Гордость и предубеждение Pride and Prejudice by Джейн Остин

Author:Джейн Остин [Остин, Джейн]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Иностранные языки, Зарубежная классика, Иностранные языки
Publisher: ООО «ЛитРес», www.litres.ru

Chapter 56

One morning, about a week after Bingley’s engagement with Jane, as he and the females of the family were sitting together in the dining-room, their attention was suddenly drawn to the window, by the sound of a carriage. It was too early in the morning for visitors. In some minutes their visitor entered. It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

The astonishment was beyond the expectation. She entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, and sat down without saying a word. Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother.

Mrs. Bennet received her with the utmost politeness. After sitting for a moment in silence, Lady Catherine de Bourgh said very stiffly to Elizabeth,

“I hope you are well, Miss Bennet. That lady, I suppose, is your mother.”

Elizabeth replied very concisely that she was.

“And that I suppose is one of your sisters.”

“Yes, madam,” said Mrs. Bennet, delighted to speak to Lady Catherine. “She is my young girl. My youngest of all is lately married, and my eldest is walking with a young man who, I believe, will soon become a part of the family.”

“You have a very small park here,” said Lady Catherine after a short silence.

“It is nothing in comparison of Rosings, my lady, but it is much larger than Sir William Lucas’s.”

Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, rising up, said to Elizabeth,

“Miss Bennet, I should be glad to take a walk with you in the park.”

They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse; Elizabeth decided not to begin a conversation with a woman who was now more than usually insolent and disagreeable.

As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner:

“Miss Bennet, you can understand the reason of my journey here. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come.”

Elizabeth looked with astonishment.

“Indeed, you are mistaken, Madam. I cannot even imagine that.”

“Miss Bennet,” replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, “Two days ago I was told that you, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would be soon united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. I know it must be a scandalous falsehood.”

“If you believed it impossible to be true,” said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, “I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far.[103]”

“You must contradict it.”

“Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family,” said Elizabeth coolly, “will be rather a confirmation of it; if such a report is in existence.[104]”

“Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?”

“I never heard that it was.”

“And can you declare, that there is no foundation for it?”

“Your ladyship, you may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer. Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible.”

“But you may have drawn him in.[105]”

“If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it.”

“Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this.[106] You know, this marriage can never take place.

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