06-03-傲慢与偏见 [7]
pass to a distant male relation．Mrs Bennet's father had been a lawyer，and had only left his daughter a small amount of money． She had a brother who owned shops in London， and she also had a sister， married to a Mr Philips． He had been her fa- ther's clerk，and now carried on his late employer's business．
Mr and Mrs Philips lived in Meryton， which was only a kilo- metre or so from the village of Longbourn．It was a most con- venient distance for the Bennet girls， who were usually tempted there three or four times a week，to visit their aunt or a dress- maker who lived opposite．The youngest daughters， Kitty and Lydia，were particularly regular visitors．Their minds were more vacant than their sisters，’and if no better entertainment was available，a walk to Meryton always provided some amuse- ment， as well as interesting local news from their aunt．
The latest news， which delighted Kitty and Lydia， was that the regiment which had recently arrived in Meryton was to stay there for the whole winter．The two girls now visited their aunt every day， and as Mr Philips knew all the officers，Kitty and Lydia were soon introduced to them．At home they could talk of nothing but officers and their handsome uniforms：even Mr Bingley's fortune now seemed hardly worth considering．
After listening to their praise of the officers one morning， Mr Bennet said coolly，‘From what I can see，you must be two of the silliest girls in the country．I've suspected it for some time，but now I'm convinced．’
Kitty was embarrassed and did not reply，but Lydia，the youngest， continued to express her admiration for a certain Captain Carter， with perfect indifference．
‘I am very surprised，my dear，’said Mrs Bennet，‘that you should be so ready to think your own children silly．As it hap- pens， they are all very clever．’
‘That is the only point，I think， on which we do not agree．I am afraid I must say that I consider our two youngest daugh- ters unusually foolish．’
‘My dear Mr Bennet， you mustn't expect such young girls to have the common sense of their father or mother．I remem- ber when I used to like a red coat myself， and indeed I still do．If a good-looking officer with five or six thousand a year want- ed to marry one of my girls， I wouldn't turn him down．And I thought Colonel Forster looked very handsome last night at Sir William's，in his regimental uniform．’
Just then a servant entered with a note for Jane， which had come from Netherfield．Mrs Bennet's eyes shone with pleasure and she called out eagerly， while her daughter was reading it，‘Well，Jane， who is it from？ What does he say？Tell us， tell us quickly，my love！’
‘It's from Miss Bingley，’said Jane．‘She invites me to din- ner at Netherfield，as she and her sister are alone．It seems her brother and the gentlemen are having dinner with the officers，in Meryton．’
‘With the officers！’cried Lydia．‘I wonder why aunt Philips didn't tell us that！’
‘Having dinner in Meryton，’repeated Mrs Bennet， shaking her head．‘That's very unlucky．’
‘May I take the carriage？’asked Jane．
‘No， my dear， you'd better ride over there， because it looks likely to rain，and then you’ll have to stay the night．’
‘That would be a good plan，’said Elizabeth to her mother，‘if you were sure they wouldn't offer to send her home in their carriage．’
‘Oh， but they can't！The gentlemen must have taken Mr Bingley's carriage to go to Meryton．’
‘I'd much rather go in the carriage，’Jane said．
‘But，my dear，your father can't spare the horses， I'm sure．They're needed on the farm， aren't they， Mr Bennet？’
Mr Bennet finally agreed that they were in fact being used that day in the fields．So Jane set out on her horse，while her mother called cheerfully after her，‘I do hope
Mr and Mrs Philips lived in Meryton， which was only a kilo- metre or so from the village of Longbourn．It was a most con- venient distance for the Bennet girls， who were usually tempted there three or four times a week，to visit their aunt or a dress- maker who lived opposite．The youngest daughters， Kitty and Lydia，were particularly regular visitors．Their minds were more vacant than their sisters，’and if no better entertainment was available，a walk to Meryton always provided some amuse- ment， as well as interesting local news from their aunt．
The latest news， which delighted Kitty and Lydia， was that the regiment which had recently arrived in Meryton was to stay there for the whole winter．The two girls now visited their aunt every day， and as Mr Philips knew all the officers，Kitty and Lydia were soon introduced to them．At home they could talk of nothing but officers and their handsome uniforms：even Mr Bingley's fortune now seemed hardly worth considering．
After listening to their praise of the officers one morning， Mr Bennet said coolly，‘From what I can see，you must be two of the silliest girls in the country．I've suspected it for some time，but now I'm convinced．’
Kitty was embarrassed and did not reply，but Lydia，the youngest， continued to express her admiration for a certain Captain Carter， with perfect indifference．
‘I am very surprised，my dear，’said Mrs Bennet，‘that you should be so ready to think your own children silly．As it hap- pens， they are all very clever．’
‘That is the only point，I think， on which we do not agree．I am afraid I must say that I consider our two youngest daugh- ters unusually foolish．’
‘My dear Mr Bennet， you mustn't expect such young girls to have the common sense of their father or mother．I remem- ber when I used to like a red coat myself， and indeed I still do．If a good-looking officer with five or six thousand a year want- ed to marry one of my girls， I wouldn't turn him down．And I thought Colonel Forster looked very handsome last night at Sir William's，in his regimental uniform．’
Just then a servant entered with a note for Jane， which had come from Netherfield．Mrs Bennet's eyes shone with pleasure and she called out eagerly， while her daughter was reading it，‘Well，Jane， who is it from？ What does he say？Tell us， tell us quickly，my love！’
‘It's from Miss Bingley，’said Jane．‘She invites me to din- ner at Netherfield，as she and her sister are alone．It seems her brother and the gentlemen are having dinner with the officers，in Meryton．’
‘With the officers！’cried Lydia．‘I wonder why aunt Philips didn't tell us that！’
‘Having dinner in Meryton，’repeated Mrs Bennet， shaking her head．‘That's very unlucky．’
‘May I take the carriage？’asked Jane．
‘No， my dear， you'd better ride over there， because it looks likely to rain，and then you’ll have to stay the night．’
‘That would be a good plan，’said Elizabeth to her mother，‘if you were sure they wouldn't offer to send her home in their carriage．’
‘Oh， but they can't！The gentlemen must have taken Mr Bingley's carriage to go to Meryton．’
‘I'd much rather go in the carriage，’Jane said．
‘But，my dear，your father can't spare the horses， I'm sure．They're needed on the farm， aren't they， Mr Bennet？’
Mr Bennet finally agreed that they were in fact being used that day in the fields．So Jane set out on her horse，while her mother called cheerfully after her，‘I do hope