苗疆小说网

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。