Chapter46 ItakeupmypenagaintodowhatIhavejusttoldyouIwouldnot,butcircumstancesaresuch,thatIcannothelpearnestlybeggingyoualltocomehereassoonaspossible.IknowmydearuncleandauntsowellthatIamnotafraidofrequestingit,thoughIhavestillsomethingmoretoaskoftheformer.MyfatherisgoingtoLondonwithColonelForsterinstantly,totrytodiscoverher.Whathemeanstodo,IamsureIknownot;buthisexcessivedistresswillnotallowhimtopursueanymeasureinthebestandsafestway,andColonelForsterisobligedtobeatBrightonagainto-morrowevening.Insuchanexigencemyuncle'sadviceandassistancewouldbeeverythingintheworld;hewillimmediatelycomprehendwhatImustfeel,andIrelyuponhisgoodness.""Oh!where,whereismyuncle?"criedElizabeth,dartingfromherseatasshefinishedtheletter,ineagernesstofollowhimwithoutlosingamomentofthetimesoprecious;butasshereachedthedoor,itwasopenedbyaservant,andMr.Darcyappeared.Herpalefaceandimpetuousmannermadehimstart,andbeforehecouldrecoverhimselfenoughtospeak,she,inwhosemindeveryideawassupersededbyLydia'ssituation,hastilyexclaimed, "Ibegyourpardon,butImustleaveyou.ImustfindMr.Gardinerthismoment,onbusinessthatcannotbedelayed;Ihavenotamomenttolose.""GoodGod!whatisthematter?"criedhe,withmorefeelingthanpoliteness;thenrecollectinghimself, "Iwillnotdetainyouaminute,butletme,orlettheservant,goafterMr.andMrs.Gardiner.Youarenotwellenough; --youcannotgoyourself."Elizabethhesitated,butherkneestrembledunderher,andshefelthowlittlewouldbegainedbyherattemptingtopursuethem.Callingbacktheservant,therefore,shecommissionedhim,thoughinsobreathlessanaccentasmadeheralmostunintelligible,tofetchhismasterandmistresshomeinstantly.Onhisquittingtheroom,shesatdown,unabletosupportherself,andlookingsomiserablyillthatitwasimpossibleforDarcytoleaveher,ortorefrainfromsaying,inatoneofgentlenessandcommiseration, "Letmecallyourmaid.Istherenothingyoucouldtake,togiveyoupresentrelief? --Aglassofwine; --shallIgetyouone? --Youareveryill.""No,Ithankyou;"shereplied,endeavouringtorecoverherself. "Thereisnothingthematterwithme.Iamquitewell.IamonlydistressedbysomedreadfulnewswhichIhavejustreceivedfromLongbourn."Sheburstintotearsasshealludedtoit,andforafewminutescouldnotspeakanotherword.Darcy,inwretchedsuspense,couldonlysaysomethingindistinctlyofhisconcern,andobserveherincompassionatesilence.Atlength,shespokeagain. "IhavejusthadaletterfromJane,withsuchdreadfulnews.Itcannotbeconcealedfromanyone.Myyoungestsisterhasleftallherfriends--haseloped; --hasthrownherselfintothepowerof--ofMr.Wickham.TheyaregoneofftogetherfromBrighton.Youknowhimtoowelltodoubttherest.Shehasnomoney,noconnections,nothingthatcantempthimto--sheislostforever."Darcywasfixedinastonishment. "WhenIconsider,"sheadded,inayetmoreagitatedvoice, "thatImighthavepreventedit! --Iwhoknewwhathewas.HadIbutexplainedsomepartofitonly--somepartofwhatIlearnt--tomyownfamily!Hadhischaracterbeenknown,thiscouldnothavehappened.Butitisall,alltoolatenow.""Iamgrieved,indeed,"criedDarcy; "grieved--shocked.Butisitcertain,absolutelycertain?""Ohyes! --TheyleftBrightontogetheronSundaynight,andweretracedalmosttoLondon,butnotbeyond;theyarecertainlynotgonetoScotland.""Andwhathasbeendone,whathasbeenattempted,torecoverher?" 第四十六章 再见吧！刚刚才告诉过你，我不愿意逼你回来，现在我又要拿起笔来逼你了，因为照目前情况看来，我不得不诚恳地请求你们尽可能快些回来。舅父母和我相知颇深，决不会见怪，我因此才大胆提出要求，而且我还有别的事要求舅父帮忙。父亲马上就要跟弗斯脱上校到伦敦去想办法找她。他的具体打算我无从知道，可是看他那么痛苦万状，就知道他办起事来决不会十分稳妥，而弗斯脱上校明天晚上就得回白利屯。情况如此紧急，万万非请舅父前来协助指示不可。我相信他一定会体谅我此刻的心情，我相信他一定肯来帮忙。伊丽莎白读完信以后，不禁失声叫道：“舅父上哪儿去啦？”她连忙从椅子上跳起来急急去找寻舅父。时间太宝贵，一分钟也不能错过。她刚走到门口，恰逢佣人把门打开，达西先生走了进来。他看见她脸色苍白，神情仓皇，不由得吃了一惊。他还没有定下心来说一句话，她却因为一心只想到丽迪雅的处境，却连忙叫起来了：“对不起，不能奉陪。我有紧要的事要去找嘉丁纳先生，一分钟也不能耽搁。”他抑制不住一时的感情冲动，便也顾不得礼貌。大声嚷道：“老天爷，这究竟是怎么回事？”他让自己定了一下心，然后接下去说：“我不愿意耽搁你一分钟；不过还是让我去替你找嘉丁纳先生夫妇吧，或是让佣人去也好。你身体不好；你不能去。”伊丽莎白犹豫不定，但是她已经双膝发抖，也觉得自己没有办法去找他们。她只得叫佣人来，打发他去把主人和主妇立刻找回来。她说话的时候上气不接下气，几乎叫人家听不清楚。佣人走出去以后，她便坐下来，达西见她身体已经支持不住，脸色非常难看，简直不放心离开她，便用了一种温柔体贴的声调跟她说：“让我把你的女佣人叫来吧。你能不能吃点东西，叫你自己好过一些？要我给你弄一杯酒吗？你好象有病呢。”她竭力保持镇静，回答他道：“不要，谢谢你。我没有什么。我很好；只是刚刚从浪搏恩传来了一个不幸的消息，使我很难受。”她说到这里，不禁哭了起来，半天说不出一句话。达西一时摸不着头脑，只得含含糊糊说了些慰问的话，默默无言地望着她，心里很是同情。后来她便向他吐露实情：“我刚刚收到吉英一封信，告诉我一个非常不幸的消息，反正这也瞒不住任何人。告诉你，我那最小的妹妹丢了她所有的亲友──私奔了──落入了韦翰先生的圈套。他们俩是从白利屯逃走的。你深知他的为人，下文也就不必提了。她没钱没势，没有任何地方足以使他要──丽迪雅一生完了。”达西给吓呆了。伊丽莎白又用一种更激动的声调接下去说：“我本来是可以阻止这一件事的！我知道他的真面目！我只要把那件事的一部分──我所听到的一部分，早讲给家里人听就好了，要是大家都知道了他的品格，就不会出这一场乱子了，但现在事已太迟。”达西叫道：“我真痛心，又痛心又惊吓。但是这消息靠得住吗，完全靠得住吗？”“当然靠得住！他们是星期日晚上从白利屯出奔的，人家追他们一直追到伦敦，可是无法再追下去。他们一定没有去苏格兰。”“那么，有没有想什么办法去找她呢？”