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雙語·曼斯菲爾德莊園 第二卷 第十一章

所屬教程:譯林版·曼斯菲爾德莊園

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2022年05月08日

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The ball was over, and the breakfast was soon over too; the last kiss was given, and William was gone. Mr. Crawford had, as he foretold, been very punctual, and short and pleasant had been the meal.

After seeing William to the last moment, Fanny walked back to the breakfast-room with a very saddened heart to grieve over the melancholy change; and there her uncle kindly left her to cry in peace, conceiving, perhaps, that the deserted chair of each young man might exercise her tender enthusiasm, and that the remaining cold pork bones and mustard in William's plate might but divide her feelings with the broken egg-shells in Mr. Crawford's. She sat and cried con amore as her uncle intended, but it was con amore fraternal and no other. William was gone, and she now felt as if she had wasted half his visit in idle cares and selfish solicitudes unconnected with him.

Fanny's disposition was such that she could never even think of her aunt Norris in the meagreness and cheerlessness of her own small house, without reproaching herself for some little want of attention to her when they had been last together; much less could her feelings acquit her of having done and said and thought everything by William that was due to him for a whole fortnight.

It was a heavy, melancholy day. Soon after the second breakfast, Edmund bade them goodbye for a week, and mounted his horse for Peterborough, and then all were gone. Nothing remained of last night but remembrances, which she had nobody to share in. She talked to her aunt Bertram—she must talk to somebody of the ball; but her aunt had seen so little of what passed, and had so little curiosity, that it was heavy work. Lady Bertram was not certain of anybody's dress or anybody's place at supper but her own. “She could not recollect what it was that she had heard about one of the Miss Maddoxes, or what it was that Lady Prescott had noticed in Fanny; she was not sure whether Colonel Harrison had been talking of Mr. Crawford or of William when he said he was the finest young man in the room; somebody had whispered something to her, she had forgot to ask Sir Thomas what it could be.” And these were her longest speeches and clearest communications; the rest was only a languid “Yes—yes—very well—did you? did he? I did not see that; I should not know one from the other.” This was very bad. It was only better than Mrs. Norris's sharp answers would have been; but she being gone home with all the supernumerary jellies to nurse a sick maid, there was peace and good humour in their little party, though it could not boast much beside.

The evening was heavy like the day. “I cannot think what is the matter with me!” said Lady Bertram, when the tea-things were removed. “I feel quite stupid. It must be sitting up so late last night. Fanny, you must do something to keep me awake. I cannot work. Fetch the cards; I feel so very stupid.”

The cards were brought, and Fanny played at cribbage with her aunt till bedtime; and as Sir Thomas was reading to himself, no sounds were heard in the room for the next two hours beyond the reckonings of the game—“And that makes thirty-one; four in hand and eight in crib. You are to deal, ma'am; shall I deal for you?” Fanny thought and thought again of the difference which twenty-four hours had made in that room, and all that part of the house. Last night it had been hope and smiles, bustle and motion, noise and brilliancy, in the drawing-room, and out of the drawing-room, and everywhere. Now it was languor, and all but solitude.

A good night's rest improved her spirits. She could think of William the next day more cheerfully; and as the morning afforded her an opportunity of talking over Thursday night with Mrs. Grant and Miss Crawford, in a very handsome style, with all the heightenings of imagination, and all the laughs of playfulness which are so essential to the shade of a departed ball, she could afterwards bring her mind without much effort into its everyday state, and easily conform to the tranquillity of the present quiet week.

They were indeed a smaller party than she had ever known there for a whole day together, and he was gone on whom the comfort and cheerfulness of every family meeting and every meal chiefly depended. But this must be learnt to be endured. He would soon be always gone; and she was thankful that she could now sit in the same room with her uncle, hear his voice, receive his questions, and even answer them, without such wretched feelings as she had formerly known.

