目 录 上一节 下一节 
她有过妹妹，嫁给了她爸爸的书记腓力普，妹夫接下来就承继了她爸爸的行业；她还有兄弟，住在伦敦，生意做得很得法。 The village of Longbourn was only one mile from Meryton; a most convenient distance for the young ladies, who were usually tempted thither three or four times a week, to pay their duty to their aunt, and to a milliner's shop just over the way. The two youngest of the family, Catherine and Lydia, were particularly frequent in these attentions; their minds were more vacant than their sisters', and when nothing better offered, a walk to Meryton was necessary to amuse their morning hours and furnish conversation for the evening; and however bare of news the country in general might be, they always contrived to learn some from their aunt. At present, indeed, they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the recent arrival of a militia regiment in the neighbourhood; it was to remain the whole winter, and Meryton was the head quarters. 浪博恩这个村子和麦里屯相隔只有一英里路，这么一段距离对于那几位年轻的小姐们是再便利不过的了，她们每星期总得上那儿在三四次，看看她们的姨母，还可以顺便看看那边一家卖女人帽子的商店。两个最小的妹妹咖苔琳和丽迪雅特别倾心于这方面，她们比姐姐们心事要少得多，每当没有更好的消遣办法时，就必定到麦里屯走一遭，消遣消遣美好的晨光，并且晚上也就有了谈助。尽管这村子里通常没有什么新闻可以打听，她们还老是千方百计地从她们姨妈那儿打听到一些。附近地方最近开到了一团民兵，她们的消息来源当然从此就丰富了，真叫她们高兴非凡。这一团人要在这儿驻扎整个冬天，麦里屯就是司令部的所在地。 Their visits to Mrs. Philips were now productive of the most interesting intelligence. Every day added something to their knowledge of the officers' names and connections. Their lodgings were not long a secret, and at length they began to know the officers themselves. Mr. Philips visited them all, and this opened to his nieces a source of felicity unknown before. They could talk of nothing but officers; and Mr. Bingley's large fortune, the mention of which gave animation to their mother, was worthless in their eyes when opposed to the regimentals of an ensign. 从此她们每次拜访腓力普太太都获得了最有趣的消息。她们每天都会打听到几个军官的名字和他们的社会关系。军官们的住宅不久就让大家知道了，再后来小姐们就直接跟他们搞熟了，腓力普先生一一拜访了那些军官，这真是替她的姨侄女们开辟了一道意想不到的幸福源泉。她们现在开口闭口都离不开那些军官。在这以前，只要提到彬格莱先生的偌大财产，她们的母亲就会眉飞色舞，如今跟军官们的制服对比起来，她们就觉得偌大的财产简直一钱不值了。 After listening one morning to their effusions on this subject, Mr. Bennet coolly observed, 一天早晨，班纳特先生听到她们滔滔不绝地谈到这个问题，他不禁冷言冷语地说： "From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced." “看你们谈话的神气，我觉得你们真是些再蠢不过的女孩子。以前我不是半信半疑，现在我可完全相信了。” 
咖苔琳一听此话，颇感不安，可是并没有回答。丽迪雅却完全没有把爸爸的话当一回事，还是接着说下去，说她自己多么爱慕卡特上尉，还希望当天能够跟他见面，因为他明天上午就要到伦敦去。 "I am astonished, my dear," said Mrs. Bennet, "that you should be so ready to think your own children silly. If I wished to think slightingly of any body's children, it should not be of my own, however." 班纳特太太对她丈夫说：“我真奇怪，亲爱的，你总喜欢说你自己的孩子蠢。要是我呀，什么人的孩子我都可以看不起，可是我决不会看不起自己的孩子。” "If my children are silly I must hope to be always sensible of it." “要是我自己的孩子果真蠢，我决不愿意没有自知之明。” "Yes -- but as it happens, they are all of them very clever." “你说得不错，可是事实上，她们却一个个都很聪明。” "This is the only point, I flatter myself, on which we do not agree. I had hoped that our sentiments coincided in every particular, but I must so far differ from you as to think our two youngest daughters uncommonly foolish." “我们两个人总算只有在这一点上看法不同。我本来希望你我在任何方面的意见才能融洽一致，可是说起我们的两个小女儿，的确非常蠢；关于这一点，到目前为止，我不得不跟你抱着两样的见解。” 
