Pride and Prejudice. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Intermediate

Chapter 5

At a walking distance from Longbourn there was Lucas Lodge. The Bennets were on very friendly terms with the Lucases. Sir William Lucas had made a tolerable fortune in trade in Meryton, and had risen to knighthood when he had been the mayor of that town. After that he thought it beneath him to be in trade and to live in a small market town. He bought a house about a mile from Meryton, known from that period as Lucas Lodge, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance. But, being by nature friendly, he was all attention to everybody.

Lady Lucas was a very good woman, not too clever to be a useful neighbor to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's close friend.

In the morning after the assembly the Miss Lucases arrived at Longbourn to talk about the ball.

«You began the evening well, Charlotte», said Mrs. Bennet to Miss Lucas. «You were Mr. Bingley's first choice».

«Yes; but he seemed to like his second better».

«Oh! you mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. To be sure that did seem as if he admired her, I rather believe he did».

«Didn't I tell you? I heard when Mr. Robinson asked him how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he thought there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest, he immediately answered the last question: Oh! the eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions on that point», Charlotte said.

«Upon my word! Well, that seems as if… but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know».

«Mr. Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he? Poor Eliza!.. to be only just tolerable», said Charlotte.

«I would ask you not to put it into Lizzy's head to be annoyed by his ill-treatment; he is so unpleasant that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half an hour without once opening his lips».

«Are you quite sure, ma'am? Is not there a little mistake?» said Jane. «I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her».

«It was only because she asked him at last how he liked Netherfield, and he had to answer her; but she said he seemed quite angry at being spoken to».

«I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long», said Miss Lucas, «but I wish he had danced with Eliza».

«Another time, Lizzy», said her mother, «I would not dance with him, if I were you».

«I believe, ma'am, I may safely promise you never to dance with him».

«There is an excuse for his pride», said Miss Lucas. «No wonder, that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. He has a right to be proud, if I may say so».

«That is very true», replied Elizabeth, «and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not humiliated mine».

«By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that pride», remarked Mary, «is a very common flaw, and that there are very few of us who don't feel proud of themselves for some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us».

Chapter 6

The ladies of Netherfield soon paid a visit to those of Longbourn and invited them to visit Netherfield. Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley praised Miss Bennet's pleasing manners; and though the mother was found to be intolerable, and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, they expressed a wish to be better acquainted with the two eldest. Jane was pleased by this attention, but as Elizabeth understood, that they were kind to Jane just because of their brother's admiration, she could not like them. It was clearly seen whenever they met, that Bingley admired her, and Elizabeth knew that Jane was very much in love; but she was pleased to know that other people wouldn't discover it because Jane was capable of not showing her strong feelings to the whole world. She talked about this to her friend Miss Lucas.

«But if a woman hides her feeling with the same skill from the object of it», replied Charlotte, «she may lose the opportunity of fixing him. There are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten a woman had better show more love than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly; but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on».

«But Jane helps him on as much as her nature will allow. If I can feel her love for him, he must be a simpleton, indeed, not to discover it too».

«Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Jane's character as you do».

«But if a woman is attracted to a man, and does not try to hide it, he must find it out».

«Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But Bingley and Jane meet mostly at large parties where they can't have long talks together. Jane should therefore make the most of every half-hour in which she can have his attention. When she is sure of his affection, she can freely fall in love with him as much as she chooses».

«This is a good plan», replied Elizabeth, «if you just want to get married, to get a rich husband, or any husband, but these are not Jane's feelings; she is not acting by design. And I think that now she isn't even certain of how deep her own feeling is or how reasonable. She has known him only a fortnight. They danced and dined at a few parties in Meryton. This is not quite enough to make her understand his character».

«Well», said Charlotte, «happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the characters of the parties are well known to each other or so similar beforehand, it does not help their happiness in the least. Later on, they always grow different enough to have their share of annoyance; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life».

«It is funny, Charlotte; but you know it is not right, and you would never act in this way yourself».

Elizabeth was so busy watching Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister that she didn't notice his friend's growing interest to herself. Mr. Darcy had at first looked at her without admiration, criticized her features to his friends. And suddenly he saw that her face was made uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. Though his critical mind had found no perfect symmetry in her form, his eyes found her figure light and pleasing; and in spite of his saying that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was charmed by their easy playfulness. Elizabeth was perfectly unaware of all that; to her he was only the man who made himself pleasant nowhere, and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with.

Wishing to know more of her, Mr. Darcy began listening to her conversation with others. At a large party at Sir William Lucas's she noticed that he was listening to her conversation with Colonel Forster. She said to her friend Charlotte that if he listened to her conversations again, she would let him know that she had noticed it.

