目 录 上一节 下一节 
“要是下趟我有幸再跟你谈到这个问题，我希望你能够给我一个比这次满意点的回答。我不怪你这次冷酷无情，因为我知道，你们姑娘们对于男人第一次的未婚，照例总是描绘，也许你刚刚听说的一番话，正符合女人家微妙的性格，反而足以鼓励我继续追求下去。” "Really, Mr. Collins," cried Elizabeth with some warmth, "you puzzle me exceedingly. If what I have hitherto said can appear to you in the form of encouragement, I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as may convince you of its being one." 伊丽莎白一听此话，不免有些气恼，便大声叫道：“柯林斯先生，你真弄得我太莫名其妙了。我的话已经说到这个地步，要是你还觉得这是鼓励你的话，那我可不知道该怎么样放纵你，才能使你死心塌地。” "You must give me leave to flatter myself my dear cousin that your refusal of my addresses is merely words of course. My reasons for believing it are briefly these: -- It does not appear to me that my hand is unworthy your acceptance, or that the establishment I can offer would be any other than highly desirable. My situation in life, my connections with the family of De Bourgh, and my relationship to your own, it into farther consideration that in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you. Your portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications. As I must therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me, I shall choose to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females." “亲爱的表妹，请允许我说句自不量力的话：我相信你拒绝我的未婚，不过是照例说说罢了。我所以会这样想，简单说来，有这样几点理由：我觉得我向你未婚，并不见得就不值得你接受，我的家产你决不会不放在眼里。我的社会地位，我同德·包尔府上的关系，以及跟你府上的亲戚关系，都是我非常优越的条件。我得提请你考虑一下：尽管你有许多吸引人的地方，不幸你的财产太少，这就把你的可爱、把你许多优美的条件都抵消了，不会有另外一个人再向你求婚了，因此我就不得不认为：你这一次并不是一本正经地拒绝我，而是彷效一般高贵的女性的通例，欲擒故纵，想要更加博得我的喜爱。” "I do assure you, Sir, that I have no pretension whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart." “先生，我向你保证，这决没有冒充风雅，故意作弄一位不面子的绅士。但愿你相信我说的是真话，我就很有面子了，承蒙不弃，向我未婚，我真是感激不尽，但要我接受，是绝对不可能的。我感情上怎么也办不到。难道我说得不够明白吗？请你别把我当作一个故意作弄你的高贵女子，而要把我看作一个说真心话的平凡人。” "You are uniformly charming!" cried he, with an air of awkward gallantry; "and I am persuaded that when sanctioned by the express authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will not fail of being acceptable." 他大为狼狈，又不得不装出满脸的殷勤神气叫道：“你始终都那么可爱！我相信只要令尊令堂作主应承了我，你就决不会拒绝。” 
他再三要存心自欺欺人，伊丽莎白可懒得再去理他，马上不声不响地走开了。她打定了主意：倘若他一定要把她几次三番的拒绝看作是有意讨他的好，有意鼓励他，那么她就只得去求助于她父亲，叫他斩钉截铁地回绝他。柯林斯总不见得再把她父亲的拒绝，看作一个高贵女性的装腔作势和卖弄风情了吧。 Mr. Collins was not left long to the silent contemplation of his successful love; for Mrs. Bennet, having dawdled about in the vestibule to watch for the end of the conference, no sooner saw Elizabeth open the door and with quick step pass her towards the staircase, than she entered the breakfast room, and congratulated both him and herself in warm terms on the happy prospect of their nearer connection. Mr. Collins received and returned these felicitations with equal pleasure, and then proceeded to relate the particulars of their interview, with the result of which he trusted he had every reason to be satisfied, since the refusal which his cousin had steadfastly given him would naturally flow from her bashful modesty and the genuine delicacy of her character. 柯林斯先生独自一个人默默地幻想着美满的姻缘，可是并没有想上多久，因为班纳特太太一直待在走廊里混时间，等着听他们俩商谈煌结果，现在看见伊丽莎白开了门，匆匆忙忙走上楼去，她便马上走进饭厅，热烈地祝贺柯林斯先生，祝贺她自己，说是他们今后大有亲上加亲的希望了。柯林斯先生同样快乐地接受了她的祝贺，同时又祝贺了她一番，接着就把他跟伊丽莎白刚才的那场谈话，一五一十地讲了出来，说他有充分的理由相信，谈话的结果很令人满意，因为他的表妹虽然再三拒绝，可是那种拒绝，自然是她那羞怯淑静和娇柔细致的天性的流露。 