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雙語·曼斯菲爾德莊園 第二卷 第四章

所屬教程:譯林版·曼斯菲爾德莊園

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2022年05月06日

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Fanny's consequence increased on the departure of her cousins. Becoming, as she then did, the only young woman in the drawing-room, the only occupier of that interesting division of a family in which she had hitherto held so humble a third, it was impossible for her not to be more looked at, more thought of and attended to, than she had ever been before; and “Where is Fanny?” became no uncommon question, even without her being wanted for anyone's convenience.

Not only at home did her value increase, but at the Parsonage too. In that house, which she had hardly entered twice a year since Mr. Norris's death, she became a welcome, an invited guest, and in the gloom and dirt of a November day, most acceptable to Mary Crawford. Her visits there, beginning by chance, were continued by solicitation. Mrs. Grant, really eager to get any change for her sister, could, by the easiest self-deceit, persuade herself that she was doing the kindest thing by Fanny, and giving her the most important opportunities of improvement in pressing her frequent calls.

Fanny, having been sent into the village on some errand by her aunt Norris, was overtaken by a heavy shower close to the Parsonage; and being descried from one of the windows endeavouring to find shelter under the branches and lingering leaves of an oak just beyond their premises, was forced, though not without some modest reluctance on her part, to come in. A civil servant she had withstood; but when Dr. Grant himself went out with an umbrella, there was nothing to be done but to be very much ashamed, and to get into the house as fast as possible; and to poor Miss Crawford, who had just been contemplating the dismal rain in a very desponding state of mind, sighing over the ruin of all her plan of exercise for that morning, and of every chance of seeing a single creature beyond themselves for the next twenty-four hours, the sound of a little bustle at the front door, and the sight of Miss Price dripping with wet in the vestibule, was delightful. The value of an event on a wet day in the country was most forcibly brought before her. She was all alive again directly, and among the most active in being useful to Fanny, in detecting her to be wetter than she would at first allow, and providing her with dry clothes; and Fanny, after being obliged to submit to all this attention, and to being assisted and waited on by mistresses and maids, being also obliged, on returning downstairs, to be fixed in their drawing-room for an hour while the rain continued, the blessing of something fresh to see and think of was thus extended to Miss Crawford, and might carry on her spirits to the period of dressing and dinner.

The two sisters were so kind to her, and so pleasant, that Fanny might have enjoyed her visit could she have believed herself not in the way, and could she have foreseen that the weather would certainly clear at the end of the hour, and save her from the shame of having Dr. Grant's carriage and horses out to take her home, with which she was threatened. As to anxiety for any alarm that her absence in such weather might occasion at home, she had nothing to suffer on that score; for as her being out was known only to her two aunts, she was perfectly aware that none would be felt, and that in whatever cottage aunt Norris might choose to establish her during the rain, her being in such cottage would be indubitable to aunt Bertram.

It was beginning to look brighter, when Fanny, observing a harp in the room, asked some questions about it, which soon led to an acknowledgment of her wishing very much to hear it, and a confession, which could hardly be believed, of her having never yet heard it since its being in Mansfield. To Fanny herself it appeared a very simple and natural circumstance. She had scarcely ever been at the Parsonage since the instrument's arrival, there had been no reason that she should; but Miss Crawford, calling to mind an early expressed wish on the subject, was concerned at her own neglect; and “Shall I play to you now?” and “What will you have?” were questions immediately following with the readiest good humour.

She played accordingly; happy to have a new listener, and a listener who seemed so much obliged, so full of wonder at the performance, and who showed herself not wanting in taste. She played till Fanny's eyes, straying to the window on the weather's being evidently fair, spoke what she felt must be done.

“Another quarter of an hour,” said Miss Crawford, “and we shall see how it will be. Do not run away the first moment of its holding up. Those clouds look alarming.”

“But they are passed over,” said Fanny. “I have been watching them. This weather is all from the south.”

“South or north, I know a black cloud when I see it; and you must not set forward while it is so threatening. And besides, I want to play something more to you—a very pretty piece—and your cousin Edmund's prime favourite. You must stay and hear your cousin's favourite.”

Fanny felt that she must; and though she had not waited for that sentence to be thinking of Edmund, such a memento made her particularly awake to his idea, and she fancied him sitting in that room again and again, perhaps in the very spot where she sat now, listening with constant delight to the favourite air, played, as it appeared to her, with superior tone and expression; and though pleased with it herself, and glad to like whatever was liked by him, she was more sincerely impatient to go away at the conclusion of it than she had been before; and on this being evident, she was so kindly asked to call again, to take them in her walk whenever she could, to come and hear more of the harp, that she felt it necessary to be done, if no objection arose at home.

Such was the origin of the sort of intimacy which took place between them within the first fortnight after the Miss Bertrams' going away, an intimacy resulting principally from Miss Crawford's desire of something new, and which had little reality in Fanny's feelings. Fanny went to her every two or three days; it seemed a kind of fascination; she could not be easy without going, and yet it was without loving her, without ever thinking like her, without any sense of obligation for being sought after now when nobody else was to be had; and deriving no higher pleasure from her conversation than occasional amusement, and that often at the expense of her judgment, when it was raised by pleasantry on people or subjects which she wished to be respected. She went, however, and they sauntered about together many an half hour in Mrs. Grant's shrubbery, the weather being unusually mild for the time of year, and venturing sometimes even to sit down on one of the benches now comparatively unsheltered, remaining there perhaps till, in the midst of some tender ejaculation of Fanny's on the sweets of so protracted an autumn, they were forced, by the sudden swell of a cold gust shaking down the last few yellow leaves about them, to jump up and walk for warmth.

