ONE morning, about a week after Bingley's engagement with Jane had been formed, 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; and they perceived a chaise and four driving up the lawn. It was too early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the equipage did not answer to that of any of their neighbours. The horses were post; and neither the carriage, nor the livery of the servant who preceded it, were familiar to them. As it was certain, however, that somebody was coming, Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss Bennet to avoid the confinement of such an intrusion, and walk away with him into the shrubbery. They both set off, and the conjectures of the remaining three continued, though with little satisfaction, till the door was thrown open and their visitor entered. It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
They were of course all intending to be surprised; but their astonishment was beyond their expectation; and on the part of Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt.
She entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, made no other reply to Elizabeth's salutation than a slight inclination of the head, and sat down without saying a word. Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother on her ladyship's entrance, though no request of introduction had been made.
Mrs. Bennet, all amazement, though flattered by having a guest of such high importance, received her with the utmost politeness. After sitting for a moment in silence, she 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 a Lady Catherine. "She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all is lately married, and my eldest is somewhere about the grounds, walking with a young man who, I believe, will soon become a part of the family."
"You have a very small park here," returned Lady Catherine after a short silence.
"It is nothing in comparison of Rosings, my lady, I dare say; but I assure you it is much larger than Sir William Lucas's."
"This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west."
Mrs. Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner, and then added,
"May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. and Mrs. Collins well."
"Yes, very well. I saw them the night before last."
Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motive for her calling. But no letter appeared, and she was completely puzzled.
Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment; but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then, rising up, said to Elizabeth,
"Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company."
"Go, my dear," cried her mother, "and shew her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage."
Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on.
Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting-woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse; Elizabeth was determined to make no effort for conversation with a woman who was now more than usually insolent and disagreeable.
"How could I ever think her like her nephew?" said she, as she looked in her face.
As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner: --
"You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come."
Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.
"Indeed, you are mistaken, Madam. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here."
"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you."
"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. What could your ladyship propose by it?"
"At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted."
"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family," said Elizabeth coolly, "will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence."
"If! Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves? Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?"
"I never heard that it was."
"And can you likewise declare, that there is no foundation for it?"
"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."
"This is not to be borne. Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has my nephew, made you an offer of marriage?"
"Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible."
"It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retains the use of his reason. But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in."
"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. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns."
"But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this, ever induce me to be explicit."
"Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter. Now what have you to say?"
"Only this; that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me."
Lady Catherine hesitated for a moment, and then replied,
"The engagement between them is of a peculiar kind. From their infancy, they have been intended for each other. It was the favourite wish of his mother, as well as of her's. While in their cradles, we planned the union: and now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family! Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss De Bourgh? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin?"
"Yes, and I had heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother and aunt wished him to marry Miss De Bourgh. You both did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?"
"Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us."
"These are heavy misfortunes," replied Elizabeth. "But the wife of Mr. Darcy must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine."
"Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! Is this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? Is nothing due to me on that score? Let us sit down. You are to understand, Miss Bennet, that I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be dissuaded from it. I have not been used to submit to any person's whims. I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment."
"That will make your ladyship's situation at present more pitiable; but it will have no effect on me."
"I will not be interrupted. Hear me in silence. My daughter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are descended, on the maternal side, from the same noble line; and, on the father's, from respectable, honourable, and ancient -- though untitled -- families. Their fortune on both sides is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective houses; and what is to divide them? The upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune. Is this to be endured! But it must not, shall not be. If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere in which you have been brought up."
"In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman's daughter; so far we are equal."
"True. You are a gentleman's daughter. But who was your mother? Who are your uncles and aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition."
"Whatever my connections may be," said Elizabeth, "if your nephew does not object to them, they can be nothing to you."
"Tell me once for all, are you engaged to him?"
Though Elizabeth would not, for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine, have answered this question, she could not but say, after a moment's deliberation,
"I am not."
Lady Catherine seemed pleased.
"And will you promise me, never to enter into such an engagement?"
"I will make no promise of the kind."
"Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more reasonable young woman. But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede. I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require."
"And I certainly never shall give it. I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable. Your ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable? Supposing him to be attached to me, would my refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on his cousin? Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged. You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these. How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine. I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no farther on the subject."
"Not so hasty, if you please. I have by no means done. To all the objections I have already urged, I have still another to add. I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement. I know it all; that the young man's marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expence of your father and uncles. And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister? Is her husband, is the son of his late father's steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth! -- of what are you thinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?"
"You can now have nothing farther to say," she resentfully answered. "You have insulted me in every possible method. I must beg to return to the house."
And she rose as she spoke. Lady Catherine rose also, and they turned back. Her ladyship was highly incensed.
"You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?"
"Lady Catherine, I have nothing farther to say. You know my sentiments."
"You are then resolved to have him?"
"I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me."
"It is well. You refuse, then, to oblige me. You refuse to obey the claims of duty, honour, and gratitude. You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world."
"Neither duty, nor honour, nor gratitude," replied Elizabeth, "have any possible claim on me, in the present instance. No principle of either would be violated by my marriage with Mr. Darcy. And with regard to the resentment of his family, or the indignation of the world, if the former were excited by his marrying me, it would not give me one moment's concern -- and the world in general would have too much sense to join in the scorn."
"And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve! Very well. I shall now know how to act. Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your ambition will ever be gratified. I came to try you. I hoped to find you reasonable; but, depend upon it, I will carry my point."
In this manner Lady Catherine talked on, till they were at the door of the carriage, when, turning hastily round, she added, "I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet. I send no compliments to your mother. You deserve no such attention. I am most seriously displeased."
Elizabeth made no answer; and without attempting to persuade her ladyship to return into the house, walked quietly into it herself. She heard the carriage drive away as she proceeded up stairs. Her mother impatiently met her at the door of the dressing-room, to ask why Lady Catherine would not come in again and rest herself.
"She did not choose it," said her daughter, "she would go."
"She is a very fine-looking woman! and her calling here was prodigiously civil! for she only came, I suppose, to tell us the Collinses were well. She is on her road somewhere, I dare say, and so, passing through Meryton, thought she might as well call on you. I suppose she had nothing particular to say to you, Lizzy?"
Elizabeth was forced to give into a little falsehood here; for to acknowledge the substance of their conversation was impossible.
--正文
大约宾利和简订婚一周后的早上，一家人正坐在餐厅吃早饭，突然听到一阵马车的声音，大家都抬头朝窗户看。只见四匹马拉着一辆马车驶过草坪。现在还太早不会有客人拜访，而且这个马车也不像是自己邻居的。几匹马都是送信的骏马。不论是马车，还是那个坐在前面的热情仆人，一家人都不太熟悉。但是很明确的是去世有人来了，宾利立刻让简和自己避避这些不速之客，拉着她躲进了草丛。他们两个都跑了，但是剩下的三个人都还在猜测，但是都猜得不太满意，直到门打开客人进门，他们才知道是卡瑟林.德.包尔夫人。
他们确实都很惊讶，但是这种惊奇更多是因为出乎意料。本内特太太和凯蒂之前从没听说过卡瑟林夫人，表现地还不如之前的伊丽莎白。
卡瑟林夫人进了门，表现地比平时还要冷漠点，见到伊丽莎白问好也只是轻轻点了下头，然后就坐下来一言不发。卡瑟林夫人一进门的时候，伊丽莎白就跟自己母亲提起了她的母亲，尽管卡瑟林夫人也没要求她介绍。
