第 60 节
作者:绝对601      更新:2022-04-16 12:12      字数:9285
  interest;   bringing   immediately   to   her   thoughts   all   those   parts   of
  his conduct which were least excusable。
  She   had   some   satisfaction   in   finding   that   he   was   really   going
  out of Bath  the   next  morning;   going  early; and   that  he   would be
  gone     the    greater    part    of  two    days。    He    was    invited    again    to
  Camden…place the very evening of his return; but from Thursday
  to  Saturday  evening  his absence   was certain。   It   was   bad   enough
  that   a   Mrs。   Clay   should   be   always   before   her;   but   that   a   deeper
  hypocrite should be added to their party; seemed the destruction
  of   every   thing   like   peace   and   comfort。   It   was   so   humiliating   to
  reflect    on   the   constant     deception      practised      on   her   father    and
  Elizabeth;       to   consider      the    various      sources     of   mortification
  preparing for them! Mrs。 Clay’s selfishness was not so complicate
  nor so revolting as his; and Anne would have compounded for the
  marriage       at  once;    with   all  its  evils;   to  be   clear   of  Mr。    Elliot’s
  subtleties in endeavouring to prevent it。
  On Friday morning she meant to go very early to Lady Russell;
  and     accomplish       the   necessary      communication;         and    she    would
  have   gone   directly   after   breakfast;   but   that   Mrs。   Clay   was   also
  going   out   on   some   obliging   purpose   of   saving   her   sister   trouble;
  which  determined   her  to  wait  till   she   might   be   safe   from   such   a
  companion。        She   saw   Mrs。     Clay   fairly    off;  therefore;    before    she
  began to talk of spending the morning in Rivers…street。
  “Very   well;”   said   Elizabeth;   “I   have   nothing   to   send   but   my
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  love。 Oh! you may as well take back that tiresome book she would
  lend   me;   and   pretend   I   have   read   it   through。   I   really   cannot   be
  plaguing myself for ever with all the new poems and states of the
  nation that come out。 Lady Russell quite bores one with her new
  publications。   You   need   not   tell   her   so;   but   I   thought   her   dress
  hideous   the   other   night。   I   used   to   think   she   had   some   taste   in
  dress;   but   I   was   ashamed   of   her   at   the   concert。    Something   so
  formal   and  arrangé   in   her   air!   and   she   sits   so   upright!   My   best
  love; of course。”
  “And mine;” added Sir Walter。 “Kindest regards。 And you may
  say; that I mean to call upon her soon。 Make a civil message。 But I
  shall only leave my card。 Morning visits are never fair by women
  at her time of life; who make themselves up so little。 If she would
  only  wear  rouge;   she   would   not   be   afraid   of   being   seen;   but   last
  time I called; I observed the blinds were let down immediately。”
  While   her   father   spoke;   there   was   a   knock   at   the   door。   Who
  could   it   be?   Anne;    remembering   the        preconcerted       visits;   at   all
  hours; of Mr。 Elliot; would have expected him; but for his known
  engagement   seven   miles   off。   After   the   usual   period   of   suspense;
  the    usual   sounds     of  approach      were    heard;    and   “Mr。    and   Mrs。
  Charles Musgrove” were ushered into the room。
  Surprise was the strongest emotion raised by their appearance;
  but Anne was really glad to see them; and the others were not so
  sorry but that they could put on a decent  air  of  welcome; and   as
  soon as it became clear that these; their nearest relations; were not
  arrived with any views of accommodation in that house; Sir Walter
  and Elizabeth were able to rise in cordiality; and do the honours of
  it   very   well。   They   were   come   to   Bath   for   a   few   days   with   Mrs。
  Musgrove; and were at the White Hart。 So much was pretty soon
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  understood; but till  Sir Walter  and   Elizabeth  were   walking  Mary
  into   the   other   drawing…room;   and   regaling   themselves   with   her
  admiration;       Anne     could    not   draw    upon    Charles’s     brain    for  a
  regular history of their coming; or an explanation of some smiling
  hints     of  particular      business;     which     had    been     ostentatiously
  dropped   by   Mary;   as   well   as   of   some   apparent   confusion   as   to
  whom their party consisted of。
  She  then   found   that it   consisted   of   Mrs。   Musgrove;   Henrietta;
  and Captain Harville; beside their two selves。 He gave her a very
  plain; intelligible   account  of   the   whole;   a   narration   in   which   she
  saw   a   great   deal   of   most   characteristic   proceeding。   The   scheme
  had    received   its    first   impulse   by   Captain   Harville’s     wanting   to
  come to Bath on business。 He had begun to talk of it a week ago;
  and by way of doing something; as shooting was over; Charles had
  proposed coming with him; and Mrs。 Harville had seemed to like
  the   idea   of   it   very   much;   as   an   advantage   to   her   husband;   but
  Mary could not bear to be left; and had made herself so unhappy
  about it; that for a day or two everything seemed to be in suspense;
  or   at   an   end。   But   then;   it   had   been   taken   up   by   his   father   and
  mother。      His   mother     had    some    old   friends    in  Bath    whom     she
  wanted to see; it was thought a good opportunity for Henrietta to
  come and buy wedding…clothes for  herself and   her  sister;   and;   in
  short; it ended in being his mother’s party; that everything might
  be   comfortable   and   easy   to   Captain   Harville;   and   he   and   Mary
  were     included     in  it  by  way    of  general    convenience。       They    had
  arrived     late   the  night    before。   Mrs。    Harville;    her   children;    and
  Captain      Benwick;      remained      with   Mr。   Musgrove      and    Louisa    at
  Uppercross。
  Anne’s only surprise was; that affairs should be in forwardness
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  enough   for   Henrietta’s   wedding…clothes   to   be   talked   of。   She   had
  imagined such difficulties of fortune to exist there as must prevent
  the    marriage     from    being    near   at  hand;    but   she   learned     from
  Charles      that;  very   recently   (since    Mary’s    last  letter  to  herself);
  Charles Hayter had been applied to by a friend to hold a living for
  a   youth   who   could   not   possibly   claim   it   under   many   years;   and
  that on the strength of his present income; with almost a certainty
  of   something   more   permanent  long  before   the   term   in   question;
  the two families had consented to the young people’s wishes; and
  that their marriage was likely to take place in a few months; quite
  as   soon    as  Louisa’s。    “And    a  very   good    living   it  was;”   Charles
  added: “only five…and…twenty miles from Uppercross; and in a very
  fine country—fine part of Dorsetshire。 In the centre of some of the
  best     preserves     in   the   kingdom;       surrounded       by   three    great
  proprietors; each more careful and jealous than the other; and to
  two    of  the   three    at  least;  Charles     Hayter    might    get   a  special
  recommendation。           Not   that   he   will   value   it  as  he   ought;”     he
  observed; “Charles is too cool about sporting。 That’s the worst of
  him。”
  “I   am   extremely   glad;   indeed;”   cried   Anne;   “particularly   glad
  that this should happen; and that of two sisters; who both deserve
  equally   well;   and   who   have   always   been   such   good   friends;   the
  pleasant     prospect     of  one   should     not  be   dimming      those    of  the
  other—that        they   should     be   so  equal    in   their   prosperity     and
  comfort。     I  hope    your   father   and    mother     are  quite    happy    with
  regard to both。”
  “Oh!   yes。   My   father   would   be   well   pleased   if   the   gentlemen
  were richer; but he has no  other  fault  to  find。  Money;   you  know;
  coming down with money—two daughters at once—it cannot be a
  Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                           ElecB