第 51 章
妹妹的婚期到了，吉英和伊莉莎白都為她擔心，恐怕比妹妹自己擔心得還要厲害。家裏打發了一部馬車到某某地方去接新夫婦，吃中飯時他們就可以來到。兩位姐姐都怕他們來，尤其是吉英怕得厲害。她設身處地地想：要是麗迪雅這次醜行發生在她自己身上，她一定會感觸萬千，再想到妹妹心裏的難受，便越發覺得不好過。
新夫婦來了。全家都集合在起居室裏迎接他們。當馬車停在門前的時候，班納特太太滿面堆著笑容，她丈夫卻板著臉。女兒們又是驚奇又是焦急，而且十分不安。
只聽得門口已經有了麗迪雅說話的聲音，一會兒，門給打開了，麗迪雅跑進屋來。母親高興得要命，連忙走上前來歡迎她，擁抱她，一面又帶著親切的笑容把手伸給韋翰（他走在新婦後面），祝他們夫婦倆快活。班太太的話講得那麼響亮，說明了她相信他們倆一定會幸福。
然後新夫婦轉身到班納特先生跟前，他對他們可沒有他太太那麼熱誠。只見他的臉色顯得分外嚴峻，連嘴也不張一下。這一對年輕夫婦那種安然自得的樣子，實在叫他生氣。伊莉莎白覺得厭惡，連吉英也禁不住感到驚駭。麗迪雅還是麗迪雅……不安分，不害羞，撒野吵嚷，天不怕地不怕的。她從這個姐姐跟前走到那個姐姐跟前，要她們一個個恭喜她。最後大家都坐下來了，她連忙掃視了一下這間屋子，看到裏面稍許有些改變，便笑著說，好久不曾到這兒來了。
韋翰更沒有一點難受的樣子。他的儀錶一向親切動人，要是他為人正派一些，娶親合乎規矩一些，那麼，這次來拜見岳家，他那笑容可掬、談吐安詳的樣子，自然會討人家歡喜。伊莉莎白從來不相信他竟會這樣厚顏無恥，她坐下來思忖道：一個人不要起臉來可真是漫無止境。她不禁紅了臉，吉英也紅了臉；可是那兩位當事人，別人都為他們難為情，他們自己卻面不改色。
這個場合確實是不愁沒有話談。新娘和她母親只覺得有話來不及說；韋翰湊巧坐在伊莉莎白身旁，便向她問起附近一帶的熟人近況如何，問得極其和悅從容，弄得她反而不能對答如流。這一對夫婦儼然心安理得，毫無羞恥之心。他們想起過去的事，心裏絲毫不覺得難受；麗迪雅又不由自主地談到了許多事情……要是換了她姐姐們，這種事情是無論如何也說不出口的。
只聽得麗迪雅大聲說道：”且想想看，我已經走了三個月了！好象還只有兩個星期呢；可是時間雖短，卻發生了多少事情。天啊！我走的時候，的確想也沒想到這次要結了婚再回來，不過我也想到：如果真就這樣結了婚，倒也挺有趣的。”
父親瞪著眼睛。吉英很難受，伊莉莎白啼笑皆非地望著麗迪雅；可是麗迪雅，凡是她不願意知道的事，她一概不聞不問，她仍然得意洋洋地說下去：”噢，媽媽，附近的人們都知道我今天結婚了嗎？我怕他們還不見得都知道；我們一路來的時候，追上了威廉戈丁的馬車，這為了要讓他知道我結婚了，便把我自己車子上的一扇玻璃窗放了下來，又脫下手套，把手放在視窗，好讓他看見我手上的戒指，然後我又對他點點頭笑得什麼似的。”
伊莉莎白實在忍無可忍了，只得站起身來跑回屋外去，一直聽到她們走過穿堂，進入飯廳，她才回來。來到她們這裏，又見麗迪雅急急匆匆大搖大擺走到母親右邊，一面對她的大姐姐說：”喂，吉英，這次我要坐你的位子了，你得坐到下手去，因為我已經是出了嫁的姑娘。”
麗迪雅既然從開頭起就完全不覺得難為情，這時候當然更是若無其事。她反而越來越不在乎，越來興頭越高。她很想去看看腓力普太太，看看盧卡斯全家人，還要把所有的鄰居都統統拜訪一遍，讓大家都叫她韋翰太太。吃過中飯，她立刻把結婚戒指顯給希爾奶奶和其他兩個女傭人看，誇耀她自己已經結了婚。
大家都回到起坐間以後，她又說道：”媽媽，你覺得我丈夫怎麼樣？他不是挺可愛嗎？姐姐們一定都要羡慕我。但願她們有我一半運氣就好啦。誰叫她們不到白利屯去。那裏才是個找丈夫的地方。真可惜，媽媽，我們沒有大家一起去！”
”你講得真對；要是照我的意見，我們早就應該一起都去。可是，麗迪雅寶貝兒，我不願意你到那麼遠的地方去。你難道非去不可嗎？”
