第 82 节
作者:南方网      更新:2021-02-19 19:56      字数:9300
  tomorrow        would     find    her   recovered;       and    the   idea    of  what
  tomorrow would have produced; but for this unlucky illness; made
  every   ailment   severe;   for   on   that   day   they   were   to   have   begun
  their journey home; and; attended the whole way by a servant of
  Mrs。 Jennings; were to have taken their mother by surprise on the
  following   forenoon。   The   little   she   said   was   all   in   lamentation   of
  this inevitable delay; though Elinor  tried   to  raise   her  spirits; and
  make her believe; as she then really believed herself; that it would
  be a very short one。
  The next day produced little or no alteration in the state of the
  Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                             ElecBook
  … Page 344…
  Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility                          344
  patient; she certainly was not better; and; except that there was no
  amendment;   did   not   appear   worse。   Their   party   was   now   farther
  reduced; for Mr。 Palmer; though very unwilling to go as well from
  real humanity and good…nature; as from a dislike of  appearing  to
  be frightened away by his wife; was persuaded at last by Colonel
  Brandon   to   perform   his   promise   of   following   her;   and   while   he
  was     preparing      to  go;   Colonel     Brandon      himself;    with    a  much
  greater exertion; began to talk of going likewise。—Here; however;
  the kindness of  Mrs。   Jennings   interposed most  acceptably;   for  to
  send the Colonel away while his love was   in   so  much  uneasiness
  on    her   sister’s   account;     would     be   to   deprive    them     both;   she
  thought;   of  every  comfort;   and   therefore   telling  him   at   once   that
  his   stay   at   Cleveland   was   necessary   to   herself;   that   she   should
  want   him   to   play  at   piquet   of   an   evening;   while   Miss   Dashwood
  was     above    with    her   sister;  &c。    she   urged    him    so   strongly    to
  remain; that he; who was gratifying the first wish of his own heart
  by a compliance; could not long even affect to demur; especially as
  Mrs。   Jennings’s   entreaty   was   warmly   seconded   by   Mr。   Palmer;
  who   seemed   to   feel   a   relief   to   himself;   in   leaving   behind   him   a
  person      so   well  able   to  assist   or  advise    Miss    Dashwood       in  any
  emergence。
  Marianne        was;    of  course;     kept    in   ignorance      of   all  these
  arrangements。         She   knew     not   that   she   had   been    the   means     of
  sending the owners of Cleveland away; in about seven days   from
  the    time   of   their   arrival。  It   gave  her   no   surprise    that   she   saw
  nothing   of   Mrs。   Palmer;   and   as   it   gave   her   likewise   no   concern;
  she never mentioned her name。
  Two days passed away from the time of Mr。 Palmer’s departure;
  and   her   situation   continued;   with   little   variation;   the   same。   Mr。
  Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                             ElecBook
  … Page 345…
  Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility                         345
  Harris; who attended her every day; still talked boldly of a speedy
  recovery;      and    Miss    Dashwood       was    equally    sanguine;      but   the
  expectation       of  the   others    was   by   no   means     so   cheerful。    Mrs。
  Jennings had determined very early in the seizure that Marianne
  would never get over it; and Colonel Brandon; who was chiefly of
  use in listening to Mrs。 Jennings’s forebodings; was not in a state
  of mind to resist their influence。 He tried to reason himself out of
  fears;   which  the   different   judgment   of   the   apothecary   seemed   to
  render absurd; but the   many  hours   of  each day  in  which  he   was
  left   entirely   alone;   were   but   too   favourable   for   the   admission   of
  every melancholy idea; and he could not expel from his mind the
  persuasion that he should see Marianne no more。
  On     the   morning       of   the   third    day    however;      the   gloomy
  anticipations of both were almost done away; for when Mr。 Harris
  arrived;   he   declared   his   patient   materially   better。   Her   pulse   was
  much stronger; and every symptom more favourable   than  on   the
