Pride And Prejudice· Chapter 22
This was very amiable; but Charlotte's kindness extended farther than Elizabeth had any conception of: —its object was nothing less than to secure her from any return of Mr. Collins's addresses, by engaging them towards herself.

alacrity: speed and eagerness
eg. Sir William and Lady Lucas were speedily applied to for their consent; it was bestowed with a most joyful alarcrity.
expedient: helpful or useful in a particular situation, but sometimes not morally acceptable
這一段Lucas一家得知女兒Charlotte和Mr. Collins訂婚之后的反應(yīng)還挺有趣的:
Lady Lucas began directly to calculate, with more interest than the matter had ever excited before, how many years longer Mr. Bennet was likely to live; and Sir William gave it as his decided opinion, that whenever Mr. Collins should be in possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be highly expedient that both he and his wife should make their appearance at St. James's. The whole family were properly overjoyed on the occasion.
? Lady Lucas開始算Mr.Bennet還有幾年好活屬實是有點黑色幽默,前面Mrs. Bennet在Mr. Bingley面前評價Miss Lucas長相平平,很難嫁得好的時候也沒嘴下留情。然而這就是Mrs. Bennet口中的“珍貴的鄰居、最好的朋友”,真是塑料得不能再塑料的一對閨蜜。
irksome: annoying
eg. His society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary.
concurrence: a situation in which people agree or have the same opinion
eg. I am particularly obliged to you for this friendly caution, and you may depend upon my not taking so material a step without her Ladyship's concurrence.
momentary: lasting for a very short time
eg. The steady countenance which Miss lucas had commanded in telling her story gave way to a momentary confusion here on receiving so direct a reproach.
pang: a sudden sharp feeling, especially of painful emotion
eg. And to the pang of a friend disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem was added the distressing conviction that it was impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had chosen.