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第99章（第1页）

ConvincedasElizabethnowwasthatMissBingleysdislikeofherhadoriginatedinjealousy，shecouldnothelpfeelinghowunwelcomeherappearanceatPemberleymustbetoher，andwascurioustoknowwithhowmuchcivilityonthatladyssidetheacquaintancewouldnowberenewed。

Onreachingthehouse，theywereshownthroughthehallintothesaloon，whosenorthernaspectrendereditdelightfulforsummer。Itswindowsopeningtotheground，admittedamostrefreshingviewofthehighwoodyhillsbehindthehouse，andofthebeautifuloaksandSpanishchestnutswhichwerescatteredovertheintermediatelawn。InthishousetheywerereceivedbyMissDarcy，whowassittingtherewithMrs。HurstandMissBingley，andtheladywithwhomshelivedinLondon。Georgianasreceptionofthemwasverycivil，butattendedwithalltheembarrassmentwhich，thoughproceedingfromshynessandthefearofdoingwrong，wouldeasilygivetothosewhofeltthemselvesinferiorthebeliefofherbeingproudandreserved。Mrs。Gardinerandherniece，however，didherjustice，andpitiedher。

ByMrs。HurstandMissBingleytheywerenoticedonlybyacurtsey;and，ontheirbeingseated，apause，awkwardassuchpausesmustalwaysbe，succeededforafewmoments。ItwasfirstbrokenbyMrs。Annesley，agenteel，agreeable-lookingwoman，whoseendeavourtointroducesomekindofdiscourseprovedhertobemoretrulywell-bredthaneitheroftheothers;andbetweenherandMrs。Gardiner，withoccasionalhelpfromElizabeth，theconversationwascarriedon。MissDarcylookedasifshewishedforcourageenoughtojoininit;andsometimesdidventureashortsentencewhentherewasleastdangerofitsbeingheard。

ElizabethsoonsawthatshewasherselfcloselywatchedbyMissBingley，andthatshecouldnotspeakaword，especiallytoMissDarcy，withoutcallingherattention。Thisobservationwouldnothavepreventedherfromtryingtotalktothelatter，hadtheynotbeenseatedataninconvenientdistance;butshewasnotsorrytobesparedthenecessityofsayingmuch。Herownthoughtswereemployingher。Sheexpectedeverymomentthatsomeofthegentlemenwouldentertheroom。Shewished，shefearedthatthemasterofthehousemightbeamongstthem;andwhethershewishedorfeareditmost，shecouldscarcelydetermine。AftersittinginthismanneraquarterofanhourwithouthearingMissBingleysvoice，Elizabethwasrousedbyreceivingfromheracoldinquiryafterthehealthofherfamily。Sheansweredwithequalindifferenceandbrevity，andtheotherssaidnomore。

Thenextvariationwhichtheirvisitaffordedwasproducedbytheentranceofservantswithcoldmeat，cake，andavarietyofallthefinestfruitsinseason;butthisdidnottakeplacetillaftermanyasignificantlookandsmilefromMrs。AnnesleytoMissDarcyhadbeengiven，toremindherofherpost。Therewasnowemploymentforthewholeparty—forthoughtheycouldnotalltalk，theycouldalleat;andthebeautifulpyramidsofgrapes，nectarines，andpeachessooncollectedthemroundthetable。

Whilethusengaged，ElizabethhadafairopportunityofdecidingwhethershemostfearedorwishedfortheappearanceofMr。Darcy，bythefeelingswhichprevailedonhisenteringtheroom;andthen，thoughbutamomentbeforeshehadbelievedherwishestopredominate，shebegantoregretthathecame。

HehadbeensometimewithMr。Gardiner，who，withtwoorthreeothergentlemenfromthehouse，wasengagedbytheriver，andhadlefthimonlyonlearningthattheladiesofthefamilyintendedavisittoGeorgianathatmorning。NosoonerdidheappearthanElizabethwiselyresolvedtobeperfectlyeasyandunembarrassed;aresolutionthemorenecessarytobemade，butperhapsnotthemoreeasilykept，becauseshesawthatthesuspicionsofthewholepartywereawakenedagainstthem，andthattherewasscarcelyaneyewhichdidnotwatchhisbehaviourwhenhefirstcameintotheroom。InnocountenancewasattentivecuriositysostronglymarkedasinMissBingleys，inspiteofthesmileswhichoverspreadherfacewhenevershespoketooneofitsobjects;forjealousyhadnotyetmadeherdesperate，andherattentionstoMr。Darcywerebynomeansover。MissDarcy，onherbrothersentrance，exertedherselfmuchmoretotalk，andElizabethsawthathewasanxiousforhissisterandherselftogetacquainted，andforwardedasmuchaspossible，everyattemptatconversationoneitherside。MissBingleysawallthislikewise;and，intheimprudenceofanger，tookthefirstopportunityofsaying，withsneeringcivility:

“Pray，MissEliza，arenotthe—shireMilitiaremovedfromMeryton?Theymustbeagreatlosstoyourfamily。”