The next day opened a new scene at Longbourn.
第二天,在浪博恩又演出了新的一幕。
Mr. Collins made his declaration in form.
科林斯先生正式提出他的求婚了。
Having resolved to do it without loss of time, as his leave of absence extended only to the following Saturday, and having no feelings of diffidence to make it distressing to himself even at the moment, he set about it in a very orderly manner, with all the observances, which he supposed a regular part of the business.
因为他的假期到下星期六就要结束,他决心要马上来办这件事,他有条不紊地遵照着他认为通常情况下这种事应有的礼仪,他胸有成竹,根本就没去想这样做可能会给自己带来的难堪。
On finding Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and one of the younger girls together, soon after breakfast, he addressed the mother in these words:
吃过早饭不久,当他发现只有班纳特太太、伊丽莎白和他的另一个小表妹在一块儿时,便对她们的母亲说道:
“May I hope, madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of this morning?”
“我可以请求,夫人,为了你和你漂亮女儿伊丽莎白的利益,今天早晨她赏光跟我私下谈一次话吗?”
Before Elizabeth had time for anything but a blush of surprise, Mrs. Bennet answered instantly, “Oh dear!--yes--certainly. I am sure Lizzy will be very happy--I am sure she can have no objection. Come, Kitty, I want you up stairs.”
伊丽莎白惊讶得脸都红了,没等她做出任何反应,班纳特太太就赶紧答道:“噢,亲爱的!可以--当然可以啦。我相信丽萃会很高兴的。她一定不会反对的。来,吉蒂,跟我上楼去。”
And, gathering her work together, she was hastening away, when Elizabeth called out:
在她收拾起针线活计正要匆匆离开的当儿,伊丽莎白喊住了她:
“Dear madam, do not go. I beg you will not go. Mr. Collins must excuse me. He can have nothing to say to me that anybody need not hear. I am going away myself.”
“亲爱的母亲,别走开,求求你别走开。科林斯先生一定会原谅我的。他没有什么别人不能听的事情要跟我说。我这就离开。”
“No, no, nonsense, Lizzy. I desire you to stay where you are.”
“不,不,丽萃,这简直是胡闹。我希望你留在这儿。”
And upon Elizabeth's seeming really, with vexed and embarrassed looks, about to escape, she added: “Lizzy, I insist upon your staying and hearing Mr. Collins.”
看到伊丽莎白又气恼又难堪,似乎真的要准备溜走了,她又补充道,“丽萃,我非得叫你留下来,听听科林斯先生说些什么不可。”
Elizabeth would not oppose such an injunction--and a moment's consideration making her also sensible that it would be wisest to get it over as soon and as quietly as possible, she sat down again and tried to conceal, by incessant employment the feelings which were divided between distress and diversion.
伊丽莎白不愿和母亲弄得太僵,在稍事考虑之后,她觉得能尽快地在更少人知道的情况下了结这件事,才是最稳妥的办法,于是她又坐了下来,努力克制着不让自己那啼笑皆非的情绪表现出来。
Mrs. Bennet and Kitty walked off, and as soon as they were gone, Mr. Collins began.
待班纳特太太和吉蒂刚一出门,科林斯先生便开了口:
“Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections.
“请相信我,我亲爱的伊丽莎白小姐,你的谦虚和怕羞非但对你没有丝毫的损害,反而增加了你的美德。
You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to assure you, that I have your respected mother's permission for this address.
如果你刚才没有表现出这小小的不情愿来,你在我眼里倒不会有现在这么可爱了;请容许我告诉你,我事先已征得了你母亲的同意。
You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken.
我想,你可能早已猜到我跟你这次谈话的目的了,尽管你天性羞怯,假装不知;我对你的殷勤和关注是那么明显,你是不会看不出来的。
Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life.
在我一走进这个家的时候,我就选出了你作为我将来生活的伴侣。
But before I am run away with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it would be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying--and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.”
