[Pride and Prejudice] Becoming Katherine Bennett

Catherine, Jane, and Elizabeth came out of the bookstore, holding the books they had chosen.

Elizabeth arrived in London at noon today.She was in the same carriage with Sir Lucas and his daughter Maria. After a night's rest in London, they will continue to visit Charlotte in Hansford tomorrow morning.

"You don't know how boring I am at home." After Elizabeth arrived, she talked to them about all kinds of things at home, what new books her father bought, how her mother complained, Mary repeated famous quotes every day, and Lydia kept talking to one after another. When an officer makes friends, everyone doesn't change at all.

"I didn't realize I missed you so much before." After finishing speaking, Elizabeth jokingly concluded.

And Catherine responded: "We are very exciting in London, and there is no time to think of you."

Elizabeth was about to pull Catherine's hat, but Catherine avoided it with a smile. The three of them got into the carriage while talking and laughing, and Elizabeth talked to them about Wickham again.

"I bid farewell to him before leaving. Although the love for me is gone, he still reminded me a lot, especially the things to pay attention to when dealing with Mrs. Catherine."

Now the transportation is inconvenient, and everyone will always be a long-term visitor when they go out, especially when they visit friends' homes from afar.Elizabeth's farewell is reasonable, after all, it is not known whether the militia will still be stationed in Meryton after she returns.

With today's communication and transportation, maybe this is the last time they meet.In Elizabeth's heart, because of Catherine's letter, she lost a lot of affection for Wickham, and increased some before parting.

As for the love affair between Wickham and Miss King, Elizabeth really thinks that, as Catherine said, this behavior is very bad.She used to think that there was a reason for this, which is understandable, but now she thinks this way: "Anyway, I may not meet him again. For the sake of our previous relationship, I wish him well. As for the others, I still don't think well."

Catherine deliberately imitated the tone of the elders, and said with relief: "Lizzie, it's great, you have grown up."

This time Elizabeth really pulled her hat off.

The carriage soon stopped in front of Catherine's new house.

When Elizabeth entered the room, she was full of praise for the whole room.From the generous and smooth layout of the house to the simple and bright floor-to-ceiling windows, from the sound of the piano from the neighbor's house to the bookstore within a few steps, she praised all of them. She really appreciates it.

"It's really wonderful here!" Elizabeth admired sincerely, "It's a hundred times better than what you described to me."

Of course Catherine knew that her sister said this on purpose to please her, but even so, she was very happy.

Although there was nothing in the house now, it didn't affect her excitedly talking about the future design of the house.Those blueprints have been sketched out in her mind many times, and she has thought about the details down to what kind of lace to choose for the bed sheets.

Here is a dining table covered with muslin and roses; here is a sofa, and she wants to choose a style that is soft but not hard, and it is best for people to sink into it; here is her desk, She will be equipped with an expensive and comfortable chair, after all, she will spend most of her time writing the book here; here will be a kitten nest, and she will keep a cute and sweet cat to accompany her; here is a A double bed, big size, she also needs to buy soft cushions and the most skin-friendly bedding, so that she can roll from one side of the bed to the other side of the bed every day...

Catherine's money was limited, and her furniture was very expensive. She spent every penny where she cared most, and tried her best to decorate her home.

Catherine's description made both Jane and Elizabeth yearn for it.

From her words, they vaguely felt for the first time that Catherine's happiness was not because of this small house the size of Longbourn's living room, nor because of anything else, but because of the kind of people who could control themselves. freedom of life.

Back home, Jane chatted with them about Miss Bingley for the first time, with a look of calmness in her tone: "Although you are all persuading me, I don't want to admit that I have misidentified my friend, but now it seems that this time it is another I was wrong. Caroline told me that they would be coming soon. It's been over a week now and I haven't even given me a note. I'm trying to find a reason for them every day. Maybe I shouldn't because They are temporarily busy, so they deny our friendship."

"But what can they do?" Catherine said, "She's not a gentleman who needs to go out to make money, she just sits at home all day to attend a tea party and do some needlework. I really regard you as a friend, so I don't even have time to visit No."

If it was before, Jane would still smile and say "it's not like this", but she has been with Catherine recently, and she is the closest person to see everything that happened to Catherine, so it is impossible not to be touched a little.

Including the way back just now, Jane was thinking, if my sister is steel, is she just a delicate rose?

