Chapter53 Thecolourwhichhadbeendrivenfromherface,returnedforhalfaminutewithanadditionalglow,andasmileofdelightaddedlustretohereyes,asshethoughtforthatspaceoftimethathisaffectionandwishesmuststillbeunshaken.Butshewouldnotbesecure."Letmefirstseehowhebehaves,"saidshe; "itwillthenbeearlyenoughforexpectation."Shesatintentlyatwork,strivingtobecomposed,andwithoutdaringtoliftuphereyes,tillanxiouscuriositycarriedthemtothefaceofhersisterastheservantwasapproachingthedoor.Janelookedalittlepalerthanusual,butmoresedatethanElizabethhadexpected.Onthegentlemen'sappearing,hercolourincreased;yetshereceivedthemwithtolerableease,andwithaproprietyofbehaviourequallyfreefromanysymptomofresentmentoranyunnecessarycomplaisance.Elizabethsaidaslittletoeitherascivilitywouldallow,andsatdownagaintoherwork,withaneagernesswhichitdidnotoftencommand.ShehadventuredonlyoneglanceatDarcy.Helookedserious,asusual;and,shethought,moreashehadbeenusedtolookinHertfordshire,thanasshehadseenhimatPemberley.But,perhapshecouldnotinhermother'spresencebewhathewasbeforeheruncleandaunt.Itwasapainful,butnotanimprobable,conjecture.Bingley,shehadlikewiseseenforaninstant,andinthatshortperiodsawhimlookingbothpleasedandembarrassed.HewasreceivedbyMrs.Bennetwithadegreeofcivilitywhichmadehertwodaughtersashamed,especiallywhencontrastedwiththecoldandceremoniouspolitenessofhercurtseyandaddresstohisfriend.Elizabeth,particularly,whoknewthathermotherowedtothelatterthepreservationofherfavouritedaughterfromirremediableinfamy,washurtanddistressedtoamostpainfuldegreebyadistinctionsoillapplied.Darcy,afterenquiringofherhowMr.andMrs.Gardinerdid,aquestionwhichshecouldnotanswerwithoutconfusion,saidscarcelyanything.Hewasnotseatedbyher;perhapsthatwasthereasonofhissilence;butithadnotbeensoinDerbyshire.Therehehadtalkedtoherfriends,whenhecouldnottoherself.Butnowseveralminuteselapsedwithoutbringingthesoundofhisvoice;andwhenoccasionally,unabletoresisttheimpulseofcuriosity,sheraisedheeyestohisface,sheasoftenfoundhimlookingatJaneasatherself,andfrequentlyonnoobjectbuttheground.Morethoughtfulnessandlessanxietytoplease,thanwhentheylastmet,wereplainlyexpressed.Shewasdisappointed,andangrywithherselfforbeingso."CouldIexpectittobeotherwise!"saidshe. "Yetwhydidhecome?" 第五十三章 时间已经隔了这么久，而他的情意，他的心愿，竟始终不渝；一想到这里，她那苍白的脸便重新恢复了血色，而且显得更加鲜艳，她不禁喜欢得笑逐颜开，双目放光。可是她毕竟还是放心不下。她想：“让我先看看他的举止行动如何，然后再存指望还不迟。”她坐在那儿专心做针线，竭力装得镇静，连眼睛也不抬起来一下，等到佣人走近房门，她才性急起来，抬起头来望望姐姐的脸色，见吉英比平常稍微苍白了一些，可是她的端庄持重，颇出伊丽莎白的意料。两位贵客到来的时候，她的脸涨红了；不过她还是从容不迫、落落大方地接待他们，既没有显露一丝半点怨恨的形迹，也并不做得过分殷勤。伊丽莎白没有跟他们两人攀谈什么，只不过为了顾全礼貌，照例敷衍了几句，便重新坐下来做针线，而且做得特别起劲。她只是大胆地瞟了达西睛眼，只见他神色象往常一样严肃，不象在彭伯里时的那副神气，而是象他在哈福德郡时的那副神气。这也许是因为他在她母亲面前，不能象在她舅父母面前那样不拘礼节。她这种揣测固然是煞费苦心，但也未必不近情理。她也望了彬格莱一眼，立即就看出他又是高兴，又是忸怩不安。班纳特太太待他那样礼貌周到，而对他那位朋友，却是勉强敷衍，十分冷淡，相比之下，使他两个女儿觉得很是过意不去。其实她母亲对待这两位贵客完全是轻重倒置，因为她心爱的一个女儿多亏了达西先生的搭救，才能免于身败名裂，伊丽莎白对这事的经过知道得极其详细，所以特别觉得难受。达西向伊丽莎白问起了嘉丁纳夫妇，伊丽莎白回答起来不免有些慌张。以后达西便没有再说什么。他所以沉默寡言，也许是因为他没有坐在她身边的缘故，不过上次在德比郡，他却不是这样。记得上次他每逢不便跟她自己说话的时候，就跟她细父母说话，可是这一次，却接连好几分钟不听见他开口。她再也抑制不住好奇心了，便抬起头来望望他的脸，只见他不时地看着吉英和她自己，大部分时间又总是对着地面发呆。可见得这一次比起他们俩上次见面的时候，他心思比较重，却不象上次那样急于搏得人家的好感。她感到失望，同时又怪自己不应该失望。她想：“怎么料得到他竟是这样？那他何必要来？”