第 23 章
伊莉莎白正跟母親和姐妹坐在一起，回想剛才所聽到的那件事，決不定是否可以把它告訴大家，就在這時候，威廉?盧卡斯爵士來了。他是受了女兒的拜託，前來班府上宣佈她訂婚的消息。他一面敍述這件事，一面又大大地恭維了太太小姐們一陣，說是兩家能結上親，他真感到榮幸。班府上的人聽了，不僅感到驚異，而且不相信真有這回事。班納特太太再也顧不得禮貌，竟一口咬定他弄錯了。麗迪雅一向又任性又撒野，不由得叫道：天哪！威廉爵士，你怎麼會說出這番話來？你不知道柯林斯先生要娶麗萃嗎？”
遇到這種情形，只有象朝廷大臣那樣能夠逆來順受的人，才不會生氣，好在威廉爵士頗有素養，竟沒有把它當一回事，雖然他要求她們相信他說的是實話，可是他卻使出了極大的忍耐功夫，滿有禮貌地聽著她們無理的談吐。
伊莉莎白覺得自己有責任幫助他來打開這種僵局，於是挺身而出，證明他說的實話，說是剛剛已經聽到夏綠蒂本人談起過了。為了盡力使母親和妹妹們不再大驚小怪，她便誠懇地向威廉爵士道喜，吉英馬上也替她幫腔，又用種種話來說明這門婚姻是何等幸福，柯林斯先生品格又非常好，漢斯福和倫敦相隔不遠往返方便。
班納特太太在威廉爵士面前，實在氣得說不出話；可是他一走，她那一肚子牢騷便馬上發洩出來。第一，她堅決不相信這回事；第二，她斷定柯林斯先生受了騙；第三，她相信這一對夫婦決不會幸福；第四，這門親事可能會破裂。不過她卻從整個事件上簡單地得出了兩個結論──一個是：這場笑話全都是伊莉莎白一手造成的；另一個是，她自己受盡了大家的欺負虐待；在那一整天裏，她所談的大都是這兩點。隨便怎麼也安慰不了她，隨便怎麼也平不了她的氣。直到晚上，怨憤依然沒有消散。她見到伊莉莎白就罵，一直罵了一個星期之久。她同威廉爵士或盧卡斯太太說起話來，總是粗聲粗氣，一直過了一個月才好起來；至於夏綠蒂，她竟過了好幾個月才寬恕了她。
對班納特先生說來，這件事反而使他心情上益發灑脫，據他說，這次所經過的一切，真使他精神上舒服到極點。他說，他本以為夏綠蒂?盧卡斯相當懂事，哪知道她簡直跟他太太一樣蠢，比起他的女兒來就更要蠢了，他實在覺得高興！
吉英也承認這門婚姻有些奇怪，可是她嘴上並沒說什麼，反而誠懇地祝他們倆幸福。雖然伊莉莎白再三剖白給她聽，她卻始終以為這門婚姻未必一定不會幸福。吉蒂和麗迪雅根本不羡慕盧卡斯小姐，因為柯林斯先生不過是個傳教士而已；這件事根本影響不了她們，除非把它當作一件新聞，帶到麥裏屯去傳播一下。
再說到盧卡斯太太，她既然也有一個女兒獲得了美滿的姻緣，自然衷心快慰，因而也不會不想到趁此去向班納特太太反唇相譏一下。於是她拜望浪博恩的次數比往常更加頻繁，說是她如今多麼高興，不過班納特太太滿臉惡相，滿口的毒話，也足夠叫她掃興的了。
伊莉莎白和夏綠蒂之間從此竟有了一層隔膜，彼此不便提到這樁事。伊莉莎白斷定她們倆再也不會象從前那樣推心置腹。她既然在夏綠蒂身上失望，便越發親切地關注到自己姐姐身上來。她深信姐姐為人正直，作風優雅，她這種看法決不會動搖。她關心姐姐的幸福一天比一天來得迫切，因為彬格萊先生已經走了一個星期，卻沒有聽到一點兒她要回來的消息。
吉英很早就給珈羅琳寫了回信，現在正在數著日子，看看還得過多少天才可以又接到她的信。柯林斯先生事先答應寫來的那封謝函星期二就收到了，信是寫給她們父親的，信上說了多少感激的話，看他那種過甚其辭的語氣，就好象在他們府上叨光了一年似的。他在這方面表示了歉意以後，便用了多少歡天喜地的措辭，告訴他們說，他已經有幸獲得他們的芳鄰盧卡斯小姐的歡心了，他接著又說，為了要去看看他的心上人，他可以趁便來看看他們，免得辜負他們善意的期望，希望能在兩個禮拜以後的星期一到達浪博恩；他又說，珈苔琳夫人衷心地贊成他趕快結婚，並且希望愈早愈好，他相信他那位心上人夏綠蒂決不會反對及早定出佳期，使他成為天下最幸福的人。對班納特太太說來，柯林斯先生的重返浪博恩，如今並不是什麼叫人快意的事了。她反而跟她丈夫一樣地大為抱怨。說也奇怪，柯林斯不去盧家莊，卻要來到浪搏恩，這真是既不方便，又太麻煩。她現在正當健康失調，因此非常討厭客人上門，何況這些癡情種子都是很討厭的人。班納特太太成天嘀咕著這些事，除非想到彬格萊一直不回來而使她感到更大的痛苦時，她方才住口。
吉英跟伊莉莎白都為這個問題大感不安。一天又一天，聽不到一點關於他的消息，只聽得麥裏屯紛紛傳言，說他今冬再也不會上尼日斐花園來了，班納特太太聽得非常生氣，總是加以駁斥，說那是誣衊性的謠言。
連伊莉莎白也開始恐懼起來了，她並不是怕彬格萊薄情，而是怕他的姐妹們真的絆住了他。儘管她不願意有這種想法，因為這種想法對於吉英的幸福既有不利，對於吉英心上人的忠貞，也未免是一種侮辱，可是她還是往往禁不住要這樣想。他那兩位無情無義的姐妹，和那位足以制服他的朋友同心協力，再加上達西小姐的窈窕嫵媚，以及倫敦的聲色娛樂，縱使他果真對她念念不忘，恐怕也掙脫不了那個圈套。
至於吉英，她在這種動盪不安的情況下，自然比伊莉莎白更加感到焦慮，可是她總不願意把自己的心事暴露出來，所以她和伊莉莎白一直沒有提到這件事。偏偏她母親不能體貼她的苦衷，過不了一個鐘頭就要提到彬格萊，說是等待他回來實在等待心焦，甚至硬要吉英承認──要是彬格萊果真不回來，那她一定會覺得自己受了薄情的虧待。幸虧吉英臨事從容不迫，柔和鎮定，好容易才忍受了她這些讒言誹語。
柯林斯先生在兩個禮拜以後的星期一準時到達，可是浪搏恩卻不象他初來時那樣熱烈地歡迎他了。他實在高興不過也用不著別人獻殷勤。這真是主人家走運，多虧他戀愛成了功，這才使別人能夠清閒下來，不必再去跟他周旋。他每天把大部分時間消磨在盧家莊，一直挨到盧府上快要睡覺的時候，才回到浪搏恩來，向大家道歉一聲，請大家原諒他終日未歸。
