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| Chapter 29 (Vol. II, Chap. VI) | 第二十九章 |
| Mr. Collins's triumph in consequence of this invitation was complete. The power of displaying the grandeur of his patroness to his wondering visitors, and of letting them see her civility towards himself and his wife, was exactly what he had wished for; and that an opportunity of doing it should be given so soon was such an instance of Lady Catherine's condescension as he knew not how to admire enough. | 罗新斯这一次请客，真使得柯林斯先生感到百 分之百地得意。他本来一心要让这些好奇的宾 客们去风光一下他那女施主的堂皇气派，看看 老夫人对待他们夫妇俩多么礼貌周全。他竟会 这么快就得到了如愿以偿的机会，这件事大足 以说明咖苔琳夫人的礼贤下士，使得他不知如 何景仰是好。 |
| "I confess," said he, "that I should not have been at all surprised by her Ladyship's asking us on Sunday to drink tea and spend the evening at Rosings. I rather expected, from my knowledge of her affability, that it would happen. But who could have foreseen such an attention as this? Who could have imagined that we should receive an invitation to dine there (an invitation moreover including the whole party) so immediately after your arrival!" | "说老实话，"他说，"她老人家邀请我们星 期日去吃茶点，在罗新斯消磨一个下午，我一 点儿也不觉得意外。她一贯为人殷勤，我倒以 为她真要这样招待一番的，可是谁料想到会象 这次这样情意隆重？谁会想到你们刚刚到这里 在，就被请到那边去吃饭（而且全体都请到了 ）？" |
| "I am the less surprised at what has happened," replied Sir William, "from that knowledge of what the manners of the great really are, which my situation in life has allowed me to acquire. About the Court, such instances of elegant breeding are not uncommon." | 威廉爵士说："刚才的事我倒不怎么觉得稀奇 ，大人物的为人处世实在都是如此，象我这样 有身份的人，就见识得很多。在显宦贵族们当 中，这类风雅好客的事不足为奇。" |
| Scarcely any thing was talked of the whole day, or next morning, but their visit to Rosings. Mr. Collins was carefully instructing them in what they were to expect, that the sight of such rooms, so many servants, and so splendid a dinner might not whollyoverpower them. | 这一整天和第二天上午，简直只谈到去罗新斯 的事。柯林斯先生预先仔仔细细地一样样告诉 他们，到那边去将要看到什么东西，免得他们 看到了那样宏伟的屋子那样众多的仆从，那样 丰盛的菜肴，会造成临时慌乱，手足失措。 |
| When the ladies were separating for the toilette, he said to Elizabeth, | 当娘儿们正要各自去打扮的时候，他又对伊丽 莎白说： |
| "Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us, which becomes herself and daughter. I would advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest, there is no occasion for any thing more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved." | "不要为衣装担心思，亲爱的表妹。咖苔琳夫 人才不会要我们穿得华丽呢，这只有她自己和 她的女儿才配。我劝你只要在你自己的衣服里 面，拣一件出色的穿上就行，不必过于讲究。 珈苔琳夫人决不会因为你衣装朴素就瞧你不起 。她喜欢各人守着自己的本份，分得出一个高 低。" |
| While they were dressing, he came two or three times to their different doors, to recommend their being quick, as Lady Catherine very much objected to be kept waiting for her dinner. -- Such formidable accounts of her ladyship, and her manner of living, quite frightened Maria Lucas, who had been little used to company, and she looked forward to her introduction at Rosings with as much apprehension, as her father had done to his presentation at St. James's. | 娘儿们整装的时候，他又到各个人的房门口去 了两三次，劝她们快一点，因为咖苔琳夫人请 人吃饭最恨客人迟到。玛丽亚·卢卡斯听说她 老人家的为人处事这样可怕，不由得吓了一跳 ，因为她一向不大会应酬。她一想起要到罗新 斯去拜望，就诚惶诚恐，正如她父亲当年进宫 觐见一样。 |
| As the weather was fine, they had a pleasant walk of about half a mile across the park. -- Every park has its beauty and its prospects; and Elizabeth saw much to be pleased with, though she could not be in such raptures as Mr. Collins expected the scene to inspire, and was but slightlyaffected by his enumeration of the windows in front of the house, and his relation of what the glazing altogether had originally cost Sir Lewis De Bourgh. | 天朗气清，他们穿过花园，作了一次差不多半 英里的愉快的散步。一家家的花园都各有美妙 ，伊丽莎白纵目观赏，心旷神怡，可是并不如 柯林斯先生所预期的那样，会被眼前的景色陶 醉得乐而忘形。尽管他数着屋前一 扇扇 窗户 说，光是这些玻璃，当初曾一共花了刘威斯· 德·包尔爵士多大一笔钱，她可并不为这些话 动心。 |
