PRIDE AND PREJUDICE – Chapters 11 to 20 │ A Śort Spel\nPRÎD AND PREɈDIS: Ćaptrz 11 tu 20\n(Pride and Prejudice – Chapters 11 to 20 – by Jane Austen, transcribed into Ñspel. With audio accompaniment.)\nn ɖ lediz rmuvd aftr dinr, Iliẓbʈ ran p t hr sistr, n siyñ hr wel gardd fṛm cold, atndd hr intu ɖ drw̃rūm, ẃr ś wz welcmd bî hr tū frendz wɖ mni pṛfeśnz v pleźr; n Iliẓbʈ hd nvr sìn ɖm so agriybl az ɖe wr jrñ ɖ aur ẃć pást bfr ɖ jntlṃn apird. Ɖer pǎrz v convseśn wr cnsidṛbl. Ɖe cd dscrîb an enttenmnt wɖ akṛsi, rlet an aṇcdot wɖ hymr, n laf at ɖer aqentns wɖ spirit.\nBt ẃn ɖ jntlṃn entrd, Jen wz no longr ɖ frst objict; Mis Bñli’z îz wr instntli trnd twd Darsi, n ś hd smʈñ t se t him bfr h hd advanst mni steps. H adrest himslf t Mis Benit, wɖ a p’lît cngrać̣leśn; Mr Hrst olso md hr a slît bǎ, n sd h wz “vri glad;” bt dfysnis n wormʈ rmend fr Bñli’z sałteśn. H wz fl v jô n atnśn. Ɖ frst haf-aur wz spent in pîlñ p ɖ fîr, lest ś śd sufr fṛm ɖ ćenj v rūm; n ś rmuvd at hiz dzîr t ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ fîrples, ɖt ś mt b frɖr fṛm ɖ dor. H ɖen sat dǎn bî hr, n tōct scersli t enwn els. Iliẓbʈ, at wrc in ɖ oṗzit cornr, sw it ol wɖ gret dlît.\nẂn ti wz ovr, Mr Hrst rmîndd hiz sistr-in-lw v ɖ cardtebl – bt in ven. Ś hd obtend prîṿt intelijns ɖt Mr Darsi dd nt wś fr cardz; n Mr Hrst sn faund īvn hiz opn ptiśn rjctd. Ś aśurd him ɖt nwn intndd t ple, n ɖ sîḷns v ɖ hol parti on ɖ subjict sīmd t jusṭfî hr. Mr Hrst hd ɖrfr nʈñ t d, bt t streć himslf on wn v ɖ sofaz n g t slīp. Darsi tc p a bc; Mis Bñli dd ɖ sem; n Msz Hrst, prinsipli okpaid in pleyñ wɖ hr breslits n rñz, jônd nǎ n ɖen in hr bruɖr’z convseśn wɖ Mis Benit.\nMis Bñli’z atnśn wz qt az mć ingejd in woćñ Mr Darsi’z progres ʈru hiz bc, az in rīdñ hr ǒn; n ś wz ppć̣li îɖr mcñ sm inqîri, or lcñ at hiz pej. Ś cd nt win him, hvr, t eni convseśn; h mirli ansrd hr qsćn, n réd on. At leñʈ, qt xōstd bî ɖ atmt t b aḿzd wɖ hr ǒn bc, ẃć ś hd onli ćozn bcz it wz ɖ secnd volym v hiz, ś gev a gret yōn n sd, “Hǎ pleznt it z t spend an īvnñ in ɖs we! I dcler aftr ol ɖr z no injômnt lîc rīdñ! Hǎ mć snr wn tîrz v enʈñ ɖn v a bc! Ẃn I hv a hǎs v mî ǒn, I śl b mizṛbl f I hv nt an xḷnt lîbrri.”\nNwn md eni rplî. Ś ɖen yōnd agn, ʈrù asd hr bc, n cast hr îz rnd ɖ rūm in qst fr sm aḿzmnt; ẃn hírñ hr bruɖr mnṣ́nñ a bōl t Mis Benit, ś trnd sudnli twdz him n sd:\n“Bî ɖ bái, Ćarlz, r y riyli sirịs in medtetñ a dans at Neɖ̇fīld? I wd advîz y, bfr y dtrmin on it, t cnsult ɖ wśz v ɖ preznt parti; I am mć mstecn f ɖr r nt sm amñ s t hūm a bōl wd b rɖr a puniśmnt ɖn a pleźr.”\n“F y mīn Darsi,” craid hr bruɖr, “h me g t bed, f h ćuzz, bfr it bginz – bt az fr ɖ bōl, it z qt a setld ʈñ; n az sn az Niclz hz md ẃît sūp inuf, I śl snd rnd mî cardz.”\n“I śd lîc bōlz infiṇtli betr,” ś rplaid, “f ɖe wr carid on in a difṛnt manr; bt ɖr z smʈñ insufṛbli tīdịs in ɖ yźl proses v sć a mītñ. It wd śrli b mć mor raṣ́nl f convseśn instd v dansñ wr md ɖ ordr v ɖ de.”\n“Mć mor raṣ́nl, mî dir Caṛlîn, I der se, bt it wd nt b nir so mć lîc a bōl.”\nMis Bñli md no ansr, n sn aftwdz ś got p n wōct abt ɖ rūm. Hr figr wz elignt, n ś wōct wel; bt Darsi, at hūm it wz ol emd, wz stl inflexbli stydịs. In ɖ desṗreśn v hr fīlñz, ś rzolvd on wn ef̣t mor, n, trnñ t Iliẓbʈ, sd:\n“Mis Ilîza Benit, let m pswed y t folo mî xampl, n tec a trn abt ɖ rūm. I aśur y it z vri rfreśñ aftr sitñ so loñ in wn attyd.”\nIliẓbʈ wz s’prîzd, bt agrìd t it imīɉtli. Mis Bñli s’xidd no les in ɖ riyl objict v hr sviḷti; Mr Darsi lct p. H wz az mć awec t ɖ novlti v atnśn in ɖt qortr az Iliẓbʈ hrslf cd b, n unconśsli clozd hiz bc. H wz d’recli invîtd t jôn ɖer parti, bt h dclînd it, obzrvñ ɖt h cd imajn bt tū motivz fr ɖer ćuzñ t wōc p n dǎn ɖ rūm tgɖr, wɖ îɖr v ẃć motivz hiz jônñ ɖm wd inṭfir. “Ẃt cd h mīn? Ś wz dayñ t nǒ ẃt cd b hiz mīnñ?” – n asct Iliẓbʈ ẃɖr ś cd at ol unḍstand him?\n“Nt at ol,” wz hr ansr; “bt dpnd upn it, h mīnz t b svir on s, n ǎr śrist we v dis’pôntñ him wl b t asc nʈñ abt it.”\nMis Bñli, hvr, wz inceṗbl v dis’pôntñ Mr Darsi in enʈñ, n prṣvird ɖrfr in rqîrñ an xpḷneśn v hiz tū motivz.\n“I hv nt ɖ smōlist objx́n t xplenñ ɖm,” sd h, az sn az ś alaud him t spīc. “Y îɖr ćūz ɖs meʈ̇d v pasñ ɖ īvnñ bcz y r in ć uɖr’z confidns, n hv sīcrit aferz t dscus, or bcz y r conśs ɖt yr figrz apir t ɖ gretist advantij in wōcñ; f ɖ frst, I wd b cmplitli in yr we, n f ɖ secnd, I cn admîr y mć betr az I sit bî ɖ fîr.”\n“Ǒ! śocñ!” craid Mis Bñli. “I nvr hŕd enʈñ so abomiṇbl. Hǎ śl w puniś him fr sć a spīć?”\n“Nʈñ so īzi, f y hv bt ɖ incḷneśn,” sd Iliẓbʈ. “W cn ol pleg n puniś wn anɖr. Tīz him – laf at him. Intiṃt az y r, y mst nǒ hǎ it z t b dn.”\n“Bt upn mî onr, I d nt. I d aśur y ɖt mî intiṃsi hz nt yt tòt m ɖt. Tīz cāmnis v manr n prezns v mînd! No, no; I fīl h me dfî s ɖr. N az t laftr, w wl nt xpoz ǎrslvz, f y plīz, bî atmtñ t laf wɖt a subjict. Mr Darsi me hug himslf.”\n“Mr Darsi z nt t b laft at!” craid Iliẓbʈ. “Ɖt z an uncomn advantij, n uncomn I hop it wl cntiny, fr it wd b a gret los t m t hv mni sć aqentnsz. I dirli luv a laf.”\n“Mis Bñli,” sd h, “hz gvn m mor credit ɖn cn b. Ɖ wîzist n ɖ bst v men – nê, ɖ wîzist n bst v ɖer ax́nz – me b rendrd r’dikyḷs bî a prsn huz frst objict in lîf z a joc.”\n“Srtnli,” rplaid Iliẓbʈ – “ɖr r sć ppl, bt I hop I am nt wn v ɖm. I hop I nvr riḍkl ẃt z wîz n gd. Foliz n nonsns, ẃimz n incnsistnsiz, d dvrt m, I ǒn, n I laf at ɖm ẃnvr I cn. Bt ɖz, I s’poz, r prisîsli ẃt y r wɖt.”\n“Phps ɖt z nt poṣbl fr enwn. Bt it hz bn ɖ studi v mî lîf t avôd ɖoz wìcnisz ẃć ofn xpoz a stroñ unḍstandñ t riḍkl.”\n“Sć az vaṇti n prîd.”\n“Yes, vaṇti z a wìcnis indd. Bt prîd – ẃr ɖr z a riyl s’pirioṛti v mînd, prîd wl b olwz undr gd reğleśn.”\nIliẓbʈ trnd awe t hîd a smîl.\n“Yr xaṃneśn v Mr Darsi z ovr, I prizym,” sd Mis Bñli; “n pre ẃt z ɖ rzult?”\n“I am prf̣cli cnvinst bî it ɖt Mr Darsi hz no dīfect. H ǒnz it himslf wɖt dsgîz.”\n“No,” sd Darsi, “I hv md no sć pritnśn. I hv fōlts inuf, bt ɖe r nt, I hop, v unḍstandñ. Mî tmpr I der nt vǎć fr. It z, I b’liv, tù litl yīldñ – srtnli tù litl fr ɖ cnvīńns v ɖ wrld. I canot fget ɖ foliz n vîsz v uɖrz so sn az I òt, nr ɖer ofnsz agnst mslf. Mî fīlñz r nt puft abt wɖ evri atmt t muv ɖm. Mî tmpr wd phps b cōld rzntfl. Mî gd opińn wns lost, z lost fr evr.”\n“Ɖt z a felñ indd!” craid Iliẓbʈ. “Implacbl rzntmnt z a śêd in a caṛctr. Bt y hv ćozn yr fōlt wel. I riyli canot laf at it. Y r sef fṛm m.”\n“Ɖr z, I b’liv, in evri disṗziśn a tndnsi t sm ptiklr īvl – a naćṛl dīfect, ẃć nt īvn ɖ bst edyceśn cn oṿcm.”\n“N yr dīfect z t het evrbdi.”\n“N yrz,” h rplaid wɖ a smîl, “z wilf̣li t misunḍstand ɖm.”\n“D let s hv a litl ḿzic,” craid Mis Bñli, tîrd v a convseśn in ẃć ś hd no śer. “Luīza, y wl nt mînd mî wecñ Mr Hrst?”\nHr sistr hd nt ɖ smōlist objx́n, n ɖ piaṇforte wz opnd; n Darsi, aftr a fy momnts’ rec̣lex́n, wz nt sori fr it. H bgan t fīl ɖ denjr v peyñ Iliẓbʈ tù mć atnśn.\nn consiqns v an agrīmnt btwn ɖ sistrz, Iliẓbʈ rout ɖ nxt mornñ t ɖer muɖr, t beg ɖt ɖ carij mt b snt fr ɖm in ɖ cors v ɖ de. Bt Msz Benit, hu hd calkletd on hr dōtrz rmenñ at Neɖ̇fīld tl ɖ folowñ Tyzde, ẃć wd xacli finiś Jen’z wīc, cd nt brñ hrslf t rsiv ɖm wɖ pleźr bfr. Hr ansr, ɖrfr, wz nt pṛpiśs, at līst nt t Iliẓbʈ’s wśz, fr ś wz impeśnt t gt hom. Msz Benit snt ɖm wrd ɖt ɖe cd nt poṣbli hv ɖ carij bfr Tyzde; n in hr poșcript it wz add, ɖt f Mr Bñli n hiz sistr prest ɖm t ste longr, ś cd sper ɖm vri wel. Agnst steyñ longr, hvr, Iliẓbʈ wz poztivli rzolvd – nr dd ś mć xpct it wd b asct; n firfl, on ɖ contrri, az biyñ cnsidrd az intrudñ ɖmslvz nīdlisli loñ, ś rjd Jen t boro Mr Bñli’z carij imīɉtli, n at leñʈ it wz setld ɖt ɖer orijinl dzîn v līvñ Neɖ̇fīld ɖt mornñ śd b mnśnd, n ɖ rqst md.\nƉ cḿṇceśn xîtd mni pṛfeśnz v cnsrn; n inuf wz sd v wśñ ɖm t ste at līst tl ɖ folowñ de t wrc on Jen; n tl ɖ moro ɖer gwñ wz dfŕd. Mis Bñli wz ɖen sori ɖt ś hd pṛpozd ɖ dle, fr hr jeḷsi n dslîc v wn sistr mć xidd hr afx́n fr ɖ uɖr.\nƉ mastr v ɖ hǎs hŕd wɖ riyl soro ɖt ɖe wr t g so sn, n rpitidli traid t pswed Mis Benit ɖt it wd nt b sef fr hr – ɖt ś wz nt inuf rcuvrd; bt Jen wz frm ẃr ś flt hrslf t b rît.\nT Mr Darsi it wz welcm intelijns – Iliẓbʈ hd bn at Neɖ̇fīld loñ inuf. Ś atractd him mor ɖn h lîct – n Mis Bñli wz unsivl t hr, n mor tizñ ɖn yźl t himslf. H wîzli rzolvd t b ptiklrli cerfl ɖt no sîn v adṃreśn śd nǎ iscep him, nʈñ ɖt cd eḷvet hr wɖ ɖ hop v inflụnsñ hiz f’liṣti; snṣbl ɖt f sć an îdīa hd bn sjstd, hiz bhevyr jrñ ɖ last de mst hv mtirịl weit in cnfrmñ or cruśñ it. Stedi t hiz prṗs, h scersli spouc ten wrdz t hr ʈru ɖ hol v Saṭde, n ɖo ɖe wr at wn tîm left bî ɖmslvz fr haf-an-aur, h adhird most conśienśsli t hiz bc, n wd nt īvn lc at hr.\nOn Súnde, aftr mornñsrvis, ɖ seṗreśn, so agriybl t olmst ol, tc ples. Mis Bñli’z sviḷti t Iliẓbʈ incrist at last vri rapidli, az wel az hr afx́n fr Jen; n ẃn ɖe partd, aftr aśurñ ɖ latr v ɖ pleźr it wd olwz gv hr t si hr îɖr at Loñbōrn or Neɖ̇fīld, n imbresñ hr most tndrli, ś īvn śc handz wɖ ɖ formr. Iliẓbʈ tc līv v ɖ hol parti in ɖ lîvliist v spirits.\nƉe wr nt welcmd hom vri corɉli bî ɖer muɖr. Msz Benit wundrd at ɖer cmñ, n ʈt ɖm vri roñ t gv so mć trubl, n wz śr Jen wd hv còt cold agn. Bt ɖer faɖr, ɖo vri l’conic in hiz xpreśnz v pleźr, wz riyli glad t si ɖm; h hd flt ɖer importns in ɖ faṃlisrcl. Ɖ īvnñconvseśn, ẃn ɖe wr ol asmbld, hd lost mć v its aṇmeśn, n olmst ol its sns bî ɖ absns v Jen n Iliẓbʈ.\nƉe faund Mẹri, az yźl, dīp in ɖ studi v ʈuṛbeis n hymn nećr; n hd sm xtracts t admîr, n sm ny obẓveśnz v ʈredbér mraḷti t lisn t. Caʈ̇rin n Lidia hd inf̣meśn fr ɖm v a difṛnt sort. Mć hd bn dn n mć hd bn sd in ɖ rejimnt sins ɖ prisidñ Wenzde; sevṛl v ɖ ofisrz hd dînd lêtli wɖ ɖer uncl, a prîṿt hd bn flogd, n it hd acć̣li bn hintd ɖt Crnl Forstr wz gwñ t b marid.\nhop, mî dir,” sd Mr Benit t hiz wîf, az ɖe wr at brecfst ɖ nxt mornñ, “ɖt y hv ordrd a gd dinr tde, bcz I hv rīzn t xpct an adiśn t ǎr faṃliparti.”\n“Hu d y mīn, mî dir? I nǒ v nbdi ɖt z cmñ, I am śr, unls Śarlót Lūc̣s śd hapn t cōl in – n I hop mî dinrz r gd inuf fr hr. I d nt b’liv ś ofn siz sć at hom.”\n“Ɖ prsn v hūm I spīc z a jntlmn, n a strenjr.”\nMsz Benit’s îz sparcld. “A jntlmn n a strenjr! It z Mr Bñli, I am śr! Wel, I am śr I śl b xtrimli glad t si Mr Bñli. Bt – gd Lord! hǎ unluci! Ɖr z nt a bit v fiś t b got tde. Lidia, mî luv, rñ ɖ bel – I mst spīc t Hil ɖs momnt.”\n“It z nt Mr Bñli,” sd hr huzbnd; “it z a prsn hūm I nvr sw in ɖ hol cors v mî lîf.”\nƉs rǎzd a jenṛl astoniśmnt; n h hd ɖ pleźr v biyñ īgrli qsćnd bî hiz wîf n hiz fîv dōtrz at wns.\nAftr aḿzñ himslf sm tîm wɖ ɖer krioṣti, h ɖus xplend:\n“Abt a munʈ ago I rsivd ɖs letr; n abt a fortnît ago I ansrd it, fr I ʈt it a ces v sm delic̣si, n rqîrñ rli atnśn. It z fṛm mî cuzn, Mr Colinz, hu, ẃn I am ded, me trn y ol ǎt v ɖs hǎs az sn az h plizz.”\n“Ǒ! mî dir,” craid hiz wîf, “I canot ber t hír ɖt mnśnd. Pre d nt tōc v ɖt odịs man. I d ʈnc it z ɖ hardist ʈñ in ɖ wrld, ɖt yr istet śd b inteild awe fṛm yr ǒn ćildṛn; n I am śr, f I hd bn y, I śd hv traid loñ ago t d smʈñ or uɖr abt it.”\nJen n Iliẓbʈ traid t xplen t hr ɖ nećr v an inteil. Ɖe hd ofn atmtd t d it bfr, bt it wz a subjict on ẃć Msz Benit wz bynd ɖ rīć v rīzn, n ś cntinyd t rel bitrli agnst ɖ cruwlti v seṭlñ an istet awe fṛm a faṃli v fîv dōtrz, in fevr v a man hūm nbdi cerd enʈñ abt.\n“It srtnli z a most iniqiṭs afer,” sd Mr Benit, “n nʈñ cn clir Mr Colinz fṛm ɖ gilt v inheṛtñ Loñbōrn. Bt f y wl lisn t hiz letr, y me phps b a litl sofnd bî hiz manr v xpresñ himslf.”\n“No, ɖt I am śr I śl nt; n I ʈnc it z vri imprtinnt v him t rait t y at ol, n vri hiṗcriticl. I het sć fōls frendz. Ẃ cd h nt cīp on qoṛlñ wɖ y, az hiz faɖr dd bfr him?”\n“Ẃ, indd; h dz sīm t hv hd sm fiłl scrūplz on ɖt hed, az y wl hír.”\n“Hunsf̣d, nir Wstṛm, Cnt, 15th Octobr.\n“Dir Sr, –\n“Ɖ dis’grīmnt sbsistñ btwn yrslf n mî lêt onrd faɖr olwz gev m mć unīzinis, n sins I hv hd ɖ msfortyn t lūz him, I hv frīqntli wśt t hīl ɖ brīć; bt fr sm tîm I wz cept bac bî mî ǒn dǎts, firñ lest it mt sīm disrispctfl t hiz meṃri fr m t b on gd trmz wɖ enwn wɖ hūm it hd olwz plizd him t b at verịns. – ‘Ɖr, Msz Benit.’ – Mî mînd, hvr, z nǎ md p on ɖ subjict, fr hvñ rsivd orḍneśn at Īstr, I hv bn so forćṇt az t b dstnḡśt bî ɖ patṛnij v ɖ Rît Onṛbl Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg, wido v Sr Luis d’Brg, huz bǎnti n bnefisns hz prifŕd m t ɖ vałbl recṭri v ɖs pariś, ẃr it śl b mî rnist indevr t dmin mslf wɖ gretfl rspct twdz hr lediśp, n b evr redi t pform ɖoz ráits n seriṃniz ẃć r insttytd bî ɖ Ćrć v Ñgḷnd. Az a clrjimn, morovr, I fīl it mî dyti t pṛmot n istabliś ɖ blesñ v pīs in ol faṃliz wɖn ɖ rīć v mî inflụns; n on ɖz grǎndz I flatr mslf ɖt mî preznt oṿćrz r hîli cmndbl, n ɖt ɖ srcmstans v mî biyñ nxt in ɖ inteil v Loñbōrn istet wl b cîndli oṿlct on yr sîd, n nt līd y t rjct ɖ ofrd olivbranć. I canot b uɖrwz ɖn cnsrnd at biyñ ɖ mīnz v inɉrñ yr emịbl dōtrz, n beg līv t apoḷjîz fr it, az wel az t aśur y v mî redinis t mc ɖm evri poṣbl amndz – bt v ɖs hiraftr. F y śd hv no objx́n t rsiv m intu yr hǎs, I pṛpoz mslf ɖ saṭsfax́n v wêtñ on y n yr faṃli, Munde, Nvmbr 18ʈ, bî for o’cloc, n śl probbli tresṗs on yr hosṗtaḷti tl ɖ Saṭde senît folowñ, ẃć I cn d wɖt eni incnvińns, az Ledi Caʈ̇rin z far fṛm objctñ t mî oceźnl absns on a Súnde, pṛvîdd ɖt sm uɖr clrjimn z ingejd t d ɖ dyti v ɖ de. – I rmen, dir sr, wɖ rspctfl complimnts t yr ledi n dōtrz, yr wel-wśr n frend,\n“At for o’cloc, ɖrfr, w me xpct ɖs pīs-mcñ jntlmn,” sd Mr Benit, az h foldd p ɖ letr. “H sīmz t b a most conśienśs n p’lît yuñ man, upn mî wrd, n I dǎt nt wl pruv a vałbl aqentns, ispeṣ́li f Ledi Caʈ̇rin śd b so induljnt az t let him cm t s agn.”\n“Ɖr z sm sns in ẃt h sz abt ɖ grlz, hvr, n f h z dspozd t mc ɖm eni amndz, I śl nt b ɖ prsn t dscurij him.”\n“Ɖo it z dificlt,” sd Jen, “t ges in ẃt we h cn mīn t mc s ɖ atonmnt h ʈncs ǎr dy, ɖ wś z srtnli t hiz credit.”\nIliẓbʈ wz ćīfli struc bî hiz xtrordnri defṛns fr Ledi Caʈ̇rin, n hiz cînd intnśn v criṣnñ, mariyñ, n beriyñ hiz p’riṣ́nrz ẃnvr it wr rqîrd.\n“H mst b an oḍti, I ʈnc,” sd ś. “I canot mc him ǎt. – Ɖr z smʈñ vri pomṗs in hiz stîl. – N ẃt cn h mīn bî apoḷjîzñ fr biyñ nxt in ɖ inteil? – W canot s’poz h wd hlp it f h cd. – Cd h b a snṣbl man, sr?”\n“No, mî dir, I ʈnc nt. I hv gret hops v fîndñ him qt ɖ rvrs. Ɖr z a mixćr v srviḷti n slf-importns in hiz letr, ẃć proṃsz wel. I am impeśnt t si him.”\n“In pônt v compziśn,” sd Mẹri, “ɖ letr dz nt sīm dfctiv. Ɖ îdīa v ɖ olivbranć phps z nt hoļi ny, yt I ʈnc it z wel xprest.”\nT Caʈ̇rin n Lidia, nɖr ɖ letr nr its raitr wr in eni dgri inṭrestñ. It wz nxt t imposbl ɖt ɖer cuzn śd cm in a scarlit cot, n it wz nǎ sm wīcs sins ɖe hd rsivd pleźr fṛm ɖ ssayti v a man in eni uɖr culr. Az fr ɖer muɖr, Mr Colinz’z letr hd dn awe mć v hr il wil, n ś wz pripẹrñ t si him wɖ a dgri v cmpoźr ẃć astoniśt hr huzbnd n dōtrz.\nMr Colinz wz puñćl t hiz tîm, n wz rsivd wɖ gret p’lîtnis bî ɖ hol faṃli. Mr Benit indd sd litl; bt ɖ lediz wr redi inuf t tōc, n Mr Colinz sīmd nɖr in nīd v incurijmnt, nr inclînd t b sîḷnt himslf. H wz a tōl, hevi-lcñ yuñ man v fîv-n-twenti. Hiz er wz grev n stetli, n hiz manrz wr vri forml. H hd nt bn loñ sītd bfr h compḷmntd Msz Benit on hvñ so fîn a faṃli v dōtrz; sd h hd hŕd mć v ɖer byti, bt ɖt in ɖs instns fem hd fōḷn śort v ɖ truʈ; n add, ɖt h dd nt dǎt hr siyñ ɖm ol in dy tîm dspozd v in marij. Ɖs gaḷntri wz nt mć t ɖ test v sm v hiz hírrz; bt Msz Benit, hu qoṛld wɖ no complimnts, ansrd most reḍli.\n“Y r vri cînd, I am śr; n I wś wɖ ol mî hart it me pruv so, fr els ɖe wl b dsttyt inuf. Ʈñz r setld so odli.”\n“Y alud, phps, t ɖ inteil v ɖs istet.”\n“Ā! sr, I d indd. It z a grīṿs afer t mî pur grlz, y mst cnfes. Nt ɖt I mīn t fînd fōlt wɖ y, fr sć ʈñz I nǒ r ol ćans in ɖs wrld. Ɖr z no nwñ hǎ istets wl g ẃn wns ɖe cm t b inteild.”\n“I am vri snṣbl, madm, v ɖ hardśp t mî fer cuznz, n cd se mć on ɖ subjict, bt ɖt I am cōśs v apirñ fwd n prisipitt. Bt I cn aśur ɖ yuñ lediz ɖt I cm priperd t admîr ɖm. At preznt I wl nt se mor; bt, phps, ẃn w r betr aqentd – ”\nH wz inṭruptd bî a sumnz t dinr; n ɖ grlz smîld on ć uɖr. Ɖe wr nt ɖ onli objicts v Mr Colinz’z adṃreśn. Ɖ hōl, ɖ dînñrūm, n ol its frnićr, wr xamind n prezd; n hiz comndeśn v evrʈñ wd hv tućt Msz Benit’s hart, bt fr ɖ morṭfayñ supziśn v hiz vywñ it ol az hiz ǒn fyćr proṗti. Ɖ dinr tù in its trn wz hîli admîrd; n h begd t nǒ t ẃć v hiz fer cuznz ɖ xḷnsi v its ccñ wz owñ. Bt h wz set rît ɖr bî Msz Benit, hu aśurd him wɖ sm aspeṛti ɖt ɖe wr vri wel ebl t cīp a gd cc, n ɖt hr dōtrz hd nʈñ t d in ɖ cićn. H begd pardn fr hvñ dsplizd hr. In a sofnd ton ś dclerd hrslf nt at ol ofndd; bt h cntinyd t apoḷjîz fr abt a qortr v an aur.\nrñ dinr, Mr Benit scersli spouc at ol; bt ẃn ɖ srvnts wr wɖdrwn, h ʈt it tîm t hv sm convseśn wɖ hiz gest, n ɖrfr startd a subjict in ẃć h xpctd him t śîn, bî obzrvñ ɖt h sīmd vri forćṇt in hiz petṛnes. Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg’z atnśn t hiz wśz, n cnsiḍreśn fr hiz cumf̣t, apird vri rmarcbl. Mr Benit cd nt hv ćozn betr. Mr Colinz wz eḷqnt in hr prêz. Ɖ subjict eḷvetd him t mor ɖn yźl s’lemṇti v manr, n wɖ a most importnt aspect h pṛtstd ɖt “h hd nvr in hiz lîf witnist sć bhevyr in a prsn v ranc – sć afbiḷti n condisnśn, az h hd himslf xpirịnst fṛm Ledi Caʈ̇rin. Ś hd bn greśsli plizd t apruv v bʈ v ɖ dscorsz ẃć h hd olrdi hd ɖ onr v prīćñ bfr hr. Ś hd olso asct him twîs t dîn at Rozñz, n hd snt fr him onli ɖ Saṭde bfr, t mc p hr pūl v qdril in ɖ īvnñ. Ledi Caʈ̇rin wz recnd prǎd bî mni ppl h ń, bt h hd nvr sìn enʈñ bt afbiḷti in hr. Ś hd olwz spocn t him az ś wd t eni uɖr jntlmn; ś md nt ɖ smōlist objx́n t hiz jônñ in ɖ ssayti v ɖ nebrhd nr t hiz līvñ ɖ pariś oceźṇli fr a wīc or tū, t vizit hiz rleśnz. Ś hd īvn condisndd t advîz him t mari az sn az h cd, pṛvîdd h ćoz wɖ dscreśn; n hd wns peid him a vizit in hiz humbl parṣnij, ẃr ś hd prf̣cli apruvd ol ɖ olṭreśnz h hd bn mcñ, n hd īvn vǎćseft t sjst sm hrslf – sm ślvz in ɖ clozit upsterz.”\n“Ɖt z ol vri propr n sivl, I am śr,” sd Msz Benit, “n I der se ś z a vri agriybl wmn. It z a piti ɖt gret lediz in jenṛl r nt mor lîc hr. Dz ś liv nir y, sr?”\n“Ɖ gardn in ẃć standz mî humbl abod z seṗretd onli bî a len fṛm Rozñz Parc, hr lediśp’s rezidns.”\n“I ʈnc y sd ś wz a wido, sr? Hz ś eni faṃli?”\n“Ś hz onli wn dōtr, ɖ éres v Rozñz, n v vri xtnsiv proṗti.”\n“Ā!” sd Msz Benit, śecñ hr hed, “ɖen ś z betr of ɖn mni grlz. N ẃt sort v yuñ ledi z ś? Z ś hansm?”\n“Ś z a most ćarmñ yuñ ledi indd. Ledi Caʈ̇rin hrslf sz ɖt, in pônt v tru byti, Mis d’Brg z far s’pirịr t ɖ hanṣmist v hr sx, bcz ɖr z ɖt in hr fīćrz ẃć marcs ɖ yuñ ledi v dstnḡśt brʈ. Ś z unforćṇtli v a sicli consttyśn, ẃć hz privntd hr fṛm mcñ ɖt progres in mni acumpliśmnts ẃć ś cd nt hv uɖrwz feld v, az I am informd bî ɖ ledi hu sūṗintndd hr edyceśn, n hu stl rzîdz wɖ ɖm. Bt ś z prf̣cli emịbl, n ofn condisndz t drîv bî mî humbl abod in hr litl feytn n poniz.”\n“Hz ś bn prizntd? I d nt rmembr hr nem amñ ɖ lediz at cort.”\n“Hr indifṛnt stet v hlʈ unhaṗli privnts hr biyñ in tǎn; n bî ɖt mīnz, az I tld Ledi Caʈ̇rin wn de, hz dprîvd ɖ Britiś cort v its brîtist orṇmnt. Hr lediśp sīmd plizd wɖ ɖ îdīa; n y me imajn ɖt I am hapi on evri oceźn t ofr ɖoz litl delic̣t complimnts ẃć r olwz axptbl t lediz. I hv mor ɖn wns obzrvd t Ledi Caʈ̇rin, ɖt hr ćarmñ dōtr sīmd born t b a dućis, n ɖt ɖ most eḷvetd ranc, instd v gvñ hr consiqns, wd b adornd bî hr. Ɖz r ɖ cnd v litl ʈñz ẃć plīz hr lediśp, n it z a sort v atnśn ẃć I cnsiv mslf pkłrli bǎnd t pe.”\n“Y juj vri proprli,” sd Mr Benit, “n it z hapi fr y ɖt y pzes ɖ taḷnt v flaṭrñ wɖ delic̣si. Me I asc ẃɖr ɖz plizñ atnśnz pṛsid fṛm ɖ impuls v ɖ momnt, or r ɖ rzult v prīvịs studi?”\n“Ɖe arîz ćīfli fṛm ẃt z pasñ at ɖ tîm, n ɖo I smtmz aḿz mslf wɖ sjstñ n arenjñ sć litl elignt complimnts az me b adaptd t ordnri oceźnz, I olwz wś t gv ɖm az unstudid an er az poṣbl.”\nMr Benit’s xpcteśnz wr fŭli ansrd. Hiz cuzn wz az absrd az h hd hopt, n h lisnd t him wɖ ɖ cīnist injômnt, mntenñ at ɖ sem tîm ɖ most reẓlut cmpoźr v cǎntinns, n, xpt in an oceźnl glans at Iliẓbʈ, rqîrñ no partnr in hiz pleźr.\nBî tītîm, hvr, ɖ dos hd bn inuf, n Mr Benit wz glad t tec hiz gest intu ɖ drw̃rūm agn, n, ẃn ti wz ovr, glad t invît him t rīd alǎd t ɖ lediz. Mr Colinz reḍli asntd, n a bc wz pṛdyst; bt, on bholdñ it (fr evrʈñ anǎnst it t b fṛm a srkletñ lîbrri), h startd bac, n begñ pardn, pṛtstd ɖt h nvr réd novlz. Citi stérd at him, n Lidia xclemd. Uɖr bcs wr pṛdyst, n aftr sm dliḅreśn h ćoz Fordîs’z Srmnz. Lidia gept az h opnd ɖ volym, n bfr h hd, wɖ vri mnotṇs s’lemṇti, réd ʈri pejz, ś inṭruptd him wɖ:\n“D y nǒ, m’mā, ɖt mî uncl Filips tōcs v trnñ awe Rićd; n f h dz, Crnl Forstr wl hîr him. Mî ānt tld m so hrslf on Saṭde. I śl wōc t Meritn tmoro t hír mor abt it, n t asc ẃn Mr Deni cmz bac fṛm tǎn.”\nLidia wz bid bî hr tū eldist sistrz t hold hr tuñ; bt Mr Colinz, mć ofndd, leid asd hiz bc, n sd:\n“I hv ofn obzrvd hǎ litl yuñ lediz r inṭrestd bî bcs v a sirịs stamp, ɖo ritn soļi fr ɖer beṇfit. It amezz m, I cnfes; fr, srtnli, ɖr cn b nʈñ so advntejs t ɖm az instrux́n. Bt I wl no longr imṗtyn mî yuñ cuzn.”\nƉen trnñ t Mr Benit, h ofrd himslf az hiz antaġnist at bacgamn. Mr Benit axptd ɖ ćalinj, obzrvñ ɖt h actd vri wîzli in līvñ ɖ grlz t ɖer ǒn trîf̣lñ aḿzmnts. Msz Benit n hr dōtrz apoḷjîzd most siṿli fr Lidia’z inṭrupśn, n promist ɖt it śd nt ocŕ agn, f h wd rzym hiz bc; bt Mr Colinz, aftr aśurñ ɖm ɖt h bòr hiz yuñ cuzn no il wil, n śd nvr rznt hr bhevyr az eni afrunt, sītd himslf at anɖr tebl wɖ Mr Benit, n priperd fr bacgamn.\nr Colinz wz nt a snṣbl man, n ɖ dfiśnsi v nećr hd bn bt litl asistd bî edyceśn or ssayti; ɖ gretist part v hiz lîf hvñ bn spent undr ɖ gîdns v an ilitṛt n mîzrli faɖr; n ɖo h b’loñd t wn v ɖ yṇvrṣtiz, h hd mirli cept ɖ nesṣri trmz, wɖt formñ at it eni ysfl aqentns. Ɖ sbjx́n in ẃć hiz faɖr hd bròt him p hd gvn him orijiṇli gret hymiḷti v manr; bt it wz nǎ a gd dīl cǎnṭactd bî ɖ slf-cnsit v a wìc hed, livñ in rtîrmnt, n ɖ consiqnśl fīlñz v rli n unixpctd pṛspeṛti. A forćṇt ćans hd rec̣mndd him t Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg ẃn ɖ livñ v Hunsf̣d wz vecnt; n ɖ rspct ẃć h flt fr hr hî ranc, n hiz veṇreśn fr hr az hiz petṛnes, mnġlñ wɖ a vri gd opińn v himslf, v hiz oʈoṛti az a clrjimn, n hiz rît az a rectr, md him oltgɖr a mixćr v prîd n obsīqịsnis, slf-importns n hymiḷti.\nHvñ nǎ a gd hǎs n a vri sfiśnt incm, h intndd t mari; n in sīcñ a recnsilieśn wɖ ɖ Loñbōrn faṃli h hd a wîf in vy, az h mnt t ćūz wn v ɖ dōtrz, f h faund ɖm az hansm n emịbl az ɖe wr reprizntd bî comn rport. Ɖs wz hiz plan v amndz – v atonmnt – fr inheṛtñ ɖer faɖr’z istet; n h ʈt it an xḷnt wn, fl v eliɉbiḷti n sūtblnis, n xesivli jenṛs n disinṭrestd on hiz ǒn part.\nHiz plan dd nt vẹri on siyñ ɖm. Mis Benit’s luvli fes cnfrmd hiz vyz, n istabliśt ol hiz strictist nośnz v ẃt wz dy t sīnioṛti; n fr ɖ frst īvnñ ś wz hiz setld ćôs. Ɖ nxt mornñ, hvr, md an olṭreśn; fr in a qortr v an aur’z tete-a-tete wɖ Msz Benit bfr brecfst, a convseśn bginñ wɖ hiz parṣnijhǎs, n līdñ naćṛli t ɖ avawl v hiz hops, ɖt a mistris mt b faund fr it at Loñbōrn, pṛdyst fṛm hr, amd vri cmplesnt smîlz n jenṛl incurijmnt, a cōśn agnst ɖ vri Jen h hd fixt on. “Az t hr yungr dōtrz, ś cd nt tec upn hr t se – ś cd nt poztivli ansr – bt ś dd nt nǒ v eni prīṗześn; hr eldist dōtr, ś mst jst mnśn – ś flt it incumbnt on hr t hint, wz lîcli t b vri sn ingejd.”\nMr Colinz hd onli t ćenj fṛm Jen t Iliẓbʈ – n it wz sn dn – dn ẃl Msz Benit wz stŕñ ɖ fîr. Iliẓbʈ, īqli nxt t Jen in brʈ n byti, s’xidd hr v cors.\nMsz Benit treźrd p ɖ hint, n trustd ɖt ś mt sn hv tū dōtrz marid; n ɖ man hūm ś cd nt ber t spīc v ɖ de bfr wz nǎ hî in hr gd gresz.\nLidia’z intnśn v wōcñ t Meritn wz nt fgotn; evri sistr xpt Mẹri agrìd t g wɖ hr; n Mr Colinz wz t atnd ɖm, at ɖ rqst v Mr Benit, hu wz most añśs t gt rid v him, n hv hiz lîbrri t himslf; fr ɖiɖr Mr Colinz hd foloud him aftr brecfst; n ɖr h wd cntiny, nomiṇli ingejd wɖ wn v ɖ larjist folios in ɖ c’lex́n, bt riyli tōcñ t Mr Benit, wɖ litl sseśn, v hiz hǎs n gardn at Hunsf̣d. Sć dwñz discmpozd Mr Benit xidñli. In hiz lîbrri h hd bn olwz śr v leźr n tranqiḷti; n ɖo priperd, az h tld Iliẓbʈ, t mīt wɖ foli n cnsit in evri uɖr rūm v ɖ hǎs, h wz yst t b fri fṛm ɖm ɖr; hiz sviḷti, ɖrfr, wz most promt in invîtñ Mr Colinz t jôn hiz dōtrz in ɖer wōc; n Mr Colinz, biyñ in fact mć betr fitd fr a wōcr ɖn a rīdr, wz xtrimli plizd t cloz hiz larj bc, n g.\nIn pomṗs nuʈñz on hiz sîd, n sivl asnts on ɖt v hiz cuznz, ɖer tîm pást tl ɖe entrd Meritn. Ɖ atnśn v ɖ yungr wnz wz ɖen no longr t b gend bî him. Ɖer îz wr imīɉtli wonḍrñ p in ɖ strīt in qst v ɖ ofisrz, n nʈñ les ɖn a vri smart bonit indd, or a riyli ny muzlin in a śopwindo, cd rcōl ɖm.