“We miss our two young men,” was Sir Thomas's observation on both the first and second day, as they formed their very reduced circle after dinner; and in consideration of Fanny's swimming eyes, nothing more was said on the first day than to drink their good health; but on the second it led to something farther. William was kindly commended and his promotion hoped for. “And there is no reason to suppose,” added Sir Thomas, “but that his visits to us may now be tolerably frequent. As to Edmund, we must learn to do without him. This will be the last winter of his belonging to us, as he has done.” “Yes,” said Lady Bertram, “but I wish he was not going away. They are all going away, I think. I wish they would stay at home.”

This wish was levelled principally at Julia, who had just applied for permission to go to town with Maria; and as Sir Thomas thought it best for each daughter that the permission should be granted, Lady Bertram, though in her own good nature she would not have prevented it, was lamenting the change it made in the prospect of Julia's return, which would otherwise have taken place about this time. A great deal of good sense followed on Sir Thomas's side, tending to reconcile his wife to the arrangement. Everything that a considerate parent ought to feel was advanced for her use; and everything that an affectionate mother must feel in promoting her children's enjoyment was attributed to her nature. Lady Bertram agreed to it all with a calm “Yes”; and at the end of a quarter of an hour's silent consideration spontaneously observed, “Sir Thomas, I have been thinking—and I am very glad we took Fanny as we did, for now the others are away we feel the good of it.”

Sir Thomas immediately improved this compliment by adding, “Very true. We show Fanny what a good girl we think her by praising her to her face, she is now a very valuable companion. If we have been kind to her, she is now quite as necessary to us.”

“Yes,” said Lady Bertram presently; “and it is a comfort to think that we shall always have her.”

Sir Thomas paused, half smiled, glanced at his niece, and then gravely replied, “She will never leave us, I hope, till invited to some other home that may reasonably promise her greater happiness than she knows here.”

“And that is not very likely to be, Sir Thomas. Who should invite her? Maria might be very glad to see her at Sotherton now and then, but she would not think of asking her to live there—and I am sure she is better off here—and besides, I cannot do without her.”

The week which passed so quietly and peaceably at the great house in Mansfield had a very different character at the Parsonage. To the young lady, at least, in each family, it brought very different feelings. What was tranquillity and comfort to Fanny was tediousness and vexation to Mary. Something arose from difference of disposition and habit—one so easily satisfied, the other so unused to endure; but still more might be imputed to difference of circumstances. In some points of interest they were exactly opposed to each other. To Fanny's mind, Edmund's absence was really, in its cause and its tendency, a relief. To Mary it was every way painful. She felt the want of his society every day, almost every hour, and was too much in want of it to derive anything but irritation from considering the object for which he went. He could not have devised anything more likely to raise his consequence than this week's absence, occurring as it did at the very time of her brother's going away, of William Price's going too, and completing the sort of general break-up of a party which had been so animated. She felt it keenly. They were now a miserable trio, confined within doors by a series of rain and snow, with nothing to do and no variety to hope for. Angry as she was with Edmund for adhering to his own notions, and acting on them in defiance of her (and she had been so angry that they had hardly parted friends at the ball), she could not help thinking of him continually when absent, dwelling on his merit and affection, and longing again for the almost daily meetings they lately had. His absence was unnecessarily long. He should not have planned such an absence—he should not have left home for a week, when her own departure from Mansfield was so near. Then she began to blame herself. She wished she had not spoken so warmly in their last conversation. She was afraid she had used some strong—some contemptuous expressions in speaking of the clergy, and that should not have been. It was ill-bred—it was wrong. She wished such words unsaid with all her heart.

Her vexation did not end with the week. All this was bad, but she had still more to feel when Friday came round again and brought no Edmund—when Saturday came and still no Edmund—and when, through the slight communication with the other family which Sunday produced, she learnt that he had actually written home to defer his return, having promised to remain some days longer with his friend!

