第 13 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:55      字数:9257
  weather      that   morning      allowed    him    to  get   out   of  doors;    and
  Marianne’s   accident   being   related   to   him;   he   was   eagerly   asked
  whether   he   knew   any   gentleman   of   the   name   of   Willoughby   at
  Allenham。
  “Willoughby!” cried Sir John; “what; is he in the country? That
  is good news however; I will ride over tomorrow; and ask   him   to
  dinner on Thursday。”
  “You know him then;” said Mrs。 Dashwood。
  “Know him! to be sure I do。 Why; he is down here every year。”
  “And what sort of a young man is he?”
  “As   good   a   kind   of   fellow   as   ever   lived;   I   assure   you。   A   very
  decent shot; and there is not a bolder rider in England。”
  “And     is  that   all   you   can    say   for  him?”     cried    Marianne;
  indignantly。       “But    what    are    his   manners      on   more     intimate
  acquaintance? What his pursuits; his talents; and genius?”
  Sir John was rather puzzled。
  “Upon my soul;” said he; “I do not know much about him as to
  all that。 But he is a pleasant; good   humoured   fellow;   and  has   got
  the   nicest  little   black   bitch   of  a   pointer   I   ever   saw。   Was   she   out
  with him today?”
  But Marianne could no more satisfy him as to the colour of Mr。
  Willoughby’s pointer; than he could describe to her the shades of
  his mind。
  “But who is he?” said Elinor。 “Where does he come from? Has
  he a house at Allenham?”
  On this point Sir John could give more certain intelligence; and
  he  told   them   that  Mr。   Willoughby  had   no property  of  his   own   in
  the   country;   that  he   resided   there   only  while   he   was   visiting   the
  old   lady at  Allenham  Court;   to  whom   he  was   related;  and   whose
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  possessions   he   was   to   inherit;   adding;   “Yes;   yes;   he   is   very   well
  worth catching I can tell you; Miss Dashwood; he has a pretty little
  estate   of   his   own   in   Somersetshire   besides;   and   if   I   were   you;   I
  would   not   give   him   up   to   my   younger   sister;   in   spite   of   all   this
  tumbling   down   hills。   Miss   Marianne   must  not   expect   to   have   all
  the   men   to  herself。   Brandon   will be   jealous;   if   she   does   not   take
  care。”
  “I do not believe;” said Mrs。 Dashwood; with a good humoured
  smile; “that Mr。 Willoughby will be incommoded by  the   attempts
  of either of my daughters towards what you call catching him。 It is
  not an employment to which they have been brought up。 Men are
  very   safe   with   us;   let   them   be   ever   so   rich。   I   am  glad  to   find;
  however; from what you say; that he is a respectable young man;
  and one whose acquaintance will not be ineligible。”
  “He is as good a sort of fellow; I believe; as ever lived;” repeated
  Sir John。 “I remember last Christmas at a little hop at the park; he
  danced from eight o’clock till four; without once sitting down。”
  “Did     he  indeed?”      cried   Marianne      with    sparkling    eyes;   “and
  with elegance; with spirit?”
  “Yes; and he was up again at eight to ride to covert。”
  “That   is   what   I   like;   that   is   what   a   young   man   ought   to   be。
  Whatever be his pursuits; his eagerness in   them should know no
  moderation; and leave him no sense of fatigue。”
  “Aye; aye; I see how it will be;” said Sir John; “I see how it will
  be。   You  will   be   setting   your   cap   at   him   now;   and   never   think   of
  poor Brandon。”
  “That     is  an   expression;      Sir  John;”     said   Marianne;      warmly;
  “which I particularly dislike。 I abhor every common…place phrase
  by   which   wit   is   intended;   and      ‘setting   one’s   cap   at   a  man;’   or
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  ‘making a conquest;’ are the most odious of all。 Their tendency is
  gross and illiberal; and if their construction could ever be deemed
  clever; time has long ago destroyed all its ingenuity。”
  Sir John did not much understand this reproof; but he laughed
  as heartily as if he did; and then replied;
  “Ay;   you   will   make   conquests   enough;   I   dare   say;   one   way   or
  other。   Poor  Brandon!  he  is   quite  smitten already;   and   he   is   very
  well   worth   setting   your   cap   at;   I   can   tell   you;   in   spite   of   all   this
  tumbling about and spraining of ankles。”
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  CHAPTER X
  arianne’s   preserver;   as   Margaret;   with   more   elegance
  than precision; styled Willoughby; called at the cottage
  M
  early the next morning to make his personal inquiries。
  He   was   received   by   Mrs。   Dashwood   with   more   than   politeness;
  with   a   kindness   which   Sir   John’s   account   of   him   and   her   own
  gratitude prompted; and   every  thing  that  passed during  the   visit
  tended to assure him of the sense; elegance; mutual affection; and
  domestic      comfort     of  the   family    to   whom     accident     had    now
  introduced   him。 Of  their  personal  charms   he   had   not   required   a
  second interview to be convinced。
  Miss    Dashwood      had   a  delicate    complexion;     regular    features;
  and   a   remarkably   pretty   figure。   Marianne   was   still   handsomer。
  Her   form;    though     not  so   correct   as  her   sister’s;  in  having    the
  advantage of height; was more striking; and her face was so lovely;
  that when in the common cant of praise; she was called a beautiful
  girl;   truth  was   less  violently   outraged   than   usually  happens。   Her
  skin was very brown; but;   from   its   transparency;   her  complexion
  was   uncommonly  brilliant;   her   features   were   all   good;   her   smile
  was sweet and attractive; and in her eyes; which were very dark;
  there was a life; a spirit; an eagerness; which could hardly be seen
  without   delight。     From    Willoughby   their   expression   was        at  first
  held back; by  the   embarrassment  which  the   remembrance   of   his
  assistance   created。   But   when   this   passed   away;   when   her   spirits
  became collected; when she saw that to the perfect good…breeding
  of the gentleman; he united frankness and vivacity; and above all;
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  when   she   heard   him   declare;   that   of   music   and   dancing   he   was
  passionately   fond;   she   gave   him   such   a       look   of  approbation      as
  secured the largest share of his discourse to herself for the rest of
  his stay。
  It  was   only  necessary  to   mention   any   favourite   amusement   to
  engage her to talk。 She could not be silent when such points were
  introduced;       and   she   had    neither    shyness     nor   reserve    in   their
  discussion。      They     speedily    discovered      that    their   enjoyment      of
  dancing  and music   was mutual;  and   that  it arose   from   a   general
  conformity of judgment in all that related to either。 Encouraged by
  this   to   a   further   examination   of   his   opinions;   she   proceeded   to
  question him on the subject of books; her favourite authors   were
  brought forward and dwelt upon with so rapturous a delight; that
  any   young   man       of  five  and    twenty    must    have    been    insensible
  indeed; not to become an immediate   convert  to  the   excellence   of
  such      works;     however       disregarded       before。    Their     taste    was
  strikingly alike。 The same books; the same passages were idolised
  by   each—or   if   any   difference   appeared;   any   objection           arose;   it
  lasted    no   longer    than    till  the  force  of   her   arguments      and    the
  brightness of her eyes could be displayed。 He acquiesced in all her
  decisions;     caught     all  her  enthusiasm;       and   long   before    his  visit
  concluded;        they    conversed       with    the   familiarity     of   a   long…
  established acquaintance。
  “Well; Marianne;