第 63 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:56      字数:9227
  displeased with Mrs。 Ferrars; and such ill…timed praise of another;
  at   Elinor’s   expense;   though   she   had   not   any   notion   of   what   was
  principally   meant   by   it;   provoked       her   immediately      to  say  with
  warmth;
  “This   is   admiration   of   a   very   particular   kind!—what   is      Miss
  Morton to us?—who knows; or who cares; for her?—it is Elinor of
  whom we think and speak。”
  And   so   saying;   she   took   the   screens   out   of   her   sister…in…law’s
  hands; to admire them herself as they ought to be admired。
  Mrs。 Ferrars looked exceedingly angry; and drawing herself up
  more stiffly than ever; pronounced in retort this   bitter  phillippic:
  “Miss Morton is Lord Morton’s daughter。”
  Fanny   looked   very   angry   too;   and   her   husband   was   all   in   a
  fright    at  his  sister’s  audacity。     Elinor   was    much     more    hurt   by
  Marianne’s   warmth  than she   had  been   by   what   produced   it;   but
  Colonel Brandon’s eyes; as they were fixed on Marianne; declared
  that he noticed only what was amiable in it; the affectionate heart
  which could not bear to see a sister slighted in the smallest point。
  Marianne’s   feelings   did   not   stop   here。   The   cold   insolence   of
  Mrs。 Ferrars’s general behaviour to her sister;   seemed;   to  her;   to
  foretell    such    difficulties   and   distresses    to  Elinor;    as  her   own
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  wounded heart taught her to think of with horror; and urged by a
  strong     impulse     of  affectionate     sensibility;   she   moved      after  a
  moment; to her sister’s chair; and putting one arm round her neck;
  and one cheek close to hers; said in a low; but eager; voice;
  “Dear; dear Elinor; don’t mind them。 Don’t let them make you
  unhappy。”
  She   could   say  no   more;   her   spirits   were   quite   overcome;   and
  hiding   her   face   on   Elinor’s   shoulder;   she   burst   into   tears。   Every
  body’s      attention     was    called;    and    almost     every    body     was
  concerned。—Colonel Brandon rose   up   and  went  to  them   without
  knowing what he did。—Mrs。 Jennings; with a very intelligent “Ah!
  poor   dear;”   immediately   gave   her   her   salts;   and   Sir   John   felt   so
  desperately   enraged   against   the   author   of   this   nervous   distress;
  that he instantly changed his seat to one close by Lucy Steele; and
  gave her; in a whisper; a brief account of the whole shocking affair。
  In a few minutes; however; Marianne was recovered enough to
  put an end to the bustle; and sit down among the rest; though her
  spirits   retained    the   impression     of  what    had   passed;    the  whole
  evening。
  “Poor Marianne!” said her brother to Colonel Brandon; in a low
  voice; as soon as he could secure his attention;—“She has not such
  good     health   as   her  sister;—she      is  very  nervous;—she        has   not
  Elinor’s constitution;—and one must allow that there is something
  very trying to a young woman who has been a beauty; in the loss of
  her    personal    attractions。    You    would    not   think   it  perhaps;    but
  Marianne was   remarkably  handsome a   few  months   ago;   quite   as
  handsome as Elinor。— Now you see it is all gone。”
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  CHAPTER XIII
  linor’s   curiosity   to   see   Mrs。   Ferrars   was   satisfied。—She
  had   found   in   her  every  thing  that   could   tend   to   make   a
  E
  farther   connection       between     the   families   undesirable。—
  She     had    seen   enough      of  her   pride;   her    meanness;      and    her
  determined        prejudice     against    herself;   to   comprehend        all  the
  difficulties     that   must     have    perplexed      the   engagement;        and
  retarded      the   marriage;     of  Edward      and    herself;   had    he   been
  otherwise   free;—and she  had seen  almost  enough   to   be   thankful
