酷兔英语
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Chapter 19 (Vol. I, Chap. XIX)
第十九章
The next day opened a new scene at Longbourn. Mr. Collins made his declaration in form. Having resolved to do it without loss of time, as his leave of absenceextended only to the following Saturday, and having no feelings of diffidence to make it distressing to himself even at the moment, he set about it in a very orderly manner, with all the observances which he supposed a regular part of the business. On finding Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and one of the younger girls together soon after breakfast, he addressed the mother in these words,
第二天,浪博恩发生了一件新的事情。柯林斯
先生正式提出求婚了。他的假期到下星期六就
要满期,于是决定不再耽搁时间,况且当时他
丝毫也不觉得有什么不好意思,便有条不紊地
着手进行起来,凡是他认为必不可少的正常步
骤,他都照办了。刚一吃过早饭,看到班纳特
太太、伊丽莎白和一个小妹妹在一起,他便对
那位做母亲的这样说:
"May I hope, Madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of this morning?"
"太太今天早上我想要请令嫒伊丽莎白赏光,
跟我作一次私人谈话,你赞成吗?"
Before Elizabeth had time for any thing but a blush of surprise, Mrs. Bennet instantly answered,
在伊丽莎白表示惊讶时班纳特太太立即说:
"Oh dear! -- Yes -- certainly. -- I am sure Lizzy will be very happy -- I am sure she can have no objection. -- Come, Kitty, I want you up stairs." And gathering her work together, she was hastening away, when Elizabeth called out,
"噢,好极了,当然可以。我相信丽萃也很乐
意的,我相信她还会反对。──来,吉蒂;跟
我上楼去。"她把针线收拾了一下,便匆匆忙
忙走开了,这时伊丽莎白叫起来了:
"Dear Ma'am, do not go. -- I beg you will not go. -- Mr. Collins must excuse me. -- He can have nothing to say to me that any body need not hear. I am going away myself."
"亲爱的妈,别走。我求求你别走。柯林斯先
生一定会原谅我。他要跟我说和话,别人都可
以听的。我也要走了。"
"No, no, nonsense, Lizzy. -- I desire you will stay where you are." -- And upon Elizabeth's seeming really, with vexed and embarrassed looks, about to escape, she added, "Lizzy, I insist upon your staying and hearing Mr. Collins."
"不,不;你别胡扯,丽萃。我要你待在这儿
不动。"只见伊丽莎白又恼又窘,好象真要逃
走的样子,于是她又说道:"我非要你待在这
儿听柯林斯先生说话不可。"
Elizabeth would not oppose such an injunction -- and a moment's consideration making her also sensible that it would be wisest to get it over as soon and as quietly as possible, she sat down again, and tried to conceal by incessantemployment the feelings which were divided between distress and diversion. Mrs. Bennet and Kitty walked off, and as soon as they were gone Mr. Collins began.
伊丽莎白不便违抗母命。她考虑了一会儿,觉
得能够赶快悄悄地把事情解决了也好,于是她
重新坐了下来,时时刻刻当心着,不让啼笑皆
非的心情流露出来。班纳特太太和吉蒂走开了
,她们一走,柯林斯先生便开口说话:
"Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to assure you that I have your respected mother's permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying -- and moreover for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did."
"说真的,伊丽莎白小姐,你害羞怕臊,非但
对你没有丝毫损害,而且更增加了你的天生丽
质。要是你不这样稍许推委一下,我反而不会
觉得你这么可爱了。可是请你允许我告诉你一
声,我这次跟你求婚,是获得了令堂大人的允
许的。尽管你天性羞怯,假痴假呆,可是我对
你的百般殷勤,已经表现得非常明显,你一定
会明白我说话的用意。我差不多一进这屋子,
就挑中你做我的终身伴侣。不过关于这个问题
,也许最好趁我现在还控制得住我自己感情的
时候,先谈谈我要结婚的理由,更要谈一谈我
来到哈福德郡择偶的打算,因为我的确是存着
那种打算的。"
The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away with by his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing that she could not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him farther, and he continued:
想到柯林斯这么一本正经的样子,居然会控制
不住他自己的感情,伊丽莎白不禁觉得非常好
笑,因此他虽然说话停了片刻,她可没有来得
及阻止他往下说:
"My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly -- which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness. Twice has she condescended to give me her opinion (unasked too!) on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I left Hunsford -- between our pools at quadrille, while Mrs. Jenkinson was arranging Miss de Bourgh's foot-stool, that she said, ``Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. -- Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her.'' Allow me, by the way, to observe, my fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the advantages in my power to offer. You will find her manners beyond any thing I can describe; and your wit and vivacity I think must be acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will inevitably excite. Thus much for my general intention in favour of matrimony; it remains to be told why my views were directed to Longbourn instead of my own neighbourhood, where I assure you there are many amiable young women. But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place -- which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And now nothing remains-for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection. To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds in the 4 per cents, which will not be yours till after your mother's decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to. On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married."
"我所以要结婚,有这样几点理由:第一,我
认为凡是象我这样生活宽裕的牧师,理当给全
教区树立一个婚姻的好榜样;其次,我深信结
婚会大大地促进我的幸福;第三(这一点或许
我应该早提出来),我三生有幸,能够等候上
这样高贵的一个女施主,她特别劝告我结婚,
特别赞成我结婚。蒙她两次替我在这件事情上
提出了意见(而且并不是我请教她的!),就
在我离开汉斯福的前一个星期六晚上,我们正
在玩牌,姜金生太太正在为德·包尔小姐安放
脚橙,夫人对我说:'柯林斯先生,你必须结
婚。象你这样的一个牧师,必须结婚。好好儿
去挑选吧,挑选一个好人家的女儿,为了我,
也为了你自己;人要长得活泼,要能做事,不
求出身高贵,但要会算计,把一笔小小的收入
安排得妥妥贴贴。这就是我的意见。赶快找个
这样的女人来吧,把她带到汉斯福来,我自会
照料她的。'好表妹,让我说给你听吧,咖苔
琳·德·包尔夫人对我的体贴照顾,也可以算
是我一个优越的条件。她的为人我真无法形容
,你有一天会看到的。我想,你这样的聪明活
泼一定会叫她喜欢,只要你在她那样身份高贵
的人面前显得稳重端庄些,她就会特别喜欢你
。大体上我要结婚就是为的这些打算;现在还
得说一说,我们自己村里多的是年轻可爱的姑
娘,我为什么看中了浪博恩,而没有看中我自
己村庄的呢?事情是这样的:往后令尊过世(
但愿他长命百岁),得由我继承财产,因此我
打算娶他要个女儿作家室,使得将来这件不愉
快的事发生的时候,你们的损失可以尽量轻一
些,否则我实在过意不去。当然,正如我刚才
说过的,这事情也许要在多少年以后才会发生
。我的动机就是这样,好表妹,恕我不揣冒昧
地说一句,你不至于因此就看不起我吧。现在
我的话已经说完,除非是再用最激动的语言把
我最热烈的感情向你倾诉。说到妆奁财产,我
完全无所谓,我决不会在这方面向你父亲提出
什么要求,我非常了解,他的能力也办不到,
你名下应得的财产,一共不过是一笔年息四厘
的一千镑存款,还得等你妈死后才归你所得。
因此关于那个问题,我也一声不响,而且请你
放心,我们结婚以后,我决不会说一句小气话
。"
It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.

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