第 27 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:55      字数:9261
  her  want   of   thought   could   not   be   surpassed   by   his。   He  coloured
  very   deeply;   and   giving   a   momentary   glance   at   Elinor;   replied;
  “Yes;   it   is   my   sister’s   hair。   The   setting   always   casts   a   different
  shade on it; you know。”
  Elinor had met his eye; and looked conscious likewise。 That the
  hair   was    her   own;   she   instantaneously      felt  as  well  satisfied   as
  Marianne; the only difference in their conclusions was; that what
  Marianne   considered   as   a       free  gift   from  her   sister;  Elinor   was
  conscious must have been procured by some theft or contrivance
  unknown to herself。 She was not in a humour; however; to regard
  it as an affront; and affecting to take no notice of what passed; by
  instantly     talking    of   something      else;   she    internally    resolved
  henceforward to catch every opportunity of eyeing the hair and of
  satisfying herself; beyond all doubt; that it was exactly the shade of
  her own。
  Edward’s embarrassment lasted some time; and it ended in an
  absence of mind still more   settled。   He   was   particularly  grave   the
  whole morning。 Marianne severely censured herself for what  she
  had said; but her own forgiveness might have been more speedy;
  had she known how little offence it had given her sister。
  Before the middle of the day; they were visited by Sir John and
  Mrs。 Jennings; who; having heard of the arrival of a gentleman at
  the cottage; came to take a survey of the guest。 With the assistance
  of his mother…in…law; Sir John was not long in discovering that the
  name of Ferrars began with an F。 and this prepared a future mine
  of   raillery   against    the  devoted     Elinor;   which    nothing     but   the
  newness of their acquaintance with Edward could have prevented
  from being immediately sprung。 But; as   it  was;  she   only  learned;
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  from     some    very   significant    looks;   how    far  their   penetration;
  founded on Margaret’s instructions; extended。
  Sir John never came to the Dashwoods without either inviting
  them to dine at the park the next  day;   or  to  drink   tea  with  them
  that     evening。     On     the    present     occasion;     for    the    better
  entertainment  of   their   visitor;   towards   whose   amusement   he   felt
  himself bound to contribute; he wished to engage them for both。
  “You must drink tea with us to night;” said he; “for we shall be
  quite alone—and tomorrow you must absolutely dine with us; for
  we shall be a large party。”
  Mrs。 Jennings enforced the necessity。 “And who knows but you
  may     raise  a  dance;”    said  she。   “And    that  will  tempt  you;    Miss
  Marianne。”
  “A dance!” cried Marianne。 “Impossible! Who is to dance?”
  “Who!   why   yourselves;   and   the   Careys;   and   Whitakers   to   be
  sure。—What!  you  thought  nobody  could   dance   because   a   certain
  person that shall be nameless is gone!”
  “I wish with all my soul;” cried Sir John; “that Willoughby were
  among us again。”
  This; and Marianne’s blushing; gave new suspicions to Edward。
  “And     who    is  Willoughby?”       said  he;   in  a  low   voice;   to  Miss
  Dashwood; by whom he was sitting。
  She gave him a brief reply。 Marianne’s countenance was more
  communicative。 Edward saw enough to comprehend; not only the
  meaning   of     others;   but   such  of  Marianne’s     expressions     as  had
  puzzled   him   before;   and   when   their   visitors   left   them;   he   went
  immediately   round   to   her;   and   said;   in   a   whisper;   “I   have   been
  guessing。 Shall I tell you my guess?”
  “What do you mean?”
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  “Shall I tell you。”
  “Certainly。”
  “Well then; I guess that Mr。 Willoughby hunts。”
  Marianne   was   surprised and   confused;   yet   she   could   not   help
  smiling at the quiet archness of his manner; and after a moment’s
  silence; said;
  “Oh; Edward! How can you?—But the time will come I hope 。 。 。
  I am sure you will like him。”
  “I   do   not    doubt    it;”  replied    he;   rather    astonished      at   her
  earnestness and warmth; for had he   not  imagined it  to  be   a   joke
  for   the   good   of   her   acquaintance   in   general;   founded   only   on   a
  something   or   a   nothing  between   Mr。   Willoughby  and   herself;   he
  would not have ventured to mention it。
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  CHAPTER XIX
  dward remained a week at the cottage; he was earnestly
  pressed   by   Mrs。   Dashwood   to   stay   longer;   but;   as   if   he
  E
  were bent only on self…mortification; he seemed resolved
  to   be  gone    when    his  enjoyment     among     his  friends   was   at  the
  height。 His spirits;   during  the   last  two  or  three   days;   though  still
  very   unequal;   were   greatly   improved—he   grew   more   and   more
  partial    to   the  house  and   environs—never        spoke    of  going   away
  without a sigh—declared his time to be wholly disengaged—even
  doubted to what place he should go when he left them—but still;
  go   he   must。   Never   had   any   week   passed   so   quickly—he       could
  hardly believe it to be gone。 He said so repeatedly; other things he
  said too; which marked the turn of his feelings and gave the lie to
  his actions。 He had no pleasure at  Norland;   he detested   being in
  town;   but   either   to   Norland   or   London;   he   must   go。   He   valued
  their kindness beyond any  thing; and   his  greatest  happiness   was
  in being with them。 Yet; he must leave them at the end of a week;
  in spite of their wishes and his own; and without any restraint on
  his time。
  Elinor  placed all   that   was   astonishing   in   this   way   of   acting   to
  his   mother’s    account;   and    it   was   happy   for   her   that   he  had  a
  mother whose character was so imperfectly known to her; as to be
  the general excuse for every thing strange on the part of her son。
  Disappointed;       however;    and   vexed    as  she   was;  and    sometimes
  displeased   with   his   uncertain   behaviour   to   herself;   she   was   very
  well    disposed    on  the   whole    to  regard   his  actions    with  all  the
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  candid   allowances   and   generous   qualifications;   which   had   been
  rather more painfully extorted from her; for Willoughby’s service;
  by her mother。 His want of spirits; of openness; and of consistency;
  were most usually attributed to his want of independence; and his
  better   knowledge   of   Mrs。   Ferrars’s   disposition   and   designs。   The
  shortness      of  his   visit;  the  steadiness     of  his  purpose     in   leaving
  them;      originated     in   the   same     fettered    inclination;     the   same
  inevitable necessity of temporising with his mother。 The old well…
  established   grievance   of   duty   against   will;   parent   against   child;
  was   the   cause   of   all。   She   would   have   been   glad   to   know   when
  these    difficulties    were    to  cease;   this  opposition      was   to  yield;—
  when Mrs。 Ferrars would be reformed; and her son be at liberty to
  be   happy。   But   from   such   vain   wishes   she   was   forced   to   turn   for
  comfort to the renewal of her confidence in Edward’s affection; to
  the remembrance of every mark of regard in look or word which
  fell from him while at Barton; and above all to that flattering proof
  of it which he constantly wore round his finger。
  “I   think;    Edward;”      said   Mrs。    Dashwood;        as  they    were    at
  breakfast   the   last   morning;   “you   would   be   a   happier  man   if   you
  had   any   profession   to   engage   your   time   and   give   an   interest   to
  your     plans    and   actions。    Some     inconvenience        to  your    friends;
  indeed; might result from it—you would not be able to give them
  so much of your time。 But (with a smile) you would be materially
  benefited in one particular