ELIZABETH passed the chief of the night in her sister's room, and in the morning had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable answer to the enquiries which she very early received from Mr. Bingley by a housemaid, and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on his sisters. In spite of this amendment, however, she requested to have a note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother to visit Jane, and form her own judgment of her situation. The note was immediately dispatched, and its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.
　　伊麗莎白那一晚上的大部分時(shí)間都是在她姐姐房間里度過的，第二天一大早，彬格萊先生就派了個(gè)女傭人來問候她們。過了一會(huì)兒，彬格萊的姐姐妹妹也打發(fā)了兩個(gè)文雅的侍女來探病，伊麗莎白總算可以聊以自慰地告訴她們說，病人已略見好轉(zhuǎn)。不過，她雖然寬了一下心，卻還是要求他們府上替她差人送封信到浪博恩去，要她的媽媽來看看吉英，來親自判斷她的病情如何。信立刻就送去了，信上所說的事也很快就照辦了。班納特太太帶著兩個(gè)最小的女兒來到尼日斐花園的時(shí)候，他們家里剛剛吃過早飯。

　　Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been very miserable; but being satisfied on seeing her, that her illness was not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as her restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield. She would not listen therefore to her daughter's proposal of being carried home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think it at all advisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss Bingley's appearance and invitation the mother and three daughters all attended her into the breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.
　　倘使班納特太太發(fā)覺吉英有什么危險(xiǎn)，那她真要傷心死了;但是一看到吉英的病并不怎么嚴(yán)重，她就滿意了;她也并不希望吉英馬上復(fù)元，因?yàn)椋且粡?fù)元，她就得離開尼日斐花園回家去。所以她的女兒一提起要她帶她回家去，她聽也不要聽，況且那位差不多跟她同時(shí)來到的醫(yī)生，也認(rèn)為搬回去不是個(gè)好辦法。母親陪著吉英坐了一會(huì)兒工夫，彬格萊小姐便來請(qǐng)她吃早飯，于是她就帶著三個(gè)女兒一塊兒上飯廳去。彬格萊先生前來迎接她們，說是希望班納特太太看到了小姐的病一定會(huì)覺得并不是想象中那般嚴(yán)重。

　　"Indeed I have, Sir," was her answer. "She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her. We must trespass a little longer on your kindness."
    班納特太太回答道：“我卻沒有想象到會(huì)這般嚴(yán)重呢，先生，她病得太厲害了，根本不能搬動(dòng)。鐘斯大夫也說，千萬不可以叫她搬動(dòng)。我們只得叨光你們多照顧幾天啦。”

　　"Removed!" cried Bingley. "It must not be thought of. My sister, I am sure, will not hear of her removal."
    “搬動(dòng)！”彬格萊叫道：“絕對(duì)不可以。我相信我的妹妹也決計(jì)不肯讓她搬走的。”

　　"You may depend upon it, Madam," said Miss Bingley, with cold civility, "that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with us."
    彬格萊小姐冷淡而有禮貌地說：“你放心好啦，老太太，班納特小姐待在我們這兒，我們一定盡心盡意地照顧她。”

　　Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.
    班納特太太連聲道謝。

　　"I am sure," she added, "if it was not for such good friends I do not know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world -- which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception, the sweetest temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothing to her. You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over that gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry I hope, though you have but a short lease."
　　接著她又說道：“要不是靠好朋友們照顧，我相信她真不知道變成什么樣兒了;因?yàn)樗龑?shí)在病得很重，痛苦得很厲害，不過好在她有極大的耐性──她一貫都是那樣的，我生平簡(jiǎn)直沒見過第二個(gè)人有她這般溫柔到極點(diǎn)的性格。我常常跟別的幾個(gè)女兒們說，她們比起她來簡(jiǎn)直太差了。彬格萊先生，你這所房子很可愛呢，從那條鵝卵石鋪道上望出去，景致也很美麗。在這個(gè)村莊里，我從來沒見過一個(gè)地方比得上尼日斐花園。雖然你的租期很短，我勸你千萬別急著搬走?！?/p>

　　"Whatever I do is done in a hurry," replied he; "and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here."
    彬格萊先生說：“我隨便干什么事，都是說干就干，要是打定主意要離開尼日斐花園，我可能在五分鐘之內(nèi)就搬走。不過目前我算在這兒住定了?！?/p>

　　"That is exactly what I should have supposed of you," said Elizabeth.
    “我猜想得一點(diǎn)兒不錯(cuò)，”伊麗莎白說。

