第 55 章
这次拜访以后，没有过几天，彬格莱先生又来了，而且只有他一个人来。他的朋友已经在当天早上动身上伦敦去，不过十天以内就要回来。他在班府上坐了一个多钟头，显然非常高兴。班纳特太太留他吃饭，他一再道歉，说是别处已经先有了约会。
班纳特太太只得说：”希望你下次来的时候，能够赏赏我们的脸。”
他说他随时都乐意来，只要她不嫌麻烦，他一有机会就来看她们。
”明天能来吗？”
能来，他明天没有约会；于是他爽爽快快地接受了她的邀请。
第二天他果然来了，来得非常早，太太小姐们都还没有打扮好。班纳特太太身穿晨衣，头发才梳好一半，连忙跑进女儿房间里去大声嚷道：
”亲爱的吉英，快些下楼去。他来了。彬格莱先生来了。他真来了。赶快，赶快。我说，莎蕾，赶快上大小姐这儿来，帮她穿衣服。你别去管丽萃小姐的头发啦。”
吉英说：”我们马上就下去，也许吉蒂比我们两个都快，因为她上楼有半个钟头了。”
”哦，别去管吉蒂吧！关她什么事？快些，快些！好孩子，你的腰带在哪儿？”母亲走了以后，吉英再三要一个妹妹陪着她下楼去。
到了下午，显见得班纳特太太又一心要成全他们两人在一起。喝过了茶，班纳特先生照着他平常的习惯，到书房里去了，曼丽上楼弹琴去了。班太太看见五个障碍去了两个，便立刻对伊莉莎白和咖苔琳挤眉弄眼，吉蒂终于很天真地说：”怎么啦，妈妈？你为什么老是对我眨眼？你要我做什么呀？”
”没什么，孩子，没什么。我没有对你眨眼。”于是她又多坐了五分钟，实在不愿意再错过这大好的机会，她便突然站起来，对吉蒂说：
”来，宝贝，我跟你说句话，”说过这话，她便把吉蒂拉了出去。吉英立刻对伊莉莎白望了一眼，意思说，她受不住这样的摆布，请求伊莉莎白不要也这样做。一眨眼工夫，只见班纳特太太打开了半边门，喊道：
”丽萃，亲爱的，我要跟你说句话。”
伊莉莎白只得走出去。
一走进穿堂，她母亲就对她说：”我们最好不要去打扰他们，吉蒂和我都上楼到我化妆室里去了。”
伊莉莎白没有跟她争辩，静静地留在穿堂里，等母亲和吉蒂走得看不见了，才又回到会客室来。
班纳特太太这一天的打算没有如愿。彬格莱样样都讨人喜爱，只可惜没有公然以她女儿的情人自居。他安然自若，神情愉快，在她们晚间的家庭聚会上，人人都喜欢他。虽然班纳特太太不知分寸，多管闲事，他却竭力忍受；尽管她讲出多少蠢话，他也一些不动声色，很有耐性地听着，这特别叫那女儿满意。
他几乎用不到主人家邀请，便自己留下来吃饭；他还没有告辞，便又顺应着班纳特太太的意思，将计就计，约定明天来跟她丈夫打鸟。
自从这一天以后，吉英再也不说对他无所谓了。姐妹两人事后一句也没有谈起彬格莱，可是伊莉莎白上床的时候，心里很是快活，觉得只要达西先生不准时赶回来，这件事很快便会有眉目。不过她又认为事到如今，达西先生一定早已表示同意。
第二天彬格莱准时赴约，依照事先约定，跟班纳特先生在一起消磨了整个上午。班纳特先生和蔼可亲，实在远远出乎彬格莱先生的意料。这是因为，彬格莱没有什么傲慢或愚蠢的地方惹他嘲笑，或是叫他讨厌得不肯理睬他。比起彬格莱上次跟他见面的情形来，他这次更加健谈。也不象以前那样古怪。不用说，彬格莱跟他一同回来吃了中饭，晚上班纳特太太又设法把别人都遣开，让他跟她女儿在一起。伊莉莎白今晚有一封信要写吃，过茶以后，便到起坐间去写信，因为她看到别人都坐下打牌，不便再和她母亲作对。
等她写好了信回到客厅里来的时候，一看那种情景，不由得触目惊心，认为母亲果然比她聪明得多。且说她一走进门，只见姐姐和彬格莱一起站在壁炉跟前，看来正在谈话谈得起劲，如果这情形还没有什么可疑，那么，只消看看他们俩那般的脸色，那般慌慌张张转过身去，立即分开，你心里便有数了。他们窘态毕露，可是她自己却更窘。他们坐了下来，一言不发；伊莉莎白正待走开，只见彬格莱突然站起身来，跟她姐姐悄悄地说了几句话，便跑出去了。
吉英心里有了快活的事情，向来不隐瞒伊莉莎白，于是她马上抱住妹妹，极其热情地承认她自己是天下最幸福的人。
她又说：”太幸福了！实在太幸福了。我不配。哎哟，为什么不能人人都象我这样幸福呢？”
伊莉莎白连忙向她道喜，真诚热烈，欢欣异常，实在非笔墨所能形容。她每说一句亲切的话，就增加吉英一分幸福的感觉。可是吉英不能跟妹妹多纠缠了，她要说的话还没有说到一半，可不能再说下去了。
