[Pride and Prejudice] Dear Lydia

It's July in a blink of an eye. Although the life in the country is not as colorful and fashionable as in the city, it is also leisurely and interesting. People put on summer clothes and start various summer parties, which is also very lively.

There was a new stock of muslin in Meryton's shop, and one fine morning Lydia asked Miss Mallard to go and look at it.

"You really ought to buy two more decent dresses, and the only dress you can afford now is a whim present from Mr. Wickham," said Miss Mallard to Lydia.

"You're right, Lois," Lydia agreed. "I thought I was a married woman, and I didn't need to dress up and decorate prom parties for the rest of my life." Looking for a good son-in-law, so I was lazy in this aspect. But now it seems that if I continue to be lazy like this, I will be rude when I go out in the future. Even His Excellency the Earl said two days ago that he would let his tailor in London take Come over with the latest cloth samples and make some clothes for me. Oh, I’m so embarrassed, I tried my best to refuse for a long time.”

Miss Mallard blinked, "My uncle actually wants to send you clothes, this, you guys are too informal!"

Lydia sighed, "That's why I'm very embarrassed. It's probably because I've been dangling around in Netherfield in those two old skirts these days. Your Excellency the Earl really couldn't see it, so I couldn't bear to propose He will buy it for me. You must know that people who are passionate about art are always unbearable to always have things and people around them that do not meet their aesthetic requirements. Your Excellency, he probably made this suggestion because he saw that my clothes were not pleasing to the eye for a long time. .”

Miss Mallard was silent for a while, and then she answered in a non-committal manner, "My uncle has lived in Netherfield for more than a month, which is unusual. He usually doesn't live so long in other places."

The two of them walked into the street shop while they were talking, and began to look at the new fabrics and various laces displayed on the counter, as well as the decorative ribbons.

Lydia likes fresh and plain colors, so she gathers the ones that are pleasing to the eye first, and then compares them carefully one by one, while answering Miss Mallard casually, "Maybe Netherfield Manor is particularly to his liking, That’s why it’s so lingering.”

Miss Mallard shook her head, thinking that it must not be the case!The Earl of Chatham had never seen anything before. Just an ordinary manor that his son bought casually would never arouse his great interest. There must be other reasons.

But the reason she guessed couldn't be clearly stated, so she had to remind her friend vaguely, "Lydia, you always go to Netherfield every other day or two during this time, it's hard work, I feel a little sorry, how about I will go to your house to find you more in the future."

"Oh?" Lydia was a little surprised, and laughed, "Lois, why are you so diligent all of a sudden? Didn't you say that you were the most impatient running around like this, wasting time on unnecessary trips? Forget it Well, I have to take a walk every day anyway, if I don’t go out for a walk, I will feel uncomfortable, I’ll just come to you, besides, there’s His Excellency the Earl, it’s agreed that I’ll play pinball with him tomorrow, so I can’t bother him Come and meet me at Longbourne yourself? Besides, I don't have a billiard-room at home."

Miss Mallard nodded helplessly, "That's true." Then she was dissatisfied and accused, "But why do I feel left out? Every time you come to Netherfield, you call it to see me, but you spend more than half of your time with me. My uncle!"

"Come on, my dear Lois," Lydia laughed at her, "I didn't expect you to be so childish. What's the matter with it, Mr. Pitt has been busy with business recently and can't come back from London to entertain father himself, Chata Earl Mu is not willing to make friends with people around here, so I should do more if I can spend more time chatting with him for entertainment, and I should treat it as a help for you and Mr. Pete. Besides, I also like being with His Excellency the Earl. Together, although his temper is a bit weird, he has always treated me well, and after a long time of contact, you will find that he has a unique charm, which is very attractive." Lydia said to Miss Mallard raised eyebrows.

She was joking, but Miss Mallard could not help but worry in her ears. "You think so!"

.....................

"Hey, Mrs. Wickham, you're here too."

Lydia and Miss Mallard were talking when a young woman's voice sounded behind them.

The two turned their heads together, and saw that Miss Bingley and her sister, Mrs. Hurst, had entered the shop together.

Mr. Bingley was very happy about renting a house in Meryton for his good friend Darcy, saying that it was convenient, not only Darcy and his wife could come and live, but even his sister could come and stay for a while.

