Chapter16Asnoobjectionwasmadetotheyoungpeople'sengagementwiththeiraunt,andallMr.Collins'sscruplesofleavingMr.andMrs.Bennetforasingleeveningduringhisvisitweremoststeadilyresisted,thecoachconveyedhimandhisfivecousinsatasuitablehourtoMeryton;andthegirlshadthepleasureofhearing,astheyenteredthedrawing-room,thatMr.Wickhamhadacceptedtheiruncle'sinvitation,andwastheninthehouse.Whenthisinformationwasgiven,andtheyhadalltakentheirseats,Mr.Collinswasatleisuretolookaroundhimandadmire,andhewassomuchstruckwiththesizeandfurnitureoftheapartment,thathedeclaredhemightalmosthavesupposedhimselfinthesmallsummerbreakfastparlouratRosings;acomparisonthatdidnotatfirstconveymuchgratification;butwhenMrs.PhilipsunderstoodfromhimwhatRosingswas,andwhowasitsproprietor,whenshehadlistenedtothedescriptionofonlyoneofLadyCatherine'sdrawing-rooms,andfoundthatthechimney-piecealonehadcosteighthundredpounds,shefeltalltheforceofthecompliment,andwouldhardlyhaveresentedacomparisonwiththehousekeeper'sroom. IndescribingtoherallthegrandeurofLadyCatherineandhermansion,withoccasionaldigressionsinpraiseofhisownhumbleabodeandtheimprovementsitwasreceiving,hewashappilyemployeduntilthegentlemenjoinedthem;andhefoundinMrs.Philipsaveryattentivelistener,whoseopinionofhisconsequenceincreasedwithwhatsheheard,andwhowasresolvingtoretailitallamongherneighboursassoonasshecould.Tothegirls,whocouldnotlistentotheircousin,andwhohadnothingtodobuttowishforaninstrument,andexaminetheirownindifferentimitationsofchinaonthemantlepiece,theintervalofwaitingappearedverylong.Itwasoveratlast,however.Thegentlemendidapproach;andwhenMr.Wickhamwalkedintotheroom,Elizabethfeltthatshehadneitherbeenseeinghimbefore,northinkingofhimsince,withthesmallestdegreeofunreasonableadmiration.Theofficersofthe-----shirewereingeneralaverycreditable,gentlemanlikeset,andthebestofthemwereofthepresentparty;butMr.Wickhamwasasfarbeyondthemallinperson,countenance,air,andwalk,astheyweresuperiortothebroad-facedstuffyunclePhilips,breathingportwine,whofollowedthemintotheroom. Mr.Wickhamwasthehappymantowardswhomalmosteveryfemaleeyewasturned,andElizabethwasthehappywomanbywhomhefinallyseatedhimself;andtheagreeablemannerinwhichheimmediatelyfellintoconversation,thoughitwasonlyonitsbeingawetnight,andontheprobabilityofarainyseason,madeherfeelthatthecommonest,dullest,mostthreadbaretopicmightberenderedinterestingbytheskillofthespeaker. 第十六章 年轻的小姐们跟她们姨妈的约会，并没有遭受到反对。柯林斯只觉得来此作客，反而把班纳特夫妇整晚丢在家里，未免有些过意不去，可是他们叫他千万不要放在心上。于是他和他的五个表妹便乘着马车，准时到了麦里屯。小姐们一走进客厅，就听说韦翰先生接受了她们姨爹的邀请，而且已经驾到，觉得很是高兴。 大家听到这个消息之后，便都坐了下来。柯林斯先生悠闲自在地朝四下望望，瞻仰瞻仰一切；屋子的尺寸和里面的家具使他十分惊羡，他说他好象进了咖苔琳夫人在罗新斯的那间消夏的小饭厅。这个比喻开头并不怎么叫主人家满意，可是接下来腓力普太太弄明白了罗新斯是一个什么地方，它的主人是谁，又听他说起咖苔琳夫人的一个会客间的情形，光是一只壁炉架就要值八百英镑，她这才体会到他那个譬喻实在太恭维她了，即使把她家里比作罗新斯管家奶奶的房间，她也不反对了。 柯林斯在讲述咖苔琳夫人和她公馆的富丽堂皇时，偶然还要穿插上几句话，来夸耀他自己的寒舍，说他的住宅正在装璜改善中等，他就这样自得其乐地一直扯到男客们进来为止。他发觉腓力普太太很留心听他的话，她愈听就愈把他看得了不起，而且决定一有空就把他的话传播出去。至于小姐们，实在觉得等得太久了，因为她们不高兴听她们表兄的闲扯，又没事可做，想弹弹琴又不成，只有照着壁炉架上那些瓷器的样子，漫不经心地画些小玩艺儿消遗消遗。等待的时间终于过去了，男客们来了。韦翰先生一走进来，伊丽莎白就觉得，无论是上次看见他的时候也好，从上次见面以来想起他的时候也好，她都没有错爱了他。某某郡的军官们都是一批名誉很好的绅士气派的人物，参加这次宴会的尤其是他们之中的精华。韦翰先生无论在人品上，相貌上，风度上，地位上，都远远超过他们，正如他们远远超过那位姨爹一样──瞧那位肥头大耳，大腹便便的姨爹，他正带着满口葡萄酒味，跟着他们走进屋来。 韦翰先生是当天最得意的男子，差不多每个女人的眼睛都朝着他看；伊丽莎白是当天最得意的女子，韦翰终于在她的身旁坐了下来。他马上就跟她攀谈，虽然谈的只是些当天晚上下雨和雨季可能就要到来之类的话，可是他那么和颜悦色，使她不禁感觉到即使最平凡、最无聊、最陈旧的话，只要说话的人有技巧，还是一样可以说得动听。