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| Chapter 16 (Vol. I, Chap. XVI) | 第十六章 |
| As no objection was made to the young people's engagement with their aunt, and all Mr. Collins's scruples of leaving Mr. and Mrs. Bennet for a single evening during his visit were most steadily resisted, the coach conveyed him and his five cousins at a suitable hour to Meryton; and the girls had the pleasure of hearing, as they entered the drawing-room, that Mr. Wickham had accepted their uncle's invitation, and was then in the house. | 年轻的小姐们跟她们姨妈的约会，并没有遭受 到反对。柯林斯只觉得来此作客，反而把班纳 特夫妇整晚丢在家里，未免有些过意不去，可 是他们叫他千万不要放在心上。于是他和他的 五个表妹便乘着马车，准时到了麦里屯。小姐 们一走进客厅，就听说韦翰先生接受了她们姨 爹的邀请，而且已经驾到，觉得很是高兴。 |
| When this information was given, and they had all taken their seats, Mr. Collins was at leisure to look around him and admire, and he was so much struck with the size and furniture of the apartment, that he declared he might almost have supposed himself in the small summer breakfast parlour at Rosings; a comparison that did not at first convey much gratification; but when Mrs. Philips understood from him what Rosings was, and who was its proprietor, when she had listened to the description of only one of Lady Catherine's drawing-rooms, and found that the chimney-piece alone had cost eight hundred pounds, she felt all the force of the compliment, and would hardly have resented a comparison with the housekeeper's room. | 大家听到这个消息之后，便都坐了下来。柯林 斯先生悠闲自在地朝四下望望，瞻仰瞻仰一切 ；屋子的尺寸和里面的家具使他十分惊羡，他 说他好象进了咖苔琳夫人在罗新斯的那间消夏 的小饭厅。这个比喻开头并不怎么叫主人家满 意，可是接下来腓力普太太弄明白了罗新斯是 一个什么地方，它的主人是谁，又听他说起咖 苔琳夫人的一个会客间的情形，光是一只壁炉 架就要值八百英镑，她这才体会到他那个譬喻 实在太恭维她了，即使把她家里比作罗新斯管 家奶奶的房间，她也不反对了。 |
| In describing to her all the grandeur of Lady Catherine and her mansion, with occasional digressions in praise of his own humble abode and the improvements it was receiving, he was happily employed until the gentlemen joined them; and he found in Mrs. Philips a very attentive listener, whose opinion of his consequence increased with what she heard, and who was resolving to retail it all among her neighbours as soon as she could. To the girls, who could not listen to their cousin, and who had nothing to do but to wish for an instrument, and examine their own indifferent imitations of china on the mantlepiece, the interval of waiting appeared very long. It was over at last however. The gentlemen did approach; and when Mr. Wickham walked into the room, Elizabeth felt that she had neither been seeing him before, nor thinking of him since, with the smallest degree of unreasonable admiration. The officers of the -----shire were in general a very creditable, gentlemanlike set, and the best of them were of the present party; but Mr. Wickham was as far beyond them all in person, countenance, air, and walk, as they were superior to the broad-faced stuffy uncle Philips, breathing port wine, who followed them into the room. | 柯林斯在讲述咖苔琳夫人和她公馆的富丽堂皇 时，偶然还要穿插上几句话，来夸耀他自己的 寒舍，说他的住宅正在装璜改善中等，他就这 样自得其乐地一直扯到男客们进来为止，。他 发觉腓力普太太很留心听他的话，她愈听就愈 把他看得了不起，而且决定一有空就把他的话 传播出去。至于小姐们，实在觉得等得太久了 ，因为她们不高兴听她们表兄的闲扯，又没事 可做，想弹弹琴又不成，只有照着壁炉架上那 些瓷器的样子，漫不经心地画些小玩艺儿消遗 消遗。等待的时间终于过去了男客们来了。韦 翰先生一走进来，伊丽莎白就觉得，无论是上 次看见他的时候也好，从上次见面以来想起他 的时候也好，她都没有错爱了他。某某郡的军 官们都是一批名誉很好的绅士气派的人物，参 加这次宴会的尤其是他们之中的精华。韦翰先 生无论在人品上，相貌上，风度上，地位上， 都远远超过他们，正如他们远远超过那位姨爹 一样──瞧那位肥头大耳，大腹便便的姨爹， 他正带着满口葡萄酒味，跟着他们走进屋来。 |
