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Two days after Mr. Bennet's return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and, concluding that she came to call them to their mother, went forward to meet her;
在班纳特先生回家后的第三天，吉英和伊丽莎白正在屋后的矮树林里散步，突然看见女管家朝她们这边走来，以为她来是叫她们回母亲那儿去的，两个人便向她走了过去。
but, instead of the expected summons, when they approached her, she said to Miss Bennet, "I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town, so I took the liberty of coming to ask."
到了跟前才发觉事出意外，原来她并不是来叫她们回去的。她对吉英说：“小姐，请原谅我打断了你们的谈话，只是我真的想知道你们从城里那方面得到的好消息，于是大胆地来问一下。”
"What do you mean, Hill? We have heard nothing from town."
你怎么啦，希尔？我并没有听说城里来了消息呀。”
"Dear madam," cried Mrs. Hill, in great astonishment, "don't you know there is an express come for master from Mr. Gardiner? He has been here this half-hour, and master has had a letter."
“哟，亲爱的小姐，”希尔太太吃惊地问，“难道你们还不知道嘉丁纳先生差人给主人送来一封快件吗？这人来了已有半个多钟头了，信在主人手里。”
Away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech. They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast-room; from thence to the library; their father was in neither; and they were on the point of seeking him up stairs with their mother, when they were met by the butler, who said:
这姐妹俩拔腿就跑，急匆匆往回赶，连话也顾不上说了。她们从穿堂那儿跑进早餐厅，从那里又到了书房。
"If you are looking for my master, ma'am, he is walking towards the little copse."
“你们是找主人吧，小姐，他正往小树林那边散步去了。”
Upon this information, they instantly passed through the hall once more, and ran across the lawn after their father, who was deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.
听到这话，她们又从门厅跑了出来，穿过一片草地去追赶父亲，只见父亲正若有所思地向围场旁边的林子里走。
Jane, who was not so light nor so much in the habit of running as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath, came up with him, and eagerly cried out:
吉英没有伊丽莎白那么轻巧，也不像妹妹那样跑得动，很快便落在了后面，只见妹妹喘着气追上了父亲，着急地喊：
"Oh, papa, what news—what news? Have you heard from my uncle?"
“噢，爸爸，是什么样的消息，是不是从舅舅那儿来的？”
"Yes I have had a letter from him by express."
“是的，我收到了从他那里来的一封快件。”
"Well, and what news does it bring—good or bad?"
“哦，信上说了些什么，是好消息还是坏消息？”
"What is there of good to be expected?" said he, taking the letter from his pocket. "But perhaps you would like to read it."
“从哪里来好消息呢？”他说着从衣袋里掏出一封信，“或许，你是想看一看吧。”
Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand. Jane now came up.
伊丽莎白性急地从父亲手里抓过信。吉英这时也赶了上来。
"Read it aloud," said their father, "for I hardly know myself what it is about."
“大声地读一读吧，”班纳特先生说，“我几乎还没弄明白它的意思呢。”
"Gracechurch Street, Monday, August 2.
天恩寺街，8月2日，星期一。
"My dear Brother,
亲爱的姐夫：
"At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope it will give you satisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were.
我现在终于能告诉你一些关于丽迪雅的消息了，希望这个消息大体上能叫你满意。星期六你走后不久，我就很幸运地发现了他们在伦敦的住址。
The particulars I reserve till we meet; it is enough to know they are discovered. I have seen them both—"
具体的细节等我们见了面再告诉你。现在知道他们已经被找到就够了，我见到了他们两个人——
"Then it is as I always hoped," cried Jane; "they are married!"
“那么，正如我所希望的，”吉英激动地说，“他们俩已经结婚了。”
Elizabeth read on:
伊丽莎白接着往下读：
"I have seen them both. They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so; but if you are willing to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side, I hope it will not be long before they are.
我见到了他们两个。他们并没有结婚，我也看不出他们有任何结婚的打算。但是，如果你愿意履行我大胆为你讲妥的条件的话，我想他们不久便可以结婚了。
All that is required of you is, to assure to your daughter, by settlement, her equal share of the five thousand pounds secured among your children after the decease of yourself and my sister; and, moreover, to enter into an engagement of allowing her, during your life, one hundred pounds per annum.
要求你做到的只有一点，那就是保证你的小女儿在你和我姐姐死后能得到五千英镑遗产中的她的那一份；而且订一个契约，答应在你生前每年给她一百英镑。
These are conditions which, considering everything, I had no hesitation in complying with, as far as I thought myself privileged, for you. I shall send this by express, that no time may be lost in bringing me your answer.
这些条件我以为我可以代你做主，毫不迟疑地应承下来了。我寄快件，就是为能尽快得到你的答复。
You will easily comprehend, from these particulars, that Mr. Wickham's circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally believed to be. The world has been deceived in that respect; and I am happy to say there will be some little money, even when all his debts are discharged, to settle on my niece, in addition to her own fortune.
