06-03-傲慢与偏见 [47]
every line there was a lack of cheerfulness， which Elizabeth had not noticed the first time， and which now made her rather anxious．She was relieved to think that Darcy would be leaving Rosings in two days’ time， and she herself would be with Jane in less than two weeks．Colonel Fitzwilliam would also be leaving with Darcy， but he had made it clear that he had no intention of proposing to her， so she did not intend to be unhappy about him．
Just then，she heard the doorbell，and wondered if it might be Colonel Fitzwilliam， come to enquire about her health． But to her astonishment she saw Mr Darcy walk into the room． In a hrried manner he began to ask how she was feeling．She answered him with cold politeness．He sat down for a few mo－ ments， and then， getting up， walked about the room． Elizabeth was surprised， but said nothing． After a silence of several min－ utes， he came towards her， with none of his usual calmness， and said，‘In vain have I struggled．It is no good．I cannot conquer my feelings． You must allow me to tell you how warmly I admire and love you．’
Elizabeth stared， blushed， doubted， and was silent． He con－ sidered this sufficient encouragement， and confessed all that he felt， and had felt for a long time， for her． He expressed himself well， but it was not only of love that he spoke． He also talked of his pride， and his sense of her social inferiority， which had made him struggle against his feelings for so long．
In spite of her dislike for him，Elizabeth appreciated what a compliment such a man's affection was， and was at first sorry for the pain he was about to receive．But soon， as she heard his references to her inferior position，she lost all pity，and became very angry．She waited patiently，however，until he had finished．He ended by describing the strength of his love for her， whicn，in spite of all his attempts， he had been unable to con－ quer with arguments of reason and common sense， and finally he asked for her hand in marriage．She could see that he had no doubt of a favourable answer， which only made her angrier．
‘I believe society considers it correct，in cases like this，’she replied，‘to express grateful thanks．So if I could feel grateful， I would now thank you．But I cannot—I have never wanted your good opinion of me， and I cannot accept it．I'm sorry to hurt anyone， but it has not been done deliberately， and I hope the pain will not last long．The pride which， you tell me，has long prevented the expression of your affection， can have little difficulty in conquering your feelings after this explanation．’
Mr Darcy， whose eyes were fixed on her face， was both an－ gry and surprised by her words．His face went pale， and he was clearly struggling to control himself． There was a dreadful pause， and then he spoke in a voice of forced calmness．
‘And this is all the reply I am to have the honour of expect－ ing！I might，perhaps，wish to be informed why，with so little attempt at politeness，I am rejected．’
‘I might as well ask why，with so evident a wish to offend and insult me， you chose to tell me that you loved me against your reason and even against your character．But even if my own feelings towards you had been favourable， do you think anything could tempt me to accept the man who has destroyed， perhaps for ever， the happiness of a most dear sister？’
As she said this， Mr Darcy changed colour， but he listened without trying to interrupt her as she continued．
‘I have every reason in the world to think badly of you．Can you deny that you were the cause of Jane's separation from Mr Bingley，and of her unhappiness？Can you deny it？’
‘I have no wish to deny that I did everything I could to separate them， and that I am delighted with my success． Towards my friend I have been kinder than to myself．’
Elizabeth treated
Just then，she heard the doorbell，and wondered if it might be Colonel Fitzwilliam， come to enquire about her health． But to her astonishment she saw Mr Darcy walk into the room． In a hrried manner he began to ask how she was feeling．She answered him with cold politeness．He sat down for a few mo－ ments， and then， getting up， walked about the room． Elizabeth was surprised， but said nothing． After a silence of several min－ utes， he came towards her， with none of his usual calmness， and said，‘In vain have I struggled．It is no good．I cannot conquer my feelings． You must allow me to tell you how warmly I admire and love you．’
Elizabeth stared， blushed， doubted， and was silent． He con－ sidered this sufficient encouragement， and confessed all that he felt， and had felt for a long time， for her． He expressed himself well， but it was not only of love that he spoke． He also talked of his pride， and his sense of her social inferiority， which had made him struggle against his feelings for so long．
In spite of her dislike for him，Elizabeth appreciated what a compliment such a man's affection was， and was at first sorry for the pain he was about to receive．But soon， as she heard his references to her inferior position，she lost all pity，and became very angry．She waited patiently，however，until he had finished．He ended by describing the strength of his love for her， whicn，in spite of all his attempts， he had been unable to con－ quer with arguments of reason and common sense， and finally he asked for her hand in marriage．She could see that he had no doubt of a favourable answer， which only made her angrier．
‘I believe society considers it correct，in cases like this，’she replied，‘to express grateful thanks．So if I could feel grateful， I would now thank you．But I cannot—I have never wanted your good opinion of me， and I cannot accept it．I'm sorry to hurt anyone， but it has not been done deliberately， and I hope the pain will not last long．The pride which， you tell me，has long prevented the expression of your affection， can have little difficulty in conquering your feelings after this explanation．’
Mr Darcy， whose eyes were fixed on her face， was both an－ gry and surprised by her words．His face went pale， and he was clearly struggling to control himself． There was a dreadful pause， and then he spoke in a voice of forced calmness．
‘And this is all the reply I am to have the honour of expect－ ing！I might，perhaps，wish to be informed why，with so little attempt at politeness，I am rejected．’
‘I might as well ask why，with so evident a wish to offend and insult me， you chose to tell me that you loved me against your reason and even against your character．But even if my own feelings towards you had been favourable， do you think anything could tempt me to accept the man who has destroyed， perhaps for ever， the happiness of a most dear sister？’
As she said this， Mr Darcy changed colour， but he listened without trying to interrupt her as she continued．
‘I have every reason in the world to think badly of you．Can you deny that you were the cause of Jane's separation from Mr Bingley，and of her unhappiness？Can you deny it？’
‘I have no wish to deny that I did everything I could to separate them， and that I am delighted with my success． Towards my friend I have been kinder than to myself．’
Elizabeth treated