[Pride and Prejudice] Becoming Katherine Bennett

Catherine supported the groom's arm, lifted the hem of the skirt with her fingers in white silk sleeves, and stepped off the carriage.

She is wearing a camellia-colored long dress today, the style is a bit like the British Robe that was popular in the early years. The skirt is close-fitting, with a large neckline and slightly exposed shoulders. embellishment.

The new dress had been bought by Catherine after she came to London, on the day they went to Spitalfields.The style of the skirt is more complicated than the popular Schumitz-style long skirt, and far less gorgeous and complicated than the Roroco era.She likes this design very much, but after she bought it, she always felt that the skirt was a bit grand, and she couldn't find a suitable occasion to wear it.

In order to participate in the banquet, Catherine tried the dress at home, and unexpectedly received unanimous praise from her family.They were used to Catherine's plain and simple dress, and they were full of praise for her sudden change of gorgeous clothes.

Westerners are precocious. Although Catherine is talented, she has lost the youthfulness and immaturity of a girl, showing the charm and gracefulness of a woman.This long skirt outlines her well-developed slender figure. The dragging hem of the skirt gently slid across the ground, and the corners of the skirt fluttered, making her charming and charming.

Catherine was shy, and the dress was too sexy for her.

But she did find it beautiful.

Catherine looked at herself again and again in front of the mirror. She was very embarrassed to dress up so well, and wanted to take off her skirt and change into simpler clothes several times.

But she found that she really didn't want to take it off.

She didn't remember that she liked beautiful clothes so much before, and other girls started to have a girlish heart in their teens. When she came to her, when she was about to turn 30, she actually started to revive.What is this now, a return to the ancestors?

She understands the truth, but she just doesn't want to change it.She really wants to wear a beautiful dress.

Catherine looked at the soft and charming girl in the mirror, hesitated again and again, and finally mustered up her courage.

It doesn't matter if you wear it once, right?

They got into the carriage and went out amidst Uncle Gardner's blessing to enjoy the ball.

Earl Gordon's estate is located in the suburbs of southeast London, about ten miles away from London.

In order to attend the banquet on time, Aunt Gardner took Jane and Catherine. The three of them set off at two o'clock in the afternoon, and it took more than two hours to arrive at the manor.

Elizabeth left London the day after Mr. Gordon sent the invitation, and naturally did not have the opportunity to attend.She is lively and confident, and she only has a little regret for missing such a big scene, and she is not at all sad about it.After discussing with the family, they did not tell Sir Lucas about the banquet, because no one could say whether the gentleman would ask to go with him, and then tried to talk to Darcy like he was forced to talk to Darcy in Nedfil. Communicate with every gentleman present.

Unlike Sir Lucas, who called himself a gentleman and was forced to stay away from dignitaries after living in the countryside, Mr. Gardner was still in business and had constant contact with the nobles.This caused him to dislike these high-ranking figures, thinking that they changed their faces very quickly, and it was best not to participate in such a dance due to his identity.

And Mrs. Gardner took the two unmarried ladies to go, which is a perfectly appropriate decision in terms of emotion and reason: when the lady and the lady introduce each other, few people will chase after you and ask who your father is, or you What does your husband do, it's very rude.Gentlemen are different, a sentence of mr. or lord can distinguish your status and class.

"To tell you the truth, it is also the first time for me to attend the count's banquet. Not to mention the banquet, I have never even been in the count's manor. The most grand banquet I have ever been to is the one held by Baroness Alger. Baron Alger is The magistrate on the street where your uncle's shop is, his wife occasionally invites us to a party," said Mrs. Gardner.

Because of the restrictions of her business status and the fact that her relatives are not dignified people, Mrs. Gardner never had the opportunity to attend such a big occasion.But she is very smart, and she is reasonable and appropriate in everything she says and does.Although now she was going to a dinner party for a powerful countess, she didn't feel any fear or nervousness.

"I think the only thing you can do at the ball is to socialize and dance. The rules are the same everywhere, not to mention the earl's ball, even the king's ball will not be much different. It's just that in their ball, everyone's status is higher. Noble, the dress and environment are more gorgeous," Mrs. Gardner said, "Besides, we have no one to please today, and at most we can compliment and praise the countess. If that honorable lady really wants us to talk to her If given the chance, I'm pretty good at it."

