Elizabeth isdelighted to renew her acquaintance with Mr Bingley, and suspects that he maystill be in love with Jane. Georgiana Darcy is finally introduced to Elizabeth,but she is less happy to meet Bingley's sisters again.
伊丽莎白很高兴与彬格莱先生重逢，并怀疑他可能还爱着简。乔治亚娜·达西最终被介绍给了伊丽莎白，不过，对于再次见到宾利的姐妹们，伊丽莎白却没有感到那么高兴。
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(READING– Chapter 44)
MissDarcy and her brother appeared, and this formidable introduction took place.With astonishment did Elizabeth see that her new acquaintance was at least asmuch embarrassed as herself. Since her being at Lambton, she had heard thatMiss Darcy was exceedingly proud; but the observation of a very few minutesconvinced her that she was only exceedingly shy. She found it difficult toobtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable.
MissDarcy was tall, and on a larger scale than Elizabeth; and, though little morethan sixteen, her figure was formed, and her appearance womanly and graceful.She was less handsome than her brother; but there was sense and good humour inher face, and her manners were perfectly unassuming and gentle. Elizabeth, whohad expected to find in her as acute and unembarrassed an observer as ever Mr.Darcy had been, was much relieved by discerning such different feelings.
Theyhad not long been together before Mr. Darcy told her that Bingley was alsocoming to wait on her; and she had barely time to express her satisfaction, andprepare for such a visitor, when Bingley's quick step was heard on the stairs,and in a moment he entered the room. All Elizabeth's anger against him had beenlong done away; but had she still felt any, it could hardly have stood itsground against the unaffected cordiality with which he expressed himself onseeing her again. He inquired in a friendly, though general way, after herfamily, and looked and spoke with the same good-humoured ease that he had everdone.
ToMr. and Mrs. Gardiner he was scarcely a less interesting personage than toherself. They had long wished to see him. The whole party before them, indeed,excited a lively attention. The suspicions which had just arisen of Mr. Darcyand their niece directed their observation towards each with an earnest thoughguarded inquiry; and they soon drew from those inquiries the full convictionthat one of them at least knew what it was to love. Of the lady's sensationsthey remained a little in doubt; but that the gentleman was overflowing withadmiration was evident enough.
Elizabeth,on her side, had much to do. She wanted to ascertain the feelings of each ofher visitors; she wanted to compose her own, and to make herself agreeable toall; and in the latter object, where she feared most to fail, she was most sureof success, for those to whom she endeavoured to give pleasure wereprepossessed in her favour. Bingley was ready, Georgiana was eager, and Darcydetermined, to be pleased.
Inseeing Bingley, her thoughts naturally flew to her sister; and, oh! howardently did she long to know whether any of his were directed in a likemanner. Sometimes she could fancy that he talked less than on former occasions,and once or twice pleased herself with the notion that, as he looked at her, hewas trying to trace a resemblance. But, though this might be imaginary, shecould not be deceived as to his behaviour to Miss Darcy, who had been set up asa rival to Jane. No look appeared on either side that spoke particular regard.Nothing occurred between them that could justify the hopes of his sister. Onthis point she was soon satisfied; and two or three little circumstances occurredere they parted, which, in her anxious interpretation, denoted a recollectionof Jane not untinctured by tenderness, and a wish of saying more that mightlead to the mention of her, had he dared. He observed to her, at a moment whenthe others were talking together, and in a tone which had something of realregret, that it "was a very long time since he had had the pleasure ofseeing her;" and, before she could reply, he added, "It is aboveeight months. We have not met since the 26th of November, when we were alldancing together at Netherfield."
Elizabethwas pleased to find his memory so exact; and he afterwards took occasion to askher, when unattended to by any of the rest, whether all her sisters were at Longbourn. There was not muchin the question, nor in the preceding remark; but there was a look and a mannerwhich gave them meaning.
