ELINOR saw, with great uneasiness the low spirits of her friend. His visit afforded her but a very partial satisfaction, while his own enjoyment1 in it appeared so imperfect. It was evident that he was unhappy; she wished it were equally evident that he still distinguished2 her by the same affection which once she had felt no doubt of inspiring; but hitherto the continuance of his preference seemed very uncertain; and the reservedness of his manner towards her contradicted one moment what a more animated3 look had intimated the preceding one.
He joined her and Marianne in the breakfast-room the next morning before the others were down; and Marianne, who was always eager to promote their happiness as far as she could, soon left them to themselves. But before she was half way up stairs she heard the parlour door open, and, turning round, was astonished to see Edward himself come out. "I am going into the village to see my horses," said be, "as you are not yet ready for breakfast; I shall be back again presently."
Edward returned to them with fresh admiration4 of the surrounding country; in his walk to the village he had seen many parts of the valley to advantage; and the village itself, in a much higher situation than the cottage, afforded a general view of the whole, which had exceedingly pleased him. This was a subject which ensured Marianne's attention; and she was beginning to describe her own admiration of these scenes, and to question him more minutely on the objects that had particularly struck him, when Edward interrupted her by saying, "You must not enquire5 too far, Marianne; remember I have no knowledge in the picturesque6, and I shall offend you by my ignorance and want of taste if we come to particulars. I shall call hills steep, which ought to be bold; surfaces strange and uncouth7, which ought to be irregular and rugged8; and distant objects out of sight, which ought only to be indistinct through the soft medium of a hazy9 atmosphere. You must be satisfied with such admiration as I can honestly give. I call it a very fine country,- the hills are steep, the woods seem full of fine timber, and the valley looks comfortable and snug10,- with rich meadows and several neat farm houses scattered11 here and there. It exactly answers my idea of a fine country, because it unites beauty with utility- and I dare- say it is a picturesque one too, because you admire it; I can easily believe it to be full of rocks and promontories12, grey moss13 and brushwood, but these are all lost on me. I know nothing of the picturesque." "I am afraid it is but too true," said Marianne; "but why should you boast of it?" "I suspect," said Elinor, "that to avoid one kind of affection, Edward here falls into another. Because he believes many people pretend to more admiration of the beauties of nature than they really feel, and is disgusted with such pretensions14, he affects greater indifference15 and less discrimination in viewing them himself than he possesses. He is fastidious, and will have an affectation of his own." "It is very true," said Marianne,
"that admiration of landscape scenery is become a mere16 jargon17. Every body pretends to feel and tries to describe with the taste and elegance18 of him who first defined what picturesque beauty was. I detest19 jargon of every kind; and sometimes I have kept my feelings to myself, because I could find no language to describe them in but what was worn and hackneyed out of all sense and meaning." "I am convinced," said Edward, "that you really feel all the delight in a fine prospect20 which you profess21 to feel. But, in return, your sister must allow me to feel no more than I profess. I like a fine prospect, but not on picturesque principles. I do not like crooked22, twisted, blasted trees. I admire them much more if they are tall, straight, and flourishing. I do not like ruined, tattered23 cottages. I am not fond of nettles24 or thistles, or heath blossoms. I have more pleasure in a snug farm-house than a watch-tower,- and a troop of tidy, happy villages please me better than the finest banditti in the world." Marianne looked with amazement25 at Edward, with compassion26 at her sister. Elinor only laughed.
The subject was continued no farther; and Marianne remained thoughtfully silent, till a new object suddenly engaged her attention. She was sitting by Edward, and, in taking his tea from Mrs. Dashwood, his hand passed so directly before her, as to make a ring, with a plait of hair in the centre, very conspicuous27 on one of his fingers. "I never saw you wear a ring before, Edward," she cried. "Is that Fanny's hair? I remember her promising28 to give you some. But I should have thought her hair had been darker." Marianne spoke29 inconsiderately what she really felt; but when she saw how much she had pained Edward, her own vexation at her want of thought could not be surpassed by his. He coloured very deeply, and, giving a momentary30 glance at Elinor, replied, "Yes; it is my sister's hair. The setting always casts a different shade on it, you know." Elinor had met his eye, and looked conscious likewise. That the hair was her own, she instantaneously felt as well satisfied as Marianne: the only difference in their conclusions was, that what Marianne considered as a free gift from her sister, Elinor was conscious must have been procured31 by some theft or contrivance unknown to herself. She was not in a humour, however, to regard it as an affront32; and affecting to take no notice of what passed, by instantly talking of something else, she internally resolved henceforward to catch every opportunity of eyeing the hair and of satisfying herself, beyond all doubt, that it was exactly the shade of her own.
Edward's embarrassment33 lasted some time, and it ended in an absence of mind still more settled. He was particularly grave the whole morning. Marianne severely34 censured35 herself for what she had said; but her own forgiveness might have been more speedy, had she known how little offence it had given her sister. Before the middle of the day, they were visited by Sir John and Mrs. Jennings, who, having heard of the arrival of a gentleman at the cottage, came to take a survey of the guest. With the assistance of his mother-in-law, Sir John was not long in discovering that the name of Ferrars began with an F. And this prepared a future mine of raillery against the devoted36 Elinor, which nothing but the newness of their acquaintance with Edward could have prevented from being immediately sprung. But, as it was, she only learned, from some very significant looks, how far their penetration37, founded on Margaret's instructions, extended.
Sir John never came to the Dashwoods without either inviting38 them to dine at the Park the next day, or to drink tea with them that evening. On the present occasion, for the better entertainment of their visitor, towards whose amusement he felt himself bound to contribute, he wished to engage them for both. "You must drink tea with us to-night," said he, "for we shall be quite alone; and to-morrow you must absolutely dine with us, for we shall be a large party." Mrs. Jennings enforced the necessity. "And who knows but you may raise a dance?" said she. "And that will tempt39 you, Miss Marianne." "A dance!" cried Marianne. "Impossible! Who is to dance?" "Who! why yourselves, and the Careys, and Whitakers to be sure. What! you thought nobody could dance because a certain person that shall be nameless is gone!" "I wish with all my soul," cried Sir John, "that Willoughby were among us again." This, and Marianne's blushing, gave new suspicions to Edward. "And who is Willoughby?" said he, in a low voice, to Miss Dashwood, by whom he was sitting.
She gave him a brief reply. Marianne's countenance40 was more communicative. Edward saw enough to comprehend, not only the meaning of others, but such of Marianne's expressions as had puzzled him before; and when their visitors left them he went immediately round her, and said, in a whisper, "I have been guessing. Shall I tell you my guess?" "What do you mean?" "Shall I tell you." "Certainly." "Well then; I guess that Mr. Willoughby hunts." Marianne was surprised and confused, yet she could not help smiling at the quiet archness of his manner, and after a moment's silence, said,"Oh, Edward! How can you?- But the time will come, I hope- I am sure you will like him." "I do not doubt it," replied he, rather astonished at her earnestness and warmth; for had he not imagined it to be a joke for the good of her acquaintance in general, founded only on a something or a nothing between Mr. Willoughby and herself, he would not have ventured to mention it.
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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promontories
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| n.岬，隆起，海角( promontory的名词复数 ) | |
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moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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jargon
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| n.术语，行话 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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detest
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| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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nettles
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| n.荨麻( nettle的名词复数 ) | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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censured
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| v.指责，非难，谴责( censure的过去式 ) | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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penetration
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| n.穿透，穿人，渗透 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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