Pride and Prejudice. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Intermediate

«What could he mean?» Miss Bingley asked Elizabeth.

«I don't know», was her answer, «but I think he means to be severe on us, and the best way to disappoint him will be to ask nothing about it».

Miss Bingley, however, was incapable of disappointing Mr. Darcy in anything, and asked him to explain what he had meant by two motives.

«I'm ready to explain them», said he. «You either have secret affairs to discuss, or you know that your figures are shown to the greatest advantage in walking; if the first, I would be completely in your way, and if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire».

«Oh! Shocking!» cried Miss Bingley. «I never heard anything so abominable. How shall we punish him for such a speech?»

«Nothing so easy», said Elizabeth. «Tease him, laugh at him. You know him well; you must know how it is to be done».

«But I don't know how. Tease calmness of manner and presence of mind! No, no; I feel he may disregard us there. And as to laughter, Mr. Darcy can't be a subject to laughter».

«Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!» cried Elizabeth. «That is an uncommon advantage. I wouldn't like to have many such acquaintances. I dearly love a laugh».

«The wisest and best actions of men», said Mr. Darcy «may be shown ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke».

«Certainly» replied Elizabeth- «there are such people, but I hope I never ridicule what is wise and good. Follies and nonsense amuse me and I laugh at them whenever I can. But I suppose, they are not your traits».

«Perhaps that is not possible for anyone. But all my life I tried to avoid those weaknesses which don't protect a strong intelligence from ridicule».

«Such as vanity and pride».

«Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But as to pride, where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good control».

Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile.

«So, your examination of Mr. Darcy is over», said Miss Bingley; «and what is the result?»

«I am perfectly convinced that Mr. Darcy has no defect. He thinks so himself».

«No», said Darcy, «I have made no such pretension. I have defects enough, but I hope they are not the defects of intelligence. I'm afraid I can't vouch for my temper. I very seldom yield. I cannot forget the follies and vices of others as soon as I ought to, nor their offenses against myself. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever».

«That is a defect indeed!» cried Elizabeth. «Unforgettable resentment is a shade in a character. But you have chosen your defect well. I really cannot laugh at it. You are safe from me».

«There is, I think, in every character a tendency to some defect, which not even the best education can overcome».

«And your defect is to hate everybody».

«And yours», he replied with a smile, «is stubbornly to misunderstand them».

Miss Bingley, tired of a conversation in which she had no share, asked Mrs. Hurst to play the pianoforte.

Darcy also didn't object. He began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention.

As Jane felt much better, the sisters decided it was time for them to go home. Elizabeth wrote the next morning to their mother asking to send the carriage for them in the course of the day. But Mrs. Bennet wanted her daughters to stay at Netherfield till the following Tuesday, which would exactly finish Jane's week. Therefore, she sent them word that they could not possibly have the carriage before Tuesday. Elizabeth didn't want to stay there any longer and felt that their presence at Netherfield was not very much desirable to some of its inhabitants. She asked Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley's carriage immediately. Mr. Bingley tried to persuade Miss Bennet that it would not be safe for her, that she was not well enough. But Jane was firm where she felt herself to be right.

Mr. Darcy was pleased that the sisters were leaving. Elizabeth had been at Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he liked. He decided to show no sign of admiration. True to his decision, he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday, and though they were at onetime left by themselves for half-an-hour, he just read his book, and would not even look at her.

On Sunday Jane and Elizabeth returned home. Mrs. Bennet was not pleased. She was sure Jane would have caught cold again. But Mr. Bennet was really glad to see them: he had missed their lively conversation in the evenings.

Chapter 12

«I hope, my dear», said Mr. Bennet to his wife, as they were at breakfast the next morning, «that you have ordered a good dinner to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party».

Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. «It is Mr. Bingley, I am sure! Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr. Bingley».

«No», said her husband, «it is a person whom I never saw in my whole life».

There followed an astonished chorus of questions from his wife and all his five daughters at once. Mr. Bennet showed them a letter.

«It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases».

Mrs. Bennet started complaining angrily about the cruelty of settling an estate away from a family of five daughters, in favour of a man whom nobody cared anything about.

«I think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your own children; and I am sure, if I had been you, I would have tried long ago to do something or other about it».

«It certainly is a most immoral affair», said Mr. Bennet, «and nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn. But after listening to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself».

«I think it is very impertinent of him to write to you at all, and very hypocritical. I hate such false friends. Why could he not keep on quarreling with you, as his father did before him?»

«Why, indeed; it seems he has had some doubts concerning that, as you will hear».

«Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent, 15th October.

Dear Sir,

The disagreement between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have often wished to improve the situation. But for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing that it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom he had been pleased to quarrel. There, Mrs. Bennet. My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been fortunate to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, who entrusted me with the valuable rectory of this parish, where I will serve with grateful respect towards her ladyship, and perform those ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to help establish peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and therefore I hope that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch. I regret to be the means of hurting your charming daughters, and wish to apologies for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make up for it in every possible manner – but of this later. If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I ask your permission to visit you and your family, Monday November 18th, by four o'clock, and probably trespass on your hospitality till Saturday, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day. I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,

WILLIAM COLLINS»

«At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peacemaking gentleman», said Mr. Bennet, as he put down the letter. «He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young man, upon my word, and will prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be so kind as to let him come to us again».

«There is some sense in what he says about the girls, however, and if he is willing to help them in anyway, I shall not be the person to discourage him».

«Though it is difficult», said Jane, «to guess in what way he can mean to help us, the wish itself is certainly to his credit».

Elizabeth was mainly impressed by his extraordinary respect for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it was required.

«He must be an oddity, I think», said she. «I cannot make him out. There is something very pompous in his style. And what can he mean by apologizing for being next in the entail? We cannot suppose he would help it if he could. Could he be a sensible man, sir?»

«No, my dear, I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the opposite. There is an interesting mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter. I am impatient to see him».

Mary thought that the letter was well composed and expressed. Catherine and Lydia were not interested in their cousin at all since he was not an officer. As for their mother, Mr. Collins's letter had softened her feelings towards him, and she was preparing to see him with a degree of calmness which astonished her husband and daughters.

When Mr. Collins arrived, he was received with great politeness by the whole family. Mr. Bennet said little, but the ladies were ready enough to talk, and Mr. Collins didn't need any encouragement for conversation. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man of five-and-twenty He was serious and his manners were very formal. He complimented Mrs. Bennet on having such beautiful daughters and said he had no doubt about their happy marriages in due time. This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers; but Mrs. Bennet, who quarreled with no compliments, answered most readily.

«I wish all my daughters to be well married indeed because at present things are settled so oddly».