AT five o'clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at half past six Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To the civil enquiries which then poured in, and amongst which she had the pleasure of distinguishing the much superior solicitude of Mr. Bingley's, she could not make a very favourable answer. Jane was by no means better. The sisters, on hearing this, repeated three or four times how much they were grieved, how shocking it was to have a bad cold, and how excessively they disliked being ill themselves, and then thought no more of the matter; and their indifference towards Jane, when not immediately before them, restored Elizabeth to the enjoyment of all her original dislike.

五點鐘的時候，主人家兩姐妹出去更衣；六點半的時候伊麗莎白被請去吃晚飯。大家都禮貌周全，紛紛來探問吉英的病情，其中尤其是彬格萊先生問得特別關切，這叫伊麗莎白非常愉快，只可惜吉英的病情一些沒有好轉，因此她無法給人家滿意的回答。那姐妹聽到這話，便幾次三番地說她們是多么擔心，說重傷風是多么可怕，又說她們自己多么討厭生病，──說過了這些話以后就不當它一回事了。伊麗莎白看到她們當吉英不在她們面前的時候就對吉英這般冷淡，于是她本來那種討厭她們的心理現在又重新滋長起來。

 

Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party whom she could regard with any complacency. His anxiety for Jane was evident, and his attentions to herself most pleasing, and they prevented her feeling herself so much an intruder as she believed she was considered by the others. She had very little notice from any but him. Miss Bingley was engrossed by Mr. Darcy, her sister scarcely less so; and as for Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards, who, when he found her prefer a plain dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.

的確，她們這家人里面只有她們的兄弟能使她稱心滿意，你一眼便可以看出他是真的在為吉英擔憂，再說他對于伊麗莎白也殷勤和悅到極點。伊麗莎白本以為人家會把她看作一個不速之客，可是有了這份殷勤，她就不這么想了。除他以外，別人都不大理睬她。彬格萊小姐的心在達西先生身上，赫斯脫太太差不多也沒有什么兩樣；再說到赫斯脫先生，他就坐在伊麗莎白身旁，他天生一副懶骨頭，活在世上就是為了吃、喝、玩牌，他聽到伊麗莎白寧可吃一碟普通的菜而不喜歡吃燴肉，便和她談不上勁了。

 

When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no stile, no taste, no beauty. Mrs. Hurst thought the same, and added,

伊麗莎白一吃過晚飯就回到吉英那兒去。她一走出飯廳，彬格萊小姐就開始說她的壞話，把她的作風說得壞透了，說她既傲慢又無禮貌，不懂得跟人家攀談，儀表不佳，風趣索然，人又長得難看。赫斯脫太太也是同樣的看法，而且還補充了幾句：

 

"She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild."

“總而言之，她除了跑路的本領以外，沒有要樣別的長處。她今兒早上那副樣子我才永遠忘不了呢，簡直象個瘋子。”

 

"She did indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance. Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair so untidy, so blowsy!"

“她的確象個瘋子，露薏莎。我簡直忍不住要笑出來。她這一趟來得無聊透頂；姐姐傷了點風，干嗎要她那么大驚小怪地跑遍了整個村莊？──頭發給弄得那么蓬亂，那么邋遢！”

 

"Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain; and the gown which had been let down to hide it not doing its office."

“是呀，還有她的襯裙──可惜你沒看到她的襯裙。我絕對不是瞎說，那上面糊上了有足足六英寸泥，她把外面的裙子放低了些，想用來遮蓋，可是遮蓋不住。”

 

"Your picture may be very exact, Louisa," said Bingley; "but this was all lost upon me. I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well, when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice."

彬格萊先生說：“你形容得并沒有過火的地方，露薏莎，可是我并不以為然。我倒覺得伊麗莎白·班納特小姐今兒早上走進屋來的時候，那種神情風度很不錯呢。我并沒有看到她的骯臟的襯裙。”

 

"You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure," said Miss Bingley, "and I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition."

“你一定看到的，達西先生，”彬格萊小姐說，“我想，你總不愿意看到你自己的姐妹弄成那副狼狽樣子吧。”

 

"Certainly not."

“當然不愿意。”

 

"To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ancles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! what could she mean by it? It seems to me to shew an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country town indifference to decorum."

