第14章

During dinner, Mr. Bennet scarcely spoke at all; but when the servants were withdrawn, he thought it time to have some conversation with his guest, and therefore started a subject in which he expected him to shine, by observing that he seemed very fortunate in his patroness. Lady Catherine de Bourgh's attention to his wishes, and consideration for his comfort, appeared very remarkable. Mr. Bennet could not have chosen better. Mr. Collins was eloquent in her praise. The subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner, and with a most important aspect he protested that he had never in his life witnessed such behaviour in a person of rank-such affability and condescension, as he had himself experienced from Lady Catherine. She had been graciously pleased to approve of both the discourses which he had already had the honour of preaching before her. She had also asked him twice to dine at Rosings, and had sent for him only the Saturday before, to make up her pool of quadrille in the evening. Lady Catherine was reckoned proud by many people he knew, but he had never seen anything but affability in her. She had always spoken to him as she would to any other gentleman; she made not the smallest objection to his joining in the society of the neighbourhood, nor to his leaving his parish occasionally for a week or two, to visit his relations. She had even condescended to advise him to marry as soon as he could, provided he chose with discretion; and had once paid him a visit in his humble parsonage; where she had perfectly approved all the alterations he had been making, and had even vouchsafed to suggest some herself, -some shelves in the closets up stairs.

“That is all very proper and civil I am sure,”said Mrs. Bennet,“and I dare say she is a very agreeable woman. It is a pity that great ladies in general are not more like her. Does she live near you, sir?”

“The garden in which stands my humble abode is separated only by a lane from Rosings Park, her ladyship's residence.”

“I think you said she was a widow, sir? has she any family?”

“She has one only daughter, the heiress of Rosings, and of very extensive property.”

“Ah!”cried Mrs. Bennet, shaking her head,“then she is better off than many girls. And what sort of young lady is she? is she handsome?”

“She is a most charming young lady indeed. Lady Catherine herself says that in point of true beauty, Miss De Bourgh is far superior to the handsomest of her sex; because there is that in her features which marks the young woman of distinguished birth. She is unfortunately of a sickly constitution, which has prevented her making that progress in many accomplishments which she could not otherwise have failed of; as I am informed by the lady who superintended her education, and who still resides with them. But she is perfectly amiable, and often condescends to drive by my humble abode in her little phaeton and ponies.”

“Has she been presented? I do not remember her name among the ladies at court.”

“Her indifferent state of health unhappily prevents her being in town; and by that means, as I told Lady Catherine myself one day, has deprived the British court of its brightest ornament. Her ladyship seemed pleased with the idea, and you may imagine that I am happy on every occasion to offer those little delicate compliments which are always acceptable to ladies. I have more than once observed to Lady Catherine that her charming daughter seemed born to be a duchess, and that the most elevated rank, instead of giving her consequence, would be adorned by her. —These are the kind of little things which please her ladyship, and it is a sort of attention which I conceive myself peculiarly bound to pay.”

“You judge very properly,”said Mr. Bennet,“and it is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?”

“They arise chiefly from what is passing at the time, and though I sometimes amuse myself with suggesting and arranging such little elegant compliments as may be adapted to ordinary occasions, I always wish to give them as unstudied an air as possible.”

Mr. Bennet's expectations were fully answered. His cousin was as absurd as he had hoped, and he listened to him with the keenest enjoyment, maintaining at the same time the most resolute composure of countenance, and, except in an occasional glance at Elizabeth, requiring no partner in his pleasure.

By tea-time, however, the dose had been enough, and Mr. Bennet was glad to take his guest into the drawing-room again, and when tea was over, glad to invite him to read aloud to the ladies. Mr. Collins readily assented, and a book was produced; but on beholding it (for everything announced it to be from a circulating library), he started back, and begging pardon, protested that he never read novels. —Kitty stared at him, and Lydia exclaimed. —Other books were produced, and after some deliberation he choseFordyce's Sermons. Lydia gaped as he opened the volume, and before he had, with very monotonous solemnity, read three pages, she interrupted him with,

“Do you know, mama, that my uncle Philips talks of turning away Richard, and if he does, Colonel Forster will hire him. My aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk to Meryton to-morrow to hear more about it, and to ask when Mr. Denny comes back from town.”

Lydia was bid by her two eldest sisters to hold her tongue; but Mr. Collins, much offended, laid aside his book, and said,

“I have often observed how little young ladies are interested by books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their benefit. It amazes me, I confess; —for certainly, there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction. But I will no longer importune my young cousin.”

Then turning to Mr. Bennet, he offered himself as his antagonist at backgammon. Mr. Bennet accepted the challenge, observing that he acted very wisely in leaving the girls to their own trifling amusements. Mrs. Bennet and her daughters apologized most civilly for Lydia's interruption, and promised that it should not occur again, if he would resume his book; but Mr. Collins, after assuring them that he bore his young cousin no ill will, and should never resent her behaviour as any affront, seated himself at another table with Mr. Bennet, and prepared for backgammon.

