A few days after this visit, Mr. Bingley called again, and alone. His friend had left him that morning for London, but was to return home in ten days time. He sat with them above an hour, and was in remarkably1 good spirits. Mrs. Bennet invited him to dine with them; but, with many expressions of concern, he confessed himself engaged elsewhere.
"Next time you call," said she, "I hope we shall be more lucky."
He should be particularly happy at any time, etc. etc.; and if she would give him leave, would take an early opportunity of waiting on them.
"Can you come to-morrow?"
Yes, he had no engagement at all for to-morrow; and her invitation was accepted with alacrity2.
He came, and in such very good time that the ladies were none of them dressed. In ran Mrs. Bennet to her daughter's room, in her dressing3 gown, and with her hair half finished, crying out:
"My dear Jane, make haste and hurry down. He is come—Mr. Bingley is come. He is, indeed. Make haste, make haste. Here, Sarah, come to Miss Bennet this moment, and help her on with her gown. Never mind Miss Lizzy's hair."
"We will be down as soon as we can," said Jane; "but I dare say Kitty is forwarder than either of us, for she went up stairs half an hour ago."
"Oh! hang Kitty! what has she to do with it? Come be quick, be quick! Where is your sash, my dear?"
But when her mother was gone, Jane would not be prevailed on to go down without one of her sisters.
The same anxiety to get them by themselves was visible again in the evening. After tea, Mr. Bennet retired4 to the library, as was his custom, and Mary went up stairs to her instrument. Two obstacles of the five being thus removed, Mrs. Bennet sat looking and winking5 at Elizabeth and Catherine for a considerable time, without making any impression on them. Elizabeth would not observe her; and when at last Kitty did, she very innocently said, "What is the matter mamma? What do you keep winking at me for? What am I to do?"
"Nothing child, nothing. I did not wink4 at you." She then sat still five minutes longer; but unable to waste such a precious occasion, she suddenly got up, and saying to Kitty, "Come here, my love, I want to speak to you," took her out of the room. Jane instantly gave a look at Elizabeth which spoke7 her distress6 at such premeditation, and her entreaty7 that she would not give in to it. In a few minutes, Mrs. Bennet half-opened the door and called out:
"Lizzy, my dear, I want to speak with you."
Elizabeth was forced to go.
"We may as well leave them by themselves you know;" said her mother, as soon as she was in the hall. "Kitty and I are going up stairs to sit in my dressing-room."
Elizabeth made no attempt to reason with her mother, but remained quietly in the hall, till she and Kitty were out of sight, then returned into the drawing-room.
Mrs. Bennet's schemes for this day were ineffectual. Bingley was every thing that was charming, except the professed8 lover of her daughter. His ease and cheerfulness rendered him a most agreeable addition to their evening party; and he bore with the ill-judged officiousness of the mother, and heard all her silly remarks with a forbearance and command of countenance9 particularly grateful to the daughter.
He scarcely needed an invitation to stay supper; and before he went away, an engagement was formed, chiefly through his own and Mrs. Bennet's means, for his coming next morning to shoot with her husband.
After this day, Jane said no more of her indifference10. Not a word passed between the sisters concerning Bingley; but Elizabeth went to bed in the happy belief that all must speedily be concluded, unless Mr. Darcy returned within the stated time. Seriously, however, she felt tolerably persuaded that all this must have taken place with that gentleman's concurrence11.
Bingley was punctual to his appointment; and he and Mr. Bennet spent the morning together, as had been agreed on. The latter was much more agreeable than his companion expected. There was nothing of presumption12 or folly13 in Bingley that could provoke his ridicule14, or disgust him into silence; and he was more communicative, and less eccentric, than the other had ever seen him. Bingley of course returned with him to dinner; and in the evening Mrs. Bennet's invention was again at work to get every body away from him and her daughter. Elizabeth, who had a letter to write, went into the breakfast room for that purpose soon after tea; for as the others were all going to sit down to cards, she could not be wanted to counteract15 her mother's schemes.
But on returning to the drawing-room, when her letter was finished, she saw, to her infinite surprise, there was reason to fear that her mother had been too ingenious for her. On opening the door, she perceived her sister and Bingley standing16 together over the hearth17, as if engaged in earnest conversation; and had this led to no suspicion, the faces of both, as they hastily turned round and moved away from each other, would have told it all. Their situation was awkward enough; but hers she thought was still worse. Not a syllable18 was uttered by either; and Elizabeth was on the point of going away again, when Bingley, who as well as the other had sat down, suddenly rose, and whispering a few words to her sister, ran out of the room.
Jane could have no reserves from Elizabeth, where confidence would give pleasure; and instantly embracing her, acknowledged, with the liveliest emotion, that she was the happiest creature in the world.
