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Chapter15
十五章
MR. COLLINS was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful acquaintance.
科林斯先生不是一个通情达理的人。他天生的缺陷并没有由于所受的教育和社会交往而得到什么改进。他这二十多年的生涯大部分是在一个既吝啬又是个文盲的父亲的教养下度过的。虽然上过一所大学，可只是例行公事式地在那儿住了几个必要的学期，没有交结下一个有用的朋友。
The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of manner, but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant;
他在父亲屋檐下的逆来顺受，给予他一副几乎是与生俱来的卑躬举止，不过这一卑恭的态度现在却被他大大地抵消了，这一方面是由于头脑愚蠢、生活闲适而形成的自负，另一方面则归之于他年纪轻轻就得到意想不到的财富而造成的高傲自大的心理。一次幸运的机会使他得以见到凯瑟琳·德·包尔夫人，适值那时汉斯福德有个空缺的牧师位子。
and the respect which he felt for her high rank and his veneration for her as his patroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his rights as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.
他对她高高在上的地位的崇拜，对她作为他的庇护人的尊敬，与他的自以为是、自以为做了教士所享有的权威和做了主管牧师所拥有的权力等因素融为一体，使他完全变成了一个既骄傲又猥琐，既自视甚高又卑躬屈膝的人。
Having now a good house and very sufficient income, he intended to marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife in view, as he meant to chuse one of the daughters, if he found them as handsome and amiable as they were represented by common report.
现在既然有了一所像样的房子和充裕的收入，科林斯便打算着想要成一个家了。他与浪博恩家求和修好是想着在那儿找一位太太，只要他发现浪博恩家的女儿们果真像人们说的那么漂亮可爱，他就从中选上一个好了。
This was his plan of amends -- of atonement -- for inheriting their father's estate; and he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility and suitableness, and excessively generous and disinterested on his own part.
这便是他为将来要继承她们父亲的财产所安排好的一个补偿——或是赎罪的计划。他自以为这是一个十全十美的方案，既可行又适宜，而且显示了他这方面非凡的大度和无私。
His plan did not vary on seeing them. -- Miss Bennet's lovely face confirmed his views, and established all his strictest notions of what was due to seniority; and for the first evening she was his settled choice.
科林斯的计划在他看到他的表妹们时并没有改变。班纳特小姐可爱的脸蛋更是坚定了他的主张，想到一切应当先从年长的开始，头一天晚上班纳特小姐便成为他选定的意中人。
The next morning, however, made an alteration; for in a quarter of an hour's tête-a-tête with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast, a conversation beginning with his parsonage-house, and leading naturally to the avowal of his hopes that a mistress for it might be found at Longbourn, produced from her, amid very complaisant smiles and general encouragement, a caution against the very Jane he had fixed on.
可是到了第二天早晨，这个计划便不得不做些改变了。原来早饭前科林斯跟班纳特太太私下亲密地交谈了一刻钟，谈话从他的那所牧师住宅开始，进而讲到他想在浪博恩为他的住宅找个女主人的愿望，听到这话，班纳特太太堆起满脸鼓励和满意的笑容，只是在他提到吉英的名字时，她给了他一点儿忠告。
-- "As to her younger daughters she could not take upon her to say -- she could not positively answer -- but she did not know of any prepossession; -- her eldest daughter, she must just mention -- she felt it incumbent on her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged."
说到她的几个小女儿，她虽不能代她们做主，不能给予他肯定的答复，不过她却知道她们还没有对象呢。至于大女儿吉英，她认为她有责任提醒他，很可能不久就要订婚了。
Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth -- and it was soon done -- done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.
科林斯先生只好把他的意中人从吉英改成了伊丽莎白——这是他在一瞬间做出的决定——在班纳特太太拨旺炉火的那一瞬间。伊丽莎白在年龄和美貌上都接近于吉英，当然是替代吉英的最佳人选了。
Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have two daughters married; and the man whom she could not bear to speak of the day before was now high in her good graces.
