評論
打印
“我想不到達西先生竟會這么壞。雖說我從來沒有對他有過好感，可也不十分有惡感。我只以為他看不起人，卻不曾想到他卑鄙到這樣的地步……竟懷著這樣惡毒的報復心，這樣的不講理，沒有人道！”
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 to hold it, and that it was given to another man; and no less certain is it, that I cannot accuse myself of having really done anything to deserve to lose it. I have a warm, unguarded temper, and I may have 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, I 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 borne with me better; but his father's 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. I 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 as this. "
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 be dreadful. "
"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 companion from childhood, connected together, as I think you said, in the closest manner!"