　　"You begin to comprehend me, do you?" cried he, turning towards her.
    彬格萊馬上轉(zhuǎn)過身去對(duì)她大聲說道：“你開始了解我啦，是嗎？”

　　"Oh! yes -- I understand you perfectly."
    “噢，是呀──我完全了解你?！?/p>

　　"I wish I might take this for a compliment; but to be so easily seen through I am afraid is pitiful."
    “但愿你這句話是恭維我，不過，這么容易被人看透，那恐怕也是件可憐的事吧?！?/p>

　　"That is as it happens. It does not necessarily follow that a deep, intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours."
    “那得看情況說話。一個(gè)深沉復(fù)雜的人，未必比你這樣的人更難叫人捉摸。”

　　"Lizzy," cried her mother, "remember where you are, and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home."
    她的母親連忙嚷道：“麗萃，別忘了你在作客，家里讓你撒野慣了，你可不能到人家這里來胡鬧?！?/p>

　　"I did not know before," continued Bingley immediately, "that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study."
    “我以前倒不知道你是個(gè)研究人的性格的專家?！北蚋袢R馬上接下去說，“那一定是一門很有趣的學(xué)問吧。”

　　"Yes; but intricate characters are the most amusing. They have at least that advantage."
    “不錯(cuò)；可是最有趣味的還是研究復(fù)雜的性格。至少這樣的性格有研究的價(jià)值。”

　　"The country," said Darcy, "can in general supply but few subjects for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and unvarying society."
    達(dá)西說：“一般說來，鄉(xiāng)下人可以作為這種研究對(duì)象的就很少。因?yàn)樵卩l(xiāng)下，你四周圍的人都是非常不開通、非常單調(diào)?！?/p>

　　"But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever."
   “可是人們本身的變動(dòng)很多，他們身上永遠(yuǎn)有新的東西值得你去注意?！?/p>

　　"Yes, indeed," cried Mrs. Bennet, offended by his manner of mentioning a country neighbourhood. "I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in the country as in town."
    班納特太太聽到剛剛達(dá)西以那樣一種口氣提到鄉(xiāng)下，不禁頗為生氣，便連忙嚷道：“這才說得對(duì)呀，告訴你吧，鄉(xiāng)下可供研究的對(duì)象并不比城里少?！?/p>

　　Every body was surprised; and Darcy, after looking at her for a moment, turned silently away. Mrs. Bennet, who fancied she had gained a complete victory over him, continued her triumph.
    大家都吃了一驚。達(dá)西朝她望了一會(huì)兒便靜悄悄地走開了。班納特太太自以為完全占了他的上風(fēng)，便趁著一股興頭說下去：

　　"I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country for my part, except the shops and public places. The country is a vast deal pleasanter, is not it, Mr. Bingley?"
    “我覺得倫敦除了店鋪和公共場(chǎng)所以外，比起鄉(xiāng)下并沒有什么大不了的好處。鄉(xiāng)下可舒服得多了──不是嗎，彬格萊先生？”

　　"When I am in the country," he replied, "I never wish to leave it; and when I am in town it is pretty much the same. They have each their advantages, and I can be equally happy in either."
    “我到了鄉(xiāng)下就不想走，”他回答道;“我住到城里也就不想走。鄉(xiāng)下和城里各有各的好處，我隨便住在哪兒都一樣快樂。”

　　"Aye -- that is because you have the right disposition. But that gentleman," looking at Darcy, "seemed to think the country was nothing at all."
    “啊，那是因?yàn)槟愕男愿窈?。可是那位先生，”她說到這里，便朝達(dá)西望了一眼，“就會(huì)覺得鄉(xiāng)下一文不值。”

　　"Indeed, Mama, you are mistaken," said Elizabeth, blushing for her mother. "You quite mistook Mr. Darcy. He only meant that there were not such a variety of people to be met with in the country as in town, which you must acknowledge to be true."
    “媽媽，你根本弄錯(cuò)了，”伊麗莎白這話一出口，她母親就紅了臉?！澳阃耆e(cuò)了達(dá)西先生的意思。他只不過說，鄉(xiāng)下碰不到象城里那么些各色名樣的人，這你可得承認(rèn)是事實(shí)呀?！?/p>

　　"Certainly, my dear, nobody said there were; but as to not meeting with many people in this neighbourhood, I believe there are few neighbourhoods larger. I know we dine with four and twenty families."
    “當(dāng)然羅，寶貝──誰也沒那么說過。要是說這個(gè)村子里還碰不到多少人，我相信比這大的村莊也就沒有幾個(gè)了。就我所知，平常跟我們來往吃飯的可也有二十四家呀?！?/p>

