登陆注册
3553800000019

第19章

To Catherine and Lydia,neither the letter nor its writer were in any degree interesting. It was next to impossible that their cousin should come in a scarlet coat,and it was now some weeks since they had received pleasure from the society of a man in any other colour.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 Mr.Collins seemed neither in need of encouragement,nor inclined to be silent himself.He was a tall,heavy looking young man of five and twenty.His air was grave and stately,and his manners were very formal.He had not been long seated before he complimented Mrs.Bennet on having so fine a family of daughters,said he had heard much of their beauty,but that,in this instance,fame had fallen short of the truth;and added,that he did not doubt her seeing them all in due time well disposed of in marriage.This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers,but Mrs.Bennet,who quarrelled with no compliments,answered most readily,

'You are very kind,sir,I am sure;and I wish with all my heart it may prove so;for else they will be destitute enough. Things are settled so oddly.'

'You allude perhaps to the entail of this estate.'

'Ah!sir,I do indeed. It is a grievous affair to my poor girls,you must confess.Not that I mean to find fault with you,for such things I know are all chance in this world.There is no knowing how estates will go when once they come to be entailed.'

'I am very sensible,madam,of the hardship to my fair cousins,—and could say much on the subject,but that I am cautious of appearing forward and precipitate. But I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them.At present I will not say more,but perhaps when we are better acquainted—'

He was interrupted by a summons to dinner;and the girls smiled on each other. They were not the only objects of Mr.Collins's admiration.The hall,the dining-room,and all its furniture were examined and praised;and his commendation of every thing would have touched Mrs.Bennet's heart,but for the mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as his own future property.The dinner too in its turn was highly admired;and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins,the excellence of its cookery was owing.But here he was set right by Mrs.Bennet,who assured him with some asperity that they were very well able to keep a good cook,and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen.He begged pardon for having displeased her.In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended;but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour.

XIV

D uring 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 any thing 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.'

同类推荐
  • 续西游记

    续西游记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Dora Thorne

    Dora Thorne

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说众许摩诃帝经

    佛说众许摩诃帝经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 状留篇

    状留篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • New Burlesques

    New Burlesques

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 现代女性应该注意的100个礼仪细节

    现代女性应该注意的100个礼仪细节

    这个世界仿佛永远是对男人责任要求多一些,对女人美丽要求多一些。其实女人温婉与优雅并不是全都要给男人看的,也是对自己的珍惜与关爱。就是有那么一种女子,让女人看到也会心动。她永远懂得在某种场合穿上一件合适的衣服,什么时候应该告辞,她可能把这一切做得很自然,仿佛事情就该是这个样子的。这样的女人是天赐的,是智慧的。
  • 啊!我的上神殿下!

    啊!我的上神殿下!

    她本是最无忧无虑的,她有青丘姑姑的疼爱和庇护……可是直到一个人的出现,他告诉她天界很好,很漂亮。她并无心机,也随着他去了。到了天界,她成了他的贴身侍女,日子倒也活的不错!狻猊祸乱,饕餮出世,打破了他们二人本该平静的生活。他牺牲自己救了世人,她踏遍千山万水只为再见他!不料天不作美,她面对爱人他的指剑相向,别人的冤枉陷害,又将何去何从?
  • 超级修炼废柴

    超级修炼废柴

    杨尘执行任务遇难,重生在一个神奇的世界,这个世界和地球有着基本相同的文明程度,却拥有一种特殊职业,骨师。骨师是先天拥有骨力,可以用骨力在自己骨骼上凝结一种特殊纹路,骨纹的人类。骨纹分为十种,赤橙黄绿青蓝紫,黑金,白银,圣金。还有极少的特殊骨纹,也叫变异骨纹。骨师在骨骼刻画骨纹,骨纹刻画到一定程度,凝结成骨铭。依照骨铭的数量,骨师被分为九级。见习骨师,骨师,大骨师,骨宗,骨王,骨圣,骨皇,骨帝,圣灵骨帝。骨师用骨力在骨骼上刻画骨纹的过程,也称之为画骨。
  • 天道狂歌

