第 41 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:55      字数:9276
  cautiousness       of  conduct   in    an  affair   respecting     which    she   had
  never   been   able   to   inspire   her   with   distrust;   and   she   dared   not
  explain the motive of her own disinclination for going to London。
  That Marianne; fastidious as she was; thoroughly acquainted with
  Mrs。 Jennings’ manners; and invariably disgusted by them; should
  overlook      every    inconvenience        of  that   kind;    should     disregard
  whatever must be most wounding to her irritable feelings; in her
  pursuit   of   one   object;   was   such   a   proof;   so   strong;   so   full;   of   the
  importance of that object to her; as Elinor; in spite of all that had
  passed; was not prepared to witness。
  On being informed of the invitation; Mrs。 Dashwood; persuaded
  that such an excursion would be productive of much amusement
  to both her daughters; and perceiving through all her affectionate
  attention   to   herself;   how   much   the   heart   of   Marianne   was   in   it;
  would     not   hear    of  their  declining     the   offer  upon   her    account;
  insisted     on  their   both   accepting   it   directly;   and    then   began    to
  foresee; with her usual cheerfulness; a variety of   advantages   that
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  would accrue to them all; from this separation。
  “I am delighted with the plan;” she   cried;   “it  is   exactly  what  I
  could   wish。   Margaret   and   I   shall   be   as   much   benefited   by   it   as
  yourselves。 When you and the Middletons are gone; we shall go on
  so quietly and happily together with our books and our music! You
  will find Margaret so improved when you come back again! I have
  a little plan of alteration for your bedrooms too; which may now be
  performed without any inconvenience to any one。   It  is   very  right
  that  you should   go  to  town;   I   would   have   every   young   woman   of
  your     condition      in   life   acquainted       with    the    manners       and
  amusements of London。 You will be under the care of a motherly
  good sort of woman; of whose kindness to you I can have no doubt。
  And in all probability you will see your brother; and whatever may
  be his faults; or the faults of his wife; when I consider whose son
  he   is;   I   cannot   bear   to   have   you   so   wholly   estranged   from   each
  other。”
  “Though       with   your    usual    anxiety    for  our    happiness;”      said
  Elinor; “you have been obviating every impediment to the present
  scheme which occurred to you; there is still one objection which;
  in my opinion; cannot be so easily removed。”
  Marianne’s countenance sunk。
  “And   what;”   said   Mrs。   Dashwood;   “is   my   dear   prudent   Elinor
  going   to   suggest?   What   formidable   obstacle   is   she   now   to   bring
  forward? Do let me hear a word about the expense of it。”
  “My     objection     is  this;   though     I   think    very   well    of  Mrs。
  Jennings’s heart; she is not a woman whose society can afford us
  pleasure; or whose protection will give us consequence。”
  “That   is   very   true;”   replied   her   mother;   “but   of   her   society;
  separately   from   that   of   other   people;   you   will   scarcely   have   any
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  thing at all; and you will almost always appear in public with Lady
  Middleton。”
  “If Elinor is frightened   away by  her  dislike  of  Mrs。   Jennings;”
  said    Marianne;      “at   least   it   need  not  prevent  my     accepting     her
  invitation。 I have no such scruples; and I am sure I could put  up
  with every unpleasantness of that kind with very little effort。”
  Elinor   could   not   help     smiling    at  this  display    of  indifference
  towards   the   manners   of   a   person;   to   whom   she   had         often   had
  difficulty     in   persuading       Marianne       to   behave     with    tolerable
  politeness; and resolved within herself; that if her sister persisted
  in going; she would go likewise; as she did not think it proper that
  Marianne should be left to the sole guidance of her own judgment;
  or    that  Mrs。    Jennings      should    be   abandoned       to   the  mercy     of
  Marianne        for  all  the   comfort     of  her   domestic      hours。    To   this
  determination she was the more easily reconciled; by recollecting
  that   Edward   Ferrars;   by   Lucy’s   account;   was   not   to   be   in   town
  before   February;   and   that   their   visit;   without   any   unreasonable
  abridgement; might be previously finished。
  “I will have you both go;” said Mrs。 Dashwood; “these objections
  are nonsensical。 You will have much pleasure in being in London;
  and     especially     in   being    together;     and    if  Elinor    would     ever
  condescend   to   anticipate   enjoyment;   she   would   foresee   it   there
  from a   variety  of   sources;   she   would;   perhaps;   expect  some  from
  improving her acquaintance with her sister…in…law’s family。”
  Elinor   had   often   wished   for   an   opportunity   of   attempting   to
  weaken   her   mother’s   dependence   on   the   attachment   of   Edward
  and   herself;   that   the   shock   might   be   less   when   the   whole   truth
  were revealed; and now on this attack; though almost hopeless of
  success; she forced herself to begin her design by saying; as calmly
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  as she could; “I like Edward Ferrars very much; and shall always
  be glad to see him; but as to the rest of the family; it is a matter of
  perfect  indifference  to  me;   whether  I   am   ever  known   to   them   or
  not。”
  Mrs。 Dashwood smiled and said nothing。 Marianne lifted up her
  eyes   in   astonishment;   and   Elinor   conjectured   that   she   might   as
  well have held her tongue。
  After very little farther discourse; it was finally settled that the
  invitation   should   be   fully   accepted。      Mrs。   Jennings      received   the
  information       with   a  great    deal  of  joy;   and   many     assurances      of
  kindness and care; nor was it a matter of pleasure merely to her。
  Sir John was delighted; for to a man; whose prevailing anxiety was
  the dread of being alone; the acquisition of two; to the number of
  inhabitants in London; was something。 Even Lady Middleton took
  the   trouble   of   being   delighted;   which   was   putting   herself   rather
  out of her way; and as for the Miss Steeles; especially Lucy; they
  had   never  been   so   happy   in   their  lives   as   this   intelligence   made
  them。
  Elinor   submitted   to   the   arrangement   which   counteracted   her
  wishes   with   less   reluctance   than   she   had   expected   to   feel。   With
  regard to herself; it was now  a matter  of  unconcern  whether  she
  went to town or not; and when she saw her mother so thoroughly
  pleased   with   the   plan;   and   her   sister   exhilarated   by   it   in   look;
  voice;    and    manner;      restored    to  all  her    usual   animation;      and
  elevated      to   more    than    her    usual    gaiety;    she   could    not    be
  dissatisfied     with   the   cause;    and   would     hardly    allow   herself   to
  distrust the consequence。
  Marianne’s joy was almost a degree beyond happiness; so great
  was the perturbation of her spirits and her impatience to be gone。
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  Her unwillingness to quit her mother was   her  only  restorative   to
  calmness; and at the moment of parting her grief on that score was
  excessive。 Her mother’s affliction was hardly less; and Elinor was
  the only one of the three; who seemed to consider the separation
  as any thing short of eternal。
  Their   departure   took   place   in   the   first   week   in   January。   The
  Middletons were to follow in about a week。 The Miss Steeles kept
  their station at the park; and were to quit it only with the rest of
  the family。
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