“This is pretty—very pretty,” said Fanny, looking around her as they were thus sitting together one day; “every time I come into this shrubbery I am more struck with its growth and beauty. Three years ago, this was nothing but a rough hedgerow along the upper side of the field, never thought of as anything, or capable of becoming anything; and now it is converted into a walk, and it would be difficult to say whether most valuable as a convenience or an ornament; and perhaps, in another three years, we may be forgetting—almost forgetting what it was before. How wonderful, how very wonderful the operations of time, and the changes of the human mind!” And following the latter train of thought, she soon afterwards added: “If anyone faculty of our nature may be called more wonderful than the rest, I do think it is memory. There seems something more speakingly incomprehensible in the powers, the failures, the inequalities of memory, than in any other of our intelligences. The memory is sometimes so retentive, so serviceable, so obedient; at others, so bewildered and so weak; and at others again, so tyrannic, so beyond control! We are, to be sure, a miracle every way; but our powers of recollecting and of forgetting do seem peculiarly past finding out.”

Miss Crawford, untouched and inattentive, had nothing to say; and Fanny, perceiving it, brought back her own mind to what she thought must interest.

“It may seem impertinent in me to praise, but I must admire the taste Mrs. Grant has shown in all this. There is such a quiet simplicity in the plan of the walk! Not too much attempted!”

“Yes,” replied Miss Crawford carelessly, “it does very well for a place of this sort. One does not think of extent here; and between ourselves, till I came to Mansfield, I had not imagined a country parson ever aspired to a shrubbery, or anything of the kind.”

“I am so glad to see the evergreens thrive!” said Fanny, in reply. “My uncle's gardener always says the soil here is better than his own, and so it appears from the growth of the laurels and evergreens in general. The evergreen! How beautiful, how welcome, how wonderful the evergreen! When one thinks of it, how astonishing a variety of nature! In some countries we know the tree that sheds its leaf is the variety, but that does not make it less amazing that the same soil and the same sun should nurture plants differing in the first rule and law of their existence. You will think me rhapsodising; but when I am out of doors, especially when I am sitting out of doors, I am very apt to get into this sort of wondering strain. One cannot fix one's eyes on the commonest natural production without finding food for a rambling fancy.”

“To say the truth,” replied Miss Crawford, “I am something like the famous Doge at the court of Louis XIV; and may declare that I see no wonder in this shrubbery equal to seeing myself in it. If anybody had told me a year ago that this place would be my home, that I should be spending month after month here, as I have done, I certainly should not have believed them! I have now been here nearly five months! and, moreover, the quietest five months I ever passed.”

“Too quiet for you, I believe.”

“I should have thought so theoretically myself, but,” and her eyes brightened as she spoke, “take it all and all, I never spent so happy a summer. But then,” with a more thoughtful air and lowered voice, “there is no saying what it may lead to.”

Fanny's heart beat quick, and she felt quite unequal to surmising or soliciting anything more. Miss Crawford, however, with renewed animation, soon went on—

“I am conscious of being far better reconciled to a country residence than I had ever expected to be. I can even suppose it pleasant to spend half the year in the country, under certain circumstances, very pleasant. An elegant, moderate-sized house in the centre of family connections—continual engagements among them—commanding the first society in the neighbourhood—looked up to, perhaps, as leading it even more than those of larger fortune, and turning from the cheerful round of such amusements to nothing worse than a tête-à-têe with the person one feels most agreeable in the world. There is nothing frightful in such a picture, is there, Miss Price? One need not envy the new Mrs. Rushworth with such a home as that.” “Envy Mrs. Rushworth!” was all that Fanny attempted to say. “Come, come, it would be very unhandsome in us to be severe on Mrs. Rushworth, for I look forward to our owing her a great many gay, brilliant, happy hours. I expect we shall be all very much at Sotherton another year. Such a match as Miss Bertram has made is a public blessing, for the first pleasures of Mr. Rushworth's wife must be to fill her house, and give the best balls in the country.”

Fanny was silent—and Miss Crawford relapsed into thoughtfulness, till suddenly looking up at the end of a few minutes, she exclaimed, “Ah! here he is.” It was not Mr. Rushworth, however, but Edmund, who then appeared walking towards them with Mrs. Grant. “My sister and Mr. Bertram—I am so glad your eldest cousin is gone, that he may be Mr. Bertram again. There is something in the sound of Mr.Edmund Bertram so formal, so pitiful, so younger-brother-like, that I detest it.”

“How differently we feel!” cried Fanny.“To me, the sound of Mr. Bertram is so cold and nothing-meaning—so entirely without warmth or character! It just stands for a gentleman, and that's all. But there is nobleness in the name of Edmund. It is a name of heroism and renown—of kings, princes, and knights; and seems to breathe the spirit of chivalry and warm affections.”

“I grant you the name is good in itself, and Lord Edmund or Sir Edmund sound delightfully; but sink it under the chill, the annihilation of a Mr.—and Mr. Edmund is no more than Mr. John or Mr. Thomas. Well, shall we join and disappoint them of half their lecture upon sitting down out of doors at this time of year, by being up before they can begin?”

