Mr. Bingley. We may as well wait, perhaps, till the
circumstance occurs, before we discuss the
discretion of his
behaviour thereupon. But in general and ordinary cases between
friend and friend, where one of them is desired by the other to
change a
resolution of no very great moment, should you think
ill of that person for complying with the desire, without
waiting to be argued into it?"
“达西先生,我觉得你未免否定了友谊和感情
对于一个人的影响。要知道,一个人如果尊重
别人提出的要求,通常都是用不着说服就会心
甘情愿地听从的。我并不是因为你说到彬格莱
先生而就借题发挥。也许我们可以等到真有这
种事情发生的时候,再来讨论他处理得是不适
当。不过一般说来,朋友与朋友相处,遇到一
件无关紧要的事情的时候,一个已经打定主意
,另一个要他改变一下主意,如果被要求的人
不等到到对方加以说服,就听众了对方的意见
,你能说他有什么不是吗?”
|
"Will it not be advisable, before we proceed on this subject, to arrange with rather more precision the degree of importance which is to appertain to this request, as well as the degree of intimacy subsisting between the parties?"
|
“我们且慢讨论这个问题,不妨先仔仔细细研
究一下,那个朋友提出的要求究竟重要到什么
程度,他们两个人的交情又深到什么程度,这
样好不好?”
|
"By all means," cried Bingley; "Let us hear all the particulars, not forgetting their comparativeheight and size; for that will have more weight in the argument, Miss Bennet, than you may be aware of. I assure you that if Darcy were not such a great tall fellow, in comparison with myself, I should not pay him half so much deference. I declare I do not know a more aweful object than Darcy, on particular occasions, and in particular places; at his own house especially, and of a Sunday evening when he has nothing to do."
|
彬格莱大声说道:“好极了,请你仔仔细细讲
吧,连到他们的身材的高矮和大小也别忘了讲
,因为,班纳特小姐,你一定想象不到讨论起
问题来的时候这一点是多么重要。老实对你说
,要是达西先生不比我高那么多,大那么多,
你才休想叫我那么尊敬他。在某些时候,某些
场合,达西是个再讨厌不过的家伙──特别是
礼拜天晚上在他家里,当他没有事情做的时候
。”
|
Mr. Darcy smiled; but Elizabeth thought she could perceive that he was rather offended; and therefore checked her laugh. Miss Bingley warmly resented the indignity he had received in an expostulation with her brother for talking such nonsense.
|
达西微笑了一下,伊丽莎白本来要笑,可是觉
得他好象有些生气了,便忍住了没有笑。彬格
莱小姐看见人家拿他开玩笑,很是生气,便怪
她的哥哥干吗要谈这样没意思的话。
|
"I see your design, Bingley," said his friend. -- "You dislike an argument, and want to silence this."
|
达西说:“我明白你的用意,彬格莱,你不喜
欢辩论,要把这场辩论压下去。”
|
"Perhaps I do. Arguments are too much like disputes. If you and Miss Bennet will defer yours till I am out of the room, I shall be very thankful; and then you may say whatever you like of me."
|
“我也许真是这样。辩论往往很象争论,假若
你和班纳特小姐能够稍缓一下等我走出房间以
后再,辩论那我是非常感激的。我走出去以后
,你们便可以爱怎么说我就怎么说我了。”
|
"What you ask," said Elizabeth, "is no sacrifice on my side; and Mr. Darcy had much better finish his letter,"
|
伊丽莎白说:“你要这样做,对我并没有什么
损失;达西先生还是去把信写好吧。”
|
Mr. Darcy took her advice, and did finish his letter.
|
达西先生听从了她的意见,去把那封信写好。
|
When that business was over, he applied to Miss Bingley and Elizabeth for the indulgence of some music. Miss Bingley moved with alacrity to the piano-forte, and after a polite request that Elizabeth would lead the way, which the other as politely and more earnestly negatived, she seated herself.
