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第130章（第1页）

Onemorning，aboutaweekafterBingleysengagementwithJanehadbeenformed，asheandthefemalesofthefamilyweresittingtogetherinthedining-room，theirattentionwassuddenlydrawntothewindow，bythesoundofacarriage;andtheyperceivedachaiseandfourdrivingupthelawn。Itwastooearlyinthemorningforvisitors，andbesides，theequipagedidnotanswertothatofanyoftheirneighbours。Thehorseswerepost;andneitherthecarriage，northeliveryoftheservantwhoprecededit，werefamiliartothem。Asitwascertain，however，thatsomebodywascoming，BingleyinstantlyprevailedonMissBennettoavoidtheconfinementofsuchanintrusion，andwalkawaywithhimintotheshrubbery。Theybothsetoff，andtheconjecturesoftheremainingthreecontinued，thoughwithlittlesatisfaction，tillthedoorwasthrownopenandtheirvisitorentered。ItwasLadyCatherinedeBourgh。

Theywereofcourseallintendingtobesurprised;buttheirastonishmentwasbeyondtheirexpectation;andonthepartofMrs。BennetandKitty，thoughshewasperfectlyunknowntothem，eveninferiortowhatElizabethfelt。

Sheenteredtheroomwithanairmorethanusuallyungracious，madenootherreplytoElizabethssalutationthanaslightinclinationofthehead，andsatdownwithoutsayingaword。Elizabethhadmentionedhernametohermotheronherladyshipsentrance，thoughnorequestofintroductionhadbeenmade。

Mrs。Bennet，allamazement，thoughflatteredbyhavingaguestofsuchhighimportance，receivedherwiththeutmostpoliteness。Aftersittingforamomentinsilence，shesaidverystifflytoElizabeth，

“Ihopeyouarewell，MissBennet。Thatlady，Isuppose，isyourmother。”

Elizabethrepliedveryconciselythatshewas。

“AndthatIsupposeisoneofyoursisters。”

“Yes，madam，”saidMrs。Bennet，delightedtospeaktoLadyCatherine。“Sheismyyoungestgirlbutone。Myyoungestofallislatelymarried，andmyeldestissomewhereaboutthegrounds，walkingwithayoungmanwho，Ibelieve，willsoonbecomeapartofthefamily。”

“Youhaveaverysmallparkhere，”returnedLadyCatherineafterashortsilence。

“ItisnothingincomparisonofRosings，mylady，Idaresay;butIassureyouitismuchlargerthanSirWilliamLucass。”

“Thismustbeamostinconvenientsittingroomfortheevening，insummer;thewindowsarefullwest。”

Mrs。Bennetassuredherthattheyneversatthereafterdinner，andthenadded:

“MayItakethelibertyofaskingyourladyshipwhetheryouleftMr。andMrs。Collinswell。”

“Yes，verywell。Isawthemthenightbeforelast。”

ElizabethnowexpectedthatshewouldproducealetterforherfromCharlotte，asitseemedtheonlyprobablemotiveforhercalling。Butnoletterappeared，andshewascompletelypuzzled。Mrs。Bennet，withgreatcivility，beggedherladyshiptotakesomerefreshment;butLadyCatherineveryresolutely，andnotverypolitely，declinedeatinganything;andthen，risingup，saidtoElizabeth，

“MissBennet，thereseemedtobeaprettyishkindofalittlewildernessononesideofyourlawn。Ishouldbegladtotakeaturninit，ifyouwillfavourmewithyourcompany。”

“Go，mydear，”criedhermother，“andshowherladyshipaboutthedifferentwalks。Ithinkshewillbepleasedwiththehermitage。”

Elizabethobeyed，andrunningintoherownroomforherparasol，attendedhernobleguestdownstairs。Astheypassedthroughthehall，LadyCatherineopenedthedoorsintothedining-parlouranddrawing-room，andpronouncingthem，afterashortsurvey，tobedecentlookingrooms，walkedon。

Hercarriageremainedatthedoor，andElizabethsawthatherwaiting-womanwasinit。Theyproceededinsilencealongthegravelwalkthatledtothecopse;Elizabethwasdeterminedtomakenoeffortforconversationwithawomanwhowasnowmorethanusuallyinsolentanddisagreeable。

“HowcouldIeverthinkherlikehernephew?”saidshe，asshelookedinherface。

Assoonastheyenteredthecopse，LadyCatherinebeganinthefollowingmanner:—

“Youcanbeatnoloss，MissBennet，tounderstandthereasonofmyjourneyhither。Yourownheart，yourownconscience，musttellyouwhyIcome。”

Elizabethlookedwithunaffectedastonishment。

“Indeed，youaremistaken，Madam。Ihavenotbeenatallabletoaccountforthehonourofseeingyouhere。”

“MissBennet，”repliedherladyship，inanangrytone，“yououghttoknow，thatIamnottobetrifledwith。Buthoweverinsincereyoumaychoosetobe，youshallnotfindmeso。Mycharacterhaseverbeencelebratedforitssincerityandfrankness，andinacauseofsuchmomentasthis，Ishallcertainlynotdepartfromit。Areportofamostalarmingnaturereachedmetwodaysago。Iwastoldthatnotonlyyoursisterwasonthepointofbeingmostadvantageouslymarried，butthatyou，thatMissElizabethBennet，would，inalllikelihood，besoonafterwardsunitedtomynephew，myownnephew，Mr。Darcy。ThoughIknowitmustbeascandalousfalsehood，thoughIwouldnotinjurehimsomuchastosupposethetruthofitpossible，Iinstantlyresolvedonsettingoffforthisplace，thatImightmakemysentimentsknowntoyou。”

“Ifyoubelieveditimpossibletobetrue，”saidElizabeth，colouringwithastonishmentanddisdain，“Iwonderyoutookthetroubleofcomingsofar。Whatcouldyourladyshipproposebyit?”

“Atoncetoinsistuponhavingsuchareportuniversallycontradicted。”

“YourcomingtoLongbourn，toseemeandmyfamily，”saidElizabethcoolly，“willberatheraconfirmationofit;if，indeed，suchareportisinexistence。”

“If!Doyouthenpretendtobeignorantofit?Hasitnotbeenindustriouslycirculatedbyyourselves?Doyounotknowthatsuchareportisspreadabroad?”

“Ineverheardthatitwas。”

“Andcanyoulikewisedeclare，thatthereisnofoundationforit?”

“Idonotpretendtopossessequalfranknesswithyourladyship。YoumayaskquestionswhichIshallnotchoosetoanswer。”