Edmund met them with particular pleasure. It was the first time of his seeing them together since the beginning of that better acquaintance which he had been hearing of with great satisfaction. A friendship between two so very dear to him was exactly what he could have wished; and to the credit of the lover's understanding, be it stated, that he did not by any means consider Fanny as the only, or even as the greater gainer by such a friendship.

“Well,” said Miss Crawford, “and do not you scold us for our imprudence? What do you think we have been sitting down for but to be talked to about it, and entreated and supplicated never to do so again?”

“Perhaps I might have scolded,” said Edmund, “if either of you had been sitting down alone; but while you do wrong together, I can overlook a great deal.”

“They cannot have been sitting long,” cried Mrs. Grant, “for when I went up for my shawl I saw them from the staircase window, and then they were walking.”

“And really,” added Edmund, “the day is so mild, that your sitting down for a few minutes can be hardly thought imprudent. Our weather must not always be judged by the calendar. We may sometimes take greater liberties in November than in May.”

“Upon my word,” cried Miss Crawford, “you are two of the most disappointing and unfeeling kind friends I ever met with! There is no giving you a moment's uneasiness. You do not know how much we have been suffering, nor what chills we have felt! But I have long thought Mr. Bertram one of the worst subjects to work on, in any little manoeuvre against common sense, that a woman could be plagued with. I had very little hope of him from the first; but you, Mrs. Grant, my sister, my own sister, I think I had a right to alarm you a little.”

“Do not flatter yourself, my dearest Mary. You have not the smallest chance of moving me. I have my alarms, but they are quite in a different quarter; and if I could have altered the weather, you would have had a good sharp east wind blowing on you the whole time—for here are some of my plants which Robert will leave out because the nights are so mild, and I know the end of it will be, that we shall have a sudden change of weather, a hard frost setting in all at once, taking everybody (at least Robert) by surprise, and I shall lose every one; and what is worse, cook has just been telling me that the turkey, which I particularly wished not to be dressed till Sunday, because I know how much more Dr. Grant would enjoy it on Sunday after the fatigues of the day, will not keep beyond tomorrow. These are something like grievances, and make me think the weather most unseasonably close.”

“The sweets of housekeeping in a country village!” said Miss Crawford archly. “Commend me to the nurseryman and the poulterer.”

“My dear child, commend Dr. Grant to the deanery of Westminster or St. Paul's, and I should be as glad of your nurseryman and poulterer as you could be. But we have no such people in Mansfield. What would you have me do?”

“Oh! you can do nothing but what you do already: be plagued very often, and never lose your temper.”

“Thank you—but there is no escaping these little vexations, Mary, live where we may; and when you are settled in town and I come to see you, I dare say I shall find you with yours, in spite of the nurseryman and the poulterer—or perhaps on their very account. Their remoteness and unpunctuality, or their exorbitant charges and frauds, will be drawing forth bitter lamentations.”

“I mean to be too rich to lament or to feel anything of the sort. A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of. It certainly may secure all the myrtle and turkey part of it.”

“You intend to be very rich,” said Edmund, with a look which, to Fanny's eye, had a great deal of serious meaning.

“To be sure. Do not you? Do not we all?”

“I cannot intend anything which it must be so completely beyond my power to command. Miss Crawford may choose her degree of wealth. She has only to fix on her number of thousands a year, and there can be no doubt of their coming. My intentions are only not to be poor.”

“By moderation and economy, and bringing down your wants to your income, and all that. I understand you—and a very proper plan it is for a person at your time of life, with such limited means and indifferent connections. What can you want but a decent maintenance? You have not much time before you; and your relations are in no situation to do anything for you, or to mortify you by the contrast of their own wealth and consequence. Be honest and poor, by all means—but I shall not envy you; I do not much think I shall even respect you. I have a much greater respect for those that are honest and rich.”

“Your degree of respect for honesty, rich or poor, is precisely what I have no manner of concern with. I do not mean to be poor. Poverty is exactly what I have determined against. Honesty, in the something between, in the middle state of worldly circumstances, is all that I am anxious for your not looking down on.”

“But I do look down upon it, if it might have been higher. I must look down upon anything contented with obscurity when it might rise to distinction.”

“But how may it rise? How may my honesty at least rise to any distinction?”

This was not so very easy a question to answer, and occasioned an “Oh!” of some length from the fair lady before she could add, “You ought to be in parliament, or you should have gone into the army ten years ago.”

“That is not much to the purpose now; and as to my being in parliament, I believe I must wait till there is an especial assembly for the representation of younger sons who have little to live on. No, Miss Crawford,” he added, in a more serious tone, “there are distinctions which I should be miserable if I thought myself without any chance—absolutely without chance or possibility of obtaining—but they are of a different character.”

A look of consciousness as he spoke, and what seemed a consciousness of manner on Miss Crawford's side as she made some laughing answer, was sorrowfull food for Fanny's observation; and finding herself quite unable to attend as she ought to Mrs. Grant, by whose side she was now following the others, she had nearly resolved on going home immediately, and only waited for courage to say so, when the sound of the great clock at Mansfield Park, striking three, made her feel that she had really been much longer absent than usual, and brought the previous self-inquiry of whether she should take leave or not just then, and how, to a very speedy issue. With undoubting decision she directly began her adieus; and Edmund began at the same time to recollect that his mother had been inquiring for her, and that he had walked down to the Parsonage on purpose to bring her back.

