After a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity, Mr. Collins was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrival of Saturday. The pain of separation, however, might be alleviated on his side, by preparations for the reception of his bride, as he had reason to hope that shortly after his next return into Hertfordshire, the day would be fixed that was to make him the happiest of men. He took leave of his relations at Longbourn with as much solemnity as before; wished his fair cousins health and happiness again, and promised their father another letter of thanks.
On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend the Christmas at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister, as well by nature as education. The Netherfield ladies would have had difficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and within view of his own warehouses, could have been so well bred and agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger than Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Philips, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman, and a great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces. Between the two eldest and herself especially, there subsisted a very particular regard. They had frequently been staying with her in town.
The first part of Mrs. Gardiner's business on her arrival, was to distribute her presents and describe the newest fashions. When this was done, she had a less active part to play. It became her turn to listen. Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, and much to complain of. They had all been very ill-used since she last saw her sister. Two of her girls had been on the point of marriage, and after all there was nothing in it.
"I do not blame Jane," she continued, "for Jane would have got Mr. Bingley, if she could. But, Lizzy! Oh, sister! it is very hard to think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time, had not it been for her own perverseness. He made her an offer in this very room, and she refused him. The consequence of it is, that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I have, and that Longbourn estate is just as much entailed as ever. The Lucases are very artful people indeed, sister. They are all for what they can get. I am sorry to say it of them, but so it is. It makes me very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted so in my own family, and to have neighbours who think of themselves before anybody else. However, your coming just at this time is the greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you tell us, of long sleeves."
Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the chief of this news had been given before, in the course of Jane and Elizabeth's correspondence with her, made her sister a slight answer, and, in compassion to her nieces, turned the conversation.
When alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke more on the subject. "It seems likely to have been a desirable match for Jane," said she. "I am sorry it went off. But these things happen so often! A young man, such as you describe Mr. Bingley, so easily falls in love with a pretty girl for a few weeks, and when accident separates them, so easily forgets her, that these sort of inconstancies are very frequent."
"An excellent consolation in its way," said Elizabeth, "but it will not do for us. We do not suffer by accident. It does not often happen that the interference of friends will persuade a young man of independent fortune to think no more of a girl, whom he was violently in love with only a few days before."
"But that expression of "violently in love" is so hackneyed, so doubtful, so indefinite, that it gives me very little idea. It is as often applied to feelings which arise from an half-hour's acquaintance, as to a real, strong attachment. Pray, how violent was Mr. Bingley's love?"
"I never saw a more promising inclination. He was growing quite inattentive to other people, and wholly engrossed by her. Every time they met, it was more decided and remarkable. At his own ball he offended two or three young ladies by not asking them to dance, and I spoke to him twice myself without receiving an answer. Could there be finer symptoms? Is not general incivility the very essence of love?"
"Oh, yes! -- of that kind of love which I suppose him to have felt. Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition, she may not get over it immediately. It had better have happened to you, Lizzy; you would have laughed yourself out of it sooner. But do you think she would be prevailed on to go back with us? Change of scene might be of service -- and perhaps a little relief from home, may be as useful as anything."
Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal, and felt persuaded of her sister's ready acquiescence.
"I hope," added Mrs. Gardiner, "that no consideration with regard to this young man will influence her. We live in so different a part of town, all our connections are so different, and, as you well know, we go out so little, that it is very improbable they should meet at all, unless he really comes to see her."
"And that is quite impossible; for he is now in the custody of his friend, and Mr. Darcy would no more suffer him to call on Jane in such a part of London -- ! My dear aunt, how could you think of it? Mr. Darcy may perhaps have heard of such a place as Gracechurch Street, but he would hardly think a month's ablution enough to cleanse him from its impurities, were he once to enter it; and depend upon it, Mr. Bingley never stirs without him."
"So much the better. I hope they will not meet at all. But does not Jane correspond with the sister? She will not be able to help calling."
"She will drop the acquaintance entirely."
But in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected to place this point, as well as the still more interesting one of Bingley's being withheld from seeing Jane, she felt a solicitude on the subject which convinced her, on examination, that she did not consider it entirely hopeless. It was possible, and sometimes she thought it probable, that his affection might be re-animated, and the influence of his friends successfully combated by the more natural influence of Jane's attractions.
Miss Bennet accepted her aunt's invitation with pleasure; and the Bingleys were no otherwise in her thoughts at the time, than as she hoped that, by Caroline's not living in the same house with her brother, she might occasionally spend a morning with her, without any danger of seeing him.
