The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield. The visit was returned in due form. Miss Bennet's pleasing manners grew on the good will of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley;and though the mother was found to be intolerable and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with them was expressed towards the two eldest. By Jane this attention was received with the greatest pleasure; but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in their treatment of everybody, hardly excepting even her sister, and could not like them;though their kindness to Jane, such as it was, had a value, as arising in all probability from the influence of their brother's admiration. It was generally evident whenever they met, that he did admire her; and to her it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first, and was in a way to be very much in love; but she considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general, since Jane united with great strength of feeling a composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner, which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. She mentioned this to her friend Miss Lucas.

“It may perhaps be pleasant,”replied Charlotte,“to be able to impose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him;and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all begin freely-a slight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly;but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.”

“But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If I can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it too.”

“Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Jane's disposition as you do.”

“But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour to conceal it, he must find it out.”

“Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But though Bingley and Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours together; and as they always see each other in large mixed parties, it is impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing together. Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chooses.”

“Your plan is a good one,”replied Elizabeth,“where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married; and if I were determined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say I should adopt it. But these are not Jane's feelings; she is not acting by design. As yet, she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard, nor of its reasonableness. She has known him only a fortnight. She danced four dances with him at Meryton; she saw him one morning at his own house, and has since dined in company with him four times. This is not quite enough to make her understand his character.”

“Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, she might only have discovered whether he had a good appetite; but you must remember that four evenings have been also spent together-and four evenings may do a great deal.”

“Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like Vingt-un better than Commerce; but with respect to any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been unfolded.”

“Well,”said Charlotte,“I wish Jane success with all my heart; and if she were married to him tomorrow, I should think she had as good a chance of happiness as if she were to be studying his character for a twelvemonth. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar before-hand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always contrive to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.”

“You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound. You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself.”

Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at her only to criticize. But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness. Of this she was perfectly unaware; —to her he was only the man who made himself agreeable no where, and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with.

He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing with her himself,attended to her conversation with others. His doing so drew her notice. It was at Sir William Lucas's, where a large party were assembled.“What does Mr. Darcy mean,”said she to Charlotte,“by listening to my conversation with Colonel Forster?”

“That is a question which Mr. Darcy only can answer.”

“But if he does it any more, I shall certainly let him know that I see what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.”

On his approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention such a subject to him, which immediately provoking Elizabeth to do it, she turned to him and said,

“Did not you think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself uncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton?”

“With great energy; —but it is a subject which always makes a lady energetic.”

“You are severe on us.”

“It will be her turn soon to be teazed,”said Miss Lucas.“I am going to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know what follows.”

“You are a very strange creature by way of a friend! —always wanting me to play and sing before any body and everybody! —If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable, but as it is, I would really rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best performers.”On Miss Lucas's persevering, however, she added,“Very well; if it must be so, it must.”And gravely glancing at Mr. Darcy,“There is a fine old saying, which everybody here is of course familiar with—‘Keep your breath to cool your porridge, '—and I shall keep mine to swell my song.”

Her performance was pleasing, though by no means capital. After a song or two, and before she could reply to the entreaties of several that she would sing again, she was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by her sister Mary, who having, in consequence of being the only plain one in the family, worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments, was always impatient for display.

Mary had neither genius nor taste; and though vanity had given her application, it had given her likewise a pedantic air and conceited manner, which would have injured a higher degree of excellence than she had reached. Elizabeth, easy and unaffected, had been listened to with much more pleasure, though not playing half so well; and Mary, at the end of a long concerto, was glad to purchase praise and gratitude by Scotch and Irish airs, at the request of her younger sisters, who, with some of the Lucases and two or three officers, joined eagerly in dancing at one end of the room.

Mr. Darcy stood near them in silent indignation at such a mode of passing the evening, to the exclusion of all conversation, and was too much engrossed by his own thoughts to perceive that Sir William Lucas was his neighbour, till Sir William thus began.

“What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! —There is nothing like dancing after all. —I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies.”

“Certainly, Sir; —and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. —Every savage can dance.”

Sir William only smiled.“Your friend performs delightfully;”he continued after a pause, on seeing Bingley join the group; —“and I doubt not that you are an adept in the science yourself, Mr. Darcy.”

“You saw me dance at Meryton, I believe, Sir.”

“Yes, indeed, and received no inconsiderable pleasure from the sight. Do you often dance at St. James's?”

“Never, sir.”

“Do you not think it would be a proper compliment to the place?”

“It is a compliment which I never pay to any place, if I can avoid it.”

“You have a house in town, I conclude?”

Mr. Darcy bowed.

“I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself-for I am fond of superior society; but I did not feel quite certain that the air of London would agree with Lady Lucas.”

