He made no answer, and they were again silent till they had
gone down the dance, when he asked her if she and her sisters
did not very often walk to Meryton. She answered in the
affirmative, and, unable to resist the temptation, added, "When
you met us there the other day, we had just been forming a new
acquaintance."


他没有回答，他们俩又沉默了，直等到又下池

去跳舞，他这才问她是不是常常各姐妹们上麦

里屯去溜达。她回答说常常去。她说到这里，

实在按捺不住了，便接下去说：“你那天在那

儿碰到我们的时候，我们正在结交一个新朋友

呢。”




The effect was immediate. A deeper shade of hauteur overspread
his features, but he said not a word, and Elizabeth, though
blaming herself for her own weakness, could not go on. At
length Darcy spoke, and in a constrained manner said,


这句话立刻发生了效果。一阵傲慢的阴影罩上

了他的脸，可是他一句话也没有说。伊丽莎白

说不下去了，不过她心里却在埋怨自己软弱。

后来还是达西很勉强地先开口说：




"Mr. Wickham is blessed with such happy manners as may ensure
his making friends -- whether he may be equallycapable of
retaining them, is less certain."


“韦翰先生生来满面春风，交起朋友来得心应

手。至于他是不是能和朋友们长久相处，那就

不大靠得住了。”




"He has been so unlucky as to lose your friendship," replied
Elizabeth with emphasis, "and in a manner which he is likely to
suffer from all his life."


伊丽莎白加重语气回答道：“他真不幸，竟失

去了您的友谊，而且弄成那么尬的局面，可能

会使他一辈子都感受痛苦。”




Darcy made no answer, and seemed desirous of changing the
subject. At that moment Sir William Lucas appeared close to
them, meaning to pass through the set to the other side of the
room; but on perceiving Mr. Darcy he stopt with a bow of
superior courtesy, to compliment him on his dancing and his
partner.


达西没有回答，好象想换个话题。就在这当儿

，威廉·卢卡斯爵士走近他们身边，打算穿过

舞池走到屋子的寻一边去，可是一看到达西先

生，他就停住了，礼貌周全地向他鞠了一躬，

满口称赞他跳舞跳得好，舞伴又找得好。




"I have been most highly gratified indeed, my dear Sir. Such
very superior dancing is not often seen. It is evident that
you belong to the first circles. Allow me to say, however,
that your fair partner does not disgrace you, and that I must
hope to have this pleasure often repeated, especially when a
certain desirable event, my dear Miss Eliza (glancing at her
sister and Bingley), shall take place. What congratulations
will then flow in! I appeal to Mr. Darcy: -- but let me not
interrupt you, Sir. -- You will not thank me for detaining you
from the bewitching converse of that young lady, whose bright
eyes are also upbraiding me."


“我真太高兴了，亲爱的先生，跳得这样一手

好舞，真是少见。你毫无问题是属于第一流的

人材。让我再唠叨一句，你这位漂亮的舞伴也

真配得上你，我真希望常常有这种眼福，特别

是将来有一天某一桩好事如愿的时候，亲爱的

伊丽莎白小姐。”（他朝着她的姐姐和彬格莱

望了一眼）“那时候将会有臬热闹的祝贺场面

啊。我要求达西先生：──可是我还是别打搅

你吧，先生。你正在和这位小姐谈得心醉神迷

，如果我耽搁了你，你是不会感激我的，瞧她

那了双明亮的眼睛也在责备我呢。”




The latter part of this address was scarcely, heard by Darcy;
but Sir William's allusion to his friend seemed to strike him
forcibly, and his eyes were directed with a very serious
expression towards Bingley and Jane, who were dancing together.
Recovering himself, however, shortly, he turned to his partner,
and said,


后半段话达西几乎没有听见。可是威廉爵士提

起他那位朋友，却不免叫他心头大受震动，于

是他一本正经去望着那正在跳舞的彬格莱和吉

英。他马上又镇定了下来，掉转头来对他自己

的舞伴说：




"Sir William's interruption has made me forget what we were
talking of."


“威廉爵士打断了我们的话，我简直记不起我

们刚刚谈些什么了。”




"I do not think we were speaking at all. Sir William could
not have interrupted any two people in the room who had less
to say for themselves. -- We have tried two or three subjects
already without success, and what we are to talk of next I
cannot imagine."


“我觉得我们根本就没有谈什么。这屋子里随

便哪两个人都不比我们说话说得少的，因此威

廉爵士打断不了什么话。我们已经换过两三次

话题，总是谈不投机，以后还要谈些什么，我

实在想不出了。”




"What think you of books?" said he, smiling.


“谈谈书本如何？”他笑着说。




"Books -- Oh! no. -- I am sure we never read the same, or not
with the same feelings."


“书本！噢，不；我相信我们读过的书不会一

样，我们的体会也各有不同。”




"I am sorry you think so; but if that be the case, there can at
least be no want of subject. -- We may compare our different
opinions."


“你会这样想，我真抱歉；假定真是那样，也

不见得就无从谈起。我们也可以把不同见解比

较一下。”




"No -- I cannot talk of books in a ball-room; my head is
always full of something else."


“不──我无法在舞场里谈书本；我脑子里老

是想着些别的事。”




"The present always occupies you in such scenes -- does it?"
said he, with a look of doubt.


“你老是在为眼前的场合烦神，是不是？”他

带着犹疑的眼光问。




"Yes, always," she replied, without knowing what she
said, for her thoughts had wandered far from the subject,
as soon afterwards appeared by her suddenly exclaiming,


“是的，老是这样，”她答道。其实她并不知

道自己在说些什么，她的思想跑到老远的地方

去了，你且听她突然一下子说出这样的话吧：




"I remember hearing you once say, Mr. Darcy, that you hardly
ever forgave, that your resentment once created was
unappeasable. You are very cautious, I suppose, as to its
beingcreated."


“达西先生，我记得有一次听见你说，你生来

不能原谅别人──你和别人一结下了怨，就消

除不掉。我想，你结的时候总该很慎重的吧？

”




"I am," said he, with a firm voice.


“正是，”他坚决地说。




"And never allow yourself to be blinded by prejudice?"


“你从来不会受到偏见和蒙蔽吗？”




"I hope not."


“我想不会”




"It is particularly incumbent on those who never change
their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first."


“对于某些坚持已见的人说来，在拿定一个主

张的时候，开头应该特别慎重地考虑一下。”




"May I ask to what these questions tend?"


“是否可以允许我请教你一声，你问我这些话

用意何在？”




"Merely to the illustration of your character," said she,
endeavouring to shake off her gravity. "I am trying to make it
out."


她竭力装出若无其事的神气说：“只不过为了

要解释解释你的性格罢了，我想要把你的性格

弄个明白。”




"And what is your success?"


“那么你究竟弄明白了没有？”




She shook her head. "I do not get on at all. I hear such
different accounts of you as puzzle me exceedingly."


她摇摇头。“我一点儿也弄不明白。我听到人

家对于你的看法极不一致，叫我不知道相信谁

的话才好。”




"I can readily believe," answered he gravely, "that report
may vary greatly with respect to me; and I could wish, Miss
Bennet, that you were not to sketch my character at the present
moment, as there is reason to fear that the performance would
reflect no credit on either."


他严肃的答道：“人家对于我的看法极不一致

，我相信其中一定大有出入。班纳特小姐，我

希望你目前还是不要刻画我的性格，我怕这样

做，结果对于你我都没有好处。”




"But if I do not take your likeness now, I may never have
another opportunity."


“可是，倘若我现在不了解你一下，以后就没

有机会了。”