The Gardiners staid a week at Longbourn; and what with the Philipses, the Lucases, and the officers, there was not a day without its engagement. Mrs. Bennet had so carefully provided for the entertainment of her brother and sister, that they did not once sit down to a family dinner. When the engagement was for home, some of the officers always made part of it, of which officers Mr. Wickham was sure to be one; and on these occasions, Mrs. Gardiner, rendered suspicious by Elizabeth's warm commendation of him, narrowly observed them both. Without supposing them, from what she saw, to be very seriously in love, their preference of each other was plain enough to make her a little uneasy; and she resolved to speak to Elizabeth on the subject before she left Hertfordshire, and represent to her the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment.
To Mrs. Gardiner, Wickham had one means of affording pleasure, unconnected with his general powers. About ten or a dozen years ago, before her marriage, she had spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire to which he belonged. They had, therefore, many acquaintance in common; and, though Wickham had been little there since the death of Darcy's father, five years before, it was yet in his power to give her fresher intelligence of her former friends, than she had been in the way of procuring.
Mrs. Gardiner had seen Pemberley, and known the late Mr. Darcy by character perfectly well. Here, consequently, was an inexhaustible subject of discourse. In comparing her recollection of Pemberley with the minute description which Wickham could give, and in bestowing her tribute of praise on the character of its late possessor, she was delighting both him and herself. On being made acquainted with the present Mr. Darcy's treatment of him, she tried to remember something of that gentleman's reputed disposition, when quite a lad, which might agree with it, and was confident at last that she recollected having heard Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy formerly spoken of as a very proud, ill-natured boy.
--正文
度过了开心的一周后，周六早上，柯林斯从迷人的夏洛特身边被叫了回去。但是离别的悲伤对他而言可能没有那么强烈，因为他已经做好接新娘的准备。他相信下次再回赫特福德，不久婚期就能定下来。他跟之前一样，郑重其事地跟本内特一家道别——祝福漂亮的堂姐妹们身体健康，幸福快乐，又跟本内特老爷允诺会再寄份感谢信来。
