登陆注册
5409300000002

第2章

‘Impossible,Mr Bennet,impossible,when I am not acquainted with him myself;how can you be so teasing?’

‘I honour your circumspection.A fortnight's acquaintance is certainly very little.One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight.But if we do not venture,somebody else will;and after all,Mrs Long and her nieces must stand their chance;and therefore,as she will think it an act of kindness,if you decline the office,I will take it on myself.’

The girls stared at their father.Mrs Bennet said only,‘Nonsense,nonsense!’

‘What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?’cried he.‘Do you consider the forms of introduction,and the stress that is laid on them,as nonsense?I cannot quite agree with you there.What say you,Mary?for you are a young lady of deep reflection I know,and read great books,and make extracts.’

Mary wished to say something very sensible,but knew not how.

‘While Mary is adjusting her ideas,’he continued,‘let us return to Mr Bingley.’

‘I am sick of Mr Bingley,’cried his wife.

‘I am sorry to hear that;but why did not you tell me so before?If I had known as much this morning,I certainly would not have called on him.It is very unlucky;but as I have actually paid the visit,we cannot escape the acquaintance now.’

The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished;that of Mrs Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest;though when the first tumult of joy was over,she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while.

‘How good it was in you,my dear Mr Bennet!But I knew I should persuade you at last.I was sure you loved our girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance.Well,how pleased I am!and it is such a good joke,too,that you should have gone this morning,and never said a word about it till now.’

‘Now,Kitty,you may cough as much as you chuse,’said Mr Bennet;and,as he spoke,he left the room,fatigued with the raptures of his wife.

‘What an excellent father you have,girls,’said she,when the door was shut.‘I do not know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness;or me either,for that matter.At our time of life,it is not so pleasant I can tell you,to be making new acquaintance every day;but for your sakes,we would do any thing.Lydia,my love,though you are the youngest,I dare say Mr Bingley will dance with you at the next ball.’

‘Oh!’said Lydia stoutly,‘I am not afraid;for though I am the youngest,I'm the tallest.’

The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr Bennet's visit,and determining when they should ask him to dinner.

Chapter 3

Not all that Mrs Bennet,however,with the assistance of her five daughters,could ask on the subject was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory deion of Mr Bingley.They attacked him in various ways;with barefaced questions,ingenious suppositions,and distant surmises;but he eluded the skill of them all;and they were at last obliged to accept the second hand intelligence of their neighbour,Lady Lucas.Her report was highly favourable.Sir William had been delighted with him.He was quite young,wonderfully handsome,extremely agreeable,and,to crown the whole,he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party.Nothing could be more delightful!To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love;and very lively hopes of Mr Bingley's heart were entertained.

‘If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield,’said Mrs Bennet to her husband,‘and all the others equally well married,I shall have nothing to wish for.’

In a few days Mr Bingley returned Mr Bennet's visit,and sat about ten minutes with him in his library.He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies,of whose beauty he had heard much;but he saw only the father.The ladies were somewhat more fortunate,for they had the advantage of ascertaining,from an upper window,that he wore a blue coat and rode a black horse.

An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched;and already had Mrs Bennet planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping,when an answer arrived which deferred it all.Mr Bingley was obliged to be in town the following day,and consequently unable to accept the honour of their invitation,&c.Mrs Bennet was quite disconcerted.She could not imagine what business he could have in town so soon after his arrival in Hertfordshire;and she began to fear that he might be always flying about from one place to another,and never settled at Netherfield as he ought to be.Lady Lucas quieted her fears a little by starting the idea of his being gone to London only to get a large party for the ball;and a report soon followed that Mr Bingley was to bring twelve ladies and seven gentlemen with him to the assembly.The girls grieved over such a large number of ladies;but were comforted the day before the ball by hearing that,instead of twelve,he had brought only six with him from London,his five sisters and a cousin.And when the party entered the assembly room,it consisted of only five altogether;Mr Bingley,his two sisters,the husband of the oldest,and another young man.