«He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impolite myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him».

So, when Mr. Darcy came near them, Miss Lucas provoked her to speak to him. Elizabeth turned to him and said:

«Did you not think, Mr. Darcy, that I spoke uncommonly well just now, when I was jokingly persuading Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton?»

«With great energy; but it is always a subject which makes a lady energetic».

«You are stern to us».

«It will be her turn soon to be persuaded», said Miss Lucas. «I am going to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know what follows».

«You are a very strange friend! Always wanting me to play and sing before anybody and everybody! If my vanity had been to be praised for my musical talents, you would have been invaluable. In fact, I would prefer not to sing before those who must be used to hearing the very best performers». As Miss Lucas persisted, she agreed, «Very well, if it must be so, it must». And glancing at Mr. Darcy, she added, «There is a fine old saying, which is well known to everybody here, of course: „Keep your breath to cool your porridge“; and I shall keep mine to intensify my song».

Her singing was pleasing, though by no means brilliant. Several guests asked her to sing more, but before she could reply, the instrument was eagerly occupied by her sister Mary, who, not being pretty, had worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments, and always liked to demonstrate them.

Mary played rather well, but she had neither genius nor taste; her vanity had made her pedantic and conceited, and such manners would have spoilt even a higher degree of excellence than she had reached. Elizabeth, easy and natural, had been listened to with much more pleasure, though not playing half so well. At the end of a long concerto, her younger sisters asked her to play some Scotch and Irish melodies, and, with some of the Lucases, and two or three officers, joined eagerly in dancing at one end of the room.

Mr. Darcy was annoyed by this way of passing the evening, just dancing and no conversation. He stood there silently and didn't see Sir William Lucas till he addressed him.

«What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. It is one of the first refinements of polished society».

«Certainly, sir; and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every savage can dance».

Sir William tried to engage Mr. Darcy in conversation, but wasn't successful. He saw Elizabeth moving towards them, and called out to her:

«My dear Miss Eliza, why are you not dancing? Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner. You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so much beauty is before you». Mr. Darcy though very much surprised, was not unwilling to dance with her, but Elizabeth suddenly stepped back and said to Sir William:

«Really, sir, I have not the least desire of dancing. Please, don't think that I moved this way in order to ask for a partner».

Mr. Darcy in a very proper manner asked her for the honour to dance with her.

«Mr. Darcy is all politeness», said Elizabeth, smiling, and turned away.

Her refusal had not offended the gentleman, and he was thinking of her with some good nature, when Miss Bingley interrupted his thoughts:

«I can guess what you are thinking of».

«I don't think so».

«You are thinking how unbearable it would be to spend many evenings in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. I was never more annoyed! Such tastelessness, the nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all those people! I would gladly hear your critical remarks on them!»

«Your guess is quite wrong, I can assure you. My mind was more pleasingly engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can give».

Miss Bingley looked at him sharply and asked what lady had inspired such thoughts. Mr. Darcy seriously replied:

«Miss Elizabeth Bennet».

«Miss Elizabeth Bennet!» exclaimed Miss Bingley. «I am all astonishment. Well, when am I to wish you happiness?»

«I was absolutely sure you would ask this very question. A lady's imagination runs exactly this way: from admiration to love, from love to marriage».

«Well, if you are serious about it, the matter is absolutely settled. You will be having a charming mother-in-law, indeed; and, of course, she will always be at Pemberley with you».

His indifference to her remarks showed her that all was safe, and she continued to entertain herself in this manner for a long time.

Chapter 7

Mr. Bennet's estate brought him two thousand a year, and, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed on a distant relative because he had no son of his own. Mrs. Bennet's father had been an attorney in Meryton, and had left her four thousand pounds. It was quite enough for her situation in life, but it couldn't help her husband's situation.

She had a sister married to a Mr. Phillips, who had been a clerk to their father and continued his business, and a brother settled in London in a respectable line of trade.

Meryton was only one mile from the village of Longbourn, and the young ladies usually walked there three or four times a week, to pay their duty to their aunt and to a milliner's shop just on the way. Catherine and Lydia, the youngest Bennet girls, visited Meryton most often. They were more vacant minded than their sisters, and their favourite occupation in the morning was to walk to Meryton and to learn some country news from their aunt, thus supplying conversation in the evening. At present, indeed, they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the arrival in the neighborhood of a militia regiment which was to stay the whole winter, and Meryton was the headquarters. They could talk of nothing but officers; and Mr. Bingley's large fortune, which occupied their mother's mind so much, was worthless in their eyes as compared to the regimentals of an ensign.

