Chapter35 Allconnectionbetweenusseemednowdissolved.IthoughttooillofhimtoinvitehimtoPemberley,oradmithissocietyintown.Intown,Ibelieve,hechieflylived,buthisstudyingthelawwasamerepretence,andbeingnowfreefromallrestraint,hislifewasalifeofidlenessanddissipation.ForaboutthreeyearsIheardlittleofhim;butonthedeceaseoftheincumbentofthelivingwhichhadbeendesignedforhim,heappliedtomeagainbyletterforthepresentation.Hiscircumstances,heassuredme,andIhadnodifficultyinbelievingit,wereexceedinglybad.Hehadfoundthelawamostunprofitablestudy,andwasnowabsolutelyresolvedonbeingordained,ifIwouldpresenthimtothelivinginquestion--ofwhichhetrustedtherecouldbelittledoubt,ashewaswellassuredthatIhadnootherpersontoprovidefor,andIcouldnothaveforgottenmyreveredfather'sintentions.Youwillhardlyblamemeforrefusingtocomplywiththisentreaty,orforresistingeveryrepetitionofit.Hisresentmentwasinproportiontothedistressofhiscircumstances--andhewasdoubtlessasviolentinhisabuseofmetoothers,asinhisreproachestomyself.Afterthisperiod,everyappearanceofacquaintancewasdropt.HowhelivedIknownot.Butlastsummerhewasagainmostpainfullyobtrudedonmynotice.ImustnowmentionacircumstancewhichIwouldwishtoforgetmyself,andwhichnoobligationlessthanthepresentshouldinducemetounfoldtoanyhumanbeing.Havingsaidthusmuch,Ifeelnodoubtofyoursecrecy.Mysister,whoismorethantenyearsmyjunior,waslefttotheguardianshipofmymother'snephew,ColonelFitzwilliam,andmyself.Aboutayearago,shewastakenfromschool,andanestablishmentformedforherinLondon;andlastsummershewentwiththeladywhopresidedoverit,toRamsgate;andthitheralsowentMr.Wickham,undoubtedlybydesign;forthereprovedtohavebeenaprioracquaintancebetweenhimandMrs.Younge,inwhosecharacterweweremostunhappilydeceived;andbyherconnivanceandaidhesofarrecommendedhimselftoGeorgiana,whoseaffectionateheartretainedastrongimpressionofhiskindnesstoherasachild,thatshewaspersuadedtobelieveherselfinlove,andtoconsenttoanelopement. 第三十五章 从此我和他之间的一切关系，便好象一刀两断。我非常看不起他，不再请他到彭伯里来玩，在城里也不和他来往。我相信他大半都住在城里，但是他所谓学法律，只不过是一个借口罢了，现在他既然摆脱了一切羁绊，便整天过着浪荡挥霍的生活。我大约接连三年简直听不到他的消息，可是后来有个牧师逝世了，这份俸禄本来是可以由他接替的，于是他又写信给我，要我荐举他。他说他境遇窘得不能再窘，这一点我当然不难相信。他又说研究法律毫无出息，现在已下决心当牧师，只要我肯荐举他去接替这个位置就行了。他自以为我一定会推荐他，因为他看准我没有别人可以补缺，况且我也不能疏忽先父生前应承他的一片好意。我没有答应他的要求，他再三请求，我依然拒绝，这你总不见得会责备我吧。他的境遇愈困苦，怨愤就愈深。毫无问题，他无论在我背后骂我，当面骂我，都是一样狠毒。从这个时期以后，连一点点面子账的交情都完结了。我不知道他是怎样生活的，可是说来痛心之至，去年夏天他又引起了我的注意。我得在这里讲一件我自己也不愿意记起的事。这件事我本来不愿意让任何人知道，可是这一次却非得说一说不可。说到这里，我相信你一定能保守秘密。我妹妹比我小十多岁，由我母亲的内侄费茨威廉上校和我做她的保护人。大约在一年以前，我们把她从学校里接回来，把她安置在伦敦居住；去年夏天，她跟管家的那位杨吉太太到拉姆斯盖特去了。韦翰先生跟着也赶到那边去，显然是别有用意，因为他和杨吉太太早就认识，我们很不幸上了她的当，看错人了。仗着杨吉太太的纵容和帮忙，他向乔治安娜求爱。可惜乔治安娜心肠太好，还牢牢记着小时候他对待她的亲切，因此竟被他打动了心，自以为爱上了他，答应跟他私奔。