\nBt ɖ atnśn v evri ledi wz sn còt bî a yuñ man, hūm ɖe hd nvr sìn bfr, v most jntlmnlîc apiṛns, wōcñ wɖ anɖr ofisr on ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ we. Ɖ ofisr wz ɖ vri Mr Deni cnsrnñ huz rtrn fṛm Lundn Lidia cem t inqîr, n h baud az ɖe pást. Ol wr struc wɖ ɖ strenjr’z er, ol wundrd hu h cd b; n Citi n Lidia, dtrmind f poṣbl t fînd ǎt, léd ɖ we acrs ɖ strīt, undr pritns v wontñ smʈñ in an oṗzit śop, n forćṇtli hd jst gend ɖ pevmnt ẃn ɖ tū jntlṃn, trnñ bac, hd rīćt ɖ sem spot. Mr Deni adrest ɖm d’recli, n intritd pmiśn t intṛdys hiz frend, Mr Wicm, hu hd rtrnd wɖ him ɖ de bfr fṛm tǎn, n h wz hapi t se hd axptd a cmiśn in ɖer cōr. Ɖs wz xacli az it śd b; fr ɖ yuñ man wontd onli reɉmntlz t mc him cmplitli ćarmñ. Hiz apiṛns wz gretli in hiz fevr; h hd ol ɖ bst part v byti, a fîn cǎntinns, a gd figr, n vri plizñ adres. Ɖ intṛdux́n wz foloud p on hiz sîd bî a hapi redinis v convseśn – a redinis at ɖ sem tîm prf̣cli c’rect n un’symñ; n ɖ hol parti wr stl standñ n tōcñ tgɖr vri agriybli, ẃn ɖ sǎnd v horsz drù ɖer notis, n Darsi n Bñli wr sìn rîdñ dǎn ɖ strīt. On dstnḡśñ ɖ lediz v ɖ grūp, ɖ tū jntlṃn cem d’recli twdz ɖm, n bgan ɖ yźl sviḷtiz. Bñli wz ɖ prinsipl spocsmn, n Mis Benit ɖ prinsipl objict. H wz ɖen, h sd, on hiz we t Loñbōrn on prṗs t inqîr aftr hr. Mr Darsi c’roḅretd it wɖ a bǎ, n wz bginñ t dtrmin nt t fix hiz îz on Iliẓbʈ, ẃn ɖe wr sudnli arestd bî ɖ sît v ɖ strenjr, n Iliẓbʈ haṗnñ t si ɖ cǎntinns v bʈ az ɖe lct at ć uɖr, wz ol astoniśmnt at ɖ ifct v ɖ mītñ. Bʈ ćenjd culr, wn lct ẃît, ɖ uɖr red. Mr Wicm, aftr a fy momnts, tućt hiz hat – a sałteśn ẃć Mr Darsi jst deind t rtrn. Ẃt cd b ɖ mīnñ v it? It wz imposbl t imajn; it wz imposbl nt t loñ t nǒ.\nIn anɖr minit, Mr Bñli, bt wɖt sīmñ t hv notist ẃt pást, tc līv n roud on wɖ hiz frend.\nMr Deni n Mr Wicm wōct wɖ ɖ yuñ lediz t ɖ dor v Mr Fílips’z hǎs, n ɖen md ɖer bǎz, in spît v Mis Lidia’z presñ intritiz ɖt ɖe śd cm in, n īvn in spît v Msz Filips’z ʈrowñ p ɖ parlrwindo n lǎdli secndñ ɖ invteśn.\nMsz Filips wz olwz glad t si hr nīsz; n ɖ tū eldist, fṛm ɖer rīsnt absns, wr ptiklrli welcm, n ś wz īgrli xpresñ hr s’prîz at ɖer sudn rtrn hom, ẃć, az ɖer ǒn carij hd nt fećt ɖm, ś śd hv noun nʈñ abt, f ś hd nt hapnd t si Mr Jǒnz’z śopbô in ɖ strīt, hu hd tld hr ɖt ɖe wr nt t snd eni mor dráfts t Neɖ̇fīld bcz ɖ Mis Benits wr cm awe, ẃn hr sviḷti wz clemd twdz Mr Colinz bî Jen’z intṛdux́n v him. Ś rsivd him wɖ hr vri bst p’lîtnis, ẃć h rtrnd wɖ az mć mor, apoḷjîzñ fr hiz intruźn, wɖt eni prīvịs aqentns wɖ hr, ẃć h cd nt hlp flaṭrñ himslf, hvr, mt b jusṭfaid bî hiz rleśnśp t ɖ yuñ lediz hu intṛdyst him t hr notis. Msz Filips wz qt ōd bî sć an xes v gd brīdñ; bt hr contmpleśn v wn strenjr wz sn pt t an end bî xcḷmeśnz n inqîriz abt ɖ uɖr; v hūm, hvr, ś cd onli tel hr nīsz ẃt ɖe olrdi ń, ɖt Mr Deni hd bròt him fṛm Lundn, n ɖt h wz t hv a l’ftennt’s cmiśn in ɖ ––śr. Ś hd bn woćñ him ɖ last aur, ś sd, az h wōct p n dǎn ɖ strīt, n hd Mr Wicm apird, Citi n Lidia wd srtnli hv cntinyd ɖ okpeśn, bt unluc̣li nwn pást windoz nǎ xpt a fy v ɖ ofisrz, hu, in cmparisn wɖ ɖ strenjr, wr bcm “stypid, dis’griybl feloz.” Sm v ɖm wr t dîn wɖ ɖ Filipsz ɖ nxt de, n ɖer ānt promist t mc hr huzbnd cōl on Mr Wicm, n gv him an invteśn olso, f ɖ faṃli fṛm Loñbōrn wd cm in ɖ īvnñ. Ɖs wz agrìd t, n Msz Filips pṛtstd ɖt ɖe wd hv a nîs cumf̣tbl nôzi gem v loṭriticits, n a litl bit v hot supr aftwdz. Ɖ prospect v sć dlîts wz vri ćirñ, n ɖe partd in ḿćl gd spirits. Mr Colinz rpitd hiz apoḷjiz in qitñ ɖ rūm, n wz aśurd wɖ unwiriyñ sviḷti ɖt ɖe wr prf̣cli nīdlis.\nAz ɖe wōct hom, Iliẓbʈ rletd t Jen ẃt ś hd sìn pas btwn ɖ tū jntlṃn; bt ɖo Jen wd hv dfndd îɖr or bʈ, hd ɖe apird t b in ɖ roñ, ś cd no mor xplen sć bhevyr ɖn hr sistr.\nMr Colinz on hiz rtrn hîli graṭfaid Msz Benit bî admîrñ Msz Filips’z manrz n p’lîtnis. H pṛtstd ɖt, xpt Ledi Caʈ̇rin n hr dōtr, h hd nvr sìn a mor elignt wmn; fr ś hd nt onli rsivd him wɖ ɖ utmost sviḷti, bt īvn pôntidli includd him in hr invteśn fr ɖ nxt īvnñ, olɖo utrli uņoun t hr bfr. Smʈñ, h s’pozd, mt b atribytd t hiz cnx́n wɖ ɖm, bt yt h hd nvr met wɖ so mć atnśn in ɖ hol cors v hiz lîf.\nz no objx́n wz md t ɖ yuñ ppl’z ingejmnt wɖ ɖer ānt, n ol Mr Colinz’z scrūplz v līvñ Mr n Msz Benit fr a sngl īvnñ jrñ hiz vizit wr most steḍli rzistd, ɖ coć cnveid him n hiz fîv cuznz at a sūṭbl aur t Meritn; n ɖ grlz hd ɖ pleźr v hírñ, az ɖe entrd ɖ drw̃rūm, ɖt Mr Wicm hd axptd ɖer uncl’z invteśn, n wz ɖen in ɖ hǎs.\nẂn ɖs inf̣meśn wz gvn, n ɖe hd ol tecn ɖer sīts, Mr Colinz wz at leźr t lc arnd him n admîr, n h wz so mć struc wɖ ɖ sîz n frnićr v ɖ apartmnt, ɖt h dclerd h mt olmst hv s’pozd himslf in ɖ smōl sumr brecfstparlr at Rozñz; a cmparisn ɖt dd nt at frst cnve mć gratiḟceśn; bt ẃn Msz Filips unḍstd fṛm him ẃt Rozñz wz, n hu wz its pṛpraytr – ẃn ś hd lisnd t ɖ dscripśn v onli wn v Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z drw̃rūmz, n faund ɖt ɖ ćimnipìs alon hd cost et hundṛd pǎndz, ś flt ol ɖ fors v ɖ complimnt, n wd hardli hv rzntd a cmparisn wɖ ɖ hǎscīpr’z rūm.\nIn dscrîbñ t hr ol ɖ granjr v Ledi Caʈ̇rin n hr manśn, wɖ oceźnl dgreśnz in prêz v hiz ǒn humbl abod, n ɖ impruvmnts it wz rsivñ, h wz haṗli imploid untl ɖ jntlṃn jônd ɖm; n h faund in Msz Filips a vri atntiv lisnr, huz opińn v hiz consiqns incrist wɖ ẃt ś hŕd, n hu wz rzolvñ t rīteil it ol amñ hr nebrz az sn az ś cd. T ɖ grlz, hu cd nt lisn t ɖer cuzn, n hu hd nʈñ t d bt t wś fr an instṛmnt, n xamin ɖer ǒn indifṛnt iṃteśnz v ćîna on ɖ mantlpìs, ɖ inṭvl v wêtñ apird vri loñ. It wz ovr at last, hvr. Ɖ jntlṃn dd aproć, n ẃn Mr Wicm wōct intu ɖ rūm, Iliẓbʈ flt ɖt ś hd nɖr bn siyñ him bfr, nr ʈncñ v him sins, wɖ ɖ smōlist dgri v unrīzṇbl adṃreśn. Ɖ ofisrz v ɖ ––śr wr in jenṛl a vri creditbl, jntlmnlîc set, n ɖ bst v ɖm wr v ɖ preznt parti; bt Mr Wicm wz az far bynd ɖm ol in prsn, cǎntinns, er, n wōc, az ɖe wr s’pirịr t ɖ brōd-fest, stufi uncl Filips, briɖñ portwîn, hu foloud ɖm intu ɖ rūm.\nMr Wicm wz ɖ hapi man twdz hūm olmst evri fīmel î wz trnd, n Iliẓbʈ wz ɖ hapi wmn bî hūm h fîṇli sītd himslf; n ɖ agriybl manr in ẃć h imīɉtli fél intu convseśn, ɖo it wz onli on its biyñ a wet nît, md hr fīl ɖt ɖ coṃnist, dulist, most ʈredbér topic mt b rendrd inṭrestñ bî ɖ scil v ɖ spīcr.\nWɖ sć rîvlz fr ɖ notis v ɖ fer az Mr Wicm n ɖ ofisrz, Mr Colinz sīmd t snc intu inṣgnificns; t ɖ yuñ lediz h srtnli wz nʈñ; bt h hd stl at inṭvlz a cînd lisnr in Msz Filips, n wz bî hr woćflnis, most abundntli s’plaid wɖ cofi n mufin. Ẃn ɖ cardteblz wr plest, h hd ɖ oṗtyṇti v oblîjñ hr in trn, bî sitñ dǎn t ẃist.\n“I nǒ litl v ɖ gem at preznt,” sd h, “bt I śl b glad t impruv mslf, fr in mî sićueśn in lîf – ” Msz Filips wz vri glad fr hiz cmplayns, bt cd nt wêt fr hiz rīzn.\nMr Wicm dd nt ple at ẃist, n wɖ redi dlît wz h rsivd at ɖ uɖr tebl btwn Iliẓbʈ n Lidia. At frst ɖr sīmd denjr v Lidia’z ingrosñ him intîrli, fr ś wz a most dtrmind tōcr; bt biyñ lîcwz xtrimli fond v loṭriticits, ś sn grù tù mć inṭrestd in ɖ gem, tù īgr in mcñ bets n xclemñ aftr prîzz t hv atnśn fr enwn in ptiklr. Alawñ fr ɖ comn dmandz v ɖ gem, Mr Wicm wz ɖrfr at leźr t tōc t Iliẓbʈ, n ś wz vri wilñ t hír him, ɖo ẃt ś ćīfli wśt t hír ś cd nt hop t b tld – ɖ hisṭri v hiz aqentns wɖ Mr Darsi. Ś derd nt īvn mnśn ɖt jntlmn. Hr krioṣti, hvr, wz unixpctidli rlivd. Mr Wicm bgan ɖ subjict himslf. H inqîrd hǎ far Neɖ̇fīld wz fṛm Meritn; n, aftr rsivñ hr ansr, asct in a heztetñ manr hǎ loñ Mr Darsi hd bn steyñ ɖr.\n“Abt a munʈ,” sd Iliẓbʈ; n ɖen, unwilñ t let ɖ subjict drop, add, “H z a man v vri larj proṗti in Darbiśr, I unḍstand.”\n“Yes,” rplaid Mr Wicm; “hiz istet ɖr z a nobl wn. A clir ten ʈǎznd p’anm. Y cd nt hv met wɖ a prsn mor ceṗbl v gvñ y srtn inf̣meśn on ɖt hed ɖn mslf, fr I hv bn cnctd wɖ hiz faṃli in a ptiklr manr fṛm mî inf̣nsi.”\nIliẓbʈ cd nt bt lc s’prîzd.\n“Y me wel b s’prîzd, Mis Benit, at sć an asrśn, aftr siyñ, az y probbli mt, ɖ vri cold manr v ǎr mītñ yesṭde. R y mć aqentd wɖ Mr Darsi?”\n“Az mć az I evr wś t b,” craid Iliẓbʈ vri wormli. “I hv spent for dez in ɖ sem hǎs wɖ him, n I ʈnc him vri dis’griybl.”\n“I hv no rît t gv mî opińn,” sd Wicm, “az t hiz biyñ agriybl or uɖrwz. I am nt qoḷfaid t form wn. I hv noun him tù loñ n tù wel t b a fer juj. It z imposbl fr m t b imparśl. Bt I b’liv yr opińn v him wd in jenṛl astoniś – n phps y wd nt xpres it qt so stroñli enẃr els. Hir y r in yr ǒn faṃli.”\n“Upn mî wrd, I se no mor hir ɖn I mt se in eni hǎs in ɖ nebrhd, xpt Neɖ̇fīld. H z nt at ol lîct in Hartfdśr. Evrbdi z dsgustd wɖ hiz prîd. Y wl nt fînd him mor fevṛbli spocn v bî enwn.”\n“I canot pritnd t b sori,” sd Wicm, aftr a śort inṭrupśn, “ɖt h or ɖt eni man śd nt b esṭmetd bynd ɖer dezts; bt wɖ him I b’liv it dz nt ofn hapn. Ɖ wrld z blîndd bî hiz fortyn n consiqns, or frîtnd bî hiz hî n impozñ manrz, n siz him onli az h ćuzz t b sìn.”\n“I śd tec him, īvn on mî slît aqentns, t b an il-tmprd man.” Wicm onli śc hiz hed.\n“I wundr,” sd h, at ɖ nxt oṗtyṇti v spīcñ, “ẃɖr h z lîcli t b in ɖs cuntri mć longr.”\n“I d nt at ol nǒ; bt I hŕd nʈñ v hiz gwñ awe ẃn I wz at Neɖ̇fīld. I hop yr planz in fevr v ɖ ––śr wl nt b afctd bî hiz biyñ in ɖ nebrhd.”\n“Ǒ! no – it z nt fr m t b drivn awe bî Mr Darsi. F h wśz t avôd siyñ m, h mst g. W r nt on frendli trmz, n it olwz gvz m pen t mīt him, bt I hv no rīzn fr avôdñ him bt ẃt I mt pṛclem bfr ol ɖ wrld, a sns v vri gret il ysij, n most penfl rgrets at hiz biyñ ẃt h z. Hiz faɖr, Mis Benit, ɖ lêt Mr Darsi, wz wn v ɖ bst men ɖt evr briɖd, n ɖ truist frend I evr hd; n I cn nvr b in cumṗni wɖ ɖs Mr Darsi wɖt biyñ grīvd t ɖ soul bî a ʈǎznd tndr rec̣lex́nz. Hiz bhevyr t mslf hz bn scandḷs; bt I veṛli b’liv I cd fgiv him enʈñ n evrʈñ, rɖr ɖn hiz dis’pôntñ ɖ hops n dsgresñ ɖ meṃri v hiz faɖr.”\nIliẓbʈ faund ɖ inṭrest v ɖ subjict incris, n lisnd wɖ ol hr hart; bt ɖ delic̣si v it privntd frɖr inqîri.\nMr Wicm bgan t spīc on mor jenṛl topics, Meritn, ɖ nebrhd, ɖ ssayti, apirñ hîli plizd wɖ ol ɖt h hd yt sìn, n spīcñ v ɖ latr wɖ jntl bt vri inteliɉbl gaḷntri.\n“It wz ɖ prospect v constnt ssayti, n gd ssayti,” h add, “ẃć wz mî ćīf indysmnt t entr ɖ ––śr. I ń it t b a most rspctbl, agriybl cōr, n mî frend Deni tmtd m frɖr bî hiz acǎnt v ɖer preznt qortrz, n ɖ vri gret atnśnz n xḷnt aqentnsz Meritn hd pṛkrd ɖm. Ssayti, I ǒn, z nesṣri t m. I hv bn a dis’pôntd man, n mî spirits wl nt ber soḷtyd. I mst hv implômnt n ssayti. A militri lîf z nt ẃt I wz intndd fr, bt srcmstansz hv nǎ md it eliɉbl. Ɖ ćrć òt t hv bn mî pṛfeśn – I wz bròt p fr ɖ ćrć, n I śd at ɖs tîm hv bn in pześn v a most vałbl livñ, hd it plizd ɖ jntlmn w wr spīcñ v jst nǎ.”\n“Yes – ɖ lêt Mr Darsi bqiɖd m ɖ nxt preznteśn v ɖ bst livñ in hiz gift. H wz mî godfaɖr, n xesivli ataćt t m. I canot d justis t hiz cîndnis. H mnt t pṛvîd fr m ampli, n ʈt h hd dn it; bt ẃn ɖ livñ fél, it wz gvn elsẃr.”\n“Gd hevnz!” craid Iliẓbʈ; “bt hǎ cd ɖt b? Hǎ cd hiz wl b disrigardd? Ẃ dd y nt sīc līgl rdres?”\n“Ɖr wz jst sć an informaḷti in ɖ trmz v ɖ bqst az t gv m no hop fṛm lw. A man v onr cd nt hv dǎtd ɖ intnśn, bt Mr Darsi ćoz t dǎt it – or t trīt it az a mirli cndiśnl rec̣mndeśn, n t asrt ɖt I hd forḟtd ol clem t it bî xtraṿgns, imprudns – in śort enʈñ or nʈñ. Srtn it z, ɖt ɖ livñ bcem vecnt tū yirz ago, xacli az I wz v an ej t hold it, n ɖt it wz gvn t anɖr man; n no les srtn z it, ɖt I canot akz mslf v hvñ riyli dn enʈñ t dzrv t lūz it. I hv a worm, ungardd tmpr, n I me hv spocn mî opińn v him, n t him, tù frīli. I cn rcōl nʈñ wrs. Bt ɖ fact z, ɖt w r vri difṛnt sort v men, n ɖt h hets m.”\n“Ɖs z qt śocñ! H dzrvz t b pubḷcli dsgrest.”\n“Sm tîm or uɖr h wl b – bt it śl nt b bî m. Tl I cn fget hiz faɖr, I cn nvr dfî or xpoz him.”\nIliẓbʈ onrd him fr sć fīlñz, n ʈt him hanṣmr ɖn evr az h xprest ɖm.\n“Bt ẃt,” sd ś, aftr a pōz, “cn hv bn hiz motiv? Ẃt cn hv indyst him t bhev so cruwli?”\n“A ʈura, dtrmind dslîc v m – a dslîc ẃć I canot bt atribyt in sm meźr t jeḷsi. Hd ɖ lêt Mr Darsi lîct m les, hiz sun mt hv bòrn wɖ m betr; bt hiz faɖr’z uncomn ataćmnt t m iṛtetd him, I b’liv, vri rli in lîf. H hd nt a tmpr t ber ɖ sort v comṗtiśn in ẃć w std – ɖ sort v prefṛns ẃć wz ofn gvn m.”\n“I hd nt ʈt Mr Darsi so bad az ɖs – ɖo I hv nvr lîct him. I hd nt ʈt so vri il v him. I hd s’pozd him t b dspîzñ hiz felocrīćrz in jenṛl, bt dd nt sspct him v dsndñ t sć mliśs rvnj, sć injustis, sć inhymaṇti az ɖs.”\nAftr a fy minits’ rflex́n, hvr, ś cntinyd, “I d rmembr hiz bostñ wn de, at Neɖ̇fīld, v ɖ implacbiḷti v hiz rzntmnts, v hiz hvñ an unfgivñ tmpr. Hiz disṗziśn mst b dredfl.”\n“I wl nt trust mslf on ɖ subjict,” rplaid Wicm; “I cn hardli b just t him.”