  for   her  own   sake;   that   one   greater   obstacle   preserved   her   from
  suffering under any other of Mrs。 Ferrars’s creation; preserved her
  from   all   dependence   upon   her   caprice;   or   any   solicitude   for   her
  good   opinion。   Or   at   least;   if   she  did   not   bring   herself  quite  to
  rejoice   in   Edward’s   being   fettered   to   Lucy;   she   determined;   that
  had Lucy been more amiable; she ought to have rejoiced。
  She    wondered       that   Lucy’s    spirits   could    be   so  very    much
  elevated by the civility of Mrs。 Ferrars;—that her interest and her
  vanity   should   so   very   much   blind   her   as   to   make   the   attention
  which seemed only paid her because she was not Elinor; appear a
  compliment   to   herself—or   to   allow   her   to   derive   encouragement
  from a preference   only  given   her;   because  her  real   situation   was
  unknown。 But that it was so; had not only been declared by Lucy’s
  eyes   at   the   time;   but   was   declared   over   again   the   next   morning
  more openly; for at her particular desire; Lady Middleton set her
  down   in   Berkeley…street  on   the  chance   of seeing  Elinor  alone;   to
  tell her how happy she was。
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  The    chance     proved     a  lucky   one;   for   a  message     from    Mrs。
  Palmer soon after she arrived; carried Mrs。 Jennings away。
  “My     dear    friend;”    cried   Lucy;    as   soon    as   they    were    by
  themselves;       “I  come     to  talk   to  you    of  my    happiness。     Could
  anything   be     so   flattering   as  Mrs。   Ferrars’s    way   of  treating    me
  yesterday?   So   exceeding   affable   as   she   was!—You   know   how   I
  dreaded the thoughts of seeing her;—but the very moment  I   was
  introduced; there was such an affability in her behaviour as really
  should seem to say; she had quite took a fancy to me。 Now was not
  it so?—You saw it all; and was not you quite struck with it?”
  “She was certainly very civil to you。”
  “Civil!—Did   you   see   nothing   but   only   civility?—I   saw   a   vast
  deal more。 Such kindness as fell to the share of nobody but me!—
  No pride; no hauteur; and your sister just the same—all sweetness
  and affability!”
  Elinor wished to talk of  something  else; but  Lucy  still pressed
  her to own that she had reason for her happiness; and Elinor was
  obliged to go on。—
  “Undoubtedly; if they had known your engagement;” said she;
  “nothing  could be   more   flattering   than   their   treatment   of   you;—
  but as that was not the case”—
  “I   guessed     you   would     say   so”—replied      Lucy    quickly—“but
  there was no reason in the world why Mrs。 Ferrars should seem to
  like me; if she did not; and her liking me is every thing。 You shan’t
  talk me   out  of  my  satisfaction。   I am  sure   it  will   all  end   well;   and
  there   will   be   no   difficulties   at   all;   to   what   I   used   to   think。   Mrs。
  Ferrars is a charming woman; and so is your sister。 They are both
  delightful women; indeed!—I wonder I should never hear you say
  how agreeable Mrs。 Dashwood was!”
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  To this Elinor had no answer to make; and did not attempt any。
  “Are     you   ill;  Miss   Dashwood?—you            seem    low—you       don’t
  speak;—sure you an’t well。”
  “I never was in better health。”
  “I am glad of it with all my heart; but really you did not look it。 I
  should be   sorry   to   have you   ill;   you;   that   have   been   the   greatest
  comfort  to  me   in   the   world!—Heaven   knows   what   I   should   have
  done without your friendship。”—
  Elinor  tried   to  make   a civil  answer;   though   doubting   her   own
  success。 But it seemed to satisfy Lucy; for she directly replied;
  “Indeed   I   am   perfectly   convinced   of   your   regard   for   me;   and
  next   to   Edward’s   love;   it   is  the  greatest   comfort   I   have。—Poor
  Edward!—But   now   there   is   one