名著·傲慢与偏见 - 第89节


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  “他实在也有些不是,不过那都是因为他太谦虚。”

   This naturally introduced a panegyric from Jane on his diffidence, and the little value he put on his own good qualities. Elizabeth was pleased to find that he had not betrayed the interference of his friend; for, though Jane had the most generous and forgiving heart in the world, she knew it was a circumstance which must prejudice her against him.

  吉英听了这话,自然又赞美起他的虚心来,赞美他虽然具有了许多优美的品质,可并不自以为了不起。伊丽莎白高兴的是,彬格莱并没有把他朋友阻挡这件事的经过泄露出来,因为右英虽然宽宏大量,不记仇隙,可是这件事如果让她知道了,她一定会对达西有成见。

   "I am certainly the most fortunate creature that ever existed!" cried Jane. "Oh! Lizzy, why am I thus singled from my family, and blessed above them all! If I could but see you as happy! If there were but such another man for you!"

  吉英又大声说道:“我的确是古往今来最幸福的一个人!哦,丽萃,家里这么多人,怎么偏偏是我最幸福?但愿你也会同样的幸福!但愿你也能找到这样一个人!”

   "If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness. No, no, let me shift for myself; and, perhaps, if I have very good luck, I may meet with another Mr. Collins in time."

  “你即使给我几十个这样的人,我也决不会象你这样幸福。除非我脾气也象你这样好,人也象你这样好,我是无论如何也不会象你这样幸福的。不会,决不会,还是让我来自求多福吧,如果我运气好,到时候我也许又会碰一另外一个柯林斯。”

   The situation of affairs in the Longbourn family could not be long a secret. Mrs. Bennet was privileged to whisper it to Mrs. Philips, and she ventured, without any permission, to do the same by all her neighbours in Meryton.

  浪搏恩这家人家的事瞒也瞒了多久。先是班纳特太太得到了特许,偷偷地讲给了腓力普太太听,腓力普太太没有得到任何人的许可,就大胆地把它传遍了麦里屯的街坊四邻。

  记得就在几星期以前,丽迪雅刚刚私奔,那时大家都认为班纳特府上倒尽了霉,如今这样一来,班家竟在顷刻之间成了天下最有福气的一家人家了。

   One morning, about a week after Bingley's engagement with Jane had been formed, as he and the females of the family were sitting together in the dining room, their attention was suddenly drawn to the window, by the sound of a carriage; and they perceived a chaise and four driving up the lawn. It was too early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the equipage did not answer to that of any of their neighbours. The horses were post; and neither the carriage, nor the livery of the servant who preceded it, were familiar to them. As it was certain, however, that somebody was coming, Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss Bennet to avoid the confinement of such an intrusion, and walk away with him into the shrubbery. They both set off, and the conjectures of the remaining three continued, though with little satisfaction, till the door was thrown open and their visitor entered. It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

  有一天上午,大约是彬格莱和吉英订婚之后的一个星期,彬格莱正和女眷们坐在饭厅里,忽然听到一阵马车声,大家都走到窗口去看,只见一辆四马大轿车驶进园里来。这么一大早,理当不会有客人来,再看看那辆马车的配备,便知道这位访客决不是他们的街坊四邻。马是驿站上的马,至于马车本身,车前待从所穿的号服,他们也不熟悉。彬格莱既然断定有人来访,便马上劝班纳特小姐跟他避开,免得被这不速之客缠住,于是吉英跟他走到矮树林里去了。他们俩走了以后,另外三个人依旧在那儿猜测,可惜猜不出这位来客是谁。最后门开了,客人走进屋来,原来是咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人。

   They were of course all intending to be surprised; but their astonishment was beyond their expectation; and on the part of Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt.

  大家当然都十分诧异,万万想不到会有这样出奇的事。班纳特太太和吉蒂跟她素昧生平,可是反而比伊丽莎白更其感到宠幸。

   She entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, made no other reply to Elizabeth's salutation than a slight inclination of the head, and sat down without saying a word. Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother on her ladyship's entrance, though no request of introduction had been made.

