c17-第2节
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hoice; by explaining the gradual change which her estimation of him had undergone; relating her absolute certainty that his affection was not the work of a day; but had stood the test of many months suspense; and enumerating with energy all his good qualities; she did conquer her father's incredulity; and reconcile him to the match。
‘‘Well; my dear;'' said he; when she ceased speaking; ‘‘I have no more to say。 If this be the case; he deserves you。 I could not have parted with you; my Lizzy; to any one less worthy。''
To complete the favourable impression; she then told him what Mr。 Darcy had voluntarily done for Lydia。 He heard her with astonishment。
‘‘This is an evening of wonders; indeed! And so; Darcy did every thing: made up the match; gave the money; paid the fellow's debts; and got him his commission! So much the better。 It will save me a world of trouble and economy。 Had it been your uncle's doing; I must and would have paid him; but these violent young lovers carry every thing their own way。 I shall offer to pay him to…morrow; he will rant and storm about his love for you; and there will be an end of the matter。''
He then recollected her embarrassment a few days before; on his reading Mr。 Collins's letter; and after laughing at her some time; allowed her at last to go saying; as she quitted the room; ‘‘If any young men come for Mary or Kitty; send them in; for I am quite at leisure。''
Elizabeth's mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight; and; after half an hour's quiet reflection in her own room; she was able to join the others with tolerable composure。 Every thing was too recent for gaiety; but the evening passed tranquilly away; there was no longer any thing material to be dreaded; and the comfort of ease and familiarity would come in time。
When her mother went up to her dressing…room at night; she followed her; and made the important communication。 Its effect was most extraordinary; for on first hearing it; Mrs。 Bennet sat quite still; and unable to utter a syllable。 Nor was it under many; many minutes that she could comprehend what she heard; though not in general backward to credit what was for the advantage of her family; or that came in the shape of a lover to any of them。 She began at length to recover; to fidget about in her chair; get up; sit down again; wonder; and bless herself。
‘‘Good gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr。 Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really true? Oh! my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin…money; what jewels; what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it nothing at all。 I am so pleased so happy。 Such a charming man! so handsome! so tall! Oh; my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before。 I hope he will overlook it。 Dear; dear Lizzy。 A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh; Lord! What will become of me。 I shall go distracted。''
This was enough to prove that her approbation need not be doubted: and Elizabeth; rejoicing that such an effusion was heard only by herself; soon went away。 But before she had been three minutes in her own room; her mother followed her。
‘‘My dearest child;'' she cried; ‘‘I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year; and very likely more! 'Tis as good as a Lord! And a special licence。 You must and shall be married by a special licence。 But my dearest love; tell me what dish Mr。 Darcy is particularly fond of; that I may have it tomorrow。''
This was a sad omen of what her mother's behaviour to the gentleman himself might be; and Elizabeth found that; though in the certain possession of his warmest affection; and secure of her relations' consent; there was still something to be wished for。 But the morrow passed off much better than she expected; for Mrs。 Bennet luckily stood in such awe of her intended son…in…law that she ventured not to speak to him; unless it was in her power to offer him any attention; or mark her deference for his opinion。
Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing her father taking pains to get acquainted with him; and Mr。 Bennet soon assured her that he was rising every hour in his esteem。
‘‘I admire all my three sons…in…law highly;'' said he。 ‘‘Wickham; perhaps; is my favourite; but I think I shall like your husband quite as well as Jane's。''且说伊丽莎白一走进家门,吉英便问她:“亲爱的丽萃,你们到什么地方去了?”等到 他们俩人坐下来的时候,家里所有的人都这样问她,她只得说,他们俩人随便逛逛,后来她 自己也不知道走到什么地方去了。她说话时涨红了脸;可是不管她神色如何,都没有引起大 家怀疑到那件事上面去。
那个下午平平静静地过去了,并没有什么特别的事情。公开的那一对爱人有说有笑;没 有公开的那一对不声不响。达西生性沉静,喜悦不形于色;伊丽莎白心慌意乱,只知道自己 很幸福,却没有确切体味到究竟如何幸福,因为除了眼前这一阵别扭以外,还有种种麻烦等 在前头。她预料事情公开以后,家里人有何种感觉。她知道除了吉英以外,家里没有一个人 喜欢他,她甚至顾虑到家里人都会讨厌他,哪怕凭他的财产地位,也是无法挽救。
晚上,她把真心话说给吉英听。虽说吉英一向并不多疑,可是对这件事却简直不肯相 信。
“你在开玩笑!丽萃。不会有这种事!跟达西先生订婚!不行,不行,你不要骗我;我 知道这件事不可能。”
“一开头就这样糟糕,可真要命!我唯一希望全寄托在你身上,要是你不相信我,就没 有人会相信我了。我决不是跟你胡说。我说的都是真话。他仍然爱我,我们已经讲定了。”
吉英半信半疑地看着她。“噢,丽萃,不会有这种事的。我知道你非常厌恶他。”
“你一点也不明白这里面的曲折,这种话不必再提。也许我一向并不象现在这样爱他。 可是这一类的事,总不应该把宿怨记得太牢。我从今以后也一定要把它忘记得干干净净。”
班纳特小姐仍然显出非常诧异的样子。于是伊丽莎白更加一本正经地重新跟她说,这是 事实。
吉英不禁大声叫道:“老天爷呀!真有这件事吗?这一下我可应该相信你了,我的好丽 萃,亲丽萃,我要恭喜你,我一定得恭喜你;可是,对不起,让我问你一声:你能不能断定 ──能不能百分之百地断定,嫁了他是否幸福?”
