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| Chapter 50 (Vol. III, Chap. VIII) | 第五十章 |
| Mr. Bennet had very often wished, before this period of his life, that, instead of spending his whole income, he had laid by an annual sum for the better provision of his children, and of his wife, if she survived him. He now wished it more than ever. Had he done his duty in that respect, Lydia need not have been indebted to her uncle for whatever of honour or credit could now be purchased for her. The satisfaction of prevailing on one of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be her husband might then have rested in its proper place. | 班纳特先生远在好久以前，就希望每年的进款 不要全部花光，能够积蓄一部分，让儿女往后 不至于衣食匮乏；如果太太比他命长，衣食便 也有了着落。拿目前来说，他这个希望比以往 来得更迫切。要是他在这方面早就安排好了， 那么这次丽迪雅挽回面子名誉的事，自然就不 必要她舅舅为她花钱；也不必让舅舅去说服全 英国最下流的一个青年的她确定夫妇的名份。 |
| He was seriouslyconcerned that a cause of so little advantage to any one should be forwarded at the sole expence of his brother-in-law, and he was determined, if possible, to find out the extent of his assistance, and to discharge the obligation as soon as he could. | 这事情对任何人都没有好处，如今却得由他舅 爷独自拿出钱来成其好事，这实在叫他太过意 不去；他决定要竭力打听出舅爷究竟帮了多大 的忙，以便尽快报答这笔人情。 |
| When first Mr. Bennet had married, economy was held to be perfectly useless; for, of course, they were to have a son. This son was to join in cutting off the entail, as soon as he should be of age, and the widow and younger children would by that means be provided for. Five daughters successively entered the world, but yet the son was to come; and Mrs. Bennet, for many years after Lydia's birth, had been certain that he would. This event had at last been despaired of, but it was then too late to be saving. Mrs. Bennet had no turn for economy, and her husband's love of independence had alone prevented their exceeding their income. | 班纳特先生刚结婚的时候，完全不必省吃俭用 ，因为他们夫妇自然会生儿子，等到儿子成了 年，外人继承产权的这桩事就可以取消，寡妇 孤女也就衣食无虑了。可是五个女儿接接连连 地出世，儿子还不知道在哪里；丽迪雅出世多 少年以后，班纳特太太还一直以为会生儿子。 这个指望落了空，如今省吃俭用已经太迟了。 班纳特太太不惯于节省，好在丈夫自有主张， 才算没有入不敷出。 |
| Five thousand pounds was settled by marriage articles on Mrs. Bennet and the children. But in what proportions it should be divided amongst the latter depended on the will of the parents. This was one point, with regard to Lydia at least, which was now to be settled, and Mr. Bennet could have no hesitation in acceding to the proposal before him. In terms of gratefulacknowledgment for the kindness of his brother, though expressed most concisely, he then delivered on paper his perfect approbation of all that was done, and his willingness to fulfill the engagements that had been made for him. He had never before supposed that, could Wickham be prevailed on to marry his daughter, it would be done with so little inconvenience to himself as by the present arrangement. He would scarcely be ten pounds a year the loser, by the hundred that was to be paid them; for, what with her board and pocket allowance, and the continual presents in money which passed to her through her mother's hands, Lydia's expences had been very little within that sum. | 当年老夫妇的婚约上规定了班纳特太太和子女 们一共应享有五千磅遗产。至于子女们究竟怎 样分享，得由父母在遗嘱上解决，班纳特先生 毫不犹豫地同意了摆在他面前的那个建议。他 回信给舅爷，多谢他一片好心。他的措辞极其 简洁，只说他对一切既成事实都表示赞同，而 且舅爷所提出的各项条件，他都愿意照办。原 来这次说服韦翰跟他女儿结婚一事，竟安排得 这样好，简直没有带给他什么麻烦，这实在是 他所意料不到的。虽说他每年要付给他们俩一 百镑，可是事实上他每年还损失不了十镑，因 为丽迪雅在家里也要吃用开销，外加她母亲还 要贴钱给她花，计算起来每年几乎也不下于一 百镑。 |
| That it would be done with such triflingexertion on his side, too, was another very welcome surprise; for his chief wish at present was to have as little trouble in the business as possible. When the first transports of rage which had produced his activity in seeking her were over, he naturally returned to all his former indolence. His letter was soon dispatched; for though dilatory in undertaking business, he was quick in its execution. He begged to know farther particulars of what he was indebted to his brother; but was too angry with Lydia to send any message to her. | 还有一件可喜的意外，那就是办起这件事来， 他自己简直可以不费什么力气，他目前最希望 麻烦越少戛好。他开头也曾因为一时冲动，亲 自去找女儿，如今他已经气平怒消，自然又变 得象往常一样懒散。他把那封回信立刻寄出去 ；虽然做事喜欢拖延，可是只要他肯动手，倒 也完成得很快。他在信上请他舅爷把一切代劳 之处详详细细告诉他，可是说起丽迪雅，实在 使他太气恼，因此连问候也没有问候她一声。 |
