Chapter24 MISSBingley'sletterarrived,andputanendtodoubt.TheveryfirstsentenceconveyedtheassuranceoftheirbeingallsettledinLondonforthewinter,andconcludedwithherbrother'sregretatnothavinghadtimetopayhisrespectstohisfriendsinHertfordshirebeforeheleftthecountry. Hopewasover,entirelyover;andwhenJanecouldattendtotherestoftheletter,shefoundlittle,excepttheprofessedaffectionofthewriter,thatcouldgiveheranycomfort.MissDarcy'spraiseoccupiedthechiefofit.Hermanyattractionswereagaindwelton,andCarolineboastedjoyfullyoftheirincreasingintimacy,andventuredtopredicttheaccomplishmentofthewisheswhichhadbeenunfoldedinherformerletter.Shewrotealsowithgreatpleasureofherbrother'sbeinganinmateofMr.Darcy'shouse,andmentionedwithrapturessomeplansofthelatterwithregardtonewfurniture.Elizabeth,towhomJaneverysooncommunicatedthechiefofallthis,hearditinsilentindignation.Herheartwasdividedbetweenconcernforhersister,andresentmentagainstalltheothers.ToCaroline'sassertionofherbrother'sbeingpartialtoMissDarcyshepaidnocredit.ThathewasreallyfondofJane,shedoubtednomorethanshehadeverdone;andmuchasshehadalwaysbeendisposedtolikehim,shecouldnotthinkwithoutanger,hardlywithoutcontempt,onthateasinessoftemper,thatwantofproperresolutionwhichnowmadehimtheslaveofhisdesigningfriends,andledhimtosacrificehisownhappinesstothecapriceoftheirinclinations.Hadhisownhappiness,however,beentheonlysacrifice,hemighthavebeenallowedtosportwithitinwhatevermannerhethoughtbest;buthersister'swasinvolvedinit,as,shethought,hemustbesensiblehimself.Itwasasubject,inshort,onwhichreflectionwouldbelongindulged,andmustbeunavailing.Shecouldthinkofnothingelse,andyetwhetherBingley'sregardhadreallydiedaway,orweresuppressedbyhisfriends'interference;whetherhehadbeenawareofJane'sattachment,orwhetherithadescapedhisobservation;whicheverwerethecase,thoughheropinionofhimmustbemateriallyaffectedbythedifference,hersister'ssituationremainedthesame,herpeaceequallywounded. AdayortwopassedbeforeJanehadcouragetospeakofherfeelingstoElizabeth;butatlastonMrs.Bennet'sleavingthemtogether,afteralongerirritationthanusualaboutNetherfieldanditsmaster,shecouldnothelpsaying, "Oh!thatmydearmotherhadmorecommandoverherself;shecanhavenoideaofthepainshegivesmebyhercontinualreflectionsonhim.ButIwillnotrepine.Itcannotlastlong.Hewillbeforgot,andweshallallbeaswewerebefore." Elizabethlookedathersisterwithincreduloussolicitude,butsaidnothing. "Youdoubtme,"criedJane,slightlycolouring; "indeedyouhavenoreason.Hemayliveinmymemoryasthemostamiablemanofmyacquaintance,butthatisall.Ihavenothingeithertohopeorfear,andnothingtoreproachhimwith.ThankGod!Ihavenotthatpain.Alittletimetherefore. --Ishallcertainlytrytogetthebetter." Withastrongervoiceshesoonadded, "Ihavethiscomfortimmediately,thatithasnotbeenmorethananerroroffancyonmyside,andthatithasdonenoharmtoanyonebutmyself." "MydearJane!"exclaimedElizabeth, "youaretoogood.Yoursweetnessanddisinterestednessarereallyangelic;Idonotknowwhattosaytoyou.IfeelasifIhadneverdoneyoujustice,orlovedyouasyoudeserve." MissBenneteagerlydisclaimedallextraordinarymerit,andthrewbackthepraiseonhersister'swarmaffection. "Nay,"saidElizabeth, "thisisnotfair.Youwishtothinkalltheworldrespectable,andarehurtifIspeakillofanybody.Ionlywanttothinkyouperfect,andyousetyourselfagainstit.Donotbeafraidofmyrunningintoanyexcess,ofmyencroachingonyourprivilegeofuniversalgoodwill.Youneednot.TherearefewpeoplewhomIreallylove,andstillfewerofwhomIthinkwell.ThemoreIseeoftheworld,themoreamIdissatisfiedwithit;andeverydayconfirmsmybeliefoftheinconsistencyofallhumancharacters,andofthelittledependencethatcanbeplacedontheappearanceofeithermeritorsense.Ihavemetwithtwoinstanceslately;oneIwillnotmention;theotherisCharlotte'smarriage.Itisunaccountable!ineveryviewitisunaccountable!" "MydearLizzy,donotgivewaytosuchfeelingsasthese.Theywillruinyourhappiness.Youdonotmakeallowanceenoughfordifferenceofsituationandtemper.ConsiderMr.Collins'srespectability,andCharlotte'sprudent,steadycharacter.Rememberthatsheisoneofalargefamily;thatastofortune,itisamosteligiblematch;andbereadytobelieve,foreverybody'ssake,thatshemayfeelsomethinglikeregardandesteemforourcousin." "Toobligeyou,Iwouldtrytobelievealmostanything,butnooneelsecouldbebenefitedbysuchabeliefasthis;forwereIpersuadedthatCharlottehadanyregardforhim,Ishouldonlythinkworseofherunderstanding,thanInowdoofherheart.MydearJane,Mr.Collinsisaconceited,pompous,narrow-minded,sillyman;youknowheis,aswellasIdo;andyoumustfeel,aswellasIdo,thatthewomanwhomarrieshim,cannothaveaproperwayofthinking.Youshallnotdefendher,thoughitisCharlotteLucas.Youshallnot,forthesakeofoneindividual,changethemeaningofprincipleandintegrity,norendeavourtopersuadeyourselformethatselfishnessisprudence,andinsensibilityofdanger,securityforhappiness." 第二十四章 彬格莱小姐的信来了，疑虑消除了。信上第一句话就说，她们决定在伦敦过冬，结尾是替他哥哥道歉，说他在临走以前，没有来得及向哈福郡的朋友们辞行，很觉遗憾。 希望破灭了，彻底破灭了。吉英继续把信读下去，只觉得除了写信人那种装腔作势的亲切之外，就根本找不出可以自慰的地方。满篇都是赞美达西小姐的话，絮絮叨叨地谈到她的千娇百媚。珈罗琳又高高兴兴地说，她们俩之间已经一天比一天来得亲热，而且竟大胆地作出预言，说是她上封信里面提到的那些愿望，一定可以实现。她还得意非凡地写道，她哥哥已经住到达西先生家里去，又欢天喜地地提到达西打算添置新家具。 吉英立刻把这些事大都告诉了伊丽莎白，伊丽莎白听了，怒而不言。她真伤心透了，一方面是关怀自己的姐姐，另方面是怨恨那帮人。珈罗琳信上说她哥哥钟情于达西小姐，伊丽莎白无论如何也不相信。她仍旧象以往一样，相信彬格莱先生真正喜欢吉英。伊丽莎白一向很看重他，现在才知道他原来是这样一个容易说话而没有主意的人，以致被他那批诡计多端的朋友们牵制住了，听凭他们反复无常地作弄他，拿他的幸福作牺牲品──想到这些，她就不能不气愤，甚至不免有些看不起他。要是只有他个人的幸福遭到牺牲，那他爱怎么胡搞都可以，可是这里面毕竟还牵涉着她姐姐的幸福，她相信他自己也应该明白。简单说来，这问题当然反复考虑过，到头来一定是没有办法。她想不起什么别的了。究竟是彬格莱先生真的变了心呢，还是根本不知道？虽然对她说来，她应该辨明其中的是非曲直，然后才能断定他是好是坏，可是对她姐姐说来，反正都是一样地伤心难受。 隔了一两天，吉英才鼓起勇气，把自己的心事说给伊丽莎白听。且说那天班纳特太太象往常一样说起尼日斐花园和它的主人，唠叨了老半天，后来总算走开了，只剩下她们姐妹俩，吉英这才禁不往说道： “噢，但愿妈妈多控制她自己一些吧！她没晓得她这样时时刻刻提起他，叫我多么痛苦。不过我决不怨谁。这局面不会长久的。他马上就会给我们忘掉，我们还是会和往常一样。” 伊丽莎白半信半疑而又极其关切地望着姐姐，一声不响。 “你不相信我的话吗？”吉英微微红着脸嚷道。“那你真是毫无理由。他在我的记忆里可能是个最可爱的朋友，但也不过如此而已。我既没有什么奢望，也没有什么担心，更没有什么要责备他的地方。多谢上帝，我还没有那种苦恼。因此稍微过一些时候，我一定会就慢慢克服过来的。” 她立刻又用更坚强的声调说道：“我立刻就可以安慰自己说：这只怪我自己瞎想，好在并没有损害别人，只损害了我自己。” 伊丽莎白连忙叫起来了：“亲爱的吉英，你太善良了。你那样好心，那样处处为别人着想，真象天使一般；我不知道应该怎么同你说才好。我觉得我从前待你还不够好，爱你还不够深。” 吉英竭力否认这一切言过其实的夸奖，反而用这些赞美的话来赞扬妹妹的热情。 “别那么说，”伊丽莎白说，“这样说不公平的，你总以为天下都是好人。我只要说了谁一句坏话，你就难受。我要把你看作一个完美无瑕的人，你就来驳斥。请你放心，我决不会说得过分，你有权利把四海之内的人一视同仁，我也不会干涉你。你用不着担心。至于我，我真正喜欢的人没有几个，我心目中的好人就更少了。世事经历得愈多，我就愈对世事不满；我一天比一天相信，人性都是见异思迁，我们不能凭着某人表面上一点点长处或见解，就去相信他。最近我碰到了两件事：其中一件我不愿意说出来，另一件就是夏绿蒂的婚姻问题。这简直是莫明其妙！任你怎样看法，都是莫明其妙！” “亲爱的丽萃，不要这样胡思乱想吧。那会毁了你的幸福的。你对于各人处境的不同和脾气的不同，体谅得不够。你且想一想柯林斯先生的身份地位和夏绿蒂的谨慎稳重吧。你得记住，她也算一个大家闺秀，说起财产方面，倒是一门挺适当的亲事。你且顾全大家的面子，只当她对我们那位表兄确实有几分敬爱和器重吧。” “要是看你的面子，我几乎随便对什么事都愿意以为真，可是这对于任何人都没有益处；我现在只觉得夏绿蒂根本不懂得爱情，要是再叫我去相信她是当真爱上了柯林斯，那我又要觉得她简直毫无见识。亲爱的吉英，柯林斯先生是个自高自大、喜爱炫耀、心胸狭窄的蠢汉，这一点你和我懂得一样清楚，你也会同我一样地感觉到，只有头脑不健全的女人才肯嫁给他。虽说这个女人就是夏绿蒂·卢卡斯，你也不必为她辩护。你千万不能为了某一个人而改变原则，破格迁就，也不要千方百计地说服我，或是说服你自己去相信，自私自利就是谨慎，糊涂胆大就等于幸福有了保障。”