吉英说：”我得马上上妈妈那儿去，我千万不能辜负她一片好心好意，我要亲自去把这件事说给她听，不要别人转言。他已经去告诉爸爸了。噢，丽萃，你知道，家里听到这件事，一个个会觉得多么高兴啊！我怎么受得了这样的幸福！”
于是她连忙到母亲那儿去，只见母亲已经特地散了牌场，跟吉蒂坐在椅上。
伊莉莎白一个人留在那儿，心想：家里人为了这件事，几个月来一直在烦神担心，如今却一下子便得到了解决，她想到这里，不禁一笑。
她说：”这就是他那位朋友处心积虑的结局！是他自己的姐妹自欺欺人的下场！这个结果真是太幸福、太圆满、太有意思了！”
没过几分钟，彬格莱就到她这儿来了，因为他跟她父亲谈得很简捷扼要。
他一打开门，便连忙问道：”你姐姐在哪儿？”
”在楼上我妈那儿，马上就会下来。”
他于是关上了门，走到她跟前，让她亲切地祝贺姐夫。伊莉莎白真心诚意地说，她为他们俩未来的美满姻缘感到欣喜。两人亲切地握了握手。她只听得他讲他自己的幸福，讲吉英的十全十美，一直讲到吉英下楼为止。虽然这些话是出于一个情人之口，可是她深信他那幸福的愿望一定可以实现，因为吉英绝顶聪明，脾气更是好得不能再好，这便是幸福的基础，而且他们彼此的性格和趣味也十分相近。
这一晚大家都非常高兴，班纳特小姐因为心里得意，脸上也显得鲜艳娇美，光彩焕发，比平常更加漂亮。吉蒂笑笑忍忍，忍忍笑笑，一心只希望这样的幸运赶快轮到自己头上。班纳特太太同彬格莱足足谈了半个钟头之久，她满口嘉许，极端赞美，可总觉得不能够把满腔的热情充分表达出来；班纳特先生跟大家一块儿吃晚饭的时候，但看他的谈吐举止，便可以看出他也快活到极点。
不过他当时对这件事却一字不提，等到贵客一走，他又连忙转过身来对大女儿说：
”吉英，我恭喜你。你可成了一个极幸福的姑娘啦。”
吉英立刻走上前去吻他，多谢他的好意。
他说：”你是个好孩子；想到你这样幸福地解决了终身大事，我真高兴。我相信你们一定能够和好相处。你们的性格很相近。你们遇事都肯迁就，结果会弄得样样事都拿不定主张，你们那么好讲话，结果会弄得个个佣人都欺负你们；你们都那么慷慨，到头来一定会入不敷出。”
”但愿不会如此。我要是在银钱问题上粗心大意，那是不可原谅的。”
他的太太叫道：”入不敷出！我的好老爷，你这是什么话？他每年有四五千镑收入，可能还不止呢。”她又对大女儿说：”我的好吉英亲吉英，我太高兴了！我今天晚上休想睡得着觉。我早就知道会这样，我平常老是说，总有一天会这样。我一向认为你不会白白地生得这样好看。他去年初到哈福德郡的时候，我一看到他，就觉得你们两人一定会成双配对。天哪！我一辈子也没有见过象他这样漂亮的男人！”
她早把韦翰和丽迪雅忘了。吉英原是她最宠爱的女儿，现在更是谁也不在她心上了。妹妹们马上都簇拥着吉英，要她答应将来给她们多少好处。
曼丽请求使用尼日斐花园的藏书室，吉蒂硬要她每年冬天在那儿开几次跳舞会。
从此以后，彬格莱自然就成了浪搏恩家每天必来的客人。他总是早饭也没吃就赶来，一直要待到吃过晚饭才走……─除非有哪一家不识大体、不怕人讨厌的邻居，再三请他吃饭，他才不得不去应酬一下。
伊莉莎白简直没有机会跟她姐姐谈话，因为只要彬格莱一来，吉英的心就想不到别人身上去。不过他们俩总还是有时候不得不分开一下。吉英不在的时候，彬格莱老爱跟伊莉莎白谈话；彬格莱回家去了，吉英也总是找她一块儿来消遗，因此她对于他们俩还是大有用处。
有一个晚上，吉英对她说：”他说今年春天完全不知道我也在城里，这话叫我听了真高兴。我以前的确不相信会有这种事。”
伊莉莎白答道：”我以前也疑心到这一点，他有没有说明是什么缘故？”
”那一定是他的姐妹们布置好了的，她们当然不赞成他和我要好，我也不奇怪，因为他大可以选中一个样样都比我强的人。可是，我相信她们总有一天会明白，她们的兄弟跟我在一起是多么幸福，那时候她们一定又会慢慢地回心转意，跟我恢复原来的交情，不过决不可能象从前那样知已了。”
”我生平只听到你讲一句气量小的话。你真是个好心的姑娘！老实说，要是又看到你去受那假仁假义的彬格莱小姐的骗，那可真要气死我了！”
”丽萃，我希望你相信，他去年十一月里到城里去的时候，的确很爱我，他要不是信了别人的话，以为我真的不爱他，那他无论如何早就回来了！”
”他实在也有些不是，不过那都是因为他太谦虚。”
吉英听了这话，自然又赞美起他的虚心来，赞美他虽然具有了许多优美的品质，可并不自以为了不起。