\nIliẓbʈ wz agn dīp in ʈt, n aftr a tîm xclemd, “T trīt in sć a manr ɖ godsun, ɖ frend, ɖ feṿrit v hiz faɖr!” Ś cd hv add, “A yuñ man, tù, lîc y, huz vri cǎntinns me vǎć fr yr biyñ emịbl” – bt ś cntntd hrslf wɖ, “n wn, tù, hu hd probbli bn hiz cmpańn fṛm ćîldhd, cnctd tgɖr, az I ʈnc y sd, in ɖ closist manr!”\n“W wr born in ɖ sem pariś, wɖn ɖ sem parc; ɖ gretist part v ǎr yʈ wz pást tgɖr; inmets v ɖ sem hǎs, śẹrñ ɖ sem aḿzmnts, objicts v ɖ sem p’rentl cer. Mî faɖr bgan lîf in ɖ pṛfeśn ẃć yr uncl, Mr Filips, apirz t d so mć credit t – bt h gev p evrʈñ t b v ys t ɖ lêt Mr Darsi n dvotd ol hiz tîm t ɖ cer v ɖ Pmḅli proṗti. H wz most hîli istimd bî Mr Darsi, a most intiṃt, conf̣dnśl frend. Mr Darsi ofn acnolijd himslf t b undr ɖ gretist obḷgeśnz t mî faɖr’z activ sūṗintndns, n ẃn, imīɉtli bfr mî faɖr’z deʈ, Mr Darsi gev him a voḷntri promis v pṛvîdñ fr m, I am cnvinst ɖt h flt it t b az mć a dét v grattyd t him, az v hiz afx́n t mslf.”\n“Hǎ strenj!” craid Iliẓbʈ. “Hǎ abomiṇbl! I wundr ɖt ɖ vri prîd v ɖs Mr Darsi hz nt md him just t y! F fṛm no betr motiv, ɖt h śd nt hv bn tù prǎd t b dsonist – fr dsoṇsti I mst cōl it.”\n“It z wundrfl,” rplaid Wicm, “fr olmst ol hiz ax́nz me b trest t prîd; n prîd hd ofn bn hiz bst frend. It hz cnctd him nirr wɖ vrću ɖn wɖ eni uɖr fīlñ. Bt w r nn v s cnsistnt, n in hiz bhevyr t m ɖr wr strongr impulsz īvn ɖn prîd.”\n“Cn sć abomiṇbl prîd az hiz hv evr dn him gd?”\n“Yes. It hz ofn léd him t b libṛl n jenṛs, t gv hiz muni frīli, t dsple hosṗtaḷti, t asist hiz tennts, n rliv ɖ pur. Faṃliprîd, n fiłl prîd – fr h z vri prǎd v ẃt hiz faɖr wz – hv dn ɖs. Nt t apir t dsgres hiz faṃli, t djeṇret fṛm ɖ popylr qoḷtz, or lūz ɖ inflụns v ɖ Pmḅli Hǎs, z a pǎrfl motiv. H hz olso bruɖrli prîd, ẃć, wɖ sm bruɖrli afx́n, mcs him a vri cînd n cerfl gardịn v hiz sistr, n y wl hír him jenṛli craid p az ɖ most atntiv n bst v bruɖrz.”\n“Ẃt sort v grl z Mis Darsi?”\nH śc hiz hed. “I wś I cd cōl hr emịbl. It gvz m pen t spīc il v a Darsi. Bt ś z tù mć lîc hr bruɖr – vri, vri prǎd. Az a ćîld, ś wz afx́ṇt n plizñ, n xtrimli fond v m; n I hv dvotd aurz n aurz t hr aḿzmnt. Bt ś z nʈñ t m nǎ. Ś z a hansm grl, abt fiftīn or sixtīn, n, I unḍstand, hîli acumpliśt. Sins hr faɖr’z deʈ, hr hom hz bn Lundn, ẃr a ledi livz wɖ hr, n sūṗintndz hr edyceśn.”\nAftr mni pōzz n mni trîlz v uɖr subjicts, Iliẓbʈ cd nt hlp rvrtñ wns mor t ɖ frst, n seyñ:\n“I am astoniśt at hiz intiṃsi wɖ Mr Bñli! Hǎ cn Mr Bñli, hu sīmz gd hymr itslf, n z, I riyli b’liv, trūli emịbl, b in frendśp wɖ sć a man? Hǎ cn ɖe sūt ć uɖr? D y nǒ Mr Bñli?”\n“Nt at ol.”\n“H z a swīt-tmprd, emịbl, ćarmñ man. H canot nǒ ẃt Mr Darsi z.”\n“Probbli nt; bt Mr Darsi cn plīz ẃr h ćuzz. H dz nt wont abiḷtiz. H cn b a cnvrsbl cmpańn f h ʈncs it wrʈ hiz ẃl. Amñ ɖoz hu r at ol hiz īqlz in consiqns, h z a vri difṛnt man fṛm ẃt h z t ɖ les prospṛs. Hiz prîd nvr dzrts him; bt wɖ ɖ rić h z libṛl-mîndd, just, snsir, raṣ́nl, onṛbl, n phps agriybl – alawñ smʈñ fr fortyn n figr.”\nƉ ẃistparti sn aftwdz brecñ p, ɖ pleyrz gaɖrd rnd ɖ uɖr tebl n Mr Colinz tc hiz steśn btwn hiz cuzn Iliẓbʈ n Msz Filips. Ɖ yźl inqîriz az t hiz s’xes wr md bî ɖ latr. It hd nt bn vri gret; h hd lost evri pônt; bt ẃn Msz Filips bgan t xpres hr cnsrn ɖr’pn, h aśurd hr wɖ mć rnist graṿti ɖt it wz nt v ɖ līst importns, ɖt h cnsidrd ɖ muni az a mir trîfl, n begd ɖt ś wd nt mc hrslf unīzi.\n“I nǒ vri wel, madm,” sd h, “ɖt ẃn prsnz sit dǎn t a cardtebl, ɖe mst tec ɖer ćansz v ɖz ʈñz, n haṗli I am nt in sć srcmstansz az t mc fîv śilñz eni objict. Ɖr r undǎtidli mni hu cd nt se ɖ sem, bt ʈancs t Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg, I am rmuvd far bynd ɖ nseṣti v rgardñ litl matrz.”\nMr Wicm’z atnśn wz còt; n aftr obzrvñ Mr Colinz fr a fy momnts, h asct Iliẓbʈ in a lo vôs ẃɖr hr rleśn wz vri intiṃtli aqentd wɖ ɖ faṃli v d’Brg.\n“Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg,” ś rplaid, “hz vri lêtli gvn him a livñ. I hardli nǒ hǎ Mr Colinz wz frst intṛdyst t hr notis, bt h srtnli hz nt noun hr loñ.”\n“Y nǒ v cors ɖt Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg n Ledi Án Darsi wr sistrz; consiqntli ɖt ś z ānt t ɖ preznt Mr Darsi.”\n“No, indd, I dd nt. I ń nʈñ at ol v Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z cnx́nz. I nvr hŕd v hr xistns tl ɖ de bfr yesṭde.”\n“Hr dōtr, Mis d’Brg, wl hv a vri larj fortyn, n it z b’livd ɖt ś n hr cuzn wl ynît ɖ tū istets.”\nƉs inf̣meśn md Iliẓbʈ smîl, az ś ʈt v pur Mis Bñli. Ven indd mst b ol hr atnśnz, ven n yslis hr afx́n fr hiz sistr n hr prêz v himslf, f h wr olrdi slf-destind fr anɖr.\n“Mr Colinz,” sd ś, “spīcs hîli bʈ v Ledi Caʈ̇rin n hr dōtr; bt fṛm sm ptiklrz ɖt h hz rletd v hr lediśp, I sspct hiz grattyd mslidz him, n ɖt in spît v hr biyñ hiz petṛnes, ś z an aṛgnt, cnsitd wmn.”\n“I b’liv hr t b bʈ in a gret dgri,” rplaid Wicm; “I hv nt sìn hr fr mni yirz, bt I vri wel rmembr ɖt I nvr lîct hr, n ɖt hr manrz wr dicttorịl n insḷnt. Ś hz ɖ repyteśn v biyñ rmarcbli snṣbl n clevr; bt I rɖr b’liv ś d’rîvz part v hr abiḷtiz fṛm hr ranc n fortyn, part fṛm hr oʈorittiv manr, n ɖ rest fṛm ɖ prîd fr hr nefy, hu ćuzz ɖt evrwn cnctd wɖ him śd hv an unḍstandñ v ɖ frst clas.”\nIliẓbʈ alaud ɖt h hd gvn a vri raṣ́nl acǎnt v it, n ɖe cntinyd tōcñ tgɖr, wɖ ḿćl saṭsfax́n tl supr pt an end t cardz, n gev ɖ rest v ɖ lediz ɖer śer v Mr Wicm’z atnśnz. Ɖr cd b no convseśn in ɖ nôz v Msz Filips’z suprparti, bt hiz manrz rec̣mndd him t evrbdi. Ẃtvr h sd, wz sd wel; n ẃtvr h dd, dn gresf̣li. Iliẓbʈ wnt awe wɖ hr hed fl v him. Ś cd ʈnc v nʈñ bt v Mr Wicm, n v ẃt h hd tld hr, ol ɖ we hom; bt ɖr wz nt tîm fr hr īvn t mnśn hiz nem az ɖe wnt, fr nɖr Lidia nr Mr Colinz wr wns sîḷnt. Lidia tōct insesntli v loṭriticits, v ɖ fiś ś hd lost n ɖ fiś ś hd wún; n Mr Colinz in dscrîbñ ɖ sviḷti v Mr n Msz Filips, pṛtstñ ɖt h dd nt in ɖ līst rgard hiz losz at ẃist, ińṃretñ ol ɖ diśz at supr, n rpitidli firñ ɖt h crǎdd hiz cuznz, hd mor t se ɖn h cd wel manij bfr ɖ carij stopt at Loñbōrn Hǎs.\nliẓbʈ rletd t Jen ɖ nxt de ẃt hd pást btwn Mr Wicm n hrslf. Jen lisnd wɖ astoniśmnt n cnsrn; ś ń nt hǎ t b’liv ɖt Mr Darsi cd b so unwrɖi v Mr Bñli’z rgard; n yt, it wz nt in hr nećr t qsćn ɖ vraṣti v a yuñ man v sć emịbl apiṛns az Wicm. Ɖ posbiḷti v hiz hvñ indyrd sć uncîndnis, wz inuf t inṭrest ol hr tndr fīlñz; n nʈñ rmend ɖrfr t b dn, bt t ʈnc wel v ɖm bʈ, t dfnd ɖ conduct v ć, n ʈro intu ɖ acǎnt v axidnt or mstec ẃtvr cd nt b uɖrwz xplend.\n“Ɖe hv bʈ,” sd ś, “bn dsivd, I der se, in sm we or uɖr, v ẃć w cn form no îdīa. Inṭrestd ppl hv phps misreprizntd ć t ɖ uɖr. It z, in śort, imposbl fr s t cnjcćr ɖ cōzz or srcmstansz ẃć me hv ełnetd ɖm, wɖt acćl blem on îɖr sîd.”\n“Vri tru, indd; n nǎ, mî dir Jen, ẃt hv y got t se on bhaf v ɖ inṭrestd ppl hu hv probbli bn cnsrnd in ɖ biznis? D clir ɖm tù, or w śl b oblîjd t ʈnc il v smbdi.”\n“Laf az mć az y ćūz, bt y wl nt laf m ǎt v mî opińn. Mî dirist Lizi, d bt cnsidr in ẃt a dsgresfl lît it plesz Mr Darsi, t b trītñ hiz faɖr’z feṿrit in sć a manr, wn hūm hiz faɖr hd promist t pṛvîd fr. It z imposbl. No man v comn hymaṇti, no man hu hd eni valy fr hiz caṛctr, cd b ceṗbl v it. Cn hiz most intiṃt frendz b so xesivli dsivd in him? Ǒ! no.”\n“I cn mć mor īẓli b’liv Mr Bñli’z biyñ impozd on, ɖn ɖt Mr Wicm śd invnt sć a hisṭri v himslf az h gev m last nît; nemz, facts, evrʈñ mnśnd wɖt seriṃni. F it b nt so, let Mr Darsi contṛdict it. Bsdz, ɖr wz truʈ in hiz lcs.”\n“It z dificlt indd – it z dstresñ. Wn dz nt nǒ ẃt t ʈnc.”\n“I beg yr pardn; wn nz xacli ẃt t ʈnc.”\nBt Jen cd ʈnc wɖ srtnti on onli wn pônt – ɖt Mr Bñli, f h hd bn impozd on, wd hv mć t sufr ẃn ɖ afer bcem public.\nƉ tū yuñ lediz wr sumnd fṛm ɖ śruḅri, ẃr ɖs convseśn pást, bî ɖ arîvl v ɖ vri prsnz v hūm ɖe hd bn spīcñ; Mr Bñli n hiz sistrz cem t gv ɖer prsnl invteśn fr ɖ loñ-xpctd bōl at Neɖ̇fīld, ẃć wz fixt fr ɖ folowñ Tyzde. Ɖ tū lediz wr dlîtd t si ɖer dir frend agn, cōld it an ej sins ɖe hd met, n rpitidli asct ẃt ś hd bn dwñ wɖ hrslf sins ɖer seṗreśn. T ɖ rest v ɖ faṃli ɖe peid litl atnśn; avôdñ Msz Benit az mć az poṣbl, seyñ nt mć t Iliẓbʈ, n nʈñ at ol t ɖ uɖrz. Ɖe wr sn gn agn, rîzñ fṛm ɖer sīts wɖ an activti ẃć tc ɖer bruɖr bî s’prîz, n huriyñ of az f īgr t iscep fṛm Msz Benit’s sviḷtiz.\nƉ prospect v ɖ Neɖ̇fīld bōl wz xtrimli agriybl t evri fīmel v ɖ faṃli. Msz Benit ćoz t cnsidr it az gvn in complimnt t hr eldist dōtr, n wz ptiklrli flatrd bî rsivñ ɖ invteśn fṛm Mr Bñli himslf, instd v a seṛmońs card. Jen picćrd t hrslf a hapi īvnñ in ɖ ssayti v hr tū frendz, n ɖ atnśnz v ɖer bruɖr; n Iliẓbʈ ʈt wɖ pleźr v dansñ a gret dīl wɖ Mr Wicm, n v siyñ a confmeśn v evrʈñ in Mr Darsi’z lc n bhevyr. Ɖ hapinis antiṣpetd bî Caʈ̇rin n Lidia dpndd les on eni sngl ivnt, or eni ptiklr prsn, fr ɖo ɖe ć, lîc Iliẓbʈ, mnt t dans haf ɖ īvnñ wɖ Mr Wicm, h wz bî no mīnz ɖ onli partnr hu cd saṭsfî ɖm, n a bōl wz, at eni ret, a bōl. N īvn Mẹri cd aśur hr faṃli ɖt ś hd no disincḷneśn fr it.\n“Ẃl I cn hv mî mornñz t mslf,” sd ś, “it z inuf – I ʈnc it z no sacṛfîs t jôn oceźṇli in īvnñ-ingejmnts. Ssayti hz clemz on s ol; n I pṛfes mslf wn v ɖoz hu cnsidr inṭvlz v recrieśn n aḿzmnt az dzîṛbl fr evrbdi.”\nIliẓbʈ’s spirits wr so hî on ɖs oceźn, ɖt ɖo ś dd nt ofn spīc uņessṛli t Mr Colinz, ś cd nt hlp ascñ him ẃɖr h intndd t axpt Mr Bñli’z invteśn, n f h dd, ẃɖr h wd ʈnc it propr t jôn in ɖ īvnñ’z aḿzmnt; n ś wz rɖr s’prîzd t fînd ɖt h enttend no scrūpl ẃtvr on ɖt hed, n wz vri far fṛm dredñ a rbyc îɖr fṛm ɖ Arćbiṣ́p, or Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg, bî vnćrñ t dans.\n“I am bî no mīnz v ɖ opińn, I aśur y,” sd h, “ɖt a bōl v ɖs cnd, gvn bî a yuñ man v caṛctr, t rspctbl ppl, cn hv eni īvl tndnsi; n I am so far fṛm objctñ t dansñ mslf, ɖt I śl hop t b onrd wɖ ɖ handz v ol mî fer cuznz in ɖ cors v ɖ īvnñ; n I tec ɖs oṗtyṇti v s’liṣtñ yrz, Mis Iliẓbʈ, fr ɖ tū frst dansz ispeṣ́li, a prefṛns ẃć I trust mî cuzn Jen wl atribyt t ɖ rît cōz, n nt t eni disrispct fr hr.”\nIliẓbʈ flt hrslf cmplitli tecn in. Ś hd fŭli pṛpozd biyñ ingejd bî Mr Wicm fr ɖoz vri dansz; n t hv Mr Colinz instd! hr lîvlinis hd nvr bn wrs tîmd. Ɖr wz no hlp fr it, hvr. Mr Wicm’z hapinis n hr ǒn wr pfors dleid a litl longr, n Mr Colinz’z pṛpozl axptd wɖ az gd a gres az ś cd. Ś wz nt ɖ betr plizd wɖ hiz gaḷntri fṛm ɖ îdīa it sjstd v smʈñ mor. It nǎ frst struc hr, ɖt ś wz s’lectd fṛm amñ hr sistrz az wrɖi v biyñ mistris v Hunsf̣d Parṣnij, n v asistñ t form a qdriltebl at Rozñz, in ɖ absns v mor eliɉbl vizitrz. Ɖ îdīa sn rīćt t cnvix́n, az ś obzrvd hiz incrisñ sviḷtiz twd hrslf, n hŕd hiz frīqnt atmt at a complimnt on hr wit n vivaṣti; n ɖo mor astoniśt ɖn graṭfaid hrslf bî ɖs ifct v hr ćarmz, it wz nt loñ bfr hr muɖr gev hr t unḍstand ɖt ɖ probbiḷti v ɖer marij wz xtrimli agriybl t hr. Iliẓbʈ, hvr, dd nt ćūz t tec ɖ hint, biyñ wel awer ɖt a sirịs dspyt mst b ɖ consiqns v eni rplî. Mr Colinz mt nvr mc ɖ ofr, n tl h dd, it wz yslis t qoṛl abt him.\nF ɖr hd nt bn a Neɖ̇fīld bōl t priper fr n tōc v, ɖ yungr Mis Benits wd hv bn in a vri pitịbl stet at ɖs tîm, fr fṛm ɖ de v ɖ invteśn, t ɖ de v ɖ bōl, ɖr wz sć a s’xeśn v ren az privntd ɖer wōcñ t Meritn wns. No ānt, no ofisrz, no nyz cd b sòt aftr – ɖ vri śūrôzz fr Neɖ̇fīld wr got bî proxi. Īvn Iliẓbʈ mt hv faund sm trîl v hr peśns in weɖr ẃć toṭli sspndd ɖ impruvmnt v hr aqentns wɖ Mr Wicm; n nʈñ les ɖn a dans on Tyzde, cd hv md sć a Frîde, Saṭde, Súnde, n Munde indyṛbl t Citi n Lidia.\nl Iliẓbʈ entrd ɖ drw̃rūm at Neɖ̇fīld, n lct in ven fr Mr Wicm amñ ɖ clustr v red cots ɖr asmbld, a dǎt v hiz biyñ preznt hd nvr ocŕd t hr. Ɖ srtnti v mītñ him hd nt bn ćect bî eni v ɖoz rec̣lex́nz ɖt mt nt unrīzṇbli hv alarmd hr. Ś hd drest wɖ mor ɖn yźl cer, n priperd in ɖ hîist spirits fr ɖ conqest v ol ɖt rmend unṣbdyd v hiz hart, trustñ ɖt it wz nt mor ɖn mt b wún in ɖ cors v ɖ īvnñ. Bt in an instnt arouz ɖ dredfl sspiśn v hiz biyñ prṗsli omitd fr Mr Darsi’z pleźr in ɖ Bñliz’ invteśn t ɖ ofisrz; n ɖo ɖs wz nt xacli ɖ ces, ɖ abṣlut fact v hiz absns wz pṛnǎnst bî hiz frend Deni, t hūm Lidia īgrli aplaid, n hu tld ɖm ɖt Wicm hd bn oblîjd t g t tǎn on biznis ɖ de bfr, n wz nt yt rtrnd; adñ, wɖ a sgnificnt smîl, “I d nt imajn hiz biznis wd hv cōld him awe jst nǎ, f h hd nt wontd t avôd a srtn jntlmn hir.”\nƉs part v hiz intelijns, ɖo unhŕd bî Lidia, wz còt bî Iliẓbʈ, n, az it aśurd hr ɖt Darsi wz nt les ansṛbl fr Wicm’z absns ɖn f hr frst s’mîz hd bn just, evri fīlñ v dspleźr agnst ɖ formr wz so śarpnd bî imīɉt dis’pôntmnt, ɖt ś cd hardli rplî wɖ tolṛbl sviḷti t ɖ p’lît inqîriz ẃć h d’recli aftwdz aproćt t mc. Atndns, fōrbeṛns, peśns wɖ Darsi, wz inɉri t Wicm. Ś wz rzolvd agnst eni sort v convseśn wɖ him, n trnd awe wɖ a dgri v il hymr ẃć ś cd nt hoļi s’mǎnt īvn in spīcñ t Mr Bñli, huz blînd parśiaḷti pṛvoct hr.