Mr.Collins'sreturnintoHertfordshirewasnolongeramatterofpleasuretoMrs.Bennet.Onthecontrary,shewasasmuchdisposedtocomplainofitasherhusband. --ItwasverystrangethatheshouldcometoLongbourninsteadoftoLucasLodge;itwasalsoveryinconvenientandexceedinglytroublesome. --Shehatedhavingvisitorsinthehousewhileherhealthwassoindifferent,andloverswereofallpeoplethemostdisagreeable.SuchwerethegentlemurmursofMrs.Bennet,andtheygavewayonlytothegreaterdistressofMr.Bingley'scontinuedabsence. NeitherJanenorElizabethwerecomfortableonthissubject.DayafterdaypassedawaywithoutbringinganyothertidingsofhimthanthereportwhichshortlyprevailedinMerytonofhiscomingnomoretoNetherfieldthewholewinter;areportwhichhighlyincensedMrs.Bennet,andwhichsheneverfailedtocontradictasamostscandalousfalsehood. EvenElizabethbegantofear--notthatBingleywasindifferent--butthathissisterswouldbesuccessfulinkeepinghimaway.UnwillingasshewastoadmitanideasodestructiveofJane'shappiness,andsodishonourabletothestabilityofherlover,shecouldnotpreventitsfrequentlyrecurring.Theunitedeffortsofhistwounfeelingsistersandofhisoverpoweringfriend,assistedbytheattractionsofMissDarcyandtheamusementsofLondon,mightbetoomuch,shefeared,forthestrengthofhisattachment. AsforJane,heranxietyunderthissuspencewas,ofcourse,morepainfulthanElizabeth's;butwhatevershefeltshewasdesirousofconcealing,andbetweenherselfandElizabeth,therefore,thesubjectwasneveralludedto.Butasnosuchdelicacyrestrainedhermother,anhourseldompassedinwhichshedidnottalkofBingley,expressherimpatienceforhisarrival,orevenrequireJanetoconfessthatifhedidnotcomeback,sheshouldthinkherselfveryillused.ItneededallJane'ssteadymildnesstobeartheseattackswithtolerabletranquillity. Mr.CollinsreturnedmostpunctuallyontheMondayfortnight,buthisreceptionatLongbournwasnotquitesograciousasithadbeenonhisfirstintroduction.Hewastoohappy,however,toneedmuchattention;andluckilyfortheothers,thebusinessoflove-makingrelievedthemfromagreatdealofhiscompany.ThechiefofeverydaywasspentbyhimatLucasLodge,andhesometimesreturnedtoLongbournonlyintimetomakeanapologyforhisabsencebeforethefamilywenttobed. Mrs.Bennetwasreallyinamostpitiablestate.Theverymentionofanythingconcerningthematchthrewherintoanagonyofillhumour,andwherevershewentshewassureofhearingittalkedof.ThesightofMissLucaswasodioustoher.Ashersuccessorinthathouse,sheregardedherwithjealousabhorrence.WheneverCharlottecametoseethemsheconcludedhertobeanticipatingthehourofpossession;andwhenevershespokeinalowvoicetoMr.Collins,wasconvincedthattheyweretalkingoftheLongbournestate,andresolvingtoturnherselfandherdaughtersoutofthehouseassoonasMr.Bennetweredead.Shecomplainedbitterlyofallthistoherhusband. "Indeed,Mr.Bennet,"saidshe, "itisveryhardtothinkthatCharlotteLucasshouldeverbemistressofthishouse,thatIshouldbeforcedtomakewayforher,andlivetoseehertakemyplaceinit!" "Mydear,donotgivewaytosuchgloomythoughts.Letushopeforbetterthings.LetusflatterourselvesthatImaybethesurvivor." ThiswasnotveryconsolingtoMrs.Bennet,and,therefore,insteadofmakinganyanswer,shewentonasbefore, "Icannotbeartothinkthattheyshouldhaveallthisestate,IfitwasnotfortheentailIshouldnotmindit." "Whatshouldnotyoumind?" "Ishouldnotmindanythingatall." "Letusbethankfulthatyouarepreservedfromastateofsuchinsensibility." "Inevercanbethankful,Mr.Bennet,foranythingabouttheentail.Howanyonecouldhavetheconsciencetoentailawayanestatefromone'sowndaughtersIcannotunderstand;andallforthesakeofMr.Collinstoo! --Whyshouldhehaveitmorethananybodyelse?" "Ileaveittoyourselftodetermine,"saidMr.Bennet. 对班纳特太太说来，柯林斯先生的重返浪博恩，如今并不是什么叫人快意的事了。她反而跟她丈夫一样地大为抱怨。说也奇怪，柯林斯不去卢家庄，却要来到浪搏恩，这真是既不方便，又太麻烦。她现在正当健康失调，因此非常讨厌客人上门，何况这些痴情种子都是很讨厌的人。班纳特太太成天嘀咕着这些事，除非想到彬格莱一直不回来而使她感到更大的痛苦时，她方才住口。 吉英跟伊丽莎白都为这个问题大感不安。一天又一天，听不到一点关于他的消息，只听得麦里屯纷纷传言，说他今冬再也不会上尼日斐花园来了，班纳特太太听得非常生气，总是加以驳斥，说那是诬蔑性的谣言。 连伊丽莎白也开始恐惧起来了，她并不是怕彬格莱薄情，而是怕他的姐妹们真的绊住了他。尽管她不愿意有这种想法，因为这种想法对于吉英的幸福既有不利，对于吉英心上人的忠贞，也未免是一种侮辱，可是她还是往往禁不住要这样想。他那两位无情无义的姐妹，和那位足以制服他的朋友同心协力，再加上达西小姐的窈窕妩媚，以及伦敦的声色娱乐，纵使他果真对她念念不忘，恐怕也挣脱不了那个圈套。 至于吉英，她在这种动荡不安的情况下，自然比伊丽莎白更加感到焦虑，可是她总不愿意把自己的心事暴露出来，所以她和伊丽莎白一直没有提到这件事。偏偏她母亲不能体贴她的苦衷，过不了一个钟头就要提到彬格莱，说是等待他回来实在等待心焦，甚至硬要吉英承认──要是彬格莱果真不回来，那她一定会觉得自己受了薄情的亏待。幸亏吉英临事从容不迫，柔和镇定，好容易才忍受了她这些谗言诽语。 柯林斯先生在两个礼拜以后的星期一准时到达，可是浪搏恩却不象他初来时那样热烈地欢迎他了。他实在高兴不过也用不着别人献殷勤。这真是主人家走运，多亏他恋爱成了功，这才使别人能够清闲下来，不必再去跟他周旋。他每天把大部分时间消磨在卢家庄，一直挨到卢府上快要睡觉的时候，才回到浪搏恩来，向大家道歉一声，请大家原谅他终日未归。 班纳特太太着实可怜。只要一提到那门亲事，她就会不高兴，而且随便她走到那儿，她总会听到人们谈起这件事。她一看到卢卡斯小姐就觉得讨厌。一想到卢卡斯小姐将来有一天会接替她做这幢屋子里的主妇，她就益发嫉妒和厌恶。每逢夏绿蒂来看她们，她总以为人家是来考察情况，看看还要过多少时候就可以搬进来住；每逢夏绿蒂跟柯林斯先生低声说话的时候，她就以为他们是在谈论浪搏恩的家产，是在计议一俟班纳特先生去世以后，就要把她和她的几个女儿撵出去。她把这些伤心事都说给她丈夫听。 她说：“我的好老爷，夏绿蒂·卢卡斯迟早要做这屋子里的主妇，我却非得让她不可，眼睁睁看着她来接替我的位置，这可叫我受不了！” “我的好太太，别去想这些伤心事吧。我们不妨从好的方面去想。说不定我比你的寿命还要长，我们姑且就这样来安慰自己吧。” 可是这些话安慰不了班纳特太太，因此她非但没有回答，反而象刚才一样地诉苦下去。 “我一想到所有的产业都得落到他们手里，就受不了。要不是为了继承权的问题，我才不在乎呢。” “你不在乎什么？” “什么我都不在乎。” “让我们谢天谢地，你头脑还没有不清楚到这种地步。” “我的好老爷，凡是有关继承权的事，我决不会谢天谢地的。随便哪个人，怎么肯昧着良心，不把财产遗传给自己的女儿们？我真弄不懂，何况一切都是为了柯林斯先生的缘故！为什么偏偏要他享有这份遗产？” “我让你自己去想吧。”班纳特先生说。