Chapter 213Word格式.docx

Chapter 213Word格式.docx

《Chapter 213Word格式.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Chapter 213Word格式.docx（4页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

sexcursiontoExeter,theyhadmetwithtwoyoungladies,whomMrs.Jenningshadthesatisfactionofdiscoveringtobeherrelations,andthiswasenoughforSirJohntoinvitethemdirectlytothePark,assoonastheirpresentengagementsatExeterwereover.TheirengagementsatExeterinstantlygavewaybeforesuchaninvitation;

andLadyMiddletonwasthrownintonolittlealarm,onthereturnofSirJohn,byhearingthatshewasverysoontoreceiveavisitfromtwogirlswhomshehadneverseeninherlife,andofwhoseelegancewhosetolerablegentilityeven-shecouldhavenoproof;

fortheassurancesofherhusbandandmotheronthatsubjectwentfornothingatall.Theirbeingherrelationtoo,madeitsomuchtheworse;

andMrs.Jennings'

sattemptsatconsolationwere,therefore,unfortunatelyfounded,whensheadvisedherdaughternottocareabouttheirbeingsofashionable;

becausetheywereallcousins,andmustputupwithoneanother.Asitwasimpossible,however,nowtopreventtheircoming,LadyMiddletonresignedherselftotheideaofitwithallthephilosophyofawell-bredwoman,contentingherselfwithmerelygivingherhusbandagentlereprimandonthesubjectfiveorsixtimeseveryday.Theyoungladiesarrived:

theirappearancewasbynomeansungenteelorunfashionable.Theirdresswasverysmart,theirmannersverycivil:

theyweredelightedwiththehouse,andinraptureswiththefurniture;

andtheyhappenedtobesodoatinglyfondofchildren,thatLadyMiddleton'

sgoodopinionwasengagedintheirfavourbeforetheyhadbeenanhouratthePark.Shedeclaredthemtobeveryagreeablegirlsindeed,which,forherladyship,wasenthusiasticadmiration.SirJohn'

sconfidenceinhisownjudgmentrosewiththisanimatedpraise,andhesetoffdirectlyforthecottage,totelltheMissesDashwoodoftheMissesSteele'

sarrival,andtoassurethemoftheirbeingthesweetestgirlsintheworld.Fromsuchcommendationasthis,however,therewasnotmuchtobelearned:

ElinorwellknewthatthesweetestgirlsintheworldweretobemetwithineverypartofEngland,undereverypossiblevariationofform,face,temper,andunderstanding.SirJohnwantedthewholefamilytowalktotheParkdirectlyandlookathisguests.Benevolent,philanthropicman!

Itwaspainfultohimeventokeepathirdcousintohimself."

Docomenow,"

saidhe-"

praycome-youmustcome-Ideclareyoushallcome.Youcan'

tthinkhowyouwilllikethem.Lucyismonstrouspretty,andsogoodhumouredandagreeable!

Thechildrenareallhangingaboutheralready,asifshewasanoldacquaintance.Andtheybothlongtoseeyouofallthings;

fortheyhaveheardatExeterthatyouarethemostbeautifulcreaturesintheworld;

andIhavetoldthemitisallverytrue,andagreatdealmore.Youwillbedelightedwiththem,Iamsure.Theyhavebroughtthewholecoachfullofplaythingsforthechildren.Howcanyoubesocrossasnottocome?

Whytheyareyourcousins,youknow,afterafashion.Youaremycousins,andtheyaremywife'

s;

soyoumustberelated."

ButSirJohncouldnotprevail:

hecouldonlyobtainapromiseoftheircallingattheParkwithinadayortwo,andthenlefttheminamazementattheirindifference,towalkhomeandboastanewoftheirattractionstotheMissesSteele,ashehadbeenalreadyboastingoftheMissesSteeletothem.

WhentheirpromisedvisittothePark,andconsequentintroductiontotheseyoungladies,tookplace,theyfoundintheappearanceoftheeldest,whowasnearlythirty,withaveryplainandnotasensibleface,nothingtoadmire;

butintheother,whowasnotmorethantwoorthreeandtwenty,theyacknowledgedconsiderablebeauty:

herfeatureswerepretty,andshehadasharpquickeye,andasmartnessofair,which,thoughitdidnotgiveactualeleganceorgrace,gavedistinctiontoherperson.Theirmannerswereparticularlycivil,andElinorsoonallowedthemcreditforsomekindofsense,whenshesawwithwhatconstantandjudiciousattentiontheyweremakingthemselvesagreeabletoLadyMiddleton.Withherchildrentheywereincontinualraptures,extollingtheirbeauty,courtingtheirnotice,andhumouringtheirwhims;

andsuchoftheirtimeascouldbesparedfromtheimportunatedemandswhichthispolitenessmadeonitwasspentinadmirationofwhateverherLadyshipwasdoing,ifshehappenedtobedoinganything,orintakingpatternsofsomeelegantnewdress,inwhichherappearancethedaybeforehadthrownthemintounceasingdelight.Fortunatelyforthosewhopaytheircourtthroughsuchfoibles,afondmother,though,inpursuitofpraiseforherchildren,themostrapaciousofhumanbeings,islikewisethemostcredulous:

