Chapter39ITwasthesecondweekinMayinwhichthethreeyoungladiessetouttogetherfromGracechurch-streetforthetownof----inHertfordshire;and,astheydrewneartheappointedinnwhereMr.Bennet'scarriagewastomeetthem,theyquicklyperceived,intokenofthecoachman'spunctuality,bothKittyandLydialookingoutofadiningroomupstairs.Thesetwogirlshadbeenaboveanhourintheplace,happilyemployedinvisitinganoppositemilliner,watchingthesentinelonguard,anddressingasalladandcucumber.Afterwelcomingtheirsisters,theytriumphantlydisplayedatablesetoutwithsuchcoldmeatasaninnlarderusuallyaffords,exclaiming, "Isnotthisnice?isnotthisanagreeablesurprise?""Andwemeantotreatyouall,"addedLydia; "butyoumustlendusthemoney,forwehavejustspentoursattheshopoutthere."Thenshewingherpurchases: "Lookhere,Ihaveboughtthisbonnet.Idonotthinkitisverypretty;butIthoughtImightaswellbuyitasnot.IshallpullittopiecesassoonasIgethome,andseeifIcanmakeitupanybetter."Andwhenhersistersabuseditasugly,sheadded,withperfectunconcern, "Oh!butthereweretwoorthreemuchuglierintheshop;andwhenIhaveboughtsomeprettiercolouredsatintotrimitwithfresh,Ithinkitwillbeverytolerable.Besides,itwillnotmuchsignifywhatonewearsthissummerafterthe----shirehaveleftMeryton,andtheyaregoinginafortnight.""Aretheyindeed?"criedElizabeth,withthegreatestsatisfaction."TheyaregoingtobeencampednearBrighton;andIdosowantpapatotakeusallthereforthesummer!Itwouldbesuchadeliciousscheme,andIdaresaywouldhardlycostanythingatall.Mammawouldliketogotoo,ofallthings!Onlythinkwhatamiserablesummerelseweshallhave!""Yes,"thoughtElizabeth, "thatwouldbeadelightfulscheme,indeed,andcompletelydoforusatonce.GoodHeaven!Brighton,andawholecampfulofsoldiers,tous,whohavebeenoversetalreadybyonepoorregimentofmilitia,andthemonthlyballsofMeryton.""NowIhavegotsomenewsforyou,"saidLydia,astheysatdowntotable. "Whatdoyouthink?Itisexcellentnews,capitalnews,andaboutacertainpersonthatwealllike."JaneandElizabethlookedateachother,andthewaiterwastoldthatheneednotstay.Lydialaughed,andsaid, "Aye,thatisjustlikeyourformalityanddiscretion.Youthoughtthewaitermustnothear,asifhecared!IdaresayheoftenhearsworsethingssaidthanIamgoingtosay.Butheisanuglyfellow!Iamgladheisgone.Ineversawsuchalongchininmylife.Well,butnowformynews:itisaboutdearWickham;toogoodforthewaiter,isnotit?ThereisnodangerofWickham'smarryingMaryKing.There'sforyou!SheisgonedowntoheruncleatLiverpool;gonetostay.Wickhamissafe.""AndMaryKingissafe!"addedElizabeth; "safefromaconnectionimprudentastofortune.""Sheisagreatfoolforgoingaway,ifshelikedhim.""ButIhopethereisnostrongattachmentoneitherside,"saidJane."Iamsurethereisnotonhis.Iwillanswerforithenevercaredthreestrawsabouther.Whocouldaboutsuchanastylittlefreckledthing?" 第三十九章五月已经到了第二个星期，三位年轻小姐一块儿从天恩寺街出发，到哈德福郡的某某镇去，班纳特先生事先就跟她们约定了一个小客店，打发了马车在那儿接她们，刚一到那儿，她们就看到吉蒂和丽迪雅从楼上的餐室里望着她们，这表明车夫已经准时到了。这两位姑娘已经在那儿待了一个多钟头，高高兴兴地光顾过对面的一家帽子店，看了看站岗的哨兵，又调制了一些胡瓜色拉。她们欢迎了两位姐姐之后，便一面得意洋洋地摆出一些菜来（都是小客店里常备的一些冷盆），一面嚷道：“这多么好？你们想也没有想到吧？”丽迪雅又说：“我们存心做东道，可是要你们借钱给我们，我们自己的钱都在那边铺子里花光了。”说到这里，她便把买来的那些东西拿给她们看。“瞧，我买了这顶帽子。我并不觉得太漂亮；可是我想，买一顶也好。一到家我就要把它拆开来重新做过，你们看我会不会把它收拾得好一些。”姐姐们都说她这顶帽子很难看，她却毫不在乎地说：“噢，那家铺子里还有两三顶，比这一顶还要难看得多；待我去买点儿颜色漂亮的缎子来，把它重新装饰一下，那就过得去了。再说，某某郡的民兵团，两星期之内就要开走了，他们一离开麦里屯之后，夏季随便你穿戴些什么都无所谓。”“他们就要开走了，真的吗？”伊丽莎白极其满意地嚷道。“他们就要驻扎到白利屯去；我真希望爸爸带我们大家到那儿去消暑！这真是个妙透了的打算，或许还用不着花钱。妈妈也一定非要去不可！你想，否则我们这一个夏天多苦闷呀！”“话说得是，”伊丽莎白想道；“这真是个好打算，马上就会叫我们忙死了。老天爷啊！光是麦里屯一个可怜的民兵团和每个月开几次跳舞会，就弄得我们神魂颠倒了，怎么当得起白利屯和那整营的官兵！”大家坐定以后，丽迪雅说：“现在我有点儿消息要报告你们，你们猜猜看是什么消息？这是个好透了的消息，头等重要的消息，说的是关于我们大家都喜欢的某一个人。”吉英和伊丽莎白面面相觑，便打发那个堂倌走开。于是丽迪雅笑笑说：“嘿，你们真是太规矩小心。你们以为一定不能让堂倌听到，好象他存心要听似的！我相信他平常听到的许多话，比我要说的这番话更是不堪入耳。不过他是个丑八怪！他走开了，我倒也高兴。我生平没有见到过他那样长的下巴。唔，现在我来讲新闻啦───这是关于可爱的韦翰的新闻；堂倌不配听，是不是？韦翰再不会有跟玛丽·金结婚的危险了──真是个了不起的消息呀！那位姑娘上利物浦她叔叔那儿去了──一去不回来了。韦翰安全了。”“应该说玛丽·金安全了！”伊丽莎白接着说，“她总算逃过了一段冒失的姻缘。”“要是她喜欢他而又走开，那真是个大傻瓜呢。”“我但愿他们双方的感情都不十分深，”吉英说。“我相信他这方面的感情不会深的。”“我可以担保，他根本就没有把她放在心上。谁看得上这么一个满脸雀班的讨厌的小东西？”