| Mr. Wickham was the happy man towards whom almost every female eye was turned, and Elizabeth was the happy woman by whom he finally seated himself; and the agreeable manner in which he immediately fell into conversation, though it was only on its being a wet night, and on the probability of a rainy season, made her feel that the commonest, dullest, most threadbare topic might be rendered interesting by the skill of the speaker. | 韦翰先生是当天最得意的男子，差不多每个女 人的眼睛都朝着他看；伊丽莎白是当天最得意 的女子，韦翰终于在她的身旁坐了下来。他马 上就跟她攀谈，虽然谈的只是些当天晚上下雨 和雨季可能就要到来之类的话，可是他那么和 颜悦色，使她不禁感觉到即使最平凡、最无聊 、最陈旧的话，只要说话的人有技巧，还是一 样可以说得动听。 |
| With such rivals for the notice of the fair, as Mr. Wickham and the officers, Mr. Collins seemed likely to sink into insignificance; to the young ladies he certainly was nothing; but he had still at intervals a kind listener in Mrs. Philips, and was, by her watchfulness, most abundantly supplied with coffee and muffin. | 说起要博得女性的表眼，柯林斯先生遇到象韦 翰先生和军官们这样的劲敌，真变得无足轻重 了。他在小姐们眼睛里实在算不上什么，幸亏 好心的腓力普太太有时候还听听他谈主，她又 十分细心，尽量把咖啡和松饼敬给他吃。 |
| When the card tables were placed, he had an opportunity of obliging her in return, by sitting down to whist. | 一张张牌桌摆好以后，柯林斯便坐下来一同玩 "惠斯脱"总算有了一个机会报答她的好意。 |
| "I know little of the game, at present," said he, "but I shall be glad to improve myself, for in my situation of life --" Mrs. Philips was very thankful for his compliance, but could not wait for his reason. | 他说："我对这玩艺儿简直一窍不通，不过我 很愿意把它学会，以我这样的身份来说──" 腓力普太太很感激他的好意可是却不愿意听他 谈论什么身份地位。 |
| Mr. Wickham did not play at whist, and with ready delight was he received at the other table between Elizabeth and Lydia. At first there seemed danger of Lydia's engrossing him entirely for she was a most determined talker; but being likewise extremely fond of lottery tickets, she soon grew too much interested in the game, too eager in making bets and exclaiming after prizes, to have attention for any one in particular. Allowing for the common demands of the game, Mr. Wickham was therefore at leisure to talk to Elizabeth, and she was very willing to hear him, though what she chiefly wished to hear she could not hope to be told, the history of his acquaintance with Mr. Darcy. She dared not even mention that gentleman. Her curiosity however was unexpectedly relieved. Mr. Wickham began the subject himself. He inquired how far Netherfield was from Meryton; and, after receiving her answer, asked in an hesitating manner how long Mr. Darcy had been staying there. | 韦翰先生没有玩"惠斯脱"，因为他被小姐们 高高兴兴地请到另一张桌子上去玩牌，坐在伊 丽莎白和丽迪雅之间。开头的形势很叫人担忧 ，因为丽迪雅是个十足的健谈家，大有把他独 占下来的可能；好在她对于摸奖也同样爱好， 立刻对那玩艺儿大感兴趣，一股劲儿下注，得 奖之后又大叫大嚷，因此就无从特别注意到某 一个人身上去了。韦翰先生一面跟大家应付这 玩艺儿，一面从容不迫地跟伊丽莎白谈话。伊 丽莎白很愿意听他说话，很想了解一下他和达 西先生过去的关系，可是她要听的他未必肯讲 。于是她提也不敢提到那位先生。后来出人意 料之外，韦翰先生竟自动地谈到那个问题上去 了。因此她的好奇心到底还是得到了满足。韦 翰先生问起尼日斐花园离开麦里屯有多远。她 回答了他以后，他又吞吞吐吐地问起达西先生 已经在那儿待了多久。 |