"'Tis too much!" she added, "by far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh! why is not everybody as happy?"
Elizabeth's congratulations were given with a sincerity19, a warmth, a delight, which words could but poorly express. Every sentence of kindness was a fresh source of happiness to Jane. But she would not allow herself to stay with her sister, or say half that remained to be said for the present.
"I must go instantly to my mother;" she cried. "I would not on any account trifle with her affectionate solicitude20; or allow her to hear it from anyone but myself. He is gone to my father already. Oh! Lizzy, to know that what I have to relate will give such pleasure to all my dear family! how shall I bear so much happiness!"
She then hastened away to her mother, who had purposely broken up the card party, and was sitting up stairs with Kitty.
Elizabeth, who was left by herself, now smiled at the rapidity and ease with which an affair was finally settled, that had given them so many previous months of suspense21 and vexation.
"And this," said she, "is the end of all his friend's anxious circumspection23! of all his sister's falsehood and contrivance! the happiest, wisest, most reasonable end!"
In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley, whose conference with her father had been short and to the purpose.
"Where is your sister?" said he hastily, as he opened the door.
"With my mother up stairs. She will be down in a moment, I dare say."
He then shut the door, and, coming up to her, claimed the good wishes and affection of a sister. Elizabeth honestly and heartily24 expressed her delight in the prospect25 of their relationship. They shook hands with great cordiality; and then, till her sister came down, she had to listen to all he had to say of his own happiness, and of Jane's perfections; and in spite of his being a lover, Elizabeth really believed all his expectations of felicity to be rationally founded, because they had for basis the excellent understanding, and super-excellent disposition26 of Jane, and a general similarity of feeling and taste between her and himself.
It was an evening of no common delight to them all; the satisfaction of Miss Bennet's mind gave a glow of such sweet animation27 to her face, as made her look handsomer than ever. Kitty simpered and smiled, and hoped her turn was coming soon. Mrs. Bennet could not give her consent or speak her approbation28 in terms warm enough to satisfy her feelings, though she talked to Bingley of nothing else for half an hour; and when Mr. Bennet joined them at supper, his voice and manner plainly showed how really happy he was.
Not a word, however, passed his lips in allusion29 to it, till their visitor took his leave for the night; but as soon as he was gone, he turned to his daughter, and said:
"Jane, I congratulate you. You will be a very happy woman."
Jane went to him instantly, kissed him, and thanked him for his goodness.
"You are a good girl;" he replied, "and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income."
"I hope not so. Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in me."
"Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet," cried his wife, "what are you talking of? Why, he has four or five thousand a year, and very likely more." Then addressing her daughter, "Oh! my dear, dear Jane, I am so happy! I am sure I shan't get a wink of sleep all night. I knew how it would be. I always said it must be so, at last. I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing! I remember, as soon as ever I saw him, when he first came into Hertfordshire last year, I thought how likely it was that you should come together. Oh! he is the handsomest young man that ever was seen!"
Wickham, Lydia, were all forgotten. Jane was beyond competition her favourite child. At that moment, she cared for no other. Her younger sisters soon began to make interest with her for objects of happiness which she might in future be able to dispense30.
Mary petitioned for the use of the library at Netherfield; and Kitty begged very hard for a few balls there every winter.
Bingley, from this time, was of course a daily visitor at Longbourn; coming frequently before breakfast, and always remaining till after supper; unless when some barbarous neighbour, who could not be enough detested31, had given him an invitation to dinner which he thought himself obliged to accept.
Elizabeth had now but little time for conversation with her sister; for while he was present, Jane had no attention to bestow34 on anyone else; but she found herself considerably32 useful to both of them in those hours of separation that must sometimes occur. In the absence of Jane, he always attached himself to Elizabeth, for the pleasure of talking of her; and when Bingley was gone, Jane constantly sought the same means of relief.
"He has made me so happy," said she, one evening, "by telling me that he was totally ignorant of my being in town last spring! I had not believed it possible."
"I suspected as much," replied Elizabeth. "But how did he account for it?"
"It must have been his sister's doing. They were certainly no friends to his acquaintance with me, which I cannot wonder at, since he might have chosen so much more advantageously in many respects. But when they see, as I trust they will, that their brother is happy with me, they will learn to be contented33, and we shall be on good terms again; though we can never be what we once were to each other."
"That is the most unforgiving speech," said Elizabeth, "that I ever heard you utter. Good girl! It would vex22 me, indeed, to see you again the dupe of Miss Bingley's pretended regard."
"Would you believe it, Lizzy, that when he went to town last November, he really loved me, and nothing but a persuasion34 of my being indifferent would have prevented his coming down again!"
"He made a little mistake to be sure; but it is to the credit of his modesty35."
