opposition, but he was going to be made unhappy; and that it should be through her means -- that she, his favourite child, should be distressing him by her choice, should be filling him with fears and regrets in disposing of her -- was a wretched reflection, and she sat in misery till Mr. Darcy appeared again, when, looking at him, she was a little relieved by his smile. In a few minutes he approached the table where she was sitting with Kitty; and, while pretending to admire her work said in a whisper, "Go to your father, he wants you in the library." She was gone directly.
当天下午,只见班纳特先生刚一走进书房,达
西先生便立刻站起身来跟着他走,伊丽莎白看
到这情形,心里焦急到了极点。她并不是怕父
亲反对,而是怕父亲会给弄得不愉快。她想,
她是父亲最宠爱的女儿,如果她选择了这个对
象,竟会使父亲感到痛苦,使父亲为她终身大
事忧虑惋惜,未免太不象话。她担心地坐在那
儿,直到达西先生回到她身边,面带笑意,她
这才松了口气。一会儿工夫,达西走到她跟吉
蒂一块儿坐着的那张桌子跟前来,装做欣赏她
手里的针线,轻声地跟她说:“快到你爸爸那
儿去,他在书房里等着你。”她马上就去了。
Her father was walking about the room, looking grave and anxious. "Lizzy," said he, "what are you doing? Are you out of your senses, to be accepting this man? Have not you always hated him?"
她父亲正在房间里踱来踱去,看他那种神气,
既是严肃,又是焦急。他说:“丽萃,你在闹
些什么?你疯了吗,你怎么会要这个人?你不
是一向都恨他吗?”
How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions had been more reasonable, her expressions more moderate! It would have spared her from explanations and professions which it was exceedingly awkward to give; but they were now necessary, and she assured him, with some confusion, of her attachment to Mr. Darcy.
她这时候真是焦急非凡。假若她从前不是那样
见解过火,出言不逊,那就好了,那现在用不
到那么尴尴尬尬地去解释和剖白了。可是事到
如今,既是免不了要费些唇舌,她只得心慌意
乱地跟父亲说,她爱上了达西先生。
"Or, in other words, you are determined to have him. He is rich, to be sure, and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane. But will they make you happy?"
“换句话说,你已经打定主意,非嫁他不可啦
。他当然有的是钱,可以使你比吉英衣服穿得
更高贵,车辆乘得更华丽。难道这就会使你幸
福吗?”
"Have you any other objection," said Elizabeth, "than your belief of my indifference?"
伊丽莎白说:“你认为我对他并没有感情,除
此以外,你还有别的反对意见吗?”
"None at all. We all know him to be a proud, unpleasant sort of man; but this would be nothing if you really liked him."
“一点没有。我们都知道他是个傲慢而不易亲
近的人;不过,只要你真正喜欢他,这也无关
紧要。”
"I do, I do like him," she replied, with tears in her eyes, "I love him. Indeed he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable. You do not know what he really is; then pray do not pain me by speaking of him in such terms."
女儿含泪回答道:“我实在喜欢他,我爱他。
他并不是傲慢得没有道理。他可爱极了。你不
了解他真正的为人,因此,我求你不要这样编
派他,免得我痛苦。”
"Lizzy," said her father, "I have given him my consent. He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I should never dare refuse any thing, which he condescended to ask. I now give it to you, if you are resolved on having him. But let me advise you to think better of it. I know your disposition, Lizzy. I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable, unless you truly esteemed your husband; unless you looked up to him as a superior. Your lively talents would place you in the greatest danger in an unequal marriage. You could scarcely escape discredit and misery. My child, let me not have the grief of seeingyouunable to respect your partner in life. You know not what you are about."
