名著选读：傲慢与偏见17_美文_双语阅读-查字典英语网

名著选读：傲慢与偏见17

伊丽莎白这会儿真是太高兴了；她虽然本来不大跟柯林斯先生多话，现在也不禁问他是不是愿意上彬格莱先生那儿去作客，如果愿意，参加晚会是不是合适。出乎伊丽莎白的意料之外，柯林斯先生对于作客问题毫无犹豫，而且还敢跳舞，一点不怕大主教或咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人的指责。

他说：“老实告诉你，这样的舞会，主人是一个品格高尚的青年，宾客又是些体面人，我决不认为会有什么不好的倾向。我非但不反对自己跳舞，而且希望当天晚上表妹们都肯赏脸。伊丽莎白小姐，我就利用这次机会请你陪我跳头两场舞，我相信吉英表妹一定还会怪我对她有什么失礼吧，因为我这样尽先尽后有正当的理由。”

Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in. She had fully proposed being engaged by Wickham for those very dances: -- and to have Mr. Collins instead! her liveliness had been never worse timed. There was no help for it however. Mr. Wickham's happiness and her own was perforce delayed a little longer, and Mr. Collins's proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could. She was not the better pleased with his gallantry from the idea it suggested of something more. -- It now first struck her that she was selected from among her sisters as worthy of being the mistress of Hunsford parsonage, and of assisting to form a quadrille table at Rosings, in the absence of more eligible visitors. The idea soon reached to conviction, as she observed his increasing civilities toward herself, and heard his frequent attempt at a compliment on her wit and vivacity; and though more astonished than gratified herself by this effect of her charms, it was not long before her mother gave her to understand that the probability of their marriage was exceedingly agreeable to her. Elizabeth, however, did not chuse to take the hint, being well aware that a serious dispute must be the consequence of any reply. Mr. Collins might never make the offer, and till he did, it was useless to quarrel about him.