第 2 章
班納特先生儘管在自己太太面前自始至終都說是不想去拜訪彬格萊先生，事實上一直都打算去拜訪他，而且還是跟第一批人一起去拜訪他的。等到他去拜訪過以後，當天晚上太太才知道實情。這消息透露出來的經過是這樣的――他看到第二個女兒在裝飾帽子，就突然對她說：
”我希望彬格萊先生會喜歡你這頂帽子，麗萃。”
她母親氣憤憤地說：”我們既然不預備去看彬格萊先生，當然就無從知道他喜歡什麼。”
”可是你忘啦，媽媽，”伊莉莎白說，”我們將來可以在跳舞會上碰到他的，郎格太太不是答應過把他介紹給我們嗎？”
”我不相信郎格太太肯這麼做。她自己有兩個親侄女。她是個自私自利、假仁假義的女人，我瞧不起她。”
”我也瞧不起她，”班納特先生說；”你倒不指望她來替你效勞，這叫我聽到高興。”
班納特太太沒有理睬他，可是忍不住氣，便罵起女兒來。
”別那麼咳個不停，吉蒂，看老天爺份上吧！稍許體諒一下我的神經吧。你簡直叫我的神經要脹裂啦。”
”吉蒂真不知趣，”她的父親說；”咳嗽也不知道揀個時候。”
”我又不是故意咳著玩兒。”吉蒂氣惱地回答道。
”你們的跳舞會定在那一天開，麗萃？”
”從明天算起，還得再過兩個星期。”
”唔，原來如此，”她的母親嚷道，”郎格太太可要挨到開跳舞會的前一天才能趕回來；那麼，她可來不及把他介紹給你們啦，她自己也還不認識他呢。”
”那麼，好太太，你正可以占你朋友的上風，反過來替她介紹這位貴人啦。”
”辦不到，我的好老爺，辦不到，我自己還不認識他呢；你怎麼可以這樣嘲笑人？”
”我真佩服你想得這般周到。兩個星期的認識當然談不上什麼。跟一個人相處了兩個星期，不可能就此瞭解他究竟是怎樣一個人。不過，要是我們不去嘗試嘗試，別人可少不了要嘗試的。話說到底，郎格太太和她的侄女一定不肯錯過這個良機。因此，要是你不願意辦這件事，我自己來辦好了，反正她會覺得這是我們對她的一片好意。”
女兒們都對父親瞪著眼。班納特太太只隨口說了聲：”毫無意思！”
”你怎麼這樣大驚小怪！”他嚷道。”你以為替人家效點兒勞介紹是毫無意思的事嗎？你這樣的說法我可不大同意。你說呢，曼麗？我知道你是個有獨到見解的少女，讀的書都是皇皇巨著，而且還要做劄記。”
曼麗想說幾句有見識的話可又不知道怎麼說才好。
於是班納特先生接下去說：”讓曼麗仔細想一想再發表意見吧，我們還是重新來談談彬格萊先生。”
”我就討厭談彬格萊先生，”他的太太嚷起來了。
”遺憾得很，你竟會跟我說這種話；你怎麼不早說呢？要是今天上午聽到你這樣說，那我當然不會去拜訪他啦。這真叫不湊巧。現在既然拜訪也拜訪過了，我們今後就少不了要結交這個朋友。”
果然不出他所料，娘兒們一聽此說，一個個都大這驚異，尤其是班納特太太，比誰都驚異得厲害；不過，這樣歡天喜地地喧嚷了一陣以後，她便當眾宣佈，說這件事她早就料到的。
”你真是個好心腸的人，我的好老爺！我早就知道你終究會給我說服的。你既然疼愛自己的女兒，當然就不會把這樣一個朋友不放在心上。我真太高興了！你這個玩笑開得真太有意思，誰想到你竟會今天上午去拜訪他，而且到現在一字不提。”
”吉蒂，現在你可以放心大膽地咳嗽啦，”班納特先生一面說，一面走出房間，原來他看到太太那樣得意忘形，不免覺得有些厭惡。門一關上，班納特太太便對她的幾個女兒說”孩子們，你們的爸爸真太好了，我不知道你們怎樣才能報答他的恩典；再說，你們還應該好好報答我一番呢。老實跟你們說吧，我們老夫妻活到這麼一把年紀了，哪兒有興致天天去交朋結友；可是為了你們，我們隨便什麼事都樂意去做。麗迪雅，乖寶貝，雖然你年紀最小，開起跳舞會來，彬格萊先生或許就偏偏要跟你跳呢。”
”噢！”麗迪雅滿不在乎地說。
”我才不當它一回事。年紀雖然是我最小，個兒算我頂高。”
於是她們一方面猜測那位貴人什麼時候會來回拜班納特先生，一方面盤算著什麼時候請他來吃飯，就這樣把一個晚上的工夫在閒談中度過去了。
Chapter 2
Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the last always assuring his wife that he should not go; and till the evening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it. It was then disclosed in the following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with:
“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy.”
“We are not in a way to know WHAT Mr. Bingley likes,” said her mother resentfully, “since we are not to visit.”
“But you forget, mamma,” said Elizabeth, “that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long promised to introduce him.”
“I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.”
“No more have I,” said Mr. Bennet; “and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.”
Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.
“Don’t keep coughing so, Kitty, for Heaven’s sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces.”
“Kitty has no discretion in her coughs,” said her father; “she times them ill.”
“I do not cough for my own amusement,” replied Kitty fretfully. “When is your next ball to be, Lizzy?”
“To-morrow fortnight.”
“Aye, so it is,” cried her mother, “and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself.”
“Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Bingley to HER.”
“Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; how can you be so teasing?”
“I honour your circumspection. A fortnight’s acquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight. But if WE do not venture somebody else will; and after all, Mrs. Long and her daughters must stand their chance; and, therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, I will take it on myself.”
The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, “Nonsense, nonsense!”
“What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?” cried he. “Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you THERE. What say you, Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books and make extracts.”
Mary wished to say something sensible, but knew not how.
“While Mary is adjusting her ideas,” he continued, “let us return to Mr. Bingley.”
“I am sick of Mr. Bingley,” cried his wife.
“I am sorry to hear THAT; but why did not you tell me that before? If I had known as much this morning I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”
The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though, when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while.
“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning and never said a word about it till now.”
“Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose,” said Mr. Bennet; and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife.
“What an excellent father you have, girls!” said she, when the door was shut. “I do not know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness; or me, either, for that matter.
