评论
打印
Their sister’s wedding day arrived; and Jane and Elizabeth felt for her probably more than she felt for herself. The carriage was sent to meet them at ——, and they were to return in it by dinner-time. Their arrival was dreaded by the elder Miss Bennets, and Jane more especially, who gave Lydia the feelings which would have attended herself, had she been the culprit, and was wretched in the thought of what her sister must endure.
丽迪雅的婚期到了。吉英和伊丽莎白或许比丽迪雅自己还要紧张。家里派了一部马车去某地迎接新婚夫妇，到午饭时分，他们便能乘马车赶回来了。两位姐姐都为他们的到来感到不安，尤其是吉英，她设身处地为妹妹想，如果是她自己做了这样不光彩的事情，她得忍受多少的羞辱，一想到这，她就为妹妹感到难过。
They came. The family were assembled in the breakfast room to receive them. Smiles decked the face of Mrs. Bennet as the carriage drove up to the door; her husband looked impenetrably grave; her daughters, alarmed, anxious, uneasy.
威科汉姆和丽迪雅回来了，家里人都聚集到早餐厅里迎接他们。马车来到门口时，班纳特太太的脸上绽开了笑容，班纳特先生的表情却是异常严肃，他们的女儿们则是心里忐忑而不知所措。
Lydia’s voice was heard in the vestibule; the door was thrown open, and she ran into the room. Her mother stepped forwards, embraced her, and welcomed her with rapture; gave her hand, with an affectionate smile, to Wickham, who followed his lady; and wished them both joy with an alacrity which shewed no doubt of their happiness.
丽迪雅的声音从门廊传来，接着房门被撞开了，丽迪雅冲了进来。她的母亲走上前去，狂喜地拥抱她，临了把手笑眯眯地递给了后面走进来的威科汉姆，祝愿他们夫妇新婚快乐，铿锵响亮的话音表明了她毫不怀疑他们会幸福。
Their reception from Mr. Bennet, to whom they then turned, was not quite so cordial. His countenance rather gained in austerity; and he scarcely opened his lips. The easy assurance of the young couple, indeed, was enough to provoke him. Elizabeth was disgusted, and even Miss Bennet was shocked. Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless. She turned from sister to sister, demanding their congratulations; and when at length they all sat down, looked eagerly round the room, took notice of some little alteration in it, and observed, with a laugh, that it was a great while since she had been there.
随后，威科汉姆夫妇转身来到班纳特先生这里，他可没有那么好声好气地待他们。他的神情似乎显得更严肃了，几乎连口也没有张一下。这对年轻夫妻满不在乎的样子刺恼了他。伊丽莎白感到厌恶，甚至连吉英也感到吃惊。丽迪雅还是从前的那个丽迪雅，桀骜不驯，不知廉耻，撒娇任性，无所顾忌。她走过每一个姐姐的跟前，要她们向她道贺，在大家坐定以后，她的眼光又急切地扫过屋子，诉说着这儿的一些小小的变化，临了大声笑着说，她离开家真是有一段时间了。
Wickham was not at all more distressed than herself, but his manners were always so pleasing, that had his character and his marriage been exactly what they ought, his smiles and his easy address, while he claimed their relationship, would have delighted them all. Elizabeth had not before believed him quite equal to such assurance; but she sat down, resolving within herself to draw no limits in future to the impudence of an impudent man. She blushed, and Jane blushed; but the cheeks of the two who caused their confusion suffered no variation of colour.
威科汉姆也像丽迪雅一样，没有一点不自在。他的举止一向讨人喜欢，要是他的婚姻和他的人品都来得堂堂正正的话，现在拜见岳父岳母时脸上挂着的笑容和轻快的谈吐，就会叫全家人喜欢了。伊丽莎白在这以前还不相信威科汉姆竟会这样厚颜无耻。她坐下来，心里暗暗下着决心，以后对这样一个无耻的人再也不能存任何幻想。她不禁脸红了，吉英也脸红了。可是令她们俩脸红的那对男女却毫无羞愧之色。
There was no want of discourse. The bride and her mother could neither of them talk fast enough; and Wickham, who happened to sit near Elizabeth, began inquiring after his acquaintance in that neighbourhood, with a good humoured ease which she felt very unable to equal in her replies. They seemed each of them to have the happiest memories in the world. Nothing of the past was recollected with pain; and Lydia led voluntarily to subjects which her sisters would not have alluded to for the world.
即便是在这样的一种情形下，也不乏有话可聊。新娘子和她的母亲都抢着要说出各自满肚子的话。威科汉姆正巧坐在伊丽莎白旁边，便向她问起他这一带熟人的情况，其神态的安详让伊丽莎白觉得她无论如何也难以企及。留在这一男一女脑子里的似乎都是世界上最美好的回忆。提起过去的任何事情都不会使他们难为情。丽迪雅主动地谈到了许多事情，这些话她的姐姐们是怎么也说不出口的。
“Only think of its being three months,” she cried, “since I went away; it seems but a fortnight I declare; and yet there have been things enough happened in the time. Good gracious! when I went away, I am sure I had no more idea of being married till I came back again! though I thought it would be very good fun if I was.”
“且想想看，”丽迪雅嚷着，“我离开家已经有三个月啦。在我看好像才只有两个星期；然而，在这段日子里发生了多少事情啊！天啊，我走的时候，可没料到我会结了婚再回来的！虽然我也想到了，要是真的能结了婚回来，那该有多好。”
Her father lifted up his eyes. Jane was distressed. Elizabeth looked expressively at Lydia; but she, who never heard nor saw anything of which she chose to be insensible, gaily continued, “Oh! mamma, do the people hereabouts know I am married to-day? I was afraid they might not; and we overtook William Goulding in his curricle, so I was determined he should know it, and so I let down the side-glass next to him, and took off my glove, and let my hand just rest upon the window frame, so that he might see the ring, and then I bowed and smiled like anything.”
班纳特先生抬起了眼睛。吉英感到不安。伊丽莎白瞪了丽迪雅一眼。一向我行我素的丽迪雅却毫不在意地继续说：“噢！妈妈，这儿的人们知道我今天结婚吗？我刚才还担心他们不知道呢。我们在路上追上了威廉·戈尔丁的马车，我为了让他知道这个消息，把我车子上的一扇玻璃放下来，脱了手套，把手放在窗框上，好让他看见我的结婚戒指，还向他点头不停地笑。”
Elizabeth could bear it no longer. She got up, and ran out of the room; and returned no more, till she heard them passing through the hall to the dining parlour. She then joined them soon enough to see Lydia, with anxious parade, walk up to her mother’s right hand, and hear her say to her eldest sister, “Ah! Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman.”
伊丽莎白再也忍不住了。她站起来，跑出了房间，一直等到他们穿过大厅走向餐厅的时候，才又回来。这时她正巧看到丽迪雅几步跨到了母亲的右边。一面对姐姐说：“嗨，吉英，我现在要取代你的位置了，你必须靠后，因为我已是出了嫁的姑娘啦。”
It was not to be supposed that time would give Lydia that embarrassment from which she had been so wholly free at first. Her ease and good spirits increased. She longed to see Mrs. Phillips, the Lucases, and all their other neighbours, and to hear herself called “Mrs. Wickham” by each of them; and in the mean time, she went after dinner to show her ring, and boast of being married, to Mrs. Hill and the two housemaids.
时间和她这几个月的经历，并没有使丽迪雅任性不羁的性子有一点改变，她非但没有变得知趣起来，那兴冲冲的劲头反而更足了。她渴望见到菲利普太太，鲁卡斯一家人和所有的邻居们，听到他们称呼她“威科汉姆太太”。