📝 您未登录，登录后完成练习可保存成绩、查看最佳记录。
总字符
0
正确字符
0
错误字符
0
错误率
0.00%
耗时(秒)
0
速度 WPM
0
0 / 72
1Mrs. Gardiner and the children were to remain in Hertfordshire a few days longer, as the former thought her presence
2might be serviceable to her nieces. She shared in their attendance on Mrs. Bennet, and was a great comfort to them in
3their hours of freedom. Their other aunt also visited them frequently, and always, as she said, with the design of
4cheering and heartening them up--though, as she never came without reporting some fresh instance of Wickham's
5extravagance or irregularity, she seldom went away without leaving them more dispirited than she found them. All Meryton
6seemed striving to blacken the man who, but three months before, had been almost an angel of light. He was declared to
7be in debt to every tradesman in the place, and his intrigues, all honoured with the title of seduction, had been
8extended into every tradesman's family. Everybody declared that he was the wickedest young man in the world; and
9everybody began to find out that they had always distrusted the appearance of his goodness. Elizabeth, though she did
10not credit above half of what was said, believed enough to make her former assurance of her sister's ruin still more
11certain; and even Jane, who believed still less of it, became almost hopeless, more especially as the time was now come,
12when, if they had gone to Scotland, which she had never before entirely despaired of, they must in all probability have
13gained some news of them. Mr. Gardiner left Longbourn on Sunday; on Tuesday, his wife received a letter from him: it
14told them, that on his arrival he had immediately found out his brother, and persuaded him to come to Gracechurch
15Street. That Mr. Bennet had been to Epsom and Clapham, before his arrival, but without gaining any satisfactory
16information; and that he was now determined to inquire at all the principal hotels in town, as Mr. Bennet thought it
17possible they might have gone to one of them, on their first coming to London, before they procured lodgings. Mr.
18Gardiner himself did not expect any success from this measure; but as his brother was eager in it, he meant to assist
19him in pursuing it. He added, that Mr. Bennet seemed wholly disinclined at present to leave London, and promised to
20write again very soon. There was also a postscript to this effect:-- "I have written to Colonel Forster to desire him to
21find out, if possible, from some of the young man's intimates in the regiment, whether Wickham has any relations or
22connections who would be likely to know in what part of the town he has now concealed himself. If there were anyone that
23one could apply to, with a probability of gaining such a clue as that, it might be of essential consequence. At present
24we have nothing to guide us. Colonel Forster will, I dare say, do everything in his power to satisfy us on this head.
25But, on second thoughts, perhaps Lizzy could tell us what relations he has now living better than any other person."
26Elizabeth was at no loss to understand from whence this deference for her authority proceeded; but it was not in her
27power to give any information of so satisfactory a nature as the compliment deserved. She had never heard of his having
28had any relations, except a father and mother, both of whom had been dead many years. It was possible, however, that
29some of his companions in the ----shire might be able to give more information; and though she was not very sanguine in
30expecting it, the application was a something to look forward to. Every day at Longbourn was now a day of anxiety; but
31the most anxious part of each was when the post was expected. The arrival of letters was the first grand object of every
32morning's impatience. Through letters, whatever of good or bad was to be told would be communicated; and every
33succeeding day was expected to bring some news of importance. But before they heard again from Mr. Gardiner, a letter
34arrived for their father, from a different quarter, from Mr. Collins; which, as Jane had received directions to open all
35that came for him in his absence, she accordingly read; and Elizabeth, who knew what curiosities his letters always
36were, looked over her, and read it likewise. It was as follows:-- / "My dear Sir, */ "I feel myself called upon, by our
37relationship, and my situation in life, to condole with you on the grievous affliction you are now suffering under, of
38which we were yesterday informed by a letter from Hertfordshire. Be assured, my dear sir, that Mrs. Collins and myself
39sincerely sympathize with you, and all your respectable family, in your present distress, which must be of the bitterest
40kind, because proceeding from a cause which no time can remove. No arguments shall be wanting on my part, that can
41alleviate so severe a misfortune; or that may comfort you, under a circumstance that must be, of all others, most
42afflicting to a parent's mind. The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this. And it is
43the more to be lamented, because there is reason to suppose, as my dear Charlotte informs me, that this licentiousness
44of behaviour in your [Illustration: "To whom I have related the affair" [Copyright 1894 by George Allen.]] daughter has
45proceeded from a faulty degree of indulgence; though, at the same time, for the consolation of yourself and Mrs. Bennet,
46I am inclined to think that her own disposition must be naturally bad, or she could not be guilty of such an enormity,
47at so early an age. Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by
48Mrs. Collins, but likewise by Lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have related the affair. They agree with me in
49apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others: for who, as Lady
50Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family? And this consideration leads me,
51moreover, to reflect, with augmented satisfaction, on a certain event of last November; for had it been otherwise, I
52must have been involved in all your sorrow and disgrace. Let me advise you, then, my dear sir, to console yourself as
53much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her
54own heinous offence. "I am, dear sir," etc., etc. Mr. Gardiner did not write again, till he had received an answer from
55Colonel Forster; and then he had nothing of a pleasant nature to send. It was not known that Wickham had a single
56relation with whom he kept up any connection, and it was certain that he had no near one living. His former acquaintance
57had been numerous; but since he had been in the militia, it did not appear that he was on terms of particular friendship
58with any of them. There was no one, therefore, who could be pointed out as likely to give any news of him. And in the
59wretched state of his own finances, there was a very powerful motive for secrecy, in addition to his fear of discovery
60by Lydia's relations; for it had just transpired that he had left gaming debts behind him to a very considerable amount.
61Colonel Forster believed that more than a thousand pounds would be necessary to clear his expenses at Brighton. He owed
62a good deal in the town, but his debts of honour were still more formidable. Mr. Gardiner did not attempt to conceal
63these particulars from the Longbourn family; Jane heard them with horror. "A gamester!" she cried. "This is wholly
64unexpected; I had not an idea of it." Mr. Gardiner added, in his letter, that they might expect to see their father at
65home on the following day, which was Saturday. Rendered spiritless by the ill success of all their endeavours, he had
66yielded to his brother-in-law's entreaty that he would return to his family and leave it to him to do whatever occasion
67might suggest to be advisable for continuing their pursuit. When Mrs. Bennet was told of this, she did not express so
68much satisfaction as her children expected, considering what her anxiety for his life had been before. "What! is he
69coming home, and without poor Lydia?" she cried. "Sure he will not leave London before he has found them. Who is to
70fight Wickham, and make him marry her, if he comes away?" As Mrs. Gardiner began to wish to be at home, it was settled
71that she and her children should go to London at the same time that Mr. Bennet came from it. The coach, therefore, took
72them the first stage of their journey, and brought its master back to Longbourn.
🎉 全部完成！共 72 行