下周一，本内特太太的弟弟和弟妹照往常一样来过圣诞节，她高兴的接待了他们。加德纳先生是个明事理，彬彬有礼的男人。跟她姐姐相比，不论是性格，还是受教育程度，都高出许多。耐热屯的女士们无法相信，一个做生意的人，整日忙于琐事，竟然有如此好的教养，又如此谦和。加德纳太太比本内特太太和菲利普太太小几岁，她为人随和，聪慧，又优雅，很受蘑菇屯的侄女们喜欢。对于最大的两个侄女尤其如此，跟她十分亲切。她们俩过去常常到城里和加德纳太太一起住。
加德纳太太一到本内特家，就是给大家发礼物，给大家介绍最新的衣服。礼物发完后，她就安静下来，听大家说话。本内特太太有很多苦水要倒。自打上次遇到弟妹后，她可真是受了不少委屈。她的两个闺女本来都要嫁人了，但到最后还是没嫁成。
“这事我不怪简，”本内特太太说，“因为宾利要是愿意娶的话，她也就嫁出去了。可是这个栗子，我的好妹妹，我现在一想起来就脑阔疼，要不是她固执得要死，她现在都是柯林斯的老婆了。他就在这屋里跟她求婚，却被她拒绝了！结果那卢卡斯太太反倒闺女嫁在我前头了，我们这蘑菇屯的地产也就这么给人继承了去。妹妹，我跟你说卢卡斯这家人都鬼精鬼精的。她们可是不择手段的人。这么说她们我心里也不好受，但是这是实话。家里人跟我反着来，邻居呢也是什么都抢在前面，我真是神经紧张，难受死了。幸亏你现在过来了，我这才好受些。你快给我讲讲你那长款的袖子。。”
此前简和伊丽莎白去信已经说过，所以加德纳夫人了解大概的情况。她体谅侄女们，就应承了几句，换了个话题。
后面与伊丽莎白独处的时候，她才多说了一些：“听起来宾利跟简还是很搭的。”她说，“这事没成真的挺可惜。但这种事情也是南面的。正如你所说，宾利那样的年轻人，几个星期就爱上一个漂亮姑娘。然后意外分开后，没几天就忘掉了她。这种反复无常的事情，总是会有的。”
“这话听起来很安慰人，”伊丽莎白说，”但是安慰不了我们。这可不是偶然的遭遇，我们遇到的这事可不是常常有的。一个有自己财产年轻人，会因为朋友的干涉，而放弃几天前还疯狂热爱的女人。“
”‘疯狂热爱’，这个词现在被用的太多了，它的意思模糊，让人怀疑。光听这个词，我是没法确认什么东西。相比描述真实、强烈的感情，这个词通常被用来形容认识半个小时的感情。所以请问，宾利的爱到底有多么强烈？“
”我可从没见到过那么明显的喜欢。他当时可是完全忽略掉其他人，只是全神贯注的跟她聊天。每次他们见面，这种感情就会更加确定，表现得更加明显。他后来举办了次舞会，又因为没邀请人家跳舞，得罪两三个姑娘。我跟他说了两次话，他都没有理我。还能有更明显的答案吗？除了心上人，对谁都不上心，这不就是爱情吗？“
”这样啊，这种爱情他肯定是体会过的。我可怜的简，我真是替她难过。她那种性格，肯定不会很快放下的。如果这事要是发生在你身上，就好多了，栗子。你肯定是笑笑就过去了。你觉得能劝劝她跟我们一起回去么？这种时候，换个环境，家里的人说不着她，可能会让她好受一些。“
伊丽莎白很满意这个方法，并且相信她姐姐肯定会自动接受。
”我希望她不会因为害怕遇到宾利而不跟我去。“加德纳夫人说道，”我们住的地方隔得挺远，认识的人也不一样，而且我们也不怎么走动的。所以除非宾利登门拜访，否则基本上遇不到他的。“
”这事不太可能，因为他现在已经被那位朋友囚禁起来了。达西先生怎么也不会忍心让他受这个罪，跑去伦敦的另一个地方去拜访简的。我的好舅妈，你怎么想到这件事的？达西确实可能听说过感恩教堂街这么个地方，他要是去过这个地方的话，他就该知道就算洗一个月，也洗干净身上的罪过。所以放心把，没有达西，宾利是不会一个人去的。“
”这样好多了。我希望他们永远见不到。但是，简不是跟宾利的姐姐通信吗？她说不定会过来拜访呢。“
”她肯定不会认我姐这个老熟人的。“
但是尽管伊丽莎白十分确信，宾利是被拦着不让见简，但是她心里多少还是相信，这事说不定有些转机。有时候她觉得有戏，甚至极有可能，宾利会对简爱火重燃。那些朋友对他的影响，会被简的魅力所成功打败。
简很愉快的接受了舅妈的邀请。她当时只是想着，卡罗琳要是不跟他弟弟一起住，她还能去挑个早上拜访一下卡罗琳，这样就不会见到宾利了。
加德纳一家在蘑菇屯待了一星期。菲利普家，卢卡斯家，还有那些军官们，每天都与他们有约。本内特太太一直勤勤恳恳的照顾着姊妹们，以至于他们都没坐下来一起吃顿晚饭。有时候他们会在家里相约玩耍，他们总是会邀请一些军官过来，而维克汉姆自然也身居其中。每每这个时候，伊丽莎白总是会热情夸奖维克汉姆，加德纳夫人心里自然有些怀疑，便小心的观察他们两个。她观察了一会，确认他们还没有相爱，但是他们之间暧昧的氛围已经足够明显，这让加德纳夫人有些不安。她决心在离开赫特福德之前，跟伊丽莎白聊聊这件事，跟她说明白跟维克汉姆谈恋爱是很轻率的行为。
相比寻常的套路，维克汉姆有些特殊的手段讨好加德纳夫人；大约十年，或者十二年前，她还没结婚的时候，她在维克汉姆待过的地方住过好一阵子。所以，他们有很多共同的朋友。虽说自从五年前达西的父亲去世后，维克汉姆就很少到那儿去。但是他还是能告诉加德纳夫人很多八卦，都是些老朋友的事情，这些事情加德纳夫人自己都不知道。
加德纳夫人去过彭伯里，而且很清楚老达西先生的性格。因此，她跟维克汉姆可有的聊了。她听着维克汉姆详细描述了彭伯里的样子，自己也谈起之前待在那庄园的样子，说着又夸了夸老达西先生的好性格，两个人聊得十分开心。听闻了现在的达西如何对待维克汉姆之后，她试着回想了下，达西还很小的时候那声名远播的'性格'，也可能做出这种事。最终她想了起来，以前确实听别人说过——菲茨威廉姆.达西是个很高傲，脾气很坏的男孩。
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