After listening one morning to their enthusiastic talk on this subject, Mr. Bennet coolly remarked:

«From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced».

Catherine fell silent, but Lydia, with perfect indifference, continued to express her admiration of Captain Carter, and her hope of seeing him in the course of the day, as he was going to London the next morning.

«My dear Mr. Bennet, you must not expect young girls to have the mind of their father and mother. When they get to our age, they will not think about officers any more than we do. I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself very well… and, indeed, so I do still at my heart; and if a young colonel, with five or six thousand a year, should want one of my girls, I shall not say nay to him; and I thought Colonel Forster looked very becoming the other night at Sir William's in his regimentals».

The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the servant with a note for Miss Bennet; it came from Netherfield, and the servant waited for an answer. Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and she was eagerly asking, while her daughter read,

«Well, Jane, who is it from? What is it about? What does he say? Well, Jane, tell us, my love».

«It is from Miss Bingley», said Jane, and then read it aloud.

«MY DEAR FRIEND,

Please, come to dine to-day with Louisa and me. My brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers, so we'll be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives, for a whole day's tete-a-tete between two women can never end without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can. Yours ever, CAROLINE BINGLEY»

«The gentlemen are dining out», said Mrs. Bennet, «that is very unlucky».

«Can I have the carriage?» said Jane.

«No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you'll have to stay all night».

«That would be a good scheme», said Elizabeth, «if you were sure that they would not offer to send her home».

«Oh! But the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's carriage to go to Meryton».

«I would prefer to go in the carriage».

«But, my dear, the horses are wanted in the farm, I am sure. Mr. Bennet, are they not?»

The horses were, indeed, engaged. Jane had therefore to go on horseback. Her mother's hopes for a bad day were answered; Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters were sorry for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain continued the whole evening; Jane certainly could not come back.

The next morning, a servant from Netherfield brought the following note for Elizabeth:

«MY DEAREST LIZZY

I find myself very unwell this morning, due, I suppose, to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hear of my returning till I am better. They insist also on my seeing Dr. Jones. Therefore, do not be alarmed if you hear of his visit. And, except a sore throat and headache, there is not much the matter with me. Yours, etc».

«Well, my dear», said Mr. Bennet, when Elizabeth had read the note aloud, «if your daughter dies, it would be a comfort to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley and under your orders».

«Oh! I am not afraid of her dying. People do not die of little colds. She will be taken good care of».

Elizabeth was really worried and decided to go to Netherfield to see Jane. She was no horsewoman, so walking was her only alternative. Her mother said she would get dirty walking through wet dirty fields and not fit to be seen.

«I will be very fit to see Jane, and that is all I want. It's only three miles. I'll be back by dinner».

Catherine and Lydia walked with Elizabeth as far as Meryton because Lydia hoped to see Captain Carter before he went to London. In Meryton they parted and Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after field at a quick pace, jumping over puddles with impatient activity. When she reached the house, her shoes and stockings were dirty, and her face was glowing with the warmth of exercise.

She was shown into the breakfast room, where her appearance created a great deal of surprise. Elizabeth was sure that Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley disapproved of her walking alone, and in such dirty weather. However, they received her very politely. In their brother's manners there was good humor and kindness. Mr. Darcy said very little. He was divided between admiration of the brilliance given to her complexion by the exercise, and doubt that there was any need for her coming so far alone. Mr. Hurst said nothing at all. He was thinking only of his breakfast.

She was told that her sister was very feverish, and not well enough to leave her room. Elizabeth was taken to her immediately; Jane was delighted at her entrance. She didn't feel strong enough, however, and when Miss Bingley left them together, could say little besides expressions of gratitude for the extraordinary kindness she was treated with.

When the doctor examined Jane, he said that she had caught a severe cold, advised her to return to bed, and promised to bring her some medicine. The advice was followed readily, for the feverish symptoms increased, and her head ached badly. Elizabeth did not leave her room for a moment; the other ladies were not often absent either: the gentlemen were out, and they had, in fact, nothing to do elsewhere.

When the time came for Elizabeth to leave, Jane felt very ill and didn't want to part with her. Miss Bingley offered Elizabeth to stay at Netherfield for the present. Elizabeth was most thankful, and a servant was sent to Longbourn to inform the family and bring back a supply of clothes.

