pride

"Oh, yes!—of that kind of love which I suppose him to have felt. Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition, she may not get over it immediately. It had better have happened to YOU, Lizzy; you would have laughed yourself out of it sooner. But do you think she would be prevailed upon to go back with us? Change of scene might be of service—and perhaps a little relief from home may be as useful as anything." Хотя на основании этих наблюдений нельзя было предположить, что они питают друг к другу серьезную привязанность, их очевидная взаимная склонность не могла ее не встревожить. И миссис Гардинер решила непременно поговорить перед отъездом с Элизабет, объяснив ей, насколько неблагоразумно с ее стороны было бы дать волю подобному увлечению. Случайное обстоятельство стало причиной того, что мистер Уикхем заинтересовал миссис Гардинер не только своей внешностью. Лет десять - двенадцать тому назад, еще до своего замужества, она довольно долго прожила в той самой части Дербишира, откуда Уикхем был родом. У них поэтому оказалось много общих знакомых. И хотя за последние пять лет, с тех пор как умер отец мистера Дарси, Уикхем почти не бывал в родных краях, он все же мог сообщить миссис Гардинер более свежие сведения о ее прежних друзьях, чем те, которыми располагала она сама. Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal, and felt persuaded of her sister's ready acquiescence. Когда-то миссис Гардинер довелось побывать в Пемберли, и она много знала о его покойном владельце. Это могло служить неисчерпаемой темой для беседы между ними. Обоим доставляло немалое удовольствие сравнивать сохранившиеся у нее воспоминания о Пемберли с более точным описанием поместья, которое мог предложить ее собеседник, и обмениваться восторженными отзывами о покойном мистере Дарси. "I hope," added Mrs. Gardiner, "that no consideration with regard to this young man will influence her. We live in so different a part of town, all our connections are so different, and, as you well know, we go out so little, that it is very improbable that they should meet at all, unless he really comes to see her." Узнав, как жестоко поступил с Уикхемом молодой мистер Дарси, она попыталась восстановить в памяти все, что слышала о наследнике Пемберли в то время, когда он был еще подростком. И в конце концов она убедила себя, что припоминает разговоры о гордом и неприятном характере юного Фицуильяма Дарси. "And THAT is quite impossible; for he is now in the custody of his friend, and Mr. Darcy would no more suffer him to call on Jane in such a part of London! My dear aunt, how could you think of it? Mr. Darcy may perhaps have HEARD of such a place as Gracechurch Street, but he would hardly think a month's ablution enough to cleanse him from its impurities, were he once to enter it; and depend upon it, Mr. Bingley never stirs without him." "So much the better. I hope they will not meet at all. But does not Jane correspond with his sister? SHE will not be able to help calling." "She will drop the acquaintance entirely." But in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected to place this point, as well as the still more interesting one of Bingley's being withheld from seeing Jane, she felt a solicitude on the subject which convinced her, on examination, that she did not consider it entirely hopeless. It was possible, and sometimes she thought it probable, that his affection might be reanimated, and the influence of his friends successfully combated by the more natural influence of Jane's attractions. Miss Bennet accepted her aunt's invitation with pleasure; and the Bingleys were no otherwise in her thoughts at the same time, than as she hoped by Caroline's not living in the same house with her brother, she might occasionally spend a morning with her, without any danger of seeing him. The Gardiners stayed a week at Longbourn; and what with the Phillipses, the Lucases, and the officers, there was not a day without its engagement. Mrs. Bennet had so carefully provided for the entertainment of her brother and sister, that they did not once sit down to a family dinner. When the engagement was for home, some of the officers always made part of it—of which officers Mr. Wickham was sure to be one; and on these occasion, Mrs. Gardiner, rendered suspicious by Elizabeth's warm commendation, narrowly observed them both. Without supposing them, from what she saw, to be very seriously in love, their preference of each other was plain enough to make her a little uneasy; and she resolved to speak to Elizabeth on the subject before she left Hertfordshire, and represent to her the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment. To Mrs. Gardiner, Wickham had one means of affording pleasure, unconnected with his general powers. About ten or a dozen years ago, before her marriage, she had spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire to which he belonged. They had, therefore, many acquaintances in common; and though Wickham had been little there since the death of Darcy's father, it was yet in his power to give her fresher intelligence of her former friends than she had been in the way of procuring. Mrs. Gardiner had seen Pemberly, and known the late Mr. Darcy by character perfectly well. Here consequently was an inexhaustible subject of discourse. In comparing her recollection of Pemberly with the minute description which Wickham could give, and in bestowing her tribute of praise on the character of its late possessor, she was delighting both him and herself. On being made acquainted with the present Mr. Darcy's treatment of him, she tried to remember some of that gentleman's reputed disposition when quite a lad which might agree with it, and was confident at last that she recollected having heard Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy formerly spoken of as a very proud, ill-natured boy. Chapter 26 Глава 26 Mrs. Gardiner's caution to Elizabeth was punctually and kindly given on the first favourable opportunity of speaking to her alone; after honestly telling her what she thought, she thus went on: Миссис Гардинер не забыла о своем намерении предостеречь Элизабет и при первой же возможности поговорить с племянницей наедине деликатно поделилась с ней своей тревогой. Откровенно высказав все, что ее беспокоило, она продолжала: — Ты достаточна умна, Лиззи, чтобы влюбиться только из-за того, что тебя от этого предостерегают. Поэтому я не боюсь говорить напрямик. Мне бы очень хотелось, чтобы ты была начеку. Не увлекайся сама и не старайся увлечь его - это будет весьма неблагоразумно, принимая во внимание, какими ничтожными средствами вы оба располагаете. Мне не в чем его упрекнуть. Разумеется, он весьма интересный молодой человек. И если бы он был так богат, как того заслуживает, я считаю, ты не могла бы сделать более удачного выбора. Но при существующих обстоятельствах ты не должна давать воли своему воображению. У тебя есть здравый смысл, и мы все уверены, что ты сумеешь им руководствоваться в своих поступках. Я знаю, как твой отец полагается на твой рассудок и хорошее поведение. Он не должен в тебе разочароваться. "You are too sensible a girl, Lizzy, to fall in love merely because you are warned against it; and, therefore, I am not afraid of speaking openly. Seriously, I would have you be on your guard. Do not involve yourself or endeavour to involve him in an affection which the want of fortune would make so very imprudent. I have nothing to say against HIM; he is a most interesting young man; and if he had the fortune he ought to have, I should think you could not do better. But as it is, you must not let your fancy run away with you. You have sense, and we all expect you to use it. Your father would depend on YOUR resolution and good conduct, I am sure. You must not disappoint your father." — Тетя, дорогая, вы говорите о таких серьезных вещах! — Конечно. И я надеюсь, что ты так же серьезно их воспримешь. — В таком случае вы можете не тревожиться. Я позабочусь о себе и о мистере Уикхеме. И он ни за что в меня не влюбится, если только я смогу этому помешать. Читать дальше