WHEN the ladies removed after dinner, Elizabeth ran up to her sister, and, seeing her well guarded from cold, attended her into the drawing-room; where she was welcomed by her two friends with many professions of pleasure; and Elizabeth had never seen them so agreeable as they were during the hour which passed before the gentlemen appeared. Their powers of conversation were considerable. They could describe an entertainment with accuracy, relate an anecdote with humour, and laugh at their acquaintance with spirit.
But when the gentlemen entered, Jane was no longer the first object. Miss Bingley's eyes were instantly turned towards Darcy, and she had something to say to him before he had advanced many steps. He addressed himself directly to Miss Bennet, with a polite congratulation; Mr. Hurst also made her a slight bow, and said he was "very glad;" but diffuseness and warmth remained for Bingley's salutation. He was full of joy and attention. The first half hour was spent in piling up the fire, lest she should suffer from the change of room; and she removed at his desire to the other side of the fireplace, that she might be farther from the door. He then sat down by her, and talked scarcely to any one else. Elizabeth, at work in the opposite corner, saw it all with great delight.
When tea was over, Mr. Hurst reminded his sister-in-law of the card-table -- but in vain. She had obtained private intelligence that Mr. Darcy did not wish for cards; and Mr. Hurst soon found even his open petition rejected. She assured him that no one intended to play, and the silence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her. Mr. Hurst had therefore nothing to do but to stretch himself on one of the sophas and go to sleep. Darcy took up a book; Miss Bingley did the same; and Mrs. Hurst, principally occupied in playing with her bracelets and rings, joined now and then in her brother's conversation with Miss Bennet.
Miss Bingley's attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr. Darcy's progress through his book, as in reading her own; and she was perpetually either making some inquiry, or looking at his page. She could not win him, however, to any conversation; he merely answered her question, and read on. At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, "How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library."
No one made any reply. She then yawned again, threw aside her book, and cast her eyes round the room in quest of some amusement; when, hearing her brother mentioning a ball to Miss Bennet, she turned suddenly towards him and said,
"By the bye, Charles, are you really serious in meditating a dance at Netherfield? -- I would advise you, before you determine on it, to consult the wishes of the present party; I am much mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure."
"If you mean Darcy," cried her brother, "he may go to bed, if he chuses, before it begins -- but as for the ball, it is quite a settled thing; and as soon as Nicholls has made white soup enough I shall send round my cards."
"I should like balls infinitely better," she replied, "if they were carried on in a different manner; but there is something insufferably tedious in the usual process of such a meeting. It would surely be much more rational if conversation instead of dancing made the order of the day."
"Much more rational, my dear Caroline, I dare say, but it would not be near so much like a ball."
Miss Bingley made no answer; and soon afterwards got up and walked about the room. Her figure was elegant, and she walked well; -- but Darcy, at whom it was all aimed, was still inflexibly studious. In the desperation of her feelings she resolved on one effort more; and turning to Elizabeth, said,
"Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. -- I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude."
Elizabeth was surprised, but agreed to it immediately. Miss Bingley succeeded no less in the real object of her civility; Mr. Darcy looked up. He was as much awake to the novelty of attention in that quarter as Elizabeth herself could be, and unconsciously closed his book. He was directly invited to join their party, but he declined it, observing that he could imagine but two motives for their chusing to walk up and down the room together, with either of which motives his joining them would interfere. "What could he mean? she was dying to know what could be his meaning" -- and asked Elizabeth whether she could at all understand him?
"Not at all," was her answer; "but depend upon it, he means to be severe on us, and our surest way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it."
Miss Bingley, however, was incapable of disappointing Mr. Darcy in any thing, and persevered therefore in requiring an explanation of his two motives.
"I have not the smallest objection to explaining them," said he, as soon as she allowed him to speak. "You either chuse this method of passing the evening because you are in each other's confidence, and have secret affairs to discuss, or because you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in walking; -- if the first, I should be completely in your way; -- and if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire."
"Oh! shocking!" cried Miss Bingley. "I never heard any thing so abominable. How shall we punish him for such a speech?"
"Nothing so easy, if you have but the inclination," said Elizabeth. "We can all plague and punish one another. Teaze him -- laugh at him. -- Intimate as you are, you must know how it is to be done."
"But upon my honour I do not. I do assure you that my intimacy has not yet taught me that. Teaze calmness of temper and presence of mind! No, no -- I feel he may defy us there. And as to laughter, we will not expose ourselves, if you please, by attempting to laugh without a subject. Mr. Darcy may hug himself."
"Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!" cried Elizabeth. "That is an uncommon advantage, and uncommon I hope it will continue, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintance. I dearly love a laugh."
"Miss Bingley," said he, "has given me credit for more than can be. The wisest and the best of men, nay, the wisest and best of their actions, may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke."
