第 37 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9309
  Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                          ElecBook
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  for a week or ten days; till her head was stronger。 He had talked of
  going     down    to  Plymouth      for  a  week;    and   wanted     to  persuade
  Captain Benwick to go with him; but; as Charles maintained to the
  last; Captain Benwick seemed much more disposed to ride over to
  Kellynch。
  There can be no doubt that Lady Russell and Anne were both
  occasionally   thinking   of   Captain   Benwick;   from   this   time。   Lady
  Russell could not hear the door…bell without  feeling  that  it  might
  be   his   herald;   nor   could   Anne   return   from   any   stroll   of   solitary
  indulgence   in   her   father’s   grounds;   or  any   visit   of   charity   in   the
  village; without wondering whether she might see him or hear of
  him。    Captain     Benwick      came    not;  however。     He    was   either   less
  disposed for it than Charles had imagined; or he was too shy; and
  after   giving   him   a   week’s   indulgence;   Lady   Russell   determined
  him to be unworthy of the interest which he had been beginning to
  excite。
  The Musgroves came back to receive their happy boys and girls
  from school; bringing with them Mrs。 Harville’s  little  children;  to
  improve       the   noise   of   Uppercross;      and    lessen    that   of  Lyme。
  Henrietta remained with Louisa; but all the rest of the family were
  again in their usual quarters。
  Lady  Russell and Anne   paid   their   compliments   to   them   once;
  when Anne could not but feel that  Uppercross   was already  quite
  alive   again。   Though   neither   Henrietta;   nor   Louisa;   nor   Charles
  Hayter; nor Captain Wentworth were there; the room presented as
  strong a contrast as could be wished to the last state she had seen
  it in。
  Immediately        surrounding       Mrs。     Musgrove       were     the   little
  Harvilles; whom she was sedulously guarding from the tyranny of
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  the   two   children     from   the   Cottage;    expressly   arrived     to   amuse
  them。 On one side was a table occupied by some chattering girls;
  cutting up silk and gold paper; and on the other were tressels and
  trays;   bending   under   the   weight   of   brawn   and   cold   pies;   where
  riotous   boys   were   holding   high   revel;   the   whole   completed   by   a
  roaring Christmas fire; which seemed determined to be heard; in
  spite of all the noise of the others。 Charles and Mary also came in;
  of   course;   during   their   visit;   and   Mr。   Musgrove   made   a   point   of
  paying his respects to Lady Russell; and sat down close to her for
  ten minutes; talking with a very raised voice; but from the clamour
  of the children on his knees; generally in vain。 It was a fine family…
  piece。
  Anne; judging from her own temperament; would have deemed
  such a domestic hurricane a bad restorative of the nerves; which
  Louisa’s illness must have so greatly shaken。 But Mrs。 Musgrove;
  who   got   Anne   near   her   on   purpose   to   thank   her   most   cordially;
  again and again; for all her attentions to them; concluded a short
  recapitulation of what she had suffered herself by observing; with
  a   happy     glance    round    the   room;    that   after  all  she   had    gone
  through;   nothing   was   so   likely   to   do   her   good    as  a   little  quiet
  cheerfulness at home。
  Louisa was now recovering apace。 Her mother could even think
  of her being able to join their party at home; before her brothers
  and   sisters   went   to   school   again。   The   Harvilles   had   promised   to
  come   with   her   and   stay   at   Uppercross;   whenever   she   returned。
  Captain Wentworth was gone; for the present; to see his brother in
  Shropshire。
  “I hope I shall remember; in future;” said Lady Russell; as soon
  as they were reseated in the carriage; “not to call at Uppercross in
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  the Christmas holidays。”
  Every body has their taste in noises as well as in other matters;
  and sounds are quite innoxious; or most distressing; by their sort
  rather      than    their    quantity。      When      Lady     Russell;     not    long
  afterwards;   was   entering   Bath   on   a   wet   afternoon;   and   driving
  through the long course of streets from the Old Bridge to Camden…
  place;   amidst   the   dash   of   other   carriages;   the   heavy   rumble         of
  carts   and   drays;   the   bawling   of   newspapermen;   muffin…men   and
  milk…men;        and    the   ceaseless     clink   of   pattens;     she   made      no
  complaint。   No;   these   were   noises   which   belonged   to   the   winter
  pleasures;   her   spirits   rose   under   their   influence;   and;   like   Mrs。
  Musgrove; she was feeling; though not saying; that after being long
  in   the   country;   nothing could  be so   good   for   her   as   a   little   quiet
  cheerfulness。
  Anne     did   not   share    these    feelings。   She    persisted     in  a  very
  determined; though very silent disinclination for Bath; caught the
  first dim view of the extensive buildings; smoking in rain; without
  any   wish   of   seeing   them   better;   felt   their   progress   through   the
  streets to be; however disagreeable; yet too rapid; for  who  would
  be glad to see her when she arrived? And looked back; with fond
  regret; to the bustles of Uppercross and the seclusion of Kellynch。
  Elizabeth’s   last   letter   had   communicated   a          piece   of   news   of
  some   interest。   Mr。   Elliot  was   in   Bath。   He   had called   in   Camden…
  place;     had   called    a  second     time;   a  third;    had   been    pointedly
  attentive。 If Elizabeth and her father did not  deceive   themselves;
  had     been    taking     much     pains    to   seek   the    acquaintance;       and
  proclaim   the   value   of   the   connection;   as   he   had   formerly   taken
  pains to shew neglect。 This was very wonderful if it were true; and
  Lady      Russell    was    in  a   state   of  very    agreeable      curiosity    and
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  perplexity   about   Mr。   Elliot;   already   recanting   the   sentiment   she
  had   so  lately   expressed   to   Mary;   of   his   being   “a   man   whom   she
  had no wish to see。” She had a great wish to see him。 If he really
  sought      to  reconcile     himself     like  a  dutiful    branch;     he   must     be
  forgiven for having dismembered himself from the paternal tree。
  Anne was not animated to an equal pitch by the circumstance;
  but   she   felt   that   she   would   rather   see   Mr。   Elliot   again   than   not;
  which   was   more   than   she   could   say   for   many   other   persons   in
  Bath。
  She   was   put   down   in   Camden…place;   and   Lady   Russell   then
  drove to her own lodgings; in Rivers…street。
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  CHAPTER III
  ir Walter had taken a very good house in Camden…place; a
  lofty    dignified    situation;    such    as  becomes      a   man     of
  S
  consequence;        and   both    he  and    Elizabeth     were   settled
  there; much to their satisfaction。
  Anne       entered     it  with    a   sinking     heart;    anticipating      an
  imprisonment   of   many   months;   and   anxiously   saying   to   herself;
  “Oh!     when    shall   I  leave  you   again?”     A  degree    of  unexpected
  cordiality;   however;   in   the   welcome   she   received;   did   her   good。
  Her father and sister were glad to see her; for the sake of shewing
  her    the  house    and    furniture;   and   met    her   with   kindness。    Her
  making a fourth; when they sat down to dinner; was noticed as an
  advantage。
  Mrs。    Clay    was    very   pleasant;     and    very   smiling;    but    her
  courtesies   and   smiles   were   more   a   matter   of   course。   Anne   had
  always felt that she would pretend what was proper on her arriva