Chapter 42 Chapter Forty-One

When they got home, a week passed in the blink of an eye, and now the second week has begun.At the end of the week, the militia stationed at Meryton was about to move out, and the young ladies in the neighbourhood were immediately dejected.Despondency prevails almost everywhere.Only the two eldest ladies of the Bennet family eat and live as usual, and do their own things as usual.But Kitty and Lydia were so distressed that they were often obliged to reproach their sisters for their indifference.They really don't understand how there is such a heartless person in the family! They always cried out in infinite grief: "My God!What are we going to do now?Are you ashamed to smile, Liz?

Their kind mother grieved with them; and she remembered how much she herself had suffered for nearly the same thing twenty-five years earlier. She said: I remember correctly, when Colonel Miller and his group were transferred away, I cried for two whole days.I'm just broken. I believe my heart must be broken, said Lydia. How nice it would be if we could go up to Brighton!said Mrs. Bennet. Yes, it would be great if we could go to Brighton!But Dad just wanted to fight against it. A sea bath will keep me healthy for the rest of my life. Aunt Philip also said that bathing in sea water would definitely do me good.Kitty went on.

The two young ladies of the Longbourn family sighed endlessly in this way.Elizabeth tried to make fun of them, but shame overpowered her.She thought again that it was true that Mr. Darcy had done them no wrong, that the defects he had pointed out to them were true, and she felt deeply that it was no wonder that he interfered with the good affairs of his friend and Jane. But Lydia's melancholy soon dissipated, for Captain Forster's wife asked her to accompany her to Brighton.This noble friend is a very young lady, recently married.She and Lydia were both good-natured and spirited, and therefore congenial: although they had only been friends for three months, they had been confidants for two months.

How happy Lydia was at this time, how admiring she was for Mrs. Forster, how happy Mrs. Bennet was, and how sad Kitty was, these are naturally enough.Jumping up and down the room, calling everyone to congratulate her, laughing and shouting, making more noise than usual; while the unlucky Kitty could only go on complaining and blaming herself in the little drawing-room. I wondered why Mrs. Forster didn't ask me to go with Lydia, she said, and if I wasn't particularly dear to her, she might as well invite me.It is said that I am two years older than her, so I should have more face. Elizabeth told her the truth, and Jiying also advised her not to be angry, but she ignored it.Besides, Elizabeth, who was not at all as happy about the invitation as her mother and Lydia, felt that Lydia, if she was not so confused, was quite ruined by the visit.So she had to secretly ask her father not to let Lydia go, not caring how much Lydia would hate her if she found out afterwards.She told her father all of Lydia's daily indiscretions, and explained that it was no good to be friends with a woman like Mrs. Forster, and that going to Brighton with such a friend would perhaps be even more absurd. , because the temptation there must be greater than here.The father listened attentively to the end of her speech, and then said:

Lydia would never cease to make a fool of herself in a public place or the like.She is going to make a fool of herself this time, and she doesn't need to spend the family's money or trouble. It's really rare to have such an opportunity. Elizabeth said: "Lydia is so frivolous and rash, she will definitely attract the attention of outsiders, and it will make us sisters suffer from her. In fact, I have suffered a lot. If you think of this, then your opinion of the matter will be very different." It will be different. You have already suffered a great loss!Mr. Bennet repeated.How do you say this: Did she scare your lover away?Poor little Liz, don't worry.Those fussy lads who can't stand a little storm.Because I have seen Lydia's debauchery, and dare not ask you anything?

You totally got me wrong.I'm not complaining because I suffered a loss.I can't tell which kind of harm I am complaining about, but I feel that there are many harms.Lydia's dissolute and lawless character is indeed a matter of decency for us, and must affect our social status.I have spoken frankly, and I beg your pardon.Good father, you have to find a way to discipline her wild temper, and make her understand that she can't be chasing around like this all her life, otherwise she will soon be hopeless.Once her personality is established, it is difficult to change it.She was only sixteen years old, and she was a perfect libertine, making herself and her family laughable, and flirtatious to the point of extreme vulgarity.She is only young and has a bit of beauty, but she has nothing else to offer.She is ignorant and muddle-headed. She only knows how to win the admiration of others, but she ends up being looked down upon everywhere.Kitty was in this danger too.Lydia wanted her to go east and west.She is ignorant, vain, and lazy by nature, and she doesn't look like a tutor at all!Oh, my dear papa, where they go, if anyone knows them, they are reproached, despised, and often embarrassing to their sisters, don't you think so? ?

Mr. Bennet saw her get into the corner, and he took her hand kindly and said: Good boy, take it easy.You and Jane, wherever you go, people will respect you and value you; you will never lose your dignity just because you have two or even three silly sisters.If Lydia is not allowed to go to Brighton this time, we shall have no peace at Longbourne.Let her go.Colonel Forster, a man of sense, would not let her do any harm; fortunately she was too poor to be looked upon by anyone.Britton is not the same as here. She is not qualified to be an ordinary libertine.Officers will find something more desirable.We hope, therefore, that when she gets there she learns some lesson that she is nothing of the sort.In any case, she couldn't be any worse, and we can't keep her locked up at home forever.