\nBt Iliẓbʈ wz nt formd fr il hymr; n ɖo evri prospect v hr ǒn wz dstroid fr ɖ īvnñ, it cd nt dwel loñ on hr spirits; n hvñ tld ol hr grīfs t Śarlót Lūc̣s, hūm ś hd nt sìn fr a wīc, ś wz sn ebl t mc a voḷntri trnziśn t ɖ oḍtiz v hr cuzn, n t pônt him ǎt t hr ptiklr notis. Ɖ frst tū dansz, hvr, bròt a rtrn v dstres; ɖe wr dansz v mortiḟceśn. Mr Colinz, ōcẉd n soḷm, apoḷjîzñ instd v atndñ, n ofn muvñ roñ wɖt biyñ awer v it, gev hr ol ɖ śem n miẓri ẃć a dis’griybl partnr fr a cupl v dansz cn gv. Ɖ momnt v hr rlis fṛm him wz xṭsi.\nŚ danst nxt wɖ an ofisr, n hd ɖ rfreśmnt v tōcñ v Wicm, n v hírñ ɖt h wz yṇvrṣli lîct. Ẃn ɖoz dansz wr ovr, ś rtrnd t Śarlót Lūc̣s, n wz in convseśn wɖ hr, ẃn ś faund hrslf sudnli adrest bî Mr Darsi hu tc hr so mć bî s’prîz in hiz apḷceśn fr hr hand, ɖt, wɖt nwñ ẃt ś dd, ś axptd him. H wōct awe agn imīɉtli, n ś wz left t fret ovr hr ǒn wont v prezns v mînd; Śarlót traid t consol hr:\n“I der se y wl fînd him vri agriybl.”\n“Hevn fbid! Ɖt wd b ɖ gretist msfortyn v ol! T fînd a man agriybl hūm wn z dtrmind t het! D nt wś m sć an īvl.”\nẂn ɖ dansñ rīc̣mnst, hvr, n Darsi aproćt t clem hr hand, Śarlót cd nt hlp cōṣ́nñ hr in a ẃispr, nt t b a simpltn, n alǎ hr fansi fr Wicm t mc hr apir unpleznt in ɖ îz v a man ten tîmz hiz consiqns. Iliẓbʈ md no ansr, n tc hr ples in ɖ set, amezd at ɖ digṇti t ẃć ś wz arîvd in biyñ alaud t stand oṗzit t Mr Darsi, n rīdñ in hr nebrz’ lcs, ɖer īql amezmnt in bholdñ it. Ɖe std fr sm tîm wɖt spīcñ a wrd; n ś bgan t imajn ɖt ɖer sîḷns wz t last ʈru ɖ tū dansz, n at frst wz rzolvd nt t brec it; tl sudnli fansiyñ ɖt it wd b ɖ gretr puniśmnt t hr partnr t oblîj him t tōc, ś md sm slît obẓveśn on ɖ dans. H rplaid, n wz agn sîḷnt. Aftr a pōz v sm minits, ś adrest him a secnd tîm wɖ: – “It z yr trn t se smʈñ nǎ, Mr Darsi. I tōct abt ɖ dans, n y òt t mc sm sort v rmarc on ɖ sîz v ɖ rūm, or ɖ numbr v cuplz.”\nH smîld, n aśurd hr ɖt ẃtvr ś wśt him t se śd b sd.\n“Vri wel. Ɖt rplî wl d fr ɖ preznt. Phps bî n bî I me obzrv ɖt prîṿt bōlz r mć plezntr ɖn public wnz. Bt nǎ w me b sîḷnt.”\n“D y tōc bî rūl, ɖen, ẃl y r dansñ?”\n“Smtmz. Wn mst spīc a litl, y nǒ. It wd lc od t b intîrli sîḷnt fr haf an aur tgɖr; n yt fr ɖ advantij v sm, convseśn òt t b so arenjd, az ɖt ɖe me hv ɖ trubl v seyñ az litl az poṣbl.”\n“R y cnsultñ yr ǒn fīlñz in ɖ preznt ces, or d y imajn ɖt y r graṭfayñ mîn?”\n“Bʈ,” rplaid Iliẓbʈ arćli; “fr I hv olwz sìn a gret siṃlaṛti in ɖ trn v ǎr mîndz. W r ć v an unsośl, taṣtrn disṗziśn, unwilñ t spīc, unls w xpct t se smʈñ ɖt wl amez ɖ hol rūm, n b handd dǎn t posteṛti wɖ ol ɖ eclā v a provrb.”\n“Ɖs z no vri strîcñ rzmbḷns v yr ǒn caṛctr, I am śr,” sd h. “Hǎ nir it me b t mîn, I canot pritnd t se. Y ʈnc it a feʈfl portrit undǎtidli.”\n“I mst nt dsîd on mî ǒn pformns.”\nH md no ansr, n ɖe wr agn sîḷnt tl ɖe hd gn dǎn ɖ dans, ẃn h asct hr f ś n hr sistrz dd nt vri ofn wōc t Meritn. Ś ansrd in ɖ afrṃtiv, n, unebl t rzist ɖ tmteśn, add, “Ẃn y met s ɖr ɖ uɖr de, w hd jst bn formñ a ny aqentns.”\nƉ ifct wz imīɉt. A dīpr śêd v hauteur oṿspred hiz fīćrz, bt h sd nt a wrd, n Iliẓbʈ, ɖo blemñ hrslf fr hr ǒn wìcnis, cd nt g on. At leñʈ Darsi spouc, n in a cnstrend manr sd, “Mr Wicm z blest wɖ sć hapi manrz az me enśur hiz mcñ frendz – ẃɖr h me b īqli ceṗbl v rtenñ ɖm, z les srtn.”\n“H hz bn so unluci az t lūz yr frendśp,” rplaid Iliẓbʈ wɖ emf̣sis, “n in a manr ẃć h z lîcli t sufr fṛm ol hiz lîf.”\nDarsi md no ansr, n sīmd dzîṛs v ćenjñ ɖ subjict. At ɖt momnt, Sr Wiłm Lūc̣s apird clos t ɖm, mīnñ t pas ʈru ɖ set t ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ rūm; bt on psivñ Mr Darsi, h stopt wɖ a bǎ v s’pirịr crṭsi t complimnt him on hiz dansñ n hiz partnr.\n“I hv bn most hîli graṭfaid indd, mî dir sr. Sć vri s’pirịr dansñ z nt ofn sìn. It z evidnt ɖt y b’loñ t ɖ frst srclz. Alǎ m t se, hvr, ɖt yr fer partnr dz nt dsgres y, n ɖt I mst hop t hv ɖs pleźr ofn rpitd, ispeṣ́li ẃn a srtn dzîṛbl ivnt, mî dir Ilîza (glansñ at hr sistr n Bñli) śl tec ples. Ẃt cngrać̣leśnz wl ɖen flo in! I apil t Mr Darsi: – bt let m nt inṭrupt y, sr. Y wl nt ʈanc m fr dtenñ y fṛm ɖ bwićñ cnvrs v ɖt yuñ ledi, huz brît îz r olso upbrêdñ m.”\nƉ latr part v ɖs adres wz scersli hŕd bî Darsi; bt Sr Wiłm’z aluźn t hiz frend sīmd t strîc him forṣbli, n hiz îz wr d’rectd wɖ a vri sirịs xpreśn twdz Bñli n Jen, hu wr dansñ tgɖr. Rcuṿrñ himslf, hvr, śortli, h trnd t hiz partnr, n sd, “Sr Wiłm’z inṭrupśn hz md m fget ẃt w wr tōcñ v.”\n“I d nt ʈnc w wr spīcñ at ol. Sr Wiłm cd nt hv inṭruptd tū ppl in ɖ rūm hu hd les t se fr ɖmslvz. W hv traid tū or ʈri subjicts olrdi wɖt s’xes, n ẃt w r t tōc v nxt I canot imajn.”\n“Ẃt ʈnc y v bcs?” sd h, smîlñ.\n“Bcs – ǒ! no. I am śr w nvr rīd ɖ sem, or nt wɖ ɖ sem fīlñz.”\n“I am sori y ʈnc so; bt f ɖt b ɖ ces, ɖr cn at līst b no wont v subjict. W me cmper ǎr difṛnt opińnz.”\n“No – I canot tōc v bcs in a bōlrūm; mî hed z olwz fl v smʈñ els.”\n“Ɖ preznt olwz okpîz y in sć sīnz – dz it?” sd h, wɖ a lc v dǎt.\n“Yes, olwz,” ś rplaid, wɖt nwñ ẃt ś sd, fr hr ʈts hd wondrd far fṛm ɖ subjict, az sn aftwdz apird bî hr sudnli xclemñ, “I rmembr hírñ y wns se, Mr Darsi, ɖt y hardli evr fgev, ɖt yr rzntmnt wns crietd wz un’piẓbl. Y r vri cōśs, I s’poz, az t its biyñ crietd.”\n“I am,” sd h, wɖ a frm vôs.\n“N nvr alǎ yrslf t b blîndd bî preɉdis?”\n“I hop nt.”\n“It z ptiklrli incumbnt on ɖoz hu nvr ćenj ɖer opińn, t b s’kr v jujñ proprli at frst.”\n“Me I asc t ẃt ɖz qsćnz tnd?”\n“Mirli t ɖ iḷstreśn v yr caṛctr,” sd ś, indeṿrñ t śec of hr graṿti. “I am trayñ t mc it ǎt.”\n“N ẃt z yr s’xes?”\nŚ śc hr hed. “I d nt gt on at ol. I hír sć difṛnt acǎnts v y az puzl m xidñli.”\n“I cn reḍli b’liv,” ansrd h grevli, “ɖt rports me vẹri gretli wɖ rspct t m; n I cd wś, Mis Benit, ɖt y wr nt t sceć mî caṛctr at ɖ preznt momnt, az ɖr z rīzn t fir ɖt ɖ pformns wd rflect no credit on îɖr.”\n“Bt f I d nt tec yr lîcnis nǎ, I me nvr hv anɖr oṗtyṇti.”\n“I wd bî no mīnz sspnd eni pleźr v yrz,” h coldli rplaid. Ś sd no mor, n ɖe wnt dǎn ɖ uɖr dans n partd in sîḷns; n on ć sîd dșaṭsfaid, ɖo nt t an īql dgri, fr in Darsi’z brest ɖr wz a tolṛbli pǎrfl fīlñ twdz hr, ẃć sn pṛkrd hr pardn, n d’rectd ol hiz angr agnst anɖr.\nƉe hd nt loñ seṗretd, ẃn Mis Bñli cem twdz hr, n wɖ an xpreśn v sivl dsden acostd hr:\n“So, Mis Ilîza, I hír y r qt dlîtd wɖ Jorj Wicm! Yr sistr hz bn tōcñ t m abt him, n ascñ m a ʈǎznd qsćnz; n I fînd ɖt ɖ yuñ man qt fgot t tel y, amñ hiz uɖr cḿṇceśn, ɖt h wz ɖ sun v old Wicm, ɖ lêt Mr Darsi’z stywd. Let m rec̣mnd y, hvr, az a frend, nt t gv implisit confidns t ol hiz asrśnz; fr az t Mr Darsi’z yzñ him il, it z prf̣cli fōls; fr, on ɖ contrri, h hz olwz bn rmarcbli cînd t him, ɖo Jorj Wicm hz trītd Mr Darsi in a most infṃs manr. I d nt nǒ ɖ ptiklrz, bt I nǒ vri wel ɖt Mr Darsi z nt in ɖ līst t blem, ɖt h canot ber t hír Jorj Wicm mnśnd, n ɖt ɖo mî bruɖr ʈt ɖt h cd nt wel avôd includñ him in hiz invteśn t ɖ ofisrz, h wz xesivli glad t fînd ɖt h hd tecn himslf ǎt v ɖ we. Hiz cmñ intu ɖ cuntri at ol z a most insḷnt ʈñ, indd, n I wundr hǎ h cd prizym t d it. I piti y, Mis Ilîza, fr ɖs dscuṿri v yr feṿrit’s gilt; bt riyli, cnsiḍrñ hiz dsent, wn cd nt xpct mć betr.”\n“Hiz gilt n hiz dsent apir bî yr acǎnt t b ɖ sem,” sd Iliẓbʈ angṛli; “fr I hv hŕd y akz him v nʈñ wrs ɖn v biyñ ɖ sun v Mr Darsi’z stywd, n v ɖt, I cn aśur y, h informd m himslf.”\n“I beg yr pardn,” rplaid Mis Bñli, trnñ awe wɖ a snir. “Xkz mî inṭfiṛns – it wz cîndli mnt.”\n“Insḷnt grl!” sd Iliẓbʈ t hrslf. “Y r mć mstecn f y xpct t inflụns m bî sć a pōltri atac az ɖs. I si nʈñ in it bt yr ǒn wilfl ignṛns n ɖ malis v Mr Darsi.” Ś ɖen sòt hr eldist sistr, hu hd unḍtecn t mc inqîriz on ɖ sem subjict v Bñli. Jen met hr wɖ a smîl v sć swīt cmplesnsi, a glo v sć hapi xpreśn, az sfiśntli marct hǎ wel ś wz saṭsfaid wɖ ɖ ocuṛnsiz v ɖ īvnñ. Iliẓbʈ instntli réd hr fīlñz, n at ɖt momnt s’liṣtyd fr Wicm, rzntmnt agnst hiz eṇmiz, n evrʈñ els, gev we bfr ɖ hop v Jen’z biyñ in ɖ fẹrist we fr hapinis.\n“I wont t nǒ,” sd ś, wɖ a cǎntinns no les smîlñ ɖn hr sistr’z, “ẃt y hv lrnt abt Mr Wicm. Bt phps y hv bn tù plezntli ingejd t ʈnc v eni ʈrd prsn; in ẃć ces y me b śr v mî pardn.”\n“No,” rplaid Jen, “I hv nt fgotn him; bt I hv nʈñ saṭsfactri t tel y. Mr Bñli dz nt nǒ ɖ hol v hiz hisṭri, n z qt ignṛnt v ɖ srcmstansz ẃć hv prinsipli ofndd Mr Darsi; bt h wl vǎć fr ɖ gd conduct, ɖ proḅti, n onr v hiz frend, n z prf̣cli cnvinst ɖt Mr Wicm hz dzrvd mć les atnśn fṛm Mr Darsi ɖn h hz rsivd; n I am sori t se bî hiz acǎnt az wel az hiz sistr’z, Mr Wicm z bî no mīnz a rspctbl yuñ man. I am afred h hz bn vri imprūdnt, n hz dzrvd t lūz Mr Darsi’z rgard.”\n“Mr Bñli dz nt nǒ Mr Wicm himslf?”\n“No; h nvr sw him tl ɖ uɖr mornñ at Meritn.”\n“Ɖs acǎnt ɖen z ẃt h hz rsivd fṛm Mr Darsi. I am saṭsfaid. Bt ẃt dz h se v ɖ livñ?”\n“H dz nt xacli rec̣lect ɖ srcmstansz, ɖo h hz hŕd ɖm fṛm Mr Darsi mor ɖn wns, bt h b’livz ɖt it wz left t him cndiśṇli onli.”\n“I hv nt a dǎt v Mr Bñli’z s’nseṛti,” sd Iliẓbʈ wormli; “bt y mst xkz mî nt biyñ cnvinst bî aśuṛnsz onli. Mr Bñli’z dfns v hiz frend wz a vri ebl wn, I der se; bt sins h z un’qentd wɖ sevṛl parts v ɖ stori, n hz lrnt ɖ rest fṛm ɖt frend himslf, I śl vnćr t stl ʈnc v bʈ jntlṃn az I dd bfr.”\nŚ ɖen ćenjd ɖ discors t wn mor graṭfayñ t ć, n on ẃć ɖr cd b no difṛns v sntimnt. Iliẓbʈ lisnd wɖ dlît t ɖ hapi, ɖo modist hops ẃć Jen enttend v Mr Bñli’z rgard, n sd ol in hr pǎr t hîtn hr confidns in it. On ɖer biyñ jônd bî Mr Bñli himslf, Iliẓbʈ wɖdru t Mis Lūc̣s; t huz inqîri aftr ɖ plezntnis v hr last partnr ś hd scersli rplaid, bfr Mr Colinz cem p t ɖm, n tld hr wɖ gret xlteśn ɖt h hd jst bn so forćṇt az t mc a most importnt dscuṿri.\n“I hv faund ǎt,” sd h, “bî a snğlr axidnt, ɖt ɖr z nǎ in ɖ rūm a nir rleśn v mî petṛnes. I hapnd t oṿhír ɖ jntlmn himslf mnṣ́nñ t ɖ yuñ ledi hu dz ɖ onrz v ɖ hǎs ɖ nemz v hiz cuzn Mis d’Brg, n v hr muɖr Ledi Caʈ̇rin. Hǎ wundrf̣li ɖz sort v ʈñz ocŕ! Hu wd hv ʈt v mî mītñ wɖ, phps, a nefy v Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg in ɖs asmbli! I am most ʈancfl ɖt ɖ dscuṿri z md in tîm fr m t pe mî rspcts t him, ẃć I am nǎ gwñ t d, n trust h wl xkz mî nt hvñ dn it bfr. Mî totl ignṛns v ɖ cnx́n mst plīd mî apoḷji.”\n“Y r nt gwñ t intṛdys yrslf t Mr Darsi!”\n“Indd I am. I śl intrit hiz pardn fr nt hvñ dn it rlịr. I b’liv him t b Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z nefy. It wl b in mî pǎr t aśur him ɖt hr lediśp wz qt wel yesṭde senît.”\nIliẓbʈ traid hard t dswed him fṛm sć a scīm, aśurñ him ɖt Mr Darsi wd cnsidr hiz adresñ him wɖt intṛdux́n az an imprtinnt frīdm, rɖr ɖn a complimnt t hiz ānt; ɖt it wz nt in ɖ līst nesṣri ɖr śd b eni notis on îɖr sîd; n ɖt f it wr, it mst b’loñ t Mr Darsi, ɖ s’pirịr in consiqns, t bgin ɖ aqentns. Mr Colinz lisnd t hr wɖ ɖ dtrmind er v folowñ hiz ǒn incḷneśn, n, ẃn ś sīst spīcñ, rplaid ɖus:\n“Mî dir Mis Iliẓbʈ, I hv ɖ hîist opińn in ɖ wrld in yr xḷnt jujmnt in ol matrz wɖn ɖ scop v yr unḍstandñ; bt pmit m t se, ɖt ɖr mst b a wîd difṛns btwn ɖ istabliśt formz v seriṃni amñst ɖ leyti, n ɖoz ẃć reğlet ɖ clrji; fr, gv m līv t obzrv ɖt I cnsidr ɖ clericl ofis az īql in pônt v digṇti wɖ ɖ hîist ranc in ɖ cñdm – pṛvîdd ɖt a propr hymiḷti v bhevyr z at ɖ sem tîm mntend. Y mst ɖrfr alǎ m t folo ɖ dictets v mî conśns on ɖs oceźn, ẃć līdz m t pform ẃt I lc on az a pônt v dyti. Pardn m fr nglectñ t profit bî yr advîs, ẃć on evri uɖr subjict śl b mî constnt gîd, ɖo in ɖ ces bfr s I cnsidr mslf mor fitd bî edyceśn n hbićl studi t dsîd on ẃt z rît ɖn a yuñ ledi lîc yrslf.” N wɖ a lo bǎ h left hr t atac Mr Darsi, huz rspśn v hiz advansz ś īgrli woćt, n huz astoniśmnt at biyñ so adrest wz vri evidnt. Hr cuzn prefist hiz spīć wɖ a soḷm bǎ n ɖo ś cd nt hír a wrd v it, ś flt az f hírñ it ol, n sw in ɖ mośn v hiz lips ɖ wrdz “apoḷji,” “Hunsf̣d,” n “Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg.” It vxt hr t si him xpoz himslf t sć a man. Mr Darsi wz ayñ him wɖ unristrend wundr, n ẃn at last Mr Colinz alaud him tîm t spīc, rplaid wɖ an er v distnt sviḷti. Mr Colinz, hvr, wz nt dscurijd fṛm spīcñ agn, n Mr Darsi’z cntmt sīmd abundntli incrisñ wɖ ɖ leñʈ v hiz secnd spīć, n at ɖ end v it h onli md him a slît bǎ, n muvd anɖr we. Mr Colinz ɖen rtrnd t Iliẓbʈ.\n“I hv no rīzn, I aśur y,” sd h, “t b dșaṭsfaid wɖ mî rspśn. Mr Darsi sīmd mć plizd wɖ ɖ atnśn. H ansrd m wɖ ɖ utmost sviḷti, n īvn peid m ɖ complimnt v seyñ ɖt h wz so wel cnvinst v Ledi Caʈ̇rin’z dsrnmnt az t b srtn ś cd nvr bsto a fevr unwrɖ̇li. It wz riyli a vri hansm ʈt. Upn ɖ hol, I am mć plizd wɖ him.”