父亲说:“丽萃,我已经允许他了。象他那样
的人,只要蒙他不弃,有所请求,我当然只有
答应。如果你现在已经决定了要嫁他,我当然
决计允许你。不过我劝你还是再仔细想想:我
了解你的个性,丽萃。我知道,你除非真正能
敬重你的丈夫,认为他高你一等,你便不会觉
得幸福,也不会觉得得意。以你这样了不起的
才能,要是婚姻攀得不相称,那是极其危险的
,那你就很难逃得了丢脸和悲惨的下场。好孩
子,别让我以后眼看着你瞧不起你的终身伴侣
,为你伤心。你得明白,这不是闹着玩的。”
Elizabeth, still more affected, was earnest and solemn in her reply; and at length, by repeated assurances that Mr. Darcy was really the object of her choice, by explaining the gradual change which her estimation of him had undergone, relating her absolute certainty that his affection was not the work of a day, but had stood the test of many months suspense, and enumerating with energy all his good qualities, she did conquer her father's incredulity, and reconcile him to the match.
伊丽莎白更加感动,便非常认真、非常严肃地
回答他的话;后来她又几次三番地说,达西确
实确实是她选中的对象,说她对他的敬爱已经
步步提高,说她相信他的感情决不是一朝一夕
生长起来的,而是搁置了好几个和考验出来的
;她又竭力赞扬他种种优美的品质,这才打消
了父亲的犹疑,完全赞成了这门婚姻。
"Well, my dear," said he, when she ceased speaking, "I have no more to say. If this be the case, he deserves you. I could not have parted with you, my Lizzy, to any one less worthy."
她讲完了,他便说道:“好孩子,这么说,我
没有别的意见了。当真这样,他的确配得上你
。丽萃,我可不愿意让你嫁给一个够不上这种
标准的人。”
To complete the favourable impression, she then told him what Mr. Darcy had voluntarily done for Lydia. He heard her with astonishment.
为了要使得父亲对达西先生更有好感,她又把
他自告奋勇搭救丽迪雅的事告诉了父亲,父亲
听了,大为惊奇。
"This is an evening of wonders, indeed! And so, Darcy did every thing: made up the match, gave the money, paid the fellow's debts, and got him his commission! So much the better. It will save me a world of trouble and economy. Had it been your uncle's doing, I must and would have paid him; but these violent young lovers carry every thing their own way. I shall offer to pay him to-morrow; he will rant and storm about his love for you, and there will be an end of the matter."
“今天真是无奇不有了!原来一切全仗达西的
大力,他一手撮合他们的婚姻,为他们赔钱,
替那个家伙还债,给他找差使!这是再好也没
有了。省了我多少麻烦,省了我多少钱。假如
这事是你舅舅做的,我就非还他不可,而且可
能已经还他了;可是这些狂恋热爱的年轻人,
样样事都喜欢自作主张。明天我就提出还他的
钱,他一定会大吹大擂,说他怎么样爱你疼你
,那么事情就这样完了。”
He then recollected her embarrassment a few days before, on his reading Mr. Collins's letter; and after laughing at her some time, allowed her at last to go -- saying, as she quitted the room, "If any young men come for Mary or Kitty, send them in, for I am quite at leisure."
于是他记起了前几天给伊丽莎白读柯林斯先生
那封信的时候,她是多么局促不安;他又取笑
了她一阵,最后才让她走了;她正要走出房门
,他又说:“如果还有什么年轻人来向曼丽和
吉蒂求婚,带他们进来好了,我正闲着呢。”
Elizabeth's mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight; and, after half an hour's quiet reflection in her own room, she was able to join the others with tolerable composure. Every thing was too recent for gaiety, but the evening passed tranquilly away; there was no longer any thing material to be dreaded, and the comfort of ease and familiarity would come in time.
伊丽莎白心里那块大石头这才算放了下来,在
自己房间里待了半个钟头定了定心以后,便神
色镇定地去和大家待在一起了。所有欢乐愉快
的事情都来得太突然,这个下午就这样心旷神
怡地消磨过去了;现在再也没有什么重大的事
情需要担忧了,但觉心安理得,亲切愉快。
When her mother went up to her dressing-room at night, she followed her, and made the important communication. Its effect was most extraordinary; for on first hearing it, Mrs. Bennet sat quite still, and unable to utter a syllable. Nor was it under many, many minutes that she could comprehend what she heard; though not in general backward to credit what was for the advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of a lover to any of them. She began at length to recover, to fidget about in her chair, get up, sit down again, wonder, and bless herself.