If she had felt impatience and regret before—if she had been sorry for what she said, and feared its too strong effect on him, she now felt and feared it all tenfold more. She had, moreover, to contend with one disagreeable emotion entirely new to her—jealousy. His friend Mr. Owen had sisters; he might find them attractive. But, at any rate, his staying away at a time when, according to all preceding plans, she was to remove to London, meant something that she could not bear. Had Henry returned, as he talked of doing, at the end of three or four days, she should now have been leaving Mansfield. It became absolutely necessary for her to get to Fanny and try to learn something more. She could not live any longer in such solitary wretchedness; and she made her way to the Park, through difficulties of walking which she had deemed unconquerable a week before, for the chance of hearing a little in addition, for the sake of at least hearing his name.

The first half hour was lost, for Fanny and Lady Bertram were together, and unless she had Fanny to herself she could hope for nothing. But at last Lady Bertram left the room—and then almost immediately Miss Crawford thus began, with a voice as well regulated as she could—“And how do you like your cousin Edmund's staying away so long? Being the only young person at home, I consider you as the greatest sufferer. You must miss him. Does his staying longer surprise you?”

“I do not know,” said Fanny hesitatingly. “Yes—I had not particularly expected it.”

“Perhaps he will always stay longer than he talks of. It is the general way all young men do.”

“He did not, the only time he went to see Mr. Owen before.”

“He finds the house more agreeable now. He is a very—a very pleasing young man himself, and I cannot help being rather concerned at not seeing him again before I go to London, as will now undoubtedly be the case. I am looking for Henry every day, and as soon as he comes there will be nothing to detain me at Mansfield. I should like to have seen him once more, I confess. But you must give my compliments to him. Yes—I think it must be compliments. Is not there a something wanted, Miss Price, in our language—a something between compliments and—and love—to suit the sort of friendly acquaintance we have had together? So many months' acquaintance! But compliments may be sufficient here. Was his letter a long one? Does he give you much account of what he is doing? Is it Christmas gaieties that he is staying for?”

“I only heard a part of the letter; it was to my uncle—but I believe it was very short; indeed I am sure it was but a few lines. All that I heard was that his friend had pressed him to stay longer, and that he had agreed to do so. A few days longer, or some days longer, I am not quite sure which.”

“Oh! if he wrote to his father—But I thought it might have been to Lady Bertram or you. But if he wrote to his father, no wonder he was concise. Who could write chat to Sir Thomas? If he had written to you, there would have been more particulars. You would have heard of balls and parties. He would have sent you a description of everything and everybody. How many Miss Owens are there?”

“Three grown up.”

“Are they musical?”

“I do not at all know. I never heard.”

“That is the first question, you know,” said Miss Crawford, trying to appear gay and unconcerned, “which every woman who plays herself is sure to ask about another. But it is very foolish to ask questions about any young ladies—about any three sisters just grown up; for one knows, without being told, exactly what they are—all very accomplished and pleasing, and one very pretty. There is a beauty in every family; it is a regular thing. Two play on the pianoforte, and one on the harp—and all sing—or would sing if they were taught—or sing all the better for not being taught—or something like it.”

“I know nothing of the Miss Owens,” said Fanny calmly.

“You know nothing and you care less, as people say. Never did tone express indifference plainer. Indeed, how can one care for those one has never seen? Well, when your cousin comes back, he will find Mansfield very quiet; all the noisy ones gone, your brother and mine and myself. I do not like the idea of leaving Mrs. Grant now the time draws near. She does not like my going.”

Fanny felt obliged to speak. “You cannot doubt your being missed by many,” said she. “You will be very much missed.”

Miss Crawford turned her eye on her, as if wanting to hear or see more, and then laughingly said, “Oh yes, missed as every noisy evil is missed when it is taken away; that is, there is a great difference felt. But I am not fishing; don't compliment me. If I am missed, it will appear. I may be discovered by those who want to see me. I shall not be in any doubtful, or distant, or unapproachable region.”

Now Fanny could not bring herself to speak, and Miss Crawford was disappointed; for she had hoped to hear some pleasant assurance of her power from one who she thought must know, and her spirits were clouded again.

