndweallknowthatWickhamhaseverycharmofpersonandaddressthatcancaptivateawoman.""ButyouseethatJane,"saidheraunt, "doesnotthinksoillofWickhamastobelievehimcapableoftheattempt.""OfwhomdoesJaneeverthinkill?Andwhoisthere,whatevermightbetheirformerconduct,thatshewouldbelievecapableofsuchanattempt,tillitwereprovedagainstthem?ButJaneknows,aswellasIdo,whatWickhamreallyis.Webothknowthathehasbeenprofligateineverysenseoftheword.Thathehasneitherintegritynorhonour.Thatheisasfalseanddeceitful,asheisinsinuating.""Anddoyoureallyknowallthis?"criedMrs.Gardiner,whosecuriosityastothemodeofherintelligencewasallalive."Ido,indeed,"repliedElizabeth,colouring. "Itoldyoutheotherday,ofhisinfamousbehaviourtoMr.Darcy;andyou,yourself,whenlastatLongbourn,heardinwhatmannerhespokeofthemanwhohadbehavedwithsuchforbearanceandliberalitytowardshim.AndthereareothercircumstanceswhichIamnotatliberty--whichitisnotworthwhiletorelate;buthisliesaboutthewholePemberleyfamilyareendless.FromwhathesaidofMissDarcy,Iwasthoroughlypreparedtoseeaproud,reserved,disagreeablegirl.Yetheknewtothecontraryhimself.Hemustknowthatshewasamiableandunpretendingaswehavefoundher.""ButdoesLydiaknownothingofthis?CanshebeignorantofwhatyouandJaneseemsowelltounderstand?""Oh,yes! --that,thatistheworstofall.TillIwasinKent,andsawsomuchbothofMr.Darcyandhisrelation,ColonelFitzwilliam,Iwasignorantofthetruthmyself.AndwhenIreturnedhome,the----shirewastoleaveMerytoninaweekorfortnight'stime.Asthatwasthecase,neitherJane,towhomIrelatedthewhole,norI,thoughtitnecessarytomakeourknowledgepublic;forofwhatusecoulditapparentlybetoanyonethatthegoodopinionwhichalltheneighbourhoodhadofhimshouldthenbeoverthrown?AndevenwhenitwassettledthatLydiashouldgowithMrs.Forster,thenecessityofopeninghereyestohischaracterneveroccurredtome.Thatshecouldbeinanydangerfromthedeceptionneverenteredmyhead.Thatsuchaconsequenceasthisshouldensue,youmayeasilybelievewasfarenoughfrommythoughts." 第四十七章 伊丽莎白眼睛里涌起了眼泪说道：“说起来真是骇人听闻，一个人居然怀疑到自己亲妹妹会不顾体面，不顾贞操！可是我的确不知道该怎么说才好。也许是我冤枉了她。她很年轻，又从来没有人教她应该怎样去考虑这些重大的问题；半年以来──不，整整一年以来──她只知道开心作乐，爱好虚荣。家里纵容她，让她尽过些轻浮浪荡的日子，让她随便遇到什么事情都是轻信盲从。自从民兵团驻扎到麦里屯以后，她一脑子只想到谈情说爱，卖弄风情，勾搭军官。她先天就已经足够骚，再加上老是想这件事，谈这件事，想尽办法使自己的感情更加──我应该说更加怎么呢？──更加容易被人家诱惑。我们都知道韦翰无论在仪表方面，辞令方面，都有足够的魅力可以迷住一个女人。”“可是你得明白，”她的舅母说，“吉英就不把韦翰看得那么坏，她认为他不会存这种心肠。”“吉英何尝把任何人看作坏人？不管是什么样的人，无论他过去的行为怎样，除非等到事实证明了那个人确实是坏，她怎么会相信人家会存这种心肠？可是说到韦翰的底细，吉英却和我一样明白。我们俩都知道他是个不折不扣的淫棍，他既没有人格，又不顾体面，一味虚情假意，柔声媚气。”这番话使嘉丁纳太太起了极大的好奇心，想要弄明白外甥女儿怎么知道这些事情的，便大声问道：“这些情形你真的都了解吗？”伊丽莎白红着脸回答道：“我当然了解，那一天我已经把他对待达西先生的无耻行为说给你听过。人家待他那么宽宏大量，可是你上次在浪搏恩的时候，曾经亲耳听到他是以什么的态度谈到人家。还有许多事情我不便于说，也不值得说，可是他对于彭伯里府上造谣中伤的事实，真是数说不尽。他把达西小姐说成那样一个人，使得我开头完全把她当做一位骄傲冷酷，惹人讨厌的小姐。然而他自己也知道事实完全相反。他心里一定明白，达西小姐正象我们所看到的那样和蔼可亲，一些也不装腔作势。”“难道丽迪雅完全不知道这些事吗？既然你和吉英都了解得那么透彻，她自己怎么会完全不晓得？”“糟就糟在这里。我自己也是到了肯特郡以后，常常跟达西先生和他的亲戚弗茨威廉上校在一起，才知道真相。等我回得家来，某某郡的民兵团已经准备在一两个星期以内就要离开麦里屯了。当时我就把这情形在吉英面前和盘托出，吉英和我都觉得不必向外面声张，因为街坊四邻既然都对韦翰有好感，如果叫大家对他印象转坏，这会对谁有好处？甚至于临到决定让丽迪雅跟弗斯脱太太一块儿走的时候，我还不想叫丽迪雅了解他的人品。我从来没想到她竟会被他欺骗。你可以相信我万万想不到会造成这样的后果。”