Читать книгу Pride and Prejudice. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Intermediate - Джейн Остин, Сет Грэм-Смит - Страница 8

When Elizabeth came down to dinner, Mr. Bingley expressed his sincere anxiety about Jane's condition. She had to say that Jane was by no means better. The sisters, on hearing this, repeated three or four times how much they sympathized with Jane, how shocking it was to have a bad cold, and then thought no more of the matter. Their brother's anxiety for Jane was evident, and his attentions to herself most pleasing. She had very little notice from any but him. Miss Bingley's attention was all for Mr. Darcy, and so was her sister's. Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, was an idle man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards, who, when he found her to prefer a plain dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.

Right after dinner she returned to Jane, and Miss Bingley began criticizing her as soon as she was out of the room: her manners were very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no beauty. Mrs. Hurst agreed with her, and added:

«She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, except being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild».

«You are right, Louisa. Her hair, so untidy. And why come at all? Why must she be running about the country because her sister had a cold?»

«Yes, and her petticoat: six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain».

Bingley said he hadn't noticed Elizabeth's dirty petticoat. In his opinion she looked remarkably well when she came into the room that morning.

Miss Bingley said that Elizabeth's behaviour showed conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to propriety.

«It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing», said Bingley.

«I am afraid, Mr. Darcy», remarked Miss Bingley in a half whisper, «that this adventure has rather acted on your admiration of her fine eyes».

«Not at all», he replied, «they were brightened by the exercise». After a short pause Mrs. Hurst began again:

«I like Miss Jane Bennet very much, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well married. But with such father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it».

«I think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton».

«Yes; and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside».

«That is fine», added her sister, and they both laughed merrily.

«If Cheapside were full of their uncles», cried Bingley «it would not make them one jot less pleasant».

«But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any respectable status in the world», remarked Darcy.

Bingley made no answer to that statement, but his sisters fully agreed with it.

Elizabeth stayed with Jane till late in the evening. When her sister fell asleep, it seemed to her rather right than pleasant that she should go downstairs. On entering the drawing-room she found the whole party at cards and was invited to join them. As she suspected that they were playing high, she declined it, and making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the short time she could stay below, with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.

«Do you prefer reading to cards?» said he, «that is rather singular».

«Miss Eliza Bennet», said Miss Bingley, «is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else».

«I deserve neither such praise nor such criticism», exclaimed Elizabeth; «I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things».

«In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure», said Bingley; «and I hope the pleasure will soon increase by seeing her quite well».

Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towards the table where a few books were lying. He offered to fetch her other books from his library and said he now wished his collection were larger.

«But I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever looked into».

Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

«What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!» Miss Bingley said.

«It ought to be good», he replied, «it has been the work of many generations».

«And you are always buying books».

«I cannot understand the neglect of a family library at the time like this».

«Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley»

«I wish it may».

«And I think you should buy an estate in that neighborhood, and take Pemberley as a model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire».

«With all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it».

«I am talking of possibilities, Charles».

«Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation».

Elizabeth got so interested in that conversation that she soon put her book aside and stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, to watch the game.

Miss Bingley asked Mr. Darcy about his sister and said that she was a most delightful girl, extremely accomplished for her age. She especially praised her performance on the pianoforte.

Mr. Bingley, with his usual good humor, said that all young ladies were quite accomplished.

«All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?» Miss Bingley exclaimed.

«Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. And whenever a young lady is spoken of for the first time, they always inform you that she is very accomplished».

«Yes, many women are called accomplished for no more than netting a purse or covering a screen», said Darcy, «but I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot say that I know more than half a dozen ladies, who are really accomplished».

«Then», remarked Elizabeth, «there is a great deal more in your idea of an accomplished woman».

«Yes, there is a great deal in it».

«Oh! certainly», cried Miss Bingley, «an accomplished woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her appearance and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her speech and expressions, or the word will be just half-deserved».

«And to all this», added Darcy, «she must also add something more important, she must improve her mind by extensive reading».

«I must say I've never seen such a woman. I've never seen such capacity, and taste, and elegance, so united».

Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley both started protesting that they knew many women who answered this description, when Mr. Hurst reminded them that they were supposed to play cards. All conversation came to an end, and Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room.

«Elizabeth Bennet», said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, «is one of those young ladies who like to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I must say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a shameful manoeuvre, a very mean stratagem».

«Undoubtedly», replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, «there is meanness in all the stratagems which ladies sometimes employ in order to captivate. Whatever resembles cunning is disreputable».

This reply didn't encourage Miss Bingley to continue the subject.

Elizabeth came down to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley wanted to send for the doctor immediately; after some discussion it was decided that the doctor should be sent for early in the morning if Miss Bennet were not much better. Bingley felt great anxiety; his sisters announced that they were sorrowful. They consoled themselves, however, by duets after supper, while their brother's way to ease his anxiety was to give his housekeeper directions that every attention must be paid to the sick lady and her sister.