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第130章（第1页）

Onemorning，aboutaweekafterBingleysengagementwithJanehadbeenformed，asheandthefemalesofthefamilyweresittingtogetherinthedining-room，theirattentionwassuddenlydrawntothewindow，bythesoundofacarriage;andtheyperceivedachaiseandfourdrivingupthelawn.Itwastooearlyinthemorningforvisitors，andbesides，theequipagedidnotanswertothatofanyoftheirneighbours.Thehorseswerepost;andneitherthecarriage，northeliveryoftheservantwhoprecededit，werefamiliartothem.Asitwascertain，however，thatsomebodywascoming，BingleyinstantlyprevailedonMissBennettoavoidtheconfinementofsuchanintrusion，andwalkawaywithhimintotheshrubbery.Theybothsetoff，andtheconjecturesoftheremainingthreecontinued，thoughwithlittlesatisfaction，tillthedoorwasthrownopenandtheirvisitorentered.ItwasLadyCatherinedeBourgh.

Theywereofcourseallintendingtobesurprised;buttheirastonishmentwasbeyondtheirexpectation;andonthepartofMrs.BennetandKitty，thoughshewasperfectlyunknowntothem，eveninferiortowhatElizabethfelt.

Sheenteredtheroomwithanairmorethanusuallyungracious，madenootherreplytoElizabethssalutationthanaslightinclinationofthehead，andsatdownwithoutsayingaword.Elizabethhadmentionedhernametohermotheronherladyshipsentrance，thoughnorequestofintroductionhadbeenmade.

Mrs.Bennet，allamazement，thoughflatteredbyhavingaguestofsuchhighimportance，receivedherwiththeutmostpoliteness.Aftersittingforamomentinsilence，shesaidverystifflytoElizabeth，

“Ihopeyouarewell，MissBennet.Thatlady，Isuppose，isyourmother.”

Elizabethrepliedveryconciselythatshewas.

“AndthatIsupposeisoneofyoursisters.”

“Yes，madam，”

saidMrs.Bennet，delightedtospeaktoLadyCatherine.“Sheismyyoungestgirlbutone.Myyoungestofallislatelymarried，andmyeldestissomewhereaboutthegrounds，walkingwithayoungmanwho，Ibelieve，willsoonbecomeapartofthefamily.”

“Youhaveaverysmallparkhere，”

returnedLadyCatherineafterashortsilence.

“ItisnothingincomparisonofRosings，mylady，Idaresay;butIassureyouitismuchlargerthanSirWilliamLucass.”

“Thismustbeamostinconvenientsittingroomfortheevening，insummer;thewindowsarefullwest.”

Mrs.Bennetassuredherthattheyneversatthereafterdinner，andthenadded:

“MayItakethelibertyofaskingyourladyshipwhetheryouleftMr.andMrs.Collinswell.”

“Yes，verywell.Isawthemthenightbeforelast.”

ElizabethnowexpectedthatshewouldproducealetterforherfromCharlotte，asitseemedtheonlyprobablemotiveforhercalling.Butnoletterappeared，andshewascompletelypuzzled.Mrs.Bennet，withgreatcivility，beggedherladyshiptotakesomerefreshment;butLadyCatherineveryresolutely，andnotverypolitely，declinedeatinganything;andthen，risingup，saidtoElizabeth，

“MissBennet，thereseemedtobeaprettyishkindofalittlewildernessononesideofyourlawn.Ishouldbegladtotakeaturninit，ifyouwillfavourmewithyourcompany.”

“Go，mydear，”

criedhermother，“andshowherladyshipaboutthedifferentwalks.Ithinkshewillbepleasedwiththehermitage.”

Elizabethobeyed，andrunningintoherownroomforherparasol，attendedhernobleguestdownstairs.Astheypassedthroughthehall，LadyCatherineopenedthedoorsintothedining-parlouranddrawing-room，andpronouncingthem，afterashortsurvey，tobedecentlookingrooms，walkedon.

Hercarriageremainedatthedoor，andElizabethsawthatherwaiting-womanwasinit.Theyproceededinsilencealongthegravelwalkthatledtothecopse;Elizabethwasdeterminedtomakenoeffortforconversationwithawomanwhowasnowmorethanusuallyinsolentanddisagreeable.

“HowcouldIeverthinkherlikehernephew?”

saidshe，asshelookedinherface.

Assoonastheyenteredthecopse，LadyCatherinebeganinthefollowingmanner:—

“Youcanbeatnoloss，MissBennet，tounderstandthereasonofmyjourneyhither.Yourownheart，yourownconscience，musttellyouwhyIcome.”

Elizabethlookedwithunaffectedastonishment.

“Indeed，youaremistaken，Madam.Ihavenotbeenatallabletoaccountforthehonourofseeingyouhere.”

“MissBennet，”

repliedherladyship，inanangrytone，“yououghttoknow，thatIamnottobetrifledwith.Buthoweverinsincereyoumaychoosetobe，youshallnotfindmeso.Mycharacterhaseverbeencelebratedforitssincerityandfrankness，andinacauseofsuchmomentasthis，Ishallcertainlynotdepartfromit.Areportofamostalarmingnaturereachedmetwodaysago.Iwastoldthatnotonlyyoursisterwasonthepointofbeingmostadvantageouslymarried，butthatyou，thatMissElizabethBennet，would，inalllikelihood，besoonafterwardsunitedtomynephew，myownnephew，Mr.Darcy.ThoughIknowitmustbeascandalousfalsehood，thoughIwouldnotinjurehimsomuchastosupposethetruthofitpossible，Iinstantlyresolvedonsettingoffforthisplace，thatImightmakemysentimentsknowntoyou.”

“Ifyoubelieveditimpossibletobetrue，”

saidElizabeth，colouringwithastonishmentanddisdain，“Iwonderyoutookthetroubleofcomingsofar.Whatcouldyourladyshipproposebyit?”

“Atoncetoinsistuponhavingsuchareportuniversallycontradicted.”

“YourcomingtoLongbourn，toseemeandmyfamily，”

saidElizabethcoolly，“willberatheraconfirmationofit;if，indeed，suchareportisinexistence.”

“If!Doyouthenpretendtobeignorantofit?Hasitnotbeenindustriouslycirculatedbyyourselves?Doyounotknowthatsuchareportisspreadabroad?”

“Ineverheardthatitwas.”

“Andcanyoulikewisedeclare，thatthereisnofoundationforit?”

“Idonotpretendtopossessequalfranknesswithyourladyship.YoumayaskquestionswhichIshallnotchoosetoanswer.”