伊莉莎白高兴的是，彬格莱并没有把他朋友阻挡这件事的经过泄露出来，因为吉英虽然宽宏大量，不记仇隙，可是这件事如果让她知道了，她一定会对达西有成见。
吉英又大声说道：”我的确是古往今来最幸福的一个人！哦，丽萃，家里这么多人，怎么偏偏是我最幸福？但愿你也会同样的幸福！但愿你也能找到这样一个人！”
”你即使给我几十个这样的人，我也决不会象你这样幸福。除非我脾气也象你这样好，人也象你这样好，我是无论如何也不会象你这样幸福的。不会，决不会，还是让我来自求多福吧，如果我运气好，到时候我也许又会碰到另外一个柯林斯。”
浪搏恩这家人家的事瞒也瞒不了多久。先是班纳特太太得到了特许，偷偷地讲给了腓力普太太听，腓力普太太没有得到任何人的许可，就大胆地把它传遍了麦里屯的街坊四邻。记得就在几星期以前，丽迪雅刚刚私奔，那时大家都认为班纳特府上倒尽了霉，如今这样一来，班家竟在顷刻之间成了天下最有福气的一家人家了。
Chapter 55
A FEW days after this visit, Mr. Bingley called again, and alone. His friend had left him that morning for London, but was to return home in ten days time. He sat with them above an hour, and was in remarkably good spirits. Mrs. Bennet invited him to dine with them; but, with many expressions of concern, he confessed himself engaged elsewhere.
“Next time you call,” said she, “I hope we shall be more lucky.”
He should be particularly happy at any time, &c. &c.; and if she would give him leave, would take an early opportunity of waiting on them.
“Can you come to-morrow?”
Yes, he had no engagement at all for to-morrow; and her invitation was accepted with alacrity.
He came, and in such very good time that the ladies were none of them dressed. In ran Mrs. Bennet to her daughter’s room, in her dressing gown, and with her hair half finished, crying out,
“My dear Jane, make haste and hurry down. He is come — Mr. Bingley is come. — He is, indeed. Make haste, make haste. Here, Sarah, come to Miss Bennet this moment, and help her on with her gown. Never mind Miss Lizzy’s hair.”
“We will be down as soon as we can,” said Jane; “but I dare say Kitty is forwarder than either of us, for she went up stairs half an hour ago.”
“Oh! hang Kitty! what has she to do with it? Come be quick, be quick! Where is your sash, my dear?”
But when her mother was gone, Jane would not be prevailed on to go down without one of her sisters.
