| ocrat mirror → Pride and Prejudice |
| Chapter 14 (Vol. I, Chap. XIV) |
| (Vol. I, Chap. 13) |
Table of Contents |
(Vol. I, Chap. 15) | |
| Chapter 14 (Vol. I, Chap. XIV) |
第十四章 |
| During dinner, Mr. Bennet scarcely spoke at all; but when the
servants were withdrawn, he thought it time to have some
conversation with his guest, and therefore started a subject in
which he expected him to shine, by observing that he seemed
very fortunate in his patroness. Lady Catherine de Bourgh's
attention to his wishes, and consideration for his comfort,
appeared very remarkable. Mr. Bennet could not have chosen
better. Mr. Collins was eloquent in her praise. The subject
elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner, and with a
most important aspect he protested that he had never in his
life witnessed such behaviour in a person of rank -- such
affability and condescension, as he had himself experienced
from Lady Catherine. She had been graciously pleased to
approve of both the discourses which he had already had the
honour of preaching before her. She had also asked him twice
to dine at Rosings, and had sent for him only the Saturday
before, to make up her pool of quadrille in the evening. Lady
Catherine was reckoned proud by many people he knew, but he
had never seen any thing but affability in her. She had always
spoken to him as she would to any other gentleman; she made not
the smallest objection to his joining in the society of the
neighbourhood, nor to his leaving his parish occasionally for a
week or two, to visit his relations. She had even condescended
to advise him to marry as soon as he could, provided he chose
with discretion; and had once paid him a visit in his humble
parsonage; where she had perfectly approved all the alterations
he had been making, and had even vouchsafed to suggest some
herself, -- some shelves in the closets up stairs.
|
吃饭的时候，班纳特先生几乎一句话也没有说 ；可是等到佣人们走开以后，他就想道，现在 可以跟这位客人谈谈了。他料上想到，如果一 开头就谈到咖苔琳夫人身上去，这位贵客一定 会笑逐颜开的，于是他便拿这个话题做开场白 ，说是柯林斯先生有了那样一个女施主，真是 幸运极了，又说咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人对他这 样言听计从，而且极其周到地照顾到他生活方 面的安适，真是十分难得。班纳特先生这个话 题选得再好也没有了。柯林斯先生果然滔滔不 绝地赞美起那位夫人来。这个问题一谈开了头 ，他本来的那种严肃态度便显得更严肃了，他 带着非常自负的神气说，他一辈子也没有看到 过任何有身价地位的人，能够象咖苔琳夫人那 样的有德行，那样的亲切谦和。他很荣幸，曾 经当着她的面讲过两次道，多蒙夫人垂爱，对 他那两次讲道赞美不绝。夫人曾经请他到罗新 斯去吃过两次饭，上星期六晚上还请他到她家 里去打过“夸锥”。据他所知，多少人都认为 咖苔琳夫人为人骄傲，可是他只觉得亲切。她 平常跟他攀谈起来，总是把他当作一个有身份 的人看待。她丝毫不反对他和邻居们来往，也 不反对他偶而离开教区一两个星期，去拜望拜 望亲友们。多蒙她体恤下情，曾经亲自劝他及 早结婚，只要他能够谨慎选择对象。她还到他 的寒舍去拜访过一次，对于他住宅所有经过他 整修过的地方都十分赞成，并且蒙她亲自赐予 指示，叫他把楼上的璧橱添置几个架子。 |
| "That is all very proper and civil I am sure," said
Mrs. Bennet, "and I dare say she is a very agreeable woman. It
is a pity that great ladies in general are not more like her.
Does she live near you, sir?"
|
班纳特太太说：“我相信这一切都做得很得体 ，很有礼貌，我看她一定是个和颜悦色的女人 。可惜一般贵夫人们都比不上她。她住的地方 离你很近吗，先生？” |
| "The garden in which stands my humble abode is separated only
by a lane from Rosings Park, her ladyship's residence."
|
“寒舍那个花园跟她老夫人住的罗新斯花园， 只隔着一条胡同。” |
| "I think you said she was a widow, sir? has she any family?"
|
“你说她是个寡妇吗，先生？她还有家属吗？ ” |
| "She has one only daughter, the heiress of Rosings, and of very
extensive property."