　　Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his countenance. His sister was less delicate, and directed her eye towards Mr. Darcy with a very expressive smile. Elizabeth, for the sake of saying something that might turn her mother's thoughts, now asked her if Charlotte Lucas had been at Longbourn since her coming away.
    要不是顧全伊麗莎白的面子，彬格萊先生簡(jiǎn)直忍不住要笑出來了。他的妹妹可沒有他那么用心周到，便不由得帶著富有表情的笑容望著達(dá)西先生。伊麗莎為了找個(gè)借口轉(zhuǎn)移一下她母親的心思，便問她母親說，自從她離家以后，夏綠蒂·盧卡斯有沒有到浪博恩來過。

　　"Yes, she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable man Sir William is, Mr. Bingley -- is not he? so much the man of fashion! so genteel and so easy! -- He has always something to say to every body. -- That is my idea of good breeding; and those persons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths, quite mistake the matter."
    “來過；她是昨兒跟他父親一塊兒來的。威廉爵士是個(gè)多么和藹的人呀，彬格萊先生──他可不是嗎？那么時(shí)髦的一個(gè)人！那么溫雅，又那么隨便！他見到什么人總要談上兒句。這就是我所謂的有良好教養(yǎng)；那些自以為了不起、金口難開的人，他們的想法真是大錯(cuò)而特錯(cuò)?！?/p>

　　"Did Charlotte dine with you?"
    “夏綠蒂在我們家里吃飯的嗎？”

　　"No, she would go home. I fancy she was wanted about the mince pies. For my part, Mr. Bingley, I always keep servants that can do their own work; my daughters are brought up differently. But every body is to judge for themselves, and the Lucases are very good sort of girls, I assure you. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not that I think Charlotte so very plain -- but then she is our particular friend."
　　“沒有，她硬要回去。據(jù)我猜想，大概是她家里街頭等著她回去做肉餅。彬格萊先生，我雇起傭人來，總得要她們能夠料理份內(nèi)的事，我的女兒就不是人家那樣教養(yǎng)大的。可是一切要看各人自己，告訴你，盧卡斯家里的幾個(gè)姑娘全是些很好的女孩子。只可惜長(zhǎng)得不漂亮！當(dāng)然并不是我個(gè)人以為夏綠蒂長(zhǎng)得難看，她究竟是我們要好的朋友?！?/p>

　　"She seems a very pleasant young woman," said Bingley.
    “她看來是位很可愛的姑娘，”彬格萊說。

　　"Oh! dear, yes; -- but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty. I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane -- one does not often see any body better looking. It is what every body says. I do not trust my own partiality. When she was only fifteen, there was a gentleman at my brother Gardiner's in town, so much in love with her, that my sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came away. But however he did not. perhaps he thought her too young. However, he wrote some verses on her, and very pretty they were."
    “是呀，可是你得承認(rèn)，她的確長(zhǎng)得很難看。盧卡斯太太本人也那么說，她還羨慕我的吉英長(zhǎng)得漂亮呢。我并不喜歡夸張自己的孩子，可是說老實(shí)話。這并不是我說話有信心。還在她十五歲的那一年，在我城里那位兄弟嘉丁納家里，有位先生就愛上了她，我的弟婦看準(zhǔn)了那位先生一定會(huì)在臨走以前向她求婚。不過后來他卻沒有提。也許是他以為她年紀(jì)太小了吧。不過他卻為吉英寫了好些詩，而且寫得很好?！?/p>

　　"And so ended his affection," said Elizabeth impatiently. "There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!"
    “那位先生的一場(chǎng)戀愛就這么結(jié)束了，”伊麗莎白不耐煩地說?！拔蚁耄嗌儆星槿硕际沁@樣把自己克服過來的。詩居然有這種功能──能夠趕走愛情，這倒不知道是誰第一個(gè)發(fā)現(xiàn)的！”

　　"I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love," said Darcy.
    “我卻一貫認(rèn)為，詩是愛情的食糧，”達(dá)西說。

　　"Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Every thing nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away."
    “那必須是一種優(yōu)美、堅(jiān)貞、健康的愛情才行。本身健強(qiáng)了，吃什么東西都可以獲得滋補(bǔ)。要是只不過有一點(diǎn)兒蛛絲馬跡，那么我相信，一首十四行詩準(zhǔn)會(huì)把它斷送掉。”