班纳特太太得到这个暗示后非常高兴，深信她很快便可以将两个女儿嫁出去了。这个在前一天她听到名字都不能忍受的科林斯先生，现在一下子成了她的座上宾了。
Lydia's intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten; every sister except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr. Collins was to attend them, at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was most anxious to get rid of him, and have his library to himself;
丽迪雅并没有忘记要去麦里屯的打算。除了玛丽，所有的姐妹们都同意和她一起去。科林斯先生也要同行，这是班纳特先生建议的，他极想摆脱一下这个表侄，好能自个儿在书房里清静清静；
for thither Mr. Collins had followed him after breakfast, and there he would continue, nominally engaged with one of the largest folios in the collection, but really talking to Mr. Bennet, with little cessation, of his house and garden at Hunsford. Such doings discomposed Mr. Bennet exceedingly.
因为自从早饭后科林斯先生便跟他到了书房，名义上是在看一本最大的对开本，实际上是在和班纳特先生喋喋不休地谈论他在汉斯福的房子和花园。这让班纳特先生简直受不了。
In his library he had been always sure of leisure and tranquillity; and though prepared, as he told Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit in every other room in the house, he was used to be free from them there; his civility, therefore, was most prompt in inviting Mr. Collins to join his daughters in their walk; and Mr. Collins, being in fact much better fitted for a walker than a reader, was extremely well pleased to close his large book, and go.
在他的书房里，他总是能得到清静和消遣的。正如他曾对伊丽莎白讲过的，虽然他有在其他的房间里面对愚蠢和妄自尊大的精神准备，但书房这儿却是他的一块净地。于是，他立即客气地请科林斯先生和他的女儿们一起出去走走。而科林斯先生实际上更适于做一个散步者而不是读者，所以他非常高兴地合上了那本大部头的书离开了。
In pompous nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of his cousins, their time passed till they entered Meryton. The attention of the younger ones was then no longer to be gained by him. Their eyes were immediately wandering up in the street in quest of the officers, and nothing less than a very smart bonnet indeed, or a really new muslin in a shop window, could recall them.
一路上科林斯大话废话连篇，他的表妹们客气地随声附和，他们就这样打发着时间一直走到了麦里屯。几位年纪小的表妹这时已不再注意他。她们在街面上四处瞅着，寻找那些军官们，此时唯有商店橱窗里的极漂亮的女帽或是最时新的花布，才能让她们稍稍收回视线。
But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man, whom they had never seen before, of most gentlemanlike appearance, walking with an officer on the other side of the way.
不久，姑娘们的注意力都被一个年轻男子吸引了，这位男子她们以前从未见过，长得极有绅士风度，此刻正与一位军官在马路另一边走着。
The officer was the very Mr. Denny, concerning whose return from London Lydia came to inquire, and he bowed as they passed. All were struck with the stranger's air, all wondered who he could be, and Kitty and Lydia, determined if possible to find out, led the way across the street, under pretence of wanting something in an opposite shop, and fortunately had just gained the pavement when the two gentlemen, turning back, had reached the same spot.
那个军官正是登尼先生，丽迪雅此次来便是打探他从伦敦回来没有，她们经过时登尼向她们鞠了一躬。姐妹们都为那个陌生人的翩翩风度动心了，都想知道他到底是谁，吉蒂和丽迪雅下决心尽一切可能打听清楚，装作是要到对面商店买东西，领头穿过了马路，她们刚刚来到便道上，正巧他们俩也踅回来走到这里。
Mr. Denny addressed them directly, and entreated permission to introduce his friend, Mr. Wickham, who had returned with him the day before from town, and he was happy to say, had accepted a commission in their corps. This was exactly as it should be; for the young man wanted only regimentals to make him completely charming. His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty -- a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address.
登尼先生马上先跟她们搭话，并请求允许他介绍他的这位朋友威科汉姆先生，威科汉姆先生昨天和他一起从城里回来，他还高兴地补充说，这位先生已经被任命为他们团里的军官。这真是再好不过了。因为这位年轻人只需再配上一身军服，就会非常迷人和十全十美了。他的长相十分讨人喜欢，他面庞英俊，身材魁梧，谈吐也格外动人，整个人儿简直没有一处不美。
