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When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without any intermission till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner, as proved that she was not used to have her judgement controverted.
在女客们回到客厅以后，她们要做的就是听凯瑟琳夫人发表高论了，除了咖啡端上来的那一会儿，这位贵夫人的话可就再也没有停过，她讲到每一个话题时语气都是那么肯定，好像在表明她从来也不能让自己的见解遭到反对。
She enquired into Charlotte’s domestic concerns familiarly and minutely, gave her a great deal of advice as to the management of them all; told her how everything ought to be regulated in so small a family as hers, and instructed her as to the care of her cows and her poultry.
她仔细而又娴熟地向夏洛特询问着家常，对于如何料理这些家务活儿，她给予了一大堆的劝告。告诉夏洛特像她这样的一个小户人家，每一件事应该如何安排才好，指示她怎么照看母牛和家禽。
Elizabeth found that nothing was beneath this great lady’s attention, which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to others.
伊丽莎白发现，只要有这种训诫别人的机会，凯瑟琳夫人都是绝不肯放过的。
In the intervals of her discourse with Mrs. Collins, she addressed a variety of questions to Maria and Elizabeth, but especially to the latter, of whose connections she knew the least, and who she observed to Mrs. Collins was a very genteel, pretty kind of girl.
在与科林斯太太的谈话中间，她也向玛丽亚和伊丽莎白问了各种各样的问题，尤其是向伊丽莎白问得更多，因为凯瑟琳夫人对她的家庭知之甚少，而且她跟科林斯太太也说，伊丽莎白是一个很文静、很标致的姑娘。
She asked her, at different times, how many sisters she had, whether they were older or younger than herself, whether any of them were likely to be married, whether they were handsome, where they had been educated, what carriage her father kept, and what had been her mother’s maiden name?
在与别人说话的间隙，她问伊丽莎白有几个姐妹，都比她大还是比她小，她们中间有谁快要结婚了，她们是否长得漂亮，在什么地方受的教育，她的父亲乘的是什么样的马车，她母亲的女仆叫什么名字？
Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of her questions but answered them very composedly. Lady Catherine then observed,
伊丽莎白觉得她这些问题都提得欠妥，可她还是镇静地一一做了回答。接着凯瑟琳夫人又说：
“Your father’s estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I think. For your sake,” turning to Charlotte, “I am glad of it; but otherwise I see no occasion for entailing estates from the female line.
“你父亲的财产将由科林斯先生来继承，是吧？为你着想，”凯瑟琳夫人把头转向夏洛特说，“我很为此感到高兴，可是从其他方面来讲，我就看不出有从女儿们手中把财产继承权拿走的必要啦。
It was not thought necessary in Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s family. Do you play and sing, Miss Bennet?”
在刘易斯·德·包尔爵士的家庭里，就觉得没这样做的必要。你会弹琴和唱歌吗？班纳特小姐？”
“A little.”
“会一点儿。”
“Oh! then--some time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Our instrument is a capital one, probably superior to----You shall try it some day. Do your sisters play and sing?”
“噢，好！哪一天很高兴能听听你的弹唱。我们的琴非常好，说不定比——你改天来试试它吧。你的姐妹们也会弹琴唱歌吗？”
“One of them does.”
“有一个会。”
“Why did not you all learn? You ought all to have learned. The Miss Webbs all play, and their father has not so good an income as yours. Do you draw?”
“为什么你们姐妹们不都来学呢？你们应该个个都学。韦伯家的小姐们就很会弹琴，她们父亲的收入还不及你们家呢。你们会画画吗？”
“No, not at all.”
“不，不会。”
“What, none of you?”
“哦，你们姐妹们谁也不会吗？”
“Not one.”
“谁也不会。”
“That is very strange. But I suppose you had no opportunity. Your mother should have taken you to town every spring for the benefit of masters.”
“这可就奇怪了。不过，我想也许是你们没有机会吧。你们的母亲本可以每年春天带你们去城里跟名师学学嘛。”
“My mother would have had no objection, but my father hates London.”
“我母亲对此倒并不反对，可我父亲讨厌伦敦。”
“Has your governess left you?”
