Гордость и предубеждение

           "Itisalongtime,Mr.Bingley,sinceyouwentaway,"saidMrs.Bennet. 

           Hereadilyagreedtoit. 

           "Ibegantobeafraidyouwouldnevercomebackagain. PeopledidsayyoumeanttoquittheplaceentirelyatMichaelmas;but,however,Ihopeitisnottrue. Agreatmanychangeshavehappenedintheneighbourhood,sinceyouwentaway. MissLucasismarriedandsettled. Andoneofmyowndaughters. Isupposeyouhaveheardofit;indeed,youmusthaveseenitinthepapers. ItwasinTheTimesandTheCourier,Iknow;thoughitwasnotputinasitoughttobe. Itwasonlysaid,‘Lately,GeorgeWickham,Esq.toMissLydiaBennet,’withouttherebeingasyllablesaidofherfather,ortheplacewhereshelived,oranything. ItwasmybrotherGardiner’sdrawinguptoo,andIwonderhowhecametomakesuchanawkwardbusinessofit. Didyouseeit?" 

           Bingleyrepliedthathedid,andmadehiscongratulations. Elizabethdarednotliftuphereyes. HowMr.Darcylooked,therefore,shecouldnottell. 

           "Itisadelightfulthing,tobesure,tohaveadaughterwellmarried,"continuedhermother,"butatthesametime,Mr.Bingley,itisveryhardtohavehertakensuchawayfromme. TheyaregonedowntoNewcastle,aplacequitenorthward,itseems,andtheretheyaretostayIdonotknowhowlong. Hisregimentisthere;forIsupposeyouhaveheardofhisleavingthe——shire,andofhisbeinggoneintotheregulars. ThankHeaven!hehassomefriends,thoughperhapsnotsomanyashedeserves." 

           Elizabeth,whoknewthistobelevelledatMr.Darcy,wasinsuchmiseryofshame,thatshecouldhardlykeepherseat. Itdrewfromher,however,theexertionofspeaking,whichnothingelsehadsoeffectuallydonebefore; andsheaskedBingleywhetherhemeanttomakeanystayinthecountryatpresent.Afewweeks,hebelieved.