Chapter52 Nothingwastobedonethathedidnotdohimself;thoughIamsure(andIdonotspeakittobethanked,thereforesaynothingaboutit),yourunclewouldmostreadilyhavesettledthewhole.Theybattledittogetherforalongtime,whichwasmorethaneitherthegentlemanorladyconcernedinitdeserved.Butatlastyourunclewasforcedtoyield,andinsteadofbeingallowedtobeofusetohisniece,wasforcedtoputupwithonlyhavingtheprobablecreditofit,whichwentsorelyagainstthegrain;andIreallybelieveyourletterthismorninggavehimgreatpleasure,becauseitrequiredanexplanationthatwouldrobhimofhisborrowedfeathers,andgivethepraisewhereitwasdue.But,Lizzy,thismustgonofartherthanyourself,orJaneatmost.Youknowprettywell,Isuppose,whathasbeendonefortheyoungpeople.Hisdebtsaretobepaid,amounting,Ibelieve,toconsiderablymorethanathousandpounds,anotherthousandinadditiontoherownsettleduponher,andhiscommissionpurchased.Thereasonwhyallthiswastobedonebyhimalone,wassuchasIhavegivenabove.Itwasowingtohim,tohisreserveandwantofproperconsideration,thatWickham'scharacterhadbeensomisunderstood,andconsequentlythathehadbeenreceivedandnoticedashewas.Perhapstherewassometruthinthis;thoughIdoubtwhetherhisreserve,oranybody'sreserve,canbeanswerablefortheevent.Butinspiteofallthisfinetalking,mydearLizzy,youmayrestperfectlyassuredthatyourunclewouldneverhaveyielded,ifwehadnotgivenhimcreditforanotherinterestintheaffair.Whenallthiswasresolvedon,hereturnedagaintohisfriends,whowerestillstayingatPemberley;butitwasagreedthatheshouldbeinLondononcemorewhentheweddingtookplace,andallmoneymatterswerethentoreceivethelastfinish.IbelieveIhavenowtoldyoueverything.Itisarelationwhichyoutellmeistogiveyougreatsurprise;Ihopeatleastitwillnotaffordyouanydispleasure.Lydiacametous;andWickhamhadconstantadmissiontothehouse.HewasexactlywhathehadbeenwhenIknewhiminHertfordshire;butIwouldnottellyouhowlittleIwassatisfiedwithherbehaviourwhileshestaidwithus,ifIhadnotperceived,byJane'sletterlastWednesday,thatherconductoncominghomewasexactlyofapiecewithit,andthereforewhatInowtellyoucangiveyounofreshpain.Italkedtoherrepeatedlyinthemostseriousmanner,representingtoherallthewickednessofwhatshehaddone,andalltheunhappinessshehadbroughtonherfamily.Ifsheheardme,itwasbygoodluck,forIamsureshedidnotlisten.Iwassometimesquiteprovoked,butthenIrecollectedmydearElizabethandJane,andfortheirsakeshadpatiencewithher. 第五十二章 样样事情都非得由他亲自来办不可；其实你舅父非常愿意全盘包办（我这样说并不是为了讨你的好，所以请你不要跟别人提起）。他们为这件事争执了好久，其实对当事人来说，无论是男方女方，都不配享受这样的对待。可是你舅父最后还是不得不依从他，以致非但不能替自己的外甥女稍微尽点力，而且还要无劳居功，这完全和他的心愿相违；我相信你今天早上的来信一定会使他非常高兴，因为这件掠人之美的事，从此可以说个清楚明白，使那应该受到赞美的人受到赞美。不过，丽萃，这件事只能让你知道，最多只能说给吉英听。我想你一定会深刻了解到，他对那一对青年男女尽了多大的力。我相信他替他偿还的债务一定远在一千镑以上，而且除了她自己名下的钱以外，另外又给她一千镑，还给他买了个官职。至于这些钱为什么得由他一个人付，我已经在上面说明理由。他说这都怪他自己不好，怪他当初考虑欠妥，矜持过分，以致叫人家不明了韦翰的人品，结果使人家上了当，把他当做好人。这番话或许真有几分道理；不过我却觉得，这种事既不应当怪他矜持过分，也不应当怪别人矜持过分。亲爱的丽萃，你应当明白，他的话虽然说得这样动听，我们要不是鉴于他别有苦心，你舅父决不肯依从他。一切事情都决定了以后，他便回到彭伯里去应酬他那些朋友，大家同时说定，等到举行婚礼的那天，他还得再到伦敦来，办理一切有关金钱方面的最后手续。现在我把所有的事情都讲给你听了。这就是你所谓会使你大吃一惊的一篇叙述；我希望至少不会叫你听了不痛快。丽迪雅上我们这儿来住，韦翰也经常来。他完全还是上次我在哈福德郡见到他时的那副老样子。丽迪雅待在我们这儿时，她的种种行为举止，的确叫我很不满，我本来不打算告诉你，不过星期三接到吉英的来信，我才知道她回家依然故态复萌，那么告诉了你也不会使你不什么新的难过。我几次三番一本正经地跟她说，她这件事做得大错特错，害得一家人都痛苦悲伤。哪里知道，我的话她听也不要听。有几次我非常生气，但是一记起了亲爱的伊丽莎白和吉英，看她们面上，我还是容忍着她。