ThoughElizabethwouldnot,forthemerepurposeofobligingLadyCatherine,haveansweredthisquestion,shecouldnotbutsay,afteramomentsdeliberation:
“Iamnot.”
LadyCatherineseemedpleased.
“Andwillyoupromiseme,nevertoenterintosuchanengagement?”
“Iwillmakenopromiseofthekind.”
“MissBennetIamshockedandastonished.Iexpectedtofindamorereasonableyoungwoman.ButdonotdeceiveyourselfintoabeliefthatIwilleverrecede.IshallnotgoawaytillyouhavegivenmetheassuranceIrequire.”
“AndIcertainlynevershallgiveit.Iamnottobeintimidatedintoanythingsowhollyunreasonable.YourladyshipwantsMr.Darcytomarryyourdaughter;butwouldmygivingyouthewished-forpromisemaketheirmarriageatallmoreprobable?Supposinghimtobeattachedtome,wouldmyrefusingtoaccepthishandmakehimwishtobestowitonhiscousin?Allowmetosay,LadyCatherine,thattheargumentswithwhichyouhavesupportedthisextraordinaryapplicationhavebeenasfrivolousastheapplicationwasill-judged.Youhavewidelymistakenmycharacter,ifyouthinkIcanbeworkedonbysuchpersuasionsasthese.Howfaryournephewmightapproveofyourinterferenceinhisaffairs,Icannottell;butyouhavecertainlynorighttoconcernyourselfinmine.Imustbeg,therefore,tobeimportunednofartheronthesubject.”
“Notsohasty,ifyouplease.Ihavebynomeansdone.ToalltheobjectionsIhavealreadyurged,Ihavestillanothertoadd.Iamnostrangertotheparticularsofyouryoungestsistersinfamouselopement.Iknowitall;thattheyoungmansmarryingherwasapatched-upbusiness,attheexpenceofyourfatheranduncles.Andissuchagirltobemynephewssister?Isherhusband,isthesonofhislatefatherssteward,tobehisbrother?Heavenandearth!—ofwhatareyouthinking?AretheshadesofPemberleytobethuspolluted?”
“Youcannowhavenothingfurthertosay,”sheresentfullyanswered.“Youhaveinsultedmeineverypossiblemethod.Imustbegtoreturntothehouse.”
Andsheroseasshespoke.LadyCatherinerosealso,andtheyturnedback.Herladyshipwashighlyincensed.
“Youhavenoregard,then,forthehonourandcreditofmynephew!Unfeeling,selfishgirl!Doyounotconsiderthataconnectionwithyoumustdisgracehimintheeyesofeverybody?”
“LadyCatherine,Ihavenothingfurthertosay.Youknowmysentiments.”
“Youarethenresolvedtohavehim?”
“Ihavesaidnosuchthing.Iamonlyresolvedtoactinthatmanner,whichwill,inmyownopinion,constitutemyhappiness,withoutreferencetoyou,ortoanypersonsowhollyunconnectedwithme.”
“Itiswell.Yourefuse,then,toobligeme.Yourefusetoobeytheclaimsofduty,honour,andgratitude.Youaredeterminedtoruinhimintheopinionofallhisfriends,andmakehimthecontemptoftheworld.”
“Neitherduty,norhonour,norgratitude,”repliedElizabeth,“haveanypossibleclaimonme,inthepresentinstance.NoprincipleofeitherwouldbeviolatedbymymarriagewithMr.Darcy.Andwithregardtotheresentmentofhisfamily,ortheindignationoftheworld,iftheformerwereexcitedbyhismarryingme,itwouldnotgivemeonemomentsconcern—andtheworldingeneralwouldhavetoomuchsensetojoininthescorn.”
“Andthisisyourrealopinion!Thisisyourfinalresolve!Verywell.Ishallnowknowhowtoact.Donotimagine,MissBennet,thatyourambitionwilleverbegratified.Icametotryyou.Ihopedtofindyoureasonable;but,dependuponit,Iwillcarrymypoint.”
InthismannerLadyCatherinetalkedon,tilltheywereatthedoorofthecarriage,when,turninghastilyround,sheadded,
“Itakenoleaveofyou,MissBennet.Isendnocomplimentstoyourmother.Youdeservenosuchattention.Iammostseriouslydispleased.”
Elizabethmadenoanswer;andwithoutattemptingtopersuadeherladyshiptoreturnintothehouse,walkedquietlyintoitherself.Sheheardthecarriagedriveawayassheproceededupstairs.Hermotherimpatientlymetheratthedoorofthedressing-room,toaskwhyLadyCatherinewouldnotcomeinagainandrestherself.
“Shedidnotchooseit,”saidherdaughter,“shewouldgo.”
“Sheisaveryfine-lookingwoman!andhercallingherewasprodigiouslycivil!forsheonlycame,Isuppose,totellustheCollinseswerewell.Sheisonherroadsomewhere,Idaresay,andso,passingthroughMeryton,thoughtshemightaswellcallonyou.Isupposeshehadnothingparticulartosaytoyou,Lizzy?”
Elizabethwasforcedtogiveintoalittlefalsehoodhere;fortoacknowledgethesubstanceoftheirconversationwasimpossible.
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。
相邻推荐:你终将爱我 毕业了我们一无所有 最后一个道士1 唐诗三百首 刘伯温后人盗墓手记 十五年等待候鸟 活着不是给别人看的 皮囊 中国异闻录 红楼梦 17·少女症 欢乐颂全集(刘涛、王凯主演) 云中歌1:绿罗裙 夏有乔木:雅望天堂1 改变自己 电梯死忌 罪全书前传 一世倾城 三体(全集) 泰戈尔最迷人的美文:烂漫难收,如青春时候