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第133章（第1页）

ThediscomposureofspiritswhichthisextraordinaryvisitthrewElizabethinto，couldnotbeeasilyovercome;norcouldshe，formanyhours，learntothinkofitlessthanincessantly.LadyCatherine，itappeared，hadactuallytakenthetroubleofthisjourneyfromRosings，forthesolepurposeofbreakingoffhersupposedengagementwithMr.Darcy.Itwasarationalscheme，tobesure!butfromwhatthereportoftheirengagementcouldoriginate，Elizabethwasatalosstoimagine;tillsherecollectedthathisbeingtheintimatefriendofBingley，andherbeingthesisterofJane，wasenough，atatimewhentheexpectationofoneweddingmadeeverybodyeagerforanother，tosupplytheidea.Shehadnotherselfforgottentofeelthatthemarriageofhersistermustbringthemmorefrequentlytogether.AndherneighboursatLucasLodge，therefore（forthroughtheircommunicationwiththeCollinses，thereport，sheconcluded，hadreachedLadyCatherine），hadonlysetthatdownasalmostcertainandimmediate，whichshehadlookedforwardtoaspossibleatsomefuturetime.

InrevolvingLadyCatherinesexpressions，however，shecouldnothelpfeelingsomeuneasinessastothepossibleconsequenceofherpersistinginthisinterference.Fromwhatshehadsaidofherresolutiontopreventtheirmarriage，itoccurredtoElizabeththatshemustmeditateanapplicationtohernephew;andhowhemighttakeasimilarrepresentationoftheevilsattachedtoaconnectionwithher，shedarednotpronounce.Sheknewnottheexactdegreeofhisaffectionforhisaunt，orhisdependenceonherjudgment，butitwasnaturaltosupposethathethoughtmuchhigherofherladyshipthanshecoulddo;anditwascertainthat，inenumeratingthemiseriesofamarriagewithone，whoseimmediateconnectionsweresounequaltohisown，hisauntwouldaddresshimonhisweakestside.Withhisnotionsofdignity，hewouldprobablyfeelthatthearguments，whichtoElizabethhadappearedweakandridiculous，containedmuchgoodsenseandsolidreasoning.

Ifhehadbeenwaveringbeforeastowhatheshoulddo，whichhadoftenseemedlikely，theadviceandentreatyofsoneararelationmightsettleeverydoubt，anddeterminehimatoncetobeashappyasdignityunblemishedcouldmakehim.Inthatcasehewouldreturnnomore.LadyCatherinemightseehiminherwaythroughtown;andhisengagementtoBingleyofcomingagaintoNetherfieldmustgiveway.

“If，therefore，anexcusefornotkeepinghispromiseshouldcometohisfriendwithinafewdays，”

sheadded，“Ishallknowhowtounderstandit.Ishallthengiveovereveryexpectation，everywishofhisconstancy.Ifheissatisfiedwithonlyregrettingme，whenhemighthaveobtainedmyaffectionsandhand，Ishallsoonceasetoregrethimatall.”

Thesurpriseoftherestofthefamily，onhearingwhotheirvisitorhadbeen，wasverygreat;buttheyobliginglysatisfiedit，withthesamekindofsuppositionwhichhadappeasedMrs.Bennetscuriosity;andElizabethwassparedfrommuchteasingonthesubject.

Thenextmorning，asshewasgoingdownstairs，shewasmetbyherfather，whocameoutofhislibrarywithaletterinhishand.

“Lizzy，”

saidhe，“Iwasgoingtolookforyou;comeintomyroom.”

Shefollowedhimthither;andhercuriositytoknowwhathehadtotellherwasheightenedbythesuppositionofitsbeinginsomemannerconnectedwiththeletterheheld.ItsuddenlystruckherthatitmightbefromLadyCatherine;andsheanticipatedwithdismayalltheconsequentexplanations.

Shefollowedherfathertothefireplace，andtheybothsatdown.Hethensaid，

“Ihavereceivedaletterthismorningthathasastonishedmeexceedingly.Asitprincipallyconcernsyourself，yououghttoknowitscontents.Ididnotknowbefore，thatIhadtwodaughtersonthebrinkofmatrimony.Letmecongratulateyouonaveryimportantconquest.”

ThecolournowrushedintoElizabethscheeksintheinstantaneousconvictionofitsbeingaletterfromthenephew，insteadoftheaunt;andshewasundeterminedwhethermosttobepleasedthatheexplainedhimselfatall，oroffendedthathisletterwasnotratheraddressedtoherself;whenherfathercontinued:

“Youlookconscious.Youngladieshavegreatpenetrationinsuchmattersasthese;butIthinkImaydefyevenyoursagacity，todiscoverthenameofyouradmirer.ThisletterisfromMr.Collins.”

“FromMr.Collins!andwhatcanhehavetosay?”