同类推荐
  • 摇响青春的风铃(英文爱藏双语系列)

    摇响青春的风铃(英文爱藏双语系列)

    《摇响青春的风铃》带你品味那如水的青春。作为双语读物,《摇响青春的风铃》为中英双语对照版,既是英语学习爱好者、文学爱好者的必备读物,也是忙碌现代人的一片憩息心灵的家园,让读者在欣赏原法原味和凝练生动的英文时,还能多角度、深层次地品读语言特色与艺术之美。
  • 寻找人生的坐标(英文爱藏双语系列)

    寻找人生的坐标(英文爱藏双语系列)

    本书汇聚了众多励志佳作,通过这小短小精悍的美文,潜移默化中让读者明白自己的位置,如何寻找到自己的位置,定位自己,是一部不可多得的励志双语读物。
  • The Parson's Daughter of Oxney Colne

    The Parson's Daughter of Oxney Colne

    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
  • 英文爱藏:转个弯人生更开阔

    英文爱藏:转个弯人生更开阔

    学英语不再枯燥无味——吴文智编著的《转个弯人生更开阔》内文篇 目均取自国外最经典、最权威、最流行、最动人的篇章,中英双语,适于 诵读,提升阅读能力;学英语不再沉闷辛苦——优美的语言、深厚的情感 、地道的英文,让我们在阅读这些动人的绝美篇章时,不仅能够提升生活 质量,丰富人生内涵,更能够轻松提升英文领悟能力,体味英文之……
  • 珍珠谜案

    珍珠谜案

    随着时间的推移,简姨妈的三位侄女——贝丝、帕齐和露易丝都在成长的道路上收获着属于各自的快乐与淡淡的烦恼。在这本书中,贝丝、帕齐和约翰叔叔共同来到了加利福尼亚的南部。年纪大的侄女露易丝和丈夫亚瑟?威尔登搬来与大家共同生活。在聚会上,亚瑟遇见了旧识蒙特罗斯太太和她的两个侄女——莫德? 斯坦顿和弗洛?斯坦顿。在圣塔莫尼卡海滩,勇敢的莫德救起了几乎被海浪吞噬的陌生男孩。从此,大家的生活就与这位名叫A?琼斯的年轻男孩产生了千丝万缕的联系,并卷入了一桩奇特的珍珠谜案之中。
热门推荐
  • 基金赢利精要

    基金赢利精要

    本书不同于一般的基金理财书籍,它从一个全新的角度,深入剖析了中国基金行业的发展现状和前景,带着你走进基金公司,揭示了基金公司是如何运行的?基金经理们是如何选股选时的?教你如何踏准节拍,选择多生金蛋的好“基”,真正实现投资收益最大化。同时书中还深入分析了基金投资中的一些误区,提出了规避风险的策略和技巧。总之,这是一本多方位指导基民的投资实用手册,既可以作为投资者理财的实用宝典,也可以作为基金公司教育投资者、指导与客户沟通的培训读本。
  • 三国的奥秘

    三国的奥秘

    曾仕强告诉你《三国演义》中做人做事的20大奥秘。·在乱世中安身立命的奥秘·刘备白手起家最终成功的奥秘·曹操乘势而起发展壮大的奥秘·选对老板跟对人的奥秘·动荡中纵横捭阖立于不败的奥秘·刘备突破发展瓶颈的奥秘·寻求合作共赢局面的奥秘·长远竞争中树立自我品牌的奥秘·孔明经营蜀汉集团由弱转强的奥秘·曹操得势却依然失败的奥秘·处理好竞争合作关系的奥秘·抓住机会做大局面的奥秘·曹操得天时却最终失去机会的奥秘·与领导有效相处的奥秘·关羽名重天下却以失败收场的奥秘·忍辱成就大事的奥秘·强势下属与弱势老板相处的奥秘·孔明保持晚节的奥秘·博弈中选择因势利导策略的奥秘·交代好后事,使局面延续的奥秘
  • 左牵黄右擎苍

    左牵黄右擎苍

    《左牵黄右擎苍》是实力派作家邓一光的精品中篇小说集。其中《孽犬阿格龙》是当代中国最优秀最经典的中篇小说。讲的是10世纪六七十年代的事,两个年轻的知青在上山下乡的艰苦环境中,相恋、相爱了,但是他们逃不出当权者为他们布下的天罗地网,最后是棒打鸳鸯,天各一方,在他们的身边的那两只狗,也是在共同生活中产生了恋情,居然也上演了一幕忠贞不渝的爱情悲剧。
  • 驭君有道