Itwas not often that she could turn her eyes on Mr. Darcy himself; but, whenevershe did catch a glimpse, she saw an expression of general complaisance, and inall that he said she heard an accent so removed from hauteur or disdain of his companions, as convinced herthat the improvement of manners which she had yesterday witnessed howevertemporary its existence might prove, had at least outlived one day. When she sawhim thus seeking the acquaintance and courting the good opinion of people withwhom any intercourse a few months ago would have been a disgrace—when she sawhim thus civil, not only to herself, but to the very relations whom he hadopenly disdained, and recollected their last lively scene in HunsfordParsonage—the difference, the change was so great, and struck so forcibly onher mind, that she could hardly restrain her astonishment from being visible.Never, even in the company of his dear friends at Netherfield, or his dignifiedrelations at Rosings, had she seen him so desirous to please, so free fromself-consequence or unbending reserve, as now, when no importance could resultfrom the success of his endeavours, and when even the acquaintance of those towhom his attentions were addressed would draw down the ridicule and censure ofthe ladies both of Netherfield and Rosings.
Theirvisitors stayed with them above half-an-hour; and when they arose to depart,Mr. Darcy called on his sister to join him in expressing their wish of seeingMr. and Mrs. Gardiner, and Miss Bennet, to dinner at Pemberley, before theyleft the country. Miss Darcy, though with a diffidence which marked her littlein the habit of giving invitations, readily obeyed. Mrs. Gardiner looked at herniece, desirous of knowing how she, whom the invitationmost concerned, felt disposed as to its acceptance, but Elizabeth had turnedaway her head. Presuming however, that this studied avoidance spoke rather amomentary embarrassment than any dislike of the proposal, and seeing in herhusband, who was fond of society, a perfect willingness to accept it, sheventured to engage for her attendance, and the day after the next was fixed on.
Bingleyexpressed great pleasure in the certainty of seeing Elizabeth again, havingstill a great deal to say to her, and many inquiries to make after all theirHertfordshire friends. Elizabeth, construing all this into a wish of hearingher speak of her sister, was pleased, and on this account, as well as some others,found herself, when their visitors left them, capable of considering the lasthalf-hour with some satisfaction, though while it was passing, the enjoyment ofit had been little. Eager to be alone, and fearful of inquiries or hints fromher uncle and aunt, she stayed with them only long enough to hear theirfavourable opinion of Bingley, and then hurried away to dress.
Butshe had no reason to fear Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner's curiosity; it was not theirwish to force her communication. It was evident that she was much betteracquainted with Mr. Darcy than they had before any idea of; it was evident thathe was very much in love with her. They saw much to interest, but nothing tojustify inquiry.
(ENDREADING)
(READING– episode 45)
"Howvery ill Miss Eliza Bennet looks this morning, Mr. Darcy," she cried;"I never in my life saw anyone so much altered as she is since the winter.She is grown so brown and coarse! Louisa and I were agreeing that we should nothave known her again."
Howeverlittle Mr. Darcy might have liked such an address, he contented himself withcoolly replying that he perceived no other alteration than her being rathertanned, no miraculous consequence of travelling in the summer.
"Formy own part," she rejoined, "I must confess that I never could seeany beauty in her. Her face is too thin; her complexion has no brilliancy; andher features are not at all handsome. Her nose wants character—there is nothingmarked in its lines. Her teeth are tolerable, but not out of the common way;and as for her eyes, which have sometimes been called so fine, I could neversee anything extraordinary in them. They have a sharp, shrewish look, which Ido not like at all; and in her air altogether there is a self-sufficiencywithout fashion, which is intolerable."
Persuadedas Miss Bingley was that Darcy admired Elizabeth, this was not the best methodof recommending herself; but angry people are not always wise; and in seeinghim at last look somewhat nettled, she had all the success she expected. He wasresolutely silent, however, and, from a determination of making him speak, shecontinued:
"Iremember, when we first knew her in Hertfordshire, how amazed we all were tofind that she was a reputed beauty; and I particularly recollect your sayingone night, after they had been dining at Netherfield, 'She abeauty!—I should as soon call her mother a wit.' But afterwards she seemed toimprove on you, and I believe you thought her rather pretty at one time."
"Yes,"replied Darcy, who could contain himself no longer, "but that was only when I first saw her, for it is manymonths since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of myacquaintance."
Hethen went away, and Miss Bingley was left to all the satisfaction of havingforced him to say what gave no one any pain but herself.
Asthey returned, Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth talked of all that had occurredduring their visit, except what had particularly interested them both. The lookand behaviour of everybody they had seen were discussed, except of the personwho had mostly engaged their attention. They talked of his sister, his friends,his house, his fruit—of everything but himself; yet Elizabeth was longing toknow what Mrs. Gardiner thought of him, and Mrs. Gardiner would have beenhighly gratified by her niece's beginning the subject.
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