Chapter35 Mr.Wickhamisthesonofaveryrespectableman,whohadformanyyearsthemanagementofallthePemberleyestates;andwhosegoodconductinthedischargeofhistrustnaturallyinclinedmyfathertobeofservicetohim;andonGeorgeWickham,whowashisgod-son,hiskindnesswasthereforeliberallybestowed.Myfathersupportedhimatschool,andafterwardsatCambridge; --mostimportantassistance,ashisownfather,alwayspoorfromtheextravaganceofhiswife,wouldhavebeenunabletogivehimagentleman'seducation.Myfatherwasnotonlyfondofthisyoungman'ssociety,whosemannerswerealwaysengaging;hehadalsothehighestopinionofhim,andhopingthechurchwouldbehisprofession,intendedtoprovideforhiminit.Asformyself,itismany,manyyearssinceIfirstbegantothinkofhiminaverydifferentmanner.Theviciouspropensities--thewantofprinciple,whichhewascarefultoguardfromtheknowledgeofhisbestfriend,couldnotescapetheobservationofayoungmanofnearlythesameagewithhimself,andwhohadopportunitiesofseeinghiminunguardedmoments,whichMr.Darcycouldnothave.HereagainIshallgiveyoupain--towhatdegreeyouonlycantell.ButwhatevermaybethesentimentswhichMr.Wickhamhascreated,asuspicionoftheirnatureshallnotpreventmefromunfoldinghisrealcharacter.Itaddsevenanothermotive.Myexcellentfatherdiedaboutfiveyearsago;andhisattachmenttoMr.Wickhamwastothelastsosteady,thatinhiswillheparticularlyrecommendedittometopromotehisadvancementinthebestmannerthathisprofessionmightallow,and,ifhetookorders,desiredthatavaluablefamilylivingmightbehisassoonasitbecamevacant.Therewasalsoalegacyofonethousandpounds.Hisownfatherdidnotlongsurvivemine,andwithinhalfayearfromtheseeventsMr.Wickhamwrotetoinformmethat,havingfinallyresolvedagainsttakingorders,hehopedIshouldnotthinkitunreasonableforhimtoexpectsomemoreimmediatepecuniaryadvantage,inlieuoftheprefermentbywhichhecouldnotbebenefited.Hehadsomeintention,headded,ofstudyingthelaw,andImustbeawarethattheinterestofonethousandpoundswouldbeaveryinsufficientsupporttherein.Iratherwishedthanbelievedhimtobesincere;but,atanyrate,wasperfectlyreadytoaccedetohisproposal.IknewthatMr.Wickhamoughtnottobeaclergyman.Thebusinesswasthereforesoonsettled.Heresignedallclaimtoassistanceinthechurch,wereitpossiblethathecouldeverbeinasituationtoreceiveit,andacceptedinreturnthreethousandpounds. 第三十五章 韦翰先生是个值得尊敬的人的儿子。他父亲在彭伯里管了好几年产业，极其尽职，这自然使得先父愿意帮他的忙；因此先父对他这个教子乔治·韦翰恩宠有加。先父供给他上学，后来还供给他进剑桥大学──这是对他最重要的一项帮助，因为他自己的父亲被他母亲吃光用穷，无力供给他受高等教育。先父不仅因为这位年轻人风采翩翩而喜欢和他来往，而且非常器重他，希望他从事教会职业，并且一心要替他安插一个位置。至于说到我自己所以对他印象转坏，那已经是好多好多年的事了。他为人放荡不羁，恶习重重，他虽然十分小心地把这些恶习遮掩起来，不让他最好的朋友觉察，可是究竟逃不过一个和他年龄相仿佛的青年人的眼睛，他一个不提防就给我瞧见了漏洞，机会多的是──当然老达西先生决不会有这种机会。这里我不免又要引起你的痛苦了，痛苦到什么地步，只有你自己知道。不论韦翰先生已经引起了你何等样的感情，我却要怀疑到这些感情的本质，因而我也就不得不对你说明他真正的品格。这里面甚至还难免别有用心。德高望重的先父大约去世于五年前，他宠爱韦翰先生始终如一，连遗嘱上也特别向我提到他，要我斟酌他的职业情况，极力提拔他，要是他受了圣职，俸禄优厚的位置一有空缺，就让他替补上去。另外还给了他一千磅遗产。他自己的父亲不久也去世了；这几桩大事发生以后，不出半年工夫，韦翰先生就写信跟我说，他已最后下定决心，不愿意去受圣职；他既然不能获得那个职位的俸禄，便希望我给他一些直接的经济利益，不要以为他这个要求不合理。他又说，他倒有意学法律，他叫我应该明白，要他靠一千磅的利息去学法律，当然非常不够。我与其说，相信他这些话靠得住，不如说，我但愿他这些话靠得住。不过，我无论如何还是愿意答应他的要求。我知道韦翰先生不适宜当牧师。因此这件事立刻就谈妥条件，获得解决：我们拿出三千磅给他，他不再要求我们帮助他获得圣职，算是自动放弃权利，即使将来他有资格担任圣职，也不再提出请求。