二九文学

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第81章（第1页）

OnSaturdaymorningElizabethandMr.Collinsmetforbreakfastafewminutesbeforetheothersappeared;andhetooktheopportunityofpayingthepartingcivilitieswhichhedeemedindispensablynecessary.

“Iknownot，MissElizabeth，”

saidhe，“whetherMrs.Collinshasyetexpressedhersenseofyourkindnessincomingtous;butIamverycertainyouwillnotleavethehousewithoutreceivingherthanksforit.Thefavorofyourcompanyhasbeenmuchfelt，Iassureyou.Weknowhowlittlethereistotemptanyonetoourhumbleabode.Ourplainmannerofliving，oursmallroomsandfewdomestics，andthelittleweseeoftheworld，mustmakeHunsfordextremelydulltoayoungladylikeyourself;butIhopeyouwillbelieveusgratefulforthecondescension，andthatwehavedoneeverythinginourpowertopreventyourspendingyourtimeunpleasantly.”

Elizabethwaseagerwithherthanksandassurancesofhappiness.Shehadspentsixweekswithgreatenjoyment;andthepleasureofbeingwithCharlotte，andthekindattentionsshehadreceived，mustmakeherfeeltheobliged.Mr.Collinswasgratified，andwithamoresmilingsolemnityreplied:

“Itgivesmegreatpleasuretohearthatyouhavepassedyourtimenotdisagreeably.Wehavecertainlydoneourbest;andmostfortunatelyhavingitinourpowertointroduceyoutoverysuperiorsociety，and，fromourconnectionwithRosings，thefrequentmeansofvaryingthehumblehomescene，IthinkwemayflatterourselvesthatyourHunsfordvisitcannothavebeenentirelyirksome.OursituationwithregardtoLadyCatherinesfamilyisindeedthesortofextraordinaryadvantageandblessingwhichfewcanboast.Youseeonwhatafootingweare.Youseehowcontinuallyweareengagedthere.IntruthImustacknowledgethat，withallthedisadvantagesofthishumbleparsonage，Ishouldnotthinkanyoneabidinginitanobjectofcompassion，whiletheyaresharersofourintimacyatRosings.”

Wordswereinsufficientfortheelevationofhisfeelings;andhewasobligedtowalkabouttheroom，whileElizabethtriedtounitecivilityandtruthinafewshortsentences.

“Youmay，infact，carryaveryfavourablereportofusintoHertfordshire，mydearcousin.Iflattermyselfatleastthatyouwillbeabletodoso.LadyCatherinesgreatattentionstoMrs.Collinsyouhavebeenadailywitnessof;andaltogetherItrustitdoesnotappearthatyourfriendhasdrawnanunfortunate—butonthispointitwillbeaswelltobesilent.Onlyletmeassureyou，mydearMissElizabeth，thatIcanfrommyheartmostcordiallywishyouequalfelicityinmarriage.MydearCharlotteandIhavebutonemindandonewayofthinking.Thereisineverythingamostremarkableresemblanceofcharacterandideasbetweenus.Weseemtohavebeendesignedforeachother.”

Elizabethcouldsafelysaythatitwasagreathappinesswherethatwasthecase，andwithequalsinceritycouldadd，thatshefirmlybelievedandrejoicedinhisdomesticcomforts.Shewasnotsorry，however，tohavetherecitaloftheminterruptedbytheladyfromwhomtheysprang.PoorCharlotte!itwasmelancholytoleavehertosuchsociety!Butshehadchosenitwithhereyesopen;andthoughevidentlyregrettingthathervisitorsweretogo，shedidnotseemtoaskforcompassion.Herhomeandherhousekeeping，herparishandherpoultry，andalltheirdependentconcerns，hadnotyetlosttheircharms.

Atlengththechaisearrived，thetrunkswerefastenedon，theparcelsplacedwithin，anditwaspronouncedtobeready.Afteranaffectionatepartingbetweenthefriends，ElizabethwasattendedtothecarriagebyMr.Collins，andastheywalkeddownthegardenhewascommissioningherwithhisbestrespectstoallherfamily，notforgettinghisthanksforthekindnesshehadreceivedatLongbourninthewinter，andhiscomplimentstoMr.andMrs.Gardiner，thoughunknown.Hethenhandedherin，Mariafollowed，andthedoorwasonthepointofbeingclosed，whenhesuddenlyremindedthem，withsomeconsternation，thattheyhadhithertoforgottentoleaveanymessagefortheladiesatRosings.

“But，”

headded，“youwillofcoursewishtohaveyourhumblerespectsdeliveredtothem，withyourgratefulthanksfortheirkindnesstoyouwhileyouhavebeenhere.”

Elizabethmadenoobjection;thedoorwasthenallowedtobeshut，andthecarriagedroveoff.

“Goodgracious!”

criedMaria，afterafewminutessilence，“itseemsbutadayortwosincewefirstcame!andyethowmanythingshavehappened!”

“Agreatmanyindeed，”

saidhercompanionwithasigh.

“WehavedinedninetimesatRosings，besidesdrinkingteatheretwice!HowmuchIshallhavetotell!”

Elizabethaddedprivately，“AndhowmuchIshallhavetoconceal!”

Theirjourneywasperformedwithoutmuchconversation，oranyalarm;andwithinfourhoursoftheirleavingHunsfordtheyreachedMr.Gardinershouse，wheretheyweretoremainafewdays.

Janelookedwell，andElizabethhadlittleopportunityofstudyingherspirits，amidstthevariousengagementswhichthekindnessofheraunthadreservedforthem.ButJanewastogohomewithher，andatLongbourntherewouldbeleisureenoughforobservation.

Itwasnotwithoutaneffort，meanwhile，thatshecouldwaitevenforLongbourn，beforeshetoldhersisterofMr.Darcysproposals.ToknowthatshehadthepowerofrevealingwhatwouldsoexceedinglyastonishJane，andmust，atthesametime，sohighlygratifywhateverofherownvanityshehadnotyetbeenabletoreasonaway，wassuchatemptationtoopennessasnothingcouldhaveconqueredbutthestateofindecisioninwhichsheremainedastotheextentofwhatsheshouldcommunicate;andherfear，ifsheonceenteredonthesubject，ofbeinghurriedintorepeatingsomethingofBingleywhichmightonlygrievehersisterfurther.