第 27 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9308
  any  amusement  or  variety   which   Lyme;   as   a   public   place;   might
  offer。    The   rooms     were    shut    up;  the   lodgers     almost    all  gone;
  scarcely     any   family    but   of  the   residents    left—and;     as  there    is
  nothing   to   admire   in     the   buildings    themselves;     the   remarkable
  situation of the town; the principal street almost hurrying into the
  water; the walk to the Cobb; skirting round the pleasant little bay;
  which;     in  the   season;    is  animated     with    bathing    machines      and
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  company; the Cobb itself; its old wonders and new improvements;
  with the very beautiful line of cliffs stretching out to the east of the
  town;   are   what   the   stranger’s   eye   will   seek;   and   a   very   strange
  stranger   it   must   be;   who   does   not   see   charms   in   the   immediate
  environs of Lyme; to make him wish to know it better。 The scenes
  in   its  neighbourhood;         Charmouth;       with    its  high   grounds      and
  extensive sweeps of country; and still more; its sweet; retired bay;
  backed   by   dark   cliffs;   where   fragments   of   low   rock       among   the
  sands; make it the happiest spot for watching the flow of the tide;
  for   sitting   in   unwearied   contemplation;—the   woody   varieties              of
  the   cheerful   village   of   Up   Lyme;   and;   above   all;   Pinny;   with   its
  green chasms between romantic rocks; where the scattered forest
  trees    and    orchards     of  luxuriant     growth;     declare    that   many     a
  generation must have passed away since the first partial falling of
  the   cliff   prepared   the   ground   for   such  a   state;   where   a   scene   so
  wonderful and so lovely is exhibited; as may more than equal any
  of   the   resembling   scenes       of  the  far…famed      Isle  of  Wight:    these
  places   must   be   visited;   and   visited   again;   to   make   the   worth   of
  Lyme understood。
  The party from Uppercross passing down by the now deserted
  and   melancholy  looking   rooms;   and   still   descending;   soon   found
  themselves on the sea shore; and lingering only; as all must linger
  and gaze on a first return to the sea; who ever deserved to look on
  it at all; proceeded towards the Cobb; equally their object in itself
  and   on   Captain   Wentworth’s   account;   for   in   a   small   house;   near
  the foot of an old pier of unknown date; were the Harvilles settled。
  Captain      Wentworth       turned    in   to  call  on   his  friend;   the   others
  walked on; and he was to join them on the Cobb。
  They were by no means tired of wondering and admiring; and
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  not even Louisa seemed to feel that they had parted with Captain
  Wentworth        long;   when    they   saw    him    coming     after  them;    with
  three   companions;   all   well   known   already;   by   description;   to   be
  Captain      and   Mrs。    Harville;    and   a  Captain     Benwick;      who    was
  staying with them。
  Captain Benwick had some time ago been first lieutenant of the
  Laconia; and the account which Captain Wentworth had given of
  him; on his return from Lyme before; his warm praise of him as an
  excellent young man and an officer; whom he   had always   valued
  highly; which must have stamped him well in the esteem of every
  listener;   had   been   followed   by   a   little   history   of   his   private   life;
  which   rendered   him   perfectly   interesting   in   the   eyes   of   all   the
  ladies。 He had been engaged to Captain Harville’s sister; and was
  now mourning her loss。 They had been a year or two waiting for
  fortune      and    promotion。       Fortune      came;    his    prize…money       as
  lieutenant  being   great;—promotion;   too;   came   at  last;   but  Fanny
  Harville     did   not   live  to  know     it。  She  had    died   the   preceding
  summer       while    he   was    at  sea。  Captain     Wentworth       believed     it
  impossible      for   man    to  be  more     attached    to  woman      than    poor
  Benwick       had    been    to  Fanny     Harville;    or   to  be   more    deeply
  afflicted under the dreadful change。 He considered his disposition
  as   of   the  sort   which     must    suffer   heavily;   uniting    very    strong
  feelings  with  quiet;   serious;   and  retiring  manners; and   a  decided
  taste for reading; and sedentary pursuits。 To finish the interest of
  the story; the friendship between him and the Harvilles seemed; if
  possible;  augmented by  the   event  which  closed   all   their   views   of
  alliance; and Captain Benwick was now living with them entirely。
  Captain Harville had   taken   his present  house   for  half  a   year;   his
  taste;    and   his   health;   and    his  fortune;    all  directing    him    to  a
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  residence   inexpensive;   and   by   the   sea;   and   the   grandeur   of   the
  country;     and    the  retirement      of  Lyme     in  the  winter;    appeared
  exactly adapted to Captain Benwick’s state of mind。 The sympathy
  and good…will excited towards Captain Benwick was very great。
  “And yet;” said Anne to herself; as they now moved forward to
  meet the party; “he has not; perhaps; a more sorrowing heart than
  I   have。   I   cannot   believe   his   prospects   so   blighted   for   ever。   He   is
  younger than I am; younger in feeling; if not in fact; younger as a
  man。 He will rally again; and be happy with another。”
  They all met; and were introduced。 Captain Harville was a tall;
  dark man; with a sensible; benevolent countenance; a little lame;
  and from strong features and want of health; looking much older
  than   Captain   Wentworth。   Captain   Benwick   looked;   and   was;   the
  youngest of the three; and; compared with either of them; a little
  man。 He had a pleasing face and a melancholy air; just as he ought
  to have; and drew back from conversation。
  Captain   Harville;   though   not   equalling   Captain   Wentworth   in
  manners;       was     a  perfect     gentleman;      unaffected;      warm;     and
  obliging。 Mrs。   Harville;  a degree   less   polished   than   her  husband;
  seemed;   however;   to   have   the   same   good   feelings;   and   nothing
  could be more pleasant than their desire of considering the whole
  party    as   friends   of  their   own;    because     the  friends    of  Captain
  Wentworth;   or   more   kindly   hospitable   than   their   entreaties          for
  their all promising to dine with them。 The dinner; already ordered
  at  the   inn;   was at  last;   though  unwillingly;   accepted   as   a   excuse;
  but they seemed almost hurt that Captain Wentworth should have
  brought any such party to Lyme; without considering it as a thing
  of course that they should dine with them。
  There   was   so   much   attachment   to   Captain   Wentworth   in   all
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  this;   and   such   a   bewitching   charm   in   a   degree   of   hospitality   so
  uncommon; so unlike the usual style of  give…and…take   invitations;
  and dinners of formality and display; that Anne felt her spirits not
  likely   to   be   benefited   by   an   increasing   acquaintance   among   his
  brother…officers。 “These would have been all my friends;” was her
  thought;      and   she   had    to  struggle    against    a  great    tendency     to
  lowness。
  On    quitting   the    Cobb;    they   all  went   indoors     with   their   new
  friends;   and   found   rooms   so   small   as   none   but   those   who   invite
  from   the   heart   could   think   capable   of   accommodating   so   many。
  Anne had a moment’s astonishment on the subject herself; but it
  was   soon   lost   in   the   pleasanter   feelings   which   sprang   from   the
  sight  of   all   the   ingenious   contrivances   and   nice   arrangements   of
  Captain   Harville;  to  turn   the   actual  space   to  the   best account;   to
  supply the deficiencies of lodging…house furniture; and defend the
  windows and doors against the winter storms to be expected。 The
  vari