[Comprehensive Classics] Detective Mary

When Jane and Mr. Bingley held their wedding at Netherfield Manor, Lydia was completely devoted to the handsome Mr. Wickham.Even though Mary deliberately used aggressive methods to force Lydia to understand Wickham's unreliability, she still refused to give up and asked him to come out on Jane's wedding night to confess boldly.

An unmarried girl had a private meeting with a man in the middle of the night, but she still confessed herself, and the man refused her politely.Such behavior can almost be said to be "disgraceful" in the Victorian period. If the news spread, not only Lydia's reputation would be ruined, but even the other Bennet sisters who were not married at the time would be affected.

The incident was so serious that Mary was so angry that she couldn't help but take Catherine and Lydia to leave Longbourn and go to Milton to track down the clues of Professor Moriarty.

And now, Lydia finally walked out of Wickham's shadow, picked up her needle and thread, and saw her smile again.Just when Mary thought that if she gave Lydia a little more time, she would completely forget about Wickham and become a decent and hardworking girl, this guy came back again.

Not only back, but with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth?

Elizabeth didn't mention this matter in the letter, Mary couldn't help but muttered, knowing what happened to Wickham and Lydia, Lizzie didn't tell her in advance, so that Mary could prepare , a bit strange.

She couldn't help looking at Lydia worriedly, and saw that the little girl's face didn't show the pain or sadness that Mary had expected. She was indeed surprised, but more than that, she had mixed feelings.

The scene suddenly became a little strange.

"Lizzie!"

Mary had to come forward to break the atmosphere. In any case, no matter how obtrusive Wickham was, he could not spoil her reunion with Elizabeth.Mary happily gave her second sister a big hug: "I miss you so much, tell me about the good places you have been to these past few months?"

"Obviously I told you in the letter," Elizabeth let Mary hold her arm, "do you still want me to talk?"

"It's not long-winded. Can Lizzie's words be the same as her letters?"

"Spoof."

Elizabeth couldn't help poking Mary's forehead.She blamed her, but the smile couldn't stop climbing onto her beautiful face.

Seeing that the three younger sisters were living well alone in London, Elizabeth felt relieved.Especially Mary, looking at her energetic appearance, is quite different from the attitude she had when she was in Longbourn, she was bookish and ignored people.

"You," Elizabeth couldn't help laughing, "If you don't know, you think your parents abused you and didn't let you eat and dress well in the country, otherwise why would you move out and live by yourself, smiling like a different person?"

"I'm so heartless in your eyes," complained Mary. "I miss my father and mother, too—good afternoon, Mr. Darcy."

Mr. Darcy, who was watching Mary acting like a baby, hooked his mouth: "Mary."

Mary: "Ah, and—"

Before she could speak, Elizabeth intentionally or unconsciously approached Mary's ear and lowered her voice, "I'll tell you about Wickham later."

"—and Mr. Wickham," Mary said nonchalantly after a pause, "you are in London, too."

The last time she had spoken to Wickham, Mary had threatened him outright to leave Meryton.Now she speaks politely, as if the past unhappiness never happened at all.

Wickham, instead of being angry, had an eager smile on his face. Looking at Mary was like seeing an old friend he hadn't seen for a long time: "Miss Mary, I didn't expect that we would meet again in London."

"We can come in and talk," said Mr. Darcy calmly, and it was impossible to see how he tolerated Wickham's entry into his mansion. "The butler has already made tea, and Bingley and Jane are waiting for you."

However, with Wickham around, the family gathering that was supposed to be lively has changed somewhat.

After everyone was seated, the atmosphere was a little awkward.Well-meaning Jane knew that Wickham was not here, and asked politely, "How did you come to London, Mr. Wickham?"

But Mary felt that Jane's kindness was superfluous.

The embarrassing ones are obviously the five girls of the Bennet family and their husbands. As for Wickham himself, he is still the same as Mary remembers: handsome as if a movie star in the 21st century, kind as if he regards everyone here as a best friend He was treated by his friend, with the same smile on his face as before, as if nothing had happened when he left Longbourne.

How thick-skinned can you do this!Mary was almost in admiration of Wickham.

"I've been in Leeds before," Wickham explained to Jane with a smile. "Unfortunately, I had some misunderstandings with other officers of the local militia battalion there. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Thanks to their kindness, they invited me to leave Leeds together and come to London."

"so."

Jane does not doubt that there is him—the eldest sister of the Bennet family is very good, but she is not good at all, she is so soft-hearted.Knowing that Wickham hurt Lydia first, he couldn't help but think about things on the bright side.

"Fortunately, you met," Jane said softly, "Do you have a place to live?"

"I had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of a nobleman in London," said Wickham, "who, when he heard that I was coming back, made arrangements for lodging early in the morning."

Jane smiled: "That's really great."

"Your Majesty?"

Mary immediately became curious: "Which kind-hearted person with an angelic heart is willing to lend a helping hand?"

The translation of this sentence means——you have entrapped someone again with your bluffing.Whenever any decent person heard Mary's words, there was always some embarrassment at the beginning of their disagreement, but Wickham did not.

Not only did he not, he even showed a grateful expression.

"Yes," said Wickham, "this gentleman is a model of generosity and kindness. By the way, Mrs. Bingley, I have heard that you intend to give a party some days ago, and my lord thinks that I am also a friend of you. , planning to bring me to attend, you don't mind, do you?"