|
“她只有一个女儿，──也就是罗新斯的继承 人，将来可以继承到非常大的一笔遗产呢。” |
| "Ah!" cried Mrs. Bennet, shaking her head, "then she is better
off than many girls. And what sort of young lady is she? is
she handsome?"
|
“嗳呀，”班纳特太太听得叫了起来，一面又 摇了摇头。“那么，她比多少姑娘们都福气她 。她是怎样的一位小姐？长得漂亮吗？” |
| "She is a most charming young lady indeed. Lady Catherine
herself says that in point of true beauty, Miss De Bourgh is
far superior to the handsomest of her sex; because there is
that in her features which marks the young woman of
distinguished birth. She is unfortunately of a sickly
constitution, which has prevented her making that progress in
many accomplishments which she could not otherwise have failed
of; as I am informed by the lady who superintended her
education, and who still resides with them. But she is
perfectly amiable, and often condescends to drive by my humble
abode in her little phaeton and ponies."
|
“她真是个极可爱的姑娘。咖苔琳夫人自己也 说过，讲到真正的漂亮，德·包尔小姐要胜过 天下最漂亮的女性；因为她眉清目秀，与众不 同，一看上去就知道她出身高贵。她本来可以 多才多艺，只可惜她体质欠佳，没有进修，否 则她一定琴棋书画样样通晓，这话是她女教师 说给我听的，那教师现在还跟她们母女住在一 起。她的确是可爱透顶，常常不拘名份，乘着 她那辆小马车光临寒舍。” |
| "Has she been presented? I do not remember her name among the
ladies at court."
|
“她觐见过皇上吗？在进过宫的仕女们蹭，我 好象没有听见过她的名字。” |
| "Her indifferent state of health unhappily prevents her being
in town; and by that means, as I told Lady Catherine myself one
day, has deprived the British court of its brightest ornament.
Her ladyship seemed pleased with the idea, and you may imagine
that I am happy on every occasion to offer those little
delicate compliments which are always acceptable to ladies.
I have more than once observed to Lady Catherine that her
charming daughter seemed born to be a duchess, and that the
most elevated rank, instead of giving her consequence, would be
adorned by her. -- These are the kind of little things which
please her ladyship, and it is a sort of attention which I
conceive myself peculiarly bound to pay."
|
“不幸她身体柔弱，不能过京城去，正如我有 一天跟咖苔琳夫人所说的，这实在使得英国的 宫庭里损失了一件最明媚的装璜；她老人家对 我这种说法很是满意。你们可以想象得到，在 任何场合下，我都乐于说几句巧妙的恭维话， 叫一般太太小姐们听得高兴。我跟咖苔琳夫人 说过好多次，她的美丽的小姐是一位天生的公 爵夫人，将来不管嫁给哪一位公爵姑爷，不论 那位姑爷地位有多高，非但不会增加小姐的体 面，反而要让小姐来为他争光。这些话都叫她 老人家听得高兴极了，我总觉得我应该在这方 面特别留意。” |
| "You judge very properly," said Mr. Bennet, "and it is happy
for you that you possess the talent of flattering with
delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed
from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous
study?"
|
班纳特先生说：“你说得很恰当，你既然有这 种才能，能够非常巧妙地捧人家的场，这对于 你自己也会有好处。我是否可以请教你一下， 你这种讨人喜欢的奉承话，是临时想起来的呢 ，还是老早想好了的？” |
| "They arise chiefly from what is passing at the time, and
though I sometimes amuse myself with suggesting and arranging
such little elegant compliments as may be adapted to ordinary
occasions, I always wish to give them as unstudied an air as
possible."
|
“大半是看临时的情形想起来的；不过有时候 我也自己跟自己打趣，预先想好一些很好的小 恭维话，平常有机会就拿来应用，而且临说的 时候，总是要装出是自然流露出来的。” |
| Mr. Bennet's expectations were fully answered. His cousin was
as absurd as he had hoped, and he listened to him with the
keenest enjoyment, maintaining at the same time the most
resolute composure of countenance, and, except in an occasional
glance at Elizabeth, requiring no partner in his pleasure.