This naturally introduced a panegyric36 from Jane on his diffidence, and the little value he put on his own good qualities. Elizabeth was pleased to find that he had not betrayed the interference of his friend; for, though Jane had the most generous and forgiving heart in the world, she knew it was a circumstance which must prejudice her against him.
"I am certainly the most fortunate creature that ever existed!" cried Jane. "Oh! Lizzy, why am I thus singled from my family, and blessed above them all! If I could but see you as happy! If there were but such another man for you!"
"If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness. No, no, let me shift for myself; and, perhaps, if I have very good luck, I may meet with another Mr. Collins in time."
The situation of affairs in the Longbourn family could not be long a secret. Mrs. Bennet was privileged to whisper it to Mrs. Phillips, and she ventured, without any permission, to do the same by all her neighbours in Meryton.
The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world, though only a few weeks before, when Lydia had first run away, they had been generally proved to be marked out for misfortune.
没过几天，彬格莱先生自己又来了，达西先生早上去了伦敦，不出十天就会回来。彬格莱先生显得很高兴，坐了一个多小时，但是很抱歉地谢绝了班纳特太太的挽留，说是已经和别人约好了。
班纳特太太只能说：“希望我们下次能够幸运点儿。”
如果她不赶彬格莱先生离开，他任何时候都会很高兴地一有机会就来拜访她们。
“您明天可以来吗？”班纳特太太问。
彬格莱先生明天没有约会，所以班纳特太太的邀请就被很爽快地答应了。
女士们都还没有打扮好的时候，他就来了。班纳特太太穿着睡袍，头发才梳好一半，就跑到女儿们的房间，大喊道：“亲爱的吉英，快点儿下去，彬格莱先生真的来了！快点儿，快点儿。莎蕾，别在意丽萃的头发了，快点儿帮班纳特小姐穿好衣服！”
吉英说：“马上就好，但是我敢说，吉蒂比我们都快，她半小时前就上楼了。”
“没有吉蒂什么事，快点儿，你的肩带呢？”班纳特太太说。
但是，当母亲离开后，吉英非让一个妹妹陪她下去。
傍晚，班纳特太太很显然又再次替吉英感到焦虑。喝过茶，班纳特先生像往常一样回到了书房，曼丽到楼上弹奏去了。五个障碍离开了两个，班纳特太太又对伊丽莎白和吉蒂使眼色。伊丽莎白没有注意到，最后吉蒂看见了，她天真地说：“妈妈，您怎么了，老是对我眨眼做什么，想让我做什么？”
“没什么，没什么。我没对你眨眼。” 班纳特太太坐了五分钟后，实在不想浪费这机会，就突然站起来对吉蒂说：“过来，我想和你说句话。”把她带出了屋子。吉英立刻看向伊丽莎白，示意她不要这样做。
但是，过了一会儿，班纳特太太开了一半门叫道：“丽萃，我想和你说话！”
伊丽莎白被迫离开了。
“让他们自己待在那儿吧，吉蒂和我到楼上去。”班纳特太太说。
伊丽莎白不想和班纳特太太讲理，就安静地待在大厅那儿，直到看不到她们，又回到了客厅。
班纳特太太今天的心机白费了，彬格莱先生没有求婚。尽管她乱献殷勤，但彬格莱先生都忍受着，耐心地听着她那些蠢话，这让她的女儿充满了感激。他几乎没用邀请就在这里吃了晚饭，顺着自己和班纳特太太的意愿，就约定明天早上过来和她丈夫一起去打猎。从这一天，吉英就不再说她不关心他了。她们姐妹也没再谈起彬格莱先生。伊丽莎白觉得，这一切是经过达西先生准许的。第二天早上，彬格莱先生按照约定准时来了，和班纳特先生待了一上午。班纳特先生也不再那么古怪嘲弄，变得亲善起来，他们一起回来吃的午饭。晚上，班纳特太太让所有人都离开了，只留下彬格莱先生和吉英。伊丽莎白有封信要写，就回房间去了。其他人去打牌。等她写完信，一到客厅就不由得惊讶起来，母亲果然比她有心计。她姐姐正和彬格莱先生在壁炉前火热地聊着天，这本来没什么，可是看到他们立刻分开、慌慌张张地转过身去，伊丽莎白就明白了。双方都感到很尴尬，伊丽莎白正要走开，刚和吉英一样坐了下来的彬格莱先生却忽然站了起来，和她姐姐轻轻说了几句话，就离开了。
吉英只要有高兴的事就不会瞒着伊丽莎白，于是她立刻抱着妹妹，高兴地宣布自己是世上最幸福的人：“我真是太幸福了，我真不配得到它，为什么不能让所有人都这么高兴呢？”
实在是笔墨难以形容，伊丽莎白真情地、诚挚地祝贺吉英。她每说一句，吉英就感觉多一分幸福。
吉英说到一半就不说了：“我得马上把这件事亲口告诉母亲，感谢她深情的用心。他已经去告诉父亲了。丽萃...
