Pride and Prejudice / Гордость и предубеждение. Джейн Остин

Miss Bingley. “I am all astonishment. How long has she been such a favourite? – and when am I to wish you joy?”

      “That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy.”

      “Well, if you are serious about it, I will consider the matter absolutely settled. You will be having a charming mother-in-law, indeed; and, of course, she will always be at Pemberley with you.”

      He listened to her with perfect indifference while she chose to entertain herself in this manner; and as his composure convinced her that all was safe, her wit flowed long[34].

      Chapter 7

      Mr. Bennet's property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two thousand a year, which, unfortunately for his daughters, was inherited, in default of heirs male,[35] by a distant relation; and their mother's fortune could not supply the deficiency of his. Her father had been an attorney in Meryton, and had left her four thousand pounds.

      She had a sister married to a Mr. Phillips, who had been a clerk to their father and succeeded him in the business, and a brother, who was in trade and settled in London.

      The village of Longbourn was only one mile from Meryton; a most convenient distance for the young ladies, who usually went there three or four times a week, to pay a visit to their aunt and to a milliner's shop[36] just over the way. The two youngest of the family, Catherine and Lydia, were particularly frequent visitors. Their minds were more vacant than their sisters', and when nothing better offered, a walk to Meryton was necessary to amuse their morning hours and provide conversation for the evening. They always learnt some news from their aunt. At present, indeed, they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the recent arrival of a militia regiment[37] in the neighbourhood. It was going to remain the whole winter, and Meryton was the headquarters.

      Their visits to Mrs. Phillips now added something to their knowledge of the officers' names and connections. Their lodgings were not long a secret, and soon they began to know the officers themselves. Mr. Phillips visited them all, and this opened to his nieces joy unknown before. They could talk of nothing but officers.

      After listening one morning to their talk on this subject, Mr. Bennet coolly observed:

      “From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced.”

      Catherine made no answer; but Lydia, with perfect indifference, continued to express her admiration of Captain Carter, and her hope of seeing him in the course of the day, as he was going the next morning to London.

      “I am astonished, my dear,” said Mrs. Bennet, “that you are so ready to think your own children silly. All of them are very clever.”

      “This is the only point, I flatter myself,[38] on which we do not agree. I had hoped that our sentiments coincided in every particular, but I must so far differ from you as to think our two youngest daughters uncommonly foolish.”

      “My dear Mr. Bennet, you must not expect such girls to have the sense of their father and mother. When they get to our age, they will not think about officers any more than we do. I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself very well – and, indeed, so I do still at my heart. If a smart young colonel, with five or six thousand a year, wants one of my girls I will not say no to him; and I thought Colonel Forster looked very charming the other night at Sir William's in his regimentals.”

      Mrs. Bennet was interrupted by the entrance of the footman with a note for Miss Bennet; it came from Netherfield, and the servant waited for an answer. Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and she was eagerly calling out, while her daughter read,

      “Well, Jane, who is it from? What is it about? What does he say? Well, Jane, make haste and tell us; make haste, my love.”

      “It is from Miss Bingley,” said Jane, and then read it aloud.

      “MY DEAR FRIEND, —

      “If you do not dine to-day with Louisa and me, we will be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives, for a whole day's tête-à-tête between two women can never end without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can on receipt of this. My brother and the gentlemen are going to dine with the officers. – Yours ever,

      “CAROLINE BINGLEY”

      “With the officers!” cried Lydia. “I wonder my aunt did not tell us of that.”

      “Dining out,” said Mrs. Bennet, “that is very unlucky.”

      “Can I have the carriage?” said Jane.

      “No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night.”

      “That would be a good scheme,” said Elizabeth.

      “I would prefer to go in the coach,” said Jane.

      “But, my dear, the horses are wanted in the farm. Mr. Bennet, are they not?”

      “They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them.”

      “But if you have got them to-day,” said Elizabeth, “my mother will be satisfied.”

      So Mr. Bennet said that the horses were engaged. Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback. Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters were uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain continued the whole evening without intermission; Jane certainly could not come back.

      “This was a lucky idea of mine, indeed!” said Mrs. Bennet more than once. The next morning, however, a servant from Netherfield brought the following note for Elizabeth:

      “MY DEAREST LIZZY, —

      “I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is caused by my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hear of my returning till I am better. They insist also on my seeing Mr. Jones – therefore do not be alarmed if you hear of his visiting me – and, excepting a sore throat and headache, there is not much the matter with me. – Yours, etc.”

      Elizabeth, feeling really anxious, was determined to go to her, and as she was no horsewoman, walking was her only alternative. She declared her resolution.

      “How can you be so silly,” cried her mother, “as to think of such a thing, in all this dirt! You will not be fit to be seen when you get there.”

      “I will be very fit to see Jane – which is all I want.”

      “Is this a hint to me, Lizzy,” said her father, “to send for the horses?”

      “No, indeed, I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is nothing when one has a motive; only three miles. I will be back by dinner.”

      “We will go as far as Meryton with you,” said Catherine and Lydia. Elizabeth accepted their company, and the three young ladies set off together.

      “If we make haste,” said Lydia, as they walked along, “perhaps we may see something of Captain Carter before he goes.”

      In Meryton they parted; the two youngest went to the lodgings of one of the officers' wives, and Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after field at a quick pace, and finding herself at last within view of the house, with dirty stockings and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.

      She was shown into the breakfast-parlour, where all but Jane were assembled, and where her appearance created a great deal of surprise. That she had walked three miles so early in the day, in such dirty weather, and by herself, was almost incredible to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and Elizabeth was convinced that they held her in contempt[39] for it. She was received, however, very politely by them; and

34

её остроумие изливалось ещё долго

35

при отсутствии наследников мужского пола

36

модная лавка

37

Полк милиции, относящийся к территориальным войскам английской армии.

38

льщу себя надеждой

39

испытывали к ней презрение