Fanny's hurry increased; and without in the least expecting Edmund's attendance, she would have hastened away alone; but the general pace was quickened, and they all accompanied her into the house, through which it was necessary to pass. Dr. Grant was in the vestibule, and as they stopped to speak to him she found, from Edmund's manner, that he did mean to go with her. He too was taking leave. She could not but be thankful. In the moment of parting, Edmund was invited by Dr. Grant to eat his mutton with him the next day; and Fanny had barely time for an unpleasant feeling on the occasion, when Mrs. Grant, with sudden recollection, turned to her and asked for the pleasure of her company too. This was so new an attention, so perfectly new a circumstance in the events of Fanny's life, that she was all surprise and embarrassment; and while stammering out her great obligation, and her “But she did not suppose it would be in her power,” was looking at Edmund for his opinion and help. But Edmund, delighted with her having such an happiness offered, and ascertaining with half a look, and half a sentence, that she had no objection but on her aunt's account, could not imagine that his mother would make any difficulty of sparing her, and therefore gave his decided open advice that the invitation should be accepted; and though Fanny would not venture, even on his encouragement, to such a flight of audacious independence, it was soon settled, that if nothing were heard to the contrary, Mrs. Grant might expect her.

“And you know what your dinner will be,” said Mrs. Grant, smiling—“the turkey—and I assure you a very fine one; for, my dear,” turning to her husband, “cook insists upon the turkey's being dressed tomorrow.”

“Very well, very well,” cried Dr. Grant, “all the better; I am glad to hear you have anything so good in the house. But Miss Price and Mr. Edmund Bertram, I dare say, would take their chance. We none of us want to hear the bill of fare. A friendly meeting, and not a fine dinner, is all we have in view. A turkey, or a goose, or a leg of mutton, or whatever you and your cook choose to give us.”

The two cousins walked home together; and, except in the immediate discussion of this engagement, which Edmund spoke of with the warmest satisfaction, as so particularly desirable for her in the intimacy which he saw with so much pleasure established, it was a silent walk—for having finished that subject, he grew thoughtful and indisposed for any other.

兩位表姐走后,范妮的身價(jià)提高了?,F(xiàn)在,她成了客廳里唯一的年輕女子。在家中令人關(guān)注的這個(gè)層次上,她本來一直處于一個(gè)第三的不起眼的位置,如今卻舍她沒有別人了。因此,別人不可能不比以往更多地注意她,想到她,關(guān)照她。于是,“范妮到哪兒去了?”也就成為一個(gè)經(jīng)常聽到的問題,即使沒什么人要她幫忙的時(shí)候也是如此。

她的身價(jià)不僅在家里提高了,在牧師住宅里也提高了。自從諾里斯先生去世以后,她一年到那里去不了兩次,現(xiàn)在卻成了一個(gè)受歡迎的、請(qǐng)上門的客人。在十一月的一個(gè)陰雨天,她就受到瑪麗·克勞福德的熱烈歡迎。她去牧師住宅,起初是由于偶然的機(jī)會(huì),后來是由于受到邀請(qǐng)而繼續(xù)下去的。格蘭特太太其實(shí)是一心想給妹妹解解悶,卻又采取最簡捷的自我欺騙的伎倆,認(rèn)為自己敦促范妮常來仍是對(duì)范妮所做的最大好事,給范妮提供了最重要的上進(jìn)機(jī)會(huì)。

原來,范妮受諾里斯姨媽差遣,到村子里辦件什么事,在牧師住宅附近遇上了一陣大雨。牧師住宅里的人從窗子里看見她在他們?cè)和獾蛄愕臋禈湎卤苡?,便邀她進(jìn)去,她是推卻不過勉強(qiáng)從命的。她先是謝絕了一個(gè)仆人的好心邀請(qǐng),可是等格蘭特博士親自拿了把傘走出來,她又覺得很不好意思,便趕快進(jìn)去了??蓱z的克勞福德小姐正心情沮喪地望著窗外的凄風(fēng)苦雨,哀嘆上午的戶外活動(dòng)計(jì)劃化作了泡影,二十四小時(shí)內(nèi)除了自家人以外再也見不到另一個(gè)人,這時(shí)聽到了前門口有動(dòng)靜,隨即看到普萊斯小姐渾身滴著水走進(jìn)了門廊,心里不禁十分高興。她深深地感受到,鄉(xiāng)下陰雨天能來個(gè)客人實(shí)在難得。她頓時(shí)又活躍起來,滿腔熱忱地關(guān)心范妮。她發(fā)現(xiàn)范妮的衣服都濕透了,便給范妮拿出了干衣服。范妮起初不肯承認(rèn)自己衣服濕,后來只好接受這番關(guān)照,任憑太太小姐和女仆們幫助自己更換衣衫。后來她又不得不回到樓下,眼見著雨下個(gè)不停,不得不在客廳里坐了一個(gè)小時(shí)。這一新鮮場面真令人賞心悅目,克勞福德小姐的興致足以維持到更衣吃飯時(shí)間。

那姐妹倆對(duì)她客客氣氣,和顏悅色。范妮若不是想著自己在打擾別人,若是能預(yù)見到一個(gè)小時(shí)后天會(huì)放晴,她用不著難為情地像主人家一再說的那樣,讓格蘭特博士的馬車把自己送回家,那她對(duì)自己在這里做客會(huì)感到稱心如意的。至于她在這樣的天氣給困在外面家里會(huì)不會(huì)著急,她倒不必為此擔(dān)心,因?yàn)橹挥袃蓚€(gè)姨媽知道她出來,她們兩人誰也不會(huì)替她擔(dān)心。諾里斯姨媽不管說她會(huì)躲在哪座農(nóng)舍里避雨,伯特倫夫人都會(huì)確信無疑。