班納特太太著實可憐。只要一提到那門親事，她就會不高興，而且隨便她走到那兒，她總會聽到人們談起這件事。她一看到盧卡斯小姐就覺得討厭。一想到盧卡斯小姐將來有一天會接替她做這幢屋子裏的主婦，她就益發嫉妒和厭惡。每逢夏綠蒂來看她們，她總以為人家是來考察情況，看看還要過多少時候就可以搬進來住；每逢夏綠蒂跟柯林斯先生低聲說話的時候，她就以為他們是在談論浪搏恩的家產，是在計議一俟班納特先生去世以後，就要把她和她的幾個女兒攆出去。她把這些傷心事都說給她丈夫聽。
她說：”我的好老爺，夏綠蒂?盧卡斯遲早要做這屋子裏的主婦，我卻非得讓她不可，眼睜睜看著她來接替我的位置，這可叫我受不了！”我的好太太，別去想這些傷心事吧。我們不妨從好的方面去想。說不定我比你的壽命還要長，我們姑且就這樣來安慰自己吧。”
可是這些話安慰不了班納特太太，因此她非但沒有回答，反而象剛才一樣地訴苦下去。我一想到所有的產業都得落到他們手裏，就受不了。要不是為了繼承權的問題，我才不在乎呢。”你不在乎什麼？”什麼我都不在乎。”讓我們謝天謝地，你頭腦還沒有不清楚到這種地步。”我的好老爺，凡是有關繼承權的事，我決不會謝天謝地的。隨便哪個人，怎麼肯昧著良心，不把財產遺傳給自己的女兒們？我真弄不懂，何況一切都是為了柯林斯先生的緣故！為什麼偏偏要他享有這份遺產？”, “我讓你自己去想吧。”班納特先生說。
Chapter 23
ELIZABETH was sitting with her mother and sisters, reflecting on what she had heard, and doubting whether she were authorised to mention it, when Sir William Lucas himself appeared, sent by his daughter to announce her engagement to the family. With many compliments to them, and much self-gratulation on the prospect of a connection between the houses, he unfolded the matter, — to an audience not merely wondering, but incredulous; for Mrs. Bennet, with more perseverance than politeness, protested he must be entirely mistaken, and Lydia, always unguarded and often uncivil, boisterously exclaimed,
“Good Lord! Sir William, how can you tell such a story? — Do not you know that Mr. Collins wants to marry Lizzy?”
Nothing less than the complaisance of a courtier could have borne without anger such treatment; but Sir William’s good breeding carried him through it all; and though he begged leave to be positive as to the truth of his information, he listened to all their impertinence with the most forbearing courtesy.
Elizabeth, feeling it incumbent on her to relieve him from so unpleasant a situation, now put herself forward to confirm his account, by mentioning her prior knowledge of it from Charlotte herself; and endeavoured to put a stop to the exclamations of her mother and sisters, by the earnestness of her congratulations to Sir William, in which she was readily joined by Jane, and by making a variety of remarks on the happiness that might be expected from the match, the excellent character of Mr. Collins, and the convenient distance of Hunsford from London.
