7k啦言情小说>傲慢与偏见英文版 > 第132章（第1页）
第132章（第1页）
ThoughElizabethwouldnot，forthemerepurposeofobligingLadyCatherine，haveansweredthisquestion，shecouldnotbutsay，afteramomentsdeliberation:
“Iamnot。”
LadyCatherineseemedpleased。
“Andwillyoupromiseme，nevertoenterintosuchanengagement?”
“Iwillmakenopromiseofthekind。”
“MissBennetIamshockedandastonished。Iexpectedtofindamorereasonableyoungwoman。ButdonotdeceiveyourselfintoabeliefthatIwilleverrecede。IshallnotgoawaytillyouhavegivenmetheassuranceIrequire。”
“AndIcertainlynevershallgiveit。Iamnottobeintimidatedintoanythingsowhollyunreasonable。YourladyshipwantsMr。Darcytomarryyourdaughter;butwouldmygivingyouthewished-forpromisemaketheirmarriageatallmoreprobable?Supposinghimtobeattachedtome，wouldmyrefusingtoaccepthishandmakehimwishtobestowitonhiscousin?Allowmetosay，LadyCatherine，thattheargumentswithwhichyouhavesupportedthisextraordinaryapplicationhavebeenasfrivolousastheapplicationwasill-judged。Youhavewidelymistakenmycharacter，ifyouthinkIcanbeworkedonbysuchpersuasionsasthese。Howfaryournephewmightapproveofyourinterferenceinhisaffairs，Icannottell;butyouhavecertainlynorighttoconcernyourselfinmine。Imustbeg，therefore，tobeimportunednofartheronthesubject。”
“Notsohasty，ifyouplease。Ihavebynomeansdone。ToalltheobjectionsIhavealreadyurged，Ihavestillanothertoadd。Iamnostrangertotheparticularsofyouryoungestsistersinfamouselopement。Iknowitall;thattheyoungmansmarryingherwasapatched-upbusiness，attheexpenceofyourfatheranduncles。Andissuchagirltobemynephewssister?Isherhusband，isthesonofhislatefatherssteward，tobehisbrother?Heavenandearth!—ofwhatareyouthinking?AretheshadesofPemberleytobethuspolluted?”
“Youcannowhavenothingfurthertosay，”sheresentfullyanswered。“Youhaveinsultedmeineverypossiblemethod。Imustbegtoreturntothehouse。”
Andsheroseasshespoke。LadyCatherinerosealso，andtheyturnedback。Herladyshipwashighlyincensed。
“Youhavenoregard，then，forthehonourandcreditofmynephew!Unfeeling，selfishgirl!Doyounotconsiderthataconnectionwithyoumustdisgracehimintheeyesofeverybody?”
“LadyCatherine，Ihavenothingfurthertosay。Youknowmysentiments。”
“Youarethenresolvedtohavehim?”
“Ihavesaidnosuchthing。Iamonlyresolvedtoactinthatmanner，whichwill，inmyownopinion，constitutemyhappiness，withoutreferencetoyou，ortoanypersonsowhollyunconnectedwithme。”
“Itiswell。Yourefuse，then，toobligeme。Yourefusetoobeytheclaimsofduty，honour，andgratitude。Youaredeterminedtoruinhimintheopinionofallhisfriends，andmakehimthecontemptoftheworld。”
“Neitherduty，norhonour，norgratitude，”repliedElizabeth，“haveanypossibleclaimonme，inthepresentinstance。NoprincipleofeitherwouldbeviolatedbymymarriagewithMr。Darcy。Andwithregardtotheresentmentofhisfamily，ortheindignationoftheworld，iftheformerwereexcitedbyhismarryingme，itwouldnotgivemeonemomentsconcern—andtheworldingeneralwouldhavetoomuchsensetojoininthescorn。”
“Andthisisyourrealopinion!Thisisyourfinalresolve!Verywell。Ishallnowknowhowtoact。Donotimagine，MissBennet，thatyourambitionwilleverbegratified。Icametotryyou。Ihopedtofindyoureasonable;but，dependuponit，Iwillcarrymypoint。”
InthismannerLadyCatherinetalkedon，tilltheywereatthedoorofthecarriage，when，turninghastilyround，sheadded，
“Itakenoleaveofyou，MissBennet。Isendnocomplimentstoyourmother。Youdeservenosuchattention。Iammostseriouslydispleased。”
Elizabethmadenoanswer;andwithoutattemptingtopersuadeherladyshiptoreturnintothehouse，walkedquietlyintoitherself。Sheheardthecarriagedriveawayassheproceededupstairs。Hermotherimpatientlymetheratthedoorofthedressing-room，toaskwhyLadyCatherinewouldnotcomeinagainandrestherself。
“Shedidnotchooseit，”saidherdaughter，“shewouldgo。”
“Sheisaveryfine-lookingwoman!andhercallingherewasprodigiouslycivil!forsheonlycame，Isuppose，totellustheCollinseswerewell。Sheisonherroadsomewhere，Idaresay，andso，passingthroughMeryton，thoughtshemightaswellcallonyou。Isupposeshehadnothingparticulartosaytoyou，Lizzy?”
Elizabethwasforcedtogiveintoalittlefalsehoodhere;fortoacknowledgethesubstanceoftheirconversationwasimpossible。