"Certainly," replied Elizabeth -- "there are such people, but I hope I am not one of them. I hope I never ridicule what is wise or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. -- But these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without."
"Perhaps that is not possible for any one. But it has been the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose a strong understanding to ridicule."
"Such as vanity and pride."
"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride -- where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation."
Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile.
"Your examination of Mr. Darcy is over, I presume," said Miss Bingley; -- "and pray what is the result?"
"I am perfectly convinced by it that Mr. Darcy has no defect. He owns it himself without disguise."
"No" -- said Darcy, "I have made no such pretension. I have faults enough, but they are not, I hope, of understanding. My temper I dare not vouch for. -- It is I believe too little yielding -- certainly too little for the convenience of the world. I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I ought, nor their offences against myself. My feelings are not puffed about with every attempt to move them. My temper would perhaps be called resentful. -- My good opinion once lost is lost for ever."
"That is a failing indeed!" -- cried Elizabeth. "Implacable resentment is a shade in a character. But you have chosen your fault well. -- I really cannot laugh at it; you are safe from me."
"There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil, a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome."
"And your defect is a propensity to hate every body."
"And yours," he replied with a smile, "is wilfully to misunderstand them."
"Do let us have a little music," -- cried Miss Bingley, tired of a conversation in which she had no share. -- "Louisa, you will not mind my waking Mr. Hurst."
Her sister made not the smallest objection, and the piano-forte was opened, and Darcy, after a few moments recollection, was not sorry for it. He began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention.
--正文
姑娘们吃过晚饭后，伊丽莎白跑到她姐姐那儿， 看到她穿得严严实实，不会感冒了，就带着她来到客厅。那两位小姐高兴地欢迎了她们。在男人们来之前的那一小时里，她们俩是那么的和蔼可亲，伊丽莎白可是第一次见到她们这样。她们跟人聊起天来真是没完没了，说起消遣来丝丝入扣，说起趣事来妙趣横生，讥笑起某个朋友来也是有声有色。
但是男人们一进房间，她们的心思就不放在简身上了。达西进门还没走几步，宾利小姐的眼睛立刻就转了过去，要跟他说话。但达西径直走向了本内特小姐，礼貌地问候了她。赫斯特先生也向她轻微鞠了一躬，并说见到她“非常高兴”。但要是论起问候的关心程度，他们俩就比不上达西先生了。他是充满了喜悦和关心。为了简免遭换屋带来的不好影响，大家先花了半个小时生火。宾利还让简移到壁炉的另一边，好离门口远一点。然后宾利又坐在了简的身边，几乎没有再跟别人说半句话。而在对面角落生火的伊丽莎白，开心地看着他们。
