06-03-傲慢与偏见 [76]
，说班纳特一家是世上最幸运的家庭，尽管仅仅在几个礼拜以前丽迪亚出走的时候，他们还被视为最不走运的。
■ 12 Elizabeth and Darcy
One morning，about a week after Bingley had proposed to Jane，a carriage arrived outside Longbourn House． Elizabeth，Kitty and their mother were in the sitting-room， when suddenly the door was thrown open，and their visitor entered．It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh．
They were all extremely astonished．Mrs Bennet，flattered to have such an important visitor，received her with great polite- ness．After sitting for a moment in silence，Lady Catherine said very stiffly to Elizabeth，‘I hope you are well，Miss Bennet． That lady，I suppose，is your mother．And that，I suppose，is one of your sisters．’
Elizabeth replied that she was correct in thinking so．Lady Catherine rose and said，‘I would like to have a walk in your garden，Miss Bennet，if you would accompany me．’
‘Go，my dear，’cried Mrs Bennet．‘Show her ladyship the different walks．I'm sure she will like them．’
As they passed through the hall，Lady Catherine opened the doors into the different rooms，looked in，and declared them to be reasonable-looking rooms．They went into the garden in si- lence．Elizabeth was determined to make no effort at conversa- tion with a woman who was being more than usually rude and disagreeable．
Lady Catherine began speaking when she was sure they were alone．‘You must know，Miss Bennet，why I have come．’
Elizabeth looked surprised．Indeed，you are mistaken， madam．I have no idea why you are honouring us with a visit．’
‘Miss Bennet，’replied her ladyship angrily，‘however in- sincere you may be，you shall not find me so．A most alarming report reached me two days ago．I was told that you，Miss Elizabeth Bennet，would soon be engaged to my nephew，my own nephew，Mr Darcy．Although I knew it must be a shame- ful lie，and I would not offend him by supposing it to be possi- ble，I decided at once to come here， to let you know my feelings．’
‘If you believed it to be impossible，’said Elizabeth，with disdain，‘I wonder why your ladyship took the trouble of com- ing so far．’
‘I came to insist on having this report contradicted．Tell me，is it true？’
‘Your ladyship may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer．’
‘This is too much！Miss Bennet，I insist on an answer．Has my nephew made you an offer of marriage？’
‘Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible．’
‘It ought to be impossible，but your skilful charms may have made him forget，in a moment of foolishness，what he owes to himself and his family．You must tell me．I am almost his nearest relation，and I have a right to know his plans．’
‘But you have no right to know mine．’
‘Let me speak plainly．This marriage，which you dare to hope for，can never take place，because Mr Darcy is engaged to my daughter．His mother and I planned their marriage，when they were still children．They are an ideal couple，both from respectable，honourable，ancient families，with an excellent for- tune on both sides．What can possibly divide them？The des- perate ambitions of a young woman without family，connec- tions or fortune？It cannot be！And I warn you，Miss Bennet，if you marry him，do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends．Your name will never even be mentioned by any of us．
‘These are heavy misfortunes，but the wife of Mr Darcy must necessarily be so happy that she could not regret her mar- riage.
‘Obstinate girl！Tell me，are you engaged to him？’
Elizabeth could not avoid saying，after a moment's thought， ‘I am not．’
Lady Catherine seemed pleased．‘And will you promise me never to enter into such an engagement？’
‘I will make no such promise．You have totally
■ 12 Elizabeth and Darcy
One morning，about a week after Bingley had proposed to Jane，a carriage arrived outside Longbourn House． Elizabeth，Kitty and their mother were in the sitting-room， when suddenly the door was thrown open，and their visitor entered．It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh．
They were all extremely astonished．Mrs Bennet，flattered to have such an important visitor，received her with great polite- ness．After sitting for a moment in silence，Lady Catherine said very stiffly to Elizabeth，‘I hope you are well，Miss Bennet． That lady，I suppose，is your mother．And that，I suppose，is one of your sisters．’
Elizabeth replied that she was correct in thinking so．Lady Catherine rose and said，‘I would like to have a walk in your garden，Miss Bennet，if you would accompany me．’
‘Go，my dear，’cried Mrs Bennet．‘Show her ladyship the different walks．I'm sure she will like them．’
As they passed through the hall，Lady Catherine opened the doors into the different rooms，looked in，and declared them to be reasonable-looking rooms．They went into the garden in si- lence．Elizabeth was determined to make no effort at conversa- tion with a woman who was being more than usually rude and disagreeable．
Lady Catherine began speaking when she was sure they were alone．‘You must know，Miss Bennet，why I have come．’
Elizabeth looked surprised．Indeed，you are mistaken， madam．I have no idea why you are honouring us with a visit．’
‘Miss Bennet，’replied her ladyship angrily，‘however in- sincere you may be，you shall not find me so．A most alarming report reached me two days ago．I was told that you，Miss Elizabeth Bennet，would soon be engaged to my nephew，my own nephew，Mr Darcy．Although I knew it must be a shame- ful lie，and I would not offend him by supposing it to be possi- ble，I decided at once to come here， to let you know my feelings．’
‘If you believed it to be impossible，’said Elizabeth，with disdain，‘I wonder why your ladyship took the trouble of com- ing so far．’
‘I came to insist on having this report contradicted．Tell me，is it true？’
‘Your ladyship may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer．’
‘This is too much！Miss Bennet，I insist on an answer．Has my nephew made you an offer of marriage？’
‘Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible．’
‘It ought to be impossible，but your skilful charms may have made him forget，in a moment of foolishness，what he owes to himself and his family．You must tell me．I am almost his nearest relation，and I have a right to know his plans．’
‘But you have no right to know mine．’
‘Let me speak plainly．This marriage，which you dare to hope for，can never take place，because Mr Darcy is engaged to my daughter．His mother and I planned their marriage，when they were still children．They are an ideal couple，both from respectable，honourable，ancient families，with an excellent for- tune on both sides．What can possibly divide them？The des- perate ambitions of a young woman without family，connec- tions or fortune？It cannot be！And I warn you，Miss Bennet，if you marry him，do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends．Your name will never even be mentioned by any of us．
‘These are heavy misfortunes，but the wife of Mr Darcy must necessarily be so happy that she could not regret her mar- riage.
‘Obstinate girl！Tell me，are you engaged to him？’
Elizabeth could not avoid saying，after a moment's thought， ‘I am not．’
Lady Catherine seemed pleased．‘And will you promise me never to enter into such an engagement？’
‘I will make no such promise．You have totally