| The good news quickly spread through the house; and with proportionate speed through the neighbourhood. It was borne in the latter with decent philosophy. To be sure, it would have been more for the advantage of conversation, had Miss Lydia Bennet come upon the town; or, as the happiest alternative, been secluded from the world in some distant farm house. But there was much to be talked of in marrying her; and the good-natured wishes for her well-doing, which had proceeded before from all the spiteful old ladies in Meryton, lost but little of their spirit in this change of circumstances, because with such an husband, her misery was considered certain. | 好消息立刻在全家传开了，而且很快便传到邻 舍们耳朵里去。四邻八舍对这件事都抱着相当 超然的态度。当然，如果丽迪雅·班纳特小姐 亲自上这儿来了，或者说，如果她恰恰相反， 远隔尘嚣，住到一个偏僻的农村里去，那就可 以给人家增加许多谈话的资料。不过她的出嫁 问题毕竟还是使人家议论纷纷。麦里屯那些恶 毒的老太婆，原先总是一番好心肠，祝她嫁个 如意夫君，如今虽然眼看着情境变了，也不是 在起劲地谈个不休，因为大家看到她嫁了这么 一个丈夫，都认为必定会遭到悲惨的下场。 |
| It was a fortnight since Mrs. Bennet had been down stairs, but on this happy day she again took her seat at the head of her table, and in spirits oppressively high. No sentiment of shame gave a damp to her triumph. The marriage of a daughter, which had been the first object of her wishes since Jane was sixteen, was now on the point of accomplishment, and her thoughts and her words ran wholly on those attendants of elegant nuptials, fine muslins, new carriages, and servants. She was busily searching through the neighbourhood for a "proper situation" for her daughter, and, without knowing or considering what their income might be, rejected many as deficient in size and importance. | 班纳特太太已经有两个星期没有下楼，遇到今 天这么快乐的日子，她欢欣若狂，又坐上了首 席。她并没有觉得羞耻，自然也不会扫兴。远 从吉英十六岁那年起，她的第一个心愿就是嫁 女儿，现在她快要如愿以偿了。她的思想言论 都完全离不了婚嫁的漂亮翱排场；上好的细说 纱，新的马车，以及男女佣仆之类的事情。她 并且在附近一带到处奔波，要给女儿找一所适 当的住宅；她根本不知道他们有多少收入，也 从来没有考虑到这一点。她看了多少处房子都 看不中，不是为了开间太小，就是嫌不够气派 。 |
| "Haye-Park might do," said she, "if the Gouldings would quit it, or the great house at Stoke, if the drawing-room were larger; but Ashworth is too far off! I could not bear to have her ten miles from me; and as for Purvis Lodge, the attics are dreadful." | 她说："要是戈丁家能迁走，海夜花园倒还合 适；斯托克那幢大房子，要是会客室大一些， 也还可以，可是阿西渥斯离这儿太远！我不忍 心让她同我隔开十英里路；讲到柏卫别业，那 所假三层实在太糟了。" |
| Her husband allowed her to talk on without interruption while the servants remained. But when they had withdrawn, he said to her, "Mrs. Bennet, before you take any or all of these houses for your son and daughter, let us come to a right understanding. Into one house in this neighbourhood, they shall never have admittance. I will not encourage the impudence of either by receiving them at Longbourn." | 每当有佣人在跟前的时候，她丈夫总是让她讲 下去，不去岔断她的话。可是佣人一出去，他 可老实不客气地跟她说了："我的好太太，你 要为你的女儿和女婿租房子，不管你要租一幢 也好，或是把所有的房子都租下来也好，都得 让我们事先把问题谈谈清楚。邻近的房子，一 幢也不许他们来住。他们不要梦想，认为我会 在浪搏恩招待他们！" |
| A long dispute followed this declaration, but Mr. Bennet was firm; it soon led to another, and Mrs. Bennet found, with amazement and horror, that her husband would not advance a guinea to buy clothes for his daughter. He protested that she should receive from him no mark of affectionwhatever on the occasion. Mrs. Bennet could hardly comprehend it. That his anger could be carried to such a point of inconceivable resentment, as to refuse his daughter a privilege without which her marriage would scarcely seem valid, exceeded all that she could believe possible. She was more alive to the disgrace which the want of new clothes must reflect on her daughter's nuptials, than to any sense of shame at her eloping and living with Wickham a fortnight before they took place. | 这话一出口，两人便争吵不休；可是班纳特先 生说一不二，于是又吵了起来；后来班纳特太 太又发觉丈夫不肯拿出一文钱来给女儿添置一 些衣服，不禁大为惊骇。班纳特先生坚决声明 ，丽迪雅这一次休想得到他半点疼爱，这实在 叫他太太弄不懂。他竟会气愤到这样深恶痛绝 的地步，连女儿出嫁都不肯优待她一番，简直 要把婚礼弄得不成体统，这确实太出乎她的意 料。她只知道女儿出嫁而没有嫁妆是件丢脸的 事情，至于她的私奔，她没有结婚以前就跟韦 翰同居了两个星期，她倒丝毫不放在心上。 |
| Elizabeth was now most heartily sorry that she had, from the distress of the moment, been led to make Mr. Darcy acquainted with their fears for her sister; for since her marriage would so shortly give the proper termination to the elopement, they might hope to conceal its unfavourable beginning from all those who were not immediately on the spot. | 伊丽莎白目前非常后悔，当初实在不应该因为 一时痛苦，竟让达西先生知道了她自己家里为 她妹妹担忧的经过，因为妹妹既然马上就可以 名正言顺地结婚，了却那一段私奔的风流孽债 ，那么，开头那一段不体面的事情，她们当然 希望最好不要让局外人知道。 |
| She had no fear of its spreading farther through his means. There were few people on whose secrecy she would have more confidently depended; but at the same time, there was no one whose knowledge of a sister's frailty would have mortified her so much. Not, however, from any fear of disadvantage from it individually to herself; for at any rate, there seemed a gulf |
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