Chapter 146.docx
- 文档编号:17389404
- 上传时间:2023-07-24
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:4
- 大小:17.14KB
Chapter 146.docx
《Chapter 146.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《Chapter 146.docx(4页珍藏版)》请在冰点文库上搜索。
Chapter146
Chapter14
THEsuddenterminationofColonelBrandon'svisitatthePark,withhissteadinessinconcealingitscause,filledthemind,andraisedthewonder,ofMrs.Jenningsfortwoorthreedays:
shewasagreatwonderer,aseveryonemustbewhotakesaverylivelyinterestinallthecomingsandgoingsofalltheiracquaintance.Shewondered,withlittleintermission,whatcouldbethereasonofit;wassuretheremustbesomebadnews,andthoughtovereverykindofdistressthatcouldhavebefallenhim,withafixeddeterminationthatheshouldnotescapethemall."Somethingverymelancholymustbethematter,Iamsure,"saidshe."Icouldseeitinhisface.Poorman!
Iamafraidhiscircumstancesmaybebad.TheestateatDelafordwasneverreckonedmorethantwothousandayear,andhisbrotherlefteverythingsadlyinvolved.Idothinkhemusthavebeensentforaboutmoneymatters,forwhatelsecanitbe?
Iwonderwhetheritisso.Iwouldgiveanythingtoknowthetruthofit.PerhapsitisaboutMissWilliamsand,bytheby,Idaresayitis,becausehelookedsoconsciouswhenImentionedher.Maybesheisillintown;nothingintheworldmorelikely,forIhaveanotionsheisalwaysrathersickly.IwouldlayanywageritisaboutMissWilliams.Itisnotsoverylikelyheshouldbedistressedinhiscircumstancesnow,forheisaveryprudentman,andtobesuremusthaveclearedtheestatebythistime.Iwonderwhatitcanbe!
MaybehissisterisworseatAvignon,andhassentforhimover.Hissettingoffinsuchahurryseemsverylikeit.Well,Iwishhimoutofallhistrouble,withallmyheart,andagoodwifeintothebargain."Sowondered,sotalkedMrs.Jennings.Heropinionvaryingwitheveryfreshconjecture,andallseemingequallyprobableastheyarose.Elinor,thoughshefeltreallyinterestedinthewelfareofColonelBrandon,couldnotbestowallthewonderonhisgoingsosuddenlyaway,whichMrs.Jenningswasdesirousofherfeeling;forbesidesthatthecircumstancedidnot,inheropinion,justifysuchlastingamazementorvarietyofspeculation,herwonderwasotherwisedisposedof.ItwasengossedbytheextraordinarysilenceofhersisterandWilloughbyonthesubject,whichtheymustknowtobepeculiarlyinterestingtothemall.Asthissilencecontinued,everydaymadeitappearmorestrangeandmoreincompatiblewiththedispositionofboth.Whytheyshouldnotopenlyacknowledgetohermotherandherself,whattheirconstantbehaviourtoeachotherdeclaredtohavetakenplace,Elinorcouldnotimagine.Shecouldeasilyconceivethatmarriagemightnotbeimmediatelyintheirpower;forthoughWilloughbywasindependent,therewasnoreasontobelievehimrich.HisestatehadbeenratedbySirJohnataboutsixorsevenhundredayear;buthelivedatanexpensetowhichthatincomecouldhardlybeequal,andhehadhimselfoftencomplainedofhispoverty.Butforthisstrangekindofsecrecy,maintainedbythemrelativetotheirengagement,which,infact,concealednothingatall,shecouldnotaccount;anditwassowhollycontradictorytotheirgeneralopinionsandpractice,thatadoubtsometimesenteredhermindoftheirbeingreallyengaged,andthisdoubtwasenoughtopreventhermakinganyenquiryofMarianne.
NothingcouldbemoreexpressiveofattachmenttothemallthanWilloughby'sbehaviour.ToMarianneithadallthedistinguishingtendernesswhichalover'sheartcouldgive,andtotherestofthefamilyitwastheaffectionateattentionofasonandabrother.Thecottageseemedtobeconsideredandlovedbyhimashishome;manymoreofhishourswerespenttherethanatAllenham;andifnogeneralengagementcollectedthematthePark,theexercisewhichcalledhimoutinthemorningwasalmostcertainofendingthere,wheretherestofthedaywasspentbyhimselfatthesideofMarianne,andbyhisfavouritepointeratherfeet.
