Pride and Prejudice / Гордость и предубеждение. Джейн Остин

my daughters are brought up very differently. But everybody is to judge for themselves, and the Lucases are a very good sort of girls, I assure you. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not that I think Charlotte so very plain – but then she is our particular friend.”

      “She seems a very pleasant young woman.”

      “Oh, yes; but you must admit she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty. I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane – one does not often see anybody better looking. It is what everybody says. I do not trust my own partiality. When she was only fifteen, there was a man at my brother Gardiner's in town so much in love with her that my sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came away. But, however, he did not. Perhaps he thought her too young. However, he wrote some verses on her, and very pretty they were.”

      “And so ended his affection,” said Elizabeth impatiently. “There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way.[53] I wonder who first discovered the ability of poetry to drive away love!”

      “I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love,” said Darcy.

      “Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it is only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve[54] it entirely.”

      Darcy only smiled. Mrs. Bennet longed to speak, but could think of nothing to say; and after a short silence she began repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane, with an apology for troubling him also with Lizzy. Mr. Bingley was very polite in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be polite also. Mrs. Bennet was satisfied, and soon afterwards ordered her carriage. Upon this signal, the youngest of her daughters put herself forward. The two girls had been whispering to each other during the whole visit, and the result of it was, that the youngest should remind Mr. Bingley of his promise to give a ball at Netherfield.

      Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine complexion; a favourite with her mother, whose affection had brought her into public at an early age.

      She addressed Mr. Bingley on the subject of the ball, and abruptly reminded him of his promise; adding, that it would be the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it. His answer to this sudden attack was delightful to their mother's ear:

      “I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement; and when your sister is recovered, you will name the day of the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing when she is ill.”

      Lydia declared herself satisfied. “Oh, yes – it would be much better to wait till Jane was well, and by that time most likely Captain Carter would be at Meryton again. And when you have given your ball,” she added, “I will insist on their giving one also. I will tell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if he does not.”

      Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, and Elizabeth returned instantly to Jane, leaving her own and her relations' behaviour to the remarks of the two ladies and Mr. Darcy; the latter of whom, however, could not be prevailed on to join in their censure of her, in spite of all Miss Bingley's witticisms on fine eyes.

      Chapter 10

      The day passed much as the day before had done. Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley had spent some hours of the morning with the invalid, who continued, though slowly, to mend; and in the evening Elizabeth joined their party in the drawing-room. The loo-table, however, did not appear. Mr. Darcy was writing, and Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progress of his letter and repeatedly calling off his attention by messages to his sister. Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley were at piquet[55], and Mrs. Hurst was observing their game.

      Elizabeth took up some needlework, and was sufficiently amused in attending to what passed between Darcy and his companion. The perpetual praises of the lady, either on his handwriting, or on the evenness of his lines, or on the length of his letter, with the perfect indifference with which her praises were received, formed a curious dialogue, and was exactly in union with her opinion of each.

      “How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter!”

      He made no answer.

      “You write uncommonly fast.”

      “You are mistaken. I write rather slowly.”

      “Pray tell your sister that I long to see her.”

      “I have already told her so once, by your desire.”

      “I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you. I mend pens remarkably well.”

      “Thank you – but I always mend my own.”

      “How can you contrive to write so even?”

      He was silent.

      “Do you always write such charming long letters to your sister, Mr. Darcy?”

      “They are generally long; but whether always charming it is not for me to determine.”

      When the letter was over, he asked Miss Bingley and Elizabeth for some music. Miss Bingley moved with some eagerness to the pianoforte and seated herself.

      Mrs. Hurst sang with her sister, and while they were thus employed, Elizabeth could not help observing, as she turned over some music-books that lay on the instrument, how frequently Mr. Darcy's eyes were fixed on her. She hardly knew how to suppose that she could be an object of admiration to him; and yet that he looked at her because he disliked her, was still more strange. She could only imagine, however, at last that she drew his notice because there was something more wrong, according to his ideas of right, than in any other person present. The supposition did not pain her. She liked him too little to care for his approval.

      After playing some Italian songs, Miss Bingley began playing a lively Scotch air; and soon afterwards Mr. Darcy, coming up to Elizabeth, said to her:

      “Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel[56]?”

      She smiled, but made no answer. He repeated the question, with some surprise at her silence.

      “Oh!” said she, “I heard you before, but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. You wanted me, I know, to say 'Yes,' that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell you, that I do not want to dance a reel at all – and now despise me if you dare.”

      “Indeed I do not dare.”

      Elizabeth, having rather expected to affront him, was amazed at his gallantry; but there was a mixture of sweetness and playfulness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront anybody; and Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not for the inferiority of her connections,[57] he would be in some danger.

      Miss Bingley saw, or suspected enough to be jealous.

      She often tried to provoke Darcy into disliking her guest, by talking of their supposed marriage, and planning his happiness in such an alliance.

      “I hope,” said she, as they were walking together near the house the next day, “you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this desirable event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue[58]; and our the younger girls of running after officers[59]. And, if I may mention such a delicate subject, endeavour to check[60] that trait, bordering on pride and impudence, which your lady possesses.”

      “Have you anything else to propose for my domestic felicity?”

      “Oh, yes! Let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Phillips be

53

Мне представляется, множество увлечений окончились подобным образом.

54

заморит

55

Пикет – карточная игра.

56

Рил – быстрый шотландский танец.

57

будь у неё более подходящие родственники

58

как полезно держать язык за зубами

59

отучите младших сестёр бегать за офицерами

60

(зд.) обуздать