“無緣無故趕上那么三英里路、五英里路，誰曉得多少英里呢，泥土蓋沒了踝骨，而且是孤孤單單的一個人！她這究竟是什么意思？我看她十足表現了沒有家教的野態，完全是鄉下人不懂禮貌的輕狂。”

 

"It shews an affection for her sister that is very pleasing," said Bingley.

彬格萊先生說：“那正說明了她的手足情深，真是好極了。”

 

"I am afraid, Mr. Darcy," observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper, "that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes."

彬格萊小姐死樣怪氣地說：“達西先生，我倒擔心，她這次的冒失行為，會影響你對她那雙美麗的眼睛的愛慕吧？”

 

"Not at all," he replied; "they were brightened by the exercise." -- A short pause followed this speech, and Mrs. Hurst began again.

達西回答道：“一點兒影響也沒有，她跑過了這趟路以后，那雙眼睛更加明亮了。”說完這句話，屋子里稍許沉默了一會兒，然后赫斯脫太太又開口說話：

 

"I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it."

“我非常關心吉英·班納特──她倒的確是位可愛的姑娘──我誠心誠意地希望她好好兒攀門親事。只可惜遇到那樣的父母，加上還有那么些下流的親戚，我怕她沒有什么指望了。”

 

"I think I have heard you say, that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton."

“我不是聽你說過，她有個姨爹在麥里屯當律師嗎？”

 

"Yes; and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside."

“是呀；她們還有個舅舅住在齊普賽附近。”

 

"That is capital," added her sister, and they both laughed heartily.

“那真妙極了，”她的妹妹補充了一句，于是姐妹倆都縱情大笑。

 

"If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside," cried Bingley, "it would not make them one jot less agreeable."

彬格萊一聽此話，便大叫起來：“即使她們有多得數不清的舅舅，可以把整個齊普賽都塞滿，也不能把她們討人喜愛的地方減損分毫。”

 

"But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world," replied Darcy.

“可是，她們倘使想嫁給有地位的男人，機會可就大大減少了，”達西回答道。

 

To this speech Bingley made no answer; but his sisters gave it their hearty assent, and indulged their mirth for some time at the expense of their dear friend's vulgar relations.

彬格萊先生沒有理睬這句話；他的姐妹們卻聽得非常得意，于是越發放肆無忌地拿班納特小姐的微賤的親戚開玩笑，開了老半天。

 

With a renewal of tenderness, however, they repaired to her room on leaving the dining-parlour, and sat with her till summoned to coffee. She was still very poorly, and Elizabeth would not quit her at all till late in the evening, when she had the comfort of seeing her asleep, and when it appeared to her rather right than pleasant that she should go down stairs herself. On entering the drawing-room she found the whole party at loo, and was immediately invited to join them; but suspecting them to be playing high she declined it, and making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the short time she could stay below with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.

不過她們一離開了飯廳，就重新做出百般溫柔體貼的樣子，來到吉英房間里，一直陪著她坐到喝咖啡的時候。吉英的病還不見好轉，伊麗莎白寸步不離地守著她，一直到黃昏，看見她睡著了，才放下了心，覺得自己應該到樓下去一趟（雖說她并不樂意下樓去）。走進客廳，她發覺大家正在玩牌，大家當時立刻邀她也來玩，可是她恐怕他們輸贏很大，便謝絕了，只推說放心不下姐姐，一會兒就得上樓去，她可以拿本書來消消遣遣。赫斯脫先生驚奇地朝她望了一下。

 

"Do you prefer reading to cards?" said he; "that is rather singular."

“你寧可看書，不要玩牌嗎？”他說。“這真是少有。”

 

"Miss Eliza Bennet," said Miss Bingley, "despises cards. She is a great reader and has no pleasure in anything else."

彬格萊小姐說：“伊麗莎·班納特小姐瞧不起玩牌，她是個了不起的讀書人，對別的事都不感到樂趣。”

 

"I deserve neither such praise nor such censure," cried Elizabeth; "I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things."

伊麗莎白嚷道：“這樣的夸獎我不敢當，這樣的責備我也不敢當，我并不是什么了不起的讀書人，很多東西我都感到樂趣。”

 

"In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure," said Bingley; "and I hope it will soon be increased by seeing her quite well."