Jane knows that many people say that she is very beautiful, and praise her for being gentle and kind. She has always faced everything with a positive attitude.Although she will also suffer from other people's malice, she does not want to believe that others are bad, so she can only blame herself for all the faults.

And once such a fixed mindset was formed, she entered a vicious circle. She became more gentle and kind, and believed that everyone was a good person, and attributed all the faults to herself.

If Jane could manage not to feel bad about it, there was nothing wrong with thinking so.But Jane knew that she would be sad, and her heart was beating softly, so of course she would be sad about it.

"Kitty, I wanted to ask you that day. Please answer me frankly and don't hide anything. In your eyes, am I very useless and can't handle anything?"

"Of course not," Catherine immediately denied, "Jane, please don't say that."

"But when I look at you, I always feel that I am useless. You are so strong and brave, and I will only be at home, feeling sad for a friendship, really like the delicate flower you said."

Catherine said: "We have different personalities, so there is no need to follow a set of standards. Besides, who can say that roses must be bad, and steel must be good?"

After all, Catherine is a person hundreds of years later. With the thoughts and vision of later generations, she uses her experience to make demands on people today. This is definitely very unfair.

Catherine continued: "Originally, everyone has a different path and direction. It's not necessarily a good thing if thousands of horses are silent. Just like a garden, it is the most dazzling and fragrant when it is full of purples and reds. Besides, if it is possible, who would not want to be a kind and innocent silly girl for the rest of her life? "

If she could choose, Catherine didn't want to be so strong, she didn't want to be so rigid, and she didn't want to stand outside to protect herself from the wind and rain. She hoped that she would never know the dangers and hardships of the world.

It's a pity that she hasn't had such an opportunity since she was born.

People always envy what they don't have. She envies Jane's innocence and kindness, just as Jane envies her bravery and decisiveness now.

"Should I do something to change my character?" Jane asked.

"You can start by saying bad things about Miss Bingley." Elizabeth suggested with a smile, "Jane, I didn't ask you to say bad things about her on purpose, as long as you calm down and describe her truthfully, you will find that she is not good at all. Saying it is wrong.”

While the three sisters were talking, the housekeeper knocked on the door and came in, saying that a gentleman had come to visit.

Catherine and the others were a little surprised.The Gardners were not at home, and Sir Lucas and Maria went out, leaving only the three of them and the Gardners' children in the house.

Catherine said: "Did you tell that gentleman? Uncle is not at home."

The housekeeper said: "Sir, he said he came to see you, Miss Catherine."

Catherine blinked and quickly guessed who it was.

They walked out of the lounge together, and sure enough, they saw Willard standing there in the living room.

"I'm sorry to bother you." Mr. Gordon looked very gentlemanly at this time, with a polite and polite smile on his face, and a personable demeanor.They had met before at Longbourne, and he took off his hat to salute the three, and the sisters bowed back to him.

Jane ordered the servants to prepare tea, and Catherine asked: "Mr. Gordon, what kind of tea do you want to drink? Let me first explain that there is no particularly good tea at home, let alone tea like the one in your office. It can only quench your thirst. "

Willard raised the corners of his mouth, and said politely: "Don't bother, ladies, I'll be leaving right away. I'm just here for one thing."

As he spoke, his words stopped and he did not continue.

Elizabeth and Jane understood him at once, and Mr. Gordon seemed not to wish their part in what he said.They took the initiative to walk to the corner of the living room, a little distance away from them.

Catherine looked at him inexplicably.She felt that Mr. Gordon was very strange today. From the very first sentence, he was very different from usual. The casual and natural look was gone when he spoke, but a kind of politeness.

It's not that it's bad, in fact, other gentlemen are like this, it's just that he never did it before.

Willard pretended not to see Catherine's strange gaze, and he continued: "There is a dance on Saturday, the master hopes you can attend, and I'm here to invite you."

Catherine was taken aback, she didn't expect this reason at all, she thought that Mr. Gordon had sent her money: "Who is the host of the ball? I don't have much communication in London, why did he invite me?"

"It's my sister-in-law. I haven't introduced you yet. My brother is Earl Gordon. His wife will hold a dance at home next Saturday. She hopes to invite you to attend. She is a fan of your books, Would love to see you so much."

Catherine already knew his identity, but after all, the person involved told her personally, so I don't know if I should pretend to be surprised.At the end, she made a pompous "You are a very honorable sir," which made Willard want to laugh.

