Читать книгу Pride and Prejudice. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Intermediate - Джейн Остин, Сет Грэм-Смит - Страница 12

«I hope, my dear», said Mr. Bennet to his wife, as they were at breakfast the next morning, «that you have ordered a good dinner to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party».

Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. «It is Mr. Bingley, I am sure! Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr. Bingley».

«No», said her husband, «it is a person whom I never saw in my whole life».

There followed an astonished chorus of questions from his wife and all his five daughters at once. Mr. Bennet showed them a letter.

«It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases».

Mrs. Bennet started complaining angrily about the cruelty of settling an estate away from a family of five daughters, in favour of a man whom nobody cared anything about.

«I think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your own children; and I am sure, if I had been you, I would have tried long ago to do something or other about it».

«It certainly is a most immoral affair», said Mr. Bennet, «and nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn. But after listening to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself».

«I think it is very impertinent of him to write to you at all, and very hypocritical. I hate such false friends. Why could he not keep on quarreling with you, as his father did before him?»

«Why, indeed; it seems he has had some doubts concerning that, as you will hear».

«Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent, 15th October.

Dear Sir,

The disagreement between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have often wished to improve the situation. But for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing that it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom he had been pleased to quarrel. There, Mrs. Bennet. My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been fortunate to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, who entrusted me with the valuable rectory of this parish, where I will serve with grateful respect towards her ladyship, and perform those ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to help establish peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and therefore I hope that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch. I regret to be the means of hurting your charming daughters, and wish to apologies for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make up for it in every possible manner – but of this later. If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I ask your permission to visit you and your family, Monday November 18th, by four o'clock, and probably trespass on your hospitality till Saturday, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day. I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,

WILLIAM COLLINS»

«At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peacemaking gentleman», said Mr. Bennet, as he put down the letter. «He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young man, upon my word, and will prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be so kind as to let him come to us again».

«There is some sense in what he says about the girls, however, and if he is willing to help them in anyway, I shall not be the person to discourage him».

«Though it is difficult», said Jane, «to guess in what way he can mean to help us, the wish itself is certainly to his credit».

Elizabeth was mainly impressed by his extraordinary respect for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it was required.

«He must be an oddity, I think», said she. «I cannot make him out. There is something very pompous in his style. And what can he mean by apologizing for being next in the entail? We cannot suppose he would help it if he could. Could he be a sensible man, sir?»

«No, my dear, I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the opposite. There is an interesting mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter. I am impatient to see him».

Mary thought that the letter was well composed and expressed. Catherine and Lydia were not interested in their cousin at all since he was not an officer. As for their mother, Mr. Collins's letter had softened her feelings towards him, and she was preparing to see him with a degree of calmness which astonished her husband and daughters.

When Mr. Collins arrived, he was received with great politeness by the whole family. Mr. Bennet said little, but the ladies were ready enough to talk, and Mr. Collins didn't need any encouragement for conversation. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man of five-and-twenty He was serious and his manners were very formal. He complimented Mrs. Bennet on having such beautiful daughters and said he had no doubt about their happy marriages in due time. This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers; but Mrs. Bennet, who quarreled with no compliments, answered most readily.

«I wish all my daughters to be well married indeed because at present things are settled so oddly».

«You mean, perhaps, the entail of this estate».

«Ah! Yes, sir. It is a sad affair to my poor girls, you must agree. Not that it is your fault; such things I know are all chance in this world. There is no knowing how estates will go when they come to be entailed».

«I am fully aware, madam, of the hardship to my fair cousins, and could say much on the subject, but I don't wish to seem impertinent and hasty. 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 an invitation to dinner, and the girls smiled at 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. Mrs. Bennet would have been flattered by his admiration if she hadn't thought he was looking at everything as his own future property. The dinner too was highly admired, and he wanted to know which of his fair cousins was so excellent at cooking. But Mrs. Bennet told him rather severely 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 said she was not at all offended; but he continued to apologize for about a quarter of an hour.