When Elizabeth heard her father's answer, although she didn't change her mind, she could only express her satisfaction and walked away sullenly.A person with her personality would not just worry about these things.She believed that she had done her duty, and that it was impossible for her to brood, or to be unduly anxious, about the inevitable harms. If Lydia and her mother had known what she had said to her father this time, they would have died of rage, and a volley of curses, both of them sharp-tongued, would not have quelled them.In Lydia's imagination, as long as she goes to Brighton once, all the happiness on earth and in heaven will be obtained.She fancied that the streets near the splendid baths were crowded with officers.She fantasized about dozens or even hundreds of military officers whom she had never met before, all courting her.She fantasized about a stately and magnificent tent, neat and beautiful, filled with young men in full swing, all dressed in bright red military uniforms.She also imagined the happiest scene, imagining herself sitting in a tent, coquettishly and affectionately with several officers at the same time.

How could she bear it if she knew that her sister was going to hinder her from enjoying these wonderful vistas and wonderful realities?Only her mother could understand her state of mind, and almost sympathized with her.Lydia's being able to go was a great consolation to her anguish of her belief that her husband had no intention of going to Brighton. But they were quite ignorant of the matter, and therefore, up to the day when Lydia left home, they were happy and untroubled. Now it was the turn of Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham to meet for the last time.She had seen him many times since she had come home, and her uneasiness had long since disappeared; the uneasiness she had felt about her former affection for him had disappeared even more now.He had won her over by his gentle manners before, and now she saw the hypocrisy, the clichés, and found them disgusting.His present attitude towards her had created a new source of her unhappiness; he soon showed an intention of renewing the old friendship with her, but after the warm and cold, it only made her angry.She found that the person she wanted to fall in love with was an idle and frivolous young man, so she couldn't help but feel disheartened with him; and he actually thought that as long as he could rekindle the old friendship, he would finally be able to satisfy her desires Vanity, her favor, how long it had been since he had paid her attention, and for whatever reason, had no bearing on the matter itself.Seeing his look, although she held back her anger on the surface, she was scolding him endlessly in her heart.

The day before the regiment left Meryton, he dined at Longbourne with some other officers; and when they parted, he took the opportunity to mention that both Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy had spent three weeks at Rosings, and asked him if he knew Fitzwilliam.He was immediately furious and frightened, but after a little composure, he replied with a smile that he used to see him often.He said Fitzwilliam was a very gentleman, and asked her if she liked him.She replied enthusiastically that she liked him very much.Immediately he said again with indifference: How long did you say he had been at Rosings?

Almost three weeks. Do you often see him? We see each other often, almost every day. His demeanor is very different from his cousin. Very different indeed; but I think Mr. Darcy would do well if he got to know him better. Wickham suddenly showed surprise, and shouted: "That's weird, I'm sorry, may I ask you, at this point, he controlled himself again, and changed his tone of voice to be more pleasant, but then Go on and say: Is his tone better when he talks to others?Is he more polite in his dealings with people than before?Because I really can't expect him to lower his tone and become more serious, and expect him to get better in essence. No such thing!Elizabeth said.I believe his essence is still the same as before. When Wickham heard what she said, he didn't know whether he should express his joy or his disbelief.Seeing the indescribable expression on her face when she spoke, Wickham couldn't help feeling a little scared and anxious.She went on to say: When I say that Mr. Darcy is better if he is familiar with people, I do not mean that his thoughts and attitudes will become better, but that the more familiar you are with him, the better you will understand his personality. When Wickham heard this, he couldn't help feeling flustered, and immediately blushed, and his expression was very disturbed.After being silent for several minutes, he restrained his embarrassment, turned to her, and said in a very gentle tone: You know well how I feel about Mr. Darcy in my heart, so you can easily understand how glad I am to hear that he has learned to put on a face too.Even if that kind of pride is not good for himself, it may be good for others, because since he has this kind of pride, he will not have the bad behavior that caused me to suffer so much.I'm afraid that although he has restrained himself a bit (you probably mean he has restrained himself a bit), in fact it's just to act as a cover in front of his aunt, so that his aunt can think highly of him and say good things about him.I knew very well that whenever he was with his aunt, he could not help being trembling, and this was probably because he wanted to get along with D.Miss Bauer's marriage was, I daresay, a great event on his mind. Elizabeth couldn't help but smile when she heard these words, she just nodded slightly and didn't make a sound.She saw that he wanted to bring up the old problem again in front of her and complain, and she was not in the mood to egg him on.In this way the evening passed, with outward appearances of his usual merriment, but with no intention of ingratiating Elizabeth; at last they parted civilly, and perhaps both wished never to see each other again. When they parted, Lydia and Mrs. Forster went back to Meryton, from which they intended to start early next morning.When Lydia parted from her family, it was not so much a parting sorrow as a scene of excitement.Only Kitty shed tears, but she wept from vexation and jealousy.Mrs. Bennet kept wishing her daughter happiness, and urged her not to miss the opportunity to enjoy herself in time. Of course, her daughter would follow her orders; she shouted goodbye to her family proudly, so She didn't even hear the whispers of the sisters wishing her a safe journey.