第6章

The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield. The visit was returned in due form. Miss Bennet's pleasing manners grew on the good will of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley;and though the mother was found to be intolerable and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with them was expressed towards the two eldest. By Jane this attention was received with the greatest pleasure; but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in their treatment of everybody, hardly excepting even her sister, and could not like them;though their kindness to Jane, such as it was, had a value, as arising in all probability from the influence of their brother's admiration. It was generally evident whenever they met, that he did admire her; and to her it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first, and was in a way to be very much in love; but she considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general, since Jane united with great strength of feeling a composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner, which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. She mentioned this to her friend Miss Lucas.

“It may perhaps be pleasant,”replied Charlotte,“to be able to impose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him;and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all begin freely-a slight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly;but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.”

“But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If I can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it too.”

“Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Jane's disposition as you do.”

“But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour to conceal it, he must find it out.”

“Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But though Bingley and Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours together; and as they always see each other in large mixed parties, it is impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing together. Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chooses.”

“Your plan is a good one,”replied Elizabeth,“where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married; and if I were determined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say I should adopt it. But these are not Jane's feelings; she is not acting by design. As yet, she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard, nor of its reasonableness. She has known him only a fortnight. She danced four dances with him at Meryton; she saw him one morning at his own house, and has since dined in company with him four times. This is not quite enough to make her understand his character.”

“Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, she might only have discovered whether he had a good appetite; but you must remember that four evenings have been also spent together-and four evenings may do a great deal.”

“Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like Vingt-un better than Commerce; but with respect to any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been unfolded.”

“Well,”said Charlotte,“I wish Jane success with all my heart; and if she were married to him tomorrow, I should think she had as good a chance of happiness as if she were to be studying his character for a twelvemonth. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar before-hand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always contrive to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.”

“You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound. You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself.”

Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at her only to criticize. But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness. Of this she was perfectly unaware; —to her he was only the man who made himself agreeable no where, and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with.

He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing with her himself,attended to her conversation with others. His doing so drew her notice. It was at Sir William Lucas's, where a large party were assembled.“What does Mr. Darcy mean,”said she to Charlotte,“by listening to my conversation with Colonel Forster?”

“That is a question which Mr. Darcy only can answer.”

“But if he does it any more, I shall certainly let him know that I see what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.”

On his approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention such a subject to him, which immediately provoking Elizabeth to do it, she turned to him and said,

“Did not you think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself uncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton?”

“With great energy; —but it is a subject which always makes a lady energetic.”

“You are severe on us.”

“It will be her turn soon to be teazed,”said Miss Lucas.“I am going to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know what follows.”

“You are a very strange creature by way of a friend! —always wanting me to play and sing before any body and everybody! —If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable, but as it is, I would really rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best performers.”On Miss Lucas's persevering, however, she added,“Very well; if it must be so, it must.”And gravely glancing at Mr. Darcy,“There is a fine old saying, which everybody here is of course familiar with—‘Keep your breath to cool your porridge, '—and I shall keep mine to swell my song.”

Her performance was pleasing, though by no means capital. After a song or two, and before she could reply to the entreaties of several that she would sing again, she was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by her sister Mary, who having, in consequence of being the only plain one in the family, worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments, was always impatient for display.

Mary had neither genius nor taste; and though vanity had given her application, it had given her likewise a pedantic air and conceited manner, which would have injured a higher degree of excellence than she had reached. Elizabeth, easy and unaffected, had been listened to with much more pleasure, though not playing half so well; and Mary, at the end of a long concerto, was glad to purchase praise and gratitude by Scotch and Irish airs, at the request of her younger sisters, who, with some of the Lucases and two or three officers, joined eagerly in dancing at one end of the room.

Mr. Darcy stood near them in silent indignation at such a mode of passing the evening, to the exclusion of all conversation, and was too much engrossed by his own thoughts to perceive that Sir William Lucas was his neighbour, till Sir William thus began.

“What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! —There is nothing like dancing after all. —I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies.”

“Certainly, Sir; —and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. —Every savage can dance.”

Sir William only smiled.“Your friend performs delightfully;”he continued after a pause, on seeing Bingley join the group; —“and I doubt not that you are an adept in the science yourself, Mr. Darcy.”

“You saw me dance at Meryton, I believe, Sir.”

“Yes, indeed, and received no inconsiderable pleasure from the sight. Do you often dance at St. James's?”

“Never, sir.”

“Do you not think it would be a proper compliment to the place?”

“It is a compliment which I never pay to any place, if I can avoid it.”

“You have a house in town, I conclude?”

Mr. Darcy bowed.