“你们的家庭教师还在吗？”
“We never had any governess.”
“我们从未有过家庭教师。”
“No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.”
“没有家庭教师！这怎么可能呢？五个女儿在一个家庭里长大，却没有请过一个家庭教师！我还从来没有听说过这种事情呢。那么，你们的母亲一定为你们的教育自己出了大力啦。”
Elizabeth could hardly help smiling as she assured her that had not been the case.
伊丽莎白禁不住笑了，她向夫人肯定地说，情形并不像她所说的那样。
“Then, who taught you? who attended to you? Without a governess, you must have been neglected.”
“那么，是谁来教你们呢？谁来照顾你们呢？没有家庭教师，你们的学业不就荒废了吗？”
“Compared with some families, I believe we were; but such of us as wished to learn never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read, and had all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle, certainly might.”
“跟某些家庭相比，我想是这样的。可是对于我们中间想要求学的姐妹们来说，学习的路子是很多的。家里对我们的读书学习总是给予鼓励，必要的老师我们也都有。如果谁想要闲着，那她肯定就会被耽误了。”
“Aye, no doubt; but that is what a governess will prevent, and if I had known your mother, I should have advised her most strenuously to engage one.
“呃，这是毫无疑问的。不过，这也正是一个家庭教师可以防止的，要是我认识你母亲，我就会极力劝说她雇上一个家庭教师。
I always say that nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular instruction, and nobody but a governess can give it.
我一再地说没有按部就班的教导，教育就不会有任何成绩，而这种教育只有家庭教师能够给予。
It is wonderful how many families I have been the means of supplying in that way. I am always glad to get a young person well placed out.
说来也奇怪，有好多家庭都是我给他们介绍的教师，我很乐意让一个年轻人学有所用。
Four nieces of Mrs. Jenkinson are most delightfully situated through my means; and it was but the other day that I recommended another young person, who was merely accidentally mentioned to me, and the family are quite delighted with her.
姜金生太太家的四个侄女都是经我的手，得到了最理想的安排。就在前几天，我还向一个家庭推举了一个年轻人，她是别人在一个偶然的场合跟我提起的，那家人对她很满意。
Mrs. Collins, did I tell you of Lady Metcalf’s calling yesterday to thank me? She finds Miss Pope a treasure. ‘Lady Catherine,’ said she, ‘you have given me a treasure.’ Are any of your younger sisters out, Miss Bennet?”
哦，科林斯夫人，我告诉过你这回事吗，麦特卡尔夫人直到昨天还在为此感谢我呢。她发现蒲波小姐是件珍宝。‘凯瑟琳夫人，’她说，‘你可给了我一个宝贝。’班纳特小姐，你的妹妹们也有出来参加社交活动的了吗？”
“Yes, ma’am, all.”
“是的，夫人，全都参加了。”
“All! What, all five out at once? Very odd! And you only the second. The younger ones out before the elder ones are married! Your younger sisters must be very young?”
“全都出来交际了！哦，五个姐妹同时都被允许出来进入社交圈了？这太奇怪啦！你只是你家的二姑娘。姐姐还没有结婚，妹妹们就都出来交际了！你的妹妹们一定还很年轻吧？”
“Yes, my youngest is not sixteen. Perhaps she is full young to be much in company.
“是的，我最小的妹妹还不到十六岁。也许她还太年轻，不适于多交朋友。
But really, ma’am, I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they should not have their share of society and amusement, because the elder may not have the means or inclination to marry early.
不过，夫人，如果因为年长的没有办法，或者是不愿意早一点儿嫁出去，便不叫她的妹妹们出来参加她们应有的交际和娱乐活动，我觉得那对她们也有点儿过于苛刻了吧。
The last-born has as good a right to the pleasures of youth as the first. And to be kept back on such a motive! I think it would not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind.”
最后一个出生的，像第一个出生的孩子一样，拥有享受快活和青春的权利。为这样的一个原因，排除在社交活动之外，我想这是不会有助于加深姐妹们之间的感情和促进她们的思想成熟的。”
“Upon my word,” said her ladyship, “you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person. Pray, what is your age?”