He paused in hopes of an answer; but his companion was not disposed to make any; and Elizabeth at that instant moving towards them, he was struck with the notion of doing a very gallant thing, and called out to her,

“My dear Miss Eliza, why are not you dancing? —Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner. —You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so much beauty is before you.”And taking her hand, he would have given it to Mr. Darcy, who, though extremely surprised, was not unwilling to receive it, when she instantly drew back, and said with some discomposure to Sir William,

“Indeed, Sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. —I entreat you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner.”

Mr. Darcy with grave propriety requested to be allowed the honour of her hand; but in vain. Elizabeth was determined; nor did Sir William at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion.

“You excel so much in the dance, Miss Eliza, that it is cruel to deny me the happiness of seeing you; and though this gentleman dislikes the amusement in general, he can have no objection, I am sure, to oblige us for one half hour.”

“Mr. Darcy is all politeness,”said Elizabeth, smiling.

“He is indeed-but considering the inducement, my dear Miss Eliza, we cannot wonder at his complaisance; for who would object to such a partner?”

Elizabeth looked archly, and turned away. Her resistance had not injured her with the gentleman, and he was thinking of her with some complacency, when thus accosted by Miss Bingley.

“I can guess the subject of your reverie.”

“I should imagine not.”

“You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in this manner-in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. I was never more annoyed! The insipidity and yet the noise; the nothingness and yet the self-importance of all these people! -What would I give to hear your strictures on them!”

“Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.”

Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face, and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity,

“Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

“Miss Elizabeth Bennet!”repeated Miss Bingley.“I am all astonishment. How long has she been such a favourite? —and pray when am I to wish you joy?”

“That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's imagination is very rapid;it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy.”

“Nay, if you are so serious about it, I shall consider the matter as absolutely settled. You will have a charming mother-in-law, indeed, and of course she will be always at Pemberley with you.”

He listened to her with perfect indifference while she chose to entertain herself in this manner, and as his composure convinced her that all was safe, her wit flowed long.

朗伯恩村的女士們不久拜訪了內瑟菲爾德莊園的那兩位。對方按照通常的方式進行了回訪。貝內特小姐令人愉快的舉止漸漸地增加了赫斯特太太和賓利小姐的好感；盡管賓家姐妹發現那位母親讓人難以忍受，幾個妹妹不值一說，但她們還是表示希望跟那兩個姐姐更好地交往。簡對這種關懷滿心歡喜；不過，伊麗莎白仍然看出她們對待每個人的傲慢態度，幾乎連對她的姐姐也不例外，所以不可能喜歡她們；盡管她們這樣善待簡，但十有八九是受了她們的兄弟愛慕她的影響。大家都明白，無論他們什么時候見面，他的確是愛慕簡；伊麗莎白同樣也清楚，簡一開始就對賓利情有獨鐘，在某種程度上深深地墮入了愛河；而她又愉快地想到，世人一般不可能會發現這一點，因為簡以極大的感情力量將冷靜的性情與一貫快樂的舉止結合在了一起，這樣就不會使粗魯無禮的人產生懷疑。她對朋友盧卡斯小姐提起了這件事。

夏洛特答道：“這種事能瞞過眾人，也許令人愉快；不過，有時過于謹慎也會不利。要是一個女人在心愛的人面前用這種技巧隱藏自己的感情，她就可能會失去搞定他的機會；那樣，就是她相信同樣讓世人都蒙在鼓里，也不過是可憐的安慰而已。幾乎每種戀情都會有諸多感激和虛榮，所以任其自然是不保險的。戀情開始可能都很隨便——稍有好感是自然而然的事兒；可是，我們當中沒有對方鼓勵就足以真正傾心相愛的人寥寥無幾。十有八九，一個女人流露的愛要比心里感受的多。毫無疑問，賓利喜歡你的姐姐；然而，要是你的姐姐不幫他，他可能就絕不會再喜歡她。”

“不過，她的確幫助了他，是盡了自己的性情。即使我都能看出她對他關心，他要是還沒有發現，那就肯定真是一個笨蛋?！?

“伊萊扎，記住，他不像你那樣了解簡的性情?！?

“不過，女人要是對男人情有獨鐘，而又不盡力掩飾，男人一定就會發現?！?

“要是男方和女方有足夠多的見面時間，他也許一定就會看出來。不過，盡管賓利和簡見面相當頻繁，但從來沒有在一起待好多小時；況且，他們相互見面時總是跟一大幫人混在一起，不可能每時每刻都讓他們在一起交談。因此，簡時刻注意，一看到有機會，就充分利用。等把他抓到手，她再盡可能談情說愛也來得及。”

伊麗莎白答道：“要是只想嫁得好的話，你這個辦法就很好；我要是決心找一個富有的丈夫，或者隨便找一個丈夫，我敢說，我就應該采用這個辦法。可這不是簡的意見；她不是按計行事。至今，就連她自己都拿不準她自己關心到了什么程度，也拿不準是不是妥當。她認識他才兩個星期。她在魅力屯跟他跳了四次舞；一天上午，她在他自己的家里見過他，后來又跟他一起吃過四次飯。這不足以使她能了解他的性格?！?

