Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 43 Breaking up with Wickham

A week passed in the blink of an eye when they got home, and now the second week has begun.At the end of the week, the militia stationed at Meryton was about to move out, and the young ladies in the neighbourhood were immediately dejected.Despondency prevails almost everywhere.Only the two eldest ladies of the Bennet family eat and live as usual, and do their own things as usual.Katie and Lydia, however, were so distressed that they were often obliged to reproach their sisters for their indifference.They really don't understand how there is such a heartless person in the family!

They used to cry out, with a great deal of grief: "Good heavens! What are we going to do now? Are you ashamed to laugh, Lizzy?"

Their kind mother grieves with them.She remembered that 25 years ago, she had endured a lot of pain because of almost the same thing.

She said: "I remember correctly. When Colonel Miller's group was transferred, I cried for two days. My heart was literally broken."

"I believe my heart is bound to be broken," said Lydia.

"If only we could go to Brighton!" said Mrs. Bennet.

"Yes--how wonderful it would be to go to Brighton! But papa is against it."

"A sea bath will keep me healthy for the rest of my life."

"Aunt Philip also said that bathing in the sea will definitely do my body good." Katie went on.

The two ladies of the Longburn family sighed endlessly in this way.Elizabeth tried to make fun of them, but shame overpowered her.She also thought that Mr. Darcy did not wrong them, and it was true that he pointed out their defects; she felt deeply that he could not be blamed for interfering with his friends and Jane's good affairs.

Lydia's melancholy soon dissipated, for Captain Forster's wife asked her to accompany her to Brighton.Mrs. First was young and recently married.She and Lydia were both good-natured and good-spirited, and therefore congenial.Although we have only been friends for three months, we have been friends for two months.

Lydia was really happy at this time.How much she admired Mrs. Forster, how happy Mrs. Bennet was, and how uncomfortable Katie was, these are naturally self-evident.She jumped up and down the room, calling everyone to congratulate her, laughing and shouting more than usual.But Katie could only continue to complain and feel sorry for herself in the small living room.

"I don't see why Mrs. First won't let me go with Lydia," she said, "if I'm not particularly dear to her, why not. I'm two years older than she, by rights, You have to look bigger too."

Elizabeth reasoned with her, and Jane advised her not to be angry, but she ignored them.

Elizabeth, not at all enjoying the invitation as her mother and Lydia, felt that Lydia, if not so confused, was quite ruined by the visit.So she had to secretly ask her father not to let Lydia go, not caring how much Lydia would hate her if she found out afterwards.She told her father all of Lydia's daily indiscretions, and explained that it was no use being friends with a woman like Mrs. Forster, and that going to Brighton with such a friend might make it even more absurd, Because the temptation over there must be greater than here.

My father listened attentively to the end of her speech, and then said: "Lydia won't stop until she makes a fool of herself in a public place or something. She's going to make a fool of herself this time, and it won't cost the family money. It’s really rare to have such an opportunity without having to worry about it at home.”

Elizabeth said: "Lydia's frivolity, which must have attracted the attention of outsiders, and made us sisters a great harm to her--in fact, she has suffered a great harm--if you think of it, then you don't like it. Things will be viewed differently.”

"You've done yourself a disservice!" repeated Mr. Bennet. "What do you mean? Did she scare your lover away? Poor little Lizzy, don't worry. Those things won't stand up a bit." The fussy young man of the little storm, because he saw Lydia's debauchery, dare not ask you anything?"

"You've got me completely wrong. I don't complain because I've suffered. I can't say what kind of harm I'm complaining about, but it's a lot. Lydia's wild, lawless kind Personality is indeed detrimental to our dignity, and it will definitely affect our social status. I speak frankly, please forgive me, dear father, you have to find a way to discipline her wild temper, let her understand, She can't be chasing around like this all her life, or she will soon be hopeless. Once her personality is set, it will be difficult to change. She is only 16 years old, and she has become a complete swinger, making herself She and her family are a laughing stock, and she's a rascal to the point of extreme vulgarity. She's young and pretty, and nothing else. She's ignorant and muddled, all she knows is to win people over. Admiration, and end up being looked down on everywhere. Kitty is in danger of that too. Lydia wants her to be here and there. She's ignorant, vain, lazy, and totally uneducated! Ouch! , my dear father, no matter where they go, as long as they are known, they will be criticized and despised, and often bring shame to their sisters. Don't you think that it will not be so? "

When Mr. Bennet saw her getting into the corner, he held her hand kindly and said, "Good boy, don't worry. You and Jane, no matter where you go, you will be respected and respected wherever you go. You are valued; you will never be disgraced by having two, or even three silly sisters. If Lydia does not go to Brighton this time, we shall have no peace at Longburn, let her Go. Colonel Forster is a man of sense, and will not let her get into trouble. Fortunately, she is too poor, and no one will take her seriously. Brighton is not the case here. It's not enough to be an ordinary slut, and the officers will find something more desirable. So we hope that when she gets there, she'll learn some lesson that she's not much of herself. Anyway, she's as bad as she gets. It can't be that bad, we can't lock her up at home forever."