“I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself-for I am fond of superior society; but I did not feel quite certain that the air of London would agree with Lady Lucas.”

He paused in hopes of an answer; but his companion was not disposed to make any; and Elizabeth at that instant moving towards them, he was struck with the notion of doing a very gallant thing, and called out to her,

“My dear Miss Eliza, why are not you dancing? —Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner. —You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so much beauty is before you.”And taking her hand, he would have given it to Mr. Darcy, who, though extremely surprised, was not unwilling to receive it, when she instantly drew back, and said with some discomposure to Sir William,

“Indeed, Sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. —I entreat you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner.”

Mr. Darcy with grave propriety requested to be allowed the honour of her hand; but in vain. Elizabeth was determined; nor did Sir William at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion.

“You excel so much in the dance, Miss Eliza, that it is cruel to deny me the happiness of seeing you; and though this gentleman dislikes the amusement in general, he can have no objection, I am sure, to oblige us for one half hour.”

“Mr. Darcy is all politeness,”said Elizabeth, smiling.

“He is indeed-but considering the inducement, my dear Miss Eliza, we cannot wonder at his complaisance; for who would object to such a partner?”

Elizabeth looked archly, and turned away. Her resistance had not injured her with the gentleman, and he was thinking of her with some complacency, when thus accosted by Miss Bingley.

“I can guess the subject of your reverie.”

“I should imagine not.”

“You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in this manner-in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. I was never more annoyed! The insipidity and yet the noise; the nothingness and yet the self-importance of all these people! -What would I give to hear your strictures on them!”

“Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.”

Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face, and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity,

“Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

“Miss Elizabeth Bennet!”repeated Miss Bingley.“I am all astonishment. How long has she been such a favourite? —and pray when am I to wish you joy?”

“That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's imagination is very rapid;it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy.”

“Nay, if you are so serious about it, I shall consider the matter as absolutely settled. You will have a charming mother-in-law, indeed, and of course she will be always at Pemberley with you.”

He listened to her with perfect indifference while she chose to entertain herself in this manner, and as his composure convinced her that all was safe, her wit flowed long.

朗伯恩村的女士们不久拜访了内瑟菲尔德庄园的那两位。对方按照通常的方式进行了回访。贝内特小姐令人愉快的举止渐渐地增加了赫斯特太太和宾利小姐的好感；尽管宾家姐妹发现那位母亲让人难以忍受，几个妹妹不值一说，但她们还是表示希望跟那两个姐姐更好地交往。简对这种关怀满心欢喜；不过，伊丽莎白仍然看出她们对待每个人的傲慢态度，几乎连对她的姐姐也不例外，所以不可能喜欢她们；尽管她们这样善待简，但十有八九是受了她们的兄弟爱慕她的影响。大家都明白，无论他们什么时候见面，他的确是爱慕简；伊丽莎白同样也清楚，简一开始就对宾利情有独钟，在某种程度上深深地堕入了爱河；而她又愉快地想到，世人一般不可能会发现这一点，因为简以极大的感情力量将冷静的性情与一贯快乐的举止结合在了一起，这样就不会使粗鲁无礼的人产生怀疑。她对朋友卢卡斯小姐提起了这件事。

夏洛特答道：“这种事能瞒过众人，也许令人愉快；不过，有时过于谨慎也会不利。要是一个女人在心爱的人面前用这种技巧隐藏自己的感情，她就可能会失去搞定他的机会；那样，就是她相信同样让世人都蒙在鼓里，也不过是可怜的安慰而已。几乎每种恋情都会有诸多感激和虚荣，所以任其自然是不保险的。恋情开始可能都很随便——稍有好感是自然而然的事儿；可是，我们当中没有对方鼓励就足以真正倾心相爱的人寥寥无几。十有八九，一个女人流露的爱要比心里感受的多。毫无疑问，宾利喜欢你的姐姐；然而，要是你的姐姐不帮他，他可能就绝不会再喜欢她。”

“不过，她的确帮助了他，是尽了自己的性情。即使我都能看出她对他关心，他要是还没有发现，那就肯定真是一个笨蛋。”

“伊莱扎，记住，他不像你那样了解简的性情。”

“不过，女人要是对男人情有独钟，而又不尽力掩饰，男人一定就会发现。”

“要是男方和女方有足够多的见面时间，他也许一定就会看出来。不过，尽管宾利和简见面相当频繁，但从来没有在一起待好多小时；况且，他们相互见面时总是跟一大帮人混在一起，不可能每时每刻都让他们在一起交谈。因此，简时刻注意，一看到有机会，就充分利用。等把他抓到手，她再尽可能谈情说爱也来得及。”