“The Miss Owens,” said she, soon afterwards; “suppose you were to have one of the Miss Owens settled at Thornton Lacey; how should you like it? Stranger things have happened. I dare say they are trying for it. And they are quite in the right, for it would be a very pretty establishment for them. I do not at all wonder or blame them. It is everybody's duty to do as well for themselves as they can. Sir Thomas Bertram's son is somebody; and now he is in their own line. Their father is a clergyman, and their brother is a clergyman, and they are all clergymen together. He is their lawful property, he fairly belongs to them. You don't speak, Fanny—Miss Price—you don't speak. But honestly now, do not you rather expect it than otherwise?”

“No,” said Fanny stoutly, “I do not expect it at all.”

“Not at all!” cried Miss Crawford with alacrity. “I wonder at that. But I dare say you know exactly—I always imagine you are—perhaps you do not think him likely to marry at all—or not at present.”

“No, I do not,” said Fanny softly, hoping she did not err either in the belief or the acknowledgment of it.

Her companion looked at her keenly; and gathering greater spirit from the blush soon produced from such a look, only said, “He is best off as he is,” and turned the subject.

舞會(huì)結(jié)束了,早飯也很快吃完了,最后的親吻給過了,威廉走了。克勞福德先生正如他所自許的,到得非常準(zhǔn)時(shí),飯也吃得又緊湊又愜意。

送走了威廉之后,范妮才心情沉重地回到早餐室,為這令人心酸的變化感到憂傷。姨父出于好意,讓她在早餐室里靜靜地流淚。他心里也許在想,兩個(gè)年輕人剛剛坐過的椅子會(huì)勾起她的一番柔情,威廉盤子里剩下的冷豬排骨頭和芥末,只不過能分散一下克勞福德先生盤子里的蛋殼在她心里引起的感觸罷了。正如姨父所希望的那樣,她坐在那里哭得很傷心,但她只是為哥哥走了哭得傷心,不是為了別人。威廉走了,她現(xiàn)在覺得,她那些與他無關(guān)的無謂的憂心和自私的煩惱,使他在這里虛度了一半的時(shí)光。

范妮天性敦厚,就連每次一想到諾里斯姨媽住在那么局促、那么凄涼的一座小屋里,就要責(zé)備自己上次和她在一起時(shí)對(duì)她那么冷淡;現(xiàn)在再想到兩周來對(duì)威廉的一言一行、一思一念,更覺得問心有愧。

這是一個(gè)沉重、沮喪的日子。第二次早餐吃過不久,埃德蒙向家人告別,騎馬去彼得伯勒,要一個(gè)星期后才回來。于是,人都走了。昨晚的一切只剩下了記憶,而這些記憶又無人可以分享。范妮總得跟什么人談?wù)勎钑?huì)吧。她便講給伯特倫姨媽聽,可是姨媽看到的很少,又不怎么感興趣,和姨媽談沒有什么意思。伯特倫夫人記不清誰穿了什么衣服,誰吃飯時(shí)坐在什么位置,她只記得她自己的?!拔矣洸坏寐犎酥v起了馬多克斯家的哪位小姐的什么事,也記不得普雷斯科特夫人是怎么談?wù)摲赌莸?。我拿不?zhǔn)哈里森上校是說克勞福德先生還是說威廉是舞廳里最漂亮的小伙子。有人悄悄地對(duì)我嘀咕了幾句,我忘了問問托馬斯爵士那話是什么意思?!边@是她說得最長也最清楚的一段話,其余的只是些懶洋洋的話:“是的——是的——挺好——你是這樣嗎?他是這樣嗎?那我可沒看出來——我不知道這兩者有什么不同?!边@實(shí)在令人掃興。這只比諾里斯太太的刻薄回答好一些。不過,諾里斯太太已經(jīng)回家了,還把剩下的果凍都帶走了,說是要給一個(gè)生病的女仆吃。這樣一來,這一小伙人雖說沒有別的好夸口的,卻也安安靜靜、和和氣氣的。