你了解了这些详情以后就会明白，威科汉姆的处境并不像人们认为的那么糟糕。一般人在这点上是被蒙蔽了。我可以高兴地告诉你甚至在还清他的所有债务以后，在我外甥女的名下还能剩下一些钱（不包括她自己的财产）。
If, as I conclude will be the case, you send me full powers to act in your name throughout the whole of this business, I will immediately give directions to Haggerston for preparing a proper settlement.
你要是愿意根据我说的情况，委托我以你的名义全权处理这件事情，我将马上吩咐哈格斯顿去办理相关的手续。
There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again; therefore stay quiet at Longbourn, and depend on my diligence and care. Send back your answer as fast as you can, and be careful to write explicitly.
你没有必要再跑到城里。安心地待在浪博恩，相信我的勤勉和慎重。尽快地传回你的意见，注意写得清楚一些。
We have judged it best that my niece should be married from this house, of which I hope you will approve. She comes to us to-day. I shall write again as soon as anything more is determined on. Yours, etc.,
我们觉得外甥女儿还是从我们这里出嫁的好，当然这也要征得你的同意。丽迪雅今天来看我们。若再有什么事情我会尽快写信给你的。再见。
"EDW. GARDINER."
爱德华·嘉丁纳
"Is it possible?" cried Elizabeth, when she had finished. "Can it be possible that he will marry her?"
“这可能吗！”伊丽莎白喊，“威科汉姆真的会娶丽迪雅？”
"Wickham is not so undeserving, then, as we thought him," said her sister. "My dear father, I congratulate you."
“看来威科汉姆并不像我们想的那么坏，”吉英说，“我向你祝贺，亲爱的父亲。”
"And have you answered the letter?" cried Elizabeth.
“你回信了吗？”伊丽莎白问。
"No; but it must be done soon."
“没有。不过，得马上写。”
Most earnestly did she then entreat him to lose no more time before he wrote.
于是，伊丽莎白极其恳切地请求父亲马上回去写信，不要耽搁。
"Oh! my dear father," she cried, "come back and write immediately. Consider how important every moment is in such a case."
“噢！亲爱的父亲，”她大声央求着，“快去动手写吧。要知道，这种事情是一分一秒也不能耽搁的。”
"Let me write for you," said Jane, "if you dislike the trouble yourself."
“不然让我代你写吧，”吉英说，“如果你嫌麻烦的话。”
"I dislike it very much," he replied; "but it must be done."
“我很不愿意写这种信，”父亲回答说，“可是又必须得做。”
And so saying, he turned back with them, and walked towards the house.
这样说着，他和她们一块儿踅了回来，朝屋子里走去。
"And may I ask—" said Elizabeth; "but the terms, I suppose, must be complied with."
“我可以问一下吗？”伊丽莎白说，“我想父亲一定会同意这些条件的吧。”
"Complied with! I am only ashamed of his asking so little."
“当然同意！他要求得这么少，让我都觉得不好意思啦。”
"And they must marry! Yet he is such a man!"
“他们必须得结婚！然而，他却是这样的一个人。”
"Yes, yes, they must marry. There is nothing else to be done. But there are two things that I want very much to know; one is, how much money your uncle has laid down to bring it about; and the other, how am I ever to pay him."
“是的，他们必须结婚！再也没有别的选择。只是有两件事我很想弄清楚：第一件是你舅舅到底垫进去多少钱，才办成了这件事；第二件是我如何才能还上他的这笔钱。”
"Money! My uncle!" cried Jane, "what do you mean, sir?"
“垫钱！我舅舅！”吉英喊，“父亲，你这是什么意思？”
"I mean, that no man in his senses would marry Lydia on so slight a temptation as one hundred a year during my life, and fifty after I am gone."
“我想说，一个头脑正常的男人，决不会为了我生前每年给她的一百英镑，死后给她的五十英镑而娶她的。”
"That is very true," said Elizabeth; "though it had not occurred to me before. His debts to be discharged, and something still to remain! Oh! it must be my uncle's doings! Generous, good man, I am afraid he has distressed himself. A small sum could not do all this."
“父亲讲得很有道理，”伊丽莎白说，“虽然在这之前我没想到这一点。他的债务还清以后，钱还能有剩余！噢，这一定是舅舅为他做的！我们的舅舅多么善良，多么慷慨，只是我担心这会苦了舅舅。这得需要一大笔钱的。”
"No," said her father; "Wickham's a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds. I should be sorry to think so ill of him, in the very beginning of our relationship."
“是的，”班纳特先生说，“威科汉姆不是傻瓜，他要是拿不到一万英镑，娶她才怪呢。在我们刚刚要成为亲人的时候，我就把他看得这么坏，令我很难过。”
"Ten thousand pounds! Heaven forbid! How is half such a sum to be repaid?"
“一万英镑！天呀！就是这一半的数目也难以还得上。”