“并不像你說的那樣。就是她僅僅跟他吃過一次飯，可能只發現他的胃口好不好；然而，你必須記住，他們在一起還度過了四個晚上——四個晚上可能大有作用?！?

“是的，這四個晚上能使他們弄清兩人都喜歡玩二十一點，而不喜歡玩科默斯牌戲；而至于其他主要特征，我認為還沒有顯露出多少。”

“啊，”夏洛特說，“我全心全意祝簡成功；我認為，就是她明天跟他結婚，她獲得幸福的可能性差不多也像她用一年時間研究他的性格獲得幸福的可能性一樣?；橐鍪欠裥腋?，完全是機緣問題。要是男女雙方非常了解彼此的性情，或者曾經非常相似，那根本促進不了他們的幸福。他們婚后總是圖謀發現相互的差異越來越大，彼此都感到苦惱；所以，對要廝守終生的人的缺點，知道得越少越好。”

“夏洛特，你讓我感到好笑；可這不靠譜。你知道這不靠譜，所以你自己絕不會這樣做。”

伊麗莎白一心觀察賓利先生對她的姐姐獻殷勤，絕對沒有想到她自己越來越成了賓利先生的朋友關注的對象。達西先生一開始幾乎不承認她漂亮；他在舞會上看她時并沒有帶著愛慕之情；而他們下次見面時，他看她只是為了吹毛求疵。但是，他剛對自己和朋友們明確表示，伊麗莎白的容貌一無是處，卻開始發現伊麗莎白烏黑的眼睛美麗傳神，使整個臉顯得異常聰穎。繼這個發現之后，他又發現了幾個同樣令人窘迫的地方。盡管他帶著挑剔的目光發現她的身段不止一處不勻稱，但他不得不承認她體態輕盈、討人喜歡；他斷言，她缺少上流社會的那些風度，但又受到了她從容打趣的作風的吸引。伊麗莎白對此一無所知；——在她看來，達西只是一個哪里都不討人喜歡的男人，他還認為她不夠漂亮，不配跟他跳舞。

他開始想更多地了解她，為了爭取跟她交談，在她跟別人交談時，他也專心傾聽。他這樣做引起了伊麗莎白的注意。當時是在威廉·盧卡斯爵士家，一大群人聚在一起?！斑_西先生聽我跟福斯特上校交談，這是什么意思？”伊麗莎白對夏洛特說。

“這個問題只有達西先生能回答?！?

“不過，他要是再這樣，我就一定要讓他懂得我明白他在干什么。他一心就愛挖苦人；我自己要是不先動粗，馬上就會怕他?！?

不久以后，達西走近她們，不過好像沒有打算開口，盧卡斯小姐就激她的朋友對他提起這個話題。這促使伊麗莎白立馬去做，只見她轉向達西說道：

“達西先生，我剛才請福斯特上校為我們在魅力屯舉行一次舞會，你認為我說得非常不錯吧？”

“非常帶勁；——不過，這是一個總讓女士們帶勁的話題?！?

“你對我們很苛刻。”

“馬上就輪到她被嘲笑了，”盧卡斯小姐說，“伊萊扎，我要打開琴，你知道接下來做什么。”

“你這種朋友真是莫名其妙！——不管在什么人面前，總是要我彈琴唱歌！——要是我在音樂上出過風頭，你早就會功德無量了，但事實上，我真不愿在那些肯定都聽慣一流演奏家們演奏的賓客們面前坐下來?！比欢诒R卡斯小姐的執意要求下，她又補充說：“那好吧，要是必須這樣，那就演奏吧?！闭f著，她又沉著臉，瞥了一眼達西，“有一句古話說得好，在場的每個人肯定都熟悉這句話——‘留口氣吹涼糊糊。'——那我就留口氣高歌一曲吧?！?