Because of her husband's business, Aunt Gardner often needs to socialize with some officials' wives.It is very uncomfortable for her to communicate with this kind of unequal status, but she can think about it and is good at handling it, so she doesn't think it is bad.

Catherine was very grateful for her aunt's company, and joked aloud, "I just hope that the countess has never met Mr. Collins, otherwise the compliments from my aunt must not be enough."

"Then I can only tell you bluntly that our invitation was sent by Mr. Gordon himself. Presumably few people can have such a grand treatment." Mrs. Gardner joked.

"You're right, auntie, help me see if the words 'Master's younger brother personally sends the invitation' are written on my face."

While they were talking and laughing, the carriage had already turned over the mountains and slopes, and entered the territory of Earl Gordon's estate.

Under the laws and social rules of England today, the country manors of nobles are not only a luxurious and luxurious residence, but also shoulder many social, economic and even legal functions.The owner of the manor is not only the owner of a house, but also the master of this territory, who can decide many things within the scope of the manor. 2

The location of Earl Gordon's fief is very good, very close to London, and he must be generous and kind. The scenes that Catherine saw along the way were all peaceful and rich.

"It's rare. For so many years, except for Pemberley, where I lived for a long time when I was a child, I have never seen such a peaceful and peaceful scene." Mrs. Gardner said with emotion.

Catherine and the others talked about what they saw.And when they really entered the manor, they were all attracted by the manor in front of them, and they couldn't care less about chatting.

Earl Gordon's manor covers a huge area of ​​nearly five square kilometers. After their carriage passed through the intricately carved iron gates, they first saw a huge fountain. The meter-long water column rushed to the sky, and the huge water splash hit the ground, raising countless crystal clear water drops.Behind the fountain is a calm lake with several white swans swimming gracefully and quietly on the lake.The two scenery is quiet and moving, spectacular and demure, very elegant.

"It's so beautiful." Mrs. Gardner couldn't help but said.

Their carriage moved along the flat and wide passage beside the lake. The tall oak trees and camphor trees on both sides of the road were scattered in an orderly manner, and the endless green lawn was spread on the ground like a carpet. Lost beauty, gold and silver intertwined Baroque buildings.

They drove another half mile before approaching the main mansion.Catherine saw a servant standing at the intersection from a distance, greeting them.

The carriage stopped, and the three of Catherine got out of the carriage. The servants of the manor came up to greet them and politely asked them to show their invitation cards.

Aunt Gardner produced the fine parchment, and Catherine stood behind her, looking from side to side quietly.

She noticed that several carriages arrived at the same time as them, and when each carriage was approaching, two servants in uniform red uniforms would come forward to greet them, and one would guide the groom and tell the other party that the carriage should be taken away. Where to stop, the other is responsible for reading invitations and leading the way.

In this link alone, there were nearly ten servants who were busy in front and back, and this was just at the door.

Catherine looked up at the magnificent palace-like building in front of her, and deeply felt the luxury and majesty of the nobles in the feudal society.

The servant led them to the mansion.Along the way, Catherine gained a deeper understanding of the wealth of Earl Gordon's family. It turned out that the place where the carriage was parked just now was not the final destination. They passed through the open courtyard, walked past the intricately carved classical stone pillars, and walked After walking for nearly 10 minutes, I came to the door of the main building.

Along the way, they did not open their mouths, admiring the manor and listening to the servants' introduction to the scenery inside the manor.

At last they came to the door.Catherine saw another servant bring the last wave of guests into the mansion, and when she was about to walk up the steps, the servant asked them to wait.Catherine and the others didn't know why, but they waited politely.They saw him whisper to a butler in black, who then stepped forward to show them the way.

Catherine and Aunt Gardner exchanged a glance, not understanding why.But they didn't say anything, just followed him quietly.

They walked through the long porch, and as soon as they entered the hall, Catherine looked in amazement at the dome, which was more than ten meters high. There were religious-themed paintings on the ceiling. Gold sculptures, stone pillars, and walls highlight the magnificence of the Baroque style. 3

When Catherine walked through the front hall, she could already hear noisy voices coming from the room on the front right. When she thought they had arrived at their destination, she found that the butler led them to the left and walked into the salon.

Different from ordinary families who use the lounge to receive guests, the rich and powerful family will specially equip a room with a beautiful environment and luxurious decoration as a salon. As the ladies of Paris gradually turn the salon into an important place for academic and political exchanges , London's aristocrats also followed suit, and the salon has increasingly become an important social place for entertaining guests. 4

Catherine saw the housekeeper approaching a lady surrounded by people, bending over and whispering.Hearing her words, the other party immediately raised his head and looked at Catherine and the others with piercing eyes.