彬格萊先生說：“我斷定樂意照料你自己的姐姐，但愿她快些復元，那你就會更加快活了。”

 

Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towards a table where a few books were lying. He immediately offered to fetch her others; all that his library afforded.

伊麗莎白從心底里感激他，然后走到一張放了幾本書的桌子跟前。他立刻要另外拿些書來給她──把他書房里所有的書都拿來。

 

"And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever look into."

“要是我的藏書多一些就好啦，無論是為你的益處著想，為我自己的面子著想;可是我是個懶鬼，藏書不多，讀過的就更少了。”

 

Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

伊麗莎白跟他說，房間里那幾本書盡夠她看了。

 

"I am astonished," said Miss Bingley, "that my father should have left so small a collection of books. -- What a delightful library you have at pemberley, Mr. Darcy!"

彬格萊小姐說：“我很奇怪，爸爸怎么只遺留下來了這么幾本書。──達西先生，你在彭伯里的那個藏書室真是好極了！”

 

"It ought to be good," he replied, "it has been the work of many generations."

達西說：“那有什么稀奇。那是好幾代的成績啊。”

 

"And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books."

“你自己又添置了不少書，只看見你老是在買書。”

 

"I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these,"

“我有現在這樣的日子過，自然不好意思疏忽家里的藏書室。”

 

"Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as pemberley."

“疏忽！我相信凡是能為你那個高貴的地方增加美觀的東西，你一件也沒疏忽過。──查爾斯，以后你自己建筑住宅的時候，我只希望有彭伯里一半那么美麗就好了。”

 

"I wish it may."

“但愿如此。”

 

"But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take pemberley for a kind of model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire."

“可是我還要竭力奉勸你就在那兒附近購買房產，而且要拿彭伯里做個榜樣。全英國沒有哪一個郡比德比郡更好了。”

 

"With all my heart; I will buy pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it."

“我非常高興那么辦。我真想干脆就把彭伯里買下來，只要達西肯賣。”

 

"I am talking of possibilities, Charles."

“我是在談談可能辦到的事情，查爾斯。”

 

"Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get pemberley by purchase than by imitation."

“珈羅琳，我敢說，買下彭伯里比仿照彭伯里的式樣造房子，可能性更大些。”

 

Elizabeth was so much caught by what passed, as to leave her very little attention for her book; and soon laying it wholly aside, she drew near the card-table, and stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister to observe the game.

伊麗莎白聽這些話聽得出了神，弄得沒心思看書了，索性把書放在一旁，走到牌桌跟前，坐在彬格萊先生和他的妹妹之間，看他們斗牌。

 

"Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?" said Miss Bingley; "will she be as tall as I am?"

這時彬格萊小姐又問達西：“從春天到現在，達西小姐長高了很多吧？她將來會長到我這么高吧？”

 

"I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or rather taller."

“我想會吧。她現在大概有伊麗莎白·班納特小姐那么高了，恐怕還要高一點。”

 

"How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners, and so extremely accomplished for her age! Her performance on the piano-forte is exquisite."

“我真想再見見她！我從來沒碰到過這么使我喜愛的人。模樣兒那么好，又那樣懂得禮貌，小小的年紀就出落得多才多藝，她的鋼琴真彈得高明極了。”

 

"It is amazing to me," said Bingley, "how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are."

彬格萊先生說：“這真叫我驚奇，年輕的姑娘們怎么一個個都有那么大的能耐，把自己鍛煉得多才多藝。”

 

"All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?"

“一個個年輕的姑娘們都是多才多藝！親愛的查爾斯，你這話是什么意思呀？”

 

"Yes all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover skreens, and net purses. I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished."

“是的，我認為一個個都是那樣。她們都會裝飾臺桌，點綴屏風，編織錢袋。我簡直就沒有見過哪一位不是樣樣都會，而且每逢聽人談起一個年輕姑娘，沒有哪一次不聽說她是多才多藝的。”

 

"Your list of the common extent of accomplishments," said Darcy, "has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse, or covering a skreen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished."

達西說：“你這一套極其平凡的所謂才藝，倒是千真萬確。多少女人只不過會編織錢袋，點綴屏風，就享有了多才多藝的美名；可是我卻不能同意你對一般婦女的估價。我不敢說大話;我認識很多女人，而真正多才多藝的實在不過半打。”

 

"Nor I, I am sure," said Miss Bingley.