天開始放晴了。這時(shí)候,范妮看見屋里有架豎琴,便隨口問了幾個(gè)問題,不久又承認(rèn)自己很想聽一聽,并且承認(rèn):說起來很難讓人相信,這豎琴運(yùn)到曼斯菲爾德以來,她還從來沒有聽過。范妮覺得,這是件很簡單、很自然的事情。自從豎琴運(yùn)來后,她就沒怎么進(jìn)過牧師住宅,她也沒有理由進(jìn)去??藙诟5滦〗阆肫鹆嗽缇捅硎具^愿意彈給她聽,現(xiàn)在為自己的疏忽感到過意不去。于是,她和顏悅色地接連問道:“我這就彈給你聽好嗎?你要聽什么?”

她照范妮的意思彈了起來。她很高興又有了一個(gè)聽自己彈琴的人。一個(gè)似乎滿懷感激之情,對(duì)她的技藝贊嘆不已,而自己又不乏品位的聽琴人。她一直彈到范妮向窗外望去,眼見得外面顯然已經(jīng)天晴,范妮那神情好像說她該告辭了。

“再等一刻鐘,”克勞福德小姐說,“看看天氣怎么樣。不要雨剛停就走。那幾塊云彩看起來挺嚇人的?!?/p>

“不過,那云彩已經(jīng)過去了,”范妮說,“我一直在觀察。這雨完全是從南邊來的?!?/p>

“不管是從南邊來還是從北邊來,烏云我一看就能認(rèn)出。還有可能下雨,你不能走。再說,我想再彈點(diǎn)東西給你聽——一支非常好聽的曲子——你表哥埃德蒙最喜愛的曲子。你先不要走,聽聽你表哥最喜歡的曲子?!?/p>

范妮覺得自己是不能馬上走。她無須聽這句話,心里就想著埃德蒙,而經(jīng)這話一提醒,心里越發(fā)浮想聯(lián)翩。她想象他一次又一次地坐在這間屋子里,也許就坐在她現(xiàn)在坐的這個(gè)位置,始終樂滋滋地聽著他最喜愛的這支曲子。在范妮的想象中,為他彈奏的曲子,曲調(diào)格外優(yōu)美,彈琴人的表情格外豐富。盡管她自己也喜歡這支曲子,而且很高興跟他有同樣的喜好,但是曲子奏完之后,她比剛才還真心實(shí)意地急著要走??藙诟5滦〗阋娝龍?zhí)意要走,便親切地邀請(qǐng)她再來,要她散步時(shí)有可能的話,來這兒聽自己彈琴,使范妮感到只要家里不反對(duì),她必須再來。

這兩人在兩位伯特倫小姐走后半個(gè)月內(nèi)形成的親密關(guān)系,就是這樣開始的。這主要是克勞福德小姐圖新鮮的緣故,而范妮也沒有什么真情實(shí)感。范妮每隔兩三天去一次。她好像中了邪似的,不去就心里不踏實(shí)。然而她并不喜愛克勞福德小姐,也和她想不到一塊??藙诟5滦〗阏?qǐng)她去,她也毫不領(lǐng)情,反正現(xiàn)在沒有別人可請(qǐng)。跟克勞福德小姐談話也只是偶爾覺得好玩,并沒有太大的樂趣。而就是這點(diǎn)好玩,也往往是克勞福德小姐拿自己所敬重的人、所看重的事打趣,她跟著敷衍幾句。不過,她還是去找克勞福德小姐。兩人趁這季節(jié)少有的溫和天氣,在格蘭特太太的灌木林里一起漫步,常常一走就是半個(gè)小時(shí)。有時(shí)甚至不顧天氣已涼,坐在已經(jīng)沒有濃蔭遮掩的凳子上,久久地待在那兒;到后來范妮興許會(huì)柔聲細(xì)氣地感嘆秋天漫漫的可愛,恰在這時(shí),一陣突如其來的冷風(fēng)吹落了周圍枝頭的最后幾片黃葉,兩人忽地站起來,想走走路暖暖身子。

“這兒真美,非常美?!庇幸惶焖齻冞@樣一起坐著的時(shí)候,范妮看著四周說,“我每次走進(jìn)這片灌木林,就覺得樹又長了,林子更美了。三年以前,這兒只不過是地邊上的一排參差不齊的樹籬,誰也沒把它放在眼里,誰也想不到它會(huì)成什么景色,現(xiàn)在它卻變成了一條散步小徑。很難說它是可貴在提供了方便,還是可貴在美化了環(huán)境。也許再過三年,我們會(huì)忘記——差不多忘記它原來是什么樣子。時(shí)間的作用和思想的變化有多么奇妙,多么奇妙??!”稍頓了頓,她又順著后面的思路補(bǔ)充說:“如果人的哪一種天生技能可以說是比別的技能更加奇妙的話,我看就是記憶力。人的記憶力有強(qiáng)有弱,發(fā)展不平衡,似乎比人的其他才智更加不可思議。記憶力有的時(shí)候又牢固,又管用,還溫順;別的時(shí)候又糊涂,又虛弱;還有的時(shí)候又很專橫,無法駕馭!我們?nèi)祟惛鞣矫娑伎胺Q奇妙,但記憶力和遺忘力似乎尤為奇妙無比。”

克勞福德小姐無動(dòng)于衷也心不在焉,因而無話可說。范妮看出來了,便把思緒又扯回到她認(rèn)為有趣的事情上。

“由我來贊賞也許有些冒昧,不過我真欽佩格蘭特太太在這方面表現(xiàn)出的情趣。那條散步小徑設(shè)計(jì)得多么幽靜、多么樸實(shí)呀!沒有什么過于考究的地方!”

