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Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Chapter 25
After a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity, Mr. Collins was called from his amiable1 Charlotte by the arrival of Saturday. The pain of separation, however, might be alleviated2 on his side, by preparations for the reception of his bride; as he had reason to hope, that shortly after his return into Hertfordshire, the day would be fixed3 that was to make him the happiest of men. He took leave of his relations at Longbourn with as much solemnity as before; wished his fair cousins health and happiness again, and promised their father another letter of thanks.
On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend the Christmas at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister, as well by nature as education. The Netherfield ladies would have had difficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and within view of his own warehouses4, could have been so well-bred and agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger than Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman, and a great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces. Between the two eldest5 and herself especially, there subsisted6 a particular regard. They had frequently been staying with her in town.
The first part of Mrs. Gardiner's business on her arrival was to distribute her presents and describe the newest fashions. When this was done she had a less active part to play. It became her turn to listen. Mrs. Bennet had many grievances7 to relate, and much to complain of. They had all been very ill-used since she last saw her sister. Two of her girls had been upon the point of marriage, and after all there was nothing in it.
"I do not blame Jane," she continued, "for Jane would have got Mr. Bingley if she could. But Lizzy! Oh, sister! It is very hard to think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time, had it not been for her own perverseness8. He made her an offer in this very room, and she refused him. The consequence of it is, that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I have, and that the Longbourn estate is just as much entailed9 as ever. The Lucases are very artful people indeed, sister. They are all for what they can get. I am sorry to say it of them, but so it is. It makes me very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted10 so in my own family, and to have neighbours who think of themselves before anybody else. However, your coming just at this time is the greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you tell us, of long sleeves."
Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the chief of this news had been given before, in the course of Jane and Elizabeth's correspondence with her, made her sister a slight answer, and, in compassion11 to her nieces, turned the conversation.
When alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke12 more on the subject. "It seems likely to have been a desirable match for Jane," said she. "I am sorry it went off. But these things happen so often! A young man, such as you describe Mr. Bingley, so easily falls in love with a pretty girl for a few weeks, and when accident separates them, so easily forgets her, that these sort of inconsistencies are very frequent."
"An excellent consolation13 in its way," said Elizabeth, "but it will not do for us. We do not suffer by accident. It does not often happen that the interference of friends will persuade a young man of independent fortune to think no more of a girl whom he was violently in love with only a few days before."
"But that expression of 'violently in love' is so hackneyed, so doubtful, so indefinite, that it gives me very little idea. It is as often applied14 to feelings which arise from a half-hour's acquaintance, as to a real, strong attachment15. Pray, how violent was Mr. Bingley's love?"
"I never saw a more promising16 inclination17; he was growing quite inattentive to other people, and wholly engrossed18 by her. Every time they met, it was more decided19 and remarkable20. At his own ball he offended two or three young ladies, by not asking them to dance; and I spoke to him twice myself, without receiving an answer. Could there be finer symptoms? Is not general incivility the very essence of love?"
"Oh, yes!—of that kind of love which I suppose him to have felt. Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition21, she may not get over it immediately. It had better have happened to you, Lizzy; you would have laughed yourself out of it sooner. But do you think she would be prevailed upon to go back with us? Change of scene might be of service—and perhaps a little relief from home may be as useful as anything."
Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal, and felt persuaded of her sister's ready acquiescence22.
"I hope," added Mrs. Gardiner, "that no consideration with regard to this young man will influence her. We live in so different a part of town, all our connections are so different, and, as you well know, we go out so little, that it is very improbable that they should meet at all, unless he really comes to see her."
"And that is quite impossible; for he is now in the custody23 of his friend, and Mr. Darcy would no more suffer him to call on Jane in such a part of London! My dear aunt, how could you think of it? Mr. Darcy may perhaps have heard of such a place as Gracechurch Street, but he would hardly think a month's ablution enough to cleanse24 him from its impurities25, were he once to enter it; and depend upon it, Mr. Bingley never stirs without him."
"So much the better. I hope they will not meet at all. But does not Jane correspond with his sister? She will not be able to help calling."
But in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected27 to place this point, as well as the still more interesting one of Bingley's being withheld28 from seeing Jane, she felt a solicitude29 on the subject which convinced her, on examination, that she did not consider it entirely hopeless. It was possible, and sometimes she thought it probable, that his affection might be reanimated, and the influence of his friends successfully combated by the more natural influence of Jane's attractions.
Miss Bennet accepted her aunt's invitation with pleasure; and the Bingleys were no otherwise in her thoughts at the same time, than as she hoped by Caroline's not living in the same house with her brother, she might occasionally spend a morning with her, without any danger of seeing him.
The Gardiners stayed a week at Longbourn; and what with the Phillipses, the Lucases, and the officers, there was not a day without its engagement. Mrs. Bennet had so carefully provided for the entertainment of her brother and sister, that they did not once sit down to a family dinner. When the engagement was for home, some of the officers always made part of it—of which officers Mr. Wickham was sure to be one; and on these occasions, Mrs. Gardiner, rendered suspicious by Elizabeth's warm commendation, narrowly observed them both. Without supposing them, from what she saw, to be very seriously in love, their preference of each other was plain enough to make her a little uneasy; and she resolved to speak to Elizabeth on the subject before she left Hertfordshire, and represent to her the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment.
To Mrs. Gardiner, Wickham had one means of affording pleasure, unconnected with his general powers. About ten or a dozen years ago, before her marriage, she had spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire to which he belonged. They had, therefore, many acquaintances in common; and though Wickham had been little there since the death of Darcy's father, it was yet in his power to give her fresher intelligence of her former friends than she had been in the way of procuring30.
Mrs. Gardiner had seen Pemberley, and known the late Mr. Darcy by character perfectly31 well. Here consequently was an inexhaustible subject of discourse32. In comparing her recollection of Pemberley with the minute description which Wickham could give, and in bestowing33 her tribute of praise on the character of its late possessor, she was delighting both him and herself. On being made acquainted with the present Mr. Darcy's treatment of him, she tried to remember some of that gentleman's reputed disposition when quite a lad which might agree with it, and was confident at last that she recollected34 having heard Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy formerly35 spoken of as a very proud, ill-natured boy.
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1
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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2
alleviated
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| 减轻，缓解，缓和( alleviate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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4
warehouses
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| 仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 ) | |
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5
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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6
subsisted
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| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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8
perverseness
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| n. 乖张, 倔强, 顽固 | |
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9
entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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10
thwarted
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| 阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
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11
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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12
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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14
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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15
attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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16
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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17
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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18
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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19
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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20
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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21
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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22
acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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23
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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24
cleanse
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| vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗 | |
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25
impurities
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| 不纯( impurity的名词复数 )； 不洁； 淫秽； 杂质 | |
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26
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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27
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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28
withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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29
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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30
procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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31
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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32
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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33
bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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34
recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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