改编自诺桑觉寺简·奥斯汀著(1817年)
现在有必要对艾伦太太做一些描述,以便读者能够判断她的行为今后会以何种方式促进这部作品的普遍痛苦,以及她将如何可能使可怜的凯瑟琳陷入最后一本书所能描写的那种绝望的悲惨境地——是通过她的鲁莽、粗俗还是嫉妒——是通过截住她的信件,破坏她的品格,还是通过把她赶出家门。
艾伦太太是众多女性中的一员,和她们在一起只会让人感到惊讶,因为世界上居然会有男人喜欢她们,愿意娶她们为妻。她既没有美貌,也没有天才,既没有修养,也没有风度。一个贵妇人的气质,一副文静不动的好脾气,以及一种轻浮的性情,这些都能说明她为什么会被艾伦先生这样一个通情达理的聪明人选中。在某一方面,她非常适合把一位年轻女士介绍到公众面前,因为她像任何年轻女士一样喜欢到处走动,喜欢亲自参观一切。服装是她的爱好。她对自己的美貌有一种无伤大雅的快乐;我们的女主人公要花上三、四天的时间来学习主要穿什么,给她的监护人提供一件最新款式的衣服,她才能进入生活。凯瑟琳自己也买了些东西,当所有这些事情都安排好以后,那个重要的晚上就到了,她要到楼上去住了。她的头发是由最好的人剪的,她的衣服是精心穿上的,艾伦太太和她的女仆都说她看起来很正常。有了这样的鼓励,凯瑟琳希望至少能不受责难地穿过人群。 As for admiration, it was always very welcome when it came, but she did not depend on it.
艾伦太太穿衣服的时间太长了,他们很晚才进入舞厅。时值旺季,房间里挤满了人,两位女士尽量挤进去。至于艾伦先生,他直接到牌房去了,让他们自己去玩。艾伦太太更关心的是她的新长袍的安全,而不是她的受保护人的舒适,她尽可能小心地迅速穿过门口的人群。然而凯瑟琳紧紧地跟在她身边,把她的胳膊紧紧地搂在她朋友的胳膊里,哪怕是一群挣扎的人共同的努力也不会把她扯开。可是,使她大为吃惊的是,她发现沿着屋子往前走,决不是要脱离人群的办法;她原来以为,他们一进了门,就很容易找到座位,就可以非常方便地观看跳舞了。但事实远非如此。尽管他们不知疲倦地努力爬到了屋子的顶层,但他们的处境还是一样。他们看不到跳舞的人,只看到一些女士高高的羽毛。他们还是继续往前走——更好的东西还在眼前; and by a continued exertion of strength and ingenuity they found themselves at last in the passage behind the highest bench. Here there was something less of crowd than below; and hence Miss Morland had a comprehensive view of all the company beneath her, and of all the dangers of her late passage through them. It was a splendid sight, and she began, for the first time that evening, to feel herself at a ball: she longed to dance, but she had not an acquaintance in the room. Mrs. Allen did all that she could do in such a case by saying very placidly, every now and then, “I wish you could dance, my dear — I wish you could get a partner.” For some time her young friend felt obliged to her for these wishes; but they were repeated so often, and proved so totally ineffectual, that Catherine grew tired at last, and would thank her no more.