”天啊！當然非去不可，那有什麼關係。我真高興極了。你和爸爸，還有姐姐們，一定要來看我們呀。我們整個冬天都住在紐卡斯爾，那兒一定會有很多舞會，而且我一定負責給姐姐們找到很好舞伴。”
”那我真是再喜歡也沒有了！”母親說。
”等你動身回家的時候，你可以讓一兩個姐姐留在那兒；我擔保在今年冬天以內就會替她們找到丈夫。”
伊莉莎白連忙說：”謝謝你的關懷，可惜你這種找丈夫的方式，我不太欣賞。”
新夫婦只能和家裏相聚十天。韋翰先生在沒有離開倫敦之前就已經受到了委任，必須在兩星期以內就到團部去報到。
只有班納特太太一個人惋惜他們行期太匆促，因此她儘量抓緊時間，陪著女兒到處走親訪友，又常常在家裏宴客。這些宴會大家都歡迎：沒有心思的人固然願意赴宴，有心思的人更願意借這個機會出去解解悶。
果然不出伊莉莎白所料，韋翰對麗迪雅的恩愛比不上麗迪雅對韋翰那樣深厚。從一切事實上都可以看出來，他們的私奔多半是因為麗迪雅熱愛韋翰，而不是因為韋翰熱愛麗迪雅，這在伊莉莎白看來，真是一件顯而易見的事。至於說，他既然並不十分愛她為什麼還要跟她私奔，伊莉莎白一點也不覺得奇怪，因為她斷定韋翰這次為債務所逼，本來非逃跑不可；那麼，象他這樣一個青年，路上有一個女人陪陪他，他當然不願錯過機會。
麗迪雅太喜歡他了，她每說一句話就要叫一聲親愛的韋翰。誰也比不上他。他無論做什麼事都是天下第一。她相信到了九月一日那一天，他射到的鳥一定比全國任何人都要多。
他們來到這兒沒有多少時候，有一天早晨，麗迪雅跟兩位姐姐坐在一起，對伊莉莎白說：
”麗萃，我還沒有跟你講起過我結婚的情形呢。我跟媽媽和別的姐姐們講的時候，你都不在場。你難道不想要聽聽這場喜事是怎麼辦的嗎？”
”不想聽，真不想聽，”伊莉莎白回答道：”我認為這樁事談得不算少了。”
”哎呀！你這個人太奇怪！我一定要把經過情形告訴你。你知道，我們是在聖克利門教堂結的婚，因為韋翰住在那個教區裏面。大家約定十一點鐘到那兒。舅父母跟我一塊兒去的，別的人都約定在教堂裏碰頭。唔，到了星期一早上，我真是慌張得要命。你知道，我真怕會發生什麼意外，把婚期耽擱了，那我可真要發狂了。我在打扮，舅母一直不住嘴地講呀，說呀，好象是在傳道似的。她十句話我最多聽進一句，你可以想像得到，我那時一心在惦記著我親愛的韋翰。我一心想要知道。他是不是穿著他那件藍衣服去結婚。”
”唔，象平常一樣，我們那天是十點鐘吃早飯的。我只覺得一頓飯老是吃不完，說到這裏，我得順便告訴你，我待在舅父母那兒的一段時期，他們一直很不高興。說來你也許不信，我雖在那兒待了兩個星期，卻沒有出過家門一步。沒有參加過一次宴會，沒有一點兒消遺，真過得無聊透頂。老實說，倫敦雖然並不太熱鬧，不過那個小戲院還是開著。言歸正傳，那天馬車來了，舅父卻讓那個名叫史桐先生的討厭傢伙叫去有事。你知道，他們倆一碰頭，就不想分手。我真給嚇壞了，不知道怎麼是好，因這需要舅父送嫁；要是我們誤了鐘點，那天就結不成婚。幸虧他不到十分鐘就回來了，於是我們一塊兒動身。不過我後來又想起來了，要是他真給纏住了不能分身，婚期也不會延遲，因為還有達西先生可以代勞。”
伊莉莎白大驚失色，又把這話重複了一遍：”達西先生！”
”噢，是呀！他也要陪著韋翰上教堂去呢。天哪，我怎麼完全給弄糊塗了！這件事我應該一字不提才對。我早已在他們面前保證不說的！不知道韋翰會怎樣怪我呢？這本來應該嚴格保守秘密的！”
”如果是秘密，”吉英說，”那麼，就請你再也不要說下去了。你放心，我決不會再追問你。”
”噢，一定不追問你，”伊莉莎白嘴上雖是這樣說，心裏卻非常好奇。”我們決不會盤問你。”
”謝謝你們，”麗迪雅說：”要是你們問下去，我當然會把底細全部告訴你們，這一來就會叫韋翰生氣。”
