《傲慢与偏见》第17集|Dark News from Longbourn

Elizabeth receives letters fromJane that relate terrible news from home. Not only is the reputation of theBennet family at risk, but Elizabeth is obliged to relate the whole sad affairto Darcy.

伊丽莎白收到简的来信，信中提到了家中的噩耗。不仅班纳特一家的名声岌岌可危，伊丽莎白迫不得已将这件不幸的事全告诉达西。

《傲慢与偏见》是LevelUp English制作的经典文学系列的第一部作品，一共更新21集，每周一三五更新，每集大约长20分钟，内容为概述故事发展脉络，阅读重要精彩环节，以及中英文双语讲解并且示例3~6个词汇、短语及句型的用法。

课程致力于打造高品质音频阅读，在给学员美好听觉体验的同时，轻松掌握并实际运用所学内容，愉悦提升英语水平。

配套电子讲义，请关注微信公众号“Level Up English”获取。

This part – from chapter 46 – will be ourreading today.

(READING)

"Oh! where, where is my uncle?"cried Elizabeth, darting from her seat as she finished the letter, in eagernessto follow him, without losing a moment of the time so precious; but as shereached the door it was opened by a servant, and Mr. Darcy appeared. Her paleface and impetuous manner made him start, and before he could recover himselfto speak, she, in whose mind every idea was superseded by Lydia's situation,hastily exclaimed, "I beg your pardon, but I must leave you. I must findMr. Gardiner this moment, on business that cannot be delayed; I have not aninstant to lose."

"Good God! what is the matter?"cried he, with more feeling than politeness; then recollecting himself, "Iwill not detain you a minute; but let me, or let the servant go after Mr. andMrs. Gardiner. You are not well enough; you cannot go yourself."

Elizabeth hesitated, but her knees trembledunder her and she felt how little would be gained by her attempting to pursuethem. Calling back the servant, therefore, she commissioned him, though in sobreathless an accent as made her almost unintelligible, to fetch his master andmistress home instantly.

On his quitting the room she sat down, unableto support herself, and looking so miserably ill, that it was impossible forDarcy to leave her, or to refrain from saying, in a tone of gentleness andcommiseration, "Let me call your maid. Is there nothing you could take togive you present relief? A glass of wine; shall I get you one? You are veryill."

"No, I thank you," she replied,endeavouring to recover herself. "There is nothing the matter with me. Iam quite well; I am only distressed by some dreadful news which I have justreceived from Longbourn."

She burst into tears as she alluded to it,and for a few minutes could not speak another word. Darcy, in wretchedsuspense, could only say something indistinctly of his concern, and observe herin compassionate silence. At length she spoke again. "I have just had aletter from Jane, with such dreadful news. It cannot be concealed from anyone.My younger sister has left all her friends—has eloped; has thrown herself intothe power of—of Mr. Wickham. They are gone off together from Brighton. You know him too well to doubt the rest. She has nomoney, no connections, nothing that can tempt him to—she is lost forever."

Darcy was fixed in astonishment. "When Iconsider," she added in a yet more agitated voice, "that I might haveprevented it! I, who knew what he was. Had I but explained some part of itonly—some part of what I learnt, to my own family! Had his character beenknown, this could not have happened. But it is all—all too late now."

"I am grieved indeed," cried Darcy;"grieved—shocked. But is it certain—absolutely certain?"

"Oh, yes! They left Brighton together onSunday night, and were traced almost to London, but not beyond; they arecertainly not gone to Scotland."

"And what has been done, what has beenattempted, to recover her?"

"My father is gone to London, and Janehas written to beg my uncle's immediate assistance; and we shall be off, Ihope, in half-an-hour. But nothing can be done—I know very well that nothingcan be done. How is such a man to be worked on? How are they even to bediscovered? I have not the smallest hope. It is every way horrible!"

Darcy shook his head in silent acquiescence.

"When my eyes were openedto his real character—Oh! had I known what I ought, what I dared to do! But Iknew not—I was afraid of doing too much. Wretched, wretched mistake!"

Darcy made no answer. He seemed scarcely tohear her, and was walking up and down the room in earnest meditation, his browcontracted, his air gloomy. Elizabeth soon observed, and instantly understoodit. Her power was sinking; everything must sink undersuch a proof of family weakness, such an assurance of the deepest disgrace. Shecould neither wonder nor condemn, but the belief of his self-conquest broughtnothing consolatory to her bosom, afforded no palliation of her distress. Itwas, on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes;and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now, whenall love must be vain.

But self, though it would intrude, could notengross her. Lydia—the humiliation, the misery she was bringing on them all,soon swallowed up every private care; and covering her face with herhandkerchief, Elizabeth was soon lost to everything else; and, after a pause ofseveral minutes, was only recalled to a sense of her situation by the voice ofher companion, who, in a manner which, though it spoke compassion, spokelikewise restraint, said, "I am afraid you have been long desiring myabsence, nor have I anything to plead in excuse of my stay, but real, thoughunavailing concern. Would to Heaven that anything could be either said or doneon my part that might offer consolation to such distress! But I will nottorment you with vain wishes, which may seem purposely to ask for your thanks.This unfortunate affair will, I fear, prevent my sister's having the pleasureof seeing you at Pemberley to-day."

"Oh, yes. Be so kind as to apologise forus to Miss Darcy. Say that urgent business calls us home immediately. Concealthe unhappy truth as long as it is possible, I know it cannot be long."

He readily assured her of his secrecy; againexpressed his sorrow for her distress, wished it a happier conclusion thanthere was at present reason to hope, and leaving his compliments for herrelations, with only one serious, parting look, went away.

As he quitted the room, Elizabeth felt howimprobable it was that they should ever see each other again on such terms ofcordiality as had marked their several meetings in Derbyshire; and as she threwa retrospective glance over the whole of their acquaintance, so full ofcontradictions and varieties, sighed at the perverseness of those feelingswhich would now have promoted its continuance, and would formerly have rejoicedin its termination.

(END READING)