Elizabeth: "..."

Mary: "..."

"This..." Jane was a little embarrassed.

Where is there such a thick-skinned person!Had it not been for Mary's lack of strength and decency, she would have given Wickham two punches.

Wickham first coaxed Mr. Darcy's sister Georgiana to elope, and was confessed by Lydia.In order to protect the reputation of the two maidens, neither Mr. Darcy nor the Bennet family can openly break with Wickham.This is why Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy still treat Wickham politely.

But being polite is being polite, isn't it a little too much to put your nose on your face? !

He was so confident that Mary had a vague guess: "Surely this nobleman of yours is a friend of Mr. Bingley's?"

Wickham smiled and said nothing: "You will know when the time comes, Miss Mary."

"In that case."

He took the initiative to bring it up, but can Jane refuse directly?At a loss, the eldest sister of the Bennet family could only agree to him: "Of course we welcome you, Mr. Wickham."

"It is my honor, Mrs. Bingley." Wickham agreed to Jane with a serious face.

More than that.

After accepting the invitation, the brazen Wickham, the scumbag of the scumbags in "Pride and Prejudice", turned his head to look at Lydia.

When he touched Lydia's eyes, Wickham's handsome features instantly softened.He stared at Lydia affectionately, and said loudly: "At Longbourne, Miss Lydia took the initiative to invite me to dance. If there is a chance, it is my turn to invite you to dance, Miss Lydia, Will you do me the honor of allowing me to dance with you for the first time at Mrs Bingley's ball?"

Mary: "..."

Lydia took a deep breath.

A year ago Lydia would have danced for joy, and would have agreed to Wickham without even thinking about it.He even asked Jane immediately when the ball was going to be arranged, and said loudly that the sooner the better, preferably tomorrow.

After all, this was my biggest dream in the past.

Lydia fell in love with Wickham the first time she met him.The young man in uniform was imposing and had an exceptionally beautiful face. Whenever he smiled at her, Lydia felt her head go blank.

But Wickham liked Elizabeth at that time, Mary also bluntly said that he was an insidious villain with other plans.

At that time, Lydia often quarreled with Mary because of Wickham, but the more she quarreled, the more she found that Mary was right.Lost five hats, and even the confession was directly rejected.

When she left Longbourn, Lydia hated Mary so much that every night she lay in bed dreaming of Mary laughing at her triumphantly, saying she was a fool, and that she would be so foolish all her life. You can't marry a good family.

But with hate and hate, Lydia's disgust turned into discouragement-because Mary didn't care what she thought of herself.

She is very busy.Milton is so boring, there is no social life or many dances, but Mary is away all day, either helping the workers with Margaret, or investigating the case with the assistance of Mr. Thornton.As dull as she had been at Longbourn, she had been as confident in Milton.

And these confidences have nothing to do with gentlemen or anyone else. Mary's confidence comes entirely from her helping others.

Lydia doesn't think what Mary is doing is great, she just thinks that if Mary can pursue her own value, so can she.So Lydia chose to help Mary, watched Mary beg herself, and watched her put on the clothes she made-Marie couldn't do these things, so Lydia had some psychological balance.

But what she didn't expect was that she could really do it.

Mary can't draw a design, she can; Mary can't let Mrs Hindley politely beg herself, she can; Mary can't complete her pursuit and still be sought after by gentlemen, she can.

Although Lydia now knows that Mary's ambition is not here, she feels that she now has her own goal, which is no worse than Mary's.

Then looking at Wickham, looking at his affectionate expression, Lydia was surprised to find that she was extraordinarily calm - no joy, no sadness, no worries about gains and losses, only indescribable disappointment.

Disappointment at Wickham was nothing more than that.

He is indeed imposing, but is he comparable to the elite-educated young masters in high-end salons?Apart from others, he was no match for Sir Blackwood, whom Mary and Mr. Holmes suspected; he was indeed handsome, but the young gentlemen who courted her at the banquet and invited her to dance were not far behind.

Apart from this face, Lydia couldn't find any other advantages-than knowledge?than property?than contacts?How does Wickham compare to others?

More importantly, can he understand his quest?

Jane finds Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Bingley is willing to eliminate all criticisms for Jane and let his biological sister stop gossiping about the Bennet family. Elizabeth finds Mr. Darcy. love each other.Can Wickham pay so much for himself?No, he didn't even like her.

Not to mention being able to identify with each other's careers and goals like Mary and Mr. Holmes.

The dreams and naive thoughts of the past are nothing but wishful thinking.

Lydia finally realized that her calm was not because of giving up, but simply because she had lost all interest in Wickham.

So, Lydia closed her eyes, and under the gaze of everyone, she answered very solemnly: "Jane's party also invited a few noble ladies who are highly respected, and they may have some important matters to discuss with me."

She paused, and continued: "So sorry, Mr. Wickham, I may not have time to dance with you."

The author has something to say: Mary: Oh my god, my sister has grown up, she has matured and improved, and she has broken the face of a scumbag with her own hands. She and I are no longer a combination of brainless and unhappy!

Lydia:? ?Who is no brainer?Who is unhappy?

Mary: Of course you're the one who's stupid and unhappy.

Lydia: [takes a sewing box and beats Mary]