Pride and Prejudice / Гордость и предубеждение. Джейн Остин

following Tuesday, could not bring herself to receive them with pleasure before. Her answer, therefore, was not favourable, at least not to Elizabeth's wishes, for she was impatient to get home. Mrs. Bennet sent them word that they could not possibly have the carriage before Tuesday. Against staying longer, however, Elizabeth was positively resolved. She urged Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley's carriage immediately.

      The communication excited much concern; and enough was said of wishing them to stay at least till the following day; and till the morrow[62] their going was deferred. Miss Bingley was then sorry that she had proposed the delay, for her jealousy and dislike of one sister much exceeded her affection for the other.

      The master of the house heard with real sorrow that they were to go so soon, and repeatedly tried to persuade Miss Bennet that it would not be safe for her – that she was not enough recovered; but Jane was firm where she felt herself to be right.

      To Mr. Darcy it was welcome news[63] – Elizabeth had been at Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he liked – and Miss Bingley was impolite to her, and more teasing than usual to himself. He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape him. Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday, and though they were at one time left by themselves for half-an-hour, he adhered to his book, and did not even look at her.

      On Sunday, after morning service, the separation, so agreeable to almost all, took place. Miss Bingley's politeness to Elizabeth increased at last very rapidly, as well as her affection for Jane; and when they parted, after assuring the latter of the pleasure it would always give her to see her either at Longbourn or Netherfield, and embracing her most tenderly, she even shook hands with the former. Elizabeth took leave of the whole party in the liveliest of spirits.

      They were not welcomed home very cordially by their mother. But their father, though very laconic in his expressions of pleasure, was really glad to see them; he had felt their importance in the family circle. The evening conversation, when they were all assembled, had lost much of its animation, and almost all its sense by the absence of Jane and Elizabeth.

      They found Mary, as usual, deep in the study of music and human nature; and had some extracts to admire, and some new observations of modern morality to listen to. Catherine and Lydia had information for them of a different sort. Much had been done and much had been said in the regiment since the preceding Wednesday; several of the officers had dined lately with their uncle, and it had actually been hinted that Colonel Forster was going to be married.

      Chapter 13

      “I hope, my dear,” said Mr. Bennet to his wife, as they were at breakfast the next morning, “that you have ordered a good dinner to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party.”

      “Who do you mean, my dear? I know of nobody that is coming, I am sure.”

      “The person of whom I speak is a gentleman, and a stranger.”

      Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. “A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr. Bingley, I am sure!”

      “It is not Mr. Bingley,” said her husband; “it is a person whom I never saw in the whole course of my life.”

      This roused a general astonishment; and he had the pleasure of being eagerly questioned by his wife and his five daughters at once.

      After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he thus explained:

      “About a month ago I received this letter; and about a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy, and requiring attention. It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases.”

      “Oh!” cried his wife, “I cannot bear to hear that mentioned. Pray do not talk of that odious man. I think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your own children.”

      “Of course,” said Mr. Bennet, “nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn. But if you listen to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself.”

      “Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent, 15th October.

      “Dear Sir, —

      “The disagreement between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach[64]. For some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing that it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at disagreement. My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination[65] at Easter, I have been distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh. She has preferred me to the valuable rectory[66] of this parish, where it will be my earnest endeavour to show the grateful respect towards her ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence. On these grounds I flatter myself that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch. I am concerned at being the means of injuring your daughters, and beg leave[67] to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends – but of this later. If you have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of visiting you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o'clock, and will probably trespass on your hospitality[68] till the Saturday following. I can do this without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day. – I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,

      “WILLIAM COLLINS”

      “At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peacemaking gentleman,” said Mr. Bennet, as he folded up the letter. “He seems to be a most polite young man, and I doubt not will prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine lets him come to us again.”

      “There is some sense in what he says about the girls, however, and if he is disposed to make them any amends, I will not be the person to discourage him.”

      “Though it is difficult,” said Jane, “to guess in what way he can mean to make us the amends, the wish is certainly to his credit.”

      Elizabeth was chiefly struck by his extraordinary respect for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it were required[69].

      “He must be an oddity, I think,” said she. “There is something very pompous in his style. And what can he mean by apologising for being next in the entail? Could he be a sensible man, sir?”

      “No, my dear, I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter, which promises well. I am impatient to see him.”

      “In point of composition,” said Mary, “the letter does not seem defective. The idea of the olive-branch perhaps is not wholly new, yet I think it is well expressed.”

      To Catherine and Lydia, neither the letter nor its writer were in any degree interesting. As for their mother, Mr. Collins's letter had done away much of her ill-will, and she was preparing to see him with a degree of composure which astonished her husband and daughters.

      Mr. Collins was punctual to his time, and was received with great politeness by the whole family. Mr. Bennet indeed said little; but the ladies were ready enough to talk, and

62

до завтрашнего дня

63

приятная новость

64

положить конец этому разладу

65

приняв духовный сан

66

должность приходского священника

67

прошу разрешения

68

злоупотреблю вашим гостеприимством

69

когда бы это ни потребовалось