| "About a month," said Elizabeth; and then, unwilling to let the subject drop, added, "He is a man of very large property in Derbyshire, I understand." | 伊丽莎白说："大概有一个月了。"为了不愿 意让这个话题放松过去，她又接着说："据我 所知，他是德比郡一个大财主。" |
| "Yes," replied Wickham; -- "his estate there is a noble one. A clear ten thousand per annum. You could not have met with a person more capable of giving you certain information on that head than myself -- for I have been connected with his family in a particular manner from my infancy." | "是的，"韦翰回答道。"他的财产很可观─ ─每年有一万镑的净收入。说起这方面，谁也 没有我知道得确实，因为我从小就和他家里有 特别的关系。" |
| Elizabeth could not but look surprised. | 伊丽莎白不禁显出诧异的神气。 |
| "You may well be surprised, Miss Bennet, at such an assertion, after seeing, as you probably might, the very cold manner of our meeting yesterday. -- Are you much acquainted with Mr. Darcy?" | "班纳特小姐，你昨天也许看到我们见面时那 种冷冰冰的样子了吧，难怪你听了我的话会觉 得诧异。你同达西先生很熟吗？" |
| "As much as I ever wish to be," cried Elizabeth warmly, -- "I have spent four days in the same house with him, and I think him very disagreeable." | "我也只希望跟他这么熟就够了，"伊丽莎白 冒火地叫道。"我和他在一起待了四天，觉得 他很讨厌。" |
| "I have no right to give my opinion," said Wickham, "as to his being agreeable or otherwise. I am not qualified to form one. I have known him too long and to well to be a fair judge. It is impossible for me to be impartial. But I believe your opinion of him would in general astonish -- and perhaps you would not express it quite so stronglyanywhere else. -- Here you are in your own family." | 韦翰说："他究竟讨人喜欢还是讨人厌，我可 没有权利说出我的意见。我不便发表意见。我 认识他太久，跟他也处得太熟，因此很难做个 公正的判断人。我不可能做到大公无私。不过 我敢说，你对他的看法大致可以说是骇人听闻 的，或许你在别的地方就不会说得这样过火吧 。这儿都是你自己人呢。" |
| "Upon my word I say no more here than I might say in any house in the neighbourhood, except Netherfield. He is not at all liked in Hertfordshire. Every body is disgusted with his pride. You will not find him more favourablyspoken of by any one." | "老实说，除了在尼日斐花以外，我到附近任 何人家去都会这样说。哈福德郡根本就没有人 喜欢他。他那副傲慢的气派，哪一个见了都讨 厌。你绝不会听到人家说他一句好话。" |
| "I cannot pretend to be sorry," said Wickham, after a short interruption, "that he or that any man should not be estimated beyond their deserts; but with him I believe it does not often happen. The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or frightened by his high and imposing manners, and sees him only as he chooses to be seen." | 歇了一会儿，韦翰说："说句问心无愧的话， 不管是他也好，是别人也好，都不应该受到人 家过分的抬举。不过他这个人，我相信不大会 有人过分抬举他的。他的有钱有势蒙蔽了天下 人的耳目，他那目空一切、盛气凌人的气派又 吓坏了天下人，弄得大家只有顺着他的心意去 看待他。" |
| "I should take him, even on my slight acquaintance, to be an ill-tempered man." Wickham only shook his head. | "我虽然跟他并不太熟，可是我认为他是个脾 气很坏的人。"韦翰听了这话，只是摇头。 |
| "I wonder," said he, at the next opportunity of speaking, "whether he is likely to be in this country much longer." | 等到有了说话的机会，他又接下去说："我不 知道他是否打算在这个村庄里多住些时候。" |
| "I do not at all know; but I heard nothing of his going away when I was at Netherfield. I hope your plans in favour of the ----shire will not be affected by his being in the neighbourhood." | "我完全不知道；不过，我在尼日斐花园的时 候，可没有听说他要走。你既然喜欢某某郡， 打算在那里工作，我但愿你不要因为他在附近 |
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