“是的,”克勞福德小姐漫不經(jīng)心地說,“對(duì)于這樣一個(gè)地方,這種安排是很不錯(cuò)的。人們?cè)谶@兒也不想搞什么大動(dòng)作。跟你私下說一句,我來曼斯菲爾德之前,沒想到一個(gè)鄉(xiāng)下牧師還會(huì)想要搞個(gè)灌木林之類的名堂?!?/p>

“我很高興,這冬青長得這么好啊!”范妮回道,“姨父的園丁總說這兒的土質(zhì)比他那兒的好。從月桂和常青樹的普遍長勢(shì)來看,好像是這樣的??催@常青樹啊!多么好看,多么喜人,多么美妙?。≈灰胍幌?,這是大自然多么令人驚奇的變種?。≡谖覀冎赖哪承┑胤?,有一種落葉樹就屬于這一品種。真是令人奇怪:同樣的土質(zhì)、同樣的陽光,養(yǎng)育出來的植物居然會(huì)有不同的生存規(guī)律和法則。你會(huì)以為我在發(fā)狂。不過我一來到戶外,特別是在戶外靜坐的時(shí)候,就會(huì)陷入這樣的遐想。人即使眼盯著大自然最平常的產(chǎn)物,也會(huì)產(chǎn)生漫無邊際的幻想?!?/p>

“說實(shí)話,”克勞福德小姐答道,“我有點(diǎn)像路易十四宮廷里的那位有名的總督[1],可以說從這灌木林里看不出任何奇妙之處,令人驚奇的是我會(huì)置身其中。要是一年前誰對(duì)我說這地方會(huì)成為我的家,說我會(huì)像現(xiàn)在這樣一個(gè)月又一個(gè)月地住下去,我說什么也不會(huì)相信啊!我在這兒住了快五個(gè)月啦,而且是我有生以來過得最清閑的五個(gè)月?!?/p>

“我想對(duì)你來說太清閑了?!?/p>

“從理論上講我看是的,不過,”克勞福德小姐說話時(shí)著兩眼亮閃閃的,“總的說來,我從沒度過這么快樂的夏天。不過,”臉上更是一副冥思苦索的樣子,同時(shí)壓低了聲音,“很難說以后會(huì)怎么樣。”

范妮的心跳加快了,不敢猜測她接著會(huì)講什么,也不敢求她再往下講??墒强藙诟5滦〗愫芸煊峙d致勃勃地說了下去:

“我從沒想到我會(huì)適應(yīng)鄉(xiāng)下生活,現(xiàn)在感覺適應(yīng)多了。我甚至覺得哪怕在鄉(xiāng)下住上半年也挺有意思,而且在某些情況下還非常愜意。一座雅致的、大小適中的房子,四面八方都有親戚——彼此常來常往,支配著附近的上流社交圈——甚至比更加富有的人還受人敬仰,這樣的玩興過后,至少還能和自己最投機(jī)的人促膝談心。這情景沒有什么可怕的吧,普萊斯小姐?有了這樣一個(gè)家,你就不用羨慕剛過門的拉什沃思太太了吧?”“羨慕拉什沃思太太!”范妮只說了這么一聲?!暗昧耍昧?,我們這樣苛刻地對(duì)待拉什沃思太太,未免太不厚道了,我還指望她給我們帶來許多快快樂樂的時(shí)光呢。我期待來年我們都能到索瑟頓住上很長時(shí)間。伯特倫小姐的這門親事對(duì)大家都是個(gè)福音,因?yàn)槔参炙枷壬钠拮拥淖畲髽啡?,肯定是賓客滿堂,舉行鄉(xiāng)下最高雅的舞會(huì)。”

范妮沒有作聲,而克勞福德小姐重又陷入沉思。過了一會(huì),克勞福德小姐突然抬起眼來,驚叫道:“?。∷麃砹?。”不過,來的不是拉什沃思先生,而是埃德蒙,只見他和格蘭特太太一起朝她們走來?!笆俏医憬愫筒貍愊壬液芨吲d你大表哥走了,埃德蒙又可以做伯特倫先生了[2]。埃德蒙·伯特倫先生聽起來太刻板、太可憐、太像個(gè)小兒子的名字,我不喜歡這樣叫?!?/p>

“我們的想法截然不同啊!”范妮嚷道,“我覺得‘伯特倫先生’聽起來那么冷漠,那么呆板,一點(diǎn)也不親切,絲毫沒有個(gè)性!只表明是個(gè)男人,僅此而已。但是埃德蒙這個(gè)名字含有高貴的意味。它是英勇和威望的別稱——國王、王子和爵士們都用過這個(gè)名字。它好像洋溢著騎士的精神和熱烈的情感。”

“我承認(rèn)這個(gè)名字本身是不錯(cuò),而埃德蒙勛爵或埃德蒙爵士也確實(shí)動(dòng)聽。但是給它降低檔次,只以‘先生’相稱,那‘埃德蒙先生’比‘約翰先生’或‘托馬斯先生’也強(qiáng)不到哪里去。好了,他們又要教訓(xùn)我們這個(gè)季節(jié)不該坐在外邊了,我們是不是趁他們還沒開口,趕緊站起來,叫他們少說幾句?”

