06-03-傲慢与偏见 [77]
misunder- stood my character if you think I can be persuaded by such threats．I do not know whether your nephew would approve of your interference in his life，but you certainly have no right to interfere in mine．’
‘To all the objections I have mentioned，I add one more．I am aware of your younger sister's elopement．Is such a girl to be my nephew's sister-in-law，and bring shame on the ancient name of Darcy？’
‘You can now have nothing more to say，’Elizabeth said coldly.‘You have insulted me in every possible way.’She rose，and started walking back to the house．Lady Catherine also rose，and walked with her.
‘Unfeeling，selfish girl！So you are determined to have him？’
‘I have not said that. I am only determined to do what in my opinion will bring me happiness，without reference to you.’
‘Do not imagine，Miss Bennet，that you will ever achieve your ambition.’When they arrived at her carriage，she added， ‘I send no compliments to your mother．You do not deserve such politeness. I am most seriously displeased.’
Elizabeth did not answer，and entered the house，while Lady Catherine drove away in her carriage．She had to tell a little lie to her mother to explain Lady Catherine's unexpected visit and speedy departure，and then she shut herself in her room to consider what it all meant．Perhaps the Collinses had imagined，after the news of Jane's engagement to Bingley，that Darcy might marry her.They must have told Lady Catherine， who had made a special journey to Longbourn in order to break off this supposed engagement．Elizabeth began to feel depressed. If，as seemed likely，Lady Catherine now went straight to London to talk to her nephew，she might easily convince him of the inferiority of Elizabeth's social position． He would probably feel that his aunt's objections，which to Elizabeth appeared laughably weak，contained much common sense．In that case he might make up his mind not to marry her under any circumstances，and to keep away from Longbourn al- together．
The next morning Mr Bennet called Elizabeth into the li- brary．In his hand he had a letter，which he had just received．
‘Lizzy，I did not know I had two daughters about to be married．I congratulate you on a very important conquest．’
Elizabeth blushed，thinking that Darcy himself had written．
‘You seem to know what I mean，but I think even you will not be able to guess your admirer's name．This letter is from Mr Collins，and he first congratulates me on Jane's engage- ment，of which the gossiping Lucases have told him．Apparent- ly the Lucases also think that my daughter Elizabeth might soon be marrying one of the great gentlemen in the country— Mr Darcy，in fact！Now，Lizzy，I think I have surprised you． Could he have chosen anyone we know as a more unlikely hus- band for you？Mr Darcy，who never praises，only criticizes women，and who probably never looked at you in his life！ What an admirable choice！’
Elizabeth tried to share her father's amusement，but had never appreciated his humour so little．
‘He goes on to say that when he dutifully gave this news to her ladyship，she made many objections，and stated that she would never agree to the marriage．He kindly gives us this in- formation，he says，to prevent his cousin Elizabeth and her ad- mirer from rushing into a marriage not approved by their fami- lies．Well，Lizzy！What do you think of that？I do enjoy Mr Collins’letters．And I am delighted the Lucases thought of Mr Darcy．His perfect indifference to you，and your strong dislike of him，make it so extremely amusing．Don't you agree？’
Elizabeth had great difficulty in pretending to be amused by the letter．It was necessary to laugh，when she would rather have cried．Her father had most cruelly hurt her by speaking of Darcy’ s indifference，and she began to wonder whether per- haps，instead of his seeing too little，she
‘To all the objections I have mentioned，I add one more．I am aware of your younger sister's elopement．Is such a girl to be my nephew's sister-in-law，and bring shame on the ancient name of Darcy？’
‘You can now have nothing more to say，’Elizabeth said coldly.‘You have insulted me in every possible way.’She rose，and started walking back to the house．Lady Catherine also rose，and walked with her.
‘Unfeeling，selfish girl！So you are determined to have him？’
‘I have not said that. I am only determined to do what in my opinion will bring me happiness，without reference to you.’
‘Do not imagine，Miss Bennet，that you will ever achieve your ambition.’When they arrived at her carriage，she added， ‘I send no compliments to your mother．You do not deserve such politeness. I am most seriously displeased.’
Elizabeth did not answer，and entered the house，while Lady Catherine drove away in her carriage．She had to tell a little lie to her mother to explain Lady Catherine's unexpected visit and speedy departure，and then she shut herself in her room to consider what it all meant．Perhaps the Collinses had imagined，after the news of Jane's engagement to Bingley，that Darcy might marry her.They must have told Lady Catherine， who had made a special journey to Longbourn in order to break off this supposed engagement．Elizabeth began to feel depressed. If，as seemed likely，Lady Catherine now went straight to London to talk to her nephew，she might easily convince him of the inferiority of Elizabeth's social position． He would probably feel that his aunt's objections，which to Elizabeth appeared laughably weak，contained much common sense．In that case he might make up his mind not to marry her under any circumstances，and to keep away from Longbourn al- together．
The next morning Mr Bennet called Elizabeth into the li- brary．In his hand he had a letter，which he had just received．
‘Lizzy，I did not know I had two daughters about to be married．I congratulate you on a very important conquest．’
Elizabeth blushed，thinking that Darcy himself had written．
‘You seem to know what I mean，but I think even you will not be able to guess your admirer's name．This letter is from Mr Collins，and he first congratulates me on Jane's engage- ment，of which the gossiping Lucases have told him．Apparent- ly the Lucases also think that my daughter Elizabeth might soon be marrying one of the great gentlemen in the country— Mr Darcy，in fact！Now，Lizzy，I think I have surprised you． Could he have chosen anyone we know as a more unlikely hus- band for you？Mr Darcy，who never praises，only criticizes women，and who probably never looked at you in his life！ What an admirable choice！’
Elizabeth tried to share her father's amusement，but had never appreciated his humour so little．
‘He goes on to say that when he dutifully gave this news to her ladyship，she made many objections，and stated that she would never agree to the marriage．He kindly gives us this in- formation，he says，to prevent his cousin Elizabeth and her ad- mirer from rushing into a marriage not approved by their fami- lies．Well，Lizzy！What do you think of that？I do enjoy Mr Collins’letters．And I am delighted the Lucases thought of Mr Darcy．His perfect indifference to you，and your strong dislike of him，make it so extremely amusing．Don't you agree？’
Elizabeth had great difficulty in pretending to be amused by the letter．It was necessary to laugh，when she would rather have cried．Her father had most cruelly hurt her by speaking of Darcy’ s indifference，and she began to wonder whether per- haps，instead of his seeing too little，she