第 47 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:55      字数:9296
  your   arrival   in   town;   which   you   were   so   good   as   to   send   me;”
  turned hastily away with a slight bow and joined his friend。
  Marianne; now  looking  dreadfully   white;   and   unable   to   stand;
  sunk   into   her   chair;   and   Elinor;   expecting   every   moment   to   see
  her faint; tried to screen her from the observation of others; while
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  reviving her with lavender water。
  “Go to him; Elinor;” she cried; as soon as she could speak; “and
  force   him   to   come   to   me。   Tell   him   I   must   see   him   again—must
  speak      to  him     instantly。—I      cannot     rest—I    shall    not   have    a
  moment’s         peace       till   this    is    explained—some            dreadful
  misapprehension or other。—Oh go to him this moment。”
  “How   can   that  be   done?   No;   my   dearest   Marianne;   you   must
  wait。    This    is  not   the    place    for  explanations。       Wait    only   till
  tomorrow。”
  With   difficulty   however   could   she   prevent   her   from   following
  him herself; and to persuade her to check her agitation; to wait; at
  least;   with   the   appearance   of   composure;   till   she   might   speak   to
  him     with   more     privacy    and    more    effect;   was    impossible;     for
  Marianne continued incessantly to give way in a low voice to  the
  misery of her feelings; by exclamations of wretchedness。 In a short
  time Elinor saw Willoughby quit the room by the door towards the
  staircase;     and    telling   Marianne      that   he   was    gone;   urged     the
  impossibility   of   speaking   to   him   again   that   evening;   as   a     fresh
  argument for her to be calm。 She instantly begged her sister would
  entreat     Lady     Middleton      to  take   them     home;    as   she   was    too
  miserable to stay a minute longer。
  Lady   Middleton;   though   in   the   middle   of   a   rubber;   on   being
  informed that Marianne was unwell; was too polite to object for a
  moment to her wish of going away; and making over her cards to a
  friend; they departed as soon the carriage could be found。 Scarcely
  a    word     was    spoken     during     their   return     to  Berkeley…street。
  Marianne       was   in  a   silent   agony;   too  much     oppressed      even   for
  tears; but as Mrs。 Jennings was luckily not come home; they could
  go directly to their own room; where hartshorn restored her a little
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  to herself。 She was soon undressed and in bed; and as she seemed
  desirous   of   being   alone;   her   sister   then   left   her;   and   while   she
  waited     the   return     of  Mrs。    Jennings;     had   leisure    enough     for
  thinking over the past。
  That     some     kind    of   engagement        had     subsisted     between
  Willoughby        and    Marianne       she    could    not    doubt;     and    that
  Willoughby   was   weary   of   it;   seemed   equally   clear;   for   however
  Marianne might still feed her own wishes; she could not attribute
  such     behaviour      to  mistake     or   misapprehension         of  any    kind。
  Nothing but a thorough change of sentiment could account for it。
  Her   indignation   would   have   been   still   stronger   than   it   was;   had
  she   not  witnessed   that  embarrassment   which  seemed   to   speak   a
  consciousness        of  his  own   misconduct;      and    prevented     her   from
  believing   him   so   unprincipled   as   to   have   been   sporting   with   the
  affections     of  her   sister  from    the  first;  without    any   design    that
  would      bear   investigation。     Absence      might    have    weakened       his
  regard; and convenience might have determined him to overcome
  it; but that such a regard had formerly existed she could not bring
  herself to doubt。
  As   for   Marianne;   on   the   pangs   which   so   unhappy   a   meeting
  must already have given her; and on those still more severe which
  might await her in its probable consequence; she could not reflect
  without     the   deepest    concern。     Her   own    situation    gained    in  the
  comparison; for while she could esteem Edward as much as ever;
  however      they    might    be  divided    in  future;    her   mind    might    be
  always     supported。     But    every   circumstance       that  could    embitter
  such an evil seemed uniting to heighten the misery of Marianne in
  a    final   separation      from    Willoughby—in          an   immediate       and
  irreconcilable rupture with him。
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  CHAPTER VII
  efore   the   house…maid   had   lit   their   fire   the   next   day;   or
  the sun gained any power over a cold; gloomy morning in
  B
  January;     Marianne;      only   half  dressed;     was   kneeling
  against one of  the   window…seats   for  the   sake   of  all   the little   light
  she could command from it; and writing as fast as a continual flow
  of   tears   would   permit   her。   In   this   situation;   Elinor;   roused   from
  sleep    by  her   agitation   and   sobs;   first  perceived    her;  and   after
  observing   her   for   a   few   moments   with   silent   anxiety;   said;   in   a
  tone of the most considerate gentleness;
  “Marianne; may I ask?”—
  “No; Elinor;” she replied; “ask nothing; you will soon know all。”
  The sort of desperate calmness with which this was said; lasted
  no longer than while she spoke; and was immediately followed by
  a   return   of  the  same   excessive     affliction。  It   was   some  minutes
  before she could go on with her letter; and the frequent bursts of
  grief which still obliged her; at intervals; to withhold her pen; were
  proofs enough of her feeling how more than probable it was that
  she was writing for the last time to Willoughby。
  Elinor   paid   her   every   quiet   and   unobtrusive   attention   in   her
  power; and she would have tried to sooth and tranquillize her still
  more;   had not  Marianne   entreated   her;   with   all   the   eagerness   of
  the most nervous irritability; not to speak to her for the world。 In
  such circumstances; it was better for both that they should not be
  long together; and the restless state of Marianne’s   mind   not  only
  prevented her from remaining in the room a moment after she was
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  dressed;   but   requiring   at   once   solitude   and   continual   change   of
  place;     made     her   wander      about    the   house     till  breakfast    time;
  avoiding the sight of every body。
  At   breakfast   she   neither   ate;   nor   attempted   to   eat   any   thing;
  and   Elinor’s   attention   was   then   all   employed;   not   in   urging   her;
  not    in   pitying    her;    nor   in   appearing      to   regard     her;   but   in
  endeavouring to engage Mrs。 Jenning’s notice entirely to herself。
  As   this   was   a   favourite   meal   with   Mrs。   Jennings;   it   lasted   a
  considerable time; and they were just setting themselves; after it;
  round the common working table; when a letter was delivered to
  Marianne;        which     she   eagerly     caught     from    the   servant;     and;
  turning   of   a   death…like   paleness;   instantly   ran   out   of   the   room。
  Elinor; who saw as plainly by this; as if she had seen the direction;
  that    it  must    come     from    Willoughby;       felt  immediately       such    a
  sickness at heart as made her hardly able to hold up her head; and
  sat   in   such   a   general   tremour   as   made   her   fear   it   impossible   to
  escape Mrs。   Jenning’s notice。   That  good   lady;   however;   saw  only
  that    Marianne       had    received     a  letter   from    Willoughby;       which
  appeared        to  her    a   very    good    joke;    and    which     she    treated
  accordingly; by hoping; with a laugh; that she would find it to her
  liking。    Of   Elinor’s     distress;    she   was    too   busily    employed       in
  measuring lengths of worsted for her rug; to see any thing at a