她這話明明是慫恿伊莉莎白問下去，伊莉莎白便只得跑開，讓自己要問也無從問起。
但是，這件事是不可能不聞不問的，至少也得去打聽一下。達西先生竟會參加了她妹妹的婚禮！那樣一個場面，那樣兩個當事人，他當然萬萬不願意參與，也絕對沒有理由去參與。她想來想去，把各種各樣古怪的念頭都想到了，可還是想不出一個所以然來。她當然願意從最好的方面去想，認為他這次是胸襟寬大，有心表示好意，可是她這種想法又未免太不切合實際。她無論如何也摸不著頭腦，實在難受，於是連忙拿起一張紙，寫了封短短的信給舅母，請求她把麗迪雅剛才無意中洩露出來的那句話解釋一下，只要與原來保守秘密的計畫能夠並行不悖就是了。
她在信上寫道：”你當然很容易瞭解到，他跟我們非親非眷，而且跟我們家裏相當陌生，竟會跟你們一同參加這次婚禮，這叫我怎麼能夠不想打聽一下底細呢？請你立刻回信，讓我把事情弄明白。如果確實如麗迪雅所說，此事非保守秘密不可，那我也只得不聞不問了。”
寫完了信以後，她又自言自語地說：”親愛的舅母，如果你不老老實實告訴我，我迫不得已，便只有千方百計地去打聽了。”
且說吉英是個十二萬分講究信用的人，她無論如何也不肯把麗迪雅嘴裏漏出來的話暗地裏去說給伊莉莎白聽。伊莉莎白很滿意她這種作風。她既然已經寫信去問舅母，不管回信能不能使她滿意，至少在沒有接到回信以前，最好不要向任何人透露心事。
Chapter 51
THEIR sister’s wedding day arrived; and Jane and Elizabeth felt for her probably more than she felt for herself. The carriage was sent to meet them at —-, and they were to return in it by dinner-time. Their arrival was dreaded by the elder Miss Bennets, and Jane more especially, who gave Lydia the feelings which would have attended herself, had she been the culprit, and was wretched in the thought of what her sister must endure.
They came. The family were assembled in the breakfast room to receive them. Smiles decked the face of Mrs. Bennet as the carriage drove up to the door; her husband looked impenetrably grave; her daughters, alarmed, anxious, uneasy.
Lydia’s voice was heard in the vestibule; the door was thrown open, and she ran into the room. Her mother stepped forwards, embraced her, and welcomed her with rapture; gave her hand, with an affectionate smile, to Wickham, who followed his lady; and wished them both joy with an alacrity which shewed no doubt of their happiness.