The same anxiety to get them by themselves was visible again in the evening. After tea, Mr. Bennet retired to the library, as was his custom, and Mary went up stairs to her instrument. Two obstacles of the five being thus removed, Mrs. Bennet sat looking and winking at Elizabeth and Catherine for a considerable time, without making any impression on them. Elizabeth would not observe her; and when at last Kitty did, she very innocently said, “What is the matter mamma? What do you keep winking at me for? What am I to do?”
“Nothing child, nothing. I did not wink at you.” She then sat still five minutes longer; but unable to waste such a precious occasion, she suddenly got up, and saying to Kitty, “Come here, my love, I want to speak to you,” took her out of the room. Jane instantly gave a look at Elizabeth which spoke her distress at such premeditation, and her intreaty that she would not give in to it. In a few minutes, Mrs. Bennet half-opened the door and called out,
“Lizzy, my dear, I want to speak with you.”
Elizabeth was forced to go.
“We may as well leave them by themselves you know;’!c?! Q E宯銆 ??萫?? ?x^? 萤 ,D?萫?萫ZQH “L4’瀍th made no attempt to reason with her mother, but remained quietly in the hall, till she and Kitty were out of sight, then returned into the drawing room.
Mrs. Bennet’s schemes for this day were ineffectual. Bingley was every thing that was charming, except the professed lover of her daughter. His ease and cheerfulness rendered him a most agreeable addition to their evening party; and he bore with the ill-judged officiousness of the mother, and heard all her silly remarks with a forbearance and command of countenance particularly grateful to the daughter.
He scarcely needed an invitation to stay supper; and before he went away, an engagement was formed, chiefly through his own and Mrs. Bennet’s means, for his coming next morning to shoot with her husband.
After this day, Jane said no more of her indifference. Not a word passed between the sisters concerning Bingley; but Elizabeth went to bed in the happy belief that all must speedily be concluded, unless Mr. Darcy returned within the stated time. Seriously, however, she felt tolerably persuaded that all this must have taken place with that gentleman’s concurrence.
Bingley was punctual to his appointment; and he and Mr. Bennet spent the morning together, as had been agreed on. The latter was much more agreeable than his companion expected. There was nothing of presumption or folly in Bingley that could provoke his ridicule, or disgust him into silence; and he was more communicative, and less eccentric, than the other had ever seen him. Bingley of course returned with him to dinner; and in the evening Mrs. Bennet’s invention was again at work to get every body away from him and her daughter. Elizabeth, who had a letter to write, went into the breakfast room for that purpose soon after tea; for as the others were all going to sit down to cards, she could not be wanted to counteract her mother’s schemes.
But on returning to the drawing room, when her letter was finished, she saw, to her infinite surprise, there was reason to fear that her mother had been too ingenious for her. On opening the door, she perceived her sister and Bingley standing together over the hearth, as if engaged in earnest conversation; and had this led to no suspicion, the faces of both, as they hastily turned round and moved away from each other, would have told it all. Their situation was awkward enough; but her’s she thought was still worse. Not a syllable was uttered by either; and Elizabeth was on the point of going away again, when Bingley, who as well as the other had sat down, suddenly rose, and whispering a few words to her sister, ran out of the room.
Jane could have no reserves from Elizabeth, where confidence would give pleasure; and instantly embracing her, acknowledged, with the liveliest emotion, that she was the happiest creature in the world.
“‘Tis too much!” she added, “by far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh! why is not every body as happy?”
Elizabeth’s congratulations were given with a sincerity, a warmth, a delight, which words could but poorly express. Every sentence of kindness was a fresh source of happiness to Jane. But she would not allow herself to stay with her sister, or say half that remained to be said for the present.
“I must go instantly to my mother;” she cried. “I would not on any account trifle with her affectionate solicitude; or allow her to hear it from any one but myself. He is gone to my father already. Oh! Lizzy, to know that what I have to relate will give such pleasure to all my dear family! how shall I bear so much happiness!”
She then hastened away to her mother, who had purposely broken up the card party, and was sitting up stairs with Kitty.
Elizabeth, who was left by herself, now smiled at the rapidity and ease with which an affair was finally settled, that had given them so many previous months of suspense and vexation.
“And this,” said she, “is the end of all his friend’s anxious circumspection! of all his sister’s falsehood and contrivance! the happiest, wisest, most reasonable end!”
In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley, whose conference with her father had been short and to the purpose.
“Where is your sister?” said he hastily, as he opened the door.
“With my mother up stairs. She will be down in a moment, I dare say.”
