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| Chapter 22 (Vol. I, Chap. XXII) | 第二十二章 |
| The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases, and again during the chief of the day, was Miss Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr. Collins. Elizabeth took an opportunity of thanking her. "It keeps him in good humour," said she, "and I am more obliged to you than I can express." Charlotte assured her friend of her satisfaction in being useful, and that it amply repaid her for the little sacrifice of her time. This was very amiable, but Charlotte's kindness extended farther than Elizabeth had any conception of; -- its object was nothing less than to secure her from any return of Mr. Collins's addresses, by engaging them towards herself. Such was Miss Lucas's scheme; and appearances were so favourable that when they parted at night, she would have felt almost sure of success if he had not been to leave Hertfordshire so very soon. But here, she did injustice to the fire and independence of his character, for it led him to escape out of Longbourn House the next morning with admirable slyness, and hasten to Lucas Lodge to throw himself at her feet. He was anxious to avoid the notice of his cousins, from a conviction that if they saw him depart, they could not fail to conjecture his design, and he was not willing to have the attempt known till its success could be known likewise; for though feeling almost secure, and with reason, for Charlotte had been tolerably encouraging, he was comparatively diffident since the adventure of Wednesday. His reception however was of the most flattering kind. Miss Lucas perceived him from an upper window as he walked towards the house, and instantly set out to meet him accidentally in the lane. But little had she dared to hope that so much love and eloquence awaited her there. | 这一天班纳特全家都被卢卡斯府上请去吃饭， 又多蒙卢卡斯小姐一片好意，整日陪着柯林斯 先生谈话。伊丽莎白利用了一个机会向她道谢 。她说："这样可以叫他精神痛快些，我对你 真是说不尽的感激。"夏绿蒂说，能够替朋友 效劳，非常乐意，虽然花了一点时间，却得到 了很大的快慰。这真是太好了；可是夏绿蒂的 好意，远非伊丽莎白所能意料；原来夏绿蒂是 有意要尽量逗引柯林斯先生跟她自己谈话，免 得他再去向伊丽莎白献殷勤。她这个计谋看来 进行得十分顺利。晚上大家分手的时候，夏绿 蒂几乎满有把握地感觉到，要不是柯林斯先生 这么快就要离开哈福德郡，事情一定能成功。 但是她这样的想法，未免太不了解他那如火如 荼、独断独行的性格。且说第二天一大早，柯 林斯就采用了相当狡猾的办法，溜出了浪博恩 ，赶到卢家庄来向她屈身求爱。他唯恐给表妹 们碰到了，他认为，假若让她们看见他走开， 那就必定会让她们猜中他的打算，而他不等到 事情有了成功的把握，决不愿意让人家知道。 虽说他当场看到夏绿蒂对他颇有情意，因此觉 得这事十拿九稳可以成功，可是从星期三那场 冒险以来，他究竟不敢太鲁莽了。不过人家倒 很巴结地接待了他。卢卡斯小姐从楼上窗口看 见他向她家里走来，便连忙到那条小道上去接 他，又装出是偶然相逢的样子。她万万想不到 ，柯林斯这一次竟然约她带来了说不尽的千情 万爱。 |
| In as short a time as Mr. Collins's long speeches would allow, every thing was settled between them to the satisfaction of both; and as they entered the house, he earnestly entreated her to name the day that was to make him the happiest of men; and though such a solicitation must be waved for the present, the lady felt no inclination to trifle with his happiness. The stupidity with which he was favoured by nature must guard his courtship from any charm that could make a woman wish for its continuance; and Miss Lucas, who accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment, cared not how soon that establishment were gained. | 在短短的一段时间里，柯林斯先生说了多多少 少的话，于是两人之间便一切都讲妥了，而且 双方都很满意。一走进屋子，他就诚恳地要求 她择定吉日，使他成为世界上最幸福的人，虽 说这种请求，暂应该置之不理，可是这位小姐 并不想要拿他的幸福当儿戏。他天生一副蠢相 ，求起爱来总是打动不了女人的心，女人一碰 到他求爱，总是请他碰壁。卢卡斯小姐所以愿 意答应他，完全是为了财产打算，至于那笔财 产何年何月可以拿到手，她倒不在乎。 |