本内特太太惊喜地要死，此番有这么个贵客到访，不禁感觉蓬荜生辉，十分恭敬地招待了她。
就那么沉默了坐了一会后，她冷冷地跟伊丽莎白说：“
我希望你一切都好，本内特小姐。那个太太，应该就是你妈吧。”
伊丽莎白十分直接地说她是。
“那那个估计就是你的某个姐妹吧。”
“是的，太太，”本内特太太十分高兴能跟卡瑟林太太说句话，“这是我家第二年轻的姑娘，最年轻的那个最近刚家人，而大女儿也差不多了，现在正跟着他那未婚夫在外面散步呢。”
“你家这庄子挺小的啊。”卡瑟林夫人沉默了一会说。
“夫人，跟罗星相比肯定算不了什么。但是跟卢卡斯爵士家的比，那肯定是大多了！”（翻译官：哈哈哈哈哈哈哈！）
“夏天的时候，这个客厅晚上坐着肯定很不方便，窗户全是朝西的。”
本内特太太说自己一家人吃完晚饭绝对不会坐在那儿的，然后说：“
我能不能问问夫人您，柯林斯夫人和柯林斯先生还好吗？”
“是的很不错，前天晚上我还见了他们”
伊丽莎白现在觉得估计是夏洛特托她带封信，因为这是她此次拜访唯一可能的目的。但是卡瑟林夫人根本没提信的事情，现在搞得伊丽莎白有点迷糊。
而本内特太太无比热情地恳请，夫人吃点甜点。而卡瑟林夫人十分坚决又粗鲁地拒绝了。然后她站起身来，跟伊丽莎白说：“
本内特小姐，你家草坪有个地方似乎草木旺盛，挺好看的，我挺想过去转转的，你要是愿意陪我过去就再好不过了。”
“好闺女，快去！”她母亲着急地说，“带着夫人到处走走。我觉得她会喜欢那个修道院的。”
伊丽莎白听明白了意思，然后甘蔗冲进去拿起遮阳伞，然后下楼和她尊贵的客人一起。她们穿过走廊的时候，卡瑟林夫人打开了餐厅和客厅的门，观察了一会说，这些房间还行，然后就接着走了。
她的马车还停在门口，伊丽莎白看到卡瑟林夫人的女仆坐在里面。她们俩就这么静静地穿过沙石小路，走向那边的灌木丛。看到卡瑟林夫人比平时还要冷漠粗鲁，伊丽莎白就决心不主动找她说话。
伊丽莎白看着她的脸，说道：“我之前怎么就会觉得她跟她侄儿很像呢？”
她们俩一走到灌木从，卡瑟林夫人就开始说：“
本内特小姐，你肯定知道为什么我会来这里。你自己的直觉，你的良心都知道为什么我会来这里。”
伊丽莎白发自内心地惊讶。
“你错了夫人。我一点都不知道为什么有荣幸在这里见到你。”
“本内特小姐，“卡瑟林夫人生气地回答说，”你应该知道不要顶撞我。但是不管你怎么样假情假意，我是不会这样的。我很自豪自己的个性一直如此真挚诚实，而在眼前的情况下，我也不会放弃这么做。两天前有一个吓人的消息传到我耳边。我听说不仅你姐姐就要高嫁了，而且你，伊丽莎白本内特小姐，好像马上也要跟我侄儿结婚了，我自己的亲侄儿——达西。尽管我知道你们结婚就是大错特错，但是我也不会觉得这事有一点点可能性，我立即决定亲自来这里一趟，让你知道我的意见。“
”你要是觉得没可能，那你为什么还跑那么远？夫人你这么做是什么意思呢？“伊丽莎白说，她的脸因为惊喜一阵红，而因为鄙夷又一阵白。
”只是立即来确认这事是没有可能的！“
”你大老远跑来蘑菇屯见我和我的家人，只会进一步证实这件事情。如果你听到的消息是真的话。“伊丽莎白冷冷地说
”如果？！你是在跟我玩躲猫猫吗？这难道不是你自己精心策划的？你自己就不知道这消息已经传得满大街都是了吗？“
”我没听说过。“
”那既然这样，你敢说这是空穴来风吗？“
”夫人，我觉得自己可能不像您那么坦诚。你可以问问题，我也可以不回答。“
”这是不可接受的，本内特小姐！我坚持要闻到满意。我侄儿，有没有向你求过婚？“
”夫人您自己说了不可能了。“
”应该不可能！要是他自己还有点理性的话，那肯定也不可能。但是假如他十分喜欢你，而你自己又花言巧语蒙骗诱惑，让他忘了自己的身份，自己家人的身份，那也可能会迷惑住他的。“
”我要是这么做了，也不会承认的。“
”本内特小姐，你知道我是谁吗？我可不习惯这种话。我几乎是他在这个世上最近的亲人了，我有权利过问他的终身大事。“
”但是你没权利过问我们的。而你现在的行为，让我一点也不像跟你说明。“
”我就跟你明说了吧，眼下这件你很想促成的事情，是不可能发生的，绝不可能。达西已经跟我女儿订婚了。现在你还有什么可说的？“
”只有这句话——如果他已经订婚了，那你也没理由认为他会向我求婚啊。“
卡瑟林夫人犹豫了一会，然后说：“
他们之间的婚约有点奇怪。他们是订了娃娃亲的。这桩亲事是我们双方做母亲的都同意的。他们还在摇篮的时候我们就商量好。而现在，在两个孩子就要满足我们姐妹俩心愿的时候，一个出身卑微的女人，毫无价值的女人，一个跟我们两家完全没关系的女人，却横插一脚。你就不关系他朋友们的想法吗？就不关心他们的娃娃亲吗？你就没有一点荣誉感吗？你难道没听我说过他一生下来就是要娶自己表妹的？”（翻译官：卧槽？慕容复？）
“我听说过。但是跟我有什么关系呢？如果没有其它理由阻止我跟你侄儿结婚，那么只是知道你跟他母亲希望他娶德.包尔小姐，并不会让我退缩。你们俩促成这个婚事是尽心尽力了，但是能不能成还是要看别人德。如果达西不跟德.包尔小姐结婚不有损道德，而且他也不喜欢她的话，那他为什么不能再选另一个姑娘？而如果他选了我，我为什么不接受他呢？”