Their reception from Mr. Bennet, to whom they then turned, was not quite so cordial. His countenance rather gained in austerity; and he scarcely opened his lips. The easy assurance of the young couple, indeed, was enough to provoke him. Elizabeth was disgusted, and even Miss Bennet was shocked. Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless. She turned from sister to sister, demanding their congratulations; and when at length they all sat down, looked eagerly round the room, took notice of some little alteration in it, and observed, with a laugh, that it was a great while since she had been there.
Wickham was not at all more distressed than herself, but his manners were always so pleasing, that had his character and his marriage been exactly what they ought, his smiles and his easy address, while he claimed their relationship, would have delighted them all. Elizabeth had not before believed him quite equal to such assurance; but she sat down, resolving within herself to draw no limits in future to the impudence of an impudent man. She blushed, and Jane blushed; but the cheeks of the two who caused their confusion suffered no variation of colour.
There was no want of discourse. The bride and her mother could neither of them talk fast enough; and Wickham, who happened to sit near Elizabeth, began enquiring after his acquaintance in that neighbourhood, with a good humoured ease which she felt very unable to equal in her replies. They seemed each of them to have the happiest memories in the world. Nothing of the past was recollected with pain; and Lydia led voluntarily to subjects which her sisters would not have alluded to for the world.
“Only think of its being three months,” she cried, “since I went away; it seems but a fortnight I declare; and yet there have been things enough happened in the time. Good gracious! when I went away, I am sure I had no more idea of being married till I came back again! though I thought it would be very good fun if I was.”
Her father lifted up his eyes. Jane was distressed. Elizabeth looked expressively at Lydia; but she, who never heard nor saw any thing of which she chose to be insensible, gaily continued, “Oh! mamma, do the people here abouts know I am married to-day? I was afraid they might not; and we overtook William Goulding in his curricle, so I was determined he should know it, and so I let down the side-glass next to him, and took off my glove, and let my hand just rest upon the window frame, so that he might see the ring, and then I bowed and smiled like any thing.”
Elizabeth could bear it no longer. She got up, and ran out of the room; and returned no more, till she heard them passing through the hall to the dining parlour. She then joined them soon enough to see Lydia, with anxious parade, walk up to her mother’s right hand, and hear her say to her eldest sister, “Ah! Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman.”
It was not to be supposed that time would give Lydia that embarrassment from which she had been so wholly free at first. Her ease and good spirits increased. She longed to see Mrs. Phillips, the Lucases, and all their other neighbours, and to hear herself called “Mrs. Wickham” by each of them; and in the mean time, she went after dinner to shew her ring, and boast of being married, to Mrs. Hill and the two housemaids.
“Well, mamma,” said she, when they were all returned to the breakfast room, “and what do you think of my husband? Is not he a charming man? I am sure my sisters must all envy me. I only hope they may have half my good luck. They must all go to Brighton. That is the place to get husbands. What a pity it is, mamma, we did not all go.”
“Very true; and if I had my will, we should. But my dear Lydia, I don’t at all like your going such a way off. Must it be so?”
“Oh, lord! yes; — there is nothing in that. I shall like it of all things. You and papa, and my sisters, must come down and see us. We shall be at Newcastle all the winter, and I dare say there will be some balls, and I will take care to get good partners for them all.”
“I should like it beyond any thing!” said her mother.
“And then when you go away, you may leave one or two of my sisters behind you; and I dare say I shall get husbands for them before the winter is over.”
“I thank you for my share of the favour,” said Elizabeth; “but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands.”
Their visitors were not to remain above ten days with them. Mr. Wickham had received his commission before he left London, and he was to join his regiment at the end of a fortnight.
No one but Mrs. Bennet regretted that their stay would be so short; and she made the most of the time by visiting about with her daughter, and having very frequent parties at home. These parties were acceptable to all; to avoid a family circle was even more desirable to such as did think, than such as did not.
Wickham’s affection for Lydia was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it; not equal to Lydia’s for him. She had scarcely needed her present observation to be satisfied, from the reason of things, that their elopement had been brought on by the strength of her love, rather than by his; and she would have wondered why, without violently caring for her, he chose to elope with her at all, had she not felt certain that his flight was rendered necessary by distress of circumstances; and if that were the case, he was not the young man to resist an opportunity of having a companion.