\nAz Iliẓbʈ hd no longr eni inṭrest v hr ǒn t psy, ś trnd hr atnśn olmst intîrli on hr sistr n Mr Bñli; n ɖ tren v agriybl rflex́nz ẃć hr obẓveśnz gev brʈ t, md hr phps olmst az hapi az Jen. Ś sw hr in îdīa setld in ɖt vri hǎs, in ol ɖ f’liṣti ẃć a marij v tru afx́n cd bsto; n ś flt ceṗbl, undr sć srcmstansz, v indeṿrñ īvn t lîc Bñli’z tū sistrz. Hr muɖr’z ʈts ś plenli sw wr bnt ɖ sem we, n ś dtrmind nt t vnćr nir hr, lest ś mt hír tù mć. Ẃn ɖe sat dǎn t supr, ɖrfr, ś cnsidrd it a most unluci pvrsnis ẃć plest ɖm wɖn wn v ć uɖr; n dīpli wz ś vxt t fînd ɖt hr muɖr wz tōcñ t ɖt wn prsn (Ledi Lūc̣s) frīli, opnli, n v nʈñ els bt hr xpcteśn ɖt Jen wd sn b marid t Mr Bñli. It wz an aṇmetñ subjict, n Msz Benit sīmd inceṗbl v ftīg ẃl ińṃretñ ɖ advantjz v ɖ mać. Hiz biyñ sć a ćarmñ yuñ man, n so rić, n livñ bt ʈri mîlz fṛm ɖm, wr ɖ frst pônts v slf-grać̣leśn; n ɖen it wz sć a cumf̣t t ʈnc hǎ fond ɖ tū sistrz wr v Jen, n t b srtn ɖt ɖe mst dzîr ɖ cnx́n az mć az ś cd d. It wz, morovr, sć a proṃsñ ʈñ fr hr yungr dōtrz, az Jen’z mariyñ so gretli mst ʈro ɖm in ɖ we v uɖr rić men; n lastli, it wz so pleznt at hr tîm v lîf t b ebl t cnsîn hr sngl dōtrz t ɖ cer v ɖer sistr, ɖt ś mt nt b oblîjd t g intu cumṗni mor ɖn ś lîct. It wz nesṣri t mc ɖs srcmstans a matr v pleźr, bcz on sć oceźnz it z ɖ eticét; bt nwn wz les lîcli ɖn Msz Benit t fînd cumf̣t in steyñ hom at eni pirịd v hr lîf. Ś cncludd wɖ mni gd wśz ɖt Ledi Lūc̣s mt sn b īqli forćṇt, ɖo evidntli n trîumfntli b’livñ ɖr wz no ćans v it.\nIn ven dd Iliẓbʈ indevr t ćec ɖ r’pidti v hr muɖr’z wrdz, or pswed hr t dscrîb hr f’liṣti in a les ōḍbl ẃispr; fr, t hr inixpresbl vxeśn, ś cd psiv ɖt ɖ ćīf v it wz oṿhŕd bî Mr Darsi, hu sat oṗzit t ɖm. Hr muɖr onli scoldd hr fr biyñ nonsnsicl.\n“Ẃt z Mr Darsi t m, pre, ɖt I śd b afred v him? I am śr w o him no sć ptiklr sviḷti az t b oblîjd t se nʈñ h me nt lîc t hír.”\n“Fr hevn’z sec, madm, spīc lowr. Ẃt advantij cn it b fr y t ofnd Mr Darsi? Y wl nvr rec̣mnd yrslf t hiz frend bî so dwñ!”\nNʈñ ɖt ś cd se, hvr, hd eni inflụns. Hr muɖr wd tōc v hr vyz in ɖ sem inteliɉbl ton. Iliẓbʈ bluśt n bluśt agn wɖ śem n vxeśn. Ś cd nt hlp frīqntli glansñ hr î at Mr Darsi, ɖo evri glans cnvinst hr v ẃt ś dredd; fr ɖo h wz nt olwz lcñ at hr muɖr, ś wz cnvinst ɖt hiz atnśn wz inverịbli fixt bî hr. Ɖ xpreśn v hiz fes ćenjd graɉli fṛm indignnt cntmt t a cmpozd n stedi graṿti.\nAt leñʈ, hvr, Msz Benit hd no mor t se; n Ledi Lūc̣s, hu hd bn loñ yōnñ at ɖ reṗtiśn v dlîts ẃć ś sw no lîclihd v śẹrñ, wz left t ɖ cumf̣ts v cold ham n ćicn. Iliẓbʈ nǎ bgan t rvîv. Bt nt loñ wz ɖ inṭvl v tranqiḷti; fr, ẃn supr wz ovr, sññ wz tōct v, n ś hd ɖ mortiḟceśn v siyñ Mẹri, aftr vri litl intriti, pripẹrñ t oblîj ɖ cumṗni. Bî mni sgnificnt lcs n sîḷnt intritiz, dd ś indevr t privnt sć a prūf v cmplesns, bt in ven; Mẹri wd nt unḍstand ɖm; sć an oṗtyṇti v xibtñ wz dlîtfl t hr, n ś bgan hr soñ. Iliẓbʈ’s îz wr fixt on hr wɖ most penfl snseśnz, n ś woćt hr progres ʈru ɖ sevṛl stanzaz wɖ an impeśns ẃć wz vri il rwordd at ɖer cloz; fr Mẹri, on rsivñ, amñst ɖ ʈancs v ɖ tebl, ɖ hint v a hop ɖt ś mt b priveld on t fevr ɖm agn, aftr ɖ pōz v haf a minit bgan anɖr. Mẹri’z pǎrz wr bî no mīnz fitd fr sć a dsple; hr vôs wz wìc, n hr manr afctd. Iliẓbʈ wz in aġniz. Ś lct at Jen, t si hǎ ś bòr it; bt Jen wz vri cmpozidli tōcñ t Bñli. Ś lct at hiz tū sistrz, n sw ɖm mcñ sînz v d’riźn at ć uɖr, n at Darsi, hu cntinyd, hvr, imṗtrbbli grev. Ś lct at hr faɖr t intrit hiz inṭfiṛns, lest Mẹri śd b sññ ol nît. H tc ɖ hint, n ẃn Mẹri hd finiśt hr secnd soñ, sd alǎd, “Ɖt wl d xtrimli wel, ćîld. Y hv dlîtd s loñ inuf. Let ɖ uɖr yuñ lediz hv tîm t xibit.”\nMẹri, ɖo pritndñ nt t hír, wz smẃt discnsrtd; n Iliẓbʈ, sori fr hr, n sori fr hr faɖr’z spīć, wz afred hr añzayti hd dn no gd. Uɖrz v ɖ parti wr nǎ aplaid t.\n“F I,” sd Mr Colinz, “wr so forćṇt az t b ebl t sñ, I śd hv gret pleźr, I am śr, in oblîjñ ɖ cumṗni wɖ an er; fr I cnsidr ḿzic az a vri iṇsnt dvrśn, n prf̣cli cmpatbl wɖ ɖ pṛfeśn v a clrjimn. I d nt mīn, hvr, t asrt ɖt w cn b jusṭfaid in dvotñ tù mć v ǎr tîm t ḿzic, fr ɖr r srtnli uɖr ʈñz t b atndd t. Ɖ rectr v a pariś hz mć t d. In ɖ frst ples, h mst mc sć an agrīmnt fr tîɖz az me b beṇfiśl t himslf n nt ofnsiv t hiz petṛn. H mst rait hiz ǒn srmnz; n ɖ tîm ɖt rmenz wl nt b tù mć fr hiz pariśdytiz, n ɖ cer n impruvmnt v hiz dwelñ, ẃć h canot b xkzd fṛm mcñ az cumf̣tbl az poṣbl. N I d nt ʈnc it v lît importns ɖt h śd hv atntiv n cnsiłtri manrz twdz evrbdi, ispeṣ́li twdz ɖoz t hūm h oz hiz prifŕmnt. I canot aqit him v ɖt dyti; nr cd I ʈnc wel v ɖ man hu śd omit an oceźn v tsṭfayñ hiz rspct twdz enbdi cnctd wɖ ɖ faṃli.” N wɖ a bǎ t Mr Darsi, h cncludd hiz spīć, ẃć hd bn spocn so lǎd az t b hŕd bî haf ɖ rūm. Mni stérd – mni smîld; bt nwn lct mor aḿzd ɖn Mr Benit himslf, ẃl hiz wîf sirịsli cmndd Mr Colinz fr hvñ spocn so snṣbli, n obzrvd in a haf-ẃispr t Ledi Lūc̣s, ɖt h wz a rmarcbli clevr, gd cnd v yuñ man.\nT Iliẓbʈ it apird ɖt, hd hr faṃli md an agrīmnt t xpoz ɖmslvz az mć az ɖe cd jrñ ɖ īvnñ, it wd hv bn imposbl fr ɖm t ple ɖer parts wɖ mor spirit or fînr s’xes; n hapi dd ś ʈnc it fr Bñli n hr sistr ɖt sm v ɖ xbiśn hd iscept hiz notis, n ɖt hiz fīlñz wr nt v a sort t b mć dstrest bî ɖ foli ẃć h mst hv witnist. Ɖt hiz tū sistrz n Mr Darsi, hvr, śd hv sć an oṗtyṇti v ridklñ hr rleśnz, wz bad inuf, n ś cd nt dtrmin ẃɖr ɖ sîḷnt cntmt v ɖ jntlmn, or ɖ insḷnt smîlz v ɖ lediz, wr mor intolṛbl.\nƉ rest v ɖ īvnñ bròt hr litl aḿzmnt. Ś wz tizd bî Mr Colinz, hu cntinyd most prṣvirñli bî hr sîd, n ɖo h cd nt privel on hr t dans wɖ him agn, pt it ǎt v hr pǎr t dans wɖ uɖrz. In ven dd ś intrit him t stand p wɖ smbdi els, n ofr t intṛdys him t eni yuñ ledi in ɖ rūm. H aśurd hr, ɖt az t dansñ, h wz prf̣cli indifṛnt t it; ɖt hiz ćīf objict wz bî delic̣t atnśnz t rec̣mnd himslf t hr n ɖt h śd ɖrfr mc a pônt v rmenñ clos t hr ɖ hol īvnñ. Ɖr wz no arğwñ upn sć a project. Ś oud hr gretist rlif t hr frend Mis Lūc̣s, hu ofn jônd ɖm, n gd-nećrdli ingejd Mr Colinz’z convseśn t hrslf.\nŚ wz at līst fri fṛm ɖ ofns v Mr Darsi’z frɖr notis; ɖo ofn standñ wɖn a vri śort distns v hr, qt disingejd, h nvr cem nir inuf t spīc. Ś flt it t b ɖ probbl consiqns v hr aluźnz t Mr Wicm, n rjôst in it.\nƉ Loñbōrn parti wr ɖ last v ol ɖ cumṗni t dpart, n, bî a mnūvr v Msz Benit, hd t wêt fr ɖer carij a qortr v an aur aftr evrbdi els wz gn, ẃć gev ɖm tîm t si hǎ harṭli ɖe wr wśt awe bî sm v ɖ faṃli. Msz Hrst n hr sistr scersli opnd ɖer mǎɖz, xpt t cmplen v ftīg, n wr evidntli impeśnt t hv ɖ hǎs t ɖmslvz. Ɖe rpulst evri atmt v Msz Benit at convseśn, n bî so dwñ ʈrù a langr ovr ɖ hol parti, ẃć wz vri litl rlivd bî ɖ loñ spīćz v Mr Colinz, hu wz compḷmntñ Mr Bñli n hiz sistrz on ɖ eligns v ɖer enttenmnt, n ɖ hosṗtaḷti n p’lîtnis ẃć hd marct ɖer bhevyr t ɖer gests. Darsi sd nʈñ at ol. Mr Benit, in īql sîḷns, wz injoyñ ɖ sīn. Mr Bñli n Jen wr standñ tgɖr, a litl dtaćt fṛm ɖ rest, n tōct onli t ć uɖr. Iliẓbʈ prizrvd az stedi a sîḷns az îɖr Msz Hrst or Mis Bñli; n īvn Lidia wz tù mć ftīgd t utr mor ɖn ɖ oceźnl xcḷmeśn v “Lord, hǎ tîrd I am!” acumṗnid bî a vayḷnt yōn.\nẂn at leñʈ ɖe arouz t tec līv, Msz Benit wz most presñli sivl in hr hop v siyñ ɖ hol faṃli sn at Loñbōrn, n adrest hrslf ispeṣ́li t Mr Bñli, t aśur him hǎ hapi h wd mc ɖm bî ītñ a faṃlidinr wɖ ɖm at eni tîm, wɖt ɖ seriṃni v a forml invteśn. Bñli wz ol gretfl pleźr, n h reḍli ingejd fr tecñ ɖ rliist oṗtyṇti v wêtñ on hr, aftr hiz rtrn fṛm Lundn, ẃiɖr h wz oblîjd t g ɖ nxt de fr a śort tîm.\nMsz Benit wz prf̣cli saṭsfaid, n qitd ɖ hǎs undr ɖ dlîtfl psweźn ɖt, alawñ fr ɖ nesṣri preṗreśnz v setlmnts, ny caṛjz, n wedñcloɖz, ś śd undǎtidli si hr dōtr setld at Neɖ̇fīld in ɖ cors v ʈri or for munʈs. V hvñ anɖr dōtr marid t Mr Colinz, ś ʈt wɖ īql srtnti, n wɖ cnsidṛbl, ɖo nt īql, pleźr. Iliẓbʈ wz ɖ līst dir t hr v ol hr ćildṛn; n ɖo ɖ man n ɖ mać wr qt gd inuf fr hr, ɖ wrʈ v ć wz iclipst bî Mr Bñli n Neɖ̇fīld.\nnxt de opnd a ny sīn at Loñbōrn. Mr Colinz md hiz decḷreśn in form. Hvñ rzolvd t d it wɖt los v tîm, az hiz līv v absns xtndd onli t ɖ folowñ Saṭde, n hvñ no fīlñz v difidns t mc it dstresñ t himslf īvn at ɖ momnt, h set abt it in a vri ordrli manr, wɖ ol ɖ obzrṿnsz, ẃć h s’pozd a reğlr part v ɖ biznis. On fîndñ Msz Benit, Iliẓbʈ, n wn v ɖ yungr grlz tgɖr, sn aftr brecfst, h adrest ɖ muɖr in ɖz wrdz:\n“Me I hop, madm, fr yr inṭrest wɖ yr fer dōtr Iliẓbʈ, ẃn I s’lisit fr ɖ onr v a prîṿt ōdịns wɖ hr in ɖ cors v ɖs mornñ?”\nBfr Iliẓbʈ hd tîm fr enʈñ bt a bluś v s’prîz, Msz Benit ansrd instntli, “Ǒ dir! – yes – srtnli. I am śr Lizi wl b vri hapi – I am śr ś cn hv no objx́n. Cm, Citi, I wont y upsterz.” N, gaɖ̇rñ hr wrc tgɖr, ś wz heṣnñ awe, ẃn Iliẓbʈ cōld ǎt:\n“Dir madm, d nt g. I beg y wl nt g. Mr Colinz mst xkz m. H cn hv nʈñ t se t m ɖt enbdi nīd nt hír. I am gwñ awe mslf.”\n“No, no, nonsns, Lizi. I dzîr y t ste ẃr y r.” N upn Iliẓbʈ’s sīmñ riyli, wɖ vxt n imbaṛst lcs, abt t iscep, ś add: “Lizi, I insist upn yr steyñ n hírñ Mr Colinz.”\nIliẓbʈ wd nt opoz sć an injuñśn – n a momnt’s cnsiḍreśn mcñ hr olso snṣbl ɖt it wd b wîzist t gt it ovr az sn n az qaytli az poṣbl, ś sat dǎn agn n traid t cnsil, bî insesnt implômnt ɖ fīlñz ẃć wr dvîdd btwn dstres n dvrśn. Msz Benit n Citi wōct of, n az sn az ɖe wr gn, Mr Colinz bgan.\n“B’liv m, mî dir Mis Iliẓbʈ, ɖt yr moḍsti, so far fṛm dwñ y eni dșrvis, rɖr adz t yr uɖr pfx́nz. Y wd hv bn les emịbl in mî îz hd ɖr nt bn ɖs litl unwilñnis; bt alǎ m t aśur y, ɖt I hv yr rspctd muɖr’z pmiśn fr ɖs adres. Y cn hardli dǎt ɖ pport v mî discors, hvr yr naćṛl delic̣si me līd y t dsmbl; mî atnśnz hv bn tù marct t b mstecn. Olmst az sn az I entrd ɖ hǎs, I sngld y ǎt az ɖ cmpańn v mî fyćr lîf. Bt bfr I am run awe wɖ bî mî fīlñz on ɖs subjict, phps it wd b advîẓbl fr m t stet mî rīznz fr mariyñ – n, morovr, fr cmñ intu Hartfdśr wɖ ɖ dzîn v s’lectñ a wîf, az I srtnli dd.”\nƉ îdīa v Mr Colinz, wɖ ol hiz soḷm cmpoźr, biyñ run awe wɖ bî hiz fīlñz, md Iliẓbʈ so nir lafñ, ɖt ś cd nt yz ɖ śort pōz h alaud in eni atmt t stop him frɖr, n h cntinyd:\n“Mî rīznz fr mariyñ r, frst, ɖt I ʈnc it a rît ʈñ fr evri clrjimn in īzi srcmstansz (lîc mslf) t set ɖ xampl v matriṃni in hiz pariś; secndli, ɖt I am cnvinst ɖt it wl ad vri gretli t mî hapinis; n ʈrdli – ẃć phps I òt t hv mnśnd rlịr, ɖt it z ɖ ptiklr advîs n rec̣mndeśn v ɖ vri nobl ledi hūm I hv ɖ onr v cōlñ petṛnes. Twîs hz ś condisndd t gv m hr opińn (unasct tù!) on ɖs subjict; n it wz bt ɖ vri Saṭde nît bfr I left Hunsf̣d – btwn ǎr pūlz at qdril, ẃl Msz Jncinsn wz arenjñ Mis d’Brg’z ftstūl, ɖt ś sd, ‘Mr Colinz, y mst mari. A clrjimn lîc y mst mari. Ćūz proprli, ćūz a jntlwŭmn fr mî sec; n fr yr ǒn, let hr b an activ, ysfl sort v prsn, nt bròt p hî, bt ebl t mc a smōl incm g a gd we. Ɖs z mî advîs. Fînd sć a wmn az sn az y cn, brñ hr t Hunsf̣d, n I wl vizit hr.’ Alǎ m, bî ɖ we, t obzrv, mî fer cuzn, ɖt I d nt recn ɖ notis n cîndnis v Ledi Caʈ̇rin d’Brg az amñ ɖ līst v ɖ advantjz in mî pǎr t ofr. Y wl fînd hr manrz bynd enʈñ I cn dscrîb; n yr wit n vivaṣti, I ʈnc, mst b axptbl t hr, ispeṣ́li ẃn tmprd wɖ ɖ sîḷns n rspct ẃć hr ranc wl inevitbli xît. Ɖus mć fr mî jenṛl intnśn in fevr v matriṃni; it rmenz t b tld ẃ mî vyz wr d’rectd twdz Loñbōrn instd v mî ǒn nebrhd, ẃr I cn aśur y ɖr r mni emịbl yuñ wimin. Bt ɖ fact z, ɖt biyñ, az I am, t inherit ɖs istet aftr ɖ deʈ v yr onrd faɖr (hu, hvr, me liv mni yirz longr), I cd nt saṭsfî mslf wɖt rzolvñ t ćūz a wîf fṛm amñ hiz dōtrz, ɖt ɖ los t ɖm mt b az litl az poṣbl, ẃn ɖ meḷnc̣li ivnt tecs ples – ẃć, hvr, az I hv olrdi sd, me nt b fr sevṛl yirz. Ɖs hz bn mî motiv, mî fer cuzn, n I flatr mslf it wl nt snc m in yr istim. N nǎ nʈñ rmenz fr m bt t aśur y in ɖ most aṇmetd lanḡj v ɖ vayḷns v mî afx́n. T fortyn I am prf̣cli indifṛnt, n śl mc no dmand v ɖt nećr on yr faɖr, sins I am wel awer ɖt it cd nt b cmplaid wɖ; n ɖt wn ʈǎznd pǎndz in ɖ for p’ snts, ẃć wl nt b yrz tl aftr yr muɖr’z dsis, z ol ɖt y me evr b intîtld t. On ɖt hed, ɖrfr, I śl b yṇformli sîḷnt; n y me aśur yrslf ɖt no unjenṛs rproć śl evr pas mî lips ẃn w r marid.”\nIt wz abṣlutli nesṣri t inṭrupt him nǎ.\n“Y r tù hesti, sr,” ś craid. “Y fget ɖt I hv md no ansr. Let m d it wɖt frɖr los v tîm. Axpt mî ʈancs fr ɖ complimnt y r peyñ m. I am vri snṣbl v ɖ onr v yr pṛpozlz, bt it z imposbl fr m t d uɖrwz ɖn t dclîn ɖm.”