[Pride and Prejudice] Liz's Little Vest

It turns out that the first kiss is so memorable.

That night, Elizabeth tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time.

Darcy didn't feel sleepy at all. He repeatedly looked at the letter of apology that he stuffed in his pocket and forgot to send, and decided to hand it to Miss Elizabeth when he visited Miss Elizabeth tomorrow.

Although the two have reconciled this afternoon, he still hopes to let Miss Elizabeth know his thoughts and thoughts in a more calm and written form.

The next day, the sky began to drizzle again.

London in mid-January is the coldest time.But the severe cold weather did not stop the young ladies from outdoor activities[1].

Kitty and Mary will go to the poor areas outside the city of London every Tuesday and Thursday to do charity activities.Mr. Jenner often accompanied them as guardian.Today, Mr. Jenner was busy, so he asked Elizabeth to accompany the two sisters.

Elizabeth would naturally not refuse.

Before leaving, Mrs. Gardiner told them that the "Times" had published that there had been several robberies in the slums in the past two days. Although there were no residents injured or injured, it was better to be careful.

Elizabeth reassured Mrs. Gardiner.They were well prepared, and in order not to be too public, they took off all their jewelry before going, and changed into gray and white old clothes, which would not attract attention.

"Why don't you go this week and wait until the incident subsides in two days?" Mrs. Gardiner asked in embarrassment.

"Let's go again, okay?" said Mary, who seldom spoke. "Today we are going to visit Little Jimmy's family. Little Jimmy is only nine years old and has just recovered from a serious illness. If nutrition cannot keep up, the body will grow too." Not too big."

Kitty agreed, and Elizabeth assured them again and again that they would be careful, go and come back quickly.

"But—" Mrs. Gardiner still refused to let go, but her explanation was soon interrupted by the sound of a carriage.The housekeeper's wife at the side is all too familiar with this carriage that has been visiting for three days in a row.

The coachman opened the door, and Darcy was surprised to find that the person he wanted to meet was just outside the door.

"Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Bennett, good morning." He turned his head and looked at Elizabeth without hesitation. "Miss Elizabeth, I was just looking for you. Where are you going?"

Mrs. Gardiner happened to find the right time: "Mr. Darcy, you came just in time. The Times said that the suburbs of London are dangerous. Please help me persuade the girls to rest for a week and go to the poor next week." area for charity.”

"For charity?" Mr. Darcy looked at Elizabeth in surprise, and he discovered another advantage of his lover.

"It was mainly Kitty and Mary, and I was just accompanying," Elizabeth explained.

Darcy nodded in agreement, and turned to persuade Mrs. Gardiner: "I have no position to persuade the ladies not to do good deeds. But I can accompany them on the journey. My coachman happens to be a very good boxer, ladies. It must be safe. Do you think that's all right, Mrs. Gardiner?"

"How can that be done, Mr. Darcy, but you—" She thought for a while and couldn't come up with an answer, "We can't delay your trip."

"There is no need to worry about that, Mrs. Gardiner. I would very much like to go with Miss Elizabeth."

Darcy spoke very solemnly, but his words made everyone present - except perhaps the housekeeper's wife - look at Elizabeth in surprise.

Elizabeth, who was at the focus of everyone's eyes, blushed immediately.

"Get in the carriage quickly, and don't keep little Jimmy waiting." She interrupted.

She hurried to the carriage that Mrs. Gardiner had prepared for them, but found that Kitty and Mary were one step ahead, occupying the front and rear seats of the carriage.They also occupy the positions on both sides with food baskets.

"Good Liz, it's too crowded here, go and take Mr. Darcy's carriage!" Kitty laughed.

"I also think it's just right for two people to fit in one carriage."

In the rare case that Mary did not take her side, she even spread out the baskets, making sure there was no room for Elizabeth.

She winked innocently at Elizabeth, and the smile on her mouth was very much like that of Mr. Jenner.

At the critical moment, her own sisters were all turning their elbows outward!

Elizabeth felt both annoyed and amused.But there is no other way, she has no choice but to step on Mr. Darcy's carriage.The latter was so happy that he only suppressed a smile and looked out the car window.

Two carriages rolled out of Cheapside, one behind the other.

In a carriage, the two sisters kept talking, and eight out of ten sentences were gossip about Elizabeth and Darcy.In the other carriage, the party involved was surprisingly quiet.

Elizabeth and Darcy both looked out of the window tacitly, and looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes in unison.What they can't get rid of in their minds at the moment are all the short dreams of this early morning.

"Mr. Darcy, are you sleepy? It looks like you haven't had a good rest." Miss Elizabeth pushed herself, and Darcy blushed with a word.

"Your observation is still very careful, Miss Elizabeth," replied Darcy.Then he thought silently in his mind, but at the moment I beg you not to pay too much attention to details.If you really notice his physical reaction carefully, please...please ignore it too.

"It's true that I didn't have a good rest. I had something on my mind last night—it was about Charles' affairs." He pretended to be serious, but he didn't have 300 taels of silver here.

"It's really unfortunate—but I wish you the best of luck." Elizabeth obviously didn't want to get to the bottom of it, because she also had 300 taels of silver in her field.

After a pause, she was just about to ask Darcy what he wanted to do with her this morning, when she saw him reading a book seriously.

She couldn't help asking curiously: "Mr. Darcy, what book caught your attention?"

Darcy closed the book and replied seriously: "It's Mr. Byron's poetry collection."

"what?"

Elizabeth was stunned.

If memory serves me correctly, Mr. George Byron has been a rising star in London society for the past two years.His Romantic poetry and writings were all the rage.However, the British aristocratic bourgeoisie have always sneered at him because his poems protested against the stubborn ruling class.

Therefore, Elizabeth was not able to connect "Mr. Darcy" with "Byron's poetry" at once.

She asked in surprise: "I never knew you were interested in Mr. Byron's work."

Darcy said: "It's true that I only started to get in touch with it in the past two days. It is true that some of the words in it are too impetuous, but overall it is good."

Elizabeth then asked, "May I ask which poem, or which line, has shaped your opinion?"

Darcy gave her a serious look, then opened the book again, and read in his deep, deep voice:

"She walks in beauty,

Like night, cloudless and starry;

That most sublime light and dark,

Converging in her beauty and eyes,

Intertwined into such gentle brilliance,

Is not seen by the rich daylight. "

Darcy obviously has not read this kind of love poem.His voice was getting stiffer, but the emotion in it was getting richer.

Elizabeth listened, her heart beating faster and faster.She seemed to be able to feel her own blood gurgling through her temples, and her face was slowly turning red.

After reading, Darcy paused, and looked up at Elizabeth specially, making her face redder and redder.

Darcy smiled, hard but soft.He said softly: "This passage is from "Poetry of Beauty". To you, my dear Miss Elizabeth."

The author has something to say:

note

[1] Adapted and inspired by Mrs. Austen's "Emma" Chapter 11.