Chapter 5
Lydia announced her intention of walking to Meryton to hear the latest gossip (流言蜚语) , and all the sisters except Mary agreed to go with her.
Mr. Collins was to go with them, at the request of Mr. Bennet, who seemed most anxious to get rid of Mr. Collins and to have some time to himself.
Mr. Collins **chattered away **endlessly, while his cousins replied only with polite agreement, till they entered Meryton.
Upon reaching the town, he could no longer hold the attention of the younger girls.
Their eyes were immediately wandering up and down the street in search of handsome army officers, and nothing could bring them back.
But the attention of all the ladies was soon caught by a young man of most gentlemanlike (绅士的) appearance, whom they had never seen before.
He was walking with another officer named Mr. Denny, an acquaintance of Lydia’s.
Mr. Denny spoke to them directly, and asked for permission to introduce his friend Mr. Wickham, who had returned with him from town the day before.
The introduction was **followed up **on Mr. Wickham’s side by a happy ease of conversation.
The whole party were still standing and talking together very agreeably, when the sound of horses drew their attention, and Darcy and Bingley were seen riding down the street.
On noticing the ladies of the group, the two gentlemen came directly toward them.
Bingley asked if they knew where Miss Bennet was, since he was on his way to Longbourn to talk with her.
Mr. Darcy only bowed, and was trying not to look at Elizabeth, when his attention was suddenly captured (吸引（注意力）) by the sight of the stranger.
Elizabeth happened to see the expression of both men as they looked at each other.
Both changed color, one turning white, and the other red. Mr. Wickham, after a few moments, touched his hat—a greeting which Mr. Darcy just barely returned.
What could be the meaning of it? It was impossible to imagine, and it was impossible not to want desperately （不顾一切的）to know.

In another minute, but without seeming to have noticed what had happened, Mr. Bingley said goodbye and rode on with his friend.
Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies and Mr. Collins to the door of Mr. Phillips’s house, and then said their goodbyes.
Mrs. Phillips was always glad to see her nieces.
She told them that some officers were to have dinner with the Phillipses the next day,
and promised to make her husband visit Mr. Wickham and give him an invitation also, if the family from Longbourn would come in the evening.
This was agreed to, and Mrs. Phillips said that they would have a nice game of cards that evening, and a little bit of hot supper afterward.
As they walked home, Elizabeth told Jane what she had seen between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham.
Though Jane would have defended either or both men, she could not explain such behavior any more than her sister could.
Since nobody objected to the young people’s arrangement with their aunt, Mr. Collins and his five cousins returned on the following day to Meryton.
As the girls entered the drawing-room, they were excited to hear that Mr. Wickham had accepted their uncle’s invitation, and was then in the house.
When Mr. Wickham walked into the room, Elizabeth felt great admiration for him.
Many of the officers were very gentlemanlike (绅士的) , but Mr. Wickham was by far the most handsome and charming (迷人的) of them all.
Mr. Wickham was the lucky man toward whom almost every female eye was turned, and Elizabeth was the lucky woman by whom he finally seated himself.
His way of making conversation was so agreeable that Elizabeth believed even the dullest topic might become interesting if she discussed it with him.
When the tables were set up, Mr. Collins and the others together sat down to play cards.
Mr. Wickham was therefore free to talk with Elizabeth, and she was very willing to listen to him.
What she most wanted to hear, though, she could not dare to ask about—the history of his relationship with Mr. Darcy.
Her curiosity, however, was unexpectedly satisfied, as Mr. Wickham began the subject himself.
He asked how far Netherfield was from Meryton, and then paused before asking how long Mr. Darcy had been staying there.
“About a month,” said Elizabeth. To prevent him from changing the subject, she added, “He has a very large property in Derbyshire, I understand.”
“Yes,” replied Mr. Wickham, “his estate (财产) there is very respectable, earning an income of ten thousand pounds per year.
I am perhaps the person most capable of providing information on this subject, since I have been closely connected with his family since my birth.”
Elizabeth could not help but look surprised.
“You might be surprised, Miss Bennet, after seeing our cold behavior toward one another when we met yesterday. Do you know Mr. Darcy quite well?”
“As much as I ever wish to know him,” （了解这么多就够了）cried Elizabeth very firmly.
“I have spent some time in the same house with him, and I think he is very disagreeable.”
“I wonder,” said he, “whether he is likely to stay in this area much longer.”
“I do not know at all. I did not hear anything about his leaving when I was at Netherfield.
I hope your plans here will not be affected by his being in the neighborhood.”
“Oh! No—I will not be driven away by Mr. Darcy. If he wishes to avoid seeing me, he must go.
We are not friendly with one another, but I have no reason to avoid him.
His father, the late Mr. Darcy, was one of the best men that ever lived, and the truest friend I ever had.
His son’s behavior to myself has been disgraceful (不光彩的) , but I believe I could forgive him for anything and everything,
if it could avoid his disappointing the hopes and disgracing (辱没) the memory of his father.”
Elizabeth found her interest in the subject increase, and she listened with all of her attention, but the sensitivity of the matter prevented her from asking anything more.

Mr. Wickham began to speak on more general topics, such as Meryton, the neighborhood, and the community, and he appeared highly pleased with all that he had seen.
“I must keep busy and have good company,（丰富的社交）” he added. “I am not well suited to military life, and should instead have made my career in the church.
I should have been given a very valuable position in the church, had it pleased（省略if的倒装句） the gentleman who was just mentioned.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes—Mr. Darcy’s father was my godfather (教父) , and very fond of me. I cannot do express how kind he was to me.
He meant to provide me with a stable (稳定的) and well-paying profession after his death, and thought he had done so.
But when the opportunity arose for a position in the church, it was given elsewhere.”
“Good heavens!” cried Elizabeth, “but how could that be? How could his will be disregarded? Why did you not take legal action?”
“The will was not written as clearly as it should have been, so I could hope for nothing from the law.
The position became available two years ago, exactly when I was the correct age to take it, and it was given to another man.
Truthfully speaking, I cannot say that I have really done anything to deserve to lose it.
But the fact is, that we are very different sort of men, and that the younger Mr. Darcy hates me.”

• **chatter away **：喋喋不休
• be capable of doing sth.： 有能力做某事
• **capture one’s attention **：吸引…的注意