“这当然毫无疑问。我们俩都认为我们是世界上最幸福的一对。可是你高兴吗,吉英? 你愿意要这样一位妹夫吗?”
“非常非常愿意。彬格莱和我真是再高兴也没有了。这件事我们也考虑过,谈论过,都 认为不可能。你当真非常爱他吗?噢,丽萃,什么事都可以随便,没有爱情可千万不能结 婚。你确实感觉到你应该这样做吗?”
“的确如此!等我把详情细节都告诉了你,你只会觉得我还做得不够呢。”
“你这话是什么意思?”
“嗳,我得承认,我爱他要比爱彬格莱更深切。我怕你要生气吧。”
“好妹妹,请你严肃一些。我要听你严肃地谈一谈。凡是可以对我说的话,赶快对我说 个明白,你是否愿意告诉我,你爱他有多久了?”
“这是慢慢儿发展起来的,我也说不出从什么时候开始,不过我觉得,应该从看到彭伯 里他那美丽的花园算起。”
姐姐又叫她严肃些,这一次总算产生了效果;她立刻依了吉英的意见,郑重其事地把自 己爱他的经过讲给吉英听。班纳特小姐弄明白了这一点以后,便万事放心了。
她说:“我现在真是太幸福了,因为你也会同我一样幸福。我一向很器重他。不说别 的,光是为了他爱你,我也就要永远敬重他了;他既是彬格莱的朋友,现在又成了你的丈 夫,那么除了彬格莱和你以外,我最喜欢的当然就是他啦。可是丽萃,你太狡猾了,平常连 一点口风也不向我吐露。彭伯里的事和蓝白屯的事从来没有说给我听过!我所知道的一些情 形,都是别人说给我听的,不是你自己说的。”
伊丽莎白只得把保守秘密的原因告诉了她。原来她以前不愿意提起彬格莱,加上她又心 绪不宁,所以也不讲起达西,可是现在,她大可不必再把达西为丽迪雅婚姻奔忙的那段情 节,瞒住吉英了。她把一切事都和盘托出,姐妹俩一直谈到半夜。
第二天早上,班纳特太太站在窗口叫道:“天哪!那位讨厌的达西先生又跟着我们的彬 格莱一块儿上这儿来了!他为什么那样不知趣,老是要上这儿来?我但愿他去打鸟,或者随 便去干点什么,可别来吵我们。叫我们拿他怎么办?丽萃,你又得同他出去散散步才好,不 要让他在这里麻烦彬格莱。”
母亲想出这个办法来,正是伊丽莎白求之不得的,她禁不住要笑出来,可是听到母亲老 是说他讨厌,她亦不免有些气恼。
两位贵客一走进门,彬格莱便意味深长地望着她,热烈地跟她的握手,她一看见这情 形,便断定他准是消息十分灵通;不多一会儿工夫,他果然大声说道:“班纳特太太,这一 带还有什么别的曲径小道,可以让丽萃今天再去迷路吗?”
班纳特太太说:“我要劝达西先生、丽萃和吉蒂,今天上午都上奥克汉山去。这一段长 路走起来挺有味,达西先生还没有见过那儿的风景呢。”
彬格莱先生说:“对他们两人当然再好也没有了,我看吉蒂一定吃不消。是不是,吉 蒂?”
吉蒂说她宁可待在家里。达西表示非常想到那座山上去看看四面的风景。伊丽莎白默默 表示同意,正要上楼去准备,班纳特太太在她后面说:
“丽萃,我很对不起你,逼你去跟那个讨厌的人在一起,你可不要计较。你要知道,这 都是为了吉英;你只消随便敷衍敷衍他,不必多费心思。”
散步的时候,两人决定当天下午就去请求班纳特先生表示允许;母亲那儿由伊丽莎白自 己去说。她不知道母亲是否会赞成。母亲实在太厌恶他了,因此伊丽莎白有时候竟会认为, 即使以他财产地位,也挽回不了母亲的心,可是,母亲对这门婚姻无论是坚决反对也好,欣 喜若狂也好,她的出言吐语反正都是不得体。叫人家觉得她毫无见识。她对达西先生不是欣 喜欲狂地表示赞成,便是义愤填胸地表示反对,伊丽莎白想到这里,心里实在受不了。
当天下午,只见班纳特先生刚一走进书房,达西先生便立刻站起身来跟着他走,伊丽莎 白看到这情形,心里焦急到了极点。她并不是怕父亲反对,而是怕父亲会给弄得不愉快。她 想,她是父亲最宠爱的女儿,如果她选择了这个对象,竟会使父亲感到痛苦,使父亲为她终 身大事忧虑惋惜,未免太不象话。她担心地坐在那儿,直到达西先生回到她身边,面带笑 意,她这才松了口气。一会儿工夫,达西走到她跟吉蒂一块儿坐着的那张桌子跟前来,装做 欣赏她手里的针线,轻声地跟她说:“快到你爸爸那儿去,他在书房里等着你。”她马上就 去了。
她父亲正在房间里踱来踱去,看他那种神气,既是严肃,又是焦急。
他说:“丽萃,你在闹些什么?你