\n“I am nt nǎ t lrn,” rplaid Mr Colinz, wɖ a forml wev v ɖ hand, “ɖt it z yźl wɖ yuñ lediz t rjct ɖ adresz v ɖ man hūm ɖe sīcṛtli mīn t axpt, ẃn h frst aplîz fr ɖer fevr; n ɖt smtmz ɖ rfyzl z rpitd a secnd, or īvn a ʈrd tîm. I am ɖrfr bî no mīnz dscurijd bî ẃt y hv jst sd, n śl hop t līd y t ɖ ōltr e’r loñ.”\n“Upn mî wrd, sr,” craid Iliẓbʈ, “yr hop z a rɖr xtrordnri wn aftr mî decḷreśn. I d aśur y ɖt I am nt wn v ɖoz yuñ lediz (f sć yuñ lediz ɖr r) hu r so dẹrñ az t risc ɖer hapinis on ɖ ćans v biyñ asct a secnd tîm. I am prf̣cli sirịs in mî rfyzl. Y cd nt mc m hapi, n I am cnvinst ɖt I am ɖ last wmn in ɖ wrld hu cd mc y so. Nê, wr yr frend Ledi Caʈ̇rin t nǒ m, I am pswedd ś wd fînd m in evri rspct il qoḷfaid fr ɖ sićueśn.”\n“Wr it srtn ɖt Ledi Caʈ̇rin wd ʈnc so,” sd Mr Colinz vri grevli – “bt I canot imajn ɖt hr lediśp wd at ol dis’pruv v y. N y me b srtn ẃn I hv ɖ onr v siyñ hr agn, I śl spīc in ɖ vri hîist trmz v yr moḍsti, icoṇmi, n uɖr emịbl qoliḟceśn.”\n“Indd, Mr Colinz, ol prêz v m wl b uņesṣri. Y mst gv m līv t juj fr mslf, n pe m ɖ complimnt v b’livñ ẃt I se. I wś y vri hapi n vri rić, n bî rfyzñ yr hand, d ol in mî pǎr t privnt yr biyñ uɖrwz. In mcñ m ɖ ofr, y mst hv saṭsfaid ɖ delic̣si v yr fīlñz wɖ rgard t mî faṃli, n me tec pześn v Loñbōrn istet ẃnvr it fōlz, wɖt eni slf-rproć. Ɖs matr me b cnsidrd, ɖrfr, az fîṇli setld.” N rîzñ az ś ɖus spouc, ś wd hv qitd ɖ rūm, hd Mr Colinz nt ɖus adrest hr:\n“Ẃn I d mslf ɖ onr v spīcñ t y nxt on ɖ subjict, I śl hop t rsiv a mor fevṛbl ansr ɖn y hv nǎ gvn m; ɖo I am far fṛm akzñ y v cruwlti at preznt, bcz I nǒ it t b ɖ istabliśt custm v yr sx t rjct a man on ɖ frst apḷceśn, n phps y hv īvn nǎ sd az mć t incurij mî sūt az wd b cnsistnt wɖ ɖ tru delic̣si v ɖ fīmel caṛctr.”\n“Riyli, Mr Colinz,” craid Iliẓbʈ wɖ sm wormʈ, “y puzl m xidñli. F ẃt I hv hiɖrtu sd cn apir t y in ɖ form v incurijmnt, I nǒ nt hǎ t xpres mî rfyzl in sć a we az t cnvins y v its biyñ wn.”\n“Y mst gv m līv t flatr mslf, mî dir cuzn, ɖt yr rfyzl v mî adresz z mirli wrdz v cors. Mî rīznz fr b’livñ it r brīfli ɖz: It dz nt apir t m ɖt mî hand z unwrɖi v yr axptns, or ɖt ɖ istabliśmnt I cn ofr wd b eni uɖr ɖn hîli dzîṛbl. Mî sićueśn in lîf, mî cnx́nz wɖ ɖ faṃli v d’Brg, n mî rleśnśp t yr ǒn, r srcmstansz hîli in mî fevr; n y śd tec it intu frɖr cnsiḍreśn, ɖt in spît v yr maṇfold atrax́nz, it z bî no mīnz srtn ɖt anɖr ofr v marij me evr b md y. Yr porśn z unhaṗli so smōl ɖt it wl in ol lîclihd undu ɖ ifcts v yr luvlinis n emịbl qoliḟceśnz. Az I mst ɖrfr cnclud ɖt y r nt sirịs in yr rjx́n v m, I śl ćūz t atribyt it t yr wś v incrisñ mî luv bî sspns, acordñ t ɖ yźl practis v elignt fīmelz.”\n“I d aśur y, sr, ɖt I hv no pritnśnz ẃtvr t ɖt cnd v eligns ẃć cnsists in tormntñ a rspctbl man. I wd rɖr b peid ɖ complimnt v biyñ b’livd snsir. I ʈanc y agn n agn fr ɖ onr y hv dn m in yr pṛpozlz, bt t axpt ɖm z abṣlutli imposbl. Mî fīlñz in evri rspct fbid it. Cn I spīc plenr? D nt cnsidr m nǎ az an elignt fīmel, intndñ t pleg y, bt az a raṣ́nl crīćr, spīcñ ɖ truʈ fṛm hr hart.”\n“Y r yṇformli ćarmñ!” craid h, wɖ an er v ōcẉd gaḷntri; “n I am pswedd ɖt ẃn sañśnd bî ɖ xpres oʈoṛti v bʈ yr xḷnt peṛnts, mî pṛpozlz wl nt fel v biyñ axptbl.”\nT sć prsviṛns in wilfl slf-dspśn Iliẓbʈ wd mc no rplî, n imīɉtli n in sîḷns wɖdru; dtrmind, f h psistd in cnsiḍrñ hr rpitd rfyzlz az flaṭrñ incurijmnt, t aplî t hr faɖr, huz neġtiv mt b utrd in sć a manr az t b dsîsiv, n huz bhevyr at līst cd nt b mstecn fr ɖ afcteśn n coc̣tri v an elignt fīmel.\nr Colinz wz nt left loñ t ɖ sîḷnt contmpleśn v hiz s’xesfl luv; fr Msz Benit, hvñ dōdld abt in ɖ vsṭbyl t woć fr ɖ end v ɖ confṛns, no snr sw Iliẓbʈ opn ɖ dor n wɖ qc step pas hr twdz ɖ sterces, ɖn ś entrd ɖ brecfstrūm, n cngrać̣letd bʈ him n hrslf in worm trmz on ɖ hapi prospect v ɖer nirr cnx́n. Mr Colinz rsivd n rtrnd ɖz f’liṣteśnz wɖ īql pleźr, n ɖen pṛsidd t rlet ɖ ptiklrz v ɖer inṭvy, wɖ ɖ rzult v ẃć h trustd h hd evri rīzn t b saṭsfaid, sins ɖ rfyzl ẃć hiz cuzn hd stedfstli gvn him wd naćṛli flo fṛm hr baśfl moḍsti n ɖ jenyin delic̣si v hr caṛctr.\nƉs inf̣meśn, hvr, startld Msz Benit; ś wd hv bn glad t b īqli saṭsfaid ɖt hr dōtr hd mnt t incurij him bî pṛtstñ agnst hiz pṛpozlz, bt ś derd nt b’liv it, n cd nt hlp seyñ so.\n“Bt, dpnd upn it, Mr Colinz,” ś add, “ɖt Lizi śl b bròt t rīzn. I wl spīc t hr abt it d’recli. Ś z a vri hedstroñ, fūliś grl, n dz nt nǒ hr ǒn inṭrest bt I wl mc hr nǒ it.”\n“Pardn m fr inṭruptñ y, madm,” craid Mr Colinz; “bt f ś z riyli hedstroñ n fūliś, I nǒ nt ẃɖr ś wd oltgɖr b a vri dzîṛbl wîf t a man in mî sićueśn, hu naćṛli lcs fr hapinis in ɖ marij stet. F ɖrfr ś acć̣li psists in rjctñ mî sūt, phps it wr betr nt t fors hr intu axptñ m, bcz f laybl t sć dīfects v tmpr, ś cd nt cntribyt mć t mî f’liṣti.”\n“Sr, y qt misunḍstand m,” sd Msz Benit, alarmd. “Lizi z onli hedstroñ in sć matrz az ɖz. In evrʈñ els ś z az gd-nećrd a grl az evr livd. I wl g d’recli t Mr Benit, n w śl vri sn setl it wɖ hr, I am śr.”\nŚ wd nt gv him tîm t rplî, bt huriyñ instntli t hr huzbnd, cōld ǎt az ś entrd ɖ lîbrri, “Ǒ! Mr Benit, y r wontd imīɉtli; w r ol in an upror. Y mst cm n mc Lizi mari Mr Colinz, fr ś vǎz ś wl nt hv him, n f y d nt mc hest h wl ćenj hiz mînd n nt hv hr.”\nMr Benit rezd hiz îz fṛm hiz bc az ś entrd, n fixt ɖm on hr fes wɖ a cām uncnsrn ẃć wz nt in ɖ līst oltrd bî hr cḿṇceśn.\n“I hv nt ɖ pleźr v unḍstandñ y,” sd h, ẃn ś hd finiśt hr spīć. “V ẃt r y tōcñ?”\n“V Mr Colinz n Lizi. Lizi dclerz ś wl nt hv Mr Colinz, n Mr Colinz bginz t se ɖt h wl nt hv Lizi.”\n“N ẃt am I t d on ɖ oceźn? It sīmz an hoplis biznis.”\n“Spīc t Lizi abt it yrslf. Tel hr ɖt y insist upn hr mariyñ him.”\n“Let hr b cōld dǎn. Ś śl hír mî opińn.”\nMsz Benit rañ ɖ bel, n Mis Iliẓbʈ wz sumnd t ɖ lîbrri.\n“Cm hir, ćîld,” craid hr faɖr az ś apird. “I hv snt fr y on an afer v importns. I unḍstand ɖt Mr Colinz hz md y an ofr v marij. Z it tru?” Iliẓbʈ rplaid ɖt it wz. “Vri wel – n ɖs ofr v marij y hv rfyzd?”\n“I hv, sr.”\n“Vri wel. W nǎ cm t ɖ pônt. Yr muɖr insists upn yr axptñ it. Z it nt so, Msz Benit?”\n“Yes, or I wl nvr si hr agn.”\n“An unhapi oltrṇtiv z bfr y, Iliẓbʈ. Fṛm ɖs de y mst b a strenjr t wn v yr peṛnts. Yr muɖr wl nvr si y agn f y d nt mari Mr Colinz, n I wl nvr si y agn f y d.”\nIliẓbʈ cd nt bt smîl at sć a cncluźn v sć a bginñ, bt Msz Benit, hu hd pswedd hrslf ɖt hr huzbnd rgardd ɖ afer az ś wśt, wz xesivli dis’pôntd.\n“Ẃt d y mīn, Mr Benit, in tōcñ ɖs we? Y promist m t insist upn hr mariyñ him.”\n“Mî dir,” rplaid hr huzbnd, “I hv tū smōl fevrz t rqst. Frst, ɖt y wl alǎ m ɖ fri ys v mî unḍstandñ on ɖ preznt oceźn; n secndli, v mî rūm. I śl b glad t hv ɖ lîbrri t mslf az sn az me b.”\nNt yt, hvr, in spît v hr dis’pôntmnt in hr huzbnd, dd Msz Benit gv p ɖ pônt. Ś tōct t Iliẓbʈ agn n agn; cǒxt n ʈretnd hr bî trnz. Ś indevrd t s’kr Jen in hr inṭrest; bt Jen, wɖ ol poṣbl mîldnis, dclînd inṭfirñ; n Iliẓbʈ, smtmz wɖ riyl rṇstnis, n smtmz wɖ plêfl geyti, rplaid t hr atacs. Ɖo hr manr vẹrid, hvr, hr dtrṃneśn nvr dd.\nMr Colinz, mnẃl, wz medtetñ in soḷtyd on ẃt hd pást. H ʈt tù wel v himslf t comprihnd on ẃt motivz hiz cuzn cd rfyz him; n ɖo hiz prîd wz hrt, h sufrd in no uɖr we. Hiz rgard fr hr wz qt imajinri; n ɖ posbiḷti v hr dzrvñ hr muɖr’z rproć privntd hiz fīlñ eni rgret.\nẂl ɖ faṃli wr in ɖs cnfyźn, Śarlót Lūc̣s cem t spend ɖ de wɖ ɖm. Ś wz met in ɖ vsṭbyl bî Lidia, hu, flayñ t hr, craid in a haf ẃispr, “I am glad y r cm, fr ɖr z sć fun hir! Ẃt d y ʈnc hz hapnd ɖs mornñ? Mr Colinz hz md an ofr t Lizi, n ś wl nt hv him.”\nŚarlót hardli hd tîm t ansr, bfr ɖe wr jônd bî Citi, hu cem t tel ɖ sem nyz; n no snr hd ɖe entrd ɖ brecfstrūm, ẃr Msz Benit wz alon, ɖn ś lîcwz bgan on ɖ subjict, cōlñ on Mis Lūc̣s fr hr cmpaśn, n intritñ hr t pswed hr frend Lizi t cmplî wɖ ɖ wśz v ol hr faṃli. “Pre d, mî dir Mis Lūc̣s,” ś add in a meḷnc̣li ton, “fr nbdi z on mî sîd, nbdi tecs part wɖ m. I am cruwli yzd, nbdi fīlz fr mî pur nrvz.”\nŚarlót’s rplî wz sperd bî ɖ entṛns v Jen n Iliẓbʈ.\n“Ai, ɖr ś cmz,” cntinyd Msz Benit, “lcñ az uncnsrnd az me b, n cẹrñ no mor fr s ɖn f w wr at Yorc, pṛvîdd ś cn hv hr ǒn we. Bt I tel y, Mis Lizi – f y tec it intu yr hed t g on rfyzñ evri ofr v marij in ɖs we, y wl nvr gt a huzbnd at ol – n I am śr I d nt nǒ hu z t mnten y ẃn yr faɖr z ded. I śl nt b ebl t cīp y – n so I worn y. I hv dn wɖ y fṛm ɖs vri de. I tld y in ɖ lîbrri, y nǒ, ɖt I śd nvr spīc t y agn, n y wl fînd m az gd az mî wrd. I hv no pleźr in tōcñ t undytifl ćildṛn. Nt ɖt I hv mć pleźr, indd, in tōcñ t enbdi. Ppl hu sufr az I d fṛm nrṿs cmplents cn hv no gret incḷneśn fr tōcñ. Nbdi cn tel ẃt I sufr! Bt it z olwz so. Ɖoz hu d nt cmplen r nvr pitid.”\nHr dōtrz lisnd in sîḷns t ɖs ifyźn, snṣbl ɖt eni atmt t rīzn wɖ hr or suɖ hr wd onli incris ɖ iṛteśn. Ś tōct on, ɖrfr, wɖt inṭrupśn fṛm eni v ɖm, tl ɖe wr jônd bî Mr Colinz, hu entrd ɖ rūm wɖ an er mor stetli ɖn yźl, n on psivñ hūm, ś sd t ɖ grlz, “Nǎ, I d insist upn it, ɖt y, ol v y, hold yr tuñz, n let m n Mr Colinz hv a litl convseśn tgɖr.”\nIliẓbʈ pást qaytli ǎt v ɖ rūm, Jen n Citi foloud, bt Lidia std hr grǎnd, dtrmind t hír ol ś cd; n Śarlót, dtend frst bî ɖ sviḷti v Mr Colinz, huz inqîriz aftr hrslf n ol hr faṃli wr vri mînyt, n ɖen bî a litl krioṣti, saṭsfaid hrslf wɖ wōcñ t ɖ windo n pritndñ nt t hír. In a dǒlfl vôs Msz Benit bgan ɖ pṛjctd convseśn: “Ǒ! Mr Colinz!”\n“Mî dir madm,” rplaid h, “let s b fr evr sîḷnt on ɖs pônt. Far b it fṛm m,” h prezntli cntinyd, in a vôs ɖt marct hiz dspleźr, “t rznt ɖ bhevyr v yr dōtr. Reẓgneśn t inevitbl īvlz z ɖ dyti v s ol; ɖ pkłr dyti v a yuñ man hu hz bn so forćṇt az I hv bn in rli prifŕmnt; n I trust I am rzînd. Phps nt ɖ les so fṛm fīlñ a dǎt v mî poẓtiv hapinis hd mî fer cuzn onrd m wɖ hr hand; fr I hv ofn obzrvd ɖt reẓgneśn z nvr so prfict az ẃn ɖ blesñ dnaid bginz t lūz smẃt v its valy in ǎr esṭmeśn. Y wl nt, I hop, cnsidr m az śowñ eni disrispct t yr faṃli, mî dir madm, bî ɖus wɖdrw̃ mî pritnśnz t yr dōtr’z fevr, wɖt hvñ peid yrslf n Mr Benit ɖ complimnt v rqstñ y t inṭpoz yr oʈoṛti in mî bhaf. Mî conduct me, I fir, b objx́ṇbl in hvñ axptd mî dsmiśn fṛm yr dōtr’z lips instd v yr ǒn. Bt w r ol laybl t err. I hv srtnli mnt wel ʈru ɖ hol afer. Mî objict hz bn t s’kr an emịbl cmpańn fr mslf, wɖ dy cnsiḍreśn fr ɖ advantij v ol yr faṃli, n f mî manr hz bn at ol reprihnsbl, I hir beg līv t apoḷjîz.”


Hwɛɖɔtɔ́ 21 - Juges 21\nÉe súnnu e ɖo togun Izlayɛ́li tɔn mɛ lɛ́ɛ sɛ ta kplé ɖo Misipa ɔ́, yě ɖɔ bó xwlé nǔ d'é jí ɖɔ émí mɛ ɖěbǔ kún ná sɔ́ vǐ émítɔn da nú súnnu e ɖo akɔta Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ tɔn mɛ lɛ́ɛ ɖě ó.\n21.1 Les hommes d’Israël avaient juré à Mitspa, en disant : Aucun de nous ne donnera sa fille pour femme à un Benjamite.\nIzlayɛ́li togun ɔ́ wá Betɛ́li, bɔ mɛ lɛ́ɛ jínjɔ́n Mavɔmavɔ nukɔn ɖo fínɛ́ káká yi jɛ gbadanu. Yě ji gbɛvíhan bɔ ɖasin wá yi dó yě ɖésú.\n21.2 Le peuple vint à Béthel, et il y resta devant Dieu jusqu'au soir. Ils élevèrent la voix, ils versèrent d'abondantes larmes,\nBɔ yě ɖɔ: “Áo! Mawu Mavɔmavɔ, Mawu Izlayɛ́li tɔn! Nɛ̌ nǔ ká nyí gbɔn ɖo Izlayɛ́li, bɔ égbé din ɔ́, akɔta tɔn ɖokpó hwe sín mɛ?”\n21.3 et ils dirent : O Éternel, Dieu d'Israël, pourquoi est-il arrivé en Israël qu'il manque aujourd'hui une tribu d'Israël ?\nAyǐhɔ́ngbe tɔn zǎnzǎn tɛɛn ɔ́, togun ɔ́ bló vɔ̌sákpe ɖokpó nyi tɛn énɛ́ ɔ́ mɛ, bó sá vɔ̌ e è nɔ dó zɔ ɔ́ kpó kɔnɖókpɔ́vɔ́ kpó nú Mawu Mavɔmavɔ.\n21.4 Le lendemain, le peuple se leva de bon matin ; ils bâtirent là un autel, et ils offrirent des holocaustes et des sacrifices d'actions de grâces.\nÉnɛ́ ɔ́ gúdo ɔ́, Izlayɛ́li ví lɛ́ɛ kanbyɔ́ yěɖée ɖɔ: “Đo Izlayɛ́li sín akɔta lɛ́ɛ bǐ mɛ ɔ́, gbɛ̌ta ɖé ɖe, bó má wá kplé e è blǒ ɖo Mawu Mavɔmavɔ nukɔn ɖo Misipa ɔ́ a?” Đó yě kó ɖɔ bó xwlé nǔ d'é jí ɖɔ mɛ ɖěbǔ gɔn Misipa ɔ́, è nǎ hu i.\n21.5 Les enfants d'Israël dirent : Quel est celui d'entre toutes les tribus d'Israël qui n'est pas monté à l'assemblée devant l'Éternel ? Car on avait fait un serment solennel contre quiconque ne monterait pas vers l'Éternel à Mitspa, on avait dit : Il sera puni de mort.\nAmɔ̌, din ɔ́, nǔ e gbo nɔví yětɔn Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ sín mɛ lɛ́ɛ ɔ́ nyí nǔɖé bó blá wǔ nú yě ɖɔ: “Akɔta Izlayɛ́li tɔn ɖokpó ɖo kún sú dó wɛ ɖo égbé.\n21.6 Les enfants d'Israël éprouvaient du repentir au sujet de Benjamin, leur frère, et ils disaient : Aujourd'hui une tribu a été retranchée d'Israël.\nAni wɛ mǐ nǎ wa bó ná mɔ nyɔ̌nu nú súnnu e ɖo akɔta Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ tɔn ɔ́ mɛ bó gán lɛ́ɛ? Đó mǐ kó dó akpá bó xwlé nǔ d'é jí ɖo Mawu Mavɔmavɔ nukɔn ɖɔ mǐ kún ná sɔ́ vǐ mǐtɔn lɛ́ɛ da nú yě ó.”