這天晚上像白天一樣沉悶。“我不知道我是怎么啦!”茶具撤去之后,伯特倫夫人說,“我覺得昏昏沉沉的。一定是昨天夜里睡得太晚了。范妮,你得想個(gè)辦法別讓我睡著了。我做不成活了。把牌拿來。我覺得頭昏腦漲?!?/p>

牌拿來了,范妮陪姨媽玩克里比奇牌戲[1],一直玩到就寢的時(shí)候。托馬斯爵士在默默地看書,一連兩個(gè)小時(shí),除了算分的聲音外,再?zèng)]有別的聲響?!斑@就夠三十一點(diǎn)了。一手牌四張,配點(diǎn)牌八張。該你發(fā)牌了,姨媽。要我替你發(fā)嗎?”范妮翻來覆去地想著這間屋子及整幢房子這一帶一天來發(fā)生的變化。昨天夜里,不管是客廳內(nèi),還是客廳外,到處都是希望和笑臉,大家忙忙碌碌,人聲鼎沸,燈火輝煌?,F(xiàn)在,卻死氣沉沉,一片寂靜。

范妮夜里睡好了,人也就來了精神,第二天想起威廉來,心情已不那么低沉。上午她有機(jī)會(huì)跟格蘭特太太和克勞福德小姐興致勃勃地談起星期四晚上的那場舞會(huì)。她們一個(gè)個(gè)駕起想象的翅膀,高興得縱聲大笑,這對(duì)舞會(huì)過后的感傷是極為重要的。后來,她沒怎么費(fèi)勁就恢復(fù)了平時(shí)的心情,輕易地適應(yīng)了這一星期的安靜生活。

這一整天,她覺得家里的人從來沒有這樣少過。每次家里有聚會(huì),每次在一起吃飯,她之所以感到欣慰、快樂,主要是因?yàn)橛幸粋€(gè)人在場,而他現(xiàn)在卻不在了。不過,她必須學(xué)會(huì)適應(yīng)這種情況。過不久,他就要經(jīng)常離家在外了。她感到慶幸的是,她現(xiàn)在能跟姨父坐在同一間屋子里,能聽到他的聲音,聽到他向她提問,即使在回答他的問題時(shí),范妮也不像以前那樣忐忑不安了。

“見不到兩個(gè)年輕人,心里挺惦念的?!苯舆B兩天,當(dāng)這大大縮小了的家人圈子晚飯后坐在一起時(shí),托馬斯爵士都這樣說。第一天,看到范妮眼淚汪汪,他沒再說別的話,只建議為他們的健康干杯。可在第二天,話題就扯得遠(yuǎn)了些。托馬斯爵士又稱贊起了威廉,盼望他能晉升?!拔覀冇谐浞值睦碛上嘈?,”他接著說道,“他今后可以常來看望我們。至于埃德蒙,我們要習(xí)慣于他長年不在家。這是他在家里度過的最后一個(gè)冬天?!薄笆堑摹!辈貍惙蛉苏f,“不過,我希望他不要遠(yuǎn)走。我覺得他們都要遠(yuǎn)走高飛。我希望他們能待在家里?!?/p>

她這個(gè)愿望主要是針對(duì)朱莉婭說的。朱莉婭不久前請求和瑪麗亞一起去倫敦,托馬斯爵士覺得這對(duì)兩個(gè)姑娘都有好處,便同意了。伯特倫夫人天生一副好脾氣,自然不會(huì)阻攔。但按照說定的日期,朱莉婭這時(shí)也該回來了。伯特倫夫人只能埋怨臨時(shí)有變,使她不能如期歸來。托馬斯爵士盡量好言相勸,想讓妻子對(duì)這樣的安排想通一些。一個(gè)體貼的母親應(yīng)該怎樣處處為兒女著想,他樣樣都替她說全了;一個(gè)疼愛兒女的母親必須怎樣事事讓兒女快樂,他說她天生就有這樣的情懷。伯特倫夫人表示贊同這些話,平靜地說了一聲“是的”。她默默地想了一刻鐘后,不由自主地說道:“托馬斯爵士,我一直在想——我很高興我們收養(yǎng)了范妮。如今別人都走了,我們感受到了我們這樣做的好處。”