    驭君有道

    【曾经想在无穷的夜色中穿梭千年,带着干瘪的爱意和苦涩的泪痕。可你是我的曙光,你站在天边远远吹上一曲,就吹跑了我生命中所有的黑暗】一场大火,属于沈家的浩劫。长达百年的窥预世家在火舌中慢慢陨落。七小姐沈云晦侥幸逃过一劫,苦修十年后回京。阴谋的背后总有着一场又一场泛黄的污渍。皇室的没落,隐晦的窥预之术……似乎都于此有关。她男扮女装潜入兰峰军院,只为一探究竟。沈云晦与燕王世子谢酒澜一起,寻找黑暗背后的秘密。沈云晦×谢酒澜温柔百变小公举×狂傲不羁幼稚鬼在夜色中谱写一场爱与治愈的故事。bingo!
  • 酋长的恋人

    酋长的恋人

    嘴里的沙子让塔拉咳嗽起来,她发现自己乘坐的飞机在前往阿曼的途中紧急降落在了一片沙漠里。一群牧民闯进了飞机,却不是来救助乘客的,他们抢走了乘客的珠宝手饰,还绑架了年轻的姑娘,其中就有塔拉的妹妹。这群牧民刚离开,英俊的酋长索菲安带着他的手下出现了,解救了机上的乘客们。塔拉对索菲安十分感激,然而两人很快因为性格的冲突而矛盾不断。索菲安习惯了我行我素,除了家人和发号施令的对象,他谁都不理。塔拉不停地对他唠叨自己被劫走的妹妹,总是有问不完的问题,这使他厌烦极了。塔拉发现索菲安是个冷漠孤僻的人,试图找出造成这种性格的原因所在,而她也喜欢上了隐藏在冷硬外表下的那个索菲安。
  • 豪门掠爱:顾少的明星前妻

    豪门掠爱:顾少的明星前妻

    为了一纸男友口中的契约,她主动接近集团总裁顾以深,这一场精心策划的阴谋却让几个人的感情发生了扭转。原以为马上要触及幸福,自己却被当成垃圾一样丢入大海,当所有人都以为她该象泡沫一样消失,她却以当红女星的身份华丽归来,那些曾经陷他于不义的人,那些夺走她所有的人,都乖乖接招吧!
  • 楚少的宠妻指南

    楚少的宠妻指南

    【本文已出版,出版名《从此深情永不负》,当当淘宝均有售】【推荐新书,娇妻在上:易少,求轻宠!】有车有房父母双忙,这是结婚前他的摊牌。车子豪华房产无数,父母全世界飞着商务谈判,这是结婚后顾筱筱发现的现实。顾筱筱曾一度傻傻认为楚逸辰是最适合她的存在,直到发现他竟还是她的顶头上司……
  • 都市终极至尊

    都市终极至尊

    (新书:贫道许仙道门至尊,已发布,求兄弟们助攻!)身披金甲圣衣,脚踏黄金追云靴,试问苍茫宇宙谁最牛逼?都市终极第一!ps:本书纯属虚构。ps:粉丝群216536066
  • 半俗半雅

    半俗半雅

    "那年的梧桐树,还在那里,可是早已物是人非。这个说爱她的男人,让她怎么相信他们可以天长地久。再多的误会、欺骗,也抵挡不住他后退一步带来的寒心。那么他们究竟还能不能在一起?无数的坎坷挡在他们两人中间,她只希望,这一次,她没有给自己留下后悔,她希望这一生,不悔。"
  • 水往高处流

    水往高处流

    罗伟章, 1967年生于四川宣汉县,毕业于重庆师范大学中文系、上海作家研究生班。曾获人民文学奖、小说选刊奖、中篇小说选刊奖、小说月报百花奖、四川文学奖等,巴金文学院签约作家,被有关专家称为“活跃的同辈当中分量最重、最突出、最值得关注的作家之一”。中国作家协会会员,现居成都。