This information, however, startled Mrs. Bennet; -- she would have been glad to be equally satisfied that her daughter had meant to encourage him by protesting against his proposals, but she dared not to believe it, and could not help saying so. 这一消息可叫班纳特太太吓了一跳。当然，要是她的女儿果真是口头上拒绝分的求婚，骨子里却在鼓励他，那她也会同样觉得高兴的，可是她不敢这么想，而且不得不照直说了出来。 "But depend upon it, Mr. Collins," she added, "that Lizzy shall be brought to reason. I will speak to her about it myself directly. She is a very headstrong foolish girl, and does not know her own interest; but I will make her know it." 她说：“柯林斯先生，你放心吧，我会叫丽萃懂事一些的。我马上就要亲自跟她谈谈。她是个固执的傻姑娘，不明白好歹；可是我会叫她明白的。” "Pardon me for interrupting you, Madam," cried Mr. Collins; "but if she is really headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would altogether be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation, who naturally looks for happiness in the marriage state. If therefore she actually persists in rejecting my suit, perhaps it were better not to force her into accepting me, because if liable to such defects of temper, she could not contribute much to my felicity." “对不起，让我插句嘴，太太，”柯林斯先生叫道：“要是她果真又固执又傻，那我就不知道她是否配做我理想的妻子了，因为象我这样地位的人，结婚自然是为了要幸福。这么说，如果她真拒绝我的求婚，那倒是不要勉强她好，否则，她脾气方面有了这些缺点，她对于我的幸福决不会不什么好处。” 
班纳特太太吃惊地说：“先生，你完全误会了我的意思，丽萃不过在这类事情上固执些，可是遇到别的事情，她的性子再好也没有了。我马上去找班纳特先生，我们一下子就会把她这个问题谈妥的，我有把握。” She would not give him time to reply, but hurrying instantly to her husband, called out as she entered the library, 她不等他回答，便急忙跑到丈夫那儿去，一走进他的书房就嚷道： "Oh! Mr. Bennet, you are wanted immediately; we are all in an uproar. You must come and make Lizzy marry Mr. Collins, for she vows she will not have him, and if you do not make haste he will change his mind and not have her." “噢，我的好老爷，你得马上出来一下；我们闹得天翻地覆了呢。你得来劝劝丽萃跟柯林斯先生结婚，因为她赌咒发誓不要他；假如你不赶快来打个圆场，他就要改变主意，反过来不要她了。” Mr. Bennet raised his eyes from his book as she entered, and fixed them on her face with a calm unconcern which was not in the least altered by her communication. 班纳特先生见她走进来，便从书本上抬起眼睛，安然自得、漠不关心地望着她脸上。他听了她的话，完全不动声色。 "I have not the pleasure of understanding you," said he, when she had finished her speech. "Of what are you talking?" 她说完以后，他便说道：“抱歉，我没有听懂你究竟说些什么。” 
“我说的是柯林斯先生和丽萃的事，丽萃表示不要柯林斯先生，柯林斯先生也开始说他不要丽萃了。” "And what am I to do on the occasion? -- It seems an hopeless business." “这种事叫我有什么办法？看来是件没有指望贩事。” "Speak to Lizzy about it yourself. Tell her that you insist upon her marrying him." “你去同丽萃说说看吧。就跟她说，你非要她跟她结婚不可。” "Let her be called down. She shall hear my opinion." “叫她下来吧。让我来跟她说。” Mrs. Bennet rang the bell, and Miss Elizabeth was summoned to the library. 班纳特太太拉下了铃，伊丽莎白小姐给叫到书房里来了。 
爸爸一见她来，便大声说：“上这儿来，孩子，我叫你来谈一件要紧的事。我听说柯林斯先生向你求婚，真有这回事吗？”伊丽莎白说，真有这回事。“很好。你把这桩婚事回绝了吗？” "I have, Sir." “我回绝了，爸爸。” "Very well. We now come to the point. Your mother insists upon your accepting it. Is not it so, Mrs. Bennet?" “很好，我们现在就来谈到本题。你的妈非要你答应不可。我的好太太，可不是吗？” "Yes, or I will never see her again." “是的，否则我看也不要看到她了。” "An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. -- Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do." “摆在你面前的是个很不幸的难题，你得自己去抉择，伊丽莎白。从今天起，你不和父亲成为陌路人，就要和母亲成为陌路人。要是你不嫁给柯林斯先生，你的妈就不要再见你，要是你嫁给他，我就不要再见你了。”
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