第9章

Elizabeth passed the chief of the night in her sister's room, and in the morning had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable answer to the enquiries which she very early received from Mr. Bingley by a housemaid, and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on his sisters. In spite of this amendment, however, she requested to have a note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother to visit Jane, and form her own judgment of her situation. The note was immediately dispatched, and its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.

Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been very miserable;but being satisfied on seeing her, that her illness was not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as her restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield. She would not listen therefore to her daughter's proposal of being carried home;neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think it at all advisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss Bingley's appearance and invitation the mother and three daughters all attended her into the breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.

“Indeed I have, Sir,”was her answer.“She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her. We must trespass a little longer on your kindness.”

“Removed!”cried Bingley.“It must not be thought of. My sister, I am sure, will not hear of her removal.”

“You may depend upon it, Madam,”said Miss Bingley, with cold civility,“that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with us.”

Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.

“I am sure,”she added,“if it was not for such good friends I do not know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world-which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception, the sweetest temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothing to her. You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over that gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry I hope, though you have but a short lease.”

“Whatever I do is done in a hurry,”replied he;“and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here.”

“That is exactly what I should have supposed of you,”said Elizabeth.

“You begin to comprehend me, do you?”cried he, turning towards her.

“Oh! yes—I understand you perfectly.”

“I wish I might take this for a compliment; but to be so easily seen through I am afraid is pitiful.”

“That is as it happens. It does not necessarily follow that a deep, intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours.”

“Lizzy,”cried her mother,“remember where you are, and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home.”

“I did not know before,”continued Bingley immediately,“that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study.”

“Yes; but intricate characters are the most amusing. They have at least that advantage.”

“The country,”said Darcy,“can in general supply but few subjects for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and unvarying society.”

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever.”

“Yes, indeed,”cried Mrs. Bennet, offended by his manner of mentioning a country neighbourhood.“I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in the country as in town.”

Everybody was surprised; and Darcy, after looking at her for a moment, turned silently away. Mrs. Bennet, who fancied she had gained a complete victory over him, continued her triumph.

“I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country for my part, except the shops and public places. The country is a vast deal pleasanter, is not it, Mr. Bingley?”

“When I am in the country,”he replied,“I never wish to leave it; and when I am in town it is pretty much the same. They have each their advantages, and I can be equally happy in either.”

“Aye-that is because you have the right disposition. But that gentleman,”looking at Darcy,“seemed to think the country was nothing at all.”

“Indeed, Mama, you are mistaken,”said Elizabeth, blushing for her mother.“You quite mistook Mr. Darcy. He only meant that there were not such a variety of people to be met with in the country as in town, which you must acknowledge to be true.”

“Certainly, my dear, nobody said there were; but as to not meeting with many people in this neighbourhood, I believe there are few neighbourhoods larger. I know we dine with four and twenty families.”

Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his countenance. His sister was less delicate, and directed her eye towards Mr. Darcy with a very expressive smile. Elizabeth, for the sake of saying something that might turn her mother's thoughts, now asked her if Charlotte Lucas had been at Longbourn since her coming away.

“Yes, she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable man Sir William is, Mr. Bingley-is not he? so much the man of fashion! so genteel and so easy! -He has always something to say to everybody. -That is my idea of good breeding; and those persons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths, quite mistake the matter.”

“Did Charlotte dine with you?”

“No, she would go home. I fancy she was wanted about the mince pies. For my part, Mr. Bingley, I always keep servants that can do their own work; my daughters are brought up differently. But everybody is to judge for themselves, and the Lucases are very good sort of girls, I assure you. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not that I think Charlotte so very plain-but then she is our particular friend.”

“She seems a very pleasant young woman,”said Bingley.

“Oh! dear, yes; -but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty. I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane-one does not often see any body better looking. It is what everybody says. I do not trust my own partiality. When she was only fifteen, there was a gentleman at my brother Gardiner's in town, so much in love with her, that my sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came away. But however he did not. Perhaps he thought her too young. However, he wrote some verses on her, and very pretty they were.”

“And so ended his affection,”said Elizabeth impatiently.“There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!”

“I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love,”said Darcy.

“Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.”

Darcy only smiled, and the general pause which ensued made Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself again. She longed to speak, but could think of nothing to say; and after a short silence Mrs. Bennet began repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane with an apology for troubling him also with Lizzy. Mr. Bingley was unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be civil also, and say what the occasion required. She performed her part, indeed, without much graciousness, but Mrs. Bennet was satisfied, and soon afterwards ordered her carriage. Upon this signal, the youngest of her daughters put herself forward. The two girls had been whispering to each other during the whole visit, and the result of it was, that the youngest should tax Mr. Bingley with having promised on his first coming into the country to give a ball at Netherfield.

Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine complexion and good-humoured countenance; a favourite with her mother, whose affection had brought her into public at an early age. She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence, which the attentions of the officers, to whom her uncle's good dinners and her own easy manners recommended her, had increased into assurance. She was very equal, therefore, to address Mr. Bingley on the subject of the ball, and abruptly reminded him of his promise; adding, that it would be the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it. His answer to this sudden attack was delightful to their mother's ear.

“I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement, and when your sister is recovered, you shall if you please, name the very day of the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing while she is ill.”

Lydia declared herself satisfied.“Oh! yes-it would be much better to wait till Jane was well, and by that time most likely Captain Carter would be at Meryton again. And when you have given your ball,”she added,“I shall insist on their giving one also. I shall tell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if he does not.”

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, and Elizabeth returned instantly to Jane, leaving her own and her relations’behaviour to the remarks of the two ladies and Mr. Darcy;the latter of whom, however, could not be prevailed on to join in their censure of her, in spite of all Miss Bingley's witticisms on fine eyes.

伊丽莎白大半夜是在姐姐的屋里度过的。第二天一大早，宾利先生就派一名女仆过来询问病情。过了一段时间宾利的姐妹俩也打发两个侍女前来探望。伊丽莎白总算可以告诉他们说，病人还算健康。然而，尽管简的病情有所好转，但伊丽莎白还是请主人家给朗伯恩村送一封信，希望她的母亲来看看简，亲自对简的病情作出判断。宾利先生家吃过早饭后不久，贝内特太太在两个小女儿的陪伴下，到达了内瑟菲尔德庄园。

如果贝内特太太发现简出现任何明显的危险，一定就会非常痛苦；但是，见到女儿的病情并不令人担忧，就打消了疑虑，并不希望简马上康复，因为简一康复，说不定就要离开内瑟菲尔德庄园。所以，她的女儿一提起要她把自己带回家，她就不愿听；那位差不多跟她同时到达的医生也认为这根本不可取。贝内特太太陪简坐了一小会儿，宾利小姐就来了，把母女四人都请进了早餐厅。见到她们之后，宾利先生说希望贝内特太太发现贝内特小姐的病情没有她料想的糟糕。

“先生，的确比我料想的糟糕，”她答道，“她病得太重了，无法移动。琼斯先生说我们一定不要想着移动她。我们必须再打扰你一小段时间。”

“移动！”宾利嚷道，“绝不能这样想。我确信，我的妹妹不会同意移动她。”

“太太，你放心好了，”宾利小姐礼貌而又冷淡地说，“贝内特小姐跟我们住在一起，一定会受到尽可能的一切关照。”

贝内特太太连声致谢。

“我确信，”她补充说，“宾利先生，要不是靠这么好的朋友们，我不知道她会变成什么样，因为她病得的确很重，遭受了极大的痛苦，不过到底有极大的耐心——她一向如此，因为我从来没有遇见过哪个人有她这样温柔的性情。我常常告诉其他几个姑娘说，她们无法跟她相比。宾利先生，你这里有漂亮的房间，从那条碎石路望去，景色非常迷人。我不知道乡下哪个地方比得上内瑟菲尔德庄园。尽管你只是短期租借，但我认为，也希望你不要匆匆搬走。”

“无论干什么事儿，我都是匆匆忙忙，”他答道，“所以，我要是决定离开内瑟菲尔德庄园，说不定五分钟就会走的。不过，现在我认为自己完全安居在了这里。”

“这完全像我对你猜想的一样。”伊丽莎白说。

“你开始了解我了，对吗？”他转向她，大声说道。

“噢！对——我完全了解你。”

“但愿我能把你这话当成是一种恭维；不过，这样轻易被人看穿，我怕就可怜了。”

“那要看情况。这并不一定说，高深莫测的人或多或少比你这样的人更可敬。”

“丽齐，”她的妈妈大声说道，“记住你在哪里，不要像你在家里那样撒野。”

宾利先生马上接着说道：“我以前不知道你在研究人的性格。研究人的性格一定非常有趣。”

“是的；不过，复杂的性格最有趣。至少它们具有这种优势。”

达西说：“乡下进行这种研究通常能提供的对象寥寥无几。在乡下的街坊邻居中，你活动交往的范围非常狭窄，一成不变。”

“不过，人们本身变化好多，他们的身上永远有新东西让你去注意。”

“是的，的确是，”贝内特太太听到他提起乡下街坊邻居的口气，非常反感，就大声说道，“我向你保证，乡下发生的事儿跟城里的一样多。”

大家都吃了一惊；达西看了她一会儿之后，就默默地转身离去。贝内特太太以为自己完全战胜了他，就继续洋洋得意。

“我看，除了店铺和公共场所之外，伦敦比起乡下并没有多大优势。乡下舒适多了，不是吗，宾利先生？”

“我到了乡下，”他答道，“就绝不想走；我到了城里，也完全一样。乡下和城里各有各的优势，所以我在哪里都同样开心。”