| Sir William and Lady Lucas were speedilyapplied to for their consent; and it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity. Mr. Collins's present circumstances made it a most eligible match for their daughter, to whom they could give little fortune; and his prospects of future wealth were exceedingly fair. Lady Lucas began directly to calculate with more interest than the matter had ever excited before, how many years longer Mr. Bennet was likely to live; and Sir William gave it as his decided opinion that whenever Mr. Collins should be in possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be highly expedient that both he and his wife should make their appearance at St. James's. The whole family, in short, were properly overjoyed on the occasion. The younger girls formed hopes of comingout a year or two sooner than they might otherwise have done; and the boys were relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte's dying an old maid. Charlotte herself was tolerably composed. She had gained her point, and had time to consider of it. Her reflections were in general satisfactory. Mr. Collins to be sure was neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary. But still he would be her husband. -- Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want. This preservative she had now obtained; and at the age of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome, she felt all the good luck of it. The least agreeable circumstance in the business was the surprise it must occasion to Elizabeth Bennet, whose friendship she valued beyond that of any other person. Elizabeth would wonder, and probably would blame her; and though her resolution was not to be shaken, her feelings must be hurt by such disapprobation. She resolved to give her the information herself, and therefore charged Mr. Collins, when he returned to Longbourn to dinner, to drop no hint of what had passed before any of the family. A promise of secrecy was of course very dutifully given, but it could not be kept without difficulty; for the curiosity excited by his long absence burst forth in such very direct questions on his return, as required some ingenuity to evade, and he was at the same time exercising great self-denial, for he was longing to publish his prosperous love. | 他们俩立刻就去请求威廉爵士夫妇加以允许， 老夫妇连忙高高兴兴地答应了。他们本来没有 什么嫁妆给女儿，论柯林斯先生目前的境况， 真是再适合不过的一个女婿，何况他将来一定 会发一笔大财。卢卡斯太太立刻带着空前未有 过的兴趣，开始盘算着班纳特先生还有多少年 可活；威廉爵士一口断定说，只要林斯先生一 旦得到了浪博恩的财产，他夫妇俩就大有觐见 皇上的希望了。总而言之，这件大事叫全家人 都快活透顶。几位小女儿都满怀希望，认为这 一来可以早一两年出去交际了，男孩子们再也 不担心夏绿蒂会当老处女了。只有夏绿蒂本人 倒相当镇定。她现在初步已经成功，还有时间 去仔细考虑一番。她想了一下，大致满意。柯 林斯先生固然既不通情达理，又不讨人喜爱， 同他相处实在是件讨厌的事，他对她的爱也一 定是空中楼阁，不过她还是要他做丈夫。虽然 她对于婚姻和夫妇生活，估价都不甚高，可是 ，结婚到底是她一贯的目标，大凡家境不好而 又爱过相当教育的青年女子，总是把结婚当作 仅有的一条体面的退路。尽管结婚并不一定会 叫人幸福，但总算约她自己安排了一个最可靠 的储藏室日后可以不致挨冻受饥。她现在就获 得这样一个储藏室了。她今年二十七岁，人长 得又不标致，这个储藏室当然会使她觉得无限 幸运。只有一件事令人不快──那就是说，伊 丽莎白·班纳特准会对这门亲事感到惊奇，而 她又是一向把伊丽莎白的交情看得比什么人的 交情都重要。伊丽莎白一定会诧异，说不定还 要埋怨她。虽说她一经下定决心便不会动摇， 然而人家非难起来一定会使她难受。于是她决 定亲自把这件事告诉她，嘱咐柯林斯先生回到 浪博恩吃饭的时候，不要在班纳特家里任何人 面前透露一点风声。对方当然唯命是从，答应 保守秘密，其实秘密是很难保守，因为他出去 得太久了，一定会引起人家的好奇心，因此他 一回去，大家立刻向他问长问短，他得要有几 分能耐才能够遮掩过去，加上他又把不得把此 番情场得意的情况宣扬出去，因此他好容易才 克制住了。 |
| As he was to begin his journey too early on the morrow to see any of the family, the ceremony of leave-taking was performed when the ladies moved for the night; and Mrs. Bennet, with great politeness and cordiality, said how happy they should be to see him at Longbourn again, whenever his other engagements might allow him to visit them. | 他明天一大早就要启程，来不及向大家辞行， 所以当夜太太小姐们就寝的时候，大家便相互 话别；班纳特太太极其诚恳、极有礼貌地说， 以后他要是有便再来浪博恩，上她们那儿去玩 玩，那真叫她们太高兴了。 |
| "My dear Madam," he replied, "this invitation is particularly gratifying, because it is what I have been hoping to receive; and you may be very certain that I shall avail myself of it as soon as possible." | 他回答道："亲爱的太太，承蒙邀约，不胜感 激，我也正希望能领受这份盛意；请你放心， 我一有空就来看你们。" |
| They were all astonished; and Mr. Bennet, who could by no means wish for so speedy a return, immediately said, | 大家都吃了一惊，尤其是班纳特先生，根本不 希望他马上双来，便连忙说道： |
| "But is there not danger of Lady Catherine's disapprobation |
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