Oneeveninginparticular,aboutaweekafterColonelBrandonleftthecountry,hisheartseemedmorethanusuallyopentoeveryfeelingofattachmenttotheobjectsaroundhim;andonMrs.Dashwood'shappeningtomentionherdesignofimprovingthecottageinthespring,hewarmlyopposedeveryalterationofaplacewhichaffectionhadestablishedasperfectwithhim."What!
"heexclaimed-"improvethisdearcottage!
No.ThatIwillneverconsentto.Notastonemustbeaddedtoitswalls,notaninchtoitssize,ifmyfeelingsareregarded.""Donotbealarmed,"saidMissDashwood,"nothingofthekindwillbedone;formymotherwillneverhavemoneyenoughtoattemptit.""Iamheartilygladofit",hecried."Mayshealwaysbepoor,ifshecanemployherrichesnobetter.""Thankyou,Willoughby.ButyoumaybeassuredthatIwouldnotsacrificeonesentimentoflocalattachmentofyours,orofanyonewhomIlove,foralltheimprovementsintheworld.Dependuponitthatwhateverunemployedsummayremain,whenImakeupmyaccountsinthespring,Iwouldevenratherlayituselesslybythandisposeofitinamannersopainfultoyou.Butareyoureallysoattachedtothisplaceastoseenodefectinit?
""Iam,"saidhe."Tomeitisfaultless.Nay,more,Iconsideritastheonlyformofbuildinginwhichhappinessisattainable,andwereIrichenoughIwouldinstantlypullCombedown,andbuilditupagainintheexactplanofthiscottage.""Withdarknarrowstairsandakitchenthatsmokes,Isuppose,"saidElinor."Yes,"criedheinthesameeagertone,"withallandeverythingbelongingtoit;-innooneconvenienceorin-convenienceaboutit,shouldtheleastvariationbeperceptible.Then,andthenonly,undersucharoofImightperhapsbeashappyatCombeasIhavebeenatBarton.""Iflattermyself,"repliedElinor,"that,evenunderthedisadvantageofbetterroomsandabroaderstaircase,youwillhereafterfindyourownhouseasfaultlessasyounowdothis.""Therecertainlyarecircumstances,"saidWilloughby,"whichmightgreatlyendearittome;butthisplacewillalwayshaveoneclaimofmyaffection,whichnoothercanpossiblyshare."Mrs.DashwoodlookedwithpleasureatMarianne,whosefineeyeswerefixedsoexpressivelyonWilloughby,asplainlydenotedhowwellsheunderstoodhim."HowoftendidIwish,"addedhe,"whenIwasatAllenhamthistimetwelvemonth,thatBartoncottagewereinhabited!
Ineverpassedwithinviewofitwithoutadmiringitssituation,andgrievingthatnooneshouldliveinit.HowlittledidIthenthinkthattheveryfirstnewsIshouldbearfromMrs.Smith,whenInextcameintothecountry,wouldbethatBartoncottagewastaken;andIfeltanimmediatesatisfactionandinterestintheevent,whichnothingbutakindofprescienceofwhathappinessIshouldexperiencefromitcanaccountfor.Mustitnothavebeenso,Marianne?
"speakingtoherinaloweredvoice.Thencontinuinghisformertone,hesaid,"Andyetthishouseyouwouldspoil,Mrs.Dashwood?
Youwouldrobitofitssimplicitybyimaginaryimprovement!
andthisdearparlourinwhichouracquaintancefirstbegan,andinwhichsomanyhappyhourshavebeensincespentbyustogether,youwoulddegradetotheconditionofacommonentrance,andeverybodywouldbeeagertopassthroughtheroomwhichhashithertocontainedwithinitselfmorerealaccommodationandcomfortthananyotherapartmentofthehandsomestdimensionsintheworldcouldpossiblyafford."Mrs.Dashwoodagainassuredhimthatnoalterationofthekindshouldbeattempted."Youareagoodwoman,"hewarmlyreplied."Yourpromisemakesmeeasy.Extenditalittlefarther,anditwillmakemehappy.Tellmethatnotonlyyourhousewillremainthesame,butthatIshalleverfindyouandyoursasunchangedasyourdwelling;andthatyouwillalwaysconsidermewiththekindnesswhichhasmadeeverythingbelongingtoyousodeartome."Thepromisewasreadilygiven,andWilloughby'sbehaviourduringthewholeoftheeveningdeclaredatoncehisaffectionandhappiness."Shallweseeyouto-morrowtodinner?
"saidMrs.Dashwood,whenhewasleavingthem."Idonotaskyoutocomeinthemorning,forwemustwalktothePark,tocallonLadyMiddleton."Heengagedtobewiththembyfouro'clock.
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- Chapter 146