ダーシーのプロポーズ（다시의 청혼）

プライドと偏見 - 第8章

Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 8

ベネット家の娘たちは、民兵隊の将校ウィカム氏に出会う。彼は魅力的でハンサムだ。エリザベスはすぐに彼に惹かれる。

While Mr. Collins was staying with the Bennets, the militia arrived in Meryton. A regiment of soldiers was to be quartered in the town, and the young women of the neighbourhood were excited by the prospect of meeting officers.

ウィカムはエリザベスに、ダーシーが彼を不当に扱い、ダーシーの父が約束した遺産を拒否したと語る。すでにダーシーを嫌っていたエリザベスは、ウィカムの言葉を信じ、ダーシーへの嫌悪感を強める。

Lydia and Kitty were particularly delighted. They talked constantly of the officers, planning how they might meet them and hoping to catch the attention of some handsome young man.

Elizabeth found their silliness annoying, but she had to admit that the officers were pleasant enough, at least on acquaintance. One officer in particular, Mr. Wickham, was handsome and charming, with an easy manner that made him popular with everyone.

"He is delightful," Jane said after meeting him. "So kind and pleasant."

Elizabeth agreed. Mr. Wickham seemed to be everything that Darcy was not: friendly, approachable, and without pride. When Elizabeth talked to him, she learned that he had once been acquainted with Darcy.

"I knew him from childhood," Wickham told her. "Our fathers were friends. But when Darcy's father died, he treated me very badly. He refused to give me the living that his father had promised me."

Elizabeth was shocked. "That is terrible!" she exclaimed. "How could he be so unjust?"

Wickham sighed. "Pride, Miss Bennet. Pride and jealousy. Darcy could not bear that his father had been fond of me. He wanted everything for himself."

This information confirmed Elizabeth's poor opinion of Darcy. She had already thought him proud, but now she saw him as cruel and unjust as well.

"I am sorry that you were treated so badly, Mr. Wickham," she said warmly. "You did not deserve it."

Wickham smiled at her, and Elizabeth felt herself drawn to him. He was handsome, kind, and a victim of Darcy's pride. How could she not like him?

But Elizabeth did not know that Wickham was not telling the whole truth. There was another side to the story, one that she would only learn much later.