Catherine guessed that this was Earl Gordon's wife.

The countess quickly got up and walked towards them, and with the enthusiasm that Catherine did not expect, she took the initiative to say: "I have been looking forward to your arrival, Mrs. Gardner and the two young ladies."

Aunt Gardner was relieved by her warmth.On such occasions, if the countess does not speak or ignores them, they will be very embarrassed. After all, if someone with a low status initiates a conversation, it will be considered very rude.

"Thank you very much for your invitation. We are very honored to be able to attend your ball." Aunt Gardner let go of her worries and quickly coped with it.She highly praised the magnificence of the Earl's manor and the grandeur of the banquet.

Tina smiled and said modestly that her praise was too much. After the necessary politeness was over, she looked at Jane and Catherine. To be precise, she looked at Jane.

Catherine and Jane saluted her, and Aunt Gardner introduced them.Only then did Tina realize that she had misidentified the wrong person.She first praised Jane's beauty, and then her eyes fell on Catherine, her tone was full of enthusiasm and admiration.

"Although before I met you, I concluded that a young lady who can write a work like "Return of Blood" must be very special. But after seeing you, I realized that my guess was still not accurate enough. Your youth is far beyond my imagination, Excuse me, are you 20 years old?" Tina's tone was not overly affectionate, but there was a sense of kindness, which made Catherine feel valued and not uncomfortable at the same time.

"Thank you for your compliment, madam. I am very happy that "Return of Blood" has been affirmed by you. I want it right away." Catherine replied.

"? Then when you wrote the book, you were only seventeen?" Tina was a little shocked.Although she knew from her uncle that Catherine was a young lady, she always thought she was 25, or even about the same age as Willard.She never expected that it was actually a young girl.

"Yes ma'am."

After a short period of daze, Tina cursed Willard in her heart for not telling her such information on purpose. When she was about to talk to Catherine again, the servant stepped forward and told her that Countess Doyle had arrived.

Tina was the hostess of the banquet, so it was naturally impossible to spend all her time on them. In fact, she spent more time on Catherine than the previous guests combined.

She had no choice but to say regretfully: "Sorry, I'm going to be too busy. Fortunately, I still have a long time tonight. Let me introduce some friends to you first."

There were not many people in the salon, and Catherine guessed that not all the guests would be led here.When Tina introduced them to everyone, she only said "Mrs. Gardner" and "Miss Bennett" and "Miss Catherine", and she used similar names when introducing others.

I have to say that Tina's arrangement is very considerate.Although Catherine didn't think there was anything inappropriate about Aunt Gardner's identity, but according to the current standard, if Tina bluntly said that her aunt was a businessman, these high-minded wives and ladies would definitely make them feel uncomfortable.

Tina quickly went to serve the next guest.Aunt Gardner took the two of them to sit in a corner of the salon, keeping a close distance from the others.

Catherine listened to the topics of the ladies and thought that the conversation was very jumpy. They first started talking about the skirt worn by a lady, and then talked about the perfume and beauty of France, where the skirt originated, and then began to criticize Napoleon and his provocation. of war, considered the man ruthless and barbaric.

Catherine noticed that there were quite a few wives talking loudly, but like them, there were not a few who listened silently.She guessed that the latter did not have any distinguished status, and probably belonged to the family of "writers and painters" that Willard said.

Such an arrangement does not conform to social norms.According to the rules of many nobles, they should be separated from those who are inferior to them.But due to the power of the countess and the theme of literature and art that was expressed when the banquet was held, no one was picky about this for the time being.

"You said they arranged this to take care of you?" Mrs. Gardner whispered to Catherine.

Catherine immediately denied: "This is impossible. You said that Willard has some favors for me, and I can barely refute, but he will never spend such thoughts for me."

Aunt Gardner was only guessing, and the two chatted in a low voice, just in time to hear Willard's name being mentioned in the room.

"Miss Manla hasn't arrived yet?" A lady said in an unclear tone, "This is really strange, you know Mr. Gordon has been here all day, according to the past, Miss Manla should almost there."

Some of the ladies and ladies in the salon laughed softly.

Catherine blinked her eyes, a little curious, and listened gossipingly.