去看看小说网>傲慢与偏见英文版 > 第133章（第1页）
第133章（第1页）
ThediscomposureofspiritswhichthisextraordinaryvisitthrewElizabethinto，couldnotbeeasilyovercome;norcouldshe，formanyhours，learntothinkofitlessthanincessantly。LadyCatherine，itappeared，hadactuallytakenthetroubleofthisjourneyfromRosings，forthesolepurposeofbreakingoffhersupposedengagementwithMr。Darcy。Itwasarationalscheme，tobesure!butfromwhatthereportoftheirengagementcouldoriginate，Elizabethwasatalosstoimagine;tillsherecollectedthathisbeingtheintimatefriendofBingley，andherbeingthesisterofJane，wasenough，atatimewhentheexpectationofoneweddingmadeeverybodyeagerforanother，tosupplytheidea。Shehadnotherselfforgottentofeelthatthemarriageofhersistermustbringthemmorefrequentlytogether。AndherneighboursatLucasLodge，therefore（forthroughtheircommunicationwiththeCollinses，thereport，sheconcluded，hadreachedLadyCatherine），hadonlysetthatdownasalmostcertainandimmediate，whichshehadlookedforwardtoaspossibleatsomefuturetime。
InrevolvingLadyCatherinesexpressions，however，shecouldnothelpfeelingsomeuneasinessastothepossibleconsequenceofherpersistinginthisinterference。Fromwhatshehadsaidofherresolutiontopreventtheirmarriage，itoccurredtoElizabeththatshemustmeditateanapplicationtohernephew;andhowhemighttakeasimilarrepresentationoftheevilsattachedtoaconnectionwithher，shedarednotpronounce。Sheknewnottheexactdegreeofhisaffectionforhisaunt，orhisdependenceonherjudgment，butitwasnaturaltosupposethathethoughtmuchhigherofherladyshipthanshecoulddo;anditwascertainthat，inenumeratingthemiseriesofamarriagewithone，whoseimmediateconnectionsweresounequaltohisown，hisauntwouldaddresshimonhisweakestside。Withhisnotionsofdignity，hewouldprobablyfeelthatthearguments，whichtoElizabethhadappearedweakandridiculous，containedmuchgoodsenseandsolidreasoning。
Ifhehadbeenwaveringbeforeastowhatheshoulddo，whichhadoftenseemedlikely，theadviceandentreatyofsoneararelationmightsettleeverydoubt，anddeterminehimatoncetobeashappyasdignityunblemishedcouldmakehim。Inthatcasehewouldreturnnomore。LadyCatherinemightseehiminherwaythroughtown;andhisengagementtoBingleyofcomingagaintoNetherfieldmustgiveway。
“If，therefore，anexcusefornotkeepinghispromiseshouldcometohisfriendwithinafewdays，”sheadded，“Ishallknowhowtounderstandit。Ishallthengiveovereveryexpectation，everywishofhisconstancy。Ifheissatisfiedwithonlyregrettingme，whenhemighthaveobtainedmyaffectionsandhand，Ishallsoonceasetoregrethimatall。”
Thesurpriseoftherestofthefamily，onhearingwhotheirvisitorhadbeen，wasverygreat;buttheyobliginglysatisfiedit，withthesamekindofsuppositionwhichhadappeasedMrs。Bennetscuriosity;andElizabethwassparedfrommuchteasingonthesubject。
Thenextmorning，asshewasgoingdownstairs，shewasmetbyherfather，whocameoutofhislibrarywithaletterinhishand。
“Lizzy，”saidhe，“Iwasgoingtolookforyou;comeintomyroom。”
Shefollowedhimthither;andhercuriositytoknowwhathehadtotellherwasheightenedbythesuppositionofitsbeinginsomemannerconnectedwiththeletterheheld。ItsuddenlystruckherthatitmightbefromLadyCatherine;andsheanticipatedwithdismayalltheconsequentexplanations。
Shefollowedherfathertothefireplace，andtheybothsatdown。Hethensaid，
“Ihavereceivedaletterthismorningthathasastonishedmeexceedingly。Asitprincipallyconcernsyourself，yououghttoknowitscontents。Ididnotknowbefore，thatIhadtwodaughtersonthebrinkofmatrimony。Letmecongratulateyouonaveryimportantconquest。”
ThecolournowrushedintoElizabethscheeksintheinstantaneousconvictionofitsbeingaletterfromthenephew，insteadoftheaunt;andshewasundeterminedwhethermosttobepleasedthatheexplainedhimselfatall，oroffendedthathisletterwasnotratheraddressedtoherself;whenherfathercontinued:
“Youlookconscious。Youngladieshavegreatpenetrationinsuchmattersasthese;butIthinkImaydefyevenyoursagacity，todiscoverthenameofyouradmirer。ThisletterisfromMr。Collins。”
“FromMr。Collins!andwhatcanhehavetosay?”
