Kabanata Kabanata 9 · 第9章

Elizabeth passed the chief of the night in her sister’s room, and in the

morning had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable answer to the

inquiries which she very early received from Mr. Bingley by a housemaid,

and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on his

sisters. In spite of this amendment, however, she requested to have a

note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother to visit Jane, and form her

own judgment of her situation. The note was immediately despatched, and

its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her

two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.

Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been

very miserable; but being satisfied on seeing her that her illness was

not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as her

restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield. She

would not listen, therefore, to her daughter’s proposal of being carried

home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think

it at all advisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss

Bingley’s appearance and invitation, the mother and three daughters all

attended her into the breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes

that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.

“Indeed I have, sir,” was her answer. “She is a great deal too ill to be

moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her. We must trespass

a little longer on your kindness.”

“Removed!” cried Bingley. “It must not be thought of. My sister, I am

sure, will not hear of her removal.”

“You may depend upon it, madam,” said Miss Bingley, with cold civility,

“that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she

remains with us.”

Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.

“I am sure,” she added, “if it was not for such good friends, I do not

know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and suffers a

vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world, which is

always the way with her, for she has, without exception, the sweetest

temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothing to

_her_. You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect

over that gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is

equal to Netherfield. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry, I

hope, though you have but a short lease.”

“Whatever I do is done in a hurry,” replied he; “and therefore if I

should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five

minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here.”

“That is exactly what I should have supposed of you,” said Elizabeth.

“You begin to comprehend me, do you?” cried he, turning towards her.

“Oh yes--I understand you perfectly.”

“I wish I might take this for a compliment; but to be so easily seen

through, I am afraid, is pitiful.”

“That is as it happens. It does not necessarily follow that a deep,

intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours.”

“Lizzy,” cried her mother, “remember where you are, and do not run on in

the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home.”

“I did not know before,” continued Bingley, immediately, “that you were

a studier of character. It must be an amusing study.”

“Yes; but intricate characters are the _most_ amusing. They have at

least that advantage.”

“The country,” said Darcy, “can in general supply but few subjects for

such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and

unvarying society.”

“But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be

observed in them for ever.”

“Yes, indeed,” cried Mrs. Bennet, offended by his manner of mentioning a

country neighbourhood. “I assure you there is quite as much of _that_

going on in the country as in town.”

Everybody was surprised; and Darcy, after looking at her for a moment,

turned silently away. Mrs. Bennet, who fancied she had gained a complete

victory over him, continued her triumph,--

“I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country, for

my part, except the shops and public places. The country is a vast deal

pleasanter, is not it, Mr. Bingley?”

“When I am in the country,” he replied, “I never wish to leave it; and

when I am in town, it is pretty much the same. They have each their

advantages, and I can be equally happy in either.”

“Ay, that is because you have the right disposition. But that

gentleman,” looking at Darcy, “seemed to think the country was nothing

at all.”

“Indeed, mamma, you are mistaken,” said Elizabeth, blushing for her

mother. “You quite mistook Mr. Darcy. He only meant that there was not

such a variety of people to be met with in the country as in town, which

you must acknowledge to be true.”

“Certainly, my dear, nobody said there were; but as to not meeting with

many people in this neighbourhood, I believe there are few

neighbourhoods larger. I know we dine with four-and-twenty families.”

Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his

countenance. His sister was less delicate, and directed her eye towards

Mr. Darcy with a very expressive smile. Elizabeth, for the sake of

saying something that might turn her mother’s thoughts, now asked her if

Charlotte Lucas had been at Longbourn since _her_ coming away.

“Yes, she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable man Sir

William is, Mr. Bingley--is not he? so much the man of fashion! so

genteel and so easy! He has always something to say to everybody. _That_

is my idea of good breeding; and those persons who fancy themselves very

important and never open their mouths quite mistake the matter.”

“Did Charlotte dine with you?”

“No, she would go home. I fancy she was wanted about the mince-pies. For

my part, Mr. Bingley, _I_ always keep servants that can do their own

work; _my_ daughters are brought up differently. But everybody is to

judge for themselves, and the Lucases are a very good sort of girls, I

assure you. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not that _I_ think

Charlotte so _very_ plain; but then she is our particular friend.”

“She seems a very pleasant young woman,” said Bingley.

“Oh dear, yes; but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself

has often said so, and envied me Jane’s beauty. I do not like to boast

of my own child; but to be sure, Jane--one does not often see anybody

better looking. It is what everybody says. I do not trust my own

partiality. When she was only fifteen there was a gentleman at my

brother Gardiner’s in town so much in love with her, that my

sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came away.

But, however, he did not. Perhaps he thought her too young. However, he

wrote some verses on her, and very pretty they were.”

“And so ended his affection,” said Elizabeth, impatiently. “There has

been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first

discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!”

“I have been used to consider poetry as the _food_ of love,” said Darcy.

“Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is

strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I

am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.”

Darcy only smiled; and the general pause which ensued made Elizabeth

tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself again. She longed to

speak, but could think of nothing to say; and after a short silence Mrs.

Bennet began repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to

Jane, with an apology for troubling him also with Lizzy. Mr. Bingley was

unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be

civil also, and say what the occasion required. She performed her part,

indeed, without much graciousness, but Mrs. Bennet was satisfied, and

soon afterwards ordered her carriage. Upon this signal, the youngest of

her daughters put herself forward. The two girls had been whispering to

each other during the whole visit; and the result of it was, that the

youngest should tax Mr. Bingley with having promised on his first coming

into the country to give a ball at Netherfield.

Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine complexion

and good-humoured countenance; a favourite with her mother, whose

affection had brought her into public at an early age. She had high

animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence, which the

attentions of the officers, to whom her uncle’s good dinners and her

own easy manners recommended her, had increased into assurance. She was

very equal, therefore, to address Mr. Bingley on the subject of the

ball, and abruptly reminded him of his promise; adding, that it would be

the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it. His answer

to this sudden attack was delightful to her mother’s ear.

“I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement; and, when

your sister is recovered, you shall, if you please, name the very day of

the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing while she is ill?”

Lydia declared herself satisfied. “Oh yes--it would be much better to

wait till Jane was well; and by that time, most likely, Captain Carter

would be at Meryton again. And when you have given _your_ ball,” she

added, “I shall insist on their giving one also. I shall tell Colonel

Forster it will be quite a shame if he does not.”

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, and Elizabeth returned

instantly to Jane, leaving her own and her relations’ behaviour to the

remarks of the two ladies and Mr. Darcy; the latter of whom, however,

could not be prevailed on to join in their censure of _her_, in spite of

all Miss Bingley’s witticisms on _fine eyes_.

[Illustration]