她的表演絕對算不上一流，卻令人愉悅。她彈了一兩首曲之后，好幾個人又懇請她唱歌。還沒等她回答，她的妹妹瑪麗就迫不及待地跟上來，坐在了琴邊。原來在她們姐妹當中，只有瑪麗相貌平平，因此她努力鉆研學問和才藝，總是迫不及待想賣弄一番。

瑪麗既沒有天賦，又沒有情趣；虛榮心促使她勤奮用功，同樣也促使她變得書生氣，自以為是，即使她的才藝比原來的高，這種態度也會造成損傷。伊麗莎白彈琴還沒有她一半好，但從容自如，沒有做作；瑪麗奏完一支長長的協奏曲之后，又開心地應兩個妹妹的要求奏了幾支蘇格蘭和愛爾蘭小調，博得了別人的贊揚和感謝。她的兩個妹妹和盧家的幾個小姐跟兩三位軍官在房間的一頭急切地跳起了舞。

達西先生站在她們附近，看到她們這樣度過一個晚上，不跟別人攀談，他就一邊生悶氣，一邊全神貫注地想著心事，沒有察覺威廉·盧卡斯爵士在他的身邊，直到威廉爵士這樣開口說話。

“達西先生，這對年輕人來說是多么迷人的娛樂啊！——比較起來，沒有什么能比得上跳舞。——我認為，上流社會最優雅的愛好之一就是跳舞。”

“的確是，先生；——跳舞還有一個好處，就是在下流社會中也流行?！總€野蠻人都會跳?！?

威廉爵士只是微微一笑?！澳愕呐笥烟谜婵扇?，”停了一會兒，看到賓利也來參加跳舞，他接著說道——“我不懷疑你自己擅長此道，達西先生?！?

“我相信，你在魅力屯見過我跳舞吧，先生?！?

“的確見過，而且看得真是大快人心。你經常去圣詹姆斯宮跳舞嗎？”

“從來沒有去過，先生?！?

“難道你認為去那個地方也不愿賞臉嗎？”

“無論什么地方，我也不愿賞這個臉，能免則免?！?

“我斷定，你在城里有房子吧？”

達西先生躬了躬身。

“我自己一度想過在城里安家——因為我喜歡上流社會；不過，我拿不準倫敦的空氣是不是適合盧卡斯太太?！?

他停了一會兒，指望對方回答；但是，他的同伴無意回答；這時，伊麗莎白向他們走來。他突然心血來潮，想大獻殷勤，就對伊麗莎白大聲說道：

“親愛的伊萊扎小姐，你為什么不跳舞？——達西先生，你一定要允許我把這位小姐介紹給你作為非常理想的舞伴。——我相信，你面前有這么多美人，你不可能拒絕跳舞。”說著，他拉住伊麗莎白的手，要把它交給達西先生。盡管達西特別驚訝，但又不是不愿接受。這時，伊麗莎白立刻抽了回來，有些心亂地對威廉爵士說道：

“先生，我真的一點兒都不想跳舞?！艺埬悴灰詾槲业竭@邊來是為了找舞伴?！?

達西先生鄭重其事、彬彬有禮地請求她賞光，跟他跳一場，但無濟于事。伊麗莎白下定決心；威廉爵士怎么勸說也沒有動搖她的決心。

“伊萊扎小姐，你跳舞跳得那么出色，卻不愿讓我一飽眼福，真狠心；盡管這位先生平常并不喜歡這種娛樂，但我確信，要他賞我們半小時臉，他不可能反對。”

“達西先生完全是禮貌。”伊麗莎白微笑著說。

“他的確是——可是，親愛的伊萊扎小姐，想想這個誘因，我們不能怪他多禮。誰會反對你這樣的一個舞伴呢？”

伊麗莎白一臉頑皮，轉身而去。她的拒絕并沒有損害達西先生對她的印象，他正有些自鳴得意地想著她，這時傳來了賓利小姐的聲音。

“我能猜出你在幻想什么?！?

“我想不會的?！?

“你在想，在這群人中這樣度過好多夜晚，將會是多么難以忍受，我的確跟你有同感。我從來不曾這樣煩悶過！所有這些人都枯燥無味，吵吵鬧鬧，空虛無聊，妄自尊大！——我多想聽到你責難他們??！”

“我向你保證，你的猜想完全錯了。我想的是更愉快的事兒。我一直在沉思著，一個漂亮女人臉上的那雙美麗眼睛能給人帶來多大的快樂。”

賓利小姐馬上用眼睛盯著達西的臉，并希望他告訴她哪位小姐有本領使他產生這些沉思。達西先生無所畏懼地回答說：

“伊麗莎白·貝內特小姐?！?

“伊麗莎白·貝內特小姐！”賓利小姐重復道，“我萬分驚訝。她這樣讓你中意多久了？——請問，我什么時候向你道喜？”

“我早就料到你會這樣問。女人的想象力非常迅速，會馬上從愛慕跳到戀愛，又從戀愛跳到結婚。我早知道你會向我道喜?！?

“不僅如此，要是你對此這么認真，我就會認為這件事完全決定了。你的確會得到一位迷人的岳母，她當然會永遠跟你一起待在彭伯利莊園?！?

她這樣喜歡自得其樂，他則無動于衷聽她說著；他的鎮定自若使她深信一切都萬無一失，所以她的伶牙俐齒又滔滔不絕地說了很久。