Mrs. Bennet was in fact too much overpowered to say a great deal while Sir William remained; but no sooner had he left them than her feelings found a rapid vent. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter; secondly, she was very sure that Mr. Collins had been taken in; thirdly, she trusted that they would never be happy together; and fourthly, that the match might be broken off. Two inferences, however, were plainly deduced from the whole; one, that Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief; and the other, that she herself had been barbarously used by them all; and on these two points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day. Nothing could console and nothing appease her. — Nor did that day wear out her resentment. A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without scolding her, a month passed away before she could speak to Sir William or Lady Lucas without being rude, and many months were gone before she could at all forgive their daughter.
Mr. Bennet’s emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion, and such as he did experience he pronounced to be of a most agreeable sort; for it gratified him, he said, to discover that Charlotte Lucas, whom he had been used to think tolerably sensible, was as foolish as his wife, and more foolish than his daughter!
Jane confessed herself a little surprised at the match; but she said less of her astonishment than of her earnest desire for their happiness; nor could Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable. Kitty and Lydia were far from envying Miss Lucas, for Mr. Collins was only a clergyman; and it affected them in no other way than as a piece of news to spread at Meryton.
Lady Lucas could not be insensible of triumph on being able to retort on Mrs. Bennet the comfort of having a daughter well married; and she called at Longbourn rather oftener than usual to say how happy she was, though Mrs. Bennet’s sour looks and ill-natured remarks might have been enough to drive happiness away.
Between Elizabeth and Charlotte there was a restraint which kept them mutually silent on the subject; and Elizabeth felt persuaded that no real confidence could ever subsist between them again. Her disappointment in Charlotte made her turn with fonder regard to her sister, of whose rectitude and delicacy she was sure her opinion could never be shaken, and for whose happiness she grew daily more anxious, as Bingley had now been gone a week, and nothing was heard of his return.
