Miss Mary in Pride and Prejudice

In fact, they were already late, and the guests of honor were already waiting when the two young ladies hurried into the antechamber.Mrs. de Bourgh, in particular, was lashing out at poor Mrs. Jenkinson for not keeping an eye on Miss Anne's actions.She didn't smile until she saw her daughter came back safe and sound, and led the way into the dining room, holding the arm of the Earl of Leicester. Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had been standing by the side, also extended his arm to Anne graciously. , Mary noticed that he didn't ask Anne what she did in the garden, and she suddenly thought, isn't this a little too cold for a newly engaged fiancé?

The dinner was very fine, and Mary ate fish with a name she had never heard of, and though she did not find it particularly delicious, she refrained from asking aloud, lest she should betray the shallowness of her knowledge, which she was always trying to avoid. of.Whenever she participates in such more formal occasions, she always feels a little painful, because she is introverted, and she doesn't know what to say under what circumstances to be considered decent. Many times, she is very envious of her two older sisters , socializing with others in such a graceful and graceful way, especially Elizabeth, who also likes to be playful and coquettish with sarcasm, but everyone praises them for their ladylike demeanor, but Mary can't.She is too inferior. She is afraid of saying the wrong thing and being ridiculed, but she doesn't know that sometimes silence is a greater faux pas.

Fortunately, at today's dinner table, there will be no such problems. One is that they are all very familiar people, and the other is that as long as Mrs. de Bourgh is present, there is almost no chance for others to speak.The old lady had to express her own opinion on everything, and she didn't allow anyone to contradict or question it. Mary didn't like her clichés, because it saved her from chatting with people.

While she was engrossed in enjoying the foie gras with creamy truffles on her plate, she suddenly heard the voice of the Earl of Leicester talking to her.She quickly swallowed a piece of smooth and juicy truffle in her mouth, looked up at the earl, it turned out that the earl was telling her that people from Pemberley Manor and Howard Manor had been invited as guests, and only Mrs. Darcy and Miss Darcy were invited. They were able to come by appointment, but the Bingleys declined the invitation because they had to prepare for the upcoming baby.

Before Mary expressed her joy at seeing her sister, Mrs. de Bourgh had already picked up the conversation, and began to praise her beloved nephew, Mr. Darcy, and the man who could be a model of aristocratic manors in the whole of England. pemberley.Colonel Fitzwilliam echoed his aunt's words with a smile, and handed Annie a plate full of exquisite muffins. Unexpectedly, Annie, who had been bowing her head and thinking about something, was taken aback by this action. The fork fell on the carpet.

Fitzwilliam apologized quickly, Anne blushed, and Madame de Bourgh frowned slightly.The Earl of Leicester waved his hand without changing his expression, and a servant came over to change a pair of knives and forks for Anne. Haunting in my heart, I can't get rid of it no matter what.

The next day, the Darcys and Georgiana arrived. Georgiana looked as preoccupied as she was when they parted. She blushed again when she saw the Earl, and she even lowered her head and dared not look at him. Elizabeth shook her hand encouragingly. After shaking her hand, she cheered up and greeted the host and other guests politely and thoughtfully.Earl Leicester's expression was the same as usual, and Mary was also very happy to see Elizabeth. She immediately asked Jane about her current situation carefully, and learned that everything was fine with her, and that she would be able to be an aunt in the spring of next year. Happy.

After dinner that day, when everyone was in the lounge, Mrs. de Bourgh wanted to play cards. Anne, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the host, the Earl of Leicester, had to make up for her old man because of their sympathy. There was a table, and none of the other four wanted to play cards, Mr. Darcy was reading a new book by Scott, and Elizabeth was absorbed in embroidering a baby's cloak, no doubt intended for Jane's child.Mary was also holding a book, when Elizabeth talked to her about the arrangements after the grape picking festival.

In the end, Mary made an agreement with Elizabeth that when she left Leicester Manor, she would go with Elizabeth to spend Christmas in Pemberley, and at the same time, she could visit Jane from time to time to accompany her to welcome the arrival of her new life.Thinking of such a beautiful prospect, Mary's heart was overjoyed. It turned out that the past few months with Mrs. de Bourgh's day and night made her feel very depressed. Run away quickly.

Madame de Bourgh did not notice their conversation, and therefore could not object, and Mary noticed that the Earl of Leicester glanced back several times during their conversation, and she could not help suspecting that he was eavesdropping. Her conversation with Elizabeth.Elizabeth obviously noticed it too, but her deduction was different from Mary's. She thought the earl was peeking at Miss Darcy, who was sitting quietly in a chair and drawing a small still life.So she kindly suggested that Georgiana give us some music, which was always Miss Darcy's forte, and she soon sat down at the piano, and Mary, who was going to read another chapter, had to put down the book and come and read it for her. sheet music.