“我也的確不敢說大話，”彬格萊小姐說。

 

"Then," observed Elizabeth, "you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished women."

伊麗莎白說：“那么，在你的想象中，一個多才多藝的婦女應該包括很多條件啦。”

 

"Yes; I do comprehend a great deal in it."

“不錯，我認為應該包括很多條件。”

 

"Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved."

“噢，當然羅，”他的忠實助手叫起來了，“要是一個婦女不能超越常人，就不能算是多才多藝。一個女人必須精通音樂、歌唱、圖畫、舞蹈以及現代語文，那才當得起這個稱號；除此以外，她的儀表和步態，她的聲調，她的談吐和表情，都得有相當風趣，否則她就不夠資格。”

 

"All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading."

達西接著說：“她除了具備這些條件以外，還應該多讀書，長見識，有點真才實學。”

 

"I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any."

“怪不得你只認識六個才女啦。我現在簡直疑心你連一個也不認識呢。”

 

"Are you so severe upon your own sex, as to doubt the possibility of all this?"

“你怎么對你們女人這般苛求，竟以為她們不可能具備這些條件？”

 

"I never saw such a woman, I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe, united."

“我從來沒見過這樣的女人。我從來沒見過哪一個人象你所說的這樣有才干，有情趣，又那么好學，那么儀態優雅。”

 

Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley both cried out against the injustice of her implied doubt, and were both protesting that they knew many women who answered this description, when Mr. Hurst called them to order, with bitter complaints of their inattention to what was going forward. As all conversation was thereby at an end, Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room.

赫斯脫太太和彬格萊小姐都叫起來了，說她不應該表示懷疑，因為這種懷疑是不公平的，而且她們還一致提出反證，說她們自己就知道有很多女人都夠得上這些條件。一直等到赫斯脫先生叫她們好好打牌，怪她們不該對牌場上的事那么漫不經心，她們才住嘴，一場爭論就這樣結束了，伊麗莎白沒有多久也走開了。

 

"Eliza Bennet," said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, "is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own, and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art."

門關上之后，彬格萊小姐說，“有些女人們為了自抬身價，往往在男人們面前編派女人，伊麗莎白·班納特就是這樣一個女人，這種手段在某些男人身上也許會發生效果，但是我認為這是一種下賤的詭計，一種卑鄙的手腕。”

 

"Undoubtedly," replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, "there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable."

達西聽出她這幾句話是有意說給他自己聽的，便連忙答道：“毫無疑問，姑娘們為了勾引男子，有時竟不擇手段，使用巧計，這真是卑鄙。只要你的做法帶有幾分狡詐，都應該受到鄙棄。”

 

Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with this reply as to continue the subject.

彬格萊小姐不太滿意他這個回答，因此也就沒有再談下去。

 

Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley urged Mr. Jones's being sent for immediately; while his sisters, convinced that no country advice could be of any service, recommended an express to town for one of the most eminent physicians. This she would not hear of, but she was not so unwilling to comply with their brother's proposal; and it was settled that Mr. Jones should be sent for early in the morning if Miss Bennet were not decidedly better. Bingley was quite uncomfortable; his sisters declared that they were miserable. They solaced their wretchedness, however, by duets after supper, while he could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every possible attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.

伊麗莎白又到他們這兒來了一次，只是為了告訴他們一聲，她姐姐的病更加嚴重了，她不能離開。彬格醚再三主張立刻請鐘斯大夫來，他的姐妹們卻都以為鄉下郎中無濟于是，主張趕快到城里去請一位最有名的大夫來，伊麗莎白不贊成，不過她也不便太辜負她們兄弟的一番盛意，于是大家協商出了一個辦法;如果班納特小姐明兒一大早依舊毫無起色，就馬上去請鐘斯大夫來。彬格萊先生心里非常不安，他的姐姐和妹妹也說是十分擔憂。吃過晚飯以后，她們倆總算合奏了幾支歌來消除了一些煩悶，而彬格萊先生因為想不出好辦法來解除焦慮，便只有關照他那管家婆盡心盡意地照料病人和病人的妹妹。

 

（來源：網絡 編輯：劉明）