| When they ascended the steps to the hall, Maria's alarm was every moment increasing, and even Sir William did not look perfectly calm. -- Elizabeth's courage did not fail her. She had heard nothing of Lady Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents or miraculous virtue, and the mere stateliness of money and rank she thought she could witness without trepidation. | 他们踏上台阶走进穿堂的时候，玛丽亚一分钟 比一分钟来得惶恐，连威廉爵士也不能完全保 持镇定。倒是伊丽莎白不畏缩。无论是论才论 德，她都没有听到咖苔琳夫人有什么了不起的 地方足以引起她敬畏，光凭着有钱有势，还不 会叫她见到了就胆战心惊。 |
| From the entrance hall, of which Mr. Collins pointed out, with a rapturous air, the fine proportion and finished ornaments, they followed the servants through an ante-chamber, to the room where Lady Catherine, her daughter, and Mrs. Jenkinson were sitting. -- Her ladyship, with great condescension, arose to receive them; and as Mrs. Collins had settled it with her husband that the office of introduction should be her's, it was performed in a proper manner, without any of those apologies and thanks which he would have thought necessary. | 进了穿堂，柯林斯先生就带着一副喜极欲狂的 神气，指出这屋子的堂皇富丽，然后由佣人们 带着客人走过前厅，来到咖苔琳夫人母女和姜 金生太太的起坐间。夫人极其谦和地站起身来 迎接他们。根据柯林斯太太事先跟她丈夫商量 好的办法，当场由太太出面替宾主介绍，因此 介绍得很得体，凡是柯林斯先生认为必不可少 的那些道歉和感激的话，都一概免了。 |
| In spite of having been at St. James's, Sir William was so completely awed by the grandeursurrounding him, that he had but just courage enough to make a very low bow, and take his seat without saying a word; and his daughter, frightened almost out of her senses, sat on the edge of her chair, not knowing which way to look. Elizabeth found herself quite equal to the scene, and could observe the three ladies before her composedly. -- Lady Catherine was a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked features, which might once have been handsome. Her air was not conciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them such as to make her visitors forget their inferior rank. She was not rendered formidable by silence; but whatever she said was spoken in so authoritative a tone as marked her self-importance, and brought Mr. Wickham immediately to Elizabeth's mind; and from the observation of the day altogether, she believed Lady Catherine to be exactly what he had represented. | 威廉爵士虽说当年也曾进宫觐见过皇上，可是 看到四周围这般的富贵气派，也不禁完全给吓 住了，只得弯腰一躬，一声不响，坐了下来； 再说他的女儿，简直吓得丧魂失魄一般，兀自 坐在椅子边上，眼睛也不知道往哪里看才好。 伊丽莎白倒是完全安然自若，而且从容不迫地 细细瞧着那三位女主人。咖苔琳夫人是位高大 的妇人，五官清楚，也许年轻时很好看。她的 样子并不十分客气，接待宾客的态度也不能使 宾客忘却自己身份的低微。她吓人的地方倒不 是默不作声，而是她出言吐语时声调总是那么 高高在上，自命不凡，这叫伊丽莎白立刻想起 了韦翰先生的话。经过这一整天的察言观色之 后，她觉得咖苔琳夫人的为人，果然和韦翰所 形容的完全一样。 |
| When, after examining the mother, in whose countenance and deportment she soon found some resemblance of Mr. Darcy, she turned her eyes on the daughter, she could almost have joined in Maria's astonishment at her being so thin, and so small. There was neither in figure nor face any likeness between the ladies. Miss De Bourgh was pale and sickly; her features, though not plain, were insignificant; and she spoke very little, except in a low voice to Mrs. Jenkinson, in whose appearance there was nothing remarkable, and who was entirely engaged in listening to what she said, and placing a screen in the proper direction before her eyes. | 她仔细打量了她一眼，立刻就发觉她的容貌有 些象达西先生，然后她就把目光转到她的女儿 身上，史见她女儿长得那么单薄，那么瘦小， 这使她几乎和玛丽亚一样感到惊奇。母女二人 无论体态面貌，都没有相似之处。德·包尔小 姐脸色苍白、满面病容，五官虽然长得不算难 看，可是并不起眼；她不大说话，除非是低声 跟姜金生太太嘀咕几句。姜金生太太的相貌没 有一点特出的地方，她只是全神贯注地听着小 姐说话，并且挡在她面前，不让人家把她看得 太清楚。 |
| After sitting a few minutes, they were all sent to one of the windows to admire the view, Mr. Collins attending them to point out its beauties, and Lady Catherine kindly informing them that it was much better worth looking at in the summer. | 坐了几分钟以后，客人们都被打发到窗口去欣 赏外面的风景。柯林斯先生陪着他们，一处处 指给他们看，咖苔琳夫人和善地告诉他们说， 到了夏天还要好看。 |