\n21.7 Que ferons-nous pour procurer des femmes à ceux qui ont survécu, puisque nous avons juré par l'Éternel de ne pas leur donner de nos filles pour femmes ?\nÉnɛ́ ɔ́, yě ba do ná bó ná kpɔ́n ɖɔ gbɛ̌ta ɖé ɖo akɔta Izlayɛ́li tɔn lɛ́ɛ mɛ, bó má wá Mawu Mavɔmavɔ nukɔn ɖo Misipa a jí. Bɔ è mɔ ɖɔ mɛ ɖěbǔ kún gosín Yavɛ́ci ɖo Galadi yíkúngban jí, bó wá fí e è blǒ kplé ɔ́ ɖe ɔ́ ó.\n21.8 Ils dirent donc : Y a-t-il quelqu'un d'entre les tribus d'Israël qui ne soit pas monté vers l'Éternel à Mitspa ? Et voici, personne de Jabès en Galaad n'était venu au camp, à l'assemblée.\nNǔgbó, ée è sɔ́ mɛ e wá kplé ɔ́ tɛnmɛ lɛ́ɛ sín kɛ́n ɔ́, è mɔ ɖɔ Yavɛ́cinu ɖěbǔ kún wá ó.\n21.9 On fit le dénombrement du peuple, et il n'y avait là aucun des habitants de Jabès en Galaad.\nÉnɛ́ ɔ́, mɛ e ɖo kplé ɔ́ tɛn mɛ lɛ́ɛ sɛ́ súnnu glegbenu děgba atɔn (12.000) dó Yavɛ́ci, bó ná gbe yě ɖɔ: “Mi yi Yavɛ́ci ɖo Galadi yíkúngban jí, bó hu to énɛ́ ɔ́ mɛ nu lɛ́ɛ; mi ná hu nyɔ̌nu lɛ́ɛ kpó yɔkpɔ́vú lɛ́ɛ lɔmɔ̌ kpó.\n21.10 Alors l'assemblée envoya contre eux douze mille soldats, en leur donnant cet ordre : Allez, et frappez du tranchant de l'épée les habitants de Jabès en Galaad, avec les femmes et les enfants.\nMi ná hu súnnu lɛ́ɛ bǐ sésé kpó nyɔ̌nu e kó tunwun súnnu kpɔ́n lɛ́ɛ kpó. Nǔ e mi ná wa ɔ́ nɛ́.”\n21.11 Voici ce que vous ferez : vous dévouerez par interdit tout mâle et toute femme qui a connu la couche d'un homme.\nÉe yě yi Yavɛ́ci ɔ́, yě mɔ ɖyɔ̌vǐ afɔwe (400) ɖo mɛ e ɖo to ɔ́ mɛ lɛ́ɛ mɛ bɔ yě kpo ɖo alɔ jí. Yě kplá yě wá ahwankpá Silóo tɔn ɔ́ mɛ ɖo Kanáa yíkúngban jí.\n21.12 Ils trouvèrent parmi les habitants de Jabès en Galaad quatre cents jeunes filles vierges qui n'avaient point connu d'homme en couchant avec lui, et ils les amenèrent dans le camp à Silo, qui est au pays de Canaan.\nÉnɛ́ ɔ́ gúdo ɔ́, mɛ e ɖo kplé ɔ́ tɛn mɛ lɛ́ɛ sɛ́ mɛ dó Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ sín mɛ e hɔn yi cí awǐnnya Hlimumɔ́ni tɔn jí lɛ́ɛ, nú yě ná yi ɖɔ nú yě ɖɔ xó ɔ́ kó gbo.\n21.13 Toute l'assemblée envoya des messagers pourparler aux fils de Benjamin qui étaient au rocher de Rimmon, et pour leur annoncer la paix.\nBɔ Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ sín mɛ lɛ́ɛ lɛ́ kɔ yi xwé azɔn ɖokpó tlóló; énɛ́ ɔ́, è sɔ́ nyɔ̌nu e è ma hu ɖo Yavɛ́ci ǎ lɛ́ɛ ná yě; lo ɔ́, é kpé yě bǐ nu ǎ.\n21.14 En ce temps-là, les Benjamites revinrent, et on leur donna les femmes à qui l'on avait laissé la vie parmi les femmes de Jabès en Galaad. Mais il n'y en avait pas assez pour eux.\nBɛnjamɛ́ɛ sín mɛ lɛ́ɛ sín nǔ blá wǔ nǔ Izlayɛ́li ví lɛ́ɛ, ɖó Mawu Mavɔmavɔ ɖó do wǔ nú akɔta Izlayɛ́li tɔn lɛ́ɛ.\n21.15 Le peuple éprouvait du repentir au sujet de Benjamin, car l'Éternel avait fait une brèche dans les tribus d'Israël.\nGǎn e ɖo kplé ɔ́ nu lɛ́ɛ ɖɔ: “Nyɔ̌nu ɖě sɔ́ ɖo akɔta Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ tɔn ɔ́ mɛ ǎ. Nɛ̌ wɛ mǐ nǎ wa gbɔn bó ná mɔ nyɔ̌nu nú súnnu e gán lɛ́ɛ?\n21.16 Les anciens de l'assemblée dirent : Que ferons-nous pour procurer des femmes à ceux qui restent, puisque les femmes de Benjamin ont été détruites ?\nYě mɛ e gán ɖo akɔta Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ tɔn ɔ́ mɛ lɛ́ɛ ɔ́, è ɖǒ ná bló nǔɖé bó ɖó donu nú yě, bó má lɔn nú akɔta Izlayɛ́li tɔn lɛ́ɛ ɖokpó ní hwe ó.\n21.17 Et ils dirent : Que les réchappés de Benjamin conservent leur héritage, afin qu'une tribu ne soit pas effacée d'Israël.\nAmɔ̌, mǐ sixú ná gbe yě ɖɔ yě nǐ da vǐ mǐtɔn lɛ́ɛ ǎ, ɖó mǐ ko ɖɔ bó xwlé nǔ d'é jí ɖɔ Izlayɛ́li ví ɖěbǔ sɔ́ vǐ tɔn da nú Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ ví ɖé ɔ́, è nǎ dó nu i.”\n21.18 Mais nous ne pouvons pas leur donner de nos filles pour femmes, car les enfants d'Israël ont juré, en disant : Maudit soit celui qui donnera une femme à un Benjamite !\nÉnɛ́ ɔ́, yě wá flín ɖɔ è nǎ ɖu Mawu Mavɔmavɔ sín xwe e è nɔ ɖu xwewú xwewú ɔ́ ɖo malín málín mɛ ɖo Silóo; Silóo ɔ́, gletoxo ɖé wɛ, bó ɖo Betɛ́li sín taligbé, lobo ɖo Levona sín afɔligbé, bó ká ɖo ali e gosín Betɛ́li bó wá yi Sikɛ́mu ɔ́ sín zǎnzǎnhwe jí.\n21.19 Et ils dirent : Voici, il y a chaque année une fête de l'Éternel à Silo, qui est au nord de Béthel, à l'orient de la route qui monte de Béthel, à Sichem, et au midi de Lebona.\nYě kplɔ́n nǔ Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ sín súnnu lɛ́ɛ ɖɔ: “Mi yi sɔ́ miɖée hwlá dó vǐwungbo lɛ́ɛ mɛ,\n21.20 Puis ils donnèrent cet ordre aux fils de Benjamin: Allez, et placez- vous en embuscade dans les vignes.\nbó tɔ wu ɖo fínɛ́. Hwenu e ɖyɔ̌vǐ Silóo tɔn lɛ́ɛ ná tɔ́n wá xwe ɖu gbé ɔ́, mi na tɔ́n ajijimɛ sín vǐwungbo lɛ́ɛ mɛ; mɛ ɖokpó ɖokpó ná wlí ɖyɔ̌vǐ lɛ́ɛ ɖokpó ɖokpó, bó ná kplá ɛ yi Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ yíkúngban jí bɔ é ná húzú mɛ énɛ́ ɔ́ sín asi.\n21.21 Vous regarderez, et voici, lorsque les filles de Silo sortiront pour danser, vous sortirez des vignes, vous enlèverez chacun une des filles de Silo pour en faire votre femme, et vous vous en irez dans le pays de Benjamin.\nÉnyí tɔ́ yětɔn lɛ́ɛ abǐ nɔví yětɔn súnnu lɛ́ɛ wá jɛ hwɛ nú mǐ ɔ́, mǐ ná ɖɔ nú yě ɖɔ: ‘Mi kɛnklɛ́n bó jɔwǔ Bɛnjamɛ́ɛ sín súnnu lɛ́ɛ, ɖó mǐ kpé wú bó mɔ nyɔ̌nu nú yě mɛ ɖokpó ɖokpó ɖo hwenu e mǐ ɖo ahwan fun wɛ ɖo Yavɛ́ci é ǎ. Ée é má kó nyí ɖɔ midɛɛ lɛ́ɛ ɖésú wɛ sɔ́ vǐ mitɔn lɛ́ɛ da nú yě ǎ nɛ́ ɔ́, è sixú dó hwɛ mi ɖɔ mi gba akpá e mi dó é ǎ.’ ”\n21.22 Si leurs pères ou leurs frères viennent se plaindre auprès de nous, nous leur dirons : Accordez-les-nous, car nous n'avons pas pris une femme pour chacun dans la guerre. Ce n'est pas vous qui les leur avez données ; en ce cas, vous seriez coupables.\nBɛnjamɛ́ɛ sín súnnu lɛ́ɛ ka xwedó nǔ énɛ́ ɔ́ e è kplɔ́n yě ɔ́; yě wlí nyɔ̌nu nabí e hu dó yě lɛ́ɛ ɖo ɖyɔ̌vǐ e ɖo we ɖú wɛ ɖo Silóo lɛ́ɛ mɛ, lobo kplá yě yi. Énɛ́ ɔ́, yě lɛ́ kɔ yi to yětɔn mɛ, bó vɔ́ toxo yětɔn lɛ́ɛ gbá, lobo jɛ mɛ.\n21.23 Ainsi firent les fils de Benjamin ; ils prirent des femmes selon leur nombre parmi les danseuses qu'ils enlevèrent, puis ils partirent et retournèrent dans leur héritage ; ils rebâtirent les villes, et y habitèrent.\nIzlayɛ́li ví ɖě lɛ́ɛ gosín fí e è blǒ kplé ɔ́ ɖe é. Mɛ ɖokpó ɖokpó yi akɔta tɔn mɛ ɖo xwédo tɔn mɛ, lobo yi jɛ ayǐkúngban e nyí étɔn ɔ́ jí.\n21.24 Et dans le même temps les enfants d'Israël s'en allèrent de là chacun dans sa tribu et dans sa famille, ils retournèrent chacun dans son héritage.\nHwe énɛ́ ɔ́ nu ɔ́, axɔ́sú ɖě ɖo Izlayɛ́li ǎ, bɔ mɛ ɖokpó ɖokpó nɔ́ wa nǔ e jló e ɔ́.


Lesson 31 Getting a Haircut\nWǒ xiǎng jiǎn tóufa.\nXiū yíxià jiù kěyǐ le.\nWǒ xiǎng rǎn tóufa.\nI’d like to dye my hair.\nBié jiǎn tài duǎn le.\nNǐ xiǎng zěnme jiǎn?\nHǎo de. Qǐng xiān xǐ tóu.\nOkay. We will wash your hair first.\nNǐ xiǎng rǎn shénme yánsè?\nBúcuò. Hěn shímáo.\nBrown is cool -- very fashionable!\nXínɡ, bǎozhǔn nín mǎnyì.\nOkay. I think you’ll be satisfied with this.\n[ Web editor：Robin Wang Source：english.cri.cn ]


EǑ WƐ MƐÐÉ LƐ ÐƆ. Dotóo ɖé ɖɔ ɖɔ alixlɛ́mɛ Biblu tɔn lɛ xwixwedó ɖò égbé cí wema 1920 jɛ 1929 vlamɛ tɔn lɛ zinzan dó kplɔ́n nǔ mɛ ɖò nùnywɛ xwitixwiti linu ɖɔhun. Mɛ e ma nɔ ɖó sísí nú Biblu ǎ é ɖé tlɛ sixu kanbyɔ ɖɔ hwi ka na xwedó alixlɛ́mɛwema ɔdinatɛ́ɛ xóxó ɖé tɔn dó zán ɔdinatɛ́ɛ e tɔ́n yɔyɔ̌ é ɖé à jí. Ðò xógbe ɖevo mɛ ɔ, mɛɖé lɛ nɔ mɔ ɖɔ Biblu ɔ ko cá tawun.\nEtɛwu mɛɖé ka na zán alixlɛ́mɛwema xóxó mɔhun ɖò nùnywɛ xwitixwiti sín gbɛ̀ égbé tɔn mɛ? È na ɖɔ ɔ, tɛn ɛntɛnɛti tɔn kpaà kpo mɛɖesunɔ tɔn maxamaxa lɛ kpo wɛ nɔ ɖò wěɖexámɛ kpo alixlɛ́mɛ yɔyɔ̌ lɛ kpo ɖetɔ́n wɛ hwebǐnu. Tuto televiziɔn jí tɔn lɛ nɔ xwlé wěɖexámɛ akɔwé lɛ, nùkplɔnmɛtɔ́ lɛ kpo wema wlantɔ́ lɛ kpo tɔn mɛ hwɛhwɛ. Bɔ xwé e nɔ zín wema lɛ é nɔ ɖè lee è na gézé gbɔn é sín wema maxamaxa tɔ́n, bɔ enɛ nɔ flɔ́ zo dó glɔ nú dɔkun jijɛ sín azɔ̌xwé gègě.\nNǔ tobutobu e è nɔ ɖetɔ́n ɖò cɛju ɖokpo ɖokpo mɛ é nɛ, bɔ etɛwu è ka na yì ba alɔdo Biblu e nyí wema ɖé bɔ è ko wlan fó sín xwè 2 000 mɔ̌ ɖíe é tɔn lo? Mɛ e ma nɔ ɖó sísí nú Biblu ǎ lɛ é sín hwɛ jɔ ɖɔ wema mɔhun zinzan cí nùnywɛ xwitixwiti sín wema e ko cá é, alǒ alixlɛ́mɛwema ɔdinatɛ́ɛ tɔn xóxó ɖé zinzan ɖɔhun à cé? Nú è na ɖɔ nugbǒ ɔ, nùjlɛdonǔwu enɛ sɔgbe ǎ. Nùnywɛ xwitixwiti nɔ yawu huzu, amɔ̌, nǔ e gbɛtɔ́ nyí é ka ko huzu kpɔ́n à? Mɛ lɛ kpó ɖò lee ye na bló gbɔn bɔ gbɛ̀ yetɔn na ɖó nu é, lee ye na ɖó awǎjijɛ bo nɔ ayijayǐ mɛ gbɔn é, lee ye na ɖó kancica ɖagbe ɖò xwédo mɛ gbɔn é, kpo lee ye na ɖó xɔ́ntɔn ɖagbe lɛ gbɔn é kpo ba wɛ.\nBiblu ɔ dóxó mɔ̌ có, é kɛnu dó hudo enɛ lɛ kpo ɖevo lɛ kpo wu. É lɛ́ ɖɔ ɖɔ Gbɛɖotɔ́ mǐtɔn gɔ́n wɛ emi gosin. É ɖɔ ɖɔ emi na xlɛ́ ali mǐ ɖò akpáxwé gbɛzán mǐtɔn tɔn lɛ bǐ mɛ, lobo na na mǐ nǔwukpikpé bonu mǐ na ɖí xwi xá tagba ɖebǔ é na wá ba jonɔ mǐ é. (2 Timɔtée 3:16, 17) Hú mɔ̌ ɔ, é ɖɔ ɖɔ wěɖexámɛ emitɔn lɛ nɔ nyɔ́ zán hwebǐnu, lé ye kún nɔ cá gbeɖé ó! Biblu ɔ ɖesunɔ ɖɔ: “Mawuxó ɔ ɖò gbɛ̀.”—Eblée lɛ 4:12.\nNǔ enɛ lɛ é Biblu ɖɔ é ka sixu nyí nugbǒ dóó à? É ko cá wɛ à, alǒ é wɛ nyí wema e nyɔ́ zán hú bǐ é, wema gbɛɖe ɔ? Linlin Atɔxwɛ elɔ tɔn wɛ nyí ɖɔ é ni d’alɔ we bonu a ni mɔ xósin nú nùkanbyɔ enɛ lɛ, é wɛ nyí nukɔntɔn ɖò bunɔ ɖěɖee è na ɖetɔ́n bɔ d’ewu lɛ é mɛ.\nWema E Mɛ Nùnywɛ Gbɛtɔ́ lɛ Tɔn Ðè É ɖé Wɛ Biblu ɔ ka Nyí À?


Bǐbɛ́mɛ 9 - Genèse 9\nMawu xo ɖɛ dó Nɔwée kpódó vǐ tɔn lɛ́ɛ kpó jí, bó ɖɔ nú yě ɖɔ: “Mi gba kún, mi ji gba, bó kpé ayǐkúngban ɔ́ bǐ jí.\nKanlin e ɖo ayǐkúngban jí lɛ́ɛ, xɛ lɛ́ɛ, nǔ e kó nɔ́ sá gbɔn kɔ́ mɛ lɛ́ɛ kpó hweví lɛ́ɛ kpó bǐ ná nɔ́ ɖi xɛsi nú mi. Yě ɖo alɔ mitɔn mɛ.\nNǔ e kó sixú nɔ́ dán wǔ ɖo ayǐkúngban ɔ́ jí, bó ɖo gbɛ lɛ́ɛ bǐ wɛ ná nyí nǔɖuɖu nú mi. Un ná nǔ énɛ́ lɛ́ɛ bǐ mi lě e un ko ná gběhan mi gbɔn é.\nAmɔ̌, nǔ ɖokpó e ɖ'é mɛ ɔ́, mi ɖó ná ɖu lan e mɛ hun kpo ɖe ɔ́ ǎ.\nMɔ̌ ɖokpó ɔ́, un ná kan hun mitɔn byɔ́. Un ná kan hun mitɔn byɔ́ kanlin e ná hu gbɛtɔ́ é bǐ, bó ná kanbyɔ́ gbɛtɔ́ e ná hu nɔzo tɔn é bǐ.\nNyɛ Mawu bló gbɛtɔ́ bɔ é nyí akpajlɛ́ ce; énɛ́ wú ɔ́, mɛ e kɔn gbɛtɔ́ sín hun kɔn nyi ayǐ ɔ́, gbɛtɔ́ wɛ ná kɔn hun tɔn kɔn nyi ayǐ.\nMidɛɛ lɛ́ɛ ɔ́, mi gba kún, mi ji gba, mi ji kpé ayǐkúngban ɔ́ bǐ jí.”\nMawu lɛ́ ɖɔ nú Nɔwée kpó vǐ tɔn lɛ́ɛ kpó ɖɔ:\n“Nyɛ ɔ́, un jɛ akɔ xá mi, bó jɛ xá kúnkan mitɔn lɛ́ɛ,\nbó jɛ xá nǔ e ɖo gbɛ, bó ɖo ayǐkúngban ɔ́ jí xá mi lɛ́ɛ: xɛ lɛ́ɛ, xwé gbe kanlin lɛ́ɛ, gběkanlin lɛ́ɛ, nǔ e tɔ́n sín tɔjíhún ɔ́ mɛ lɛ́ɛ, kanlin e ɖo ayǐkúngban ɔ́ jí lɛ́ɛ bǐ.\nUn jɛ akɔ xá mi ɖɔ: tɔ ɖě sɔ́ ná gba gbɛ ɔ́, bó hu nǔ e ɖo gbɛ ɖo ayǐkúngban jí lɛ́ɛ ɖě gbeɖé ǎ. Tɔ ɖě sɔ́ ná gba nǔ e ɖo gbɛ ɖo ayǐkúngban jí lɛ́ɛ ɖě gbeɖé nǔgbó ǎ.”\nMawu lɛ́ ɖɔ: “Akɔ e un jɛ xá mi ɔ́, nǔ e ná ɖe xlɛ́ nyi kpó mi kpó, kpódó nǔ e ɖo gbɛ ɖo ayǐkúngban jí lɛ́ɛ bǐ kpó káká sɔ́yi ɔ́ ɖíe:\nUn sɔ́ nyǐ ce ɖó akpɔ́kpɔ́ mɛ bɔ é ná nyí akɔ e un jɛ xá mi ɔ́ sín wuntun ɖo nyɛ kpó gbɛ ɔ́ kpó tɛ́ntin.\nNú un kplé akpɔ́kpɔ́ lɛ́ɛ ɖó jǐnukúnsin hweɖěbǔnu ɔ́, nyǐ ɔ́ ná nɔ́ ɖi ɖo akpɔ́kpɔ́ ɔ́ mɛ,\nbó ná nyí flǐn nú mì, nú akɔ e un jɛ xá mi, bó jɛ xá nǔ e ɖo gbɛ ɔ́ mɛ lɛ́ɛ bǐ é, bɔ tɔ sɔ́ ná gba gbɛ ɔ́, bó vɔ nǔ e ɖo gbɛ lɛ́ɛ ɖěbǔ ǎ.\nNyǐ ɔ́ ná ɖo akpɔ́kpɔ́ ɔ́ mɛ, bɔ un nǎ nɔ́ mɔ, bɔ é ná nyí flǐn nú mì nú akɔ e un jɛ xá mi bó jɛ xá nǔ e ɖo gbɛ ɖo ayǐkúngban jí lɛ́ɛ bǐ káká sɔ́yi é.”\nMawu lɛ́ vɔ́ ɖɔ nú Nɔwée ɖɔ: “Wuntun e nyí xlɛ̌ nú akɔ e un jɛ xá nǔ e ɖo gbɛ ɖo ayǐkúngban jí lɛ́ɛ bǐ ɔ́ nɛ́.”\nNɔwée ɔ́, vǐ tɔn atɔn lɛ́ɛ kpó é kpó tɔ́n sín tɔjíhún ɔ́ mɛ; nyǐkɔ yětɔn ɖíe: Sɛ́mu, Cámu kpódó Jafɛ́ti kpó. Cámu ɔ́ wɛ nyí Kanáa sín tɔ́.\nNɔwée sín vǐ atɔn énɛ́ lɛ́ɛ wɛ gba kún, bó kpé ayǐkúngban ɔ́ bǐ jí.\nNɔwée wɛ nyí glesi nukɔntɔn e dó vǐwun é.\nÉ nu vɛ̌ɛn mú gbe ɖokpó, bó jɛ mɛ̌ jɔgbe ɖo goxɔ tɔn mɛ.\nBɔ Cámu, Kanáa tɔ́ ɔ́ mɔ tɔ́ ɔ́ ɖo mɛ̌, bó yi ɖɔ nú nɔví tɔn we ɖě lɛ́ɛ ɖo kɔ́xo.\nÉnɛ́ ɔ́, Sɛ́mu kpódó Jafɛ́ti kpó sɔ́ awu ɖaxó ɖokpó nyi abɔ̌ yětɔn ta, bó zɔn gǔdo agɔ káká byɔ́ goxɔ e mɛ tɔ́ yětɔn ɖe ɔ́ mɛ, bó sɔ́ cyɔ́n n'i. Yě ká sɔ́ kɔ ɖó zɔ; yě mɔ tɔ́ yětɔn sín mɛ̌ ǎ.\nÉe ahan wá hɔ́n nú Nɔwée ɔ́, é se nǔ e vǐ tɔn kpɛví ɔ́ bló n'i é,\nbó ɖɔ: “Nǔɖé ná nyɔ́ nú Kanáa ǎ; é wɛ ná nyí kannumɔ kannumɔ lɛ́ɛ tɔn nú nɔví tɔn lɛ́ɛ.” Nu wɛ un dó e.\nÉ lɛ́ ɖɔ: “Susu nú Mawu Mavɔmavɔ, Mawu Sɛ́mu tɔn! Kanáa ní ká nyí kannumɔ nú Sɛ́mu.\nMawu ní bló bónú Jafɛ́ti ní gba kún. Sɛ́mu sín goxɔ sá wɛ é ká ná nɔ, bɔ Kanáa ka ná nyí kannumɔ nú yě.”\nÉe tɔ gba gbɛ ɔ́ gúdo ɔ́, Nɔwée lɛ́ nɔ gbɛ xɔ xwe afɔɖé kantɔn gban (350).\nNɔwée nɔ gbɛ xɔ xwe afɛnɛ kantɔn gban (950) bó kú.


Axɔ́suɖuto Mawu Tɔn ɔ, Ayi Towe Mɛ Wɛ É ka Ðè À?\nEtɛ ɖɔ wɛ Biblu ka ɖè hwenu e é ɖɔ ɖɔ “axɔ́suɖuɖu Mawu tɔn ko ɖò mi mɛ” é?\nSɛ́ dó mɛɖé Sɛ́ dó mɛɖé È Na Ðè Susu Gbɛtɔ́ví ɔ Tɔn Xlɛ́