|
这件事过去以后,达西要求彬格莱小姐和伊丽
莎白小姐赏赐他一点音乐听听,彬格莱小姐便
敏捷地走钢琴跟前,先客气了一番,请伊丽莎
白带头,伊丽莎白却更加客气、更加诚恳地推
辞了,然后彬格莱小姐才在琴旁坐下来。
|
Mrs. Hurst sang with her sister, and while they were thus employed, Elizabeth could not help observing, as she turned over some music books that lay on the instrument, how frequently Mr. Darcy's eyes were fixed on her. She hardly knew how to suppose that she could be an object of admiration to so great man; and yet that he should look at her because he disliked her was still more strange. She could only imagine however, at last, that she drew his notice because there was a something about her more wrong and reprehensible, according to his ideas of right, than in any other person present. The supposition did not pain her. She liked him too little to care for his approbation.
|
赫斯脱太太替她妹妹伴唱。当她们姐妹俩演奏
的时候,伊丽莎白翻阅着钢琴上的几本琴谱,
只见达西先生的眼睛总是望着她。如果说,这
位了不起的人这样户着她是出于爱慕之意,她
可不大敢存这种奢望,不过,要是说达西是因
为讨厌她所以才望着她,那就更说不通了。最
后,她只得这样想;她所以引起了达西的注意
,大概是因为达西认为她比起在座的任何人来
,都叫人看不顺眼。她作出了这个假想之后,
并没有感到痛苦,因为她根本不喜欢他,因此
不稀罕他的垂青。
|
After playing some Italian songs, Miss Bingley varied the charm by a lively Scotch air; and soon afterwards Mr. Darcy, drawing near Elizabeth, said to her --
|
彬格莱小姐弹了几支意大利歌曲以后,便改弹
了一些活泼的苏格兰曲子来变换变换情调。不
大一会儿工夫,达西先生走到伊丽莎白跟前来
,跟她说:
|
"Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel?"
|
“班纳特小姐,你是不是很想趁这个机会来跳
一次苏格兰舞?”
|
She smiled, but made no answer. He repeated the question, with some surprise at her silence.
|
伊丽莎白没有回答他,只是笑了笑。他见她闷
声不响,觉得有点儿奇怪,便又问了她一次。
|
"Oh!" said she, "I heard you before; but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. You wanted me, I know, to say ``Yes,'' that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have therefore made up my mind to tell you that I do not want to dance a reel at all -- and now despise me if you dare."
|
“噢,”她说,“我早就听见了;可是我一下
子拿不准应该怎样回答你。当然,我知道你希
望我回答一声‘是的’那你就会蔑视我的低级
趣味,好让你自己得意一番,只可惜我一向喜
欢戳穿人家的诡计,作弄一下那些存心想要蔑
视人的人。因此,我决定跟你说,我根本不爱
跳苏格兰舞;这一下你可不敢蔑视我了吧。”
|
"Indeed I do not dare."
|
“果真不敢。”
|
Elizabeth, having rather expected to affront him, was amazed at his gallantry; but there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront anybody; and Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger.
|
伊丽莎白本来打算使他难堪一下,这会儿见他
那么体贴,倒楞住了。不过,伊丽莎白的为人
一贯温柔乖巧,不轻易得罪任何人,而达西又
对她非常着迷,以前任何女人也不曾使他这样
着迷过。他不由得一本正经地想道,要不是她
的亲戚出身微贱,那我难免危险了。
|
Miss Bingley saw, or suspected, enough to be jealous; and her great anxiety for the recovery of her dear friend Jane received some assistance from her desire of getting rid of Elizabeth.
|
彬格莱小姐见到这般光景,很是嫉妒,或者也
可以说是她疑心病重,因此由疑而妒。于是她
愈想把伊丽莎白撵走,就愈巴不得她的好朋友
吉英病体赶快复元。
|
She often tried to provoke Darcy into disliking her guest, by talking of their supposed marriage, and planning his happiness in such an alliance.