    天道狂歌

    天道漫漫,浮沉人生,命如草芥。谁比谁更懂得天道?人生如棋,棋如人生,奋斗不休。一将功成万骨枯!传奇般的大陆,迷一般的国界;在这个崇尚武力的大陆,生命只不过是蝼蚁般的低贱。千年不息的反抗,也只不过是过眼云烟。物竞天择,强者为尊。只有绝对的强者才能铭刻在历史年轮之上。一个帝国在开始走向属于它的最终归宿,老迈的它已经不堪历史车轮的碾压,发出了最后时刻无力的嚎叫。最终的它依然只能认命。这就是天道!新的统治者正在通过奋斗走向属于他的舞台!
  • 魔王君小陌

    魔王君小陌

    古德大陆,现在又被称为人类大陆。西部由帝国独占,中部为是羽国为中心的多国联邦,最东方则是由万里城墙围成的古老国家——端皇。大陆的东南西三面都是大海,北部是一个横断大陆的黑暗峡谷。最初,峡谷的附近全是黑暗的迷雾,进到里面的人类没有一个能够回来,因此又被称为暗之魔域。但约在三百年,峡谷周围的黑暗渐渐退去,并在帝国境内出现了一个巨大的桥梁以及以及一个建在桥梁上的城堡。通过大桥,人类第一次来到了古德大陆以外的地方,也就是现在的魔族大陆。这是一个断腿萝莉摆脱断腿后在这个魔幻世界里不断变强的故事,人类大陆仅仅是她的起点。而现在人魔之战已经全面开始!
  • 法医狂宠:枭爷,追妻!

    法医狂宠:枭爷,追妻!

    名满国外的法医王,突然回国,外媒多方打探,竟然知道了一个惊天秘密!法医王北辰枭竟然是X.R集团的总裁!“枭,你回国,不会是为了涣然吧?”“嗯。”“……”【坑品保证,快来围观!???!(??????)??】
  • 绝代天骄

    绝代天骄

    杨皓光,一个从小渔村走出来的少年高手,谜一样的来历,却拥有巨大的磁场,凭一己之力,搅乱了整个江湖...
  • Responsible Drinking for Women

    Responsible Drinking for Women

    Many women drink responsibly--but some have a more troubled relationship with alcohol. Studies regarding the effects of alcohol on women's health are contradictory--and it's not easy for concerned women to get a clear picture of the perils and positives of drinking.Alcohol affects women differently than men, and sometimes more severely. This ebook, written by Harvard professor and researcher Dr. Debi A. LaPlante, combines in-depth guidance and information from the latest studies about the effects of alcohol on women's physiology with compassionate, detailed advice on exploring your own relationship with alcohol and how to quit or scale back drinking. This book is essential reading for any woman who wonders whether her drinking might be a problem.
  • 六宫凤华

    六宫凤华

    新书《一品容华》发布了,欢迎老读者们跳坑。谢贵妃,熬死所有仇人,在八十岁时寿终正寝含笑九泉。不料一睁眼,竟回到了纯真善良的时期。----------小情建了书友群,群号六九三九二六八四九,欢迎书友们加群~(#^.^#)~
  • 人生要经得起磨难

    人生要经得起磨难

    经历了风雨才能见到彩虹。人生也是这样,只有历经磨炼才能造就精彩的人生。许多的如意和不如意组成了我们丰富多彩的生活。面对生活中的不如意,如果能经常换个角度思考,你可能会发现自己的人生其实是非常精彩的。你不能改变容颜,你为什么不放纵一下自己的笑容:你不能改变环境,你为什么不改变一下自己。微笑着面对生活中的不如意,尽量地放松你的心情吧,不要大惊小怪,不要大声抱怨。