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第93章（第1页）

Shehadinstinctivelyturnedaway;butstoppingonhisapproach，receivedhiscomplimentswithanembarrassmentimpossibletobeovercome。Hadhisfirstappearance，orhisresemblancetothepicturetheyhadjustbeenexamining，beeninsufficienttoassuretheothertwothattheynowsawMr。Darcy，thegardenersexpressionofsurprise，onbeholdinghismaster，mustimmediatelyhavetoldit。Theystoodalittlealoofwhilehewastalkingtotheirniece，who，astonishedandconfused，scarcelydaredlifthereyestohisface，andknewnotwhatanswershereturnedtohiscivilinquiriesafterherfamily。Amazedatthealterationofhismannersincetheylastparted，everysentencethatheutteredwasincreasingherembarrassment;andeveryideaoftheimproprietyofherbeingfoundthererecurringtohermind，thefewminutesinwhichtheycontinuedweresomeofthemostuncomfortableinherlife。Nordidheseemmuchmoreatease;whenhespoke，hisaccenthadnoneofitsusualsedateness;andherepeatedhisinquiriesastothetimeofherhavingleftLongbourn，andofherstayinginDerbyshire，sooften，andinsohurriedaway，asplainlyspokethedistractionofhisthoughts。

Atlengtheveryideaseemedtofailhim;and，afterstandingafewmomentswithoutsayingaword，hesuddenlyrecollectedhimself，andtookleave。

Theothersthenjoinedher，andexpressedadmirationofhisfigure;butElizabethheardnotaword，andwhollyengrossedbyherownfeelings，followedtheminsilence。Shewasoverpoweredbyshameandvexation。Hercomingtherewasthemostunfortunate，themostill-judgedthingintheworld!Howstrangeitmustappeartohim!Inwhatadisgracefullightmightitnotstrikesovainaman!Itmightseemasifshehadpurposelythrownherselfinhiswayagain!Oh!whydidhecome?Or，whydidhethuscomeadaybeforehewasexpected?Hadtheybeenonlytenminutessooner，theyshouldhavebeenbeyondthereachofhisdiscrimination;foritwasplainthathewasthatmomentarrived—thatmomentalightedfromhishorseorhiscarriage。Sheblushedagainandagainovertheperversenessofthemeeting。Andhisbehaviour，sostrikinglyaltered—whatcoulditmean?Thatheshouldevenspeaktoherwasamazing!—buttospeakwithsuchcivility，toinquireafterherfamily!Neverinherlifehadsheseenhismannerssolittledignified，neverhadhespokenwithsuchgentlenessasonthisunexpectedmeeting。WhatacontrastdiditoffertohislastaddressinRosingsPark，whenheputhisletterintoherhand!Sheknewnotwhattothink，orhowtoaccountforit。

Theyhadnowenteredabeautifulwalkbythesideofthewater，andeverystepwasbringingforwardanoblerfallofground，orafinerreachofthewoodstowhichtheywereapproaching;butitwassometimebeforeElizabethwassensibleofanyofit;and，thoughsheansweredmechanicallytotherepeatedappealsofheruncleandaunt，andseemedtodirecthereyestosuchobjectsastheypointedout，shedistinguishednopartofthescene。HerthoughtswereallfixedonthatonespotofPemberleyHouse，whicheveritmightbe，whereMr。Darcythenwas。Shelongedtoknowwhatatthemomentwaspassinginhismind—inwhatmannerhethoughtofher，andwhether，indefianceofeverything，shewasstilldeartohim。Perhapshehadbeencivilonlybecausehefelthimselfatease;yettherehadbeenthatinhisvoicewhichwasnotlikeease。Whetherhehadfeltmoreofpainorofpleasureinseeingher，shecouldnottell，buthecertainlyhadnotseenherwithcomposure。

Atlength，however，theremarksofhercompanionsonherabsenceofmindarousedher，andshefeltthenecessityofappearingmorelikeherself。