Chapter 8

When Elizabeth came down to dinner, Mr. Bingley expressed his sincere anxiety about Jane's condition. She had to say that Jane was by no means better. The sisters, on hearing this, repeated three or four times how much they sympathized with Jane, how shocking it was to have a bad cold, and then thought no more of the matter. Their brother's anxiety for Jane was evident, and his attentions to herself most pleasing. She had very little notice from any but him. Miss Bingley's attention was all for Mr. Darcy, and so was her sister's. Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, was an idle man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards, who, when he found her to prefer a plain dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.

Right after dinner she returned to Jane, and Miss Bingley began criticizing her as soon as she was out of the room: her manners were very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no beauty. Mrs. Hurst agreed with her, and added:

«She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, except being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild».

«You are right, Louisa. Her hair, so untidy. And why come at all? Why must she be running about the country because her sister had a cold?»

«Yes, and her petticoat: six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain».

Bingley said he hadn't noticed Elizabeth's dirty petticoat. In his opinion she looked remarkably well when she came into the room that morning.

Miss Bingley said that Elizabeth's behaviour showed conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to propriety.

«It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing», said Bingley.

«I am afraid, Mr. Darcy», remarked Miss Bingley in a half whisper, «that this adventure has rather acted on your admiration of her fine eyes».

«Not at all», he replied, «they were brightened by the exercise». After a short pause Mrs. Hurst began again:

«I like Miss Jane Bennet very much, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well married. But with such father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it».

«I think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton».

«Yes; and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside».

«That is fine», added her sister, and they both laughed merrily.

«If Cheapside were full of their uncles», cried Bingley «it would not make them one jot less pleasant».

«But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any respectable status in the world», remarked Darcy.

Bingley made no answer to that statement, but his sisters fully agreed with it.

Elizabeth stayed with Jane till late in the evening. When her sister fell asleep, it seemed to her rather right than pleasant that she should go downstairs. On entering the drawing-room she found the whole party at cards and was invited to join them. As she suspected that they were playing high, she declined it, and making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the short time she could stay below, with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.

«Do you prefer reading to cards?» said he, «that is rather singular».

«Miss Eliza Bennet», said Miss Bingley, «is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else».

«I deserve neither such praise nor such criticism», exclaimed Elizabeth; «I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things».

«In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure», said Bingley; «and I hope the pleasure will soon increase by seeing her quite well».

Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towards the table where a few books were lying. He offered to fetch her other books from his library and said he now wished his collection were larger.

«But I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever looked into».

Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

«What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!» Miss Bingley said.

«It ought to be good», he replied, «it has been the work of many generations».

«And you are always buying books».

«I cannot understand the neglect of a family library at the time like this».

«Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley»

«I wish it may».

«And I think you should buy an estate in that neighborhood, and take Pemberley as a model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire».

«With all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it».

«I am talking of possibilities, Charles».

«Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation».

Elizabeth got so interested in that conversation that she soon put her book aside and stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, to watch the game.

Miss Bingley asked Mr. Darcy about his sister and said that she was a most delightful girl, extremely accomplished for her age. She especially praised her performance on the pianoforte.

Mr. Bingley, with his usual good humor, said that all young ladies were quite accomplished.

«All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?» Miss Bingley exclaimed.

«Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. And whenever a young lady is spoken of for the first time, they always inform you that she is very accomplished».

«Yes, many women are called accomplished for no more than netting a purse or covering a screen», said Darcy, «but I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot say that I know more than half a dozen ladies, who are really accomplished».

«Then», remarked Elizabeth, «there is a great deal more in your idea of an accomplished woman».

«Yes, there is a great deal in it».

«Oh! certainly», cried Miss Bingley, «an accomplished woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her appearance and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her speech and expressions, or the word will be just half-deserved».

«And to all this», added Darcy, «she must also add something more important, she must improve her mind by extensive reading».

«I must say I've never seen such a woman. I've never seen such capacity, and taste, and elegance, so united».

Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley both started protesting that they knew many women who answered this description, when Mr. Hurst reminded them that they were supposed to play cards. All conversation came to an end, and Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room.

«Elizabeth Bennet», said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, «is one of those young ladies who like to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I must say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a shameful manoeuvre, a very mean stratagem».

«Undoubtedly», replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, «there is meanness in all the stratagems which ladies sometimes employ in order to captivate. Whatever resembles cunning is disreputable».

This reply didn't encourage Miss Bingley to continue the subject.

Elizabeth came down to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley wanted to send for the doctor immediately; after some discussion it was decided that the doctor should be sent for early in the morning if Miss Bennet were not much better. Bingley felt great anxiety; his sisters announced that they were sorrowful. They consoled themselves, however, by duets after supper, while their brother's way to ease his anxiety was to give his housekeeper directions that every attention must be paid to the sick lady and her sister.