吃饭时，贝内特先生几乎没有说过话；而等仆人们退下之后，他认为到了时候，便以他料想客人会神采飞扬的话题开场，说他三生有幸遇到了那位女恩人。凯瑟琳·德伯格夫人对他种种心愿的关照和对他舒适的体贴都显得不同凡响。贝内特先生选的话题再好不过了。柯林斯先生对她赞不绝口。这个话题使他平常严肃的态度变得更加严肃，他带着极其自负的样子抗议说，他一辈子从来没有见过一个有身份的人有这种品行——他亲身体验到了凯瑟琳夫人是如此亲切谦和。他曾经荣幸地在她的面前讲过两次道；她和蔼亲切，对他的讲道赞不绝口。她还请他去罗辛斯吃过两次饭，上星期六晚上还请他去她的家里打过夸德里尔牌。他认识的好多人都认为凯瑟琳夫人傲慢，但他在她的身上只看到了亲切。她总是像对绅士那样对他说话；她毫不反对他跟邻居们交往，也不反对他偶尔离开教区一、两星期，去看望他的亲戚们。她甚至屈尊劝告他尽早结婚，只要他能谨慎选择；她还到他的寒舍拜访过一次，完全赞成他对住宅进行的所有整修，甚至亲自赐教——给楼上的那些壁橱添几个架子。

“我相信这一切都非常得体礼貌，”贝内特太太说，“我敢说她是一个和颜悦色的女人。可惜的是，一般贵夫人们都不如她。她住的地方离你近吗，先生？”

“寒舍所在的那个花园跟老夫人住的罗辛斯公园只隔一条胡同。”

“先生，我想你说过她是寡妇吧？她有子女吗？”

“她只有一个女儿，是罗辛斯的继承人，而且有一大笔财产。”

“啊！”贝内特太太摇摇头，大声说道，“那她比好多姑娘境况好。她是怎样一位小姐？她漂亮吗？”

“她的确是一个极其可爱的小姐。凯瑟琳夫人亲口说，就真正的美貌而言，德伯格小姐比最漂亮的姑娘还要出色得多，因为她的容貌标志着她是大家闺秀。不幸的是，她体质虚弱。阻碍了她向多才多艺那个方面发展，否则她不可能没有进步；这是负责她教育的女教师告诉我的。那个教师还跟她们住在一起。不过，她非常和蔼可亲，经常屈尊乘坐她那辆轻型马车光临寒舍。”

“她觐见过国王吗？我不记得进过宫的小姐中有她的名字。”

“不幸的是，她身体欠佳，不能进城；有一天，我亲口告诉凯瑟琳夫人，英国王宫因此失去了一颗最光彩夺目的珠宝。夫人好像对这个看法非常满意；你们可以想象，在每种场合下，我都乐意主动说几句巧妙的恭维话，太太小姐们总是乐于接受。我对凯瑟琳夫人说过不止一次，她的迷人的女儿好像天生就是公爵夫人，将来就是嫁给最高职位的人，这个男人不但不会赐给她身价，反而会给他争光。——这些都是让夫人高兴的琐事，我认为自己应该在这方面特别注意。”

“你判断得很准，”贝内特先生说，“你真幸运具有巧言令色的天赋。请问，你这些讨人喜欢的殷勤话是一时冲动说出来的，还是事先考虑的结果？”

“它们主要都是一时随口说出来的，不过有时我自得其乐，预先想好这样一些小小的优雅的恭维话，应用在平时的场合，总是尽可能希望是自然流露，而不是故意做作。”

贝内特先生的预料完全符合。表侄像他原来预想的那样荒唐可笑。他听得非常有趣，同时表面上却竭力保持镇静，除了偶尔朝着伊丽莎白望一眼之外，他并不需要别人来分享他这份快乐。

然而，到了喝茶时间，这场罪总算受够了，贝内特先生很高兴又把客人领进客厅；喝过茶后，他又高兴地请客人给太太小姐们朗诵。柯林斯先生欣然同意，随后拿来了一本书；但是，他看了一眼（因为一切都表明那本书是从收费的流通图书馆借来的），突然退缩，请求原谅，声明他从来不读小说。——基蒂盯着他，丽迪雅惊叫起来。——他又拿出了一些书，审慎考虑了一会儿之后，选中了福代斯的《女儿经》。他打开那本书时，丽迪雅打起了哈欠。还没等他单调无味、一本正经地读完三页，丽迪雅就打断了他：

“妈妈，你知道我的菲利普姨父要解雇理查德吗？要是他真要解雇的话，福斯特上校就会雇佣他。这是星期六那天姨妈亲自告诉我的。我打算明天去魅力屯多听一些情况，然后问一下丹尼先生什么时候从城里回来。”

两个姐姐都吩咐丽迪雅住嘴；但是，柯林斯先生非常生气，把书放在一边，说道：

“我经常看到年轻小姐们对严肃书不感兴趣，不过这些书是为了她们受益才写的。我承认，这的确让我惊奇；——因为对她们最有益的莫过于这些教诲。可我再也不会强求年轻的表妹。”

于是，他转向贝内特先生，跟他下双陆棋。贝内特先生一边接受他的挑战，一边评论说，他让这些姑娘们去搞她们自己的小玩意儿做得非常聪明。贝内特太太和女儿们极有礼貌地为丽迪雅的打岔道歉，并许诺说，如果他重新读那本书，就不会再发生这种事儿了。但是，柯林斯先生向她们保证说他不怪表妹，绝不会认为她有什么冒犯而怨恨。之后，他自己就跟贝内特先生坐到另一张桌边，准备下双陆棋。