On Saturday morning Elizabeth and Mr. Collins met for breakfast a few minutes before the others appeared; and he took the opportunity of paying the parting civilities which he deemed indispensably necessary.
"I know not, Miss Elizabeth," said he, "whether Mrs. Collins has yet expressed her sense of your kindness in coming to us, but I am very certain you will not leave the house without receiving her thanks for it. The favour of your company has been much felt, I assure you. We know how little there is to tempt any one to our humble abode. Our plain manner of living, our small rooms, and few domestics, and the little we see of the world, must make Hunsford extremely dull to a young lady like yourself; but I hope you will believe us grateful for the condescension, and that we have done every thing in our power to prevent your spending your time unpleasantly."
Elizabeth was eager with her thanks and assurances of happiness. She had spent six weeks with great enjoyment; and the pleasure of being with Charlotte, and the kind attentions she had received, must make her feel the obliged. Mr. Collins was gratified; and with a more smiling solemnity replied,
"It gives me the greatest pleasure to hear that you have passed your time not disagreeably. We have certainly done our best; and most fortunately having it in our power to introduce you to very superior society, and, from our connection with Rosings, the frequent means of varying the humble home scene, I think we may flatter ourselves that your Hunsford visit cannot have been entirely irksome. Our situation with regard to Lady Catherine's family is indeed the sort of extraordinary advantage and blessing which few can boast. You see on what a footing we are. You see how continually we are engaged there. In truth I must acknowledge that, with all the disadvantages of this humble parsonage, I should not think any one abiding in it an object of compassion while they are sharers of our intimacy at Rosings."
Words were insufficient for the elevation of his feelings; and he was obliged to walk about the room, while Elizabeth tried to unite civility and truth in a few short sentences.
"You may, in fact, carry a very favourable report of us into Hertfordshire, my dear cousin. I flatter myself, at least, that you will be able to do so. Lady Catherine's great attentions to Mrs. Collins you have been a daily witness of; and altogether I trust it does not appear that your friend has drawn an unfortunate --; but on this point it will be as well to be silent. Only let me assure you, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that I can from my heart most cordially wish you equal felicity in marriage. My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking. There is in every thing a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us. We seem to have been designed for each other."
Elizabeth could safely say that it was a great happiness where that was the case, and with equal sincerity could add that she firmly believed and rejoiced in his domestic comforts. She was not sorry, however, to have the recital of them interrupted by the entrance of the lady from whom they sprung. Poor Charlotte! -- it was melancholy to leave her to such society! -- But she had chosen it with her eyes open; and though evidently regretting that her visitors were to go, she did not seem to ask for compassion. Her home and her housekeeping, her parish and her poultry, and all their dependent concerns, had not yet lost their charms.
At length the chaise arrived, the trunks were fastened on, the parcels placed within, and it was pronounced to be ready. After an affectionate parting between the friends, Elizabeth was attended to the carriage by Mr. Collins, and as they walked down the garden, he was commissioning her with his best respects to all her family, not forgetting his thanks for the kindness he had received at Longbourn in the winter, and his compliments to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, though unknown. He then handed her in, Maria followed, and the door was on the point of being closed, when he suddenly reminded them, with some consternation, that they had hitherto forgotten to leave any message for the ladies at Rosings.
"But," he added, "you will of course wish to have your humble respects delivered to them, with your grateful thanks for their kindness to you while you have been here."
Elizabeth made no objection; -- the door was then allowed to be shut, and the carriage drove off.
"Good gracious!" cried Maria, after a few minutes silence, "it seems but a day or two since we first came! -- and yet how many things have happened!"
"A great many indeed," said her companion with a sigh.
"We have dined nine times at Rosings, besides drinking tea there twice! -- How much I shall have to tell!"
Elizabeth privately added, "And how much I shall have to conceal."
Their journey was performed without much conversation, or any alarm; and within four hours of their leaving Hunsford, they reached Mr. Gardiner's house, where they were to remain a few days.
Jane looked well, and Elizabeth had little opportunity of studying her spirits, amidst the various engagements which the kindness of her aunt had reserved for them. But Jane was to go home with her, and at Longbourn there would be leisure enough for observation.
It was not without an effort, meanwhile, that she could wait even for Longbourn, before she told her sister of Mr. Darcy's proposals. To know that she had the power of revealing what would so exceedingly astonish Jane, and must, at the same time, so highly gratify whatever of her own vanity she had not yet been able to reason away, was such a temptation to openness as nothing could have conquered but the state of indecision in which she remained as to the extent of what she should communicate; and her fear, if she once entered on the subject, of being hurried into repeating something of Bingley which might only grieve her sister farther.
