登陆注册
3553800000006

第6章

The boy protested that she should not;she continued to declare that she would,and the argument ended only with the visit.

VI

T he ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield. The visit was returned in due form.Miss Bennet's pleasing manners grew on the good will of Mrs.Hurst and Miss Bingley;and though the mother was found to be intolerable and the younger sisters not worth speaking to,a wish of being better acquainted with them,was expressed towards the two eldest.By Jane this attention was received with the greatest pleasure;but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in their treatment of every body,hardly excepting even her sister,and could not like them;though their kindness to Jane,such as it was,had a value as arising in all probability from the influence of their brother's admiration.It was generally evident whenever they met,that he did admire her;and to her it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first,and was in a way to be very much in love;but she considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general,since Jane united with great strength of feeling,a composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner,which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent.She mentioned this to her friend Miss Lucas.

'It may perhaps be pleasant,'replied Charlotte,'to be able to impose on the public in such a case;but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it,she may lose the opportunity of fixing him;and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark.There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment,that it is not safe to leave any to itself.We can all begin freely—a slight preference is natural enough;but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement.In nine cases out of ten,a woman had better shew more affection than she feels.Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly;but he may never do more than like her,if she does not help him on.'

'But she does help him on,as much as her nature will allow. If I can perceive her regard for him,he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it too.'

'Remember,Eliza,that he does not know Jane's disposition as you do.'

'But if a woman is partial to a man,and does not endeavour to conceal it,he must find it out.'

'Perhaps he must,if he sees enough of her. But though Bingley and Jane meet tolerably often,it is never for many hours together;and as they always see each other in large mixed parties,it is impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing together.Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention.When she is secure of him,there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chuses.'

'Your plan is a good one,'replied Elizabeth,'where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married;and if I were determined to get a rich husband,or any husband,I dare say I should adopt it. But these are not Jane's feelings;she is not acting by design.As yet,she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard,nor of its reasonableness.She has known him only a fortnight.She danced four dances with him at Meryton;she saw him one morning at his own house,and has since dined in company with him four times.This is not quite enough to make her understand his character.'

'Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him,she might only have discovered whether he had a good appetite;but you must remember that four evenings have been also spent together—and four evenings may do a great deal.'

'Yes;these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like Vingt-un better than Commerce;but with respect to any other leading characteristic,I do not imagine that much has been unfolded.'

'Well,'said Charlotte,'I wish Jane success with all my heart;and if she were married to him to-morrow,I should think she had as good a chance of happiness,as if she were to be studying his character for a twelve-month. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other,or ever so similar before-hand,it does not advance their felicity in the least.They always contrive to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation;and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.'

'You make me laugh,Charlotte;but it is not sound. You know it is not sound,and that you would never act in this way yourself.'

Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister,Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend.Mr.Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty;he had looked at her without admiration at the ball;and when they next met,he looked at her only to criticise.But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face,than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes.To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying.Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form,he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing;and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world,he was caught by their easy playfulness.Of this she was perfectly unaware;—to her he was only the man who made himself agreeable no where,and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with.

He began to wish to know more of her,and as a step towards conversing with her himself,attended to her conversation with others. His doing so drew her notice.It was at Sir William Lucas's,where a large party were assembled.

同类推荐
  • 太子刷护经

    太子刷护经

    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。
  • 传奇汇考标目

    传奇汇考标目

    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。
  • The Light of Western Stars

    The Light of Western Stars

    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。
  • 岳阳风土记

    岳阳风土记

    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。
  • 瞿文懿公制科集

    瞿文懿公制科集

    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
  • 地下城的魔王

    地下城的魔王

    顾行,因为一次意外拥有了一座不断成长的地下城,然而他的生命也与这座脆弱的初生地下城紧密联系在了一起。没有人知道,一个名震多元世界的强大魔王,在第一次迈出自己征战的步伐的时候,仅仅是为了让自己活命。
  • 躺着思考不如站着行动

    躺着思考不如站着行动

    文中的小故事如一股清泉,浇灌着每个孩子的心田,使他们的心灵深处开出幸福之花、智慧之花。这些故事有的生动有趣,有的委婉动人,有的极富哲理,相信一定能够引起读者的某些共鸣,并能引发孩子们对成长的深层次思考。
  • 破迷正道歌

    破迷正道歌

    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。
  • “共和国第一黑社会案”骨干之母的泣血寻儿之路

    “共和国第一黑社会案”骨干之母的泣血寻儿之路

    1998年8月16日,吉林省长春市中级人民法院审理了曾轰动全国的以刑警梁旭东为首的带有黑社会性质的犯罪团伙案件。梁旭东等7名主要成员被判处死刑,另外27人被判处无期徒刑和有期徒刑。9月19日,吉林省高级法院驳回梁旭东等人的上诉,梁等7人被执行枪决。这起我国经过法院审理的第一起具有黑社会性质的案件,曾引起共和国高层领导的极大关注。国家最高检察院检察长韩杼宾,曾亲临长春市检查指导开庭前的公诉准备工作。这起案件,曾在长春市乃至吉林省,引起强烈反响。然而也给长春市公安机关和整个政法部门,留下一个遗憾:团伙中的骨干分子孟繁胜漏网。
  • 老婆在上:腹黑帝少成妻奴

