Pride and Prejudice. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Intermediate

«I know you believe it; but lam by no means convinced that you would be gone so fast if, as you were mounting your horse, a friend were to say, „Bingley, you had better stay till next week“, you would probably do it, you would probably not go».

В«By thisВ», cried Elizabeth, В«you have only shown Mr. Bingley's good nature much better than he did himselfВ».

В«Thank youВ», said Bingley, В«for turning my friend's words into a compliment on the sweetness of my temper. But I am convinced he would certainly be of better opinion of me, if under such circumstance I refused to stay and rode off as fast as I couldВ».

В«Would Mr. Darcy then consider that your refusal to stay was justified by the sudden decision to go away?В»

В«Upon my word, I cannot exactly explain the matter; Darcy must speak for himselfВ».

Darcy said he didn't have to explain the opinion he hadn't expressed.

В«But you must remember, Miss Bennet, that the friend just asked him to return to the house, without offering any argument in favour of its necessityВ».

В«To yield readily, easily, to the persuasion of a friend is no virtue with youВ».

В«To yield without persuasion is no compliment to the intelligence of eitherВ».

В«It seems, Mr. Darcy, you allow nothing for the influence of friendship and affection. Would you think poorly of a person if he yields to the desire of a friend, without waiting to be persuaded?В»

В«Before we continue, won't it be better, if we determine the degree of importance of that friend's request more precisely, as well as the degree of intimacy between the parties?В»

В«By all meansВ», cried Bingley, В«let us hear all the details, not forgetting their comparative height and size.

I assure you, Miss Bennet, if Darcy were not such a great tall fellow, in comparison with myself, I would not yield to him half so much. I must say I don't know a more awful object than Darcy, on certain occasions, and in certain places; at his own house especially, and of a Sunday evening, when he has nothing to doВ».

Mr. Darcy smiled. But Elizabeth felt that he was rather offended, and, therefore, didn't laugh.

В«I see, BingleyВ», said his friend. В«You dislike reasoning, and want to stop thisВ».

В«Perhaps I do. Reasoning is too much like debate. If you and Miss Bennet postpone yours till I am out of the room, I'll be very thankful; and then you may say whatever you like of meВ».