丽萃，家里人听到这件事会是多么高兴，我怎么能承受得了这样的幸福啊！”吉英连忙跑去告诉母亲，母亲已经特意散了牌场，和吉蒂等在楼上。
伊丽莎白一个人待在那里，很高兴这么快就顺利地解决了这件全家人都烦心的事。她想：“这就是他朋友用心良苦的结果，是他妹妹错误算计的结果!真是最幸福、最明智、最合理的结果！”
不一会儿，彬格莱先生就回来了，他和她父亲说得直截了当。
彬格莱先生一打开门，就急忙地问道：“你姐姐呢？”
“在楼上母亲那里。我敢说她很快就下来。”伊丽莎白回答。
彬格莱先生接受了伊丽莎白的祝福，诉说自己的幸福和吉英的十全十美。这一晚大家都很高兴，吉英因为高兴，比平时更漂亮了，吉蒂一心希望能够轮到自己。班纳特太太和彬格莱先生聊了半个多小时，想把满心的赞美和高兴都表达出来；班纳特先生和大家吃夜宵时，通过他的言语也可以看出来很快活。等客人一走，他就对吉英说道：“恭喜你，吉英，你会是一个幸福的人。很高兴你能这么幸福地安定下来。你们的性格一点儿也不会不同，你们迁就别人，对什么事都主意不定；你们太随和，这样用人会欺骗你们；你们又太慷慨，这样会让你们超支。”
“希望不会，在金钱上的草率和大意是不可原谅的。”吉英说。
班纳特太太叫道：“超支，您在说什么？他每年有四五千英镑收入，可能还不止呢。吉英，我太高兴了，我今晚别想睡觉了！他去年来的时候，我就觉得你们会是一对儿。他是我见过的最英俊的人了！”
班纳特完全忘记了韦翰先生和丽迪雅，吉英现在成了她最喜爱的孩子，谁也赶不上。妹妹们围绕着吉英，讨要将来的好处，曼丽想用尼日斐花园的书房，吉蒂强烈要求每年冬天在那里开几次舞会。
从那以后，彬格莱先生就成了这儿每天都来的常客。他每天还没吃早饭就赶了过来，一直待到吃完夜宵才走，除了要去应付讨厌的不得不去的邻居的邀请。伊丽莎白都没有机会和姐姐聊天，但是，吉英不在的时候，或者彬格莱先生回去了，他们中总有一个会来找伊丽莎白聊天。有天晚上，吉英说：“他说他完全不知道我今年春天也在伦敦，我本来以为不太可能。”
伊丽莎白说道：“我也很疑惑，他是怎么解释的啊？”
“肯定是他的姐妹干的，她们肯定不喜欢我和他相见，我一点儿都不奇怪，因为他能找到条件更好的。总有一天她们会回心转意的，我们还会和气相处，不过再也不能像以前那么好了。”吉英说。
伊丽莎白说：“这是我听到的你的最不宽容的话了，真是好姑娘。一想到你又要受彬格莱小姐的欺骗，我就很恼怒。”
“丽萃，请你相信，去年十一月他去伦敦的时候确实是爱我的，只是因为听说我不喜欢他，才没有再来过。”吉英说。
伊丽莎白说：“他实在是有些过错，不过，这都怪他太谦逊了。”
伊丽莎白很高兴，彬格莱先生并没有把达西先生阻拦的事说出来。虽然姐姐很宽容，但这毕竟会让她对达西先生有意见的。
吉英大声叫道：“我是最幸运的人，丽萃，为什么我会是家里最幸福的人呢？希望有另一个这么好的人给你同样的幸福！”
“即使给我四十个这样的人，我也不会像你这么幸福。除非我像你有这么好的性情，这么善良，否则永远不会像你这样。如果运气好，也许我会遇到另一位柯林斯先生。”伊丽莎白说。
浪博恩家里的事情不会隐藏太久，班纳特太太悄悄地告诉了菲利普太太，菲利普太太又告诉了麦里屯的邻居们。尽管几个星期前丽迪雅私奔的时候，大家都认为她们家很不幸，但现在她们家立刻成了世界上最幸运的家庭。
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remarkably
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alacrity
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dressing
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wink
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winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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distress
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entreaty
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professed
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countenance
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indifference
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concurrence
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presumption
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folly
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ridicule
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counteract
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standing
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hearth
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syllable
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sincerity
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solicitude
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suspense
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vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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circumspection
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| n.细心，慎重 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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panegyric
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| n.颂词，颂扬 | |
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