伊丽莎白答道：“要是只想嫁得好的话，你这个办法就很好；我要是决心找一个富有的丈夫，或者随便找一个丈夫，我敢说，我就应该采用这个办法。可这不是简的意见；她不是按计行事。至今，就连她自己都拿不准她自己关心到了什么程度，也拿不准是不是妥当。她认识他才两个星期。她在魅力屯跟他跳了四次舞；一天上午，她在他自己的家里见过他，后来又跟他一起吃过四次饭。这不足以使她能了解他的性格。”

“并不像你说的那样。就是她仅仅跟他吃过一次饭，可能只发现他的胃口好不好；然而，你必须记住，他们在一起还度过了四个晚上——四个晚上可能大有作用。”

“是的，这四个晚上能使他们弄清两人都喜欢玩二十一点，而不喜欢玩科默斯牌戏；而至于其他主要特征，我认为还没有显露出多少。”

“啊，”夏洛特说，“我全心全意祝简成功；我认为，就是她明天跟他结婚，她获得幸福的可能性差不多也像她用一年时间研究他的性格获得幸福的可能性一样。婚姻是否幸福，完全是机缘问题。要是男女双方非常了解彼此的性情，或者曾经非常相似，那根本促进不了他们的幸福。他们婚后总是图谋发现相互的差异越来越大，彼此都感到苦恼；所以，对要厮守终生的人的缺点，知道得越少越好。”

“夏洛特，你让我感到好笑；可这不靠谱。你知道这不靠谱，所以你自己绝不会这样做。”

伊丽莎白一心观察宾利先生对她的姐姐献殷勤，绝对没有想到她自己越来越成了宾利先生的朋友关注的对象。达西先生一开始几乎不承认她漂亮；他在舞会上看她时并没有带着爱慕之情；而他们下次见面时，他看她只是为了吹毛求疵。但是，他刚对自己和朋友们明确表示，伊丽莎白的容貌一无是处，却开始发现伊丽莎白乌黑的眼睛美丽传神，使整个脸显得异常聪颖。继这个发现之后，他又发现了几个同样令人窘迫的地方。尽管他带着挑剔的目光发现她的身段不止一处不匀称，但他不得不承认她体态轻盈、讨人喜欢；他断言，她缺少上流社会的那些风度，但又受到了她从容打趣的作风的吸引。伊丽莎白对此一无所知；——在她看来，达西只是一个哪里都不讨人喜欢的男人，他还认为她不够漂亮，不配跟他跳舞。

他开始想更多地了解她，为了争取跟她交谈，在她跟别人交谈时，他也专心倾听。他这样做引起了伊丽莎白的注意。当时是在威廉·卢卡斯爵士家，一大群人聚在一起。“达西先生听我跟福斯特上校交谈，这是什么意思？”伊丽莎白对夏洛特说。

“这个问题只有达西先生能回答。”

“不过，他要是再这样，我就一定要让他懂得我明白他在干什么。他一心就爱挖苦人；我自己要是不先动粗，马上就会怕他。”

不久以后，达西走近她们，不过好像没有打算开口，卢卡斯小姐就激她的朋友对他提起这个话题。这促使伊丽莎白立马去做，只见她转向达西说道：

“达西先生，我刚才请福斯特上校为我们在魅力屯举行一次舞会，你认为我说得非常不错吧？”

“非常带劲；——不过，这是一个总让女士们带劲的话题。”

“你对我们很苛刻。”

“马上就轮到她被嘲笑了，”卢卡斯小姐说，“伊莱扎，我要打开琴，你知道接下来做什么。”

“你这种朋友真是莫名其妙！——不管在什么人面前，总是要我弹琴唱歌！——要是我在音乐上出过风头，你早就会功德无量了，但事实上，我真不愿在那些肯定都听惯一流演奏家们演奏的宾客们面前坐下来。”然而，在卢卡斯小姐的执意要求下，她又补充说：“那好吧，要是必须这样，那就演奏吧。”说着，她又沉着脸，瞥了一眼达西，“有一句古话说得好，在场的每个人肯定都熟悉这句话——‘留口气吹凉糊糊。'——那我就留口气高歌一曲吧。”

她的表演绝对算不上一流，却令人愉悦。她弹了一两首曲之后，好几个人又恳请她唱歌。还没等她回答，她的妹妹玛丽就迫不及待地跟上来，坐在了琴边。原来在她们姐妹当中，只有玛丽相貌平平，因此她努力钻研学问和才艺，总是迫不及待想卖弄一番。

