第二十章。
柯林斯先生没来得及久久默想他成功的恋情，班纳特太太一直在门厅里磨蹭，想等着谈话结束；她一看见伊丽莎白打开门，快步从她身边走向楼梯，便立刻走进早餐室，用热烈的话语向他并为自己道喜，说他们两家结亲大有指望。柯林斯先生以同样的欣喜接受并回敬了这些祝贺，接着便讲述他们谈话的细节；他相信有充分理由感到满意，因为表妹坚决拒绝他，原是出于她羞怯谦逊的天性和真正娇柔的品格。
然而这番话却让班纳特太太吃了一惊：她倒也乐意同样相信，女儿口口声声推辞，其实是在鼓励他；但她不敢这么想，不由得说了出来。
“不过你放心，柯林斯先生，”她又说，“莉齐准会被说服的。我这就亲自去跟她说。她是个非常固执愚蠢的姑娘，不晓得自己的利益；可我要叫她明白。”
“恕我打断您，夫人，”柯林斯先生叫道，“不过她若真是固执愚蠢，像我这样指望从婚姻中求得幸福的人，不知她是否算得上理想的妻子。因此，倘若她当真坚持拒绝，或许还是不要逼她接受为好；因为若是有这等脾气毛病，她也未必能给我带来多少欢乐。”
“先生，您完全误会我了，”班纳特太太慌了，“莉齐只有在这样的事情上固执。别的方面她再和气也没有了。我这就去找班纳特先生，准能很快让她答应。”
她不容他答话，急忙跑到丈夫那里，一进书房便喊道：
“噢，班纳特先生，快去一下；我们都乱套了。你得来叫莉齐嫁给柯林斯先生，她发誓不要他；你再不快点，他就要改主意不要她了。”
她进来时，班纳特先生从书上抬起眼，平静而淡漠地盯着她的脸，听了这话也毫不改色。
“我不明白您的意思，”等她说完，他开口道，“你在说什么？”
“说柯林斯先生和莉齐呀。莉齐说不要柯林斯先生，柯林斯先生倒说起不要莉齐了。”
“那叫我怎么办？看来没指望了。”
“你自己去跟莉齐说。告诉她，你非要她嫁给他不可。”
“叫她下来吧。让她听听我的意见。”
班纳特太太摇铃，伊丽莎白小姐被唤进书房。
“过来，孩子，”她一出现，父亲便喊，“我找你有要事。听说柯林斯先生向你求婚了。真的吗？”
伊丽莎白说是真的。
“很好——你拒绝了他的求婚？”
“拒绝了，父亲。”
“很好。现在说到正题了。你母亲非要你答应。是不是，班纳特太太？”
“是，不然我永远不见她。”
“摆在你面前的是个不幸的选择，伊丽莎白。从今天起，你必得跟父母中的一个形同陌路。你不嫁给柯林斯先生，你母亲永不见你；你嫁了他，我永不见你。”
听了这般开头竟落得如此收场，伊丽莎白忍不住微笑；班纳特太太本以为丈夫跟她想的一样，却大失所望。
“班纳特先生，你这话什么意思？你答应过我，非要她嫁给他。”
“亲爱的，”丈夫答道，“我有两桩小小心愿。其一，请许我在此事上自由运用自己的判断；其二，许我用这间屋子。若能尽早让我独处书房，不胜欣慰。”
然而，尽管对丈夫失望，班纳特太太仍未放弃。她一遍又一遍地劝伊丽莎白，软哄硬吓轮流来。她还想拉拢简帮腔，简却极温和地拒绝插手；伊丽莎白有时认真，有时嬉笑，应付着母亲的攻势。态度虽变，主意却从未动摇。
与此同时，柯林斯先生独自思量方才之事。他自视甚高，想不通表妹因何拒他；虽伤了自尊，倒也无其他苦楚。他对她的好感本属虚妄；而她或许真如母亲所责，也就免去了他的遗憾。
家里正乱作一团，夏洛特·卢卡斯来串门。莉迪亚在门厅迎住她，跑上前半 whisper 似的叫道：“你来得太好了，这儿好玩极了！你猜今早出了啥事？柯林斯先生向莉齐求婚，她不要他。”
[插图：
“他们走进早餐室”
]
夏洛特还没来得及答，基蒂也跑来报同样消息；她们一进早餐室——里头只有班纳特太太——她也开口说这事，向卢卡斯小姐诉苦，求她劝朋友莉齐顺从家人心愿。“求你了，亲爱的卢卡斯小姐，”她凄然道，“没一个人站我这边，没一个人帮衬我；我被人欺负得好苦，没人体恤我可怜的神经。”
简和伊丽莎白进来，省了夏洛特回话。
“哎，她来了，”班纳特太太接着说，“一脸满不在乎，只管自己称心，就当我们远在约克。可我告诉你，莉齐小姐，你若打定主意这样回回拒婚，到头来准嫁不出去——你父亲死了谁养你？我可养不起你——先警告你。从今儿起我跟你不客气了。我在书房说过，永不再跟你说话，我说到做到。跟不孝的孩子说话没滋味。其实跟谁说话都没滋味。像我这样神经不好的人，哪有心思说话。谁知道我多苦！可向来如此。不叫苦的，永没人怜。”
女儿们默默听这长篇牢骚，知道劝解只会惹她更恼。她不停嘴，直到柯林斯先生进来——他神气比往常更庄严——她便对姑娘们说：
“现在，我非要你们全闭嘴，让柯林斯先生跟我说几句。”
伊丽莎白悄悄出房，简和基蒂跟上，莉迪亚却立着不动，决心听个够；夏洛特先被柯林斯先生客套留住——他细问她及全家安好——又带点好奇，便走到窗边假装没听见。班纳特太太用哀调开了这预谋的谈话：
“噢，柯林斯先生！”
“亲爱的夫人，”他答，“这事咱们永远别提了。我绝无，”他现出不悦，续道，“怨恨令媛之意。屈从不可避免之祸，乃吾辈本分：如我早年得遇提携之青年，尤当如此；我自信已能屈从。或许正因疑心若得表妹芳心未必真幸福，屈从更彻——我常觉，所失之福在我们眼中稍减价值时，屈从最完满。夫人，我未先求您与班纳特先生出面主张，便撤去令媛青睐之求，望勿以为不敬。我恐失当处，在受拒于令媛之口而非您之口；然人皆有过。此事我自始至终存心良善。所求者，虑及府上全体之利，为自己觅一温柔伴侣；若我态度有可责处，谨此致歉。”
Mr. Collins was not left long to the silent contemplation of his
successful love; for Mrs. Bennet, having dawdled about in the vestibule
to watch for the end of the conference, no sooner saw Elizabeth open the
door and with quick step pass her towards the staircase, than she
entered the breakfast-room, and congratulated both him and herself in
warm terms on the happy prospect of their nearer connection. Mr. Collins
