评论
打印
Chapter 9
第九章
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.
伊丽莎白那一晚上的大部分时间都是在她姐姐房间里度过的，第二天一大早，宾格莱先生就派了个女佣人来问候她们。过了一会儿，宾格莱的姐姐妹妹也打发了两个文雅的侍女来探病，伊丽莎白总算可以聊以自慰地告诉她们说，病人已略见好转。
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.
不过，她虽然宽了一下心，却还是要求他们府上替她差人送封信到浪博恩去，最好是叫她的母亲来看看吉英，亲自判断一下她的病情。信立刻就送去了，信上所说的事也很快就照办了。班纳特太太吃过早饭后，便带着她的两个小女儿朝尼日斐花园赶了过来。
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.
如果班纳特太太发现吉英病得严重，她一定会很伤心的。但当她欣慰地看到吉英的病已不太要紧时，就不再希望女儿快快地好起来，因为一旦康复，吉英也就该离开尼日斐花园了。
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.
当吉英提出要母亲带她回去时，班纳特太太置之不理。而和她差不多同时赶来的大夫，也认为留下养病较为妥当。
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.
在班纳特太太和吉英小坐了一会儿后，宾格莱小姐进来请她们下去吃早饭，于是这母女们一行四人便随宾格莱小姐一同来到早餐厅。宾格莱先生在那儿等候她们，说他希望班纳特太太觉得班纳特小姐的病情并没有想象中那么严重。
"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."
“可是，的确比我想象中还要严重呢，先生，”班纳特太太回答说，“她病得太厉害了，可不能挪动地方。琼斯大夫也说不能挪动。因此我们还得多劳你们照顾几天。”
"Removed!" cried Bingley. "It must not be thought of. My sister, I am sure, will not hear of her removal."
“挪动地方！”宾格莱着急地大声说，“这绝对不可以。我相信，我妹妹也不会叫她现在就回去的。”
"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."
“你放心，夫人，”宾格莱小姐礼貌而又有点冷淡地说，“班纳特小姐和我们在一起，是会得到最好的照顾的。”
Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.
班纳特太太连声道谢。
"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.
“我相信，”她接着补充说，“要不是有你们这么好的朋友照料，吉英还不知道会怎么样呢。她确实病得很重，受了不少苦，虽然她那样强的忍耐力这世上少有。她的性格可是那种从未见过的温存性子。
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."
我总是跟我其他的几个女儿说，你们和姐姐相比，简直什么也不是。你这所房子很可爱呢，宾格莱先生，鹅卵石铺道那边的景致也很迷人。我不知道乡下还有哪个地方能比得上尼日斐花园的。我想，你不会很快就离开这个地方吧，虽然你的租期并不算长。”
"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."
“我做什么事都是匆匆忙忙的，”宾格莱回答说，“如果我决定离开尼日斐花园的话，也许会在五分钟以后就搬走。不过，在眼下，我想我是在这儿住定了。”
"That is something what I should have supposed of you," said Elizabeth.
“我也是这样认为的。”伊丽莎白说。
"You begin to comprehend me, do you?" cried he, turning towards her.
“你已经开始了解我了，是吗？”宾格莱转向伊丽莎白吃惊地问。
"Oh! yes — I understand you perfectly."
“噢，是呀——我完全了解你了。”
"I wish I might take this for a compliment; but to be so easily seen through I am afraid is pitiful."
“希望我能将此看作是对我的恭维，不过，这么快就让人家看透了，也真是可怜。”
"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."
“这要视情况而定。一个内心深沉、性格复杂的人，未必就比你这样性格的人更叫人难琢磨。”
"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."
“丽萃，”她的母亲大声说，“别忘了你是在什么地方，你不能在这儿也像在家里一样，由着性子来。”
"I did not know before," continued Bingley immediately, "that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study."
“我以前可没有发觉，”宾格莱紧接着说，“你还是个研究性格的行家。这种研究一定很有趣吧。”
"Yes; but intricate characters are the most amusing. They have at least that advantage."
“是的。尤其是对复杂的性格，研究起来更为有趣。可以说，至少它们在这一方面是占有优势的。”
"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."
“乡野之地，”达西说，“一般来说很少能够提供这样一种研究的对象。在乡下的邻里之间，你活动的社会圈子非常有限，而且单一。”
"But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever."
“但是，人总是在很大的程度上改变着自己，因此在他们身上永远有新鲜的事物可供观察。”
"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."
“噢，这话千真万确。”被达西提到乡村邻里时的那种态度所激怒，班纳特太太大声说道，“我可以向你保证，乡下值得看的一丁点儿也不比城里面少。”
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.
大家都吃了一惊。达西在盯着班纳特太太看了一会儿后，一声没吭地走开了。班纳特太太以为自己已经完全占据了上风，便乘胜追击。
"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?"
“我个人觉得，伦敦比乡下并没有什么优越的地方，除了商店和活动的场所多一点儿。乡下比城里头更舒适、更怡人，不是吗，宾格莱先生？”
"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."
“我到了乡下就不想走，”他回答道；“我住到城里也就不想走。乡下和城里各有各的好处，我随便住在哪儿都一样快乐。”
"Aye — but that is because you have the right disposition. But that gentleman," looking at Darcy, "seemed to think the country was nothing at all."
“啊——那是因为你的性情纯正。可是那位先生，”班纳特太太瞧着达西先生说，“却似乎认为我们乡下连一文也不值呢。”
"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."
“妈妈，你弄错了，”伊丽莎白为她母亲感到脸红了，“你完全误会达西先生了。他只不过是说乡下不像城里那样，可以遇到各种各样的人，这一点你必须承认是事实。”
"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."
“当然啦，亲爱的，谁也没有说不是这样。可是要说我们这个邻里还碰不到许多的人，我不同意，我相信比我们这个邻里再大的可很难找到了。就我所知，跟我们来往吃饭的就有二十四家呢。”
