リディアの駆け落ち

プライドと偏見 - 第6章

Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 6

エリザベスがネザーフィールドに滞在している間、彼女とダーシーは何度か言葉を交わす。ダーシーは、彼女の家族に対する当初の偏見にもかかわらず、彼女の機知と知性に興味を持ち始める。

Elizabeth stayed at Netherfield for several days, nursing Jane back to health. During this time, she observed the Bingley sisters carefully and formed her own opinions.

ダーシーとの結婚を望むキャロライン・ビングリーは、彼がエリザベスに向ける関心に嫉妬する。彼女は絶えずエリザベスとその家族をけなそうとするが、それはかえってダーシーをエリザベスに近づけるだけだ。

Caroline Bingley was beautiful and fashionable, but she was also proud and snobbish. She looked down on the Bennet family, considering them beneath her socially. She made sarcastic comments about Elizabeth's muddy walk and her country manners.

ダーシーは、気をつけなければ彼女に恋をしてしまう危険があることに気づく。

Her sister Mrs. Hurst was equally proud, though less intelligent. She followed Caroline's lead in everything and seemed to have no thoughts of her own.

"Did you not think Mr. Darcy was delightful?" Caroline asked Elizabeth one afternoon, trying to draw her into conversation about him.

Elizabeth smiled. "I found him interesting, certainly. But delightful? I would not go that far."

"You do not like him!" Caroline exclaimed, though not entirely displeased by this news.

"I do not dislike him either," Elizabeth replied calmly. "But I have not seen anything that would make me call him delightful. He seems a proud man, and pride is a quality I do not admire."

Caroline was silent for a moment, surprised by Elizabeth's frankness. Then she changed the subject.

Meanwhile, Darcy found himself thinking about Elizabeth. He was attracted by her fine eyes and her quick wit, though he tried to deny it. Her family was not good enough for him, he told himself. She was not of his class.

But he could not stop watching her when she was in the room. He could not stop listening when she spoke. And he found himself looking forward to their conversations, despite his better judgment.

When Jane finally recovered, the sisters prepared to return home. Bingley was disappointed to see Jane go, but he promised to visit them soon.

As they left, Darcy watched Elizabeth go. He tried to tell himself that he was glad she was leaving, that she was nothing to him. But he knew, deep in his heart, that this was not true.