  preceding visit。 Elinor; confirmed in every pleasant hope; was   all
  cheerfulness;   rejoicing  that  in  her  letters   to  her   mother;   she   had
  pursued   her   own   judgment   rather   than   her   friend’s;   in   making
  very   light   of   the   indisposition   which   delayed   them   at   Cleveland;
  and   almost   fixing   on   the   time   when   Marianne   would   be   able   to
  travel。
  But the day did not close so auspiciously as it began。—Towards
  the    evening     Marianne      became      ill  again;   growing     more     heavy;
  restless; and uncomfortable than before。               Her sister; however; still
  sanguine; was willing to attribute the change to nothing more than
  the fatigue of having  sat  up   to  have   her bed made;   and carefully
  administering  the   cordials   prescribed;   saw   her;   with   satisfaction;
  sink   at   last   into   a   slumber;   from   which   she   expected   the   most
  Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                            ElecBook
  … Page 346…
  Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility                        346
  beneficial effects。 Her sleep; though not so quiet as Elinor wished
  to   see   it;   lasted   a   considerable   time;   and   anxious   to   observe   the
  result of it herself; she resolved to sit with her during the whole of
  it。   Mrs。   Jennings;  knowing  nothing  of   any   change   in   the   patient;
  went     unusually     early   to  bed;    her   maid;    who    was   one    of  the
  principal     nurses;    was    recreating     herself   in   the   housekeeper’s
  room; and Elinor remained alone with Marianne。
  The repose of the latter became more and more disturbed; and
  her sister; who watched; with unremitting attention her continual
  change of posture; and heard the frequent but inarticulate sounds
  of  complaint  which  passed   her  lips;   was   almost   wishing   to   rouse
  her     from    so   painful    a   slumber;      when     Marianne;      suddenly
  awakened   by   some   accidental   noise   in   the   house;   started   hastily
  up; and; with feverish wildness; cried out;—
  “Is mama coming?—”
  “Not yet;” cried the other; concealing her terror;   and assisting
  Marianne to lie down again; “but she will be here; I hope; before it
  is long。 It is a great way; you know; from hence to Barton。”
  “But she must not go round by London;” cried Marianne; in the
  same     hurried     manner。     “I  shall   never    see  her;   if  she   goes   by
  London。”
  Elinor perceived with alarm that she was not quite herself; and;
  while attempting to soothe her; eagerly felt her pulse。 It was lower
  and quicker than ever! and Marianne; still talking wildly of mama;
  her   alarm   increased   so   rapidly;   as   to   determine   her   on   sending
  instantly  for  Mr。   Harris; and   despatching  a   messenger   to   Barton
  for   her   mother。    To   consult    with   Colonel    Brandon      on   the   best
  means   of   effecting   the   latter;   was   a   thought   which   immediately
  followed the resolution of its performance; and as soon as she had
  Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                          ElecBook
  … Page 347…
  Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility                         347
  rung   up   the   maid   to   take   her   place   by   her   sister;   she   hastened
  down to the drawing…room; where she knew he was generally to be
  found at a much later hour than the present。
  It was no time for hesitation。 Her fears and her difficulties were
  immediately        before     him。    Her    fears;   he   had    no    courage;     no
  confidence       to   attempt    the  removal     of;—he     listened    to  them    in
  silent  despondence;—but  her  difficulties   were   instantly   obviated;
  for   with   a   readiness   that   seemed   to   speak   the   occasion;   and   the
  service     pre…arranged       in   his   mind;    he   offered     himself    as   the
  messenger        who    should    fetch   Mrs。    Dashwood。       Elinor    made     no
  resistance   that   was   not   easily   overcome。   She   thanked   him   with
  brief; though fervent gratitude; and while he went to hurry off his
  servant with a message to Mr。 Harris; and an order for post…horses
  directly; she wrote a few lines to her mother。
  The     comfort     of  such    a  friend