　　Darcy only smiled, and the general pause which ensued made Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself again. She longed to speak, but could think of nothing to say; and after a short silence Mrs. Bennet began repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane with an apology for troubling him also with Lizzy. Mr. Bingley was unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be civil also, and say what the occasion required. She performed her part, indeed, without much graciousness, but Mrs. Bennet was satisfied, and soon afterwards ordered her carriage. Upon this signal, the youngest of her daughters put herself forward. The two girls had been whispering to each other during the whole visit, and the result of it was, that the youngest should tax Mr. Bingley with having promised on his first coming into the country to give a ball at Netherfield.
　　達(dá)西只笑了一下，接著大伙兒都沉默了一陣子，這時(shí)候伊麗莎白很是著急，怕她母親又要出丑。她想說點(diǎn)兒什么，可是又想不出什么可說的。沉默了一下以后，班納特太太又重新向彬格萊先生道謝，說是多虧他對(duì)吉英照顧周到，同時(shí)又向他道歉說，麗萃也來打擾了他。彬格萊先生回答得極其懇切而有禮貌，弄得他的妹妹也不得不講禮貌，說了些很得體的話。她說話的態(tài)度并不十分自然，可是班納特太太已經(jīng)夠滿意的了。一會(huì)兒工夫，班納特太太就叫預(yù)備馬車。這個(gè)號(hào)令一發(fā)，她那位頂小的女兒立刻走上前來。原來自從她們母女來到此地，兩個(gè)女兒就一直在交頭接耳地商量，最后說定了由頂小的女兒來要求彬格萊先生兌現(xiàn)他剛以鄉(xiāng)下時(shí)的諾言，在尼日斐花園開一次跳舞會(huì)。

　　Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine complexion and good-humoured countenance; a favourite with her mother, whose affection had brought her into public at an early age. She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence, which the attentions of the officers, to whom her uncle's good dinners and her own easy manners recommended her, had increased into assurance. She was very equal, therefore, to address Mr. Bingley on the subject of the ball, and abruptly reminded him of his promise; adding, that it would be the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it. His answer to this sudden attack was delightful to their mother's ear.
　　麗迪雅是個(gè)胖胖的、發(fā)育得很好的姑娘，今年才十五歲，細(xì)皮白肉，笑顏常開，她是母親的掌上明珠，由于嬌縱過度，她很小就進(jìn)入了社交界。她生性好動(dòng)，天生有些不知分寸，加上她的姨爹一次次以美酒嘉肴宴請(qǐng)那些軍官們，軍官們又見她頗有幾分浪蕩的風(fēng)情，便對(duì)她發(fā)生了相當(dāng)好感，于是她更加肆無忌憚了。所以她就有資格向彬格萊先生提出開舞會(huì)的事，而且冒冒失失地提醒他先前的諾言，而且還說，要是他不實(shí)踐諾言，那就是天下最丟人的事。彬格萊先生對(duì)她這一番突如其來的挑釁回答得叫她母親很是高興。

　　"I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement, and when your sister is recovered, you shall if you please, name the very day of the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing while she is ill."
　　“我可以向你保證，我非常愿意實(shí)踐我的諾言;只要等你姐姐復(fù)了元，由你隨便訂個(gè)日期就行。你總不愿意在姐姐生病的時(shí)候跳舞吧？！”

　　Lydia declared herself satisfied. "Oh! yes -- it would be much better to wait till Jane was well, and by that time most likely Captain Carter would be at Meryton again. And when you have given your ball," she added, "I shall insist on their giving one also. I shall tell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if he does not."
　　麗迪雅表示滿意?！澳氵@話說得不錯(cuò)。等到吉英復(fù)元以后再跳，那真好極了，而且到那時(shí)候，卡特爾上尉也許又可能回到麥里屯來。等你開過舞會(huì)以后，我一定非要他們也開一次不可。我一定會(huì)跟弗斯脫上校說，要是他不開，可真丟人哪。”

　　Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, and Elizabeth returned instantly to Jane, leaving her own and her relations' behaviour to the remarks of the two ladies and Mr. Darcy; the latter of whom, however, could not be prevailed on to join in their censure of her, in spite of all Miss Bingley's witticisms on fine eyes.
　　于是班納特太太帶著她的兩個(gè)女兒走了。伊麗莎白立刻回到吉英身邊去，也不去管彬格萊府上的兩位小姐怎樣在背后議論她跟她家里人有失體統(tǒng)。不過，盡管彬格萊小姐怎么樣說俏皮話，怎么樣拿她的“美麗的眼睛”開玩笑，達(dá)西卻始終不肯受她們的慫恿，夾在她們一起來編排她的不是。

（來源：網(wǎng)絡(luò) 編輯：祝興媛）