托馬斯爵士想把話說得周全一些,立即補(bǔ)充道:“一點(diǎn)不錯(cuò)。我們當(dāng)面夸獎(jiǎng)范妮,讓她知道我們把她看作多好的一個(gè)姑娘?,F(xiàn)在,她是一個(gè)非??少F的伙伴。我們一直對(duì)她好,她現(xiàn)在對(duì)我們也十分重要。”

“是的,”伯特倫夫人緊接著說,“一想到她會(huì)永遠(yuǎn)和我們在一起,真令人感到欣慰?!?/p>

托馬斯爵士稍頓了頓,微微一笑,瞥了一眼外甥女,然后一本正經(jīng)地答道:“希望她永遠(yuǎn)不要離開我們,直到有一個(gè)比我們更能使她幸福的家把她請去。”

“這是不大可能的,托馬斯爵士。誰會(huì)請她呢?也許瑪麗亞樂于偶爾請她去索瑟頓做客,但不會(huì)想要請她在那里長住——我敢說,她在這里比去哪里都好——再說我也離不開她?!?/p>

在曼斯菲爾德的大宅里,這個(gè)星期過得平平靜靜,但在牧師府上,情況卻大不相同。至少是兩家的兩位小姐,心情大不相同。讓范妮感到寧靜和欣慰的事情,卻使瑪麗感到厭煩和苦惱。這與性情習(xí)慣不同有一定關(guān)系——一個(gè)容易滿足,另一個(gè)遇事不能容忍;但更主要的原因是境遇不同。在某些利害問題上,兩人恰好完全相反。范妮覺得,埃德蒙離家外出,就其動(dòng)機(jī)和意向而言,的確令人感到欣慰。而瑪麗卻感到痛苦不堪。她幾乎每天、每小時(shí)都渴望與他相聚,一想到他這次外出的動(dòng)機(jī),她只會(huì)為之惱火。哥哥走了,威廉·普萊斯也走了,他又偏要在這個(gè)星期外出,使他們這個(gè)原本生氣勃勃的小圈子徹底瓦解。他這次離去比什么都更能提高他的身價(jià)。她心里真不是滋味。現(xiàn)在就剩下他們可憐巴巴的三個(gè)人,被連續(xù)的雨雪困在家里,無事可做,也沒有什么新鮮事可以期盼。雖然她恨埃德蒙固執(zhí)己見,恨他無視她的意愿(她由于憤恨不已,在舞廳里可以說是和他不歡而散),可是等他離家之后,她又禁不住老是想念他,不停地琢磨他的好處和深情,又盼著能像先前那樣幾乎天天和他相聚。他沒有必要出去這么久。她眼看就要離開曼斯菲爾德了,他不該在這個(gè)時(shí)候外出——不該離家一個(gè)星期。接著她又責(zé)怪起自己來。在最后那次談話中,她不該出言那么激烈。在講到牧師的時(shí)候,她恐怕用了一些激烈的——一些輕蔑的言辭,這是不應(yīng)該的。這是沒有教養(yǎng)的表現(xiàn)——這是不對(duì)的。她對(duì)這些話感到由衷的悔恨。

一個(gè)星期過去了,她的煩惱卻沒有完結(jié)。這一切已夠她心煩的了,可現(xiàn)在她還要煩上加煩。星期五又來到了,埃德蒙卻沒有回來;星期六也到了,埃德蒙依然沒有回來;星期天和他家里聯(lián)系了一下,得知他給家里寫信說,他要推遲他的歸期,已答應(yīng)在朋友那里再住幾天!