埃德蒙遇到她們非常高興。他早就聽說她們兩人關(guān)系更加親密,心里不禁大為滿意,不過這是他第一次見到她們兩人在一起。他所喜愛的兩個(gè)姑娘能彼此交好,真讓他求之不得。權(quán)且說難得情人心有靈犀吧,他認(rèn)為她們兩人交好,范妮絕不是唯一的,甚至不是主要的受益者。

“喂,”克勞福德小姐說,“你不會(huì)責(zé)罵我們不謹(jǐn)慎吧?你不會(huì)認(rèn)為我們坐在外邊就是等著挨訓(xùn),等著別人懇求我們以后不要再這樣吧?”

“如果你們倆哪個(gè)獨(dú)自一人坐在外邊,”埃德蒙說,“我也許是會(huì)責(zé)罵的。不過你們兩個(gè)一起犯錯(cuò)誤,我可以大加寬容了?!?/p>

“她們坐在外面的時(shí)間不會(huì)長,”格蘭特太太嚷道,“我到樓上拿披巾的時(shí)候,從樓梯上的窗戶里看見了她們,那時(shí)她們還在散步呢?!?/p>

“其實(shí),”埃德蒙補(bǔ)充說,“天氣這么暖和,你們?cè)谕膺呑鴰追昼娨菜悴簧喜恢?jǐn)慎。我們不能總是靠日歷來判斷天氣。有時(shí)候,我們?cè)谑辉驴赡鼙仍谖逶逻€隨意些?!?/p>

“天哪,”克勞福德小姐嚷道,“像你們這種令人失望的、對(duì)人漠不關(guān)心的朋友真是少有??!你們絲毫都不擔(dān)心。你們不知道我們身上多么難受,凍成什么樣子啦!不過,我早就知道女人就愛耍點(diǎn)違背常識(shí)的小花招,而伯特倫先生卻是個(gè)最不容易上當(dāng)?shù)娜恕N覐囊婚_始就對(duì)他不抱什么希望。不過你嘛,格蘭特太太,我的姐姐,我的親姐姐,我想我會(huì)讓你嚇一跳的。”

“不要太自鳴得意了,最親愛的瑪麗。你壓根兒嚇不住我。我有我擔(dān)心的事,但完全是在別的方面。我要是能改變天氣的話,就來一場刺骨的東風(fēng)始終吹著你們。我有幾盆花,因?yàn)橐估镞€不冷,羅伯特非要把花放在外邊。我知道結(jié)果會(huì)怎樣:肯定會(huì)突然變天,一下子天寒地凍,搞得大家(至少羅伯特)措手不及,我的花會(huì)統(tǒng)統(tǒng)凍死。更糟糕的是,廚子剛剛告訴我說火雞放不過明天了。我原想放到禮拜天再收拾了吃,因?yàn)槲抑栏裉m特博士勞累了一天,禮拜天吃起來會(huì)格外香。這些事才值得發(fā)愁,讓我覺得天氣悶得反常?!?/p>

“在鄉(xiāng)下料理家務(wù)可是其樂無窮??!”克勞福德小姐調(diào)皮地說,“把我介紹給花圃工和家禽販子吧?!?/p>

“我的好妹妹,你先介紹格蘭特博士去做威斯特敏斯特教長或圣保羅教長,我就把你介紹給花圃工或家禽販子。不過,曼斯菲爾德沒有這號(hào)人。你想讓我干什么呢?”

“噢!你除了已干過的事兒什么都干不了:常常受氣,可從不發(fā)脾氣?!?/p>

“謝謝你——但是,不論你住在哪里,瑪麗,你總是避免不了這些小小的煩惱。等你在倫敦安了家,我去看你的時(shí)候,我敢說你也會(huì)有你的煩惱,盡管你有花圃工和家禽販子——也許就是他們給你帶來的煩惱。他們住得遠(yuǎn),來得不守時(shí),或者要價(jià)太高,騙你的錢,這些都會(huì)讓你大聲叫苦?!?/p>

“我想做到很有錢,既不用叫苦,也不在乎這類事情。大筆的收入是確保幸福的萬應(yīng)靈藥。只要有了錢,就一定會(huì)有桃金娘[3]和火雞之類的東西?!?/p>

“你想做到很有錢?!卑5旅烧f。在范妮看來,他的眼神極為嚴(yán)肅認(rèn)真。

“那當(dāng)然。難道你不想?難道還有誰不想嗎?”

