Ashewastobeginhisjourneytooearlyonthemorrowtoseeanyofthefamily,theceremonyofleave-takingwasperformedwhentheladiesmovedforthenight;andMrs.Bennet,withgreatpolitenessandcordiality,saidhowhappytheyshouldbetoseehimatLongbournagain,wheneverhisotherengagementsmightallowhimtovisitthem. "MydearMadam,"hereplied, "thisinvitationisparticularlygratifying,becauseitiswhatIhavebeenhopingtoreceive;andyoumaybeverycertainthatIshallavailmyselfofitassoonaspossible." Theywereallastonished;andMr.Bennet,whocouldbynomeanswishforsospeedyareturn,immediatelysaid, "ButistherenotdangerofLadyCatherine'sdisapprobationhere,mygoodsir? --Youhadbetterneglectyourrelations,thanruntheriskofoffendingyourpatroness." "Mydearsir,"repliedMr.Collins, "Iamparticularlyobligedtoyouforthisfriendlycaution,andyoumaydependuponmynottakingsomaterialastepwithoutherladyship'sconcurrence." "Youcannotbetoomuchonyourguard.Riskanythingratherthanherdispleasure;andifyoufinditlikelytoberaisedbyyourcomingtousagain,whichIshouldthinkexceedinglyprobable,stayquietlyathome,andbesatisfiedthatweshalltakenooffence." "Believeme,mydearsir,mygratitudeiswarmlyexcitedbysuchaffectionateattention;anddependuponit,youwillspeedilyreceivefrommealetterofthanksforthis,aswellasforeveryothermarkofyourregardduringmystayinHertfordshire.Asformyfaircousins,thoughmyabsencemaynotbelongenoughtorenderitnecessary,Ishallnowtakethelibertyofwishingthemhealthandhappiness,notexceptingmycousinElizabeth." Withpropercivilitiestheladiesthenwithdrew;allofthemequallysurprisedtofindthathemeditatedaquickreturn.Mrs.Bennetwishedtounderstandbyitthathethoughtofpayinghisaddressestooneofheryoungergirls,andMarymighthavebeenprevailedontoaccepthim.Sheratedhisabilitiesmuchhigherthananyoftheothers;therewasasolidityinhisreflectionswhichoftenstruckher,andthoughbynomeanssocleverasherself,shethoughtthatifencouragedtoreadandimprovehimselfbysuchanexampleasher's,hemightbecomeaveryagreeablecompanion.Butonthefollowingmorning,everyhopeofthiskindwasdoneaway.MissLucascalledsoonafterbreakfast,andinaprivateconferencewithElizabethrelatedtheeventofthedaybefore. ThepossibilityofMr.Collins'sfancyinghimselfinlovewithherfriendhadonceoccurredtoElizabethwithinthelastdayortwo;butthatCharlottecouldencouragehim,seemedalmostasfarfrompossibilityasthatshecouldencouragehimherself,andherastonishmentwasconsequentlysogreatastoovercomeatfirsttheboundsofdecorum,andshecouldnothelpcryingout, "EngagedtoMr.Collins!mydearCharlotte, --impossible!" ThesteadycountenancewhichMissLucashadcommandedintellingherstory,gavewaytoamomentaryconfusionhereonreceivingsodirectareproach;though,asitwasnomorethansheexpected,shesoonregainedhercomposure,andcalmlyreplied, "Whyshouldyoubesurprised,mydearEliza? --DoyouthinkitincrediblethatMr.Collinsshouldbeabletoprocureanywoman'sgoodopinion,becausehewasnotsohappyastosucceedwithyou?" ButElizabethhadnowrecollectedherself,andmakingastrongeffortforit,wasabletoassureherwithtolerablefirmnessthattheprospectoftheirrelationshipwashighlygratefultoher,andthatshewishedherallimaginablehappiness. "Iseewhatyouarefeeling,"repliedCharlotte, -- "youmustbesurprised,verymuchsurprised, --solatelyasMr.Collinswaswishingtomarryyou.Butwhenyouhavehadtimetothinkitallover,IhopeyouwillbesatisfiedwithwhatIhavedone.Iamnotromantic,youknow.Ineverwas.Iaskonlyacomfortablehome;andconsideringMr.Collins'scharacter,connections,andsituationinlife,Iamconvincedthatmychanceofhappinesswithhimisasfairasmostpeoplecanboastonenteringthemarriagestate." Elizabethquietlyanswered"Undoubtedly;" --andafteranawkwardpause,theyreturnedtotherestofthefamily.Charlottedidnotstaymuchlonger,andElizabethwasthenlefttoreflectonwhatshehadheard.Itwasalongtimebeforeshebecameatallreconciledtotheideaofsounsuitableamatch.ThestrangenessofMr.Collins'smakingtwooffersofmarriagewithinthreedays,wasnothingincomparisonofhisbeingnowaccepted.ShehadalwaysfeltthatCharlotte'sopinionofmatrimonywasnotexactlylikeherown,butshecouldnothavesupposeditpossiblethat,whencalledintoaction,shewouldhavesacrificedeverybetterfeelingtoworldlyadvantage.CharlottethewifeofMr.Collins,wasamosthumiliatingpicture! --Andtothepangofafrienddisgracingherselfandsunkinheresteem,wasaddedthedistressingconvictionthatitwasimpossibleforthatfriendtobetolerablyhappyinthelotshehadchosen. 他明天一大早就要启程，来不及向大家辞行，所以当夜太太小姐们就寝的时候，大家便相互话别；班纳特太太极其诚恳、极有礼貌地说，以后他要是有便再来浪博恩，上她们那儿去玩玩，那真叫她们太高兴了。 他回答道：“亲爱的太太，承蒙邀约，不胜感激，我也正希望能领受这份盛意；请你放心，我一有空就来看你们。” 大家都吃了一惊，尤其是班纳特先生，根本不希望他马上回来，便连忙说道： “贤侄，你不怕珈苔琳夫人不赞成吗？你最好把亲戚关系看得淡一些，免得担那么大的风险，得罪了你的女施主。” 柯林斯先生回答道：“老长辈，我非常感激你这样好心地提醒我，请你放心，这样重大的事，不得到她老人家的同意，我决不会冒昧从事。” “多小心一些只会有益处。什么事都不要紧，可千万不能叫她老人家不高兴。要是你想到我们这儿来，而她却不高兴让你来（我觉得这是非常可能的），那么就请你安分一些，待在家里，你放心，我们决不会因此而见怪的。” “老长辈，请相信我，蒙你这样好心地关注，真叫我感激不尽。你放心好了，你马上就会收到我一封谢函，感谢这一点，感谢我在哈福郡蒙你们对我的种种照拂。至于诸位表妹，虽然我去不了多少日子，且请恕我冒昧，就趁着现在祝她们健康幸福，连伊丽莎白表妹也不例外。” 太太小姐们便行礼如仪，辞别回房；大家听说他竟打算很快就回来，都感到惊讶。班纳特太太满以为他是打算向她的哪一个小女儿求婚，也许能劝劝曼丽去应承他。曼丽比任何姐妹都看重他的能力。他思想方面的坚定很叫她倾心；他虽然比不上她自己那样聪明，可是只要有一个象她这样的人作为榜样，鼓励他读书上进，那他一定会成为一个称心如意的伴侣。只可惜一到第二天早上，这种希望就完全破灭了。卢卡斯小姐刚一吃过早饭，就来访问，私下跟伊丽莎白把前一天的事说了出来。 早在前一两天，伊丽莎白就一度想到，柯林斯先生可能一厢情愿，自以为爱上了她这位朋友，可是，要说夏绿蒂会怂恿他，那未免太不可能，正如她自己不可能怂恿他一样，因此她现在听到这件事，不禁大为惊讶，连礼貌也不顾了，竟大声叫了起来： “跟柯林斯先生订婚！亲爱的夏绿蒂，那怎么行！” 卢卡斯小姐乍听得这一声心直口快的责备，镇静的脸色不禁变得慌张起来，好在这也是她意料中事，因此她立刻就恢复了常态，从容不迫地说： “你为什么这样惊奇，亲爱的伊丽莎？柯林斯先生不幸没有得到你的赏识，难道就不作兴他得到别的女人的赏识吗？” 伊丽莎白这时候已经镇定下来，便竭力克制着自己，用相当肯定的语气预祝他们俩将来良缘美满，幸福无疆。 夏绿蒂回答道：“我明白你的心思，你一定会感到奇怪，而且感到非常奇怪，因为在不久以前，柯林斯先生还在想跟你结婚。可是，只要你空下来把这事情细细地想一下，你就会赞成我的做法。你知道我不是个罗曼谛克的人，我决不是那样的人。我只希望有一个舒舒服服的家。论柯林斯先生的性格、社会关系和身份地位，我觉得跟他结了婚，也能够获得幸福，并不下于一般人结婚时所夸耀的那种幸福。” 伊丽莎白心平气和地回答道：“毫无问题。”她们俩别别扭扭地在一起待了一会儿，便和家人一块坐下。夏绿蒂没有过多久就走了；伊丽莎白独自把刚才听到的那些话仔细想了一下。这样不合适的一门亲事，真使她难受了好久。说起柯林斯先生三天之内求了两次婚，本就够稀奇了，如今竟会有人应承他，实在是更稀奇。她一向觉得，夏绿蒂关于婚姻问题方面的见解，跟她颇不一致，却不曾料想到一旦事到临头，她竟会完全不顾高尚的情操，来屈就一些世俗的利益。夏绿蒂做了柯林斯的妻子，这真是天下最丢人的事！她不仅为这样一个朋友的自取其辱、自贬身份而感到难受，而且她还十分痛心地断定，她朋友拈的这一个阄儿，决不会给她自己带来多大的幸福。