《Pride and prejudice》[英]奥斯丁

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Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen,first published in 1813. The story follows the maincharacter Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issuesof manners,upbringing,morality,education,andmarriage in the society of the landed gentry of early19th-century England. Though the story was set atthe turn of the 19th century,it retains a fascinationfor modern readers,continuing near the top oflists of"most loved books."It has become one of the mostpopular novels in English literature. Pride and prej

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I have been a disappointed man,and my spirits will not bear solitude.I must have employment and society.A military life is not what I was intended for,but circumstances have now made it eligible.The church ought to have been my profession-l was brought up for the church,and I should at this time have been in possession of a most valuable living,had it pleased the gentleman we were speaking ofjustnow."
"Indeed!"
"Yes-The late Mr.Darcy bequeathed me the next presentation of the best living in his gift.He was my godfather,and excessively attached to me.I cannot do justice to his kindness.He meant to provide for me amply,and thought he had done it;but when the living fell,it was givenelsewhere."
"Good heavens!" cried Elizabeth;"but how could that be?How could his will be disregarded?-Why did not you seek legal redress?""There was just such an informality in the terms of the bequest as to give me no hope from law.A man of honour could not have doubted the intention,but Mr.Darcy chose to doubt it-or to treat it as a merely conditional recommendation,and to assert that I had forfeited all claim to it by extravagance,imprudence,in short anything or nothing.Certain it is,that the living became vacant two years ago,exactly as I was of an age tohold it,and that it was given to another man;and no less certain is it,thatI cannot accuse myself of having really done anything to deserve to lose it.I have a warm,unguarded temper,and I may perhaps have sometimes spoken my opinion of him,and to him,too freely.I can recall nothing worse.But the fact is,that we are very different sort of men,and that he hates me."
"This is quite shocking!-He deserves to be publicly disgraced."
"Some time or other he will be-but it shall not be by me.Till I can forget his father,l can never defy or expose him."
Elizabeth honoured him for such feelings,and thought him handsomer than ever as he expressed them.
"But what," said she after a pause,"can have been his motive?- what can have induced him to behave so cruelly?"
"A thorough,determined dislike of me-a dislike which I cannot but attribute in some measure to jealousy.Had the late Mr.Darcy liked me less,his son might have bome with me better;but his fathers uncommon attachment to me,irritated him I believe very early in life.He had not a temper to bear the sort of competition in which we stood-the sort of preference which was often given me."
"I had not thought Mr.Darcy so bad as this-though I have never liked him,I had not thought so very ill of him-l had supposed him to be despising his fellow-creatures in general,but did not suspect him of descending to such malicious revenge,such injustice,such inhumanity asthis!"
After a few minutes' reflection,however,she continued,"I do remember his boasting one day,at Netherfield,of the implacability of his resentments,of his having an unforgiving temper.His disposition must bedreadful."
"I will not trust myself on the subject," replied Wickham."I can hardly be just to him."
Elizabeth was again deep in thought,and after a time exclaimed,"To treat in such a manner,the godson,the friend,the favourite of his father!"-She could have added,"A young man too,like you,whose very countenance may vouch for your being amiable"-but she contented herself with "And one,too,who had probably been his own companion from childhood,connected together,as I think you said,in the closest manner!"
"We were born in the same parish,within the same park,the greatest part of our youth was passed together;inmates of the same house,sharing the same amusements,objects of the same parental care.My father beganlife in the profession which your uncle,Mr.Philips,appears to do somuch credit to-but he gave up everything to be of use to the late Mr.Darcy,and devoted all his time to the care of the Pemberley property.Hewas most highly esteemed by Mr.Darcy,a most intimate,confidentialfriend.Mr.Darcy often acknowledged himself to be under the greatestobligations to my fathers active superintendence,and when immediatelybefore my fathers death,Mr.Darcy gave him a voluntary promise ofproviding for me,I am convinced that he felt it to be as much a debt ofgratitude to him,as of affection to myself."
"How strange!" cried Elizabeth."How abominable!-l wonder thatthe very pride of this Mr.Darcy has not made him just to you!-lf fromno better motive,that he should not have been too proud to be dishonest,for dishonesty I must call it." "It is wonderful,"-replied Wickham,-"for almost all his actionsmay be traced to pride;-and pride has often been his best friend.It hasconnected him nearer with virtue than any other feeling.But we are noneof us consistent;and in his behaviour to me,there were stronger impulseseven than pride."
"Can such abominable pride as his,have ever done him good?"
"Yes.It has often led him to be liberal and generous,to give hismoney freely,to display hospitality,to assist his tenants,and relieve thepoor.Family pride,and filial pride,for he is very proud of what his fatherwas,have done this.Not to appear to disgrace his family,to degeneratefrom the popular qualities,or lose the influence of the Pemberley House,is a powerful motive.He has also brotherly pride,which with somebrotherly affection,makes him a very kind and careful guardian of hissister;and you will hear him generally cried up as the most attentive andbest ofbrothers."
"What sort ofa girlis Miss Darcy?"
He shook his head."I wish I could call her amiable.It gives mepain to speak ill of a Darcy.But she is too much like her brother,-very,very proud.As a child,she was affectionate and pleasing,and extremelyfond of me; and I have devoted hours and hours to her amusement. Butshe is nothing to me now. She is a handsome girl,about fifieen or sixteen,and,I understand,highly accomplished. Since her fathers death,herhome has been London,where a lady lives with her,and superintends hereducation."
After many pauses and many trials of other subjects,Elizabeth couldnot help reverting once more to the first,and saying.
"I am astonished at his intimacy with Mr. Bingley!How can Mr.Bingley,who seems good humour itself,and is,I really believe,trulyamiable,be in friendship with such a man? How can they suit eachother?-Do you know Mr. Bingley?"
"Not at all."
"He is a sweet tempered,amiable,charming man. He cannot knowwhat Mr. Darcy is."
"Probably not;-but Mr. Darcy can please where he chooses. Hedoes not want abilities. He can be a conversable companion if he thinks itworth his while. Among those who are at all his equals in consequence,heis a very different man from what he is to the less prosperous. His pridenever deserts him; but with the rich,he is liberal-minded,just,sincere,rational,honourable,and perhaps agreeable,-allowing something forfortune and figure."
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