第 60 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:55      字数:9268
  mother to give away; to make over for ever; but Mrs。 Ferrars has a
  noble   spirit。   To  give   you  another  instance  of   her   liberality:—The
  other  day;   as   soon   as   we   came   to   town;   aware   that  money   could
  not    be   very   plenty     with   us   just  now;     she   put   bank…notes       into
  Fanny’s       hands     to   the   amount      of   two    hundred      pounds。      And
  extremely   acceptable   it   is;   for   we   must   live   at   a   great   expense
  while we are here。”
  He    paused      for  her    assent    and    compassion;       and    she   forced
  herself to say;
  “Your   expenses   both   in   town   and   country   must   certainly   be
  considerable; but your income is a large one。”
  “Not   so   large;   I   dare   say;   as   many   people   suppose。   I   do   not
  mean to complain; however; it is undoubtedly a comfortable one;
  and     I  hope    will   in  time    be   better。    The    inclosure     of   Norland
  Common;   now   carrying   on;   is   a   most   serious   drain。   And   then   I
  have   made   a   little   purchase   within   this   half   year;   East   Kingham
  Farm;   you   must   remember   the   place;   where   old   Gibson   used   to
  live。   The   land   was   so   very   desirable   for   me   in   every   respect;   so
  immediately  adjoining  my  own property;   that  I   felt  it  my  duty  to
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  buy it。 I could not have answered it to my conscience to let it fall
  into any other hands。 A man must pay for his convenience; and it
  has cost me a vast deal of money。”
  “More than you think it really and intrinsically worth。”
  “Why; I hope not that。 I might have sold it again; the next day;
  for  more   than   I   gave:   but;   with   regard   to   the   purchase…money;   I
  might have   been   very  unfortunate   indeed;   for  the   stocks   were   at
  that time so low; that if I had not happened to have the necessary
  sum in my banker’s hands; I must have sold out to very great loss。”
  Elinor could only smile。
  “Other great and inevitable expenses too we have had   on  first
  coming      to  Norland。     Our    respected     father;   as  you   well   know;
  bequeathed all the Stanhill effects that remained at Norland (and
  very   valuable   they   were)   to   your   mother。   Far   be   it   from   me   to
  repine at his doing so; he had an undoubted right to dispose of his
  own property as he chose; but; in consequence of it; we have been
  obliged to make large purchases of linen; china; &c。 to supply the
  place    of  what   was    taken   away。    You   may    guess;   after   all  these
  expenses;      how   very   far   we   must   be  from   being    rich;  and    how
  acceptable Mrs。 Ferrars’s kindness is。”
  “Certainly;” said Elinor; “and assisted by her liberality; I hope
  you may yet live to be in easy circumstances。”
  “Another   year   or   two   may   do   much   towards        it;”  he  gravely
  replied; “but however there is still a great deal to be done。 There is
  not a stone laid of Fanny’s green…house; and nothing but the plan
  of the flower…garden marked out。”
  “Where is the green…house to be?”
  “Upon the knoll behind the house。 The old walnut trees are all
  come down to make room for it。 It will be a very fine object from
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  many parts of the park; and the flower…garden will slope down just
  before it; and be exceedingly pretty。 We have cleared away all the
  old thorns that grew in patches over the brow。”
  Elinor   kept   her   concern   and   her   censure   to   herself;   and   was
  very     thankful     that   Marianne      was    not    present;    to   share    the
  provocation。
  Having  now  said   enough  to  make   his   poverty  clear; and   to  do
  away   the   necessity   of   buying   a   pair   of   ear…rings   for   each   of   his
  sisters; in his next visit  at  Gray’s;   his   thoughts   took   a   cheerfuller
  turn; and he began to congratulate Elinor on having such a friend
  as Mrs。 Jennings。
  “She   seems   a   most   valuable   woman   indeed。—Her   house;   her
  style of living; all bespeak an exceeding good income; and it is an
  acquaintance that has not only been of great use to you hitherto;
  but in the end may prove materially advantageous。—Her inviting
  you to town is certainly a vast thing in your favour; and indeed; it
  speaks altogether so great a regard for you; that in all probability
  when she dies you will not be forgotten。—She   must  have   a  great
  deal to leave。”
  “Nothing   at  all;   I   should   rather   suppose;   for   she   has   only   her
  jointure; which will descend to her children。”
  “But  it  is   not  to   be  imagined   that   she  lives   up   to   her   income。
  Few  people  of  common prudence  will   do  that;   and   whatever   she
  saves; she will be able to dispose of。”
  “And do you not think it more likely that she should leave it to
  her daughters; than to us?”
  “Her      daughters      are   both     exceedingly      well    married;     and
  therefore      I  cannot    perceive    the   necessity    of  her   remembering
  them     farther。   Whereas;      in   my   opinion;   by   her   taking   so   much
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  notice of you; and treating you in this kind of way; she has given
  you     a   sort   of  claim     on   her    future    consideration;      which     a
  conscientious woman would not disregard。 Nothing can be kinder
  than her behaviour; and she can hardly do all this; without being
  aware of the expectation it raises。”
  “But she raises none in those most concerned。 Indeed; brother;
  your anxiety for our welfare and prosperity carries you too far。”
  “Why; to be sure;” said he; seeming to recollect himself; “people
  have   little;   have   very   little   in   their   power。   But;   my   dear   Elinor;
  what   is   the   matter   with   Marianne?—she   looks   very   unwell;   has
  lost her colour; and is grown quite thin。 Is she ill?”
  “She   is   not   well;   she   has   had   a   nervous   complaint   on   her   for
  several weeks。”
  “I am sorry for that。 At her time of life; any thing of an illness
  destroys the bloom for ever! Her’s has been a very short one! She
  was as handsome a girl last September; as I ever saw; and as likely
  to attract the men。 There was something in her style of beauty; to
  please them particularly。 I remember Fanny used to say that she
  would marry sooner and better than you did; not but what she is
  exceedingly fond of you; but so it happened to strike her。 She will
  be    mistaken;     however。     I  question    whether      Marianne     now;    will
  marry  a   man  worth  more   than   five   or  six  hundred   a…year; at   the
  utmost;   and   I   am   very   much   deceived   if  you   do   not   do   better。
  Dorsetshire! I know very little of Dorsetshire; but; my dear Elinor;
  I shall be   exceedingly  glad   to  know  more   of  it;   and   I   think I   can
  answer for your having Fanny and myself among the earliest and
  best pleased of your visitors。”
  Elinor   tried   very   seriously   to   convince   him   that   there   was   no
  likelihood      of  her    marrying      Colonel    Brandon;       but   it  was    an
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  expectation   of   too   much   pleasure   to   himself   to   be   relinquished;
  and     he  was    really  resolved     on   seeking    an   intimacy     with   that
  gentleman;        and    promoting      the    marriage      by   every     possible
  attention。     He    had   just   compunction       enough      for  having     done
  nothing     for   his  sisters  himself;    to  be   exceedingly     anxious     that
  everybody else should do a great deal; and an offer from Colonel
  Brandon; or a legacy from Mrs。 Jennings; was the easiest means of
  atoning for his own neglect。
  They were lucky enough to find Lady Middleton at home; and
  Sir John came in before their visit ended。 Abundance of civilities
  passed     on   all  sides。  Sir   John    was   ready    to  like  anybody;     and
  though Mr。 Dash