Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Intermediate

«I hope», said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next day, «you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this pleasant event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue; and if you can achieve it, please, cure the younger girls of running after officers. And try to control that little something, bordering on conceit and impertinence, which your lady possesses».

«Have you anything else to propose for my domestic happiness?»

«Oh! Yes. Put the portraits of your uncle and aunt Phillips next to your great-uncle the judge in the gallery at Pemberley They are in the same profession, you know, only in different lines. As for your Elizabeth's portrait, you must not have it painted. No painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes».

«It would not be easy, indeed, to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and the eyelashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied».

At that moment they were met from another path by Mrs. Hurst and Elizabeth herself.

«I did not know that you intended to walk», said Miss Bingley, in some confusion. She was afraid that they had been overheard.

Mrs. Hurst joined Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley, and left Elizabeth to walk by herself. The path just admitted three. Mr. Darcy felt their rudeness, and immediately said:

«This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the avenue».

But Elizabeth, who had not the least wish to remain with them, laughingly answered:

«No, no, stay where you are. You are charmingly grouped. The picture would be spoilt by admitting a fourth. Good-bye».

She then ran merrily off. She hoped to be at home again in a day or two. Jane was much better already.

After dinner Elizabeth ran up to her sister and led her down to the drawing-room. Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley expressed great pleasure at seeing her and were pleasant to her before the gentlemen appeared. But when the gentlemen entered, Jane was no longer the first object. Miss Bingley's eyes were instantly turned toward Darcy, and she had something to say to him at once. He addressed himself to Miss Bennet, with a polite congratulation on her recovery. Bingley was full of joy and attention. He made Jane sit at the fireplace, that she might be further from the door. He then sat down by her, and talked mostly to her. Elizabeth, at work in the opposite corner, saw it all with great pleasure.

When tea was over, Darcy took up a book; Miss Bingley did the same. But Miss Bingley wasn't interested in her own book; she was watching Mr. Darcy's progress through his book. All the time she was asking him questions or looking at his page. However, he just answered her question, and read on. At last, she yawned and said, «How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! There is no enjoyment like reading!»

No one said anything. She yawned again, put aside her book, and looked round the room. As she heard her brother mentioning a ball to Miss Bennet, she turned towards him and said:

«Charles, if are you really serious about a dance at Netherfield, I would advise you to consult the wishes of the present party; I think there are some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure».

«If you mean Darcy», cried her brother, «he may go to bed, if he chooses, before it begins. The ball is quite a settled thing».

«I think», she replied, «balls would be much better if conversation instead of dancing were made the order of the day».

«My dear Caroline, it would not be near so much like a ball».

Miss Bingley didn't say anything to that, but got up and walked about the room. Her figure was elegant, and she walked well; but Darcy, whom she wanted to attract, was still reading on. She was desperate and decided to make one effort more. She turned to Elizabeth and said:

«Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long».

Elizabeth was surprised, but agreed to it immediately. Miss Bingley succeeded at last: Mr. Darcy looked up. He was also surprised by Miss Bingley's attention to Elizabeth, and involuntarily closed his book. Miss Bingley invited him to join their party, but he said that his joining them would interfere with two motives for their choosing to walk up and down the room together.

«What could he mean?» Miss Bingley asked Elizabeth.

«I don't know», was her answer, «but I think he means to be severe on us, and the best way to disappoint him will be to ask nothing about it».

Miss Bingley, however, was incapable of disappointing Mr. Darcy in anything, and asked him to explain what he had meant by two motives.

«I'm ready to explain them», said he. «You either have secret affairs to discuss, or you know that your figures are shown to the greatest advantage in walking; if the first, I would be completely in your way, and if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire».

«Oh! Shocking!» cried Miss Bingley. «I never heard anything so abominable. How shall we punish him for such a speech?»

«Nothing so easy», said Elizabeth. «Tease him, laugh at him. You know him well; you must know how it is to be done».

«But I don't know how. Tease calmness of manner and presence of mind! No, no; I feel he may disregard us there. And as to laughter, Mr. Darcy can't be a subject to laughter».

«Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!» cried Elizabeth. «That is an uncommon advantage. I wouldn't like to have many such acquaintances. I dearly love a laugh».

«The wisest and best actions of men», said Mr. Darcy «may be shown ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke».

«Certainly» replied Elizabeth- «there are such people, but I hope I never ridicule what is wise and good. Follies and nonsense amuse me and I laugh at them whenever I can. But I suppose, they are not your traits».

«Perhaps that is not possible for anyone. But all my life I tried to avoid those weaknesses which don't protect a strong intelligence from ridicule».

«Such as vanity and pride».

«Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But as to pride, where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good control».

Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile.

«So, your examination of Mr. Darcy is over», said Miss Bingley; «and what is the result?»

«I am perfectly convinced that Mr. Darcy has no defect. He thinks so himself».

«No», said Darcy, «I have made no such pretension. I have defects enough, but I hope they are not the defects of intelligence. I'm afraid I can't vouch for my temper. I very seldom yield. I cannot forget the follies and vices of others as soon as I ought to, nor their offenses against myself. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever».

«That is a defect indeed!» cried Elizabeth. «Unforgettable resentment is a shade in a character. But you have chosen your defect well. I really cannot laugh at it. You are safe from me».

«There is, I think, in every character a tendency to some defect, which not even the best education can overcome».

«And your defect is to hate everybody».

«And yours», he replied with a smile, «is stubbornly to misunderstand them».

Miss Bingley, tired of a conversation in which she had no share, asked Mrs. Hurst to play the pianoforte.

Darcy also didn't object. He began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention.

As Jane felt much better, the sisters decided it was time for them to go home. Elizabeth wrote the next morning to their mother asking to send the carriage for them in the course of the day. But Mrs. Bennet wanted her daughters to stay at Netherfield till the following Tuesday, which would exactly finish Jane's week. Therefore, she sent them word that they could not possibly have the carriage before Tuesday. Elizabeth didn't want to stay there any longer and felt that their presence at Netherfield was not very much desirable to some of its inhabitants. She asked Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley's carriage immediately. Mr. Bingley tried to persuade Miss Bennet that it would not be safe for her, that she was not well enough. But Jane was firm where she felt herself to be right.