晚上母亲进化妆室去的时候,伊丽莎白也跟着
母亲一起去,把这个重要的消息告诉她。班纳
特太太的反应极好。她初听到这消息,只是静
静地坐着,一句话也说不出,过了好一会儿,
她才听懂了女儿的话,才隐隐约约地明白了又
有一个女儿要出嫁了,这对于家里有多少好处
。到最后她才完全弄明白了是怎么回事,于是
在椅子上坐立不安,一会儿站起来,一会儿又
坐下去,一会儿诧异,一会儿又为自己祝福。
"Good gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really true? Oh! my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it -- nothing at all. I am so pleased -- so happy. Such a charming man! -- so handsome! so tall! -- Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear, dear Lizzy. A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go distracted."
“谢谢老天爷!谢天谢地!且想想看吧!天啊
!达西先生!谁想得到哟!真有这回事吗?丽
萃,我的心肝宝贝,你马上就要大富大贵了!
你将要有多少针线钱,有多少珠宝,多少马车
啊!吉英比起来就差得太远了──简直是天上
地下。我真高兴──真快乐。这样可爱的丈夫
!那么漂亮,那么魁伟!噢,我的好丽萃!我
以前那么讨厌他,请你代我去向他求饶吧!我
希望他不会计较。丽萃,我的心肝,我的宝贝
。他在城里有所大住宅!漂亮的东西一应俱全
!三个女儿出嫁啦!每年有一万镑收入!噢,
天啊!我真乐不可支了。我要发狂了!”
This was enough to prove that her approbation need not be doubted: and Elizabeth, rejoicing that such an effusion was heard only by herself, soon went away. But before she had been three minutes in her own room, her mother followed her.
这番话足以证明她完全赞成这门婚姻;伊丽莎
白心喜的是,幸亏母亲这些得意忘形的话只有
她一个人听见。不久她便走出房来,可是她走
到自己房间里还没有三分钟,母亲又赶来了。
"My dearest child," she cried, "I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year, and very likely more! 'Tis as good as a Lord! And a special licence. You must and shall be married by a special licence. But my dearest love, tell me what dish Mr. Darcy is particularly fond of, that I may have it tomorrow."
母亲大声叫道:“我的心肝,我脑子里再也想
不到旁的东西了!一年有一万镑的收入,可能
还要多!简直阔得象个皇亲国戚!而且还有特
许结婚证──你当然要用特许结婚证结婚的。
可是,我的宝贝,告诉我,达西先生爱吃什么
菜,让我明天准备起来。”
This was a sad omen of what her mother's behaviour to the gentleman himself might be; and Elizabeth found that, though in the certain possession of his warmest affection, and secure of her relations' consent, there was still something to be wished for. But the morrow passed off much better than she expected; for Mrs. Bennet luckily stood in such awe of her intended son-in-law that she ventured not to speak to him, unless it was in her power to offer him any attention, or mark her deference for his opinion.
这句话不是好兆头,看来她母亲明天又要在那
位先生面前出丑;伊丽莎白心想,现在虽然已
经十拿九稳地获得了他的热爱,而且也得到了
家里人的同意,恐怕还是难免节外生枝。好在
事出意料,第二天的情形非常好,这完全是多
亏班纳特太太对她这位未来的女婿极其敬畏,
简直不敢跟他说话,只是尽量向他献些殷勤,
或者是恭维一下他的高谈阔论。
Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing her father taking pains to get acquainted with him; and Mr. Bennet soon assured her that he was rising every hour in his esteem.
伊丽莎白看到父亲也尽心竭力地跟他亲近,觉
得很满意;班纳特先生不久又对她说,他愈来
愈器重达西先生了。
"I admire all my three sons-in-law highly," said he. "Wickham, perhaps, is my favourite; but I think I shall like your husband quite as well as Jane's."