Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 47

So the first week of their return passed quickly.The second week begins.These were the last days of the militia's stay in Meryton, and all the young girls in the neighbourhood were immediately downcast.This frustration can be seen almost everywhere.Only the two eldest ladies of the Bennet family can still eat, eat and live as usual, and do the things they usually love to do.Kitty and Lydia were often reproached for this indifference of both, for they were too wretched themselves to bear such hardness of heart in any member of the family.

"My God! we're done! What shall we do now?" Kitty and Lydia used to exclaim in their distressed chagrin. "How can you laugh now, Lizzy? "

Their sentimental mother sympathized with their grief, remembering a similar pain she herself had suffered 25 years earlier.

"That one time," said their mother, "when Colonel Miller's regiment was transferred away, I cried for two days and two nights. I think I'm going to cry my heart out."

"I believe I shall be heartbroken," said Lydia.

"If only I could go to Lyton!" said Mrs. Bennet.

"Oh, yes! It would be great if I could go to Brighton! But father never agrees."

"A bath in sea water can make my spirit better forever."

"My aunt Philip also said that a bath in the sea would do me good," continued Kitty.

Such was the subject of much moaning and moaning all day long at Longbourne's.Elizabeth wanted to tease them from the bottom of her heart, but all pleasure was drowned out by shame.She felt again that Mr. Darcy's disapproval of her family was justified, and for the first time she could now forgive him for interfering in his friend's marriage.

Lydia's apprehensions were soon dispelled, however; for she had been invited by Mrs Foster, the wife of the Colonel of the Militia, to accompany her to Brighton.This dear friend of Lydia's was a very young woman, recently married.The similarity of temperament and spirit made her and Lydia very agreeable, and after three months of acquaintance, they were already a pair of close friends.

Lydia's ecstasy at this time, her praise to Mrs. Forster, Mrs. Bennet's joy and Kitty's depression are what readers can naturally imagine.Without the slightest regard for her sister's feelings, Lydia danced about the house with joy, calling everyone to congratulate her, and talking and laughing more than ever; He complained and lost his temper.

"I don't see why Mrs. Forster doesn't ask me to come with Lydia," said Kitty, "though I'm not her best friend, but I have a right to be invited, and besides, I'm older than Lydia. It's two years old."

Elizabeth reasoned with her, and Jane advised her not to be angry, but she ignored them.As for Elizabeth herself, the invitation aroused quite a different feeling in her from that of her mother and Lydia, and she feared that it would destroy what little virtue Lydia still had. and she could not help secretly persuading her father not to let her go, though Lydia knew she would hate her afterwards.She related to her father all the irregularities in Lydia's usual conduct, and explained that it was no good to have a friend like Mrs. Forster, and that the company of such a friend was far more tempting than at home. There are too many Brightons, and Lydia may do something stupid.Her father, after listening to her carefully, said:
"Lydia, who could never be safe without showing herself in public in one way or another, was at no cost or inconvenience to the family, which is just as well. It’s what we all wished for.”

"If only you knew," said Elizabeth, "how much damage Lydia's attention-grabbing indiscretions have done to our family--we have already been affected, and I trust you to treat it Attitudes will be different.”

"Already affected!" repeated Mr. Bennet, "oh, has she frightened your lovers away? My poor little Lizzy! You need not be discouraged. Those who have nothing to do with falsehood You are not worthy of your pity, my weaklings. Come, tell me about the poor boys who have been repulsed by Lydia's follies."

"You are indeed misunderstood, father, and I have no such injury to complain of. I am speaking in general, and I am not referring to anything in particular. Our dignity before the world, as well as our social status, must be due to Lydia was affected by this free-spirited, dissolute, and frivolous disposition. Forgive my frankness. If you, my dear father, did not sooner try to curb this wild disposition of hers, and teach her to say Her current flirting should not be her life's pursuit, she will soon be irredeemable. Her character will soon be formed, and she will be a complete swinger at the age of 16. ridiculed to herself and her family. Her flirting is of the lowest kind; she will be nothing but young and human-looking; To seek the admiration of others, only to attract the contempt of all. Kitty is in danger of this too, she follows Lydia closely, vain, ignorant, lazy, and unrestrained! Oh, my dear father! Don't you Do you think there is such a possibility that they will not be condemned and despised by everyone wherever they go, and their sister will not often lose face for it?"

Mr. Bennet could see that Elizabeth's whole being was absorbed in the question; and, shaking her hand kindly, he said:

"Don't worry about it, my dear daughter. You and Jane will be respected and valued wherever you go; and you will not lessen your splendor by having two or three unworthy sisters. If Lydia is not allowed to go to Brighton, there will be no peace for us at Longbourn, let her go. Colonel Forster is a sensible man, and she will not let her do any mischief. ;she is fortunately so poor that she will not be pursued. Her flirting will be of less use in Brighton than here. The officers will find a more desirable woman there. So let us hope that she This visit to Brighton may make her realize how insignificant she is in every way. No matter how bad she is, she will not be so bad, we can't lock her at home forever."