如果說她已經(jīng)感到不耐煩,感到悔恨——如果說她已經(jīng)為自己說的話感到后悔,擔(dān)心那些話會(huì)給他帶來過分強(qiáng)烈的刺激,那她現(xiàn)在的悔恨和擔(dān)心則增加了十倍。此外,她還得和一種她從來不曾體會(huì)過的討厭心情——嫉妒心做斗爭。他的朋友歐文先生有妹妹,他會(huì)覺得她們很迷人。不管怎么說,在她按照原先計(jì)劃要去倫敦的時(shí)候,他卻待在外地。這總是有點(diǎn)不像話,讓她無法忍受。如果亨利真如他說的那樣走后三四天便回來,那她現(xiàn)在就該離開曼斯菲爾德了。她必須去找范妮,向范妮了解點(diǎn)情況。她不能再這樣一個(gè)人愁悶下去。她向莊園走去,只想再聽到一點(diǎn)消息,至少能聽到他的名字。一個(gè)星期以前,她會(huì)覺得路太難走,決不會(huì)跑這一趟的。

頭半個(gè)小時(shí)白白地過去了,因?yàn)榉赌莺筒貍惙蛉嗽谝黄?,除非她和范妮單?dú)在一起,否則她什么也休想聽到。不過,伯特倫夫人終于出去了——這時(shí),克勞福德小姐迫不及待地開口了,以盡可能得體的口氣說道:“你埃德蒙表哥離家這么久,你覺得怎么樣?家里只剩下你一個(gè)年輕人,我想你是最苦悶的。你一定在想念他。你沒料到他會(huì)逾期不歸吧?”

“我說不準(zhǔn),”范妮支支吾吾地說,“是的——我沒有料到?!?/p>

“也許他將來總也不能說什么時(shí)候回就什么時(shí)候回。年輕男人一般都這樣?!?/p>

“他以前只去過歐文先生家一次,那一次并沒有逾期不歸?!?/p>

“這一次他發(fā)現(xiàn)那家人比以前討人喜歡了。他自己就是一個(gè)非常——非常討人喜歡的年輕人,我不由得擔(dān)心,我去倫敦之前再也見不到他了。現(xiàn)在看來肯定會(huì)是這樣的。我每天都在盼著亨利回來。亨利一回來,曼斯菲爾德就再也沒有什么事情能攔住我不走了。說實(shí)話,我想再見他一次。不過,請你代我向他表示敬意。是的——我想應(yīng)該是敬意。普萊斯小姐,我們的語言里是否缺少一個(gè)適當(dāng)?shù)淖盅?,介于敬意和——和愛慕之間,來表達(dá)我們友好相處的那種關(guān)系?我們相處了那么久?。〔贿^,用敬意這個(gè)字眼也許就夠了。他的信寫得長嗎?他是否詳細(xì)告訴了你們他在干什么?他是否要待在那里過圣誕節(jié)?”

“我只聽說了部分內(nèi)容。信是寫給我姨父的——不過,我想寫得很短,我敢說只有寥寥幾行。我光聽說他的朋友非要讓他多住幾天,他也就答應(yīng)了。是多住幾天還是多住些天,我不是很有把握?!?/p>

“噢!要是寫給他父親的——我原以為是寫給伯特倫夫人或者你的。如果是寫給他父親的,就難怪話不多了。誰會(huì)給托馬斯爵士在信里寫那么多閑話呢?他要是給你寫信,就會(huì)寫得很詳細(xì)。你就會(huì)了解到舞會(huì)、宴會(huì)的情況。他會(huì)把每件事、每個(gè)人都向你描述一番。歐文家有幾位小姐?”

“有三位長大成人的?!?/p>

“她們愛好音樂嗎?”