    老婆在上:腹黑帝少成妻奴

    别人的订婚是浪漫和幸福,她梁曼的订婚礼上,却是未来婆婆带着个孕妇,上门闹场。婚礼被搞砸、男人被抢,不算惨?借酒消愁后,一觉醒来,连清白都没了!坐个飞机,还能坠机,尼妹!!!五年后,冷艳少妇带着一萌娃强势回国,再遇负心汉,虐!再见心机婊,撕!唯独这位江城一少,斗智、斗腹黑、斗体力,她皆完败。不过婚后,她一朝女王翻身,终于将腹黑帝少训成宠妻男仆:老婆看中的东西,买!老婆不喜欢的人,揍!老婆说:“老公,别人家都是女人管财”他二话不说立马招来律师团:“马上将我名下的动产不动产,都转给太太!”开心新文,虐渣男渣女,要爽;秀恩爱宠妻,没下线,欢迎围观哟!
  • 复仇皇后

    复仇皇后

    那年的腥风血雨浸染了她幼小的心灵,从此坠入狱海。那天借着他的名义嫁入皇室,从此开始了她腥风血雨的复仇。情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 一世唐人

    一世唐人

    阅尽千古风流,独占万世潇洒。这就是大唐!现代孤儿重生大唐太宗长子,来到了这血性男儿神往的英雄时代,其志在拓万里疆域,布国威四方!突厥吐蕃,高丽倭国……尔曹蛮夷,灭国擒王;五姓七望,江南盐帮……跳梁小丑,弹指平之;西域岭南,辽东百越……国之领地,纳土开发。纵横天下誓要再戴顶上红缨,重振秦汉雄风!泱泱中华,巍巍华夏;堂堂天朝,煌煌大唐,他要让这东方巨龙腾飞世界之巅,也好不枉为一世唐人!且看主角如何用一世打出个璀璨盛唐,敬请看《一世唐人》。神策军:645-744-944
  • 你的旧爱,他的新欢

    你的旧爱,他的新欢

    婚姻该是女人的另一个天堂——世界在他身后,原来那么的辽阔。陆言恒这三个字,对若若来说,就是一切。你怎能说不爱就不爱。“陆言恒,告诉我,这是你的决定么?”他却连话都懒得再说一句。“陆言恒,我签字就是了。”他抬了抬冷峻的眉眼:“好。”林若若笑了笑,温暖安定:“言恒,如果我说,我怀孕了,你······”“不可能。这方面的安全措施我一向做得很好。”林若若带着满身的伤痛跑到丽江,中国的艳遇之都,完全是因为许棠的唆使:“全中国又不是只有陆言恒这么一个男人,若若,去丽江吧!寻找一段美好又浪漫的二婚!”他就是在这样的情况下,一点一点的从生活,慢慢进入生命。绅士,俊朗,专情。那个时候的她,颓废不安,亮晶晶的眸子里装满的全是灰败,看上去脆弱不堪。即使你曾给过我伤害,我如今依然相信爱情。陆言恒,现在你的眼里,我只不过是旧爱罢了;但世界这么大,谁又知道下一秒,我会不会成为别人的新欢。我虽然爱过你,可是已经学会放下了你。可是后来,是谁步步紧逼不容抗拒。嫁给他的时候,她20岁。离婚的时候,她不过25岁。
  • 侯府庶女之逍遥公子

    侯府庶女之逍遥公子

    京都俊安候生有九女,前八女要么送进宫中嫁为帝妃,要么配与王孙贵族,又或是嫁入商贾之家。待与这第九女定亲时,只见这九女大手一挥,“这就是尚书府的小公子?府中已有侍妾,不要。”“这就是那什么世家传人?年纪轻轻就有了几个通房?退了。”“这就是那什么王爷?本小姐不嫁皇家子弟,不嫁。”俊安候九小姐三番退了亲,惹得侯爷大义灭亲将其赶出侯府,本以为这侯府九小姐会哭哭啼啼的反省错误,哪知这九小姐笑嘻嘻的连包袱都不拿的走出了侯府。自此,京都再无这九小姐的消息。而在这同时,京都出现了一个俊美潇洒的公子哥,人称逍遥公子。.............ps:网页更新不及时请查看原网址............
  • 豪门宠妻:老婆大人要逆袭

    豪门宠妻:老婆大人要逆袭

    重生前她是蠢材,为了一个渣男失去了自己的孩子。重生以后,她赤手可热,是人人追捧的大艺人,她一点一点往上爬,只为配得上他。相识,他厌恶她,相知,他恨她,相恋,她爱他,相爱,她离去,再次相见,他宠她入骨,只为一个女人,“怀个孩子,生了,我放你走……”他爱的那个女人亲手杀害了他的孩子,他却淡然的看了她一眼,反而责怪她没有保护好孩子。她的离去,他的淡然,无疑不是让两个人越走越远……