After hearing this answer, Elizabeth could only give up; but she did not change her opinion, and left him disappointed and unhappy.However, it is not in her character to think about these problems again to add to her troubles.She was confident that she had done her part, and it was not in her nature to worry about inevitable dangers, or to water them with undue anxiety.

Had Lydia and her mother learned of this conversation between Elizabeth and her father, their indignation would have been too great to be quelled by a scolding together.It seemed to Lydia that this visit to Brighton included all possible happiness in the world.She fancied the streets full of officers near that happy bath.She seemed to see dozens of unknown officers courting her.She seemed to see the magnificence of the barracks, rows of neat and beautiful tents stretching far away, full of young and cheerful soldiers wearing dazzling red uniforms; she imagined that she was sitting like this In one of his tents, he flirted tenderly with at least six officers at the same time.

If she knew that her sister was trying to drag her back from such a beautiful vision and reality, she really didn't know how it would go wrong.Only her mother could understand her state of mind, and perhaps almost feel it.Lydia's visit to Brighton was her only consolation, after her sullen conviction that her husband himself did not intend to make the trip.

But neither of them knew what had happened; and their joy lasted uninterrupted till the day when Lydia herself was to set off.

It was now time for Elizabeth to see Mr. Wickham for the last time.Since she came back this time, she had seen him many times, so her uneasiness had long since disappeared; the trouble she felt about having affection for him before was completely gone.She had even learned to see in him an affectation and something resembling boredom beneath the surface of refinement that had so pleased her from the beginning.And she felt a new displeasure in his recent behavior to her, for he soon showed a tendency to return to courtship, which, after all the vicissitudes, could only make it easier. arouse her resentment.Once she found herself the object of pursuit of such an idle swinger, she lost all interest in him; and while she restrained her feeling from showing, she could not help feeling a To her own reproach: he thought it was okay for him not to talk to her for any length of time, for whatever reason, but whenever he wanted to make things right again, he would be favored again , her vanity can be satisfied again.

The day before the regiment left Meryton, Wickham and some officers dined at Longbourn's; She mentioned that Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy had both been at Rosings for three weeks, and asked him if he knew Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Amazement, displeasure, and bewilderment came to his face; but after a little composure, a smile returned to his face, and he replied that he had often seen Colonel Fitzwilliam; After the colonel was a very gentlemanly man, he asked her if she liked the man.She replied enthusiastically that she liked him very much.Then he asked with indifference: "How long did you say he was at Rosings?"

"Nearly three weeks."

"Do you meet often?"

"Yes, almost every day."

"His demeanor is very different from his cousin's."

"Very different, yes. But Mr. Darcy is changing, too, I think, as we have known each other for a long time."

"Is that so?!" cried Wickham, whose astonishment did not escape her eyes. "May I ask?" At this point he stopped, and then said in a pleasant tone, "Has he improved his conversation? Has he improved his usual manner out of politeness?" What kind of style? Because I dare not hope, "

He whispered in a more serious tone: "He's going to get better essentially."

"Oh, no!" said Elizabeth. "In essence, I believe, he is exactly the same as he was."

Wickham seemed, as she spoke, not to be pleased with her words, or to disbelieve them.From her expression, he seemed to see something that made him worry and anxious, only to hear Elizabeth continue:

"When I said just now that he is changing after we have known each other for a long time, I did not mean that his thinking or speech and behavior are changing, but that his character is being changed as we get to know him better. understand well."

Wickham's panic at this moment was expressed in his flushed face and uneasy look; he was silent for some minutes; Come, say to her in the most tender tone: "You know my feelings for Mr. Darcy very well, so you can easily understand. How much am I to hear that he can be sensible enough to do the right thing in his outward behavior?" I am so glad for him. His pride is going in this direction, and if it is not good for himself, it may be good for others, because it will surely discourage him from doing so lightly, which has caused me so much. I am only worried about his restraint, which I think you hinted at just now, and it was just shown to his aunt during the visit, because he values ​​his aunt's opinion of him very much and opinions. I know he feels this awe whenever the two of them are together; and it is largely due to his future wish to marry Miss de Bourgh, which, I dare say, It's a big thing on his mind."

Elizabeth couldn't help smiling at this, but she only nodded slightly in reply, knowing that he wanted her to bring up his sad incident again, so that he could complain again, but she didn't. Interested to encourage him.For the rest of the time, Wickham, though his old and jovial air remained on his part, made no further attempt to flatter Elizabeth; and at last they parted civilly, perhaps with , I hope this is the last side of the two of them.

When the dinner was over, Lydia followed Mrs. Forster back to Meryton, from where they intended to start early next morning.Her farewells to her family were noisy and rarely sad.Only Kitty shed a few tears, and these tears were also shed from jealousy and anger.Mrs. Bennet is endlessly wishing her daughter happiness, and exhorting her daughter to have a good time; for these exhortations, we have a million reasons to believe that Lydia will naturally not follow through. She was mistaken; she bade her family good-bye loudly and cheerfully, and did not listen to or listen to the tender farewell of her sisters.

(End of this chapter)