[Pride and Prejudice] Becoming Katherine Bennett

"Maybe Miss Manla didn't know Mr. Gordon was here."

"Really? But I think that even if she misses the news of the latest coup d'état in France, it is impossible for her not to know about Mr. Gordon."

……

Catherine thought she would hear some good gossip, but there was nothing.After the lady said these two sentences in a strange manner, no one answered in the salon.She mocked a few more words, but since no one responded, it was naturally difficult to continue the conversation.

Catherine could only guess from these brief words that Miss Manla might like Willard, and her liking was probably too obvious, which became the subject of this lady's irony.After all, it is not a good evaluation for girls to take the initiative in relationships now.

Aunt Gardner discussed with them: "I don't know what this lady has done to let people talk about her openly."

"Maybe they didn't do anything," Catherine said.Sometimes same-sex hostility does come out of nowhere.

The three of them said a few words on this and then talked about other topics.After a while, the door of the salon opened, and Catherine saw a lady walking in with a lady.

The lady was in her 30s, dressed gorgeously, and had an elegant posture, which was a common appearance of a noble lady.The young lady who was with her was very outstanding. Her appearance was as beautiful as Jane's, but unlike Jane's gentleness and gracefulness, this young lady was gorgeous and eye-catching.

Catherine soon knew from other people's words that this beautiful woman was Miss Manla.

Out of admiration for beauty, she looked at him for a long time, feeling a little regretful in her heart, thinking that if Miss Manla's expression on her face was not too defiant, then her beauty could be a little more beautiful.

After she walked into the salon, the young lady who just laughed at her behind her back immediately fell silent. In fact, not only her, but Catherine found that many young ladies did not speak much.

She couldn't help feeling puzzled.But soon she understood what was going on.

Miss Manla has a very special temper.When others take the initiative to talk to her, she tends to ignore them, as if she is not interested in chatting, but she seems willing to participate in other people's conversations, and always interjects in to give advice after hearing it.

If this is the case, then Catherine will not have any good impression of her, she is just a noble lady who looks down on others.But she had a lot of fun to say, and her timing was perfect.

A lady said that she was reading Euclid's "Elements", and was very interested in the new method of making conic sections.

Miss Manla stopped shaking her fan, and said critically: "I think Professor McLaughlin must be very pleased that you gave his achievements to others."

Another lady commented on the series of wars launched by Napoleon of France in recent years. Her words were very wonderful, and Catherine appreciated them very much.However, the lady was talking, and suddenly ended the topic with Napoleon's cruelty. Both the point of view and the words were inconsistent, which seemed to be a bit of a dog's tail.

Catherine was sighing a little when she heard Miss Manla say sarcastically: "If I hadn't seen the first few sentences you said in The Times the day before yesterday, I would almost have to stand up and applaud your wonderful thoughts. .But the last sentence is obviously your own conclusion, which is easy to distinguish. After all, anyone can tell that it doesn't sound like someone who has read the book."

Catherine bowed her head, not wanting to be seen being amused.

Although the lady who came with Miss Manla has successfully controlled her and forbade her to speak.But due to her previous efforts, the atmosphere in the salon has been successfully reduced to freezing point.Catherine was worried that someone would ask them something, but now there was no need for it, because no one was talking in the room.

Fortunately, this embarrassing silence didn't last long. The reappearance of the host, Tina, heated up the atmosphere again. Although everyone was still a little cautious, fearing that Miss Manla would embarrass them if they said something wrong, they finally dared to speak , and that Miss Manla didn't say anything bad again.

Mrs. Gardner said: "This noble lady is really domineering, and she doesn't save face for others."

"But there's nothing wrong with what she said," said Catherine.

Catherine is not disgusted with such people, and Miss Manla's personality can be summed up as a slapstick, and she doesn't like other people's pretending.Although it was a bit rude, Catherine still thought that this kind of directness was much better than the double-faced eccentricity of the Bingley sisters.

Not long after everyone sat in the salon, Tina led the housekeeper and many servants and invited everyone to the ballroom.

The three of Catherine followed behind Tina and walked into the gate of the banquet hall.

The banquet hall of the Earl's Manor is more gorgeous and spectacular than all the ballrooms Catherine has seen before. The beautiful dome, exquisite decoration, and luxurious decorations reveal the atmosphere of art and the luxury of power everywhere.

Catherine felt that almost as soon as she entered the banquet hall, there was a scorching gaze surrounding her.

Catherine looked in the direction of her gaze, and saw someone she hadn't expected at all.

It's Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy is dressed up today, wearing a new beige three-piece suit. The tailoring and high-end fabrics highlight his extraordinary appearance.