“啊，”凯瑟琳夫人说，“你这么年轻，就这么有主见。请问你今年多大了？”
“With three younger sisters grown up,” replied Elizabeth, smiling, “your ladyship can hardly expect me to own it.”
“已有三个长大成人的妹妹，”伊丽莎白笑着回答说，“夫人，恐怕您很难相信我的真实年龄呢。”
Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer; and Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence.
对没能得到一个直接的回答，凯瑟琳夫人似乎显出了一些惊讶。伊丽莎白想，她自己也许是敢于跟这位夫人的那种命令似的无礼行为开开玩笑的第一人吧！
“You cannot be more than twenty, I am sure, therefore you need not conceal your age.”
“我肯定，你顶多不过二十岁，所以你用不着隐瞒你的年龄。”
“I am not one-and-twenty.”
“我不到二十一岁。”
When the gentlemen had joined them, and tea was over, the card-tables were placed.
待男客人们也到了这里，大家喝过茶以后，牌桌便支了起来。
Lady Catherine, Sir William, and Mr. and Mrs. Collins sat down to quadrille; and as Miss de Bourgh chose to play at cassino, the two girls had the honour of assisting Mrs. Jenkinson to make up her party.
凯瑟琳夫人、威廉爵士和科林斯夫妇坐下来打四十张。因为德·包尔小姐想玩卡西诺（一种类似于二十一点的牌系），两位小姐便有幸与姜金生太太一起为她另开了一场牌局。
Their table was superlatively stupid. Scarcely a syllable was uttered that did not relate to the game, except when Mrs. Jenkinson expressed her fears of Miss de Bourgh’s being too hot or too cold, or having too much or too little light.
她们这一桌真是索然无味，除了有时候姜金生太太说些担心德·包尔小姐会觉得过热或是过冷、觉得灯光过强或过弱的话，便没有一句不是与眼下的牌局有关了。
A great deal more passed at the other table. Lady Catherine was generally speaking--stating the mistakes of the three others, or relating some anecdote of herself.
另外一桌可就热闹多了，差不多一直都是凯瑟琳夫人在说话，指出其他三个人出的错牌，或是讲她自己的趣闻轶事。
Mr. Collins was employed in agreeing to everything her ladyship said, thanking her for every fish he won, and apologising if he thought he won too many.
科林斯对贵夫人说的每一件事都不住口地表示赞同，对自己每一次赢牌都向她表示感谢，如果赢得太多还要向她表示道歉。
Sir William did not say much. He was storing his memory with anecdotes and noble names.
威廉爵士不多吭声，他只顾把一桩桩轶事和一个个高贵的名字装进脑子里。
When Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as they chose, the tables were broken up, the carriage was offered to Mrs. Collins, gratefully accepted and immediately ordered.
在凯瑟琳夫人和她的女儿觉得玩够了的时候，牌局便散了，然后就是凯瑟琳夫人建议科林斯太太坐她的车回去，对此科林斯太太感激地接受了，于是马上令人去套车。
The party then gathered round the fire to hear Lady Catherine determine what weather they were to have on the morrow.
那时宾主们就围着火炉，听凯瑟琳夫人就明天的天气发表高见。
From these instructions they were summoned by the arrival of the coach; and with many speeches of thankfulness on Mr. Collins’s side and as many bows on Sir William’s they departed.
一直待到马车来了唤他们上车，才算结束了这场受教，最后又由科林斯先生说了许多感谢的话，由威廉爵士鞠了不少的躬，客人们方才告辞离去。
As soon as they had driven from the door, Elizabeth was called on by her cousin to give her opinion of all that she had seen at Rosings, which, for Charlotte’s sake, she made more favourable than it really was.
他们一出大门，伊丽莎白的表兄就问起她对这次罗新斯之行有何感想，为了顾全夏洛特的面子，伊丽莎白说了一些好听的话。
But her commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no means satisfy Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her ladyship’s praise into his own hands.
尽管伊丽莎白说这番话已经是勉为其难了，可还是不能让科林斯满意，不久他就把对老夫人的赞扬一股脑儿揽到了自己身上。