He then shut the door, and, coming up to her, claimed the good wishes and affection of a sister. Elizabeth honestly and heartily expressed her delight in the prospect of their relationship. They shook hands with great cordiality; and then, till her sister came down, she had to listen to all he had to say of his own happiness, and of Jane’s perfections; and in spite of his being a lover, Elizabeth really believed all his expectations of felicity to be rationally founded, because they had for basis the excellent understanding, and super-excellent disposition of Jane, and a general similarity of feeling and taste between her and himself.
It was an evening of no common delight to them all; the satisfaction of Miss Bennet’s mind gave a glow of such sweet animation to her face, as made her look handsomer than ever. Kitty simpered and smiled, and hoped her turn was coming soon. Mrs. Bennet could not give her consent or speak her approbation in terms warm enough to satisfy her feelings, though she talked to Bingley of nothing else for half an hour; and when Mr. Bennet joined them at supper, his voice and manner plainly shewed how really happy he was.
Not a word, however, passed his lips in allusion to it, till their visitor took his leave for the night; but as soon as he was gone, he turned to his daughter, and said,
“Jane, I congratulate you. You will be a very happy woman.”
Jane went to him instantly, kissed him, and thanked him for his goodness.
“You are a good girl;” he replied, “and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.”
“I hope not so. Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in me.”
“Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet,” cried his wife, “what are you talking of? Why, he has four or five thousand a year, and very likely more.” Then addressing her daughter, “Oh! my dear, dear Jane, I am so happy! I am sure I shan’t get a wink of sleep all night. I knew how it would be. I always said it must be so, at last. I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing! I remember, as soon as ever I saw him, when he first came into Hertfordshire last year, I thought how likely it was that you should come together. Oh! he is the handsomest young man that ever was seen!”
Wickham, Lydia, were all forgotten. Jane was beyond competition her favourite child. At that moment, she cared for no other. Her younger sisters soon began to make interest with her for objects of happiness which she might in future be able to dispense.
Mary petitioned for the use of the library at Netherfield; and Kitty begged very hard for a few balls there every winter.
Bingley, from this time, was of course a daily visitor at Longbourn; coming frequently before breakfast, and always remaining till after supper; unless when some barbarous neighbour, who could not be enough detested, had given him an invitation to dinner which he thought himself obliged to accept.
Elizabeth had now but little time for conversation with her sister; for while he was present, Jane had no attention to bestow on any one else; but she found herself considerably useful to both of them in those hours of separation that must sometimes occur. In the absence of Jane, he always attached himself to Elizabeth, for the pleasure of talking of her; and when Bingley was gone, Jane constantly sought the same means of relief.
“He has made me so happy,” said she, one evening, “by telling me that he was totally ignorant of my being in town last spring! I had not believed it possible.”
“I suspected as much,” replied Elizabeth. “But how did he account for it?”
“It must have been his sister’s doing. They were certainly no friends to his acquaintance with me, which I cannot wonder at, since he might have chosen so much more advantageously in many respects. But when they see, as I trust they will, that their brother is happy with me, they will learn to be contented, and we shall be on good terms again; though we can never be what we once were to each other.”
“That is the most unforgiving speech,” said Elizabeth, “that I ever heard you utter. Good girl! It would vex me, indeed, to see you again the dupe of Miss Bingley’s pretended regard.”
“Would you believe it, Lizzy, that when he went to town last November, he really loved me, and nothing but a persuasion of my being indifferent would have prevented his coming down again!”
“He made a little mistake to be sure; but it is to the credit of his modesty.”
This naturally introduced a panegyric from Jane on his diffidence, and the little value he put on his own good qualities. Elizabeth was pleased to find that he had not betrayed the interference of his friend; for, though Jane had the most generous and forgiving heart in the world, she knew it was a circumstance which must prejudice her against him.
“I am certainly the most fortunate creature that ever existed!” cried Jane. “Oh! Lizzy, why am I thus singled from my family, and blessed above them all! If I could but see you as happy! If there were but such another man for you!”
“If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness. No, no, let me shift for myself; and, perhaps, if I have very good luck, I may meet with another Mr. Collins in time.”
The situation of affairs in the Longbourn family could not be long a secret. Mrs. Bennet was privileged to whisper it to Mrs. Philips, and she ventured, without any permission, to do the same by all her neighbours in Meryton.
The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world, though only a few weeks before, when Lydia had first run away, they had been generally proved to be marked out for misfortune.
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