The topic ended quickly, and Catherine bluntly stated what she minded: "Mr. Gordon, I thought we had agreed that you should keep my identity a secret. If you can tell your family this time, maybe you will tell others next time." nobleman."

"My uncle said it. He was there when the contract was first signed. I guessed it and told him. That day "Blood Return" stopped serialization. She was anxious to go to the newspaper office to ask for a book. When she happened to meet her uncle, my uncle told her I'm sorry about that, and I've told them never to tell anyone else." Willard apologized so sincerely that he even bowed to her, a far cry from his usual playful apologies.

Catherine was a little dazed, and then quickly said, "It's okay, it's okay."

She has always only protected herself and never made things difficult for others. Once someone treats her well, she will always be grateful.Now that Gordon's explanation is serious and his apology is grand, she thinks she has no reason not to accept it.

Willard said: "This invitation is not because of anything else. The Congress has already opened, and Tina has long been preparing for a grand banquet. This time she invited many friends, writers, thinkers, and painters, not just nobles. You You won’t feel uncomfortable if you go.”

Catherine half-joked and half-asked: "But according to what you said, the ball will be held in three days. Could it be that the countess didn't intend to invite me, and you insisted on adding me so that I can gain knowledge?"

Prom invitations are generally given at least one to two weeks in advance to give guests time to plan.After all, many fastidious people will custom-made dresses and hats for this purpose, and carefully plan the actions of the day.

Willard didn't answer.

He just looked at her with deep and elusive eyes.

He looked at her, seeing her expression from strange to puzzled, and now to embarrassed, then smiled lightly and said softly: "It's my problem, she gave me the invitation a long time ago."

Catherine was uncomfortable being looked at by him, and even more so when she saw that she had no reason to refuse the invitation.

Although she hates balls very much, and unlike some other writers, she hopes to get acquainted with nobles so that she can find an official position in the management system, and even recommend it to the king, who will be appreciated and valued by the latter.

Catherine has no desire to cling to the powerful, nor does she want to waste her limited time on things she doesn't like.

But it was impossible for her to politely refuse Mr. Gordon's personal invitation.Except for the fact that his own danger made her afraid to get close, he has always been very kind to her.

Although she has already realized that there seems to be something wrong with Mr. Gordon's attitude, the questions raised by the family members have appeared in her mind at this time.

Did Mr. Gordon treat you very differently, they asked her?

Catherine opened her mouth, but in the end she didn't say what she really thought.She thanked the other party: "Thank you for your invitation, I will arrive on time."

"If your family is willing to go, my family and I are happy for it." Willard's smile widened slightly.

To be honest, he was not sure whether Catherine would agree to the invitation.He is confident in this matter for any other lady, but he can't say so about Catherine.

Now that she agreed, he was naturally very happy, thinking that Tina's suggestion might be right, ladies like polite gentlemen: "Do you need me to arrange a carriage to pick you up?"

"No need," Catherine declined, jokingly, "My uncle has a carriage, but it might be incompatible with your Carrickle."

Mr. Gordon took his leave and left. Catherine kept looking at the closed door, and waited for Elizabeth and Jane to come over before recovering and opening the invitation he sent.

They found that there was a large blank space where they wrote their names, and they could let Catherine fill in.

"Seeing how mysterious he is, I thought he was going to tell you something." Elizabeth picked up the beautiful invitation card, "The earl's brother, he is really a big man. Why did they invite you? For your book? Or for... ..."

Elizabeth withheld Mr. Gordon's name.After she arrived today, Catherine had already told her about the chat with Jane and her aunt about Mr. Gordon and her attitude.

At that time, Elizabeth wanted to say that you also denied Mr. Darcy at that time, but now she felt some of Catherine's temper. The latter seemed to avoid such topics, and she was not sure whether she would like to hear such speculation.

Catherine frowned slightly, indicating that she couldn't answer, she could only say: "The countess likes my book very much, and now many writers will become guests of big figures because of their good writing."

"Oh, it's like this," Elizabeth saw that her sister didn't want to talk about that gentleman. Although she didn't understand why she always had such a negative attitude towards feelings, she still changed the subject cooperatively, "You still don't want to tell Lucas Sir, otherwise he will not even go to Hansford, but will go to the ball with you. After that, the memory of that night will become his eternal souvenir, and he will tell everyone he meets ten times a day. Will also play a little bit in this scene."

Elizabeth's joking words made Catherine's lips twitch slightly, but it didn't improve her mood much.She spent the entire night of that day, including the next, distraught.