不过,趁我还没有沉醉于自己的这份感情之前,让我先来说说我之所以要结婚的理由以及我来到哈福德郡要择一位良妻的打算----我当时肯定是怀着这种打算的----也许不是没有益处的。”
The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away with by his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing, that she could not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him further, and he continued:
想到科林斯先生现在这副庄重冷静的样子,居然会说出怕控制不了自己情感的话来,让伊丽莎白几乎禁不住要大笑起来,结果她没能利用他停顿的间隙来阻止他,于是科林斯继续说道:
“My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced that it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly--which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness.
“我之所以要结婚是因为,首先,我认为每一个生活充裕的牧师(像我自己这样的),都应该在他管辖的教区里于婚姻生活方面给世人树立一个榜样;第二,我确信美满的婚姻生活将极大地增加我现在已有的幸福;第三----这一点或许我应该早一点儿提出来----我这样做是受了作为我的庇护人凯瑟琳·德·包尔夫人的特别的劝告和鼓励。
Twice has she condescended to give me her opinion (unasked too!) on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I left Hunsford--between our pools at quadrille, while Mrs. Jenkinson was arranging Miss de Bourgh's footstool, that she said, ‘Mr.Collins, you must marry.
她曾两次就婚姻问题对我说出她的意见(是主动说的)!就在上星期六我离开汉斯福德之前的那个晚上----我们正在玩牌,珍金森太太正在给德·包尔小姐安排脚凳,凯瑟琳夫人跟我说,‘科林斯先生,你必须结婚才对。
A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way.
一个像你这样的牧师必须得成一个家----选择要慎重,为了我,你要选择一个知书达理的女人,为了你自己,她该是那种勤快会做家务活的女人,出身并不见得要高贵,但是要善于理财持家。
This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her.’
这便是我给你的忠告。尽可能快地找到这么一个女人,把她带回汉斯福德来,我会前去看望她的’。
Allow me, by the way, to observe, my fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the advantages in my power to offer.
请允许我顺便说上一句,我的亲爱的表妹,我认为凯瑟琳·德·包尔夫人对我的关心和照顾是我的一个不小的有利条件。
You will find her manners beyond anything I can describe; and your wit and vivacity, I think, must be acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will inevitably excite.
你会发现她的举止和为人是我无法描述的。凭你的聪明和活泼,我想,她是能够接受你的,尤其是她那高高在上的地位不可避免地给你的举止平添一种肃穆和敬仰的时候,她会更喜欢你的。
Thus much for my general intention in favour of matrimony; it remains to be told why my views were directed towards Longbourn instead of my own neighbourhood, where I can assure you there are many amiable young women.
这些便是我打算要结婚成家的一般理由;还需要说明的是,我为什么要到浪博恩而不在我的邻里选择妻子----我可以肯定地告诉你,我们那里的可爱女子并不少。
But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place--which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years.
事情是这样的,尽管在你的父亲逝世之后(他当然还可以活上许多年)我将是这一家产的合法继承人,可我还是会有些不安,假如我不打算从他的女儿们中间选择一个妻子的话,在她们之中选择,当这一不幸(我刚才已经说过了,它在近几年也许是不会发生的)发生的时候,对她们的损失便可以尽可能地减少一些。
This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem.
这就是我要这么做的动机,我的漂亮的表妹,我自以为我这样做是不会降低了我在你心目中的地位的。
And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection.
现在,我的表妹,我下面要做的就是用最富于激情的语言向你表达我最热烈的感情了。
To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds in the four per cents, which will not be yours till after your mother's decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to.
对嫁妆和钱财,我根本不看重,不会向你父亲提出这方面的任何要求,因为我十分了解这要求是不能被满足的;我知道你名下应得的财产,不过是一笔年息四厘的一千镑的存款,还得等到你母亲死后才归你所有。
On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married.”
所以,在这方面,我会保持缄默的;你还可以放心的是,我们结婚以后,我一句计较小气的话也不会说。”