第 43 章 (上)

他們坐著車子一直向前去。彭伯裏的樹林一出現在眼前，伊莉莎白就有些心慌；等到走進了莊園，她更加心神不定。

　　花園很大，只見裏邊高阜低窪，氣象萬千。他們揀一個最低的地方走進了園，在一座深邃遼闊的美麗的樹林裏坐著車子走了好久。

　　伊莉莎白滿懷感觸，無心說話，可是看到了每一處、每一角的美景，她都歎賞不已。他們沿著上坡路慢慢兒走了半英里光景，最後來到了一個相當高的山坡上，這也就是樹林子盡頭的地方，彭伯裏大廈馬上映入眼簾。房子在山谷那邊，有一條相當陡斜的路曲曲折折地通到穀中。這是一幢很大很漂亮的石頭建築物，屹立在高壟上，屋子後面枕著一連片樹林茂密的高高的小山岡；屋前一泓頗有天然情趣的溪流正在漲潮，沒有一絲一毫人工的痕跡。兩岸的點綴既不呆板，也不做作。伊莉莎白高興極了。她從來不曾看到過一個比這裏更富於自然情趣的地方，也沒有見過任何地方的自然之美能象這兒一樣的不受到庸俗的沾損。大家都熱烈地讚賞不已，伊莉莎白頓時不禁覺得：在彭伯裏當個主婦也還不錯吧。他們下了山坡，過了橋，一直駛到大廈門前，欣賞那附近一帶的景物，伊莉莎白這時候不免又起了一陣疑懼，生怕闖見主人。她擔心旅館裏的侍女弄錯了。他們請求進去參觀，立刻被讓進客廳；大家都在等著管家奶奶，這時候伊莉莎白方才想起身在何處。

　　管家奶奶來了，是一個態度端莊的老婦人，遠不如她們想像中那麼有丰姿，可是禮貌的周到倒出乎她的想像。他們跟著她走進了餐室。那是一間寬敞舒適的大屋子，佈置得很精緻。伊莉莎白稍許看了一下，便走到窗口欣賞風景。他們望著剛才下來的那座小山，只見叢林密佈，從遠處望去益發顯得陡峭，真是個美麗的地方。處處都收拾得很美觀。她縱目四望，只見一彎河道，林木夾岸，山谷蜿蜒曲折，真看得她心曠神怡。他們再走到別的房間裏去看，每換一個房間，景致總會兩樣，可是不管你走到哪個視窗，都自有秀色可餐。一個個房間都高大美觀，傢俱陳設也和主人的身份頗為相稱，既不俗氣，又不過分侈麗，比起羅新斯來，可以說是豪華不足，風雅有餘，伊莉莎白看了，很佩服主人的情趣。她心裏想：”我差一點就做了這兒的主婦呢！這些房間也許早就讓我走熟了！我非但不必以一個陌生人的身份來參觀，而且還可以當作自己的住宅來受用，把舅父母當做貴客歡迎。可是不行，”她忽然想了起來，”這是萬萬辦不到的事：那時候我就見不到舅父母了，他決不會允許我邀他們來。”

　　她幸虧想起了這一點，才沒有後悔當初的事。

　　她真想問問這位管家奶奶，主人是否真不在家，可是她沒有勇氣，只得作罷。不過她舅父終於代她問出了這一句話，使她大為慌張，連忙別轉頭去，只聽見雷諾奶奶回答道，他的確不在家。接著又說，”可是明天會回家，還要帶來許多朋友。”伊莉莎白聽了真高興，幸虧他們沒有遲一天到這兒來。

　　她的舅母叫她去看一張畫像。她走近前去，看見那是韋翰的肖像，和另外幾張小型畫像夾在一起，掛在壁爐架的上方。舅母笑嘻嘻地問她覺得好不好。管家奶奶走過來說，畫像上這位年輕人是老主人的帳房的兒子，由老主人一手把他栽培起來。她又說道：

　　”他現在到軍隊裏去了，我怕他已經變得很浪蕩了。”