|
为了挑拨达西厌恶这位客人,她常常闲言闲语
,说他跟伊丽莎白终将结成美满良缘,而且估
料着这一门良缘会给达西带来多大幸福。
|
"I hope," said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next day, "you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this desirable event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue; and if you can compass it, do cure the younger girls of running after the officers. -- And, if I may mention so delicate a subject, endeavour to check that little something, bordering on conceit and impertinence, which your lady possesses."
|
第二天彬格莱小姐跟达西两人在矮树林里散步
,彬格莱小姐说:“我希望将来有一天好事如
愿的时候,你得委婉地奉劝你那位岳母出言吐
语要谨慎些,还有你那几位小姨子,要是你能
力办得到,最好也得把她们那种醉心追求军官
的毛病医治好。还有一件事,我真不好意思说
出口;尊夫人有一点儿小脾气,好象是自高自
大,又好象是不懂礼貌,你也得尽力帮助她克
制一下。”
|
"Have you any thing else to propose for my domestic felicity?"
|
“关于促进我的家庭幸福方面,你还有什么别
的意见吗?”
|
"Oh! yes. -- Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Philips be placed in the gallery at Pemberley. Put them next to your great uncle, the judge. They are in the same profession, you know; only in different lines. As for your Elizabeth's picture, you must not attempt to have it taken, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?"
|
“噢,有的是。千万把你姨丈人姨丈母的像挂
到彭伯里画廊里面去,就挂在你那位当法官的
伯祖父大人遗象旁边。你知道他们都是同行,
只不过部门不同而已。至于尊夫人伊丽莎白,
可千万别让别人替她画像,天下哪一个画家能
够把她那一双美丽的眼睛画得维妙维肖?”
|
"It would not be easy, indeed, to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and the eye-lashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied."
|
“那双眼睛的神气确不容易描画;可是眼睛的
形状和颜色,以及她的睫毛,都非常美妙,也
许描画得出来。”
|
At that moment they were met from another walk, by Mrs. Hurst and Elizabeth herself.
|
他们正谈得起劲和时候,忽然看见赫斯脱太太
和伊丽莎白从另外一条路走过来。
|
"I did not know that you intended to walk," said Miss Bingley, in some confusion, lest they had been overheard.
|
彬格莱小姐连忙招呼她们说:“我不知道你们
也想出来散散步,”她说这话的时候,心里很
有些惴惴不安,因为她恐怕刚才的话让她们听
见了。
|
"You used us abominably ill," answered Mrs. Hurst, "in running away without telling us that you were coming out." Then taking the disengaged arm of Mr. Darcy, she left Elizabeth to walk by herself. The path just admitted three.
|
“你们也太对不起我们了,”赫斯脱太太回答
道,“只顾自己出来,也不告诉我们一声。”
接着她就挽住达西空着的那条臂膀,丢下伊丽
莎白,让她独个儿去走。这条路恰巧只容得下
三个人并排走。
|
Mr. Darcy felt their rudeness and immediately said, --
|
达西先生觉得她们太冒味了,便说道:
|
"This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the avenue."
|
“这条路太窄,不能让我们大家一块儿并排走
,我们不是走到大道上去吧。”
|
But Elizabeth, who had not the least inclination to remain with them, laughingly answered,
|
伊丽莎白本不想跟他们待在一起,一听这话,
便笑嘻嘻地说:
|
"No, no; stay where you are. -- You are charmingly group'd, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth. Good bye."
|
“不用啦,不用啦;你们就在这儿走走吧。你
们三个人在一起走非常好看,而且很出色。加
上第四个人,画面就给弄毁了。再见。”
|
She then ran gaily off, rejoicing, as she rambled about, in the hope of being at home again in a day or two. Jane was already so much recovered as to intend leaving her room for a couple of hours that evening.
|
于是她就得意洋洋地跑开了。她一面跪溜达,
一面想到一两天内就可以回家,觉得很高兴。
吉英的病已经大为好转,当天晚上就想走出房
间去玩它两个钟头。
|