When Elizabeth heard her father's answer, although she didn't change her mind because of this, she had no choice but to agree, and walked away sullenly.A person with her personality would not just worry about these things.She believed that she had done her duty, and that it was impossible for her to be melancholy, or to be unduly anxious, about the inevitable harms.

If Lydia and her mother knew the content of her conversation with her father this time, they would be very angry.In Lydia's fancy, a trip to Brighton was all it took to secure happiness in the world.She fancied that the streets near the splendid baths were crowded with officers.She fantasized about dozens or even hundreds of military officers whom she had never met before, all courting her.She imagined a magnificent tent, neat and beautiful, full of young men in full swing, all dressed in brilliant red uniforms.She also imagined the happiest scene, imagining herself sitting in a tent, coquettishly and affectionately with several officers at the same time.

How could she bear it if she knew that her sister was trying to prevent her from enjoying these wonderful vistas and wonderful realities?Only her mother could understand her state of mind, and almost sympathized with her.Lydia's visit was a great consolation to her anguish of her belief that her husband never intended to go to Brighton.

However, the mother and daughter were completely unaware of this.So, up to the day when Lydia left home, they went on happily and undisturbed.

Now came the last meeting between Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham.Since she came home, she has seen him many times, and her anxiety has long since disappeared.She used to feel uneasy about having feelings for him before, and this emotion has disappeared without a trace now.She saw the hypocrisy of the manner in which he had won her over before, and she repelled it.

His present attitude towards her had created a new source of her unhappiness.Soon, he revealed that he wanted to revisit the old relationship with her, but he didn't know that after going through the cold and warm, it would only make her angry.She found out that the person she wanted to fall in love with was an idle and frivolous young man, so she couldn't help but feel disheartened with him; and he actually thought that as long as he could rekindle the old friendship, he would be able to satisfy her vanity , To win her favor, no matter how long it has been since he has not shown her courtesies, and for what reason, it will not have any impact on the matter itself.Seeing his look, although she held back her anger on the surface and kept silent, she was scolding him endlessly in her heart.

The day before the regiment left Meryton, he and some other officers dined at Longburn.He asked Elizabeth how she passed her time at Hunsford, and Elizabeth, not wanting to part with him amicably, took the opportunity to mention that Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Darcy both spent three weeks at Rosings. , and asked him if he knew Fitzwilliam.He was suddenly furious and frightened, but he quickly calmed down.He replied with a smile that he used to see him often.He said Fitzwilliam was a very gentleman, and asked her if she liked him.She replied enthusiastically that she liked him very much.At once he said again with indifference: "How long did you say he had been at Rosings?"

"Almost three weeks."

"Do you see him often?"

"We see each other often, almost every day."

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

"Very different indeed. But I think Mr. Darcy will do well if he gets to know him."

Wickham immediately showed surprise, and shouted loudly: "That's weird, I'm sorry, may I ask you..."

Having said that, he controlled himself again and changed his tone of voice to be more pleasant, but then asked: "Is his tone better when he talks to people? Is he more polite than before when dealing with people? Because I really don't know Dare to count on him—” His tone dropped, becoming more serious, “hope on him to be fundamentally better.”

"That's not the case!" said Elizabeth. "I believe his essence is the same as before."

When Wickham heard her words, he didn't know whether he should express his joy or his disbelief.Seeing the indescribable expression on her face when she spoke, Wickham couldn't help feeling a little scared and anxious.

She went on to say: "When I say 'Mr. Darcy gets along well with people', I don't mean that his thoughts and attitudes will become better, but that the more familiar you are with him, the better you will be." The more you get to know his personality."

When Wickham heard this, he couldn't help feeling flustered, and immediately blushed, and his expression was very disturbed.After he was silent for several minutes, he restrained his embarrassment, turned to her, and said in a very gentle tone: "You know how I feel about Mr. Darcy in my heart, so you It's also easy to see: I'm glad to hear that he's learned to put on a face too, and that pride, if it doesn't do him any good, may be good for others, because he has it. This kind of pride, I would not have that kind of bad behavior, which caused me such a big loss. I am afraid that although he has restrained a little (you probably mean that he has restrained a little), in fact, it is just to be in the As a cover for his aunt, to make him think highly of him and speak well of him, I can well understand that he is always afraid whenever he is with his aunt, and this is probably because of his desire to marry Mademoiselle de Bourgh. I daresay it's a big thing that's on his mind."

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile when she heard these words, she just nodded slightly and didn't make a sound.She saw that he wanted to bring up the old problem again in front of her and complain, and she was not in the mood to egg him on.

The evening passed like this, and he still pretended to be happy as usual on the surface, but he had no intention of flattering Elizabeth again.In the end, they parted politely, perhaps both wishing never to see each other again.

When they parted, Lydia and Mrs. Forster returned to Meryton, from which they intended to start early next morning.When Lydia parted from her family, it was not so much a parting sorrow as a scene of excitement.Only Katie shed tears, but her weeping was from annoyance and jealousy.Mrs. Bennet kept saying that she wished her daughter happiness, and told her not to miss the opportunity to enjoy herself in a timely manner—this kind of order, of course, her daughter would follow.She triumphantly yelled goodbye to her family, but she didn't hear the sisters' whispered wishes for her safe journey.

(End of this chapter)