第四章
WHEN Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before, expressed to her sister how very much she admired him.
"He is just what a young man ought to be," said she, "sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! -- so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!"
"He is also handsome," replied Elizabeth, "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete."
"I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment."
"Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as every other women in the room. No thanks to his gallantry for that. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person."
"Dear Lizzy!"
"Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in any body. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life."
"I would wish not to be hasty in censuring any one; but I always speak what I think."
"I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough; -- one meets it every where. But to be candid without ostentation or design -- to take the good of every body's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad -- belongs to you alone. And so, you like this man's sisters too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his."
"Certainly not; at first. But they are very pleasing women when you converse with them. Miss Bingley is to live with her brother and keep his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a very charming neighbour in her."
Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced. Their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and with a judgment, too, unassailed by any attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them. They were in fact very fine ladies, not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of being agreeable where they chose it; but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank; and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother's fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.
Mr. Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly an hundred thousand pounds from his father, who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it. -- Mr. Bingley intended it likewise, and sometimes made choice of his county; but as he was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper, whether he might not spend the remainder of his days at Netherfield, and leave the next generation to purchase.
His sisters were very anxious for his having an estate of his own; but though he was now established only as a tenant, Miss Bingley was by no means unwilling to preside at his table, nor was Mrs. Hurst, who had married a man of more fashion than fortune, less disposed to consider his house as her home when it suited her. Mr. Bingley had not been of age two years, when he was tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House. He did look at it and into it for half an hour, was pleased with the situation and the principal rooms, satisfied with what the owner said in its praise, and took it immediately.
Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite of a great opposition of character. -- Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Darcy's regard Bingley had the firmest reliance, and of his judgment the highest opinion. In understanding, Darcy was the superior. Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving offence.
The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was sufficiently characteristic. Bingley had never met with pleasanter people or prettier girls in his life; every body had been most kind and attentive to him, there had been no formality, no stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and as to Miss Bennet, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure. Miss Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much.
Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so -- but still they admired her and liked her, and pronounced her to be a sweet girl, and one whom they should not object to know more of. Miss Bennet was therefore established as a sweet girl, and their brother felt authorised by such commendation to think of her as he chose.
--地狱模式（正文）
简之前一直小心翼翼，不敢夸赞宾利先生，直到伊丽莎白待在一起的时候，她才说出来，其实自己非常爱慕宾利先生。
“年轻人就该这样，”简说，“明事理，幽默，充满活力。我可从没见过一个人让人那么开心，让人那么放松，而且很有教养。”
“年轻人还应该很帅，就像宾利先生一样。宾利先生简直是完美的。“伊丽莎白补充道。
”他还邀请我跳第二支舞，可真是让我开心坏了。我原来可没想到他会这么抬举我。“
”你没想到么？我都替你想到了。我们俩在这点上可真不一样。别人总是能出其不意的抬举你，但是我总是能看破。还能有啥比邀请你跳第二支舞更顺理成章的么？他怎么也能看出来，你比那屋里所有的女人都要漂亮五倍。你可不必为他的殷勤道谢奥。但是他确实是个讨人喜欢的小伙子，我觉得你可以喜欢他。你之前可喜欢过比他要笨的人。“
“小伊！”
“对了，你还是个善良的姑娘，对人和善，从来不挑别人的短处。在你眼里，全世界都是善良温和的人。我从没听你说过别人的一句坏话。”
“我可不想匆匆就给人下定论。但我总是有话直说。”
“我知道呀。所以我才很好奇。你那么聪明的一个姑娘，怎么会看不出别人的愚蠢呢？你到哪儿都能看到假装坦率的人。但是只有你坦率真诚，毫不做作，发现别人的优点并让人变得更好，又不说别人坏话。所以，你喜欢宾利的姐姐们吧？她们的风度可比不上宾利。”
“一开始并不喜欢。但是你跟她们聊一聊，会发现她们挺有趣的。宾利小姐后面会跟他兄弟住在一起，并替他管大宅子。她要不是个好邻居，那才怪呢。”
伊丽莎白静静听着，但是心里并不信。她们在舞会上的行为怎么也算不上是让人开心。伊丽莎白相比她姐姐，更富有观察力，脾气更差一些，也更喜欢批判别人，也更有主见，她一点也不打算同意姐姐的话。其实宾利的姐姐妹妹都是不错的姑娘，她们在被逗乐的时候没什么幽默感，想和人说说笑笑也不太在行，但是她们十分骄傲自负。她们长得漂亮，又是在城里最好的神学院上的学，手上有2万磅财富，因此花钱总是大手大脚，也喜欢带有色眼镜看人。所以她们总是高看自己一眼，小看别人一头。她们来自于英格兰北方的尊贵家庭，她们只记得这一点而忘了她们自己的和兄弟的钱都是通过做生意赚来的，不是天生就有的。
宾利先生从他老爸那儿继承了接近10万磅财富，这笔钱他老爸原来打算买块地，但是地还没买人就没了。宾利先生也打算买些地产，有时候也想在自己的县买地。但是他现在有个大房子住，又有个庄园可以随便用，很多熟悉他温和性格的人都猜测，他很可能下半辈子都住在蘑菇屯(Netherfiled)，把买地的事情交给下一代了。
宾利的姐姐们倒是挺替他着急，希望他能有块自己的地产。但是尽管现在他只是个租客，宾利小姐也愿意在府上服侍，赫斯特小姐，那个嫁个时髦但没钱的男人的姐姐，也愿意把弟弟的房子当成自己的家。宾利先生成年还没2年的时候，偶然间被人推荐去看蘑菇屯的大宅子，他确实去看了，仔细瞧了半小时，结果对房子的状况和正房很满意。然后房主又是一通夸赞，宾利先生立刻就买下了。
尽管宾利和达西性格相反，但是他们有着坚固的友谊。宾利因为性格随和，易于相处
而受达西喜爱。而达西的性格与此相比，完全是另一个极端，但是达西对自己的性格也很满意。宾利很依赖达西的尊敬，对于达西的判断力也极度推崇。总的来说，达西是更厉害的那个。这并不是宾利哪里不行，而是说达西是更聪明的那个。他既高傲，又矜持、还挑剔；熟于礼节，但是又拒人千里之外。从这点上来说，宾利可比达西强多了。宾利走到哪儿都很受欢迎，达西则走到哪儿，就在哪儿顶撞人。
从他们两人描述梅屯舞会的方式上就足够能看出区别。宾利说从没见过更有趣的人，或者更漂亮的姑娘了。每个人都对他十分友善，照顾。整场晚会他没感到一点拘谨、生硬。他很快就和全场人混熟了。他说自己想象不出世上能有比简还要漂亮的人。相反，对于达西来说，他只看到了一屋子人，既不漂亮，也不时髦。他对这些人一点也提不起兴趣，众人也没有讨好他。他觉得简长得漂亮，但又觉得她笑得太多了。赫斯特和宾利小姐同意达西的说法，但是她们仍然喜欢她，并认为简是个甜美的姑娘，应该多跟她接触接触。本内特小姐就这样成了个甜姐了，而宾利先生听到这样的赞赏，才感觉受到了允许，把她想象成自己喜欢的模样。
