Chapter 10 -
While the family were in this confusion(混亂), Charlotte Lucas came to spend the day with them.
She was met in the doorway(門口) by Lydia, who said to her in a half whisper,
“I am glad you have come, because there is such fun here! Mr. Collins has made an offer of marriage to Lizzy, and she will not accept him.”
Mrs. Bennet now tried to persuade Charlotte to talk to Elizabeth and try to get her to change her mind.
Charlotte was saved from having to reply by the entrance of Jane and Elizabeth.
“Yes, here she comes,” continued Mrs. Bennet,
“looking as if she does not care at all.
But let me tell you, Miss Lizzy, if you continue to refuse every offer of marriage in this way, you will never get a husband at all.
I do not know who will support you when your father is dead.”
She talked on in this way, without any interruption from any of them, until Mr. Collins returned.
When Mrs. Bennet saw who it was, she said to the girls, “Now, be quiet all of you, and let me and Mr. Collins have a little conversation together.”
Elizabeth quietly left the room, and Jane and Kitty followed, but Lydia was determined to(決定) listen and refused to leave.
Charlotte was curious as well, and looked to the window while pretending not to hear.
In a distressed(痛苦的) voice Mrs. Bennet began the conversation: “Oh! Mr. Collins!”
“My dear madam(夫人),” replied he,
“let us be forever silent on this subject.
We all have to resign ourselves to(只好接受) disappointment, and that is made easier when what one thought one wanted has already started to lose some of its attraction.
I could never bring myself,” he presently continued, in a voice that marked his displeasure, “to resent(怨恨) your daughter for her behavior.
I hope you will not consider me as disrespectful(無禮的) for thus withdrawing(收回) my proposal(求婚) for your daughter’s hand in marriage.
If my manner has been at all impolite, then please allow me to ask for your forgiveness.”
The following day brought no improvement in Mrs. Bennet’s mood(心情).
Mr. Collins also remained in the same state of angry pride.
Elizabeth had hoped that his resentment(怨恨) might shorten his visit, but his plans did not appear to have changed in the slightest(根本).
He had always planned to leave on Saturday, and so to Saturday he meant to stay.
Soon after, a letter was delivered(遞交給) to Miss Bennet from Netherfield.
Elizabeth saw her sister’s expression change as she read it, and saw her intently rereading some parts of it.
Jane soon regained(重新恢復到) a look of calm and put the letter away.
She tried to join the conversation with her usual cheerfulness, but Elizabeth felt her sister’s anxiety, and at a glance from Jane followed her upstairs.
When they had entered their own room, Jane took out the letter and said:
“This is from Caroline Bingley.
What it contains has surprised me a good deal.
The whole group have left Netherfield by this time, and are on their way to London, and they have no intention of ever coming back again.
You will hear what she says.”
“When my brother left us yesterday, he thought that the business which took him to London might be finished in three or four days.
However, we are now certain that it will take much longer, and at the same time believe that he will be in no hurry to leave London again.
We have, therefore, decided to follow him, so that he will not have to spend his free hours alone in a comfortless(不舒服的) hotel.”
“It is obvious from this,” added Jane, “that he will not come back this winter.”
“It is only obvious that Miss Bingley does not want him to.”
“Why would you think that?
It must be his own decision.
But you do not know everything.
I will read you the part that particularly hurts me.”
“Mr. Darcy is impatient to see his sister, and we are eager as well to meet her again.
I have never met a woman of such beauty, elegance(優雅), and accomplishments(才能) as Georgina Darcy,
and I feel even greater affection for her when I dare to hope that we might one day become sisters-in-law.
“What do you think of that sentence, my dear Lizzy?” said Jane as she finished it.
“Does it not directly state that Caroline neither expects nor wishes me to be her sister-in-law, and that she believes that her brother has no feelings for me?
Can there be any other opinion on the subject?”
“Yes, there can, because mine is totally different.
Will you hear it?”
“Of course.”
“Here it is.
Miss Bingley sees that her brother is in love with you, and wants him to marry Miss Darcy.
She follows him to town in hope of keeping him there, and is trying to convince(使...確信) you that he does not care about you.
But no one who has ever seen the two of you together could doubt that he cares for you very deeply.”
Jane shook her head.
“If we agreed in our opinion of Miss Bingley,” replied Jane,
“then I might agree with your interpretation of all this.
But I know that Caroline would never be dishonest with anyone.
All that I can hope in this case is that she is mistaken.
But can I be happy, even hoping for the best, in marrying a man whose sisters and friends all want him to marry someone else?”
“You must decide for yourself,” said Elizabeth,
“and if you find that the misery(苦惱) of upsetting his two sisters is greater than the happiness of being his wife, I advise you by all means to refuse him.”
“How can you talk in this way?” said Jane, faintly(淡淡地) smiling.
“You must know that though I would feel terrible that they disapproved(反對), I would not hesitate(猶豫) to accept.”
They agreed that Mrs. Bennet should only hear that the family had left for London, but even this incomplete information gave her a great deal of concern.
After worrying about it a great deal, she comforted herself by saying that Mr. Bingley would be soon back and come for dinner at Longbourn.
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