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The congratulatory letter which Elizabeth received from Lydia on her marriage, explained to her that, by his wife at least, if not by himself, such a hope was cherished. The letter was to this effect:
伊麗莎白結婚的時候，接到麗迪雅的一封祝賀信。她看得很明白，即使韋翰本人沒有存那種指望，至少他太太也有那種意思。那封信是這樣寫的：
"MY DEAR LlZZY, I wish you joy. If you love Mr. Darcy half as well as I do my dear Wickham, you must be very happy. It is a great comfort to have you so rich, and when you have nothing else to do, I hope you will think of us. I am sure Wickham would like a place at court very much, and I do not think we shall have quite money enough to live upon without some help. Any place would do, of about three or four hundred a year; but however, do not speak to Mr. Darcy about it, if you had rather not.Your's, &c."
親愛的麗萃：祝你愉快。要是你愛達西先生抵得上我愛韋翰的一半，那你一定會非常幸福了。你能這樣富有，真叫人十分快慰；當你閑來無事的時候，希望你會想到我們。我相信韋翰極其希望在宮廷里找份差事做做。要是再沒有別人幫幫忙，我們便很難維持生計了。隨便什么差使都行，只要每年有三四百鎊的收入。不過，要是你不愿意跟達西講，那就不必提起。
As it happened that Elizabeth had much rather not, she endeavoured in her answer to put an end to every intreaty and expectation of the kind. Such relief, however, as it was in her power to afford, by the practice of what might be called economy in her own private expences, she frequently sent them. It had always been evident to her that such an income as theirs, under the direction of two persons so extravagant in their wants, and heedless of the future, must be very insufficient to their support; and whenever they changed their quarters, either Jane or herself were sure of being applied to for some little assistance towards discharging their bills.
伊麗莎白果然不愿意講，因此在回信中盡力打消她這種希望，斷了她這一類的念頭。－－不過伊麗莎白還是盡量把自己平日的用途節省一些，積下錢來去接濟妹妹。她一向看得很明白，他們的收入那么少，兩口子又揮霍無度，只顧眼前，不顧今后，這當然不夠維持生活；每逢他們搬家，伊麗莎白或是吉英總是接到他們的信，要求接濟他們一些錢去償付賬款。