Lydia was exceedingly fond of him. He was her dear Wickham on every occasion; no one was to be put in competition with him. He did every thing best in the world; and she was sure he would kill more birds on the first of September, than any body else in the country.
One morning, soon after their arrival, as she was sitting with her two elder sisters, she said to Elizabeth,
“Lizzy, I never gave you an account of my wedding, I believe. You were not by, when I told mamma and the others all about it. Are not you curious to hear how it was managed?”
“No really,” replied Elizabeth; “I think there cannot be too little said on the subject.”
“La! You are so strange! But I must tell you how it went off. We were married, you know, at St. Clement’s, because Wickham’s lodgings were in that parish. And it was settled that we should all be there by eleven o’clock. My uncle and aunt and I were to go together; and the others were to meet us at the church. Well, Monday morning came, and I was in such a fuss! I was so afraid, you know, that something would happen to put it off, and then I should have gone quite distracted. And there was my aunt, all the time I was dressing, preaching and talking away just as if she was reading a sermon. However, I did not hear above one word in ten, for I was thinking, you may suppose, of my dear Wickham. I longed to know whether he would be married in his blue coat.”
“Well, and so we breakfasted at ten as usual; I thought it would never be over; for, by the bye, you are to understand, that my uncle and aunt were horrid unpleasant all the time I was with them. If you’ll believe me, I did not once put my foot out of doors, though I was there a fortnight. Not one party, or scheme, or any thing. To be sure London was rather thin, but, however, the Little Theatre was open. Well, and so just as the carriage came to the door, my uncle was called away upon business to that horrid man Mr. Stone. And then, you know, when once they get together, there is no end of it. Well, I was so frightened I did not know what to do, for my uncle was to give me away; and if we were beyond the hour, we could not be married all day. But, luckily, he came back again in ten minutes’ time, and then we all set out. However, I recollected afterwards that if he had been prevented going, the wedding need not be put off, for Mr. Darcy might have done as well.”
“Mr. Darcy!” repeated Elizabeth, in utter amazement.
“Oh, yes! — he was to come there with Wickham, you know, But gracious me! I quite forgot! I ought not to have said a word about it. I promised them so faithfully! What will Wickham say? It was to be such a secret!”
“If it was to be secret,” said Jane, “say not another word on the subject. You may depend upon my seeking no further.”
“Oh! certainly,” said Elizabeth, though burning with curiosity; “we will ask you no questions.”
“Thank you,” said Lydia, “for if you did, I should certainly tell you all, and then Wickham would be angry.”
On such encouragement to ask, Elizabeth was forced to put it out of her power, by running away.
But to live in ignorance on such a point was impossible; or at least it was impossible not to try for information. Mr. Darcy had been at her sister’s wedding. It was exactly a scene, and exactly among people, where he had apparently least to do, and least temptation to go. Conjectures as to the meaning of it, rapid and wild, hurried into her brain; but she was satisfied with none. Those that best pleased her, as placing his conduct in the noblest light, seemed most improbable. She could not bear such suspense; and hastily seizing a sheet of paper, wrote a short letter to her aunt, to request an explanation of what Lydia had dropt, if it were compatible with the secrecy which had been intended.
“You may readily comprehend,” she added, “what my curiosity must be to know how a person unconnected with any of us, and (comparatively speaking) a stranger to our family, should have been amongst you at such a time. Pray write instantly, and let me understand it — unless it is, for very cogent reasons, to remain in the secrecy which Lydia seems to think necessary; and then I must endeavour to be satisfied with ignorance.”
“Not that I shall, though,” she added to herself, as she finished the letter; “and my dear aunt, if you do not tell me in an honourable manner, I shall certainly be reduced to tricks and stratagems to find it out.”
Jane’s delicate sense of honour would not allow her to speak to Elizabeth privately of what Lydia had let fall; Elizabeth was glad of it; — till it appeared whether her inquiries would receive any satisfaction, she had rather be without a confidante.
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