| The dinner was exceedingly handsome, and there were all the servants, and all the articles of plate which Mr. Collins had promised; and, as he had likewise foretold, he took his seat at the bottom of the table, by her ladyship's desire, and looked as if he felt that life could furnish nothing greater. -- He carved, and ate, and praised with delighted alacrity; and every dish was commended, first by him, and then by Sir William, who was now enough recovered to echo whatever his son in law said, in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady Catherine could bear. But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their excessive admiration, and gave most gracious smiles, especially when any dish on the table proved a novelty to them. The party did not supply much conversation. Elizabeth was ready to speak whenever there was an opening, but she was seated between Charlotte and Miss De Bourgh -- the former of whom was engaged in listening to Lady Catherine, and the latter said not a word to her all dinner time. Mrs. Jenkinson was chiefly employed in watching how little Miss De Bourgh ate, pressing her to try some other dish, and fearing she were indisposed. Maria thought speaking out of the question, and the gentlemen did nothing but eat and admire. | 酒席果然特别体面，待候的仆从以及盛酒菜的 器皿，也跟柯林斯先生所形容过的一模一样， 而且正如他事先所料到的那样，夫人果然吩咐 他坐在未席，看他那副神气，好象人生没有比 这更得意的事了。他边切边吃，又兴致淋漓地 赞不绝口；每一道菜都由他先来夸奖，然后由 威廉爵士加以吹嘘，原来威廉爵士现在已经完 全消除了惊恐，可以做他女婿的应声虫了。伊 丽莎白看到那种样子，不禁担心咖苔琳夫人怎 么受得了。可是咖苔琳夫人对这些过分的赞扬 好象倒非常满意，总是显露出仁慈的微笑，尤 其是端上一道客人们没见过的菜到桌上来的时 候，她便格外得意。宾主们都没有什么可谈的 ，伊丽莎白却只要别人开个头，总还有话可说 ，可惜她坐的地方不对头，一边是夏绿蒂，她 正在用心听咖苔琳夫人谈话；另一边是德·包 尔小姐，整个吃饭时间不跟她说一句话。姜金 生太太主要在注意德·包尔小姐，她看到小姐 东西吃得太少，便逼着她吃了这样再吃那样， 又怕她不受用。玛丽亚根本不想讲话，男客们 只顾一边吃一边赞美。 |
| When the ladies returned to the drawing room, there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without any intermission till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted. She enquired into Charlotte's domestic concerns familiarly and minutely, and gave her a great deal of advice as to the management of them all; told her how every thing ought to be regulated in so small a family as her's, and instructed her as to the care of her cows and her poultry. Elizabeth found that nothing was beneath this great lady's attention, which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to others. In the intervals of her discourse with Mrs. Collins, she addressed a variety of questions to Maria and Elizabeth, but especially to the latter, of whose connections she knew the least, and who, she observed to Mrs. Collins, was a very genteel, pretty kind of girl. She asked her at different times, how many sisters she had, whether they were older or younger than herself, whether any of them were likely to be married, whether they were handsome, where they had been educated, what carriage her father kept, and what had been her mother's maiden name? -- Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of her questions, but answered them very composedly. -- Lady Catherine then observed, | 女客们回到会客室以后，只是听咖苔琳夫人谈 话。夫人滔滔不绝地一直谈到咖啡端上来为止 ，随便谈到哪一桩事，她总是那么斩钉截铁、 不空话别人反对的样子。她毫不客气地仔细问 着夏绿蒂的家常，又给她提供了一大堆关于料 理家务的意见。她告诉夏绿蒂说，象她这样的 一个小家庭，一切事情都应该精密安排，又指 教她如何照料母牛和家禽。伊丽莎白发觉这位 贵妇人只要有机会支配别人，随便怎么小的事 情也决不肯轻易放过。夫人同柯林斯太太谈话 的时候，也间或向玛丽亚和伊丽莎白问几句话 ，特别向伊丽莎白问得多。她不大清楚伊丽莎 白和她们是什么关系，不过她对柯林斯太太说 ，她是个很斯文、很标致的姑娘。她好几次问 伊丽莎白有几个姐妹，她们比她大还是比她小 ，她们中间有没有哪一个已经结婚，她们长得 好看不好看，在哪里读书，她们的父亲有什么 样的马车，她母亲的娘家姓什么。伊丽莎白觉 得她这些话问得唐突，不过还是心平气和地回 答了她。于是咖苔琳夫人说： |
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