|
班纳特先生果然料想得完全正确，他这位表侄 确实象他所想象的那样荒谬，他听得非常有趣 ，不过表面上却竭力保持镇静，除了偶而朝着 伊丽莎白望一眼以外，他并不需要别人来分享 他这份愉快。 |
| By tea-time, however, the dose had been enough, and Mr. Bennet
was glad to take his guest into the drawing-room again, and
when tea was over, glad to invite him to read aloud to the
ladies. Mr. Collins readily assented, and a book was produced;
but on beholding it (for every thing announced it to be from a
circulating library), he started back, and begging pardon,
protested that he never read novels. -- Kitty stared at him,
and Lydia exclaimed. -- Other books were produced, and after
some deliberation he chose Fordyce's Sermons. Lydia gaped as
he opened the volume, and before he had, with very monotonous
solemnity, read three pages, she interrupted him with,
|
不过到吃茶的时候，这一场罪总算受完了。班 纳特先生高高兴兴地把客人带到会客室里，等 到茶喝完了，他又高高兴兴地邀请他朗诵点什 么给他的太太和小姐们听。柯林斯先生立刻就 答应了，于是她们就拿了一本书给他，可是一 看到那本书（因为那本书一眼就可以看出是从 流通图书馆借来的）他就吃惊得往后一退，连 忙声明他从来不读小说，请求她们原谅。吉蒂 对他瞪着眼，丽迪雅叫起来了。于是她们另外 拿了几本书来，他仔细考虑了一下以后，选了 一本弗迪斯的，《讲道集》。他一摊开那本书 ，丽迪雅不禁目瞪口呆，等到他那么单调无味 ，一本正经地刚要读完三页的时候，丽迪雅赶 快岔断了他： |
| "Do you know, mama, that my uncle Philips talks of turning away
Richard, and if he does, Colonel Forster will hire him. My
aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk to Meryton
to-morrow to hear more about it, and to ask when Mr. Denny
comes back from town."
|
“妈妈，你知不知道腓力普姨爹要解雇李却？ 要是他真的要解雇他，弗斯脱上校一定愿意雇 他。这是星期六那一天姨爹亲自告诉我的。我 打算明天上麦里屯去多了解一些情况，顺便问 问他们，丹尼先生什么时候从城里回来。” |
| Lydia was bid by her two eldest sisters to hold her tongue;
but Mr. Collins, much offended, laid aside his book, and said,
|
两个姐姐都吩咐丽迪雅住嘴；柯林斯先生非常 生气，放下了书本，说道： |
| "I have often observed how little young ladies are interested
by books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their
benefit. It amazes me, I confess; -- for certainly, there can
be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction. But I will
no longer importune my young cousin."
|
“我老是看到年轻的小姐们对正经书不感举， 不过这些书完全是为了她们的好处写的。老实 说，这不能不叫我惊奇，因为对她们最有利益 的事情，当然莫过于圣哲的教训。可是我也不 愿意勉强我那年轻的表妹。” |
| Then turning to Mr. Bennet, he offered himself as his
antagonist at backgammon. Mr. Bennet accepted the challenge,
observing that he acted very wisely in leaving the girls to
their own trifling amusements. Mrs. Bennet and her daughters
apologised most civilly for Lydia's interruption, and promised
that it should not occur again, if he would resume his book;
but Mr. Collins, after assuring them that he bore his young
cousin no ill will, and should never resent her behaviour as
any affront, seated himself at another table with Mr. Bennet,
and prepared for backgammon.
|
于是他转过身来要求班纳特先生跟他玩“贝加 梦”，班纳特先生一面答应了他，一面说，这 倒是个聪明的办法，还是让这些女孩子们去搞 她们自己的小玩艺吧。班纳特太太和她五个女 儿极有礼貌地向他道歉，请他原谅丽迪雅贫断 了他朗诵对书，并且说，他要是重新把那本书 读下去，她保证决不会有同样的事件发生。柯 林斯先生请她们不要介意，说是他一点儿也不 怪表妹，决不会认为她冒犯了他而把她怀恨在 心。他解释过以后，就跟班纳特先生坐到另一 张桌子上去，准备玩“贝加梦” |
| (Vol. I, Chap. 13) |
Table of Contents |
(Vol. I, Chap. 15) | |
|
http://lost-theory.org/ocrat/pridprej/ Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in English and Chinese |