”因为不论是荣誉，礼节，还是利害关系都不赞同。是的本内特小姐，利害关系。如果你要是一意孤行，那就别怪他的家人朋友忽视你了。他的朋友亲人会对你指指点点，瞧不起你，鄙视你。你们的结合会是一个耻辱。我们再也不会提起你的名字。“
”那可真是太惨了，“伊丽莎白说，”但是达西先生的妻子肯定会很幸福，所以总体上完全没有理由抱怨。“
”你这个倔丫头！我都替你感到害臊！你就是这么感谢我去年春天对你的照顾的？你就不看看我的脸面吗？我们坐下来说吧。本内特小姐，你得明白，我来这儿可是打算实现我的目的的，没人能劝得了我。我可不会因为某个人的心血来潮就屈服的。我可没有接受失望的习惯。“
”那这会让夫人您现在的处境更加难过，因为你说的话对我根本没有用。“
”别打断我！安静听我说。我女儿和我侄儿可是天生一对。他们母亲都来自高贵家庭，而他们父亲虽然没有什么头衔，但也都是来自保守尊敬，有荣誉感，历史悠久的家庭。双方不管哪边，钱财都是拿得出手的。两边家族的每个人都坚持他们两人在一起。什么东西能把他们分开？一个自命不凡的，装腔作势的年轻女人？没有好家庭，也没什么背景，也没什么钱财。这是不可容忍的！而且我也不会容忍！也不应该容忍！你要是还知道点好坏的话，你也不会想离开自己成长的阶层吧。“
”我不会觉得跟你侄儿结婚就算脱离自己的阶层了。他是个绅士，我也是绅士的女儿。所以怎么说我们都是平等的。“
”倒是真的。你父亲是个绅士。可是你母亲呢？你的叔叔婶婶呢？你可别以为我会忘了他们是什么样。“
”不管我的亲戚是什么样的，“伊丽莎白说，”只要你的侄儿不反对，那对你来说也没什么影响啊。“
”你跟我说个实话，你跟他订婚了吗？“
尽管伊丽莎白不会回答这个问题，因为那样就等于服从卡瑟林夫人了，但是仔细想了想她还是说：”我没有。“
卡瑟林夫人看起来很高兴。
”那你会答应我，以后不会跟他订婚吗？“
”我不会做这样的承诺。“
”本内特小姐，我真是很震惊，很惊讶。我还以为你是那种讲道理的女人呢。你可别以为这事我会让步。你要是不答应我的话，我可就不走了。“
”我肯定不会答应你的。我可不会被你这三言两语就给吓到。夫人你想达西娶你家闺女，但是我现在给你这个承诺会让他们的婚姻更加板上钉钉吗？假如达西喜欢我，那我拒绝了他会让他选择自己表妹么？卡瑟林夫人，我就直说了吧，你用这些理由就想说服我，是很愚蠢的行为，而且想说服我这个行为本身也是没什么眼力。你要是以为用这些理由就能说服我，那你真是搞错了我的性格。你的侄儿会不会赞成你干涉他的事情，我无从得知。但是你绝对没有权利能干涉我的事情。因此，我只能请求你在这件事情上就不要再纠缠我了。“
”别那么着急，我还没说完呢。除了刚才说的反对理由，我还有一项要说。我可是知道你五妹的那不光彩的私奔行为。什么细节我都知道。那个年轻人跟他结婚只是不得已而为，是你父亲和叔叔掏了钱的。而这样的一个姑娘将来就是我侄儿的妹妹？而她的丈夫，一个他父亲管家的儿子，就要成为他的兄弟了么？老天爷！你在想什么呢？我这彭伯里难道就要这样颜面丧尽？“
“你可以不要再说了！”伊丽莎白厌恶地说，“你已经尽你所能地羞辱我了，我现在要回去了。”
她说着就起身走了。卡瑟林夫人也起身跟着回去。卡瑟林夫人出离愤怒。
“你对我侄儿真是一点不关心，一点不在乎他的脸面、名声！你这个冷漠，自私的女人！你难道不觉得跟你这样的姑娘结婚会让他脸面丢尽吗？”
“卡瑟林夫人，我没什么可说的。你知道我的想法。”
“那你是打算跟他结婚吗？”
“我没说过这话。我只是想说，我只会按照自己的观点，自己的幸福行事，不会参考你的意见，或者任何与我无关人的意见。”
“行吧！那你是拒绝我了。你已经丧尽天良，不止廉耻，自私自利了！你已经决定毁掉他在朋友眼中的形象了，你要让别人都瞧不起他！”
“这件事情无关责任，荣誉，或者知恩图报，”伊丽莎白说，“我跟达西结婚根本不会影响这些东西。至于他家里人不喜欢我，或者整个世界不喜欢我，如果跟我结婚会让他家人不喜欢我，那我也不在意，而世界那么讲道理，可不是搅这摊浑水。”
“这就是你的真是想法！这就是你最终的决定！非常好。我现在知道怎么做了。本内特小姐，你可别以为自己的如意算盘能得逞。我过来只是来试试你。我以为你这人挺讲道理的，但是现在看来，我还是会坚持自己的观点。”
卡瑟林夫人就这么一直说，直到到了马车那边。然后她匆忙转过身，说：“本内特小姐，我可不会原谅你。我不会说你母亲的好话。你根本配不上我这么做。我可真是气炸了。”
伊丽莎白没有接话，她也没想着再邀请卡瑟林夫人进屋坐坐，自己静静地进去了。
她上楼的时候听到了马车离开的声音。她母亲着急地在更衣室门口等她，问她为什么卡瑟林夫人不进来坐坐。
“她不想进来，”伊丽莎白说，“她想回去了。”
“她可真是个漂亮的虐人！她能过来拜访真是太给面子了。我认为她过来只是告诉我们柯林斯夫妻俩很好。我猜她当时已经到梅屯了，就想着过来拜访你。她没跟你说什么吧，利兹？”
伊丽莎白不得不撒点小谎，因为她实在没办法把谈话内容说出来。