--正文
周六早上,伊丽莎白和柯林斯早到了一会吃早饭,别人这时候还没来,他就借这个机会说些道别的话,他把这事看得挺重的。
“伊丽莎白小姐,我不知道柯林斯太太有没有谢过你能好心过来,但是我很确定你走之前她肯定会感谢你的。我向你保证,我们都很喜欢你在这里。我们都不知道谁能看得上我们家这小破屋,能过来坐坐。我们这种平淡的生活,小小的房间,个把个用人,而且我们也没见过什么失眠,这肯定会让你这样的年轻小姐觉得夯斯屯无聊极了。但我们对你能屈尊拜访还是很感激,而且我们已经尽了全力让你在这过得快乐一些。”
伊丽莎白很着急地想告诉他自己在这很开心,很感谢他们的款待。她已经开心地在这待了六周。能跟夏洛特待在一起,又被人悉心照顾,使她十分开心。柯林斯听说这话才满意,然后他又郑重其事说:“
听说你过得开心我才算是满意。我们确实是尽了最大努力了。而且十分幸运的,我们碰巧把你介绍进了更高级的社会,因为我们和福星的关系,也能让你见识到比我们大不一样的生活,我觉得也可以说你这次来夯斯屯也不是太无聊。我们家跟卡瑟林夫人一家的关系,确实是好有人家能够相比的。你也看到了我们的地位,你也见到了我们多么频繁地拜访。所以实话说,就算住得这牧舍不咋地,但是谁要是能有我们跟罗星的这层关系,那都得偷着乐。”(翻译官:我是一遍翻一遍乐。)
语言此刻已经无法表达柯林斯飞天的自豪感,以至于他不得不在屋里走来走去。而伊丽莎白尽力礼貌地说了几句真话。
“我的好堂妹,希望你回赫特福德之后能说说我们俩的好话。至少你能有好话说,我都很开心。卡瑟林夫人是如何礼遇柯林斯夫人的,你每天也都是见到的。怎么说,我觉得你的朋友在这也不算遭罪。但这个时候最好还是别提了吧。亲爱的伊丽莎白小姐,请让我明确这一点:我只是衷心希望你的婚姻能够同样幸福。我亲爱的夏洛特和我都是同心同德。我们俩的性格,想法都十分相似。好像我们俩就是天生一对。”
伊丽莎白就跟着说这样她也很开心,她也由衷地相信,并且祝愿他家庭幸福。然后这两人的一唱一和突然被进来的夏洛特打断了,伊丽莎白很开心。可伶的夏洛特!让她天天跟柯林斯这样的人朝夕相处,可真是悲剧啊。但是这也是她自己选的。尽管她也遗憾客人们都要走了,但是她也没有觉得可怜。她的家和家务活,街坊邻居和家里的家禽,还有很多附加的事情,都还没有让她觉得乏味。
终于马车到了,箱子都被固定好,包裹都被放到了车里面,一切都准备好了。伊丽莎白和夏洛特两个好朋友热情道别后,柯林斯送伊丽莎白去坐马车,他们沿着花园走的时候,柯林斯还委托她向家里人问好,还对自己去年冬天在蘑菇屯接受的招待道谢,还让她向加德纳夫妇问好,尽管他并不认识他们。然后柯林斯就搀着伊丽莎白上了马车,然后送玛丽亚上去,就在车门要关的时候,他突然有些惊恐地提醒他们说,她们忘了给罗星的夫人们留口信告别呢。
“但是,”他又补充说,“你们当然是希望能向她们说一声的,感谢她们多日来的款待。”
伊丽莎白没说什么。然后车门关上,马车走了。
沉默了几分钟后,玛丽亚大声说:“老天哟,我们来这好像只有一两天,但是已经发生了那么多事情了。”
“是啊,确实发生了很多事情。“她的同伴叹了口气说。
”我们在罗星吃了九次晚饭,喝茶又有两回,这下可有东西说了!“
伊丽莎白瞧瞧地说:”我又要隐瞒多少事情啊。“
这一路没聊什么东西,但也出什么问题。她们离开夯斯屯四个小时后,就到了加德纳先生的家,她们要在这儿再待几天。
简看起来不错,因为舅妈热心招待,安排了很多事情,伊丽莎白也没空去研究简的状态怎么样。但是简会和她一起回去,到时候回到蘑菇屯有的是时间研究。
同时,伊丽莎白可是费了好大功夫才忍住没把达西求婚的事情告诉简,她打算回蘑菇屯之后再说。她知道自己说的事情肯定会让简大吃一惊,而且同时也会满足自己那还没能用理性战胜的虚荣心。她是实在想说出来,但是又不知道到底要说到什么程度。而且她也害怕一旦提了这个话题,俺么免不了要扯到宾利的事情上去,而这又会让她姐姐伤心了。
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