With a glass in one hand, he stood just a few meters away from her, surrounded by several gentlemen who were talking, but he didn't speak to them at all, he didn't even look at them.

Darcy had been looking at her intently, without blinking for a moment, ever since she came in.

It never occurred to Catherine that she would see Mr. Darcy here today.

Catherine had heard nothing from this gentleman for nearly two months since their departure.

Catherine hadn't inquired, let alone asked.For him, she thought everything was over, and the only thing that could prove that his affection had happened was that she would secretly think of him in her mind in the dead of night.

She didn't say anything to anyone, and she didn't think about him for a long time, but she cherished and recalled the affection she had never felt before.

In Catherine's mind, her relationship with Darcy has stopped here forever, and only when she occasionally flips through the memory fragments can she remember that there was once a very good gentleman who seriously liked her.

They have no ending and will never meet again.

But there's nothing wrong with that.One cannot be too greedy, one cannot want everything.

Catherine, who was thinking this way, couldn't predict that the person she thought she would never see again would suddenly appear in front of her.

"Kitty, isn't that Mr. Darcy?" Jane also saw Darcy, touched Catherine with her shoulder, and whispered to her.

Catherine couldn't help being upset, but she nodded calmly: "Yes. I didn't expect to meet him here."

When Catherine and Jane were talking, they deliberately looked away, not wanting to have any stalemate with Mr. Darcy's eyes.But after a while, she couldn't hold back, and raised her eyes slightly, and found that he was still looking at her, his eyes were gentle and focused.

Catherine suddenly felt confused.

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley leave together without saying good-bye on the second day of the Netherfield ball.

When she first heard the news from Jane, Catherine thought silently that maybe her silence had hurt him, because she chose to ignore his affection.Or he became angry from embarrassment, thinking that it was her great luck that such an honorable and wealthy gentleman like him liked her, and she was not grateful for Dade's acceptance, and dared to ignore it.It is also possible that her family's uneducated family members made him feel ashamed that he once liked him, so he left in a hurry.

Whatever the reason, his departure is a fact.For a few seconds Catherine fancied that the gentleman might leave her with a word, but she quickly dismissed the idea.how can that be possible?He and she are nothing.

As soon as this idea came up, Catherine felt very ridiculous.While claiming to be calm, while holding unrealistic fantasies.

She has rejected others, what else does she want?Why should she be disappointed because the other party left decisively?

Is it necessary for someone else to come to her again, tell her why she left, and make her return to the original place with a little shaken mind?

Mr. Darcy owed her nothing.He was only slightly moved by her.It was she who should thank him.

Catherine thought she had absolutely no right to blame the gentleman, and her disappointment was unjustified.She is not worthy of such a gentleman and his feelings. They are passers-by, passing by in a hurry, and should not have any communication.

Mr. Darcy must have thought so too, and his decisive departure is the best proof.

But if he no longer has any interest in her, why is he staring at him with such hot eyes now?

Catherine's heart was full of emotions, but her face still maintained her usual coldness.

Compared with Catherine's unpreparedness for the meeting, Darcy's mood can be described as sad and excited.

He didn't want to see Catherine here, not at all.The meeting here meant that his previous guesses and inferences were all correct. She did know Mr. Gordon, and perhaps had some special connection.

But he really wanted to see her.

This longing has become so intense that no matter where this reunion happens, even in a dream, it will make him extremely happy.

Darcy had made up his mind to bid her farewell when he left Nedfell.He resolved that in the rest of his life he would go to London, he would go to Derbyshire, he would go to Ireland, he might even go to Paris, but he would never go to Nedfield again.

In this way, he will never see her again.

As long as you don't see her, that's fine.

Darcy thought he had found the most perfect and realistic way to forget her in the world.

But he never expected that when he walked away, her smile did not leave his mind and heart for a moment.He never thought that one day, they would meet again.

It is providence, Fitzwilliam Darcy.Darcy thought.

Darcy looked at Catherine with extremely restrained and greedy eyes.He found that she was so beautiful tonight, she was like a goddess born in mythology, she was so radiant, there was no other woman in the world who could be as charming as her.

He had never seen such a dress before.Thinking of this, Darcy felt that his heart was suddenly tightly grasped.Is her beauty dazzling for others?

He is not the only one who has the same idea as Darcy.

Willard walked up to Catherine.

He looked at her with a smile, as if looking at the soft moonlight outside the window, or at the spring breeze and rising sun in March.However, he did not resort to these compliments.

He just looked at her fiercely, and said softly, "You are so beautiful tonight."