“我不知道。從來沒有聽說過。”

“你知道,”克勞福德小姐一邊說,一邊裝出快活的、若無其事的樣子,“每個(gè)喜歡樂器的女士打聽別的女士時(shí),首先問的就是這個(gè)問題。不過,你可不能犯傻去打聽年輕小姐——?jiǎng)傞L大成人的三個(gè)姐妹。你不用打聽,就知道她們怎么樣——個(gè)個(gè)都多才多藝,招人喜愛,有一個(gè)還很漂亮。每家都有一個(gè)美人,這是規(guī)律。兩個(gè)彈鋼琴,一個(gè)彈豎琴——個(gè)個(gè)都會(huì)唱——要是有人教的話,個(gè)個(gè)都會(huì)唱——要是沒人教的話,反倒唱得更好——如此這般吧?!?/p>

“我一點(diǎn)也不了解歐文家的幾位小姐。”范妮平靜地說。

“常言說,不知少操心。這話說得再好不過了。的確,對(duì)于你從沒見過的人,你怎么會(huì)在意呢?唉,等你表哥回來,他會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)曼斯菲爾德異常安靜。愛說愛笑的人,你哥哥、我哥哥和我全走了。眼見行期臨近了,我一想到要和格蘭特太太分手,心里就不是滋味。她不想讓我走?!?/p>

范妮覺得自己不得不說幾句?!澳阕吆罂隙〞?huì)有很多人想你,”她說,“大家會(huì)非常想念你。”

克勞福德小姐轉(zhuǎn)眼望著她,像是想要多聽一聽,多看一看,接著笑著說道:“噢!是的,大家會(huì)想念我的,就像令人討厭的吵鬧聲一旦消失,也會(huì)讓人思念一樣,因?yàn)檫@讓人感到了巨大的反差。不過,我可不是在轉(zhuǎn)彎抹角討恭維,你也不要恭維我。要是真有人想我,那是看得出來的。誰想見我都能找到我。我不會(huì)住在什么神秘莫測或遙不可及的地方?!?/p>

范妮沒有心思說話,克勞福德小姐感到失望。她原以為對(duì)方深知她的魅力,會(huì)說一些合她心意的奉承話。她的心頭又罩上了陰影。

“歐文家的幾位小姐,”過了不久她又說,“假如她們中的哪一位能在桑頓萊西找到歸屬,你覺得怎么樣?更稀奇的事都發(fā)生過。我敢說她們在盡力爭取。她們完全應(yīng)該這么做,因?yàn)閷?duì)她們來說,這是一份很不錯(cuò)的家業(yè)。我一點(diǎn)也不感到奇怪,也不怪她們。人人都有義務(wù)盡量為自己謀利益。托馬斯爵士的公子算得上一個(gè)人物了,如今他已進(jìn)入她們家那一行了。她們的父親是牧師,她們的哥哥是牧師,他們是牧師跟牧師湊到一起了。他成了她們的合法財(cái)產(chǎn),他理所應(yīng)當(dāng)是屬于她們的。你是不說,范妮——普萊斯小姐——你是明知不說。不過,請你說實(shí)話,這難道不是你意料中的事情嗎?”

“不,”范妮果決地說,“我絲毫沒有料到?!?/p>

“絲毫沒料到!”克勞福德小姐急忙嚷道,“我感到奇怪。不過我敢說,你了解得一清二楚——我一直以為你——也許你認(rèn)為他壓根兒不想結(jié)婚——或者目前不想結(jié)婚?!?/p>

“是的,我是這樣認(rèn)為的?!狈赌萃褶D(zhuǎn)地說,既不希望自己判斷錯(cuò)誤,也拿不準(zhǔn)該不該承認(rèn)自己的看法。

她的伙伴目光犀利地盯著她,范妮馬上漲紅了臉??藙诟5滦〗憔駷橹徽瘢徽f了聲“他現(xiàn)在這樣對(duì)他來說是最好的”,隨即轉(zhuǎn)變了話題。

* * *

[1]一種二至四人玩的牌戲,用插在有孔的記分板上的小釘記分。

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