"Whatever my connections may be," said Elizabeth, "if your nephew does not object to them, they can be nothing to you."
“不管我亲戚是怎么样的人,”伊丽莎白说。
“只要你姨侄不计较,便与你毫不相干。”
"Tell me once for all, are you engaged to him?"
“爽爽快快告诉我,你究竟跟他订婚了没有?
”
Though Elizabeth would not, for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine, have answered this question, she could not but say, after a moment's deliberation,
伊丽莎白本来不打算买咖苔琳夫人的情面来回
答这个问题,可是仔细考虑了一会儿以后,她
不得不说了一声:
"I am not."
“没有。”
Lady Catherine seemed pleased.
咖苔琳夫人显得很高兴。
"And will you promise me, never to enter into such an engagement?"
“你愿意答应我,永远不跟他订婚吗?”
"I will make no promise of the kind."
“我不能答应这种事。”
"Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more reasonable young woman. But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede. I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require."
“班纳特小姐,我真是又惊骇又诧异。我没有
料到你是这样一个不讲理的小妮子。可是你千
万把头脑放清楚一些,别以为我会让步。非等
到你答应了我的要求,我就不走。”
"And I certainly never shall give it. I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable. Your ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable? Supposing him to be attached to me, would my refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on his cousin? Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged. You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these. How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine. I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no farther on the subject."
“我当然决不会答应你的。这种荒唐到极点的
事,你休想吓得我答应。你只是一心想要达西
先生跟你女儿结婚;可是,就算我如了你的意
,答应了你,你以为他们俩的婚姻就靠得住了
吗?要是他看中了我,就算我拒绝他,难道他
因此就会去向他表妹求婚吗?说句你别见怪的
话,咖苔琳夫人,你这种异想天开的要求真是
不近情理,你说的许多话又是浅薄无聊。要是
你以为你这些话能够说得我屈服,那你未免太
看错人啦。你姨侄会让你把他的事干涉到什么
地步,我不知道,可是你无论如何没有权利干
涉我的事。因此我请求你不要再为这件事来勉
强我了。”
"Not so hasty, if you please. I have by no means done. To all the objections I have already urged, I have still another to add. I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement. I know it all; that the young man's marrying her was a patched-up business, at the expence of your father and uncles. And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister? Is her husband, is the son of his late father's steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth! -- of what are you thinking? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?"
“请你不必这样性急。我的话根本没有讲完。
除了我已经说过的你那许多缺陷以外,我还要
加上一件。别以为我不知道你那个小妹妹不要
脸私奔的事。我完全晓得。那个年轻小伙子跟
她结婚,完全是你爸爸和舅舅花了钱买来的。
这样一个臭丫头,也配做我姨侄的小姨吗?她
丈夫是他父亲生前的账房的儿子,也配和他做
连襟吗、上有天下有地!你究竟是打是什么主
意?彭伯里的门第能够这样给人糟蹋吗?”
"You can now have nothing farther to say," she resentfully answered. "You have insulted me in every possible method. I must beg to return to the house."
伊丽莎白恨恨地回答道:“现在你该讲完了,
你也把我侮辱得够了。我可要回家去啦。”
And she rose as she spoke. Lady Catherine rose also, and they turned back. Her ladyship was highly incensed.
她一面说,一面便站起身来。咖苔琳夫人也站
了起来,两人一同回到屋子里去。老夫人真给
气坏了。
"You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?"
“那么,你完全不顾全我姨侄的身份和面子啦
!好一个没有心肝、自私自利的小丫头!你难
道不知道,他跟你结了婚,大家都要看不起他
吗、”
"Lady Catherine, I have nothing farther to say. You know my sentiments."
"I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected with me."
“我并没有说这种话。我自有主张,怎么样做
会幸福,我就决定怎么样做,你管不了,任何
象你这样的局外人也都管不了。”
"It is well. You refuse, then, to oblige me. You refuse to obey the claims of duty, honour, and gratitude. You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world."
“好啊。你坚决不肯依我。你完全丧尽天良,
不知廉耻,忘恩负义。你决心要叫他的朋友们
看不起他,让天下人都耻笑他。”
"Neither duty, nor honour, nor gratitude," replied Elizabeth, "have any possible claim on me, in the present instance. No principle of either would be violated by my marriage with Mr. Darcy. And with regard to the resentment of his family, or the indignation of the world, if the former were excited by his marrying me, it would not give me one moment's concern -- and the world in general would have too much sense to join in the scorn."
伊丽莎白说:“目前这件事情谈不到什么天良
、廉耻、恩义。我跟达西先生结婚,并不触犯
这些原则。要是他跟我结了婚,他家里人就厌
恶他,那我毫不在乎;至于说天下人都会生他
的气,我认为世界上多的是知义明理的人,不
见得个个都会耻笑他。”
"And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve! Very well. I shall now know how to act. Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your ambition will ever be gratified. I came to try you. I hoped to find you reasonable; but, depend upon it, I will carry my point."
“这就是你的真心话!这就是你坚定不移的主
张!好啊。现在我可知道该怎么应付了。班纳
特小姐,别以为你的痴心妄想会在到目的。我
不过是来试探试探你,没想到你竟不可理喻。
等着瞧吧,我说得到一定做得到。”
In this manner Lady Catherine talked on, till they were at the door of the carriage, when, turning hastily round, she added, "I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet. I send no compliments to your mother. You deserve no such attention. I am most seriously displeased."
咖苔琳夫人就这样一直讲下去,走到马车跟前
,她又急急忙忙掉过头来说道:“我不向你告
辞,班纳特小姐。我也不问候你的母亲。你们
都不识抬举。我真是十二万分不高兴。”
Elizabeth made no answer; and without attempting to persuade her ladyship to return into the house, walked quietly into it herself. She heard the carriage drive away as she proceeded up stairs. Her mother impatiently met her at the door of the dressing-room, to ask why Lady Catherine would not come in again and rest herself.
伊丽莎白不去理她,也没有请她回到屋子里去
坐坐,只管自己不声不响地往屋里走。她上楼
的时候,听到马车驶走的声音。她母亲在化妆
室门口等她等得心急了,这会儿一见到她,便
连忙问她为什么咖苔琳夫人不回到屋子里来休
息一会儿再走。
"She did not choose it," said her daughter, "she would go."
女儿说:“她不愿意进来,她要走。”
"She is a very fine-looking woman! and her calling here was prodigiously civil! for she only came, I suppose, to tell us the Collinses were well. She is on her road somewhere, I dare say, and so, passing through Meryton, thought she might as well call on you. I suppose she had nothing particular to say to you, Lizzy?"
“她是个多么好看的女人啊!她真太客气,竟
会到我们这种地方来!我想,她这次来,不过
是为了要告诉我们一声,柯林斯夫妇过得很好
。她或许是到别的什么地方去,路过麦里屯,
顺便进来看看你。我想,她没有特别跟你说什
么话吧?
Elizabeth was forced to give into a little falsehood here; for to acknowledge the substance of their conversation was impossible.