茶喝完后，赫斯特先生邀请他嫂嫂一起去打牌，但是被拒绝了。宾利小姐机灵的感觉到达西此时不想打牌。然后赫斯特先生又向所有人倡议，但是仍然没人响应。宾利小姐明确的跟他说此刻没人想打牌，而大伙的沉默也证实了这一点。赫斯特先生至此无事可做，就找个沙发躺下来睡了。达西则拿了本书看起来，宾利小姐也是一样。而赫斯特太太，基本都在玩自己的手镯戒指，然后又看了会书，然后又跑去跟宾利和简聊天去了。
宾利小姐与其说在读书，不如说是在看达西读。她不是问他问题，就是在看他读到第几页了。但是达西怎么也没跟她聊天。他只是偶尔回答下她的问题，然后就继续读书了。最后，想从书里找点乐子又找不到的宾利小姐，终于筋疲力竭了，她之所以挑那本书，只是因为那是达西挑的那本的第二卷。她伸了个大大的懒腰，说：“这样过一晚上真是太有意思啦。我宣布这世上没有什么能比得上读书有意思的。这世上的人对什么都会厌倦，但唯独不会对书厌倦。我以后有自己房子的时候，要是没有个绝佳的图书馆，那可真是太悲剧了。”
没有人搭话。然后她又伸了个拦腰，把书放在旁边，在屋里到处打量着，想找点乐子。终于，听到了她弟弟跟简提到舞会的时候，她突然转过身来，说：“查尔斯，我随便问问，你真的打算在耐热屯准备一场舞会么？在你决定前，我建议你先咨询下咱这大家伙的意见。咱这儿可是有几个人不太喜欢舞会呢。“
”你要是说达西，“他弟弟说，”他要是不喜欢舞会，可以去睡觉。但是舞会这事可是定下来了。只要尼古拉斯把熔银准备好，我就把请帖都发出去。“
”要是换种方式办舞会，我可真是再喜欢不过了。“宾利小姐回复说，”但是通常的舞会，过程总是太无聊了，让人无法忍受。要是把计划改一下，大家都聊聊天，而不跳舞，那就合理多了。“
”是合理多了，我亲爱的卡洛琳，可是这根本算不上什么舞会了啊。“
宾利小姐没有再回复。没一会她又站起来，在屋子里闲逛。她的身材优美，而且走路有范。但是她一直心心念的达西，却无可救药的沉浸在书本里。她不禁有些绝望，于是又想了一招，她转过身对伊丽莎白说：”伊利沙白小姐，请容我劝你跟我一样在屋里走走。一个姿势坐那么久，站起来走走会很提神的。“
伊丽莎白有些惊讶，但还是立刻答应了，宾利小姐此番礼貌的目的终于达到了：达西抬起了头。他跟伊丽莎白一样，对宾利小姐突然表现出来的关注很好奇，并无意的合上了书。宾利小姐也邀请了达西一起走走，但是他拒绝了，说是她们俩女人选择一起闲逛，无非是两个目的，而他如果加入的话，两个目的就都会被妨碍到。”他是什么意思？宾利小姐很想知道他的意思，急得要发疯，于是又问伊丽莎白。
“我也没头绪，”伊丽莎白回答道，“但是可以确定他想刁难我们，所以我们最好的应对方法，就是完全不提这事，让他失望一下。”
但是宾利小姐不能忍心让达西先生失望，所以再三问达西那两个动机到底是什么。
宾利小姐刚一住口，达西先生就说：“我完全不介意解释一下，你们今晚选择这样打发时间，要么就是以为对方有悄悄话要说，要么就是知道自己的身姿优美，走起来好看。如果是第一种，我完全是碍你们的事了。如果是第二种，我在壁炉旁能更好地欣赏你们的美。”
“艾玛！我可从没听到过那么可恶的话。他这么信口胡说，我们该怎么惩罚他？”宾利小姐激动的说。
“你要是真有心的话，那可真是太简单了，”伊丽莎白说，“我们可以换着来折磨他，惩罚他。取笑他，嘲笑他，随便怎么来。你们俩这么熟，应该知道怎么做啊。”
“我发誓我可不知道。我可以向你保证：尽管我跟他熟，但是我并不知道这事该怎么做。要取笑这么一个性格沉稳，头脑出众的男人！哦，不，我拒绝。我们会被他打败的。至于嘲笑他，说句话你别生气，我们没来由的嘲笑人家，怕是反被人笑话。就让达西自鸣得意吧。”
“达西先生不能被人笑话！”伊丽莎白激动了，“这可是个了不得的本事，我可希望这样的事情少些，我要是有很多这样的朋友可损失大了。我挺喜欢笑话人。”
“宾利小姐对我可是过誉了。”达西说，“最聪明优秀的男人，不，他们聪明优秀的行为，在一个只想取笑别人的眼里，只会显得很滑稽吧。”
“完全赞同，”伊丽莎白回答，“这样的人可多得很，我希望我不是这样的人。我可不想讥笑智慧和美好的东西。但愚蠢无知，荒唐和矛盾的东西，确实让我觉得很好玩，我总是无时无刻的嘲笑它们。但这些缺点，我想都是你所没有的”
“恐怕没有人能全部避免这些缺点的。但我一生确实都在尽力避免这些缺点，它们总是让我忍不住嘲笑别人。”
“比如虚荣和傲慢”
“是的，虚荣无疑是个缺点，但是至于傲慢，只要你有足够优秀的头脑，傲慢是可以被控制在合理范围内的。”
伊丽莎白转过身去，偷偷笑起来。
“我想你应该检查完达西先生了，能把结果分享下么？”宾利小姐说
“我十分确定，达西先生没有缺点。他自己也不加掩饰的承认了这一点。”
“不，”达西说，“我可没有假装自己完美无瑕。我有许多毛病，但是这些并不是头脑上的问题。比方说我的脾气就是缺点之一，我觉得我的性格过于不随和，对于别人难说很难相处。别人的愚蠢和恶意，我应该很快忘掉，但是我偏偏忘不掉。人家顶撞了我，我也忘不掉。我的这些情绪，纵然我很努力的消除他们，我也没办法除掉。我的脾气可以说是易怒的了。我对于一个人一旦丧失了好感，就永远丧失掉了。“
”这可确实是个缺点，“伊丽莎白大声说道，”无法平息的愤怒是性格的污点。但是你的这个缺点没法说，我没法嘲笑它，别担心。“
”我认为，每个人的性格里都容易有些不好的天然缺陷，这种缺陷就算是最好的教育也无法根治。“
”你的缺陷就是容易恨所有人。“
”那你的缺陷，“达西笑着说道，”就是固执的误会所有人。“
”别吵啦你们，让我们听一听音乐吧。“宾利小姐大声说，她是厌倦于这场无法参与的谈话了，”路易莎，不介意我吵醒赫斯特先生吧。“
她的姐姐一点没反对，钢琴盖又被打开了。达西回想了一会刚才发生的事情，并不感到抱歉。他在伊丽莎白身上放了太多的注意力，已经感觉自己越陷越深了。
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