herdemandsareexorbitant;

butshewillswallowanything;

andtheexcessiveaffectionandenduranceoftheMissesSteeletowardsheroffspringwereviewed,therefore,byLadyMiddletonwithoutthesmallestsurpriseordistrust.Shesawwithmaternalcomplacencyalltheimpertinentencroachmentsandmischievoustrickstowhichhercousinssubmitted.Shesawtheirsashesuntied,theirhairpulledabouttheirears,theirwork-bagssearched,andtheirknivesandscissorsstolenaway,andfeltnodoubtofitsbeingareciprocalenjoyment.ItsuggestednoothersurprisethanthatElinorandMarianneshouldsitsocomposedlyby,withoutclaimingashareinwhatwaspassing."

Johnisinsuchspiritsto-day!

"

saidshe,onhistakingMissSteele'

spockethandkerchief,andthrowingitoutofwindow-"

heisfullofmonkeytricks."

Andsoonafterwards,onthesecondboy'

sviolentlypinchingoneofthesamelady'

sfingers,shefondlyobserved,"

HowplayfulWilliamis!

"

AndhereismysweetlittleAnna-Maria,"

sheadded,tenderlycaressingalittlegirlofthreeyearsold,whohadnotmadeanoiseforthelasttwominutes;

andsheisalwayssogentleandquiet.Neverwastheresuchaquietlittlething!

Butunfortunatelyinbestowingtheseembraces,apininherladyship'

shead-dressslightlyscratchingthechild'

sneck,producedfromthispatternofgentlenesssuchviolentscreams,ascouldhardlybeoutdonebyanycreatureprofessedlynoisy.Themother'

sconsternationwasexcessive;

butitcouldnotsurpassthealarmoftheMissesSteele,andeverythingwasdonebyallthree,insocriticalanemergency,whichaffectioncouldsuggest,aslikelytoassaugetheagoniesofthelittlesufferer.Shewasseatedinhermother'

slap,coveredwithkisses,herwoundbathedwithlavender-water,byoneoftheMissesSteele,whowasonherkneestoattendher,andhermouthstuffedwithsugarplumsbytheother.Withsucharewardforhertears,thechildwastoowisetoceasecrying.Shestillscreamedandsobbedlustily,kickedhertwobrothersforofferingtotouchher:

andalltheirunitedsoothingswereineffectual,tillLadyMiddleton,luckilyrememberingthatinasceneofsimilardistresslastweeksomeapricotmarmaladehadbeensuccessfullyappliedforabruisedtemple,thesameremedywaseagerlyproposedforthisunfortunatescratch,andaslightintermissionofscreamsintheyoungladyonhearingit,gavethemreasontohopethatitwouldnotberejected.Shewascarriedoutoftheroom,therefore,inhermother'

sarms,inquestofthismedicine;

andasthetwoboyschosetofollow,thoughearnestlyentreatedbytheirmothertostaybehind,thefouryoungladieswereleftinaquietnesswhichtheroomhadnotknownformanyhours."

Poorlittlecreatures!

saidMissSteele,assoonastheyweregone;

itmighthavebeenaverysadaccident."

YetIhardlyknowhow,"

criedMarianne,"

unlessithadbeenundertotallydifferentcircumstances.Butthisistheusualwayofheighteningalarm,wherethereisnothingtobealarmedatinreality."

WhatasweetwomanLadyMiddletonis!

saidLucySteele.Mariannewassilent;

itwasimpossibleforhertosaywhatshedidnotfeel,howevertrivialtheoccasion;

anduponElinor,therefore,thewholetaskoftellinglies,whenpolitenessrequiredit,alwaysfell.Shedidherbestwhenthuscalledon,byspeakingofLadyMiddletonwithmorewarmththanshefelt,thoughwithfarlessthanMissLucy."

AndSirJohn,too,"

criedtheeldersister,"

whatacharmingmanheis!

Here,too,MissDashwood'

scommendation,beingonlysimpleandjust,cameinwithoutanyeclat.Shemerelyobservedthathewasperfectlygoodhumouredandfriendly."

Andwhatacharminglittlefamilytheyhave!

Ineversawsuchfinechildreninmylife.IdeclareIquitedoatuponthemalready,andindeedIamalwaysdistractedlyfondofchildren."

Ishouldguessso,"

saidElinor,withasmile,"

fromwhatIhavewitnessedthismorning."

Ihaveanotion,"

saidLucy,"

youthinkthelittleMiddletonsrathertoomuchindulged;

perhapstheymaybetheoutsideofenough;

butitissonaturalinLadyMiddleton;

and,formypart,Ilovetoseechildrenfulloflifeandspirits;

Icannotbearthemiftheyaretameandquiet."

Iconfess,"

repliedElinor,"

thatwhileIamatBartonParkIneverthinkoftameandquietchildrenwithanyabhorrence."

Ashortpausesucceededthisspeech,whichwasfirstbrokenbyMissSteele,whoseemedverymuchdisposedforconversation,andwhonowsaid,ratherabruptly,"

AndhowdoyoulikeDevonshire,MissDash