Jane had sent Caroline an early answer to her letter, and was counting the days till she might reasonably hope to hear again. The promised letter of thanks from Mr. Collins arrived on Tuesday, addressed to their father, and written with all the solemnity of gratitude which a twelvemonth’s abode in the family might have prompted. After discharging his conscience on that head, he proceeded to inform them, with many rapturous expressions, of his happiness in having obtained the affection of their amiable neighbour, Miss Lucas, and then explained that it was merely with the view of enjoying her society that he had been so ready to close with their kind wish of seeing him again at Longbourn, whither he hoped to be able to return on Monday fortnight; for Lady Catherine, he added, so heartily approved his marriage, that she wished it to take place as soon as possible, which he trusted would be an unanswerable argument with his amiable Charlotte to name an early day for making him the happiest of men.
Mr. Collins’s return into Hertfordshire was no longer a matter of pleasure to Mrs. Bennet. On the contrary, she was as much disposed to complain of it as her husband. — It was very strange that he should come to Longbourn instead of to Lucas Lodge; it was also very inconvenient and exceedingly troublesome. — She hated having visitors in the house while her health was so indifferent, and lovers were of all people the most disagreeable. Such were the gentle murmurs of Mrs. Bennet, and they gave way only to the greater distress of Mr. Bingley’s continued absence.
Neither Jane nor Elizabeth were comfortable on this subject. Day after day passed away without bringing any other tidings of him than the report which shortly prevailed in Meryton of his coming no more to Netherfield the whole winter; a report which highly incensed Mrs. Bennet, and which she never failed to contradict as a most scandalous falsehood.
Even Elizabeth began to fear — not that Bingley was indifferent — but that his sisters would be successful in keeping him away. Unwilling as she was to admit an idea so destructive of Jane’s happiness, and so dishonourable to the stability of her lover, she could not prevent its frequently recurring. The united efforts of his two unfeeling sisters and of his overpowering friend, assisted by the attractions of Miss Darcy and the amusements of London, might be too much, she feared, for the strength of his attachment.
As for Jane, her anxiety under this suspence was, of course, more painful than Elizabeth’s; but whatever she felt she was desirous of concealing, and between herself and Elizabeth, therefore, the subject was never alluded to. But as no such delicacy restrained her mother, an hour seldom passed in which she did not talk of Bingley, express her impatience for his arrival, or even require Jane to confess that if he did not come back, she should think herself very ill used. It needed all Jane’s steady mildness to bear these attacks with tolerable tranquillity.
Mr. Collins returned most punctually on the Monday fortnight, but his reception at Longbourn was not quite so gracious as it had been on his first introduction. He was too happy, however, to need much attention; and luckily for the others, the business of love-making relieved them from a great deal of his company. The chief of every day was spent by him at Lucas Lodge, and he sometimes returned to Longbourn only in time to make an apology for his absence before the family went to bed.
Mrs. Bennet was really in a most pitiable state. The very mention of any thing concerning the match threw her into an agony of ill humour, and wherever she went she was sure of hearing it talked of. The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her. As her successor in that house, she regarded her with jealous abhorrence. Whenever Charlotte came to see them she concluded her to be anticipating the hour of possession; and whenever she spoke in a low voice to Mr. Collins, was convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate, and resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the house as soon as Mr. Bennet were dead. She complained bitterly of all this to her husband.
“Indeed, Mr. Bennet,” said she, “it is very hard to think that Charlotte Lucas should ever be mistress of this house, that I should be forced to make way for her, and live to see her take my place in it!”
“My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope for better things. Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor.”
This was not very consoling to Mrs. Bennet, and, therefore, instead of making any answer, she went on as before,
“I cannot bear to think that they should have all this estate, If it was not for the entail I should not mind it.”
“What should not you mind?”
“I should not mind any thing at all.”
“Let us be thankful that you are preserved from a state of such insensibility.”
“I never can be thankful, Mr. Bennet, for any thing about the entail. How any one could have the conscience to entail away an estate from one’s own daughters I cannot understand; and all for the sake of Mr. Collins too! — Why should he have it more than anybody else?”
“I leave it to yourself to determine,” said Mr. Bennet.
(http://www.dajiyuan.com)