玛丽既没有天赋，又没有情趣；虚荣心促使她勤奋用功，同样也促使她变得书生气，自以为是，即使她的才艺比原来的高，这种态度也会造成损伤。伊丽莎白弹琴还没有她一半好，但从容自如，没有做作；玛丽奏完一支长长的协奏曲之后，又开心地应两个妹妹的要求奏了几支苏格兰和爱尔兰小调，博得了别人的赞扬和感谢。她的两个妹妹和卢家的几个小姐跟两三位军官在房间的一头急切地跳起了舞。

达西先生站在她们附近，看到她们这样度过一个晚上，不跟别人攀谈，他就一边生闷气，一边全神贯注地想着心事，没有察觉威廉·卢卡斯爵士在他的身边，直到威廉爵士这样开口说话。

“达西先生，这对年轻人来说是多么迷人的娱乐啊！——比较起来，没有什么能比得上跳舞。——我认为，上流社会最优雅的爱好之一就是跳舞。”

“的确是，先生；——跳舞还有一个好处，就是在下流社会中也流行。——每个野蛮人都会跳。”

威廉爵士只是微微一笑。“你的朋友跳得真可人，”停了一会儿，看到宾利也来参加跳舞，他接着说道——“我不怀疑你自己擅长此道，达西先生。”

“我相信，你在魅力屯见过我跳舞吧，先生。”

“的确见过，而且看得真是大快人心。你经常去圣詹姆斯宫跳舞吗？”

“从来没有去过，先生。”

“难道你认为去那个地方也不愿赏脸吗？”

“无论什么地方，我也不愿赏这个脸，能免则免。”

“我断定，你在城里有房子吧？”

达西先生躬了躬身。

“我自己一度想过在城里安家——因为我喜欢上流社会；不过，我拿不准伦敦的空气是不是适合卢卡斯太太。”

他停了一会儿，指望对方回答；但是，他的同伴无意回答；这时，伊丽莎白向他们走来。他突然心血来潮，想大献殷勤，就对伊丽莎白大声说道：

“亲爱的伊莱扎小姐，你为什么不跳舞？——达西先生，你一定要允许我把这位小姐介绍给你作为非常理想的舞伴。——我相信，你面前有这么多美人，你不可能拒绝跳舞。”说着，他拉住伊丽莎白的手，要把它交给达西先生。尽管达西特别惊讶，但又不是不愿接受。这时，伊丽莎白立刻抽了回来，有些心乱地对威廉爵士说道：

“先生，我真的一点儿都不想跳舞。——我请你不要以为我到这边来是为了找舞伴。”

达西先生郑重其事、彬彬有礼地请求她赏光，跟他跳一场，但无济于事。伊丽莎白下定决心；威廉爵士怎么劝说也没有动摇她的决心。

“伊莱扎小姐，你跳舞跳得那么出色，却不愿让我一饱眼福，真狠心；尽管这位先生平常并不喜欢这种娱乐，但我确信，要他赏我们半小时脸，他不可能反对。”

“达西先生完全是礼貌。”伊丽莎白微笑着说。

“他的确是——可是，亲爱的伊莱扎小姐，想想这个诱因，我们不能怪他多礼。谁会反对你这样的一个舞伴呢？”

伊丽莎白一脸顽皮，转身而去。她的拒绝并没有损害达西先生对她的印象，他正有些自鸣得意地想着她，这时传来了宾利小姐的声音。

“我能猜出你在幻想什么。”

“我想不会的。”

“你在想，在这群人中这样度过好多夜晚，将会是多么难以忍受，我的确跟你有同感。我从来不曾这样烦闷过！所有这些人都枯燥无味，吵吵闹闹，空虚无聊，妄自尊大！——我多想听到你责难他们啊！”

“我向你保证，你的猜想完全错了。我想的是更愉快的事儿。我一直在沉思着，一个漂亮女人脸上的那双美丽眼睛能给人带来多大的快乐。”

宾利小姐马上用眼睛盯着达西的脸，并希望他告诉她哪位小姐有本领使他产生这些沉思。达西先生无所畏惧地回答说：

“伊丽莎白·贝内特小姐。”

“伊丽莎白·贝内特小姐！”宾利小姐重复道，“我万分惊讶。她这样让你中意多久了？——请问，我什么时候向你道喜？”

“我早就料到你会这样问。女人的想象力非常迅速，会马上从爱慕跳到恋爱，又从恋爱跳到结婚。我早知道你会向我道喜。”

“不仅如此，要是你对此这么认真，我就会认为这件事完全决定了。你的确会得到一位迷人的岳母，她当然会永远跟你一起待在彭伯利庄园。”

她这样喜欢自得其乐，他则无动于衷听她说着；他的镇定自若使她深信一切都万无一失，所以她的伶牙俐齿又滔滔不绝地说了很久。