　　嘉丁納太太笑吟吟地對她外甥女兒望了一眼，可是伊莉莎白實在笑不出來。

　　雷諾奶奶指著另一張畫像說，”這就是我的小主人，畫得象極了。跟那一張是同時畫的，大約有八年了。”

　　嘉丁納太太望著那張畫像說：”我常常聽人家說，你的主人堂堂一表人材，他這張臉蛋的確漂亮。……可是，麗萃，你倒說說看，畫得象不象。”

　　雷諾奶奶聽到伊莉莎白跟她主人相熟，便好象益發敬重她。

　　”這位小姐原來跟達西先生相熟？”

　　伊莉莎白臉紅了，只得說：”不太熟。”

　　”你覺得他是位很漂亮的少爺嗎，小姐？”

　　”是的，很漂亮。”

　　”我敢說，我沒見過這樣漂亮的人；樓上畫室裏還有一張他的畫像，比這張大，畫得也比這張好。老主人生前最喜愛這間屋子，這些畫像的擺法，也還是照從前的老樣子。他很喜歡這些小型畫像。”

　　伊莉莎白這才明白為什麼韋翰先生的像也放在一起。

　　雷諾奶奶接著又指給他們看達西小姐的一張畫像，那還是她八歲的時候畫的。

　　”達西小姐也跟她哥哥一樣漂亮嗎？”嘉丁納先生問道。

　　”噢，那還用說……從來沒有過這樣漂亮的小姐，又那麼多才多藝！她成天彈琴唱歌。隔壁的房間裏就是剛剛替她買來的一架鋼琴，那是我主人給她的禮物，她明天會跟他一塊兒回來。”

　　那位管家奶奶看見嘉丁納先生為人那麼隨和，便跟他有問有答。雷諾奶奶非常樂意談到她主人兄妹倆，這或者是由於為他們感到驕傲，或者是由於和他們交情深厚。

　　”你主人每年在彭伯裏待的日子多嗎？”

　　”並沒有我所盼望的那麼多，先生，他每年大概可以在這兒待上半年；達西小姐總是在這兒歇夏。”

　　伊莉莎白心想：”除非到拉姆斯蓋特去就不來了。”

　　”要是你主人結了婚，你見到他的時候就會多些。”

　　”是的，先生；不過我不知道這件事幾時才能如願。我也不知道哪家小姐配得上他。”

　　嘉丁納夫婦都笑了。伊莉莎白不由得說，”你會這樣想，真使他太有面子了。”

　　管家奶奶說：”我說的全是真話，認識他的人都是這樣說，”伊莉莎白覺得這話實在講得有些過分。只聽得那管家奶奶又說道：”我一輩子沒聽過他一句重話，從他四歲起，我就跟他在一起了。”伊莉莎白聽得更是驚奇。

　　這句褒獎的話說得最出人意料，也叫她最難想像。她早就斷定達西是個脾氣不好的人，今日乍聽此話，不禁引起了她深切的注意。她很想再多聽一些。幸喜她舅舅又開口說道：

　　”當得起這樣恭維的人，實在沒有幾個。你真是運氣好，碰上了這樣一個好主人。”

　　”你真說得是，先生，我自己也知道運氣好。我就是走遍天下，再也不會碰到一個更好的主人。我常說，小時候脾氣好，長大了脾氣也會好；他從小就是個脾氣最乖、肚量最大的孩子。”

　　伊莉莎白禁不住瞪起眼來看她。她心裏想：”達西當真是這樣一個人嗎？”

　　”他父親是個了不起的人，”嘉丁納太太說。

　　”太太，你說得是，他的確是個了不起的人；他獨生子完全像他一樣……也像他那樣體貼窮苦人。”

　　伊莉莎白一直聽下去，先是奇怪，繼而懷疑，最後又極想再多聽一些，可是雷諾奶奶再也想不出別的話來引起她的興趣。她談到畫像，談到房間大小，談到傢俱的價格，可是她都不愛聽。嘉丁納先生覺得，這個管家奶奶所以要過甚其辭地誇獎她自己的主人，無非是出於家人的偏見，這倒也使他聽得很有趣，於是馬上又談到這個話題上來了。她一面起勁地談到他的許多優點，一面領著他們走上大樓梯。

