Chapter30SIRWILLIAMstaidonlyaweekatHunsford;buthisvisitwaslongenoughtoconvincehimofhisdaughter'sbeingmostcomfortablysettled,andofherpossessingsuchahusbandandsuchaneighbouraswerenotoftenmetwith.WhileSirWilliamwaswiththem,Mr.Collinsdevotedhismorningstodrivinghimoutinhisgigandshewinghimthecountry;butwhenhewentaway,thewholefamilyreturnedtotheirusualemployments,andElizabethwasthankfultofindthattheydidnotseemoreofhercousinbythealteration,forthechiefofthetimebetweenbreakfastanddinnerwasnowpassedbyhimeitheratworkinthegarden,orinreadingandwriting,andlookingoutofwindowinhisownbookroom,whichfrontedtheroad.Theroominwhichtheladiessatwasbackwards.ElizabethatfirsthadratherwonderedthatCharlotteshouldnotpreferthediningparlourforcommonuse;itwasabettersizedroom,andhadapleasanteraspect;butshesoonsawthatherfriendhadanexcellentreasonforwhatshedid,forMr.Collinswouldundoubtedlyhavebeenmuchlessinhisownapartment,hadtheysatinoneequallylively;andshegaveCharlottecreditforthearrangement.Fromthedrawingroomtheycoulddistinguishnothinginthelane,andwereindebtedtoMr.Collinsfortheknowledgeofwhatcarriageswentalong,andhowoftenespeciallyMissDeBourghdrovebyinherphaeton,whichheneverfailedcomingtoinformthemof,thoughithappenedalmosteveryday.ShenotunfrequentlystoppedattheParsonage,andhadafewminutes'conversationwithCharlotte,butwasscarcelyeverprevailedontogetout.VeryfewdayspassedinwhichMr.CollinsdidnotwalktoRosings,andnotmanyinwhichhiswifedidnotthinkitnecessarytogolikewise;andtillElizabethrecollectedthattheremightbeotherfamilylivingstobedisposedof,shecouldnotunderstandthesacrificeofsomanyhours.Nowandthen,theywerehonouredwithacallfromherladyship,andnothingescapedherobservationthatwaspassingintheroomduringthesevisits.Sheexaminedintotheiremployments,lookedattheirwork,andadvisedthemtodoitdifferently;foundfaultwiththearrangementofthefurniture,ordetectedthehousemaidinnegligence;andifsheacceptedanyrefreshment,seemedtodoitonlyforthesakeoffindingoutthatMrs.Collins'sjointsofmeatweretoolargeforherfamily. Elizabethsoonperceivedthatthoughthisgreatladywasnotinthecommissionofthepeaceforthecounty,shewasamostactivemagistrateinherownparish,theminutestconcernsofwhichwerecarriedtoherbyMr.Collins;andwheneveranyofthecottagersweredisposedtobequarrelsome,discontentedortoopoor,shesalliedforthintothevillagetosettletheirdifferences,silencetheircomplaints,andscoldthemintoharmonyandplenty. TheentertainmentofdiningatRosingswasrepeatedabouttwiceaweek;and,allowingforthelossofSirWilliam,andtherebeingonlyonecardtableintheevening,everysuchentertainmentwasthecounterpartofthefirst.Theirotherengagementswerefew;asthestyleoflivingoftheneighbourhoodingeneralwasbeyondtheCollinses'reach.This,however,wasnoeviltoElizabeth,anduponthewholeshespenthertimecomfortablyenough;therewerehalfhoursofpleasantconversationwithCharlotte,andtheweatherwassofineforthetimeofyear,thatshehadoftengreatenjoymentoutofdoors.Herfavouritewalk,andwhereshefrequentlywentwhiletheotherswerecallingonLadyCatherine,wasalongtheopengrovewhichedgedthatsideofthepark,wheretherewasaniceshelteredpath,whichnooneseemedtovaluebutherself,andwhereshefeltbeyondthereachofLadyCatherine'scuriosity. 第三十章威廉爵士在汉斯福只待了一个星期，可是经过了这一次短短的拜访，他大可以为了：女儿嫁得极其称心如意，而且有了这样不可多得的丈夫和难能可贵的邻居。威谦爵士在这儿作客的时候，柯林斯先生总是每天上午同他乘着双轮马车，带他到郊野去漫游；他走了以后，家里又恢复了日常生活。伊丽莎白真要谢天谢地。因为这一次作客，跟她表兄柯林斯朝夕相见的次数并不多。原来他从吃早饭到吃午饭那一段时间里，不是在收拾花园，就是在自己那间面临着大路的书房里看书写字，凭窗远眺，而女客的起坐间又在后面那一间。伊丽莎白开头很奇怪：这里的餐厅比较大，地位光线也比较好，为什么夏绿蒂不愿意把餐厅兼作起居室？可是她立刻看出了她朋友所以要这样做，的确非常有理由，因为：假如女客也在一间同样舒适的起坐间里，那么柯林斯先生待在自己房间里的时间就要比较少了；她很赞赏夏绿蒂这样的按排。 她们从会客室里根本看不见外面大路的情形，幸亏每逢有什么车辆驶过，柯林斯先生总是要告诉她们；特别是德•包尔小姐常常乘着小马车驶过，差不多天天驶过，他没有哪一次不告诉她们的。小姐常在牧师的门前停下车来，跟夏绿蒂闲谈几分钟，可是主人从来不请她下车。 柯林斯先生差不多每天要到罗新斯去一趟，他的太太也是隔不了几天就要去一次。伊丽莎白总以为他们还有些别的应得的俸禄要去处理一下，否则她就不懂得为什么要牺牲那么多的时间。有时候夫人也会光临他们的住宅，来了以后就把屋子里无论什么事都看在眼里。她查问他们的日常生活，察看他们的家务，劝他们换个方式处置；又吹毛求疵地说，他们的家具摆得不对，或者是他们的佣人在偷懒；要是她肯在这里吃点东西，那好象只是为了要看看柯林斯太太是否持家节俭，不滥吃滥用。 伊丽莎白立刻就发觉，这位贵妇人虽然没有担任郡里的司法职使，可是事实上她等于是她自己这个教区里最积极的法官，一点点芝麻大的事都由柯林斯先生报告给她；只要哪一个穷苦人在吵架，闹意气，或是穷得活不下去，她问题亲自到村里去调解处理，镇压制服，又骂得他们一个个相安无事，不再叫苦叹穷。 罗新斯大约每星期要请她们吃一两次饭；尽管缺少了威廉爵士，而且只有一桌牌，不过每有一次这样的宴会，都依照第一次如法炮制。他们简直没有别的宴会，因为附近一般人家的那种生活派头，柯林斯还高攀不上。不过伊丽莎白并不觉得遗憾，因为她在这里大体上是过得够舒服了：经常和夏绿蒂作半个钟点的交谈，加上这个季节里又是天气睛朗，可以常常到户外去舒畅一下。别人去拜访咖苔琳夫人的时候，她总是爱到花园旁边那座小林子里去散散步，那儿有一条很美的绿荫小径，她觉得那地方只有她一人懂得欣赏，而且到了那儿，也就可以免得惹起咖苔琳夫人的好奇心。