Pride and Prejudice - 29

MR. Collins's triumph in consequence of this invitation was complete. The power of displaying the grandeur¹（壮丽，宏伟） of his patroness to his wondering visitors, and of letting them see her civility towards himself and his wife, was exactly what he had wished for; and that an opportunity of doing it should be given so soon was such an instance of Lady Catherine's condescension²（谦虚） as he knew not how to admire enough.

 

"I confess,'' said he, "that I should not have been at all surprised by her Ladyship's asking us on Sunday to drink tea and spend the evening at Rosings. I rather expected, from my knowledge of her affability, that it would happen. But who could have foreseen such an attention as this? Who could have imagined that we should receive an invitation to dine there (an invitation moreover including the whole party) so immediately after your arrival!''

 

"I am the less surprised at what has happened,'' replied Sir William, "from that knowledge of what the manners of the great really are, which my situation in life has allowed me to acquire. About the Court, such instances of elegant breeding are not uncommon³.''

 

Scarcely any thing was talked of the whole day, or next morning, but their visit to Rosings. Mr. Collins was carefully instructing them in what they were to expect, that the sight of such rooms, so many servants, and so splendid a dinner might not wholly overpower them.

 

When the ladies were separating for the toilette（打扮，化妆） , he said to Elizabeth,

 

"Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance⁴ of dress in us, which becomes herself and daughter. I would advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest, there is no occasion for any thing more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved.''

 

While they were dressing⁶, he came two or three times to their different doors, to recommend their being quick, as Lady Catherine very much objected to be kept waiting for her dinner. -- Such formidable accounts of her ladyship, and her manner of living, quite frightened Maria Lucas, who had been little used to company, and she looked forward to her introduction at Rosings with as much apprehension⁷（理解，恐惧） , as her father had done to his presentation at St. James's.

 

As the weather was fine, they had a pleasant walk of about half a mile across the park. -- Every park has its beauty and its prospects⁸; and Elizabeth saw much to be pleased with, though she could not be in such raptures⁹ as Mr. Collins expected the scene to inspire, and was but slightly affected¹⁰ by his enumeration¹¹ of the windows in front of the house, and his relation of what the glazing¹² altogether had originally cost Sir Lewis De Bourgh.

 

When they ascended¹³ the steps to the hall, Maria's alarm was every moment increasing, and even Sir William did not look perfectly¹⁴ calm. -- Elizabeth's courage did not fail her. She had heard nothing of Lady Catherine that spoke¹⁵ her awful from any extraordinary talents or miraculous¹⁶ virtue¹⁷, and the mere⁵ stateliness（威严，庄严） of money and rank she thought she could witness without trepidation¹⁸（恐惧） .

 

From the entrance hall, of which Mr. Collins pointed¹⁹ out, with a rapturous air, the fine proportion and finished ornaments²⁰（装饰品） , they followed the servants through an ante-chamber, to the room where Lady Catherine, her daughter, and Mrs. Jenkinson were sitting. -- Her ladyship, with great condescension, arose to receive them; and as Mrs. Collins had settled it with her husband that the office of introduction should be her's, it was performed in a proper manner, without any of those apologies and thanks which he would have thought necessary.

 

In spite of having been at St. James's, Sir William was so completely awed²¹ by the grandeur surrounding him, that he had but just courage enough to make a very low bow, and take his seat without saying a word; and his daughter, frightened almost out of her senses, sat on the edge of her chair, not knowing which way to look. Elizabeth found herself quite equal to the scene, and could observe the three ladies before her composedly.

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