　　”他是個開明的莊主，又是個最好的主人；”她說，”他不像目前一般撒野的青年，一心只為自己打算。沒有一個佃戶或傭人不稱讚他。有些人說他傲慢；可是我從來沒看到過他有哪一點傲慢的地方。據我猜想，他只是不像一般青年人那樣愛說話罷了。”

　　”他被你說得多麼可愛！”伊莉莎白想道。

　　她舅母一邊走，一邊輕輕地說：”只聽到說他的好話，可是他對待我們那位可憐的朋友卻是那種樣子，好像與事實不大符合。”

　　”我們可能是受到蒙蔽了。”

　　”這不大可能；我們的根據太可靠了。”

　　他們走到樓上那個寬敞的穿堂，就給領進一間漂亮的起坐間，這起坐間新近才佈置起來，比樓下的許多房間還要精緻和清新，據說那是剛剛收拾起來專供達西小姐享用的，因為去年她在彭伯裏看中了這間屋子。

　　”他千真萬確是一個好哥哥，”伊莉莎白一面說，一面走到一個窗戶跟前。

　　雷諾奶奶估計達西小姐一走進這間屋子，將會怎樣高興。她說：”他一向就是這樣，凡是能使他妹妹高興的事情，他馬上辦到。他從來沒有一樁事不依她。”

　　剩下來只有畫室和兩三間主要的寢室要指給他們看了。

　　畫室裏陳列著許多優美的油畫，可惜伊莉莎白對藝術方面完全是外行，但覺這些畫好象在樓下都已經看到過，於是她寧可掉過頭去看看達西小姐所畫的幾張粉筆畫，因為這些畫的題材一般都比較耐人尋味，而且比較容易看得懂。

　　畫室裏都是家族的畫像，陌生人看了不會感到興趣。伊莉莎白走來走去，專門去找那個面熟的人的畫像；她終於看到了有張畫像非常像達西先生，只見他臉上的笑容正像他從前看起來的時候那種笑容。她在這幅畫像跟前站了幾分鐘，欣賞得出了神，臨出畫室之前，又走回去看了一下。雷諾奶奶告訴他們說，這張畫像還是他父親在世的時候畫的。

　　伊莉莎白不禁對畫裏那個人立刻起了一陣親切之感，即使從前她跟他見面最多的時候，她對他也從來沒有過這種感覺。我們不應當小看了雷諾奶奶對她主人的這種稱讚。什麼樣的稱讚會比一個聰明的下人的稱讚更來得寶貴呢？她認為他無論是作為一個兄長，一個莊主，一個家主，都一手操縱著多少人的幸福；他能夠給人家多少快樂，又能夠給人家多少痛苦；他可以行多少善，又可以作多少惡。那個管家奶奶所提出的每一件事情，都足心說明他品格的優良。她站在他的畫像面前只覺得他一雙眼睛在盯著她看，她不由得想起了他對她的鍾情，於是一陣從來沒有過的感激之情油然而生，她一記起他鍾情的殷切，便不再去計較他求愛的唐突了。

　　凡是可以公開參觀的地方，他們都走遍了，然後走下樓來，告別了管家奶奶，管家奶奶便吩咐一個園丁在大廳門口迎接他們。

　　他們穿過草地，走向河邊，伊莉莎白這時候又掉過頭來看了一直，舅父母也都停住了腳步，哪知道她舅舅正想估量一下這房子的建築年代，忽然看到屋主人從一條通往馬廄的大路上走了過來。

　　

Chapter 43 (part 1)

ELIZABETH, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance of Pemberley Woods with some perturbation; and when at length they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter.

The park was very large, and contained great variety of ground. They entered it in one of its lowest points, and drove for some time through a beautiful wood, stretching over a wide extent.

Elizabeth’s mind was too full for conversation, but she saw and admired every remarkable spot and point of view. They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road, with some abruptness, wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; — and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!

