Chapter35 ELIZABETHawokethenextmorningtothesamethoughtsandmeditationswhichhadatlengthclosedhereyes.Shecouldnotyetrecoverfromthesurpriseofwhathadhappened;itwasimpossibletothinkofanythingelse,and,totallyindisposedforemployment,sheresolvedsoonafterbreakfasttoindulgeherselfinairandexercise.Shewasproceedingdirectlytoherfavouritewalk,whentherecollectionofMr.Darcy'ssometimescomingtherestoppedher,andinsteadofenteringthepark,sheturnedupthelanewhichledherfartherfromtheturnpikeroad.Theparkpalingwasstilltheboundaryononeside,andshesoonpassedoneofthegatesintotheground.Afterwalkingtwoorthreetimesalongthatpartofthelane,shewastempted,bythepleasantnessofthemorning,tostopatthegatesandlookintothepark.ThefiveweekswhichshehadnowpassedinKenthadmadeagreatdifferenceinthecountry,andeverydaywasaddingtotheverdureoftheearlytrees.Shewasonthepointofcontinuingherwalk,whenshecaughtaglimpseofagentlemanwithinthesortofgrovewhichedgedthepark;hewasmovingthatway;andfearfulofitsbeingMr.Darcy,shewasdirectlyretreating.Butthepersonwhoadvancedwasnownearenoughtoseeher,andsteppingforwardwitheagerness,pronouncedhername.Shehadturnedaway,butonhearingherselfcalled,thoughinavoicewhichprovedittobeMr.Darcy,shemovedagaintowardsthegate.Hehadbythattimereacheditalso,andholdingoutaletter,whichsheinstinctivelytook,saidwithalookofhaughtycomposure, "Ihavebeenwalkinginthegrovesometimeinthehopeofmeetingyou.Willyoudomethehonourofreadingthatletter?" --Andthen,withaslightbow,turnedagainintotheplantation,andwassoonoutofsight.Withnoexpectationofpleasure,butwiththestrongestcuriosity,Elizabethopenedtheletter,and,toherstillincreasingwonder,perceivedanenvelopecontainingtwosheetsofletterpaper,writtenquitethrough,inaveryclosehand. --Theenvelopeitselfwaslikewisefull. --Pursuingherwayalongthelane,shethenbeganit.ItwasdatedfromRosings,ateighto'clockinthemorning,andwasasfollows: --"Benotalarmed,Madam,onreceivingthisletter,bytheapprehensionofitscontaininganyrepetitionofthosesentiments,orrenewalofthoseoffers,whichwerelastnightsodisgustingtoyou.Iwritewithoutanyintentionofpainingyou,orhumblingmyself,bydwellingonwishes,which,forthehappinessofboth,cannotbetoosoonforgotten;andtheeffortwhichtheformationandtheperusalofthislettermustoccasionshouldhavebeenspared,hadnotmycharacterrequiredittobewrittenandread.Youmust,therefore,pardonthefreedomwithwhichIdemandyourattention;yourfeelings,Iknow,willbestowitunwillingly,butIdemanditofyourjustice.Twooffencesofaverydifferentnature,andbynomeansofequalmagnitude,youlastnightlaidtomycharge.Thefirstmentionedwas,that,regardlessofthesentimentsofeither,IhaddetachedMr.Bingleyfromyoursister; --andtheother,thatIhad,indefianceofvariousclaims,indefianceofhonourandhumanity,ruinedtheimmediateprosperity,andblastedtheprospectsofMr.Wickham. 第三十五章 伊丽莎白昨夜一直深思默想到合上眼睛为止，今天一大早醒来，心头又涌起了这些深思默想。她仍然对那桩事感到诧异，无法想到别的事情上去；她根本无心做事，于是决定一吃过早饭就出去好好地透透空气，散散步。她正想往那条心爱的走道上走走去，忽然想到达西先生有时候也上那儿来，于是便住了步。她没有进花园，却走上那条小路，以便和那条有栅门的大路隔得远些。她仍旧沿着花园的围栅走，不久便走过了一道园门。她沿着这一段小路来回走了两三遍，禁不住被那清晨的美景吸引得在园门前停住了，朝园里望望。她到肯特五个星期以来，乡村里已经有了很大的变化，早青的树一天比一天绿了。她正要继续走下去，忽然看到花园旁的小林子里有一个男人正朝这儿走来；她怕是达西先生，便立刻往回走。但是那人已经走得很近，可以看得见她了；只见那人急急忙忙往前跑，一面还叫着她的名字。她本来已经掉过头来走开，一听到有人叫她的名字，虽然明知是达西先生，也只得走回到园门边来。达西这时候也已经来到园门口，拿出一封信递给她，她不由自主地收下了。他带着一脸傲慢而从容的神气说道：“我已经在林子里踱了好一会儿，希望碰到你，请你赏个脸，看看这封信，好不好？”于是他微微鞠了一躬，重新踅进草木丛中，立刻就不见了。伊丽莎白拆开那封信；这是为了好奇，并不是希望从中获得什么愉快。使她更惊奇的是，信封里装着两张信纸，以细致的笔迹写得密密麻麻。信封上也写满了字。她一面沿着小路走，一面开始读信。信是早上八点钟在罗新斯写的，内容如下：小姐：接到这封信时，请你不必害怕。既然昨天晚上向你诉情和求婚，结果只有使你极其厌恶，我自然不会又在这封信里旧事重提。我曾经衷心地希望我们双方会幸福，可是我不想在这封信里再提到这些，免得使你痛苦，使我自己受委屈。我所以要写这封信，写了又要劳你的神去读，这无非是拗不过自己的性格，否则便可以双方省事，免得我写你读。因此你得原谅我那么冒昧地亵渎你的清神，我知道你决不会愿意劳神的，可是我要求你心平气和一些。你昨夜曾把两件性质不同、轻重不等的罪名加在我头上。你第一件指责我折散了彬格莱先生和令姐的好事，完全不顾他们俩之间如何情深意切，你第二件指责我不顾体面，丧尽人道，蔑视别人的权益，毁坏了韦翰先生那指日可期的富贵，又破来了他美好的前途。