Chapter 32 (Vol. II, Chap. IX) | 第三十二章 |
Elizabeth was sitting by herself the next morning, and writing to Jane, while Mrs. Collins and Maria were gone on business into the village, when she was startled by a ring at the door, the certain signal of a visitor. As she had heard no carriage, she thought it not unlikely to be Lady Catherine, and under that apprehension was putting away her half-finished letter that she might escape all impertinent questions, when the door opened, and to her very great surprise, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Darcy only, entered the room. | 第二天早晨,柯林斯太太和玛丽亚到村里有事 去了,伊丽莎白独自坐在家里写信给吉英,这 时候,她突然吓了一跳,因为门铃响了起来, 准是有客人来了。她并没有听到马车声,心想 ,可能是咖苔琳夫人来了,于是她就疑虑不安 地把那封写好一半的信放在一旁,免得她问些 卤莽的话。就在这当儿,门开了,她大吃一惊 ,万万想不到走进来的是达西先生,而且只有 达西一个人。 |
He seemed astonished too on finding her alone, and apologised for his intrusion by letting her know that he had understood all the ladies to be within. | 达西看见她单独一人,也显得很吃惊,连忙道 歉说,他原以为太太小姐们全没有,出去,所 以才冒昧闯进来。 |
They then sat down, and when her enquiries after Rosings were made, seemed in danger of sinking into total silence. It was absolutely necessary, therefore, to think of something, and in this emergency recollecting when she had seen him last in Hertfordshire, and feeling curious to know what he would say on the subject of their hasty departure, she observed, | 他们俩坐了下来,她向他问了几句关于罗新斯 的情形以后,双方便好象都无话可说,大有陷 于僵局的危险。因此,非得想点儿什么说说不 可;正当这紧张关头,她想起了上次在哈福德 郡跟他见面的情况,顿时便起了一阵好奇心, 想要听听他对那次匆匆的离别究竟有些什么意 见,于是她便说道: |
"How very suddenly you all quitted Netherfield last November, Mr. Darcy! It must have been a most agreeable surprise to Mr. Bingley to see you all after him so soon; for, if I recollect right, he went but the day before. He and his sisters were well, I hope, when you left London." | "去年十一月你们离开尼日斐花园多么突然呀 ,达西先生!彬格莱先生看见你们大家一下子 都跟着他走,一定相当惊奇吧;我好象记得他 比你们只早走一天。我想,当你离开伦敦的时 候,他和他的姐妹们一定身体都很好吧?" |
"Perfectly so -- I thank you." | "好极了,谢谢你。" |
She found that she was to receive no other answer -- and, after a short pause, added, | 她发觉对方没有别的话再回答她了,隔了一会 儿便又说道: |
"I think I have understood that Mr. Bingley has not much idea of ever returning to Netherfield again?" | "我想,彬攻莱先生大概不打算再回到尼日斐 花园来了吧?" |
"I have never heard him say so; but it is probable that he may spend very little of his time there in future. He has many friends, and he is at a time of life when friends and engagements are continually increasing." | "我从来没有听到他这么说过;不过,可能他 不打算在那儿久住。他有很多朋友,象他这样 年龄的人,交际应酬当然一天比一天多。" |
"If he means to be but little at Netherfield, it would be better for the neighbourhood that he should give up the place entirely, for then we might possibly get a settled family there. But perhaps Mr. Bingley did not take the house so much for the convenience of the neighbourhood as for his own, and we must expect him to keep or quit it on the same principle." | "如果他不打算在尼日斐花园久住,那么,为 了街坊四邻着想,他最好干脆退租,让我们可 以得到一个固定的邻居,不过彬格莱先生租那 幢房子,说不定只是为了他自己方便,并没有 顾念到邻舍,我看他那幢房子无论是保留也好 ,退租也好,他的原则都是一样。" |
"I should not be surprised," said Darcy, "if he were to give it up, as soon as any eligible purchase offers." | 达西先生说:"我料定他一旦买到了合适的房 子,马上会退租。" |
Elizabeth made no answer. She was afraid of talking longer of his friend; and, having nothing else to say, was now determined to leave the trouble of finding a subject to him. | 伊丽莎白没有回答。她唯恐再谈到他那位朋友 身上去;既然没有别的话可说,她便决定让他 动动脑筋,另外找个话题来谈。 |
He took the hint, and soon began with, "This seems a very comfortable house. Lady Catherine, I believe, did a great deal to it when Mr. Collins first came to Hunsford." | 他领会了她的用意,隔了一忽儿便说道:"柯 林斯先生这所房子倒好象很舒适呢。我相信他 初到汉斯福的时候,咖苔琳夫人一定在这上面 费了好大一番心思吧。" |
"I believe she did -- and I am sure she could not have bestowed her kindness on a more grateful object." | "我也相信她费了一番心思,而且我敢说,她 的好心并没有白费,因为天下再也找不出一个 比他更懂得感恩报德的人了。" |
"Mr. Collins appears very fortunate in his choice of a wife." | "柯林斯先生娶到了这样一位太太真是福气。 " |
"Yes, indeed; his friends may well rejoice in his having met with one of the very few sensible women who would have accepted him, or have made him happy if they had. My friend has an excellent understanding -- though I am not certain that I consider her marrying Mr. Collins as the wisest thing she ever did. She seems perfectly happy, however, and in a prudential light, it is certainly a very good match for her." | "是呀,的确是福气;他的朋友们应当为他高 兴,难得有这样一个头脑清楚的女人肯嫁给他 ,嫁了他又能使他幸福,我这个女朋友是个绝 顶聪明的人,不过她跟柯林斯先生结婚,我可 不认为是上策。她倒好象极其幸福,而且,用 普通人的眼光来看,她这门婚姻当然攀得很好 。" |
"It must be very agreeable to her to be settled within so easy a distance of her own family and friends." | "她离开娘家和朋友都这么近,这一定会使她 很满意的。" |
"An easy distance do you call it? It is nearly fifty miles." | "你说很近吗?快五十英里呢。" |
"And what is fifty miles of good road? Little more than half a day's journey. Yes, I call it a very easy distance." | "只要道路方便,五十英里能算远吗?只消大 半天就到得了我认为很近。" |
"I should never have considered the distance as one of the advantages of the match," cried Elizabeth. "I should never have said Mrs. Collins was settled near her family." | 伊丽莎白嚷道:"我从来没有认为道路的远近 ,也成了这门婚姻的有利条件之一,我决不会 说柯林斯太太住得离家很近。" |
"It is a proof of your own attachment to Hertfordshire. Any thing beyond the very neighbourhood of Longbourn, I suppose, would appear far." | "这说明你自己太留恋哈福德郡。我看你只要 走出浪搏恩一步,就会嫌远。" |