They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and drove to the door; and, while examining the nearer aspect of the house, all her apprehensions of meeting its owner returned. She dreaded lest the chambermaid had been mistaken. On applying to see the place, they were admitted into the hall; and Elizabeth, as they waited for the housekeeper, had leisure to wonder at her being where she was.

The housekeeper came; a respectable-looking, elderly woman, much less fine, and more civil, than she had any notion of finding her. They followed her into the dining-parlour. It was a large, well-proportioned room, handsomely fitted up. Elizabeth, after slightly surveying it, went to a window to enjoy its prospect. The hill, crowned with wood, from which they had descended, receiving increased abruptness from the distance, was a beautiful object. Every disposition of the ground was good; and she looked on the whole scene — the river, the trees scattered on its banks, and the winding of the valley, as far as she could trace it — with delight. As they passed into other rooms, these objects were taking different positions; but from every window there were beauties to be seen. The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of their proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine; with less of splendor, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.

“And of this place,” thought she, “I might have been mistress! With these rooms I might now have been familiarly acquainted! Instead of viewing them as a stranger, I might have rejoiced in them as my own, and welcomed to them as visitors my uncle and aunt. — But no,” — recollecting herself, — “that could never be: my uncle and aunt would have been lost to me: I should not have been allowed to invite them.” This was a lucky recollection — it saved her from something like regret.

She longed to enquire of the housekeeper whether her master were really absent, but had not courage for it. At length, however, the question was asked by her uncle; and she turned away with alarm, while Mrs. Reynolds replied that he was, adding, “but we expect him tomorrow, with a large party of friends.” How rejoiced was Elizabeth that their own journey had not by any circumstance been delayed a day!

Her aunt now called her to look at a picture. She approached, and saw the likeness of Mr. Wickham suspended, amongst several other miniatures, over the mantlepiece. Her aunt asked her, smilingly, how she liked it. The housekeeper came forward, and told them it was the picture of a young gentleman, the son of her late master’s steward, who had been brought up by him at his own expence. — “He is now gone into the army,” she added, “but I am afraid he has turned out very wild.”

Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece with a smile, but Elizabeth could not return it.

“And that,” said Mrs. Reynolds, pointing to another of the miniatures, “is my master — and very like him. It was drawn at the same time as the other — about eight years ago.”

“I have heard much of your master’s fine person,” said Mrs. Gardiner, looking at the picture; “it is a handsome face. But, Lizzy, you can tell us whether it is like or not.”

Mrs. Reynolds’s respect for Elizabeth seemed to increase on this intimation of her knowing her master.

“Does that young lady know Mr. Darcy?”

Elizabeth coloured, and said — “A little.”

“And do not you think him a very handsome gentleman, Ma’am?”

“Yes, very handsome.”

“I am sure I know none so handsome; but in the gallery up stairs you will see a finer, larger picture of him than this. This room was my late master’s favourite room, and these miniatures are just as they used to be then. He was very fond of them.”

This accounted to Elizabeth for Mr. Wickham’s being among them.

Mrs. Reynolds then directed their attention to one of Miss Darcy, drawn when she was only eight years old.

“And is Miss Darcy as handsome as her brother?” said Mr. Gardiner.

“Oh! yes — the handsomest young lady that ever was seen; and so accomplished! — She plays and sings all day long. In the next room is a new instrument just come down for her — a present from my master; she comes here to-morrow with him.”

Mr. Gardiner, whose manners were easy and pleasant, encouraged her communicativeness by his questions and remarks; Mrs. Reynolds, either from pride or attachment, had evidently great pleasure in talking of her master and his sister.

“Is your master much at Pemberley in the course of the year?”

“Not so much as I could wish, Sir; but I dare say he may spend half his time here; and Miss Darcy is always down for the summer months.”

“Except,” thought Elizabeth, “when she goes to Ramsgate.”

“If your master would marry, you might see more of him.”

“Yes, Sir; but I do not know when that will be. I do not know who is good enough for him.”

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner smiled. Elizabeth could not help saying, “It is very much to his credit, I am sure, that you should think so.”

