ConvincedasElizabethnowwasthatMissBingleysdislikeofherhadoriginatedinjealousy,shecouldnothelpfeelinghowunwelcomeherappearanceatPemberleymustbetoher,andwascurioustoknowwithhowmuchcivilityonthatladyssidetheacquaintancewouldnowberenewed.
Onreachingthehouse,theywereshownthroughthehallintothesaloon,whosenorthernaspectrendereditdelightfulforsummer.Itswindowsopeningtotheground,admittedamostrefreshingviewofthehighwoodyhillsbehindthehouse,andofthebeautifuloaksandSpanishchestnutswhichwerescatteredovertheintermediatelawn.InthishousetheywerereceivedbyMissDarcy,whowassittingtherewithMrs.HurstandMissBingley,andtheladywithwhomshelivedinLondon.Georgianasreceptionofthemwasverycivil,butattendedwithalltheembarrassmentwhich,thoughproceedingfromshynessandthefearofdoingwrong,wouldeasilygivetothosewhofeltthemselvesinferiorthebeliefofherbeingproudandreserved.Mrs.Gardinerandherniece,however,didherjustice,andpitiedher.
ByMrs.HurstandMissBingleytheywerenoticedonlybyacurtsey;and,ontheirbeingseated,apause,awkwardassuchpausesmustalwaysbe,succeededforafewmoments.ItwasfirstbrokenbyMrs.Annesley,agenteel,agreeable-lookingwoman,whoseendeavourtointroducesomekindofdiscourseprovedhertobemoretrulywell-bredthaneitheroftheothers;andbetweenherandMrs.Gardiner,withoccasionalhelpfromElizabeth,theconversationwascarriedon.MissDarcylookedasifshewishedforcourageenoughtojoininit;andsometimesdidventureashortsentencewhentherewasleastdangerofitsbeingheard.
ElizabethsoonsawthatshewasherselfcloselywatchedbyMissBingley,andthatshecouldnotspeakaword,especiallytoMissDarcy,withoutcallingherattention.Thisobservationwouldnothavepreventedherfromtryingtotalktothelatter,hadtheynotbeenseatedataninconvenientdistance;butshewasnotsorrytobesparedthenecessityofsayingmuch.Herownthoughtswereemployingher.SheexpectedeverymomentthatsomeofthegentlemenwouldentertherooShewished,shefearedthatthemasterofthehousemightbeamongstthem;andwhethershewishedorfeareditmost,shecouldscarcelydetermine.AftersittinginthismanneraquarterofanhourwithouthearingMissBingleysvoice,Elizabethwasrousedbyreceivingfromheracoldinquiryafterthehealthofherfamily.Sheansweredwithequalindifferenceandbrevity,andtheotherssaidnomore.
Thenextvariationwhichtheirvisitaffordedwasproducedbytheentranceofservantswithcoldmeat,cake,andavarietyofallthefinestfruitsinseason;butthisdidnottakeplacetillaftermanyasignificantlookandsmilefromMrs.AnnesleytoMissDarcyhadbeengiven,toremindherofherpost.Therewasnowemploymentforthewholeparty—forthoughtheycouldnotalltalk,theycouldalleat;andthebeautifulpyramidsofgrapes,nectarines,andpeachessooncollectedthemroundthetable.
Whilethusengaged,ElizabethhadafairopportunityofdecidingwhethershemostfearedorwishedfortheappearanceofMr.Darcy,bythefeelingswhichprevailedonhisenteringtheroom;andthen,thoughbutamomentbeforeshehadbelievedherwishestopredominate,shebegantoregretthathecame.
HehadbeensometimewithMr.Gardiner,who,withtwoorthreeothergentlemenfromthehouse,wasengagedbytheriver,andhadlefthimonlyonlearningthattheladiesofthefamilyintendedavisittoGeorgianathatmorning.NosoonerdidheappearthanElizabethwiselyresolvedtobeperfectlyeasyandunembarrassed;aresolutionthemorenecessarytobemade,butperhapsnotthemoreeasilykept,becauseshesawthatthesuspicionsofthewholepartywereawakenedagainstthem,andthattherewasscarcelyaneyewhichdidnotwatchhisbehaviourwhenhefirstcameintotherooInnocountenancewasattentivecuriositysostronglymarkedasinMissBingleys,inspiteofthesmileswhichoverspreadherfacewhenevershespoketooneofitsobjects;forjealousyhadnotyetmadeherdesperate,andherattentionstoMr.Darcywerebynomeansover.MissDarcy,onherbrothersentrance,exertedherselfmuchmoretotalk,andElizabethsawthathewasanxiousforhissisterandherselftogetacquainted,andforwardedasmuchaspossible,everyattemptatconversationoneitherside.MissBingleysawallthislikewise;and,intheimprudenceofanger,tookthefirstopportunityofsaying,withsneeringcivility:
“Pray,MissEliza,arenotthe—shireMilitiaremovedfromMeryton?Theymustbeagreatlosstoyourfamily.”
请勿开启浏览器阅读模式,否则将导致章节内容缺失及无法阅读下一章。
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