“啊——那是因为你性情对劲。可是，那位先生，”望着达西，“好像认为乡下根本一钱不值。”

“妈妈，你真的弄错了，”伊丽莎白为母亲感到脸红说，“你完全误会了达西先生。他只是说，乡下见到的人不像在城里见到的人这样形形色色，你必须承认这是事实。”

“当然，我的宝贝，谁也没有说过不是；可是，要说这一带碰不到好多人，我相信比这个地方大的也没有几个。我知道我们常常一块吃饭的就有二十四家。”

只是顾及伊丽莎白，宾利才没能笑出声来。他的妹妹没有那样体贴，对达西先生意味深长地微微一笑。为了说些事儿转移母亲的心思，伊丽莎白就问母亲，她离开以来，夏洛特·卢卡斯是否去过朗伯恩村。

“去过，昨天她跟她的爸爸一起去过。威廉爵士真是一个和蔼可亲的人，宾利先生——不是吗？那个人那么时尚！那么文雅，那么随和！——他对每个总是都有话说。——这就是我认为的良好教养；那些自以为举足轻重、不开尊口的人对这件事的想法完全错了。”

“夏洛特跟你们一起吃过饭吗？”

“没有，她要回家。我想是家里要她回去做肉馅饼吧。在我看来，宾利先生，我总是雇佣能做好份内工作的仆人；我的女儿们不是被抚养大的。不过，每个人都要自己判断；我向你保证，卢卡斯家里的都是非常好的姑娘。可惜的是，她们不漂亮！我并不是认为夏洛特相貌平平——不过，她是我们非同寻常的朋友。”

“看来她是一位非常可爱的姑娘。”宾利说。

“噢！哎呀；——可是，你必须承认她相貌平平。卢卡斯太太本人经常这样说，还羡慕我的简长得漂亮呢。我不喜欢夸口自己的孩子，但的确是，简——你不常见谁比她长得好看。人人都这样说。我并不是偏心。她才十五岁时，在城里我那位兄弟加德纳家里，一位先生就热恋上了她，我的弟妹确信那位先生一定会在我们离开前向她求婚。不过，他却没有。也许是他以为她太年轻了。不过，他为简写了几首诗，而且写得非常漂亮。”

“他的情感就这样结束了，”伊丽莎白不耐烦地说，“我想，有好多人都是这样以同样的方式克服的。我不知道是谁第一个发现诗歌能赶走爱情的这个功效！”

“我一贯认为诗是爱情的养料。”达西说。

“那是一种优美、坚贞、健康的爱情才可以。已经健壮的东西，一切对它都是滋养。不过，要是只有一点微薄的情意，我深信，一首优美的十四行诗就会把它完全断送。”

达西只是微微一笑，接着大家都沉默了一会儿，这时伊丽莎白提心吊胆，唯恐她的母亲又要丢人现眼。尽管她很想说话，但又想不起要说什么。沉默了一会儿之后，贝内特太太又开始对宾利先生连声感谢，感谢他对简的好意，并对丽齐打扰他表示歉意。宾利先生的回答真挚礼貌，迫使他的妹妹也不得不礼貌，说一些场面上需要的话。其实，他的妹妹说话并不怎么得体，但贝内特太太感到满意，不久以后便吩咐备车。听到这个信号，她最小的女儿走上前来。在整个访问期间，两个姑娘一直在低声交谈；交谈的结果是，最小的女孩应该提醒宾利先生最初来乡下时答应在内瑟菲尔德庄园举行一次舞会。

丽迪雅十五岁，发育良好，身体健壮，皮肤白皙，满面春风，是她母亲的心肝宝贝，母亲的慈爱早早地就把她带入了公众社交场合。她生龙活虎，天生自高自大，那些军官的大献殷勤，她姨父的好菜好饭，她自己从容大方的举止，使她越发有恃无恐。所以，她非常适合向宾利先生谈舞会这个话题，就唐突地提醒他承诺过的事儿，同时补充说，如果他不信守诺言，那将会是世界上最丢人的事儿。听了他对这个突如其来的问题的回答，她的母亲心里乐开了花。

“我向你保证，我完全乐意履行自己的诺言；等你的姐姐康复之后，舞会的日子随你定。可是，你不希望在姐姐生病时跳舞吧。”

丽迪雅自己表示满意。“噢！是的——等简身体好之后再跳，那会好得多；而且到那时，卡特上尉十有八九会再来魅力屯。等你开过舞会之后，”她补充说，“我一定要他们也开一次。我会告诉福斯特上校，要是他不开的话，那就丢大人了。”

于是，贝内特太太和两个女儿离开了，伊丽莎白立刻回到简的身边，任由宾利姐妹和达西先生谈论她自己和她的母亲、妹妹的举止。然而，尽管宾利小姐谈到漂亮眼睛时妙语连珠，但达西先生不为所动，没有去指责她。