“我的好老爷，你可不能指望这些女孩都跟她们爹妈一样的见识呀。等她们到了我们这么大年纪，她们也许就会跟我们一样，不会再想到什么军官们了。我刻从前有个时期，我也很喜爱‘红制服’───当然，到现在我心里头还喜爱‘红制服’呢；要是有位漂亮的年轻上校，每年有五六千磅的收入，随便向我的哪一个女儿求婚，我决不会拒绝他的；有天晚上在威廉爵士家里，看见弗斯脱上校全副军装，真是一表人材！” "Mama," cried Lydia, "my aunt says that Colonel Forster and Captain Carter do not go so often to Miss Watson's as they did when they first came; she sees them now very often standing in Clarke's library." “妈妈，”丽迪雅嚷道，“姨妈说，弗斯脱上校跟卡特尔上尉一向上蔚琴小姐家里去的次数，不象初来的时候那么勤了；她近来常常看到他们站在‘克拉克借书处’等人。” Mrs. Bennet was prevented replying by the entrance of the footman with a note for Miss Bennet; it came from Netherfield, and the servant waited for an answer. Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and she was eagerly calling out, while her daughter read, 班纳特太太正要答话，不料一个小厮走了进来，拿来一封信给班纳特小姐。这是尼是斐花园送来的一封信，小厮等着取回信。班纳特太太高兴得眼睛也闪亮起来。吉英读信的时候，她心急地叫道： "Well, Jane, who is it from? what is it about? what does he say? Well, Jane, make haste and tell us; make haste, my love." “嘿，吉英，谁来的信？信上说些什么？是怎么说的？喂，吉英，赶快看完说给听吧；快点儿呀，宝宝！” "It is from Miss Bingley," said Jane, and then read it aloud. “是彬格莱小姐写来的，”吉英说，一面把信读出来： 
我亲爱的的朋友， If you are not so compassionate as to dine to-day with Louisa and me, we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives, for a whole day's tete-a-tete between two women can never end without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can on the receipt of this. My brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers. Yours ever, 要是你不肯发发慈悲，今天光临舍下跟露薏莎和我一同吃饭，我和她两个人就要结下终生的怨仇了。两个女人成天在一块儿谈心，到头来没有不吵架的。接信后希即尽快前来。我的哥和他的几位朋友们都要上军官们那儿去吃饭。你的永远的朋友 CAROLINE BINGLEY." 珈罗琳·彬格莱 "With the officers!" cried Lydia. "I wonder my aunt did not tell us of that." “上军官们那儿去吃饭！”丽迪雅嚷道，“这件事怎么姨妈没告诉我们呢。” "Dining out," said Mrs. Bennet, "that is very unlucky." “上别人家去吃饭，”班纳特太太说：“这真是晦气。” 
“我可以乘着车子去吗？”吉英部。 "No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night." “不行，亲爱的，你最好骑着马去。天好象要下雨的样子，下了雨你就可以在那儿过夜。” "That would be a good scheme," said Elizabeth, "if you were sure that they would not offer to send her home." “这倒是个好办法，”伊丽莎白说。“只要你拿得准他们不会送她回来。” "Oh! but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chaise to go to Meryton; and the Hursts have no horses to theirs." “噢，彬格莱先生的马车要送他的朋友到麦里屯去，赫斯脱夫妇又是有车无马。” "I had much rather go in the coach." “我倒还是愿意乘着马车去。” 
“可是，乖孩子，我包管你爸爸匀不出拖车子的马来。───农庄上正要马用，我的好老爷，是不是？” "They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them." “农庄上常常要马用，可惜到我手里的时候并不多。” "But if you have got them to-day," said Elizabeth, "my mother's purpose will be answered." 伊丽莎白说：“可是，如果今天到得你的手里，就如了妈妈的愿了。” She did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that the horses were engaged. Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback, and her mother attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a bad day. Her hopes were answered; Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters were uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain continued the whole evening without intermission; Jane certainly could not come back. 她终于逼得父亲不得不承认──那儿匹拉车子的马已经有了别的用处。于是吉英只得骑着另外一匹马去，母亲送她到门口，高高兴兴地说了许多预祝天气会变坏的话。她果真如愿了；吉英走了不久，就下起大雨来。妹妹们都替她担忧，只有她老人家反而高兴。大雨整个黄昏没有住点。吉英当然无法回来了。
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