As a result, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth did not come, but Bingley's sisters arrived first.

Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst had only arrived in Hertfordshire yesterday, and naturally they would not live at Longbourn Hall, so after a half-hour visit they first came to Meryton. The packed house fell down.

Lydia originally thought that the two of them should either rest at home today or visit and accompany Jane. After all, everyone gathered here because of the reason for Jane to have a baby. As Jane's sister-in-law, they should at least do something It seems that it is right to accompany them for a few days, but I didn't want to but ran into these two sisters on the streets of Meryton.

The Bingley sisters did not know Miss Mallard, and Lydia introduced them before asking if they intended to go to Longbourn.

"Oh, we're afraid that we'll disturb Jane's rest if we went yesterday and today, so we plan to visit her tomorrow." Miss Bingley replied, and then looked at the fine gauze Lydia was picking out and changed the subject in due course, "You are about to buy Clothes? Which one do you like? Let me say that you can’t buy really good things in such a small place. It’s better to go to London regularly every year and solve the big business of buying clothes there. Louisa and I have always been did that."

Lydia smiled, "We just came back from London, but we were busy in the city, so we didn't think about buying clothes. Besides, my requirements are not high, and the goods provided by small local stores can meet my needs." request."

Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst looked at each other, with a strange look of contempt on their faces, and said, "We also heard that you went to London two months ago."

Lydia thought they had heard about it from Mr. Bingley, so she didn't think too much about it. After patiently exchanging a few pleasantries, Sister Bingley said goodbye indifferently and politely.

"If I may offend you, I don't like these two relations of yours at all," said Miss Mallard, as soon as the Bingley sisters had left. Meaning? Sarcasm? How rude! How could the amiable Mr. Bingley have such a sister?"

Lydia shrugged, "Although I don't want to admit it, I feel the same way as you. Forget it, for Mr. Bingley's sake, don't go to the same level as them." She said, pulling out a roll of light yellow silk and a kind of bead Gray spun yarn, making the final decision, "I want these two."

Miss Mallard would not waste her energy on other people's unpleasant relatives. Hearing Lydia say that, she stopped thinking about Sister Bingley and turned her attention back to what she thought was the most troublesome thing at present. superior.

………………

Early the next morning, Lydia was fully dressed and was about to go out when the Bingley sisters came in from the outside. Then she remembered that they said they would come to see Jane today.

Miss Bingley saw that Lydia was about to go out, and immediately said, "Mrs. Wickham, are you going out? I advise you to go out less recently."

Lydia felt that her words were a bit weird, and frowned slightly, "I just went out for a walk, and I stopped by to see my friends, is there any problem?"

Mr. Bingley and Mrs. Bennett came downstairs one after the other, and Mr. Bingley greeted happily on the stairs, "Caroline, Louisa, you are so early, what are you saying to Lydia?"

Miss Bingley smiled, and raised her voice to answer, "We are trying to persuade Mrs. Wickham not to go out, but she seems to have misunderstood our kindness."

Bingley walked downstairs a few steps, "Why? I don't understand what you are talking about, why are you persuading Lydia not to go out?"

Mrs. Bennet also asked behind, "What's the matter?"

Miss Bingley looked at her sister, Mrs. Hurst. Mrs. Hurst gave her a half-smile, "Caroline, it seems that everyone hasn't heard about this, why don't you sit down and tell them in detail, After all, Mrs. Wickham is related to our brother and Jane, and it's a matter of face."

So we all went into the living room together inexplicably, and heard Miss Bingley explain why she kindly persuaded Lydia not to go out.

It turned out that Miss Bingley's dissuasion was due to a rumor from Meryton, probably because it had not been circulated for a long time, so that the people of Longbourne had not heard of it.

Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst had heard gossip when they arrived in Meryton the day before yesterday, and heard the whole content of the rumor in detail last night at the house of a local friend--about Mr. Wickham and Mrs. Lydia's.

Lydia's elopement with Wickham caused quite a stir in the local area, and it ended with her marrying Mr. Wickham.However, when everyone talked behind their backs, they firmly concluded that such a marriage formed only by temporary passion and flesh/desire was indecent and would never lead to long-term happiness.

And now there are facts that prove that the relationship between the couple has existed in name only, and the man is about to leave his wife behind forever.