received and returned these felicitations with equal pleasure, and then
proceeded to relate the particulars of their interview, with the result
of which he trusted he had every reason to be satisfied, since the
refusal which his cousin had steadfastly given him would naturally flow
from her bashful modesty and the genuine delicacy of her character.
This information, however, startled Mrs. Bennet: she would have been
glad to be equally satisfied that her daughter had meant to encourage
him by protesting against his proposals, but she dared not believe it,
and could not help saying so.
“But depend upon it, Mr. Collins,” she added, “that Lizzy shall be
brought to reason. I will speak to her about it myself directly. She is
a very headstrong, foolish girl, and does not know her own interest; but
I will _make_ her know it.”
“Pardon me for interrupting you, madam,” cried Mr. Collins; “but if she
is really headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would
altogether be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation, who
naturally looks for happiness in the marriage state. If, therefore, she
actually persists in rejecting my suit, perhaps it were better not to
force her into accepting me, because, if liable to such defects of
temper, she could not contribute much to my felicity.”
“Sir, you quite misunderstand me,” said Mrs. Bennet, alarmed. “Lizzy is
only headstrong in such matters as these. In everything else she is as
good-natured a girl as ever lived. I will go directly to Mr. Bennet, and
we shall very soon settle it with her, I am sure.”
She would not give him time to reply, but hurrying instantly to her
husband, called out, as she entered the library,--
“Oh, Mr. Bennet, you are wanted immediately; we are all in an uproar.
You must come and make Lizzy marry Mr. Collins, for she vows she will
not have him; and if you do not make haste he will change his mind and
not have _her_.”
Mr. Bennet raised his eyes from his book as she entered, and fixed them
on her face with a calm unconcern, which was not in the least altered by
her communication.
“I have not the pleasure of understanding you,” said he, when she had
finished her speech. “Of what are you talking?”
“Of Mr. Collins and Lizzy. Lizzy declares she will not have Mr. Collins,
and Mr. Collins begins to say that he will not have Lizzy.”
“And what am I to do on the occasion? It seems a hopeless business.”
“Speak to Lizzy about it yourself. Tell her that you insist upon her
marrying him.”
“Let her be called down. She shall hear my opinion.”