  客人走进屋来的那副神气非常没有礼貌。伊丽莎白招呼她,她只稍微侧了一下头,便一屁股坐下来,一句话也不说。她走进来的时候,虽然没有要求人家介绍,伊丽莎白还是把她的名字告诉了她母亲。

   Mrs. Bennet, all amazement, though flattered by having a guest of such high importance, received her with the utmost politeness. After sitting for a moment in silence, she said very stiffly to Elizabeth,

  班纳特太太大为惊异,不过,这样一位了不起的贵客前来登门拜访,可又使她得意非凡,因此她便极其有礼貌地加以招待。咖苔琳夫人不声不响地坐了一会儿工夫,便冷冰冰地对伊丽莎白说:

  “我想,你一定过得很好吧,班纳特小姐。那位太太大概是你母亲?”

   Elizabeth replied very concisely that she was.

  伊丽莎白简简单单地回答了一声正是。

   "And that I suppose is one of your sisters."

  “那一位大概就是你妹妹吧?”

   "Yes, madam," said Mrs. Bennet, delighted to speak to a Lady Catherine. "She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all is lately married, and my eldest is somewhere about the grounds, walking with a young man who, I believe, will soon become a part of the family."

  班纳特太太连忙应声回答:“正是,夫人,”她能够跟这样一位贵夫人攀谈,真是得意。“这是我第四个女儿。我最小的一个女儿最近出嫁了,大女儿正和她的好朋友在附近散步,那个小伙子不久也要变成我们自己人了。”

   "You have a very small park here," returned Lady Catherine after a short silence.

  咖苔琳夫人没有理睬她,过了片刻才说:“你们这儿还有个小花园呢。”

  “哪能比得上罗新斯,夫人,可是我敢说,比威廉·卢卡斯爵士的花园却要大得多。”

   "This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west."

  “到了夏天,这间屋子做起居室一定很不适宜,窗子都朝西。”

   Mrs. Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner, and then added,

  班纳特太太告诉她说,她们每天吃过中饭以后,从来不坐在那儿,接着又说:

   "May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. and Mrs. Collins well."

  “我是否可以冒昧请问你夫人一声,柯林斯夫妇都好吗?”

   "Yes, very well. I saw them the night before last."

  “他们都很好,前天晚上我还看见他们的。”

  这时伊丽莎白满以为她会拿出一封夏绿蒂的信来;她认为咖苔琳夫人这次到这里来,决不可能为了别的原因。可是并不见夫人拿信出来,这真叫她完全不明白是怎么回事了。

   Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment; but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then, rising up, said to Elizabeth,

  班纳特太太恭恭敬敬地请贵夫人随意用些点心,可是咖苔琳夫人什么也不肯吃,谢绝非常坚决,非常没有礼貌,接着又站起来跟伊丽莎白说:

   "Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company."

  “班纳特小姐,你们这块草地的那一头,好象颇有几分荒野的景色,倒很好看。我很想到那儿去逛逛,可否请你陪我一走?”

   "Go, my dear," cried her mother, "and show her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage."

  只听得她母亲连忙大声对她说:“你去吧,乖孩子,陪着夫人到各条小径上去逛逛。我想,她一定会喜欢我们这个幽静的小地方。”

   Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on.

  伊丽莎白听从了母亲的话,先到自己房间里去拿了一把阳伞,然后下楼来待候这位贵客。两人走过穿堂,咖苔琳夫人打开了那扇通到饭厅和客厅的门,稍稍打量了一下,说是这屋子还算过得去,然后继续向前走。

  她的马车停在门口,伊丽莎白看见了车子里面坐着她的待女。两人默默无声地沿着一条通到小树林的鹅卵石铺道往前走。伊丽莎白只觉得这个老妇人比往常更傲慢,更其令人讨厌,因此拿定主张,决不先开口跟她说话。

   "How could I ever think her like her nephew?" said she, as she looked in her face.

  她仔细瞧了一下老妇人的脸,不禁想道:“她哪一点地方象她姨侄?”

   As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner: --

  一走进小树林,咖苔琳夫人便用这样的方式跟她谈话:

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名著·傲慢与偏见 - 第89节