Charlotte'sreplywassparedbytheentranceofJaneandElizabeth. "Aye,thereshecomes,"continuedMrs.Bennet, "lookingasunconcernedasmaybe,andcaringnomoreforusthanifwewereatYork,providedshecanhaveherownway. --ButItellyouwhat,MissLizzy,ifyoutakeitintoyourheadtogoonrefusingeveryofferofmarriageinthisway,youwillnevergetahusbandatall--andIamsureIdonotknowwhoistomaintainyouwhenyourfatherisdead. --Ishallnotbeabletokeepyou--andsoIwarnyou. --Ihavedonewithyoufromthisveryday. --Itoldyouinthelibrary,youknow,thatIshouldneverspeaktoyouagain,andyouwillfindmeasgoodasmyword.Ihavenopleasureintalkingtoundutifulchildren, --NotthatIhavemuchpleasureindeedintalkingtoanybody.PeoplewhosufferasIdofromnervouscomplaintscanhavenogreatinclinationfortalking.NobodycantellwhatIsuffer! --Butitisalwaysso.Thosewhodonotcomplainareneverpitied." Herdaughterslistenedinsilencetothiseffusion,sensiblethatanyattempttoreasonwithorsoothherwouldonlyincreasetheirritation.Shetalkedon,therefore,withoutinterruptionfromanyofthemtilltheywerejoinedbyMr.Collins,whoenteredwithanairmorestatelythanusual,andonperceivingwhom,shesaidtothegirls, "Now,Idoinsistuponit,thatyou,allofyou,holdyourtongues,andletMr.Collinsandmehavealittleconversationtogether." Elizabethpassedquietlyoutoftheroom,JaneandKittyfollowed,butLydiastoodherground,determinedtohearallshecould;andCharlotte,detainedfirstbythecivilityofMr.Collins,whoseinquiriesafterherselfandallherfamilywereveryminute,andthenbyalittlecuriosity,satisfiedherselfwithwalkingtothewindowandpretendingnottohear.InadolefulvoiceMrs.Bennetthusbegantheprojectedconversation. -- "Oh!Mr.Collins!" -- "MydearMadam,"repliedhe, "letusbeforeversilentonthispoint.Farbeitfromme,"hepresentlycontinued,inavoicethatmarkedhisdispleasure, "toresentthebehaviourofyourdaughter.Resignationtoinevitableevilsisthedutyofusall;thepeculiardutyofayoungmanwhohasbeensofortunateasIhavebeeninearlypreferment;andItrustIamresigned.Perhapsnotthelesssofromfeelingadoubtofmypositivehappinesshadmyfaircousinhonouredmewithherhand;forIhaveoftenobservedthatresignationisneversoperfectaswhentheblessingdeniedbeginstolosesomewhatofitsvalueinourestimation.Youwillnot,Ihope,considermeasshewinganydisrespecttoyourfamily,mydearMadam,bythuswithdrawingmypretensionstoyourdaughter'sfavour,withouthavingpaidyourselfandMr.Bennetthecomplimentofrequestingyoutointerposeyourauthorityinmybehalf.Myconductmay,Ifear,beobjectionableinhavingacceptedmydismissionfromyourdaughter'slipsinsteadofyourown.Butweareallliabletoerror.Ihavecertainlymeantwellthroughthewholeaffair.Myobjecthasbeentosecureanamiablecompanionformyself,withdueconsiderationfortheadvantageofallyourfamily,andifmymannerhasbeenatallreprehensible,Iherebegleavetoapologise." 夏绿蒂正要回答，恰巧吉英和伊丽莎白走进来了，因此没有开口。 “嘿，她来啦，”班纳特太太接下去说。“看她一脸满不在乎的神气，一些不把我们放在心上，好象是冤家对头，一任她自己独断独行。──丽萃小姐，让我老实告诉你吧；如果你一碰到人家求婚，就象这样拒绝，那你一生一世都休想弄到一个丈夫。瞧你爸爸去世以后，还有谁来养你。我是养不活你的，事先得跟你声明。从今天起，我跟你一刀两断。你知道，刚刚在书房里，我就跟你说过，我再也不要跟你说话了，瞧我说得到就做得到。我不高兴跟忤逆的女儿说话。老实说，跟谁说话都不大乐意。象我这样一个神经上有病痛的人，就没有多大的兴致说话。谁也不知道我的苦楚！不过天下事总是这样的，你嘴上不诉苦，就没有人可怜你。” 女儿们一声不响，只是听着她发牢骚。她们都明白，要是你想跟她评评理，安慰安慰她，那就等于火上加油。她唠唠叨叨往下说，女儿们没有一个来岔断她的话。最后，柯林斯先生进来了，脸上的神气比平常显得益发庄严，她一见到他，便对女儿们这样说： “现在我要你们一个个都住嘴，让柯林斯先生跟我谈一会儿。” 伊丽莎白静悄悄地走出去了，吉英和吉蒂跟着也走了出去，只有丽迪雅站在那儿不动，正要听听他们谈些什么。夏绿蒂也没有走，先是因为柯林斯先生仔仔细细问候她和她的家庭，所以不便即走，随后又为了满足她自己的好奇心，便走到窗口，去偷听他们谈话。只听得班纳特太太开始怨声怨气地把预先准备好的一番话谈出来：“哦，柯林斯先生。” “亲爱的太太，”柯林斯先生说，“这件事让我们再也别提了吧。我决不会怨恨令嫒这种行为。”他说到这里，声调中立刻流露出极其不愉快的意味：“我们大家都得逆来顺受，象我这样年少得志，小小年纪就得到了人家的器重，特别应该如此，我相信我一切都听天由命。即使蒙我那位美丽的表妹不弃，答应了我的求婚，或许我仍然免不了要怀疑，是否就此会获得真正的幸福，因为我一向认为，幸福一经拒绝，就不值得我们再加重视。遇到这种场合，听天由命是再好不过的办法。亲爱的太太，我这样收回了对令嫒的求婚，希望你别以为这是对您老人家和班纳特先生不恭敬的表示，别怪我没要求你们出面代我调停一下。只不过我并不是受到您拒绝，而是受到令嫒的拒绝，这一点也许值得遗憾。可是人人都难免有个阴错阳差的时候。我对于这件事始终是一片好心好意。我的目的就是要找一个可爱的伴侣，并且适当地考虑到府上的利益；假使我的态度方面有什么地方应该受到责备的话，就让我当面道个谦吧。”