“I say no more than the truth, and what every body will say that knows him,” replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far; and she listened with increasing astonishment as the housekeeper added, “I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old.”

This was praise, of all others most extraordinary, most opposite to her ideas. That he was not a good tempered man had been her firmest opinion. Her keenest attention was awakened; she longed to hear more, and was grateful to her uncle for saying,

“There are very few people of whom so much can be said. You are lucky in having such a master.”

“Yes, Sir, I know I am. If I was to go through the world, I could not meet with a better. But I have always observed that they who are good-natured when children are good-natured when they grow up; and he was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted, boy in the world.”

Elizabeth almost stared at her. — “Can this be Mr. Darcy!” thought she.

“His father was an excellent man,” said Mrs. Gardiner.

“Yes, Ma’am, that he was indeed; and his son will be just like him — just as affable to the poor.”

Elizabeth listened, wondered, doubted, and was impatient for more. Mrs. Reynolds could interest her on no other point. She related the subject of the pictures, the dimensions of the rooms, and the price of the furniture, in vain. Mr. Gardiner, highly amused by the kind of family prejudice to which he attributed her excessive commendation of her master, soon led again to the subject; and she dwelt with energy on his many merits, as they proceeded together up the great staircase.

“He is the best landlord, and the best master,” said she, “that ever lived. Not like the wild young men now-a-days, who think of nothing but themselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants but what will give him a good name. Some people call him proud; but I am sure I never saw any thing of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men.”

“In what an amiable light does this place him!” thought Elizabeth.

“This fine account of him,” whispered her aunt, as they walked, “is not quite consistent with his behaviour to our poor friend.”

“Perhaps we might be deceived.”

“That is not very likely; our authority was too good.”

On reaching the spacious lobby above, they were shewn into a very pretty sitting-room, lately fitted up with greater elegance and lightness than the apartments below; and were informed that it was but just done to give pleasure to Miss Darcy, who had taken a liking to the room when last at Pemberley.

“He is certainly a good brother,” said Elizabeth, as she walked towards one of the windows.

Mrs. Reynolds anticipated Miss Darcy’s delight when she should enter the room. “And this is always the way with him,” she added. — “Whatever can give his sister any pleasure is sure to be done in a moment. There is nothing he would not do for her.”

The picture gallery, and two or three of the principal bedrooms, were all that remained to be shewn. In the former were many good paintings; but Elizabeth knew nothing of the art; and from such as had been already visible below, she had willingly turned to look at some drawings of Miss Darcy’s, in crayons, whose subjects were usually more interesting, and also more intelligible.

In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they could have little to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth walked on in quest of the only face whose features would be known to her. At last it arrested her — and she beheld a striking resemblance of Mr. Darcy, with such a smile over the face as she remembered to have sometimes seen, when he looked at her. She stood several minutes before the picture in earnest contemplation, and returned to it again before they quitted the gallery. Mrs. Reynolds informed them that it had been taken in his father’s life time.

There was certainly at this moment, in Elizabeth’s mind, a more gentle sensation towards the original than she had ever felt in the height of their acquaintance. The commendation bestowed on him by Mrs. Reynolds was of no trifling nature. What praise is more valuable than the praise of an intelligent servant? As a brother, a landlord, a master, she considered how many people’s happiness were in his guardianship! — How much of pleasure or pain it was in his power to bestow! — How much of good or evil must be done by him! Every idea that had been brought forward by the housekeeper was favourable to his character, and as she stood before the canvas, on which he was represented, and fixed his eyes upon herself, she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment of gratitude than it had ever raised before; she remembered its warmth, and softened its impropriety of expression.

When all of the house that was open to general inspection had been seen, they returned down stairs, and, taking leave of the housekeeper, were consigned over to the gardener, who met them at the hall door.

As they walked across the lawn towards the river, Elizabeth turned back to look again; her uncle and aunt stopped also, and while the former was conjecturing as to the date of the building, the owner of it himself suddenly came forward from the road, which led behind it to the stables.

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