第 19 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:55      字数:9276
  was    agreed;    that   although     happiness     could   only   be   enjoyed    at
  Whitwell;   they   might   procure   a   tolerable   composure   of   mind   by
  driving     about    the   country。    The    carriages    were    then    ordered;
  Willoughby’s   was   first;   and   Marianne   never   looked   happier   than
  when she got into it。 He drove through the park very fast; and they
  were   soon   out   of   sight;   and   nothing   more   of   them   was   seen   till
  their  return;   which  did not  happen   till after  the   return   of   all   the
  rest。 They both seemed delighted with their drive; but said only in
  general   terms   that   they   had   kept   in   the   lanes;   while   the   others
  went on the downs。
  It was settled that there should be a dance in the evening; and
  that   every   body   should   be   extremely   merry   all   day   long。   Some
  more of the Careys came to dinner; and they had the pleasure of
  sitting down nearly twenty to table; which Sir John observed with
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  great   contentment。   Willoughby   took   his   usual   place   between   the
  two   elder   Miss   Dashwoods。   Mrs。   Jennings   sat   on   Elinor’s   right
  hand; and they had not been long seated; before she leant behind
  her and Willoughby; and said to Marianne; loud enough for them
  both   to   hear;   “I   have   found   you   out   in   spite   of   all   your   tricks。   I
  know where you spent the morning。”
  Marianne coloured; and replied very hastily; “Where; pray?”—
  “Did not you know;” said Willoughby; “that we had been out in
  my curricle?”
  “Yes;   yes;   Mr。   Impudence;   I   know   that   very   well;   and   I   was
  determined   to   find   out where   you   had   been   to。—I   hope   you   like
  your   house;   Miss   Marianne。   It   is   a   very   large   one;   I   know;   and
  when I come to see you; I hope you will have new…furnished it; for
  it wanted it very much; when I was there six years ago。”
  Marianne       turned     away     in  great    confusion。     Mrs。    Jennings
  laughed heartily; and Elinor found that in her resolution to know
  where     they   had    been;   she   had   actually   made      her   own   woman
  enquire      of  Mr。   Willoughby’s      groom;    and    that   she   had   by   that
  method been informed that they had gone to Allenham; and spent
  a considerable time there in walking about the garden and going
  all over the house。
  Elinor   could   hardly   believe   this   to   be   true;   as   it   seemed   very
  unlikely that Willoughby should propose; or Marianne consent; to
  enter the house while Mrs。 Smith was in it; with whom Marianne
  had not the smallest acquaintance。
  As   soon   as   they   left   the   dining…room;   Elinor   enquired   of   her
  about   it;   and   great   was   her   surprise   when   she   found   that   every
  circumstance         related    by    Mrs。    Jennings      was    perfectly     true。
  Marianne was quite angry with her for doubting it。
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  “Why should you imagine; Elinor; that we did not go  there;   or
  that   we    did   not   see  the  house?   Is   not   it  what   you   have   often
  wished to do yourself?”
  “Yes; Marianne; but I would not go while Mrs。 Smith was there;
  and with no other companion than Mr。 Willoughby。”
  “Mr。   Willoughby   however   is   the   only   person   who   can   have   a
  right  to  shew  that  house;   and   as   he   went   in   an   open   carriage;   it
  was    impossible     to  have    any   other   companion。       I  never   spent   a
  pleasanter morning in my life。”
  “I   am   afraid;”    replied   Elinor;    “that   the   pleasantness      of  an
  employment does not always evince its propriety。”
  “On the contrary; nothing can be a stronger proof of it; Elinor;
  for if there had been any real impropriety in what I did; I should
  have been sensible of it at the time; for we always know when we
  are acting wrong; and with such a conviction I could have had no
  pleasure。”
  “But; my dear Marianne; as it has already exposed you to some
  very   impertinent   remarks;   do   you   not   now   begin         to   doubt   the
  discretion of your own conduct?”
  “If the impertinent remarks of Mrs。 Jennings are to be the proof
  of  impropriety  in conduct;   we   are all   offending   every   moment   of
  our lives。 I value not her censure any more than I   should   do  her
  commendation。 I am not sensible of having done anything wrong
  in   walking   over   Mrs。    Smith’s     grounds;    or   in   seeing   her   house。
  They will one day be Mr。 Willoughby’s; and—”
  “If they were one day to be your own; Marianne; you would not
  be justified in what you have done。”
  She   blushed   at   this   hint;   but   it   was   even   visibly   gratifying   to
  her; and after a ten minutes’ interval of earnest thought; she came
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  to   her   sister   again;   and   said   with   great   good   humour;   “Perhaps;
  Elinor;   it was   rather  ill…judged in me   to   go   to   Allenham;   but   Mr。
  Willoughby wanted particularly to shew me the place; and   it  is   a
  charming   house;   I   assure   you。—There   is   one   remarkably   pretty
  sitting room up stairs; of a nice comfortable size for constant use;
  and   with   modern   furniture   it   would   be   delightful。   It   is   a   corner
  room; and has windows on two sides。 On one side you look across
  the bowling…green; behind the house; to a beautiful hanging wood;
  and on the other you have a view of the church and village; and;
  beyond      them;     of  those    fine  bold    hills  that   we    have    so  often
  admired。 I did not see it to advantage; for nothing could be more
  forlorn     than    the  furniture;—but        if  it  were   newly     fitted  up—a
  couple of hundred pounds; Willoughby says; would make it one of
  the pleasantest summer…rooms in England。”
  Could Elinor have listened to her without interruption from the
  others;   she   would   have   described   every   room   in   the   house   with
  equal delight。
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  CHAPTER XIV
  he   sudden   termination   of   Colonel   Brandon’s   visit   at   the
  park; with his steadiness in concealing its cause; filled the
  T
  mind; and raised the wonder of Mrs。 Jennings for two or
  three days; she was a great wonderer; as every one must be who
  takes a very lively interest in all the comings and goings of all their
  acquaintance。   She   wondered;   with   little   intermission   what   could
  be   the   reason  of   it;   was sure   there   must  be some   bad   news;   and
  thought  over every kind of distress that could   have befallen   him;
  with a fixed determination that he should not escape them all。
  “Something   very   melancholy   must  be   the   matter;   I   am   sure;”
  said   she。   “I   could   see   it   in   his   face。   Poor   man!   I   am   afraid   his
  circumstances        may    be   bad。   The   estate   at  Delaford     was    never
  reckoned   more   than   two   thousand   a         year;  and    his   brother   left
  everything sadly involved。 I do think he   must  have   been   sent  for
  about money matters; for what else can it be? I wonder whether it
  is so。 I would give anything to know  the   truth  of   it。   Perhaps   it  is
  about Miss Williams and;   by  the   bye; I   dare   say  it  is; because   he
  looked   so   conscious   when   I   mentioned   her。   May   be   she   is   ill   in
  town; nothing in the world more likely; for I have a notion she is
  always     rather    sickly。   I  would    lay  any   wager     it  is  about   Miss
  Williams。   It   is   not   so   very   likely   he   should   be   distressed   in   his
  circumstances now; for he is a very prudent man; and  to  be   sure
  must have cleared the estate by this time。 I wonder what it can be!
  May be his sister is worse at Avignon; and has sent for him over。
  His setting off in such a hurry seems very like it。 Well; I wish him
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