终于看到那幢牧师住宅了。大路斜对面的花园、花园里的房子、绿的栅栏、以及桂树围篱───每一样东西好象都在宣布他们的来到。柯林斯先生和夏绿蒂走到门口来了。在宾主频频点头脉脉微笑中,客人们在一道小门跟前停下了车,从这里穿过一条短短的鹅卵石铺道,便能直达正屋。一刹眼工夫,他们都下了车,宾主相见,无限欢欣。柯林斯简直手舞足蹈地欢迎自己的朋友,伊丽莎白受到这么亲切的欢迎,就越发满意于这次的作客了。她立刻看到她表兄并没有因为结了婚而改变态度,他还是完全和以往一样地拘泥礼节,在门口耽搁了她好几分钟,问候她全家大小的起居安好。听到她一一回答了之后,他才满意。于是他就没有再耽搁他们,只指给他们看看门口是多么整洁,便把客人们带进了屋子;等到客人一走进客厅,他又对他们作了第二次的欢迎,极其客气地说,这次承蒙诸位光临寒舍,真是不胜荣幸,并且刻不容缓地把他太太送上来的点心重新奉献了一次。
Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory; and she could not help fancying that in displaying the good proportion of the room, its aspect and its furniture, he addressed himself particularly to her, as if wishing to make her feel what she had lost in refusing him. But though every thing seemed neat and comfortable, she was not able to gratify him by any sigh of repentance; and rather looked with wonder at her friend that she could have so cheerful an air, with such a companion. When Mr. Collins said any thing of which his wife might reasonably be ashamed, which certainly was not unseldom, she involuntarily turned her eye on Charlotte. Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear. After sitting long enough to admire every article of furniture in the room, from the sideboard to the fender, to give an account of their journey, and of all that had happened in London, Mr. Collins invited them to take a stroll in the garden, which was large and well laid out, and to the cultivation of which he attended himself. To work in his garden was one of his most respectable pleasures; and Elizabeth admired the command of countenance with which Charlotte talked of the healthfulness of the excercise, and owned she encouraged it as much as possible. Here, leading the way through every walk and cross walk, and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises he asked for, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind. He could number the fields in every direction, and could tell how many trees there were in the most distant clump. But of all the views which his garden, or which the country, or the kingdom could boast, none were to be compared with the prospect of Rosings, afforded by an opening in the trees that bordered the park nearly opposite the front of his house. It was a handsome modern building, well situated on rising ground.
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