“我不去想我根本辦不到的事。克勞福德小姐可以選擇自己要富到什么地步。她只要定下一年要幾千英鎊,無疑都會(huì)到來。我的愿望是只要不窮就行。”

“采取節(jié)制節(jié)儉、量入為出之類的措施。我了解你——對(duì)于你這樣的年紀(jì),收入有限,又沒有什么靠山的人來說,這倒是個(gè)很恰當(dāng)?shù)挠?jì)劃。你只不過是想生活上過得去吧?你平常沒有多少時(shí)間,你的親戚們既幫不了你什么忙,也不是有錢有勢(shì)得讓你自慚形穢。那就老老實(shí)實(shí)地做窮人吧——不過,我可不羨慕你。我認(rèn)為我甚至不會(huì)敬重你。我對(duì)那些又老實(shí)又有錢的人,倒是敬重得多。”

“你對(duì)老實(shí)人(不管是有錢的還是沒錢的)敬重到什么地步,恰恰是我漠不關(guān)心的。我并不想做窮人。我絕對(duì)不愿意做窮人。如果介于貧富之間,具有中等的物質(zhì)條件,我只希望你不要瞧不起這樣的老實(shí)人?!?/p>

“如果能向上卻不向上,我就是瞧不起。本來可以出人頭地,卻又甘愿默默無聞,我是一概瞧不起。”

“可是怎么向上呢?我這個(gè)老實(shí)人怎么出人頭地呢?”

這可是個(gè)不大容易回答的問題,那位漂亮的小姐只是長“噢!”了一聲,然后又補(bǔ)充了一句:“你應(yīng)該進(jìn)國會(huì),或者十年前就該去參軍?!?/p>

“現(xiàn)在說這話已經(jīng)沒用了。至于進(jìn)國會(huì),我想我得等到有一屆特別國會(huì),專讓沒錢的小兒子代表們參加。不,克勞福德小姐,”埃德蒙以更嚴(yán)肅的口氣補(bǔ)充說,“還是有出人頭地的門路的。我覺得我并非可憐巴巴的一點(diǎn)機(jī)會(huì)都沒有——絲毫沒有成功的機(jī)會(huì)或可能——不過,那完全是另一種性質(zhì)?!?/p>

埃德蒙說話時(shí)露出難為情的樣子??藙诟5滦〗阈呛堑鼗卮鹆艘痪洌袂楹孟褚膊蛔匀?。范妮看到這般情景,覺得心里不是滋味。她眼下走在格蘭特太太身邊,跟在那兩人后邊,感覺無法再跟著走下去了,幾乎打定主意要馬上回家,只等鼓起勇氣開口。恰在此時(shí),曼斯菲爾德莊園的大鐘響了三下,使她意識(shí)到她這次在外邊待的時(shí)間確實(shí)比平時(shí)長得多,于是她先前自問的是否應(yīng)該立即告別,以及如何告別,很快有了答案。她毫不遲疑地立即開始告別。這時(shí)埃德蒙也想起母親一直在找她,他是到牧師住宅來叫她回去的。

范妮越發(fā)著急了。她絲毫沒想到埃德蒙會(huì)陪她回去,本打算一個(gè)人匆匆走掉。但是大家都加快了腳步,陪她一起走進(jìn)必須穿過的房子。格蘭特博士就在門廳里,幾個(gè)人停下來和他說話的時(shí)候,范妮從埃德蒙的舉動(dòng)中看得出來,他真想和她一起走。他也在向主人家告別。范妮心里油然浮出一股感激之情。告別的時(shí)候,格蘭特博士邀請(qǐng)埃德蒙第二天過來和他一起吃羊肉。這時(shí),范妮心里不是很愉快,可就在這當(dāng)兒,格蘭特太太突然有所醒悟,轉(zhuǎn)過身來邀她也來吃飯。范妮長了這么大,還從未受過這樣的厚待,因此驚奇萬分,不知所措。她結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地表示不勝感激,隨即說了聲她“恐怕做不了主”,便望著埃德蒙求他幫助拿主意。埃德蒙很高興范妮受到邀請(qǐng),便看了她一眼,用短短一句話向她表明,只要她姨媽不反對(duì),她沒有什么不能來的,而他覺得母親決不會(huì)阻攔她,因此明言直語地建議她接受邀請(qǐng)。雖說范妮即使受到埃德蒙的鼓勵(lì)之后也不敢貿(mào)然做主,但事情很快說定:如果收不到不來的通知,格蘭特太太就認(rèn)為她會(huì)來。

“你們知道明天會(huì)吃到什么,”格蘭特太太笑吟吟地說,“火雞——我保證是一只燒得很不錯(cuò)的火雞。因?yàn)?,親愛的,”說著轉(zhuǎn)向丈夫,“廚子非要明天剖洗那只火雞?!?/p>

“很好,很好,”格蘭特博士嚷道,“這就更好。我很高興家里有這么好的東西。不過我敢說,普萊斯小姐和埃德蒙·伯特倫先生會(huì)碰上什么吃什么的。我們誰也不想聽菜單。我們只想來一次朋友間的聚會(huì),而不是大擺宴席?;痣u也行,鵝也行,羊腿也行,隨便你和廚子決定給我們吃什么?!?/p>

表兄妹一起走回家去。一出門,兩人便談起了明天的約會(huì)。埃德蒙說起來極為高興,認(rèn)為范妮和他們親近真是再好不過了,完全是件大喜事。除此之外,兩人一直默默地走著——因?yàn)檎勍赀@件事之后,埃德蒙陷入沉思,不想再談別的事。

* * *

[1]故事見于法國作家伏爾泰(Voltaire,1694—1778)的著作《路易十四時(shí)代》(1752)。

[2]按英國的習(xí)慣,一個(gè)家庭的子女中,只有大兒子、大女兒可以用姓加先生、小姐來稱呼,而二兒子、二女兒以下要正式稱呼某某先生、小姐時(shí),還必須在前面另加上教名。

[3]桃金娘被維納斯視為神圣之物,常被人們看作愛情的象征。

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