06-03-傲慢与偏见 [65]
．Foolish though a marriage between Mr Wickham and our poor Lydia might be，we are now only too anxious to hear that it has taken place． There is reason to fear they have not gone to Scotland．Colonel Forster arrived here yesterday．He tells us that one of the Officers， a close friend of Wickham，believes that Wickham never intended to go to Scotland，or to marry Lydia at all．The colonel followed the couple as far as London， but they have not been seen leaving the capital．Our anxiety， my dear Lizzy，is very great．My father and mother believe the worst， and the colonel fears Wickham is not a man to be trusted，but I cannot believe him to be so wicked．And is Lydia so completely lacking in morals，that she could live with a man without being married？Impossible．Now my poor mother is really ill，my father is angry， for perhaps the first time in his life， and Kitty is being scolded for keeping the attachment a secret．While I am glad，dearest Lizzy， that you have been spared some of the confusion and worry we have been experiencing， I cannot help begging you all to come home as soon as possible．My father is going to London with the colonel to try to find Lydia．I think he is too upset to achieve results in the best and safest way，and my uncle's advice and help would be everything in the world．I rely on his goodness．
‘Oh！Where，where is my uncle？’cried Elizabeth，running to the door．But just as she reached it， Mr Darcy came in．Her pale face and strange manner prevented him from speaking， and she， who could think of nothing except Lydia， said hurriedly，‘Excuse me，but I must leave you．I must find Mr Gardiner immediately．There is not a moment to lose．’
‘Good God！ What is the matter？’he cried，then added，‘Let me， or let the servant，go to find Mr and Mrs Gardiner．You are not well enough．You cannot go yourself．’
Elizabeth hesitated， but her legs were trembling， and she re－alized he was right． After giving the servant her message， she sat down，looking so ill that Darcy could not leave her，or stop himself saying gently，‘Let me call someone to look after you．Shall I get you a glass of wine？You are very ill．’
‘No，thank you，’she replied．‘I am quite well．I am only upset by some dreadful news I've just received form Long－bourn．’She burst into tears， and for a few minutes could not speak another word．Darcy watched her miserably， in sympa－thetic silence． At last， she spoke again．‘It cannot be hidden from anyone． My youngest sister has eloped， with——with Mr Wickham． You know him too well to doubt what will happen．She has no money， no connections， nothing that can tempt him to marry her．She is lost for ever． And I could have prevented it！ I knew how bad his character was．If only I had told my family what I knew about him！ But it is all too late now．’
Darcy looked at her in astonishment．‘I am shocked，’he said，‘and sad， very sad．What has been done to find her and bring her back？’
‘My father has gone to London， and I hope my uncle will go too．We shall leave Lambton，I hope， in half an hour．But I know very well that nothing can be done．How can such a man be persuaded？ How can we even find them？ I have not the smallest hope．It is horrible！’
Darcy made no answer．He was walking up and down with a serious， thoughtful expression on his face． Elizabeth soon ob-served and instantly understood it．She was losing her influence over him．This proof of moral weakness in her family was driv－ing him away from her．Never before had she so honestly be-lieved she could have loved him， as now， when mutual affection must be impossible．
But she could not think for long of herself， when Lydia's situation was so desperate．Mr Darcy left almost immediately，politely regretting that Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle would not，in the circumstances， be able
‘Oh！Where，where is my uncle？’cried Elizabeth，running to the door．But just as she reached it， Mr Darcy came in．Her pale face and strange manner prevented him from speaking， and she， who could think of nothing except Lydia， said hurriedly，‘Excuse me，but I must leave you．I must find Mr Gardiner immediately．There is not a moment to lose．’
‘Good God！ What is the matter？’he cried，then added，‘Let me， or let the servant，go to find Mr and Mrs Gardiner．You are not well enough．You cannot go yourself．’
Elizabeth hesitated， but her legs were trembling， and she re－alized he was right． After giving the servant her message， she sat down，looking so ill that Darcy could not leave her，or stop himself saying gently，‘Let me call someone to look after you．Shall I get you a glass of wine？You are very ill．’
‘No，thank you，’she replied．‘I am quite well．I am only upset by some dreadful news I've just received form Long－bourn．’She burst into tears， and for a few minutes could not speak another word．Darcy watched her miserably， in sympa－thetic silence． At last， she spoke again．‘It cannot be hidden from anyone． My youngest sister has eloped， with——with Mr Wickham． You know him too well to doubt what will happen．She has no money， no connections， nothing that can tempt him to marry her．She is lost for ever． And I could have prevented it！ I knew how bad his character was．If only I had told my family what I knew about him！ But it is all too late now．’
Darcy looked at her in astonishment．‘I am shocked，’he said，‘and sad， very sad．What has been done to find her and bring her back？’
‘My father has gone to London， and I hope my uncle will go too．We shall leave Lambton，I hope， in half an hour．But I know very well that nothing can be done．How can such a man be persuaded？ How can we even find them？ I have not the smallest hope．It is horrible！’
Darcy made no answer．He was walking up and down with a serious， thoughtful expression on his face． Elizabeth soon ob-served and instantly understood it．She was losing her influence over him．This proof of moral weakness in her family was driv－ing him away from her．Never before had she so honestly be-lieved she could have loved him， as now， when mutual affection must be impossible．
But she could not think for long of herself， when Lydia's situation was so desperate．Mr Darcy left almost immediately，politely regretting that Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle would not，in the circumstances， be able