苗疆小说网>傲慢与偏见原著 > 第130章（第1页）
第130章（第1页）
Onemorning，aboutaweekafterBingleysengagementwithJanehadbeenformed，asheandthefemalesofthefamilyweresittingtogetherinthedining-room，theirattentionwassuddenlydrawntothewindow，bythesoundofacarriage;andtheyperceivedachaiseandfourdrivingupthelawn。Itwastooearlyinthemorningforvisitors，andbesides，theequipagedidnotanswertothatofanyoftheirneighbours。Thehorseswerepost;andneitherthecarriage，northeliveryoftheservantwhoprecededit，werefamiliartothem。Asitwascertain，however，thatsomebodywascoming，BingleyinstantlyprevailedonMissBennettoavoidtheconfinementofsuchanintrusion，andwalkawaywithhimintotheshrubbery。Theybothsetoff，andtheconjecturesoftheremainingthreecontinued，thoughwithlittlesatisfaction，tillthedoorwasthrownopenandtheirvisitorentered。ItwasLadyCatherinedeBourgh。
Theywereofcourseallintendingtobesurprised;buttheirastonishmentwasbeyondtheirexpectation;andonthepartofMrs。BennetandKitty，thoughshewasperfectlyunknowntothem，eveninferiortowhatElizabethfelt。
Sheenteredtheroomwithanairmorethanusuallyungracious，madenootherreplytoElizabethssalutationthanaslightinclinationofthehead，andsatdownwithoutsayingaword。Elizabethhadmentionedhernametohermotheronherladyshipsentrance，thoughnorequestofintroductionhadbeenmade。
Mrs。Bennet，allamazement，thoughflatteredbyhavingaguestofsuchhighimportance，receivedherwiththeutmostpoliteness。Aftersittingforamomentinsilence，shesaidverystifflytoElizabeth，
“Ihopeyouarewell，MissBennet。Thatlady，Isuppose，isyourmother。”
Elizabethrepliedveryconciselythatshewas。
“AndthatIsupposeisoneofyoursisters。”
“Yes，madam，”saidMrs。Bennet，delightedtospeaktoLadyCatherine。“Sheismyyoungestgirlbutone。Myyoungestofallislatelymarried，andmyeldestissomewhereaboutthegrounds，walkingwithayoungmanwho，Ibelieve，willsoonbecomeapartofthefamily。”
“Youhaveaverysmallparkhere，”returnedLadyCatherineafterashortsilence。
“ItisnothingincomparisonofRosings，mylady，Idaresay;butIassureyouitismuchlargerthanSirWilliamLucass。”
“Thismustbeamostinconvenientsittingroomfortheevening，insummer;thewindowsarefullwest。”
Mrs。Bennetassuredherthattheyneversatthereafterdinner，andthenadded:
“MayItakethelibertyofaskingyourladyshipwhetheryouleftMr。andMrs。Collinswell。”
“Yes，verywell。Isawthemthenightbeforelast。”
ElizabethnowexpectedthatshewouldproducealetterforherfromCharlotte，asitseemedtheonlyprobablemotiveforhercalling。Butnoletterappeared，andshewascompletelypuzzled。Mrs。Bennet，withgreatcivility，beggedherladyshiptotakesomerefreshment;butLadyCatherineveryresolutely，andnotverypolitely，declinedeatinganything;andthen，risingup，saidtoElizabeth，
“MissBennet，thereseemedtobeaprettyishkindofalittlewildernessononesideofyourlawn。Ishouldbegladtotakeaturninit，ifyouwillfavourmewithyourcompany。”
“Go，mydear，”criedhermother，“andshowherladyshipaboutthedifferentwalks。Ithinkshewillbepleasedwiththehermitage。”
Elizabethobeyed，andrunningintoherownroomforherparasol，attendedhernobleguestdownstairs。Astheypassedthroughthehall，LadyCatherineopenedthedoorsintothedining-parlouranddrawing-room，andpronouncingthem，afterashortsurvey，tobedecentlookingrooms，walkedon。
Hercarriageremainedatthedoor，andElizabethsawthatherwaiting-womanwasinit。Theyproceededinsilencealongthegravelwalkthatledtothecopse;Elizabethwasdeterminedtomakenoeffortforconversationwithawomanwhowasnowmorethanusuallyinsolentanddisagreeable。
“HowcouldIeverthinkherlikehernephew?”saidshe，asshelookedinherface。
Assoonastheyenteredthecopse，LadyCatherinebeganinthefollowingmanner:—
“Youcanbeatnoloss，MissBennet，tounderstandthereasonofmyjourneyhither。Yourownheart，yourownconscience，musttellyouwhyIcome。”
Elizabethlookedwithunaffectedastonishment。
“Indeed，youaremistaken，Madam。Ihavenotbeenatallabletoaccountforthehonourofseeingyouhere。”
“MissBennet，”repliedherladyship，inanangrytone，“yououghttoknow，thatIamnottobetrifledwith。Buthoweverinsincereyoumaychoosetobe，youshallnotfindmeso。Mycharacterhaseverbeencelebratedforitssincerityandfrankness，andinacauseofsuchmomentasthis，Ishallcertainlynotdepartfromit。Areportofamostalarmingnaturereachedmetwodaysago。Iwastoldthatnotonlyyoursisterwasonthepointofbeingmostadvantageouslymarried，butthatyou，thatMissElizabethBennet，would，inalllikelihood，besoonafterwardsunitedtomynephew，myownnephew，Mr。Darcy。ThoughIknowitmustbeascandalousfalsehood，thoughIwouldnotinjurehimsomuchastosupposethetruthofitpossible，Iinstantlyresolvedonsettingoffforthisplace，thatImightmakemysentimentsknowntoyou。”
“Ifyoubelieveditimpossibletobetrue，”saidElizabeth，colouringwithastonishmentanddisdain，“Iwonderyoutookthetroubleofcomingsofar。Whatcouldyourladyshipproposebyit?”
“Atoncetoinsistuponhavingsuchareportuniversallycontradicted。”
“YourcomingtoLongbourn，toseemeandmyfamily，”saidElizabethcoolly，“willberatheraconfirmationofit;if，indeed，suchareportisinexistence。”
“If!Doyouthenpretendtobeignorantofit?Hasitnotbeenindustriouslycirculatedbyyourselves?Doyounotknowthatsuchareportisspreadabroad?”
“Ineverheardthatitwas。”
“Andcanyoulikewisedeclare，thatthereisnofoundationforit?”
“Idonotpretendtopossessequalfranknesswithyourladyship。YoumayaskquestionswhichIshallnotchoosetoanswer。”