Because this news is a powerful illustration of how far-sighted everyone's assertions were at the time, so everyone is willing to discuss it, and while complimenting their original wise vision, they will wake up the world, especially those who have not been involved in the world. Deep girls should take this as a warning, and don't ruin your lifelong happiness just because your head is hotheaded and you do something stupid.

Mrs. Bennet turned pale when she heard this, and immediately exclaimed, regardless of the guests present, "My God! Lydia, during the time you were in London, Mr. Wickham didn't even live with you for a single day." Together! Why didn't you say so sooner! Mr. Wickham has gone too far!"

"Mother, don't make a fuss. Mr. Wickham is very lively. When he is in London, he lives with his friend Danny for convenience. It's no big deal."

Lydia tried to reassure her mother, but to no avail.

Mrs. Bennet was almost heartbroken, and her voice raised an octave, "It's no big deal?! My dear, how can you say such stupid words, you went to London to meet him, and he didn't spend a night with you Together! You are all so young, you don't even have children, my God! What are you going to do in the future!"

"More than that," added Miss Bingley, with a half-smile, "Mr. Wickham has been seen hanging out with some of his rambunctious friends, and hanging around those pleasure-seeking places all day and all night! With more than one bachelor It is said that the source of the information is very reliable, and the person who said this is definitely not spreading rumors."

Mrs. Bennet clutched her breast and groaned, looking like she was about to faint.

Mr. Bingley was calmer than her. He felt that his wife Jane didn't need to know about it first, so as not to worry her, so he asked the servant to go upstairs to comfort Jane, and asked her to come down later, and then turned to ask his sister, "Carol Lin, do you think that people in Meryton are talking about this now? What are you saying? To be honest, I don’t understand. Although it’s not a secret, it’s not something that’s suddenly rumored, is it? Who has so many things, and spreads other people's private affairs?"

Miss Bingley curled her lips, "Everyone is saying that Mr. Wickham has been bored with his wife for a long time, that's why he went to join the navy, stay far away, and occasionally don't come back to visit on vacation, but go to the city to spend time and have fun. I don't want to protect my wife's face at all. Everyone even brings up the scandal of their elopement, and they all say that Mrs. Wickham is a hapless woman who deserves her own fault. So I advise her not to go out recently, because she will be punished People point and point, even if she doesn't think about herself, she should think about the face of our relatives and friends. To be honest, Louisa and I were a little embarrassed when we heard Mrs. Wood talking about it yesterday."

"Caroline, don't say that, it might be a misunderstanding." Mr. Bingley blushed a little at his sister's rude words, and hurriedly stopped her.

Lydia stood up with a sullen face, and said sternly, "Miss Bingley, hearing hearsay and blindly following is a very stupid expression, only arrogant and foolish people will make such mistakes! Vicious gossip is not just a stupid question, but moral corruption, and the cruel persecution of innocent people! I believe that as long as you are a smart and educated person, you will not do such a terrible thing at will!"

Miss Bingley was thrown backwards by her anger, "What did you say! I'm kind enough to remind you."

"Thank you for your kind reminder!" Lydia replied coldly, "My relationship with Mr. Wickham is our private matter. I can't say how perfect and considerate he is, but he has always been very good to me. Yes. I can’t control how outsiders talk nonsense, but such untrue rumors will naturally be clarified by the facts after a long time! I sincerely hope that my relatives and friends will stop making trouble. Superficial caring is actually more vicious and terrible than outsiders Things! This kind of stupid and vicious behavior will be despised by all her relatives and friends!"

Miss Bingley always thought Lydia was a brainless, vain woman, and she always looked down on her, so she was not particular about what she said to Mrs. Bennett. positive response.

Miss Bingley had never been ridiculed so mercilessly in her life. She blushed and stood up abruptly, pointing tremblingly, "How dare you...!!!!"

Lydia left without paying any attention to her, turned around, and planned to go to Miss Mallard immediately and ask her to send someone to Meryton to find out what was going on, why everyone likes to use rumors like this Using tricks as a weapon, the problem is that she doesn't remember who she has offended recently!Mr. Bingley grabbed his sister from behind her, and also looked downcast, "Caroline, stop making trouble, you were wrong just now, Lydia is Jane's sister, how can you come to Longbourne and talk like that!"