"Fitzwilliam, how's it going?" Mr. Bingley had been waiting downstairs for a long time.

Mr. Darcy handed the whip to the servant, and his face was not very good. "My uncle wanted me to claim that I didn't know and immediately go to court to sue Philip for fraud. "If the chief of the voyage had not been Philip, the son of the old agent, Mr. Darcy would have made such a choice, for this is what it is. Philip offered Mr. Darcy to take over his father's business of wholesale tea in India and shipping it to the Americas for sugar and tobacco. But this ambitious young man, who did not know who he had instigated, carried a smoothbore gun in the tea leaves, and the profits from selling weapons in wartime were very high.

"Oh. Mr. Bingley looked at Mr. Darcy sympathetically. "Your uncle has a point in doing this, the price to keep Philip is too high, after all, he was caught trading with the French army. ”

Mr. Darcy rubbed the corners of his forehead. "If I do this, Philip, who proves to be worthless, will most likely be put to death. Philip had no idea, but he landed in southwestern North America, sold tea, and traveled inland to Quebec, where he stumbled near the crossfire and was surrounded by French troops. They were almost taken prisoner by our team when they spoke English with their smoothbore guns, and when they handed over their weapons, they happened to be bumped into by our troops. ”

Mr. Bingley didn't know what to say. Unfortunately, Philip was unprepared and made his way across the North American continent to Quebec, where he was likely to be killed or taken prisoner by the French when he handed over his weapons, and the British arrived just in time. "The military should also know something, otherwise they wouldn't have asked you to pay the fine and would have executed Philip and his party. ”

Mr. Darcy's expression was grim. "But for them, the facts don't matter. ”

Mr. Bingley was very worried about Mr. Darcy. He knew that Mr. Carter was Darcy's father's agent for him, and that he had helped the young and inexperienced Mr. Darcy a lot when Mr. Darcy Sr. had just died, and that Philip was Mr. Carter's son and was innocent in this matter, and that Darcy could not have let him be executed. "You know, Fitzwilliam, I can't help with the military. But if you want to pay the fine, I can lend it to you. ”

Mr. Darcy's tense expression softened a little, and the support of his friends calmed his anxiety a lot, but he was not good at expressing himself, and only patted Mr. Bingley on the shoulder. "Thank you. Then he got up and walked outside.

"Wait, Fitzwilliam, where are you going?"

"Pay part of the fine first to ensure Philip's safety. ”

Mr. Bingley grabbed his coat. "I'll go with you. The land rent has not been confiscated, and the merchant ships have not returned, and you have withdrawn so much money from your account at once, and it will be bad if you encounter an urgent need for money. ”

The two rode side by side to St. James's Street.

Mr. Bingley was excited to support his friend when he saw him, but after thinking about it on the way, paying part of the fine meant that Darcy was officially involved in the matter and could never get out easily, and it seemed inappropriate to do so if Darcy didn't talk to his uncle. Walking to the door of a café, Mr. Bingley remembered that neither of them had yet breakfast, and proposed a cup of coffee, ready to persuade Mr. Darcy to think calmly in the café. Mr. Darcy agreed.

As soon as the two walked into the café, they heard a shrill female voice: "I'm really surprised." Mr. Darcy is so arrogant, and always scorns the faults of others. I thought he was a gentleman with no blemish in character, but I didn't expect him to do such a thing. ”

A soft female voice said, "Kate, I don't think Mr. Darcy would do such a thing." ”

Another crisp female voice giggled, "Daisy, you can't be as wise as Kate." This is by no means an ordinary trifle. Otherwise, Kate wouldn't have just heard the news and said that she had mistaken Mr. Darcy. ”

Miss Kate's voice suddenly rose, "What do you mean, Emily! I really didn't expect Mr. Darcy to be such a person." ”

Miss Emily dragged out her voice, "Oh, it looks like I'm mistaken. You were not the one who said that pride was the prerogative of a good gentleman. You are not the one who wants Mr. Darcy to play the piano accompaniment for the singing. ”

Miss Kate said angrily, "I still think that pride is the prerogative of a good gentleman, but it is not Mr. Darcy's pretense of doing such a thing. I had only heard that Mr. Darcy was a great player at the piano and wanted to see a better sound. How can you slander me like this in front of Cousin Rose with some specious things. ”

"Sorry, dear Kate. I don't know if there is such a reason behind these two events. You've already explained, and I'm sure Cousin Ross won't get me wrong. Miss Emily didn't have much apologies in her tone.

Miss Daisy was embarrassed by their argument: "Emily, Kate, don't do that. Alas, I don't understand these political things, and if it's really strict, what should Mr. Darcy do?"

The gentleman, who had not spoken up just now, answered for her: "Treason is punishable by death." ”

"Oh my God. Miss Daisy exclaimed, as if she had fainted, and could faintly hear someone say that she should take a sniff of salt.

"Treason?" said a young lady behind Mr. Bingley, who was embarrassed and indignant, and Mr. Darcy, who could not see any expression.

Mr. Bingley felt that her voice was somewhat familiar, and turned his head to see that it was Miss Kentera.

Emma walked around them to the table of the young ladies and gentlemen, her expression still soft. "I very much agree with what you say, and it is indeed treason to supply weapons to hostile French troops in this extraordinary period. Isn't it enough that Mr. Darcy is still standing here instead of being arrested at the first time?