It should be admitted that Miss Darcy's performance was indeed perfect, and Mary couldn't help admiring it from the bottom of her heart.Although she herself is always studying and practicing hard, she lacks the guidance of a famous teacher, so she can't succeed. Comparing with Miss Darcy's piano skills, she can see whether she is superior or inferior. So when Miss Darcy played two pieces, please ask Mary Then when they played for everyone, Mary politely but firmly refused.At the Netherfield ball a few years ago, she still remembers her tragic experience. At that time, she wanted to show off her talent and please others. Whenever someone asked her to play the piano and sing, she would Immediately agreed, but unfortunately her talent is not suitable for performing in public, her voice is too weak, her attitude is not natural, although she plays the piano well, it is only good.Remembering how her father had come to stop her from playing, Mary was sweating with shame.

Probably from then on, she began to avoid playing the piano in public, let alone singing.However, Mary suddenly recalled vaguely that she seemed to have played the piano for the Earl of Leicester that time, but it was strange that she did not feel any discomfort. She thought this way, and found that the Earl of Leicester turned his head to look this way again, And Miss Darcy's hand suddenly pressed the wrong key, and a series of discordant portamentos popped up.

Everyone agreed to go to the vineyard to participate in the busy picking activities in the afternoon of the next day.It was the first time Mary had the opportunity to participate in such an activity, and she had very little outdoor activity other than walks, and this kind of fun activity kept her intrigued.Just after lunch, she went back to her room to get ready. She put on a simple dress of coarse cloth and a plaid apron, which was specially prepared to avoid smearing oil paint on her body when painting. Now Mary is going to wear this dress to the vineyard, because she noticed that the male and female servants in the castle are also dressed as farmers and country women, and they are going to help in the vineyard, so she thinks that they should do as the Romans do.

But as soon as she arrived at the hall at the appointed time, she knew she had made a complete mistake. The people assembled in the hall were still well dressed-it was just an excursion, and Mary mistook it for a real labor. .The gentlemen all looked at Mary's peasant woman's attire amusedly, and the ladies were more reserved and all smiled. Only Mrs. de Bourgh stared at Mary with wide eyes and said, "Miss Bennet, what do you want to do?" Like those servants, go to work in the vineyard?"

But before Mary could answer her old man's question, she heard Mrs. de Bourgh exclaiming in a louder voice: "My God, it's the Earl of Leicester. What are you going to do?" The count wore a full set of coarse clothes, high riding boots, a cowhide apron, and gloves, and he was dressed more dramatically than Mary.The ladies let out a surprised smile, and the Earl of Leicester looked at Mary indifferently, and said, "Everyone, when you arrive at the vineyard, let the butler guide you around. A basket of grapes, pressing the first barrel of grape juice, and tasting the first glass of wine." He turned to see Mary, with a flash of surprise in his eyes, and said, "But since Miss Bennet is fully prepared, If you want to experience the life of a peasant woman, you can stay with me all the time."

The smile slipped from Miss Darcy's lips, and she gazed wistfully at Mary's coarse check apron, which seemed to be the most splendid evening dress.Elizabeth was very surprised by Mary's trendy and boldness. Although she always liked to try different things, wearing coarse clothes like a peasant woman to work in the vineyard was something she couldn't imagine in her dreams.Elizabeth smiled approvingly at Mary, and said, "Mary, then we all want to hear about your novel feelings tonight—to be honest, if it wasn't for the fear of delaying everyone's departure time, I really want to go back now Let's change clothes."

Mrs. de Bourgh shook her gray head disapprovingly, and got into the carriage first, while still muttering: "This is definitely not the behavior that a lady of status should behave, Anne, Georgiana, come to my carriage... . . . " And Fitzwilliam also got into Madame de Bourgh's carriage.Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth, the Earl of Leicester, and Mary got into another carriage, which was different from Elizabeth's original arrangement, but it had to be done now.

When the carriage approached the vineyard, Elizabeth asked anxiously: "Mary, do you really want to pick grapes?" Mary replied firmly: "Yes, I want to try." The Earl of Leicester smiled approvingly Smiling, he jumped out of the carriage and helped Mary down again, while the other gentlemen and ladies wanted to take the carriage to the other side of the vineyard, where hills of grapes had already been piled up, waiting to be squeezed.

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