pride and prejudice(傲慢与偏见)-第40章
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one of the very few sensible women who would have accepted him；
or have made him happy if they had。 My friend has an excellent
understanding—though I am not certain that I consider her
marrying Mr。 Collins as the wisest thing she ever did。 She seems
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perfectly happy； however； and in a prudential light； it is certainly a
very good match for her。’
‘It must be very agreeable to her to be settled within so easy a
distance of her own family and friends。’
‘An easy distance do you call it？ It is nearly fifty miles。’
‘And what is fifty miles of good road？ Little more than half a
day’s journey。 Yes； I call it a very easy distance。’
‘I should never have considered the distance as one of the
advantages of the match；’ cried Elizabeth。 ‘I should never have
said Mrs。 Collins was settled near her family。’
‘It is a proof of your own attachment to Hertfordshire。 Any
thing beyond the very neighbourhood of Longbourn； I suppose；
would appear far。’
As he spoke there was a sort of smile； which Elizabeth fancied
she understood； he must be supposing her to be thinking of Jane
and Netherfield； and she blushed as she answered；
‘I do not mean to say that a woman may not be settled too near
her family。 The far and the near must be relative； and depend on
many varying circumstances。 Where there is fortune to make the
expence of travelling unimportant； distance becomes no evil。 But
that is not the case here。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Collins have a comfortable
income； but not such a one as will allow of frequent journeys—and
I am persuaded my friend would not call herself near her family
under less than half the present distance。’
Mr。 Darcy drew his chair a little towards her； and said； ‘You
cannot have a right to such very strong local attachment。 You
cannot have been always at Longbourn。’
Elizabeth looked surprised。 The gentleman experienced some
change of feeling； he drew back his chair； took a newspaper from
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the table； and； glancing over it； said； in a colder voice；
‘Are you pleased with Kent？’
A short dialogue on the subject of the country ensued； on either
side calm and concise—and soon put an end to by the entrance of
Charlotte and her sister； just returned from their walk。 The tête…à…
tête surprised them。 Mr。 Darcy related the mistake which had
occasioned his intruding on Miss Bennet； and after sitting a few
minutes longer without saying much to any body； went away。
‘What can be the meaning of this！’ said Charlotte； as soon as he
was gone。 ‘My dear Eliza he must be in love with you； or he would
never have called on us in this familiar way。’
But when Elizabeth told of his silence； it did not seem very
likely； even to Charlotte’s wishes； to be the case； and after various
conjectures； they could at last only suppose his visit to proceed
from the difficulty of finding any thing to do； which was the more
probable from the time of year。 All field sports were over。 Within
doors there was Lady Catherine； books； and a billiard table； but
gentlemen cannot be always within doors； and in the nearness of
the Parsonage； or the pleasantness of the walk to it； or of the
people who lived in it； the two cousins found a temptation from
this period of walking thither almost every day。 They called at
various times of the morning； sometimes separately； sometimes
together； and now and then accompanied by their aunt。 It was
plain to them all that Colonel Fitzwilliam came because he had
pleasure in their society； a persuasion which of course
recommended him still more； and Elizabeth was reminded by her
own satisfaction in being with him； as well as by his evident
admiration of her； of her former favourite George Wickham； and
though； in comparing them； she saw there was less captivating
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softness in Colonel Fitzwilliam’s manners； she believed he might
have the best informed mind。
But why Mr。 Darcy came so often to the Parsonage； it was more
difficult to understand。 It could not be for society； as he frequently
sat there ten minutes together without opening his lips； and when
he did speak； it seemed the effect of necessity rather than of
choice—a sacrifice to propriety； not a pleasure to himself。 He
seldom appeared really animated。 Mrs。 Collins knew not what to
make of him。 Colonel Fitzwilliam’s occasionally laughing at his
stupidity； proved that he was generally different； which her own
knowledge of him could not have told her； and as she would have
liked to believe this change the effect of love； and the object of that
love； her friend Eliza； she sat herself seriously to work to find it
out。—She watched him whenever they were at Rosings； and
whenever he came to Hunsford； but without much success。 He
certainly looked at her friend a great deal； but the expression of
that look was disputable。 It was an earnest； steadfast gaze； but she
often doubted whether there were much admiration in it； and
sometimes it seemed nothing but absence of mind。
She had once or twice suggested to Elizabeth the possibility of
his being partial to her； but Elizabeth always laughed at the idea；
and Mrs。 Collins did not think it right to press the subject； from
the danger of raising expectations which might only end in
disappointment； for in her opinion it admitted not of a doubt； that
all her friend’s dislike would vanish； if she could suppose him to be
in her power。
In her kind schemes for Elizabeth； she sometimes planned her
marrying Colonel Fitzwilliam。 He was beyond comparison the
pleasantest man； he certainly admired her； and his situation in life
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was most eligible； but； to counterbalance these advantages； Mr。
Darcy had considerable patronage in the church； and his cousin
could have none at all。
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CHAPTER X
ore than once did Elizabeth in her ramble within the
Park； unexpectedly meet Mr。 Darcy。—She felt all the
M
perverseness of the mischance that should bring him
where no one else was brought； and to prevent its ever happening
again； took care to inform him at first； that it was a favourite haunt
of hers。—How it could occur a second time therefore was very
odd！—Yet it did； and even a third。 It seemed like wilful ill…nature；
or a voluntary penance； for on these occasions it was not merely a
few formal enquiries and an awkward pause and then away； but
he actually thought it necessary to turn back and walk with her。
He never said a great deal； nor did she give herself the trouble of
talking or of listening much； but it struck her in the course of their
third rencontre that he was asking some odd unconnected
questions—about her pleasure in being at Hunsford； her love of
solitary walks； and her opinion of Mr。 and Mrs。 Collins’s
happiness； and that in speaking of Rosings and her not perfectly
understanding the house； he seemed to expect that whenever she
came into Kent again she would be staying there too。 His words
seemed to imply it。 Could he have Colonel Fitzwilliam in his
thoughts？ She supposed； if he meant any thing； he must mean an
allusion to what might arise in that quarter。 It distressed her a
little； and she was quite glad to find herself at the gate in the pales
opposite the Parsonage。
She was engaged one day as she walked； in re…perusing Jane’s
last letter； and dwelling on some passages which proved that Jane
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had not written in spirits； when； instead of being again surprised
by Mr。 Darcy； she saw on looking up that Colonel Fitzwilliam was
meeting her。 Putting away the letter immediately and forcing a
smile； she said；
‘I did not know before that you ever walked this way。’
‘I have been making the tour of the Park；’ he replied； ‘as I
generally do every year； and intend to close it with a call at the
Parsonage。 Are you going much farther？’
‘No； I should have turned in a moment。’
And accordingly she did turn； and they walked towards the
Parsonage together。
‘Do you certainly leave Kent on Saturday？’ said she。
‘Yes—if Darcy does not put it off again。 But I am at his disposal。
He arranges the business just as he pleases。’
‘And if not able to please himself in the arrangement； he has at
least great pleasure in the power of choice。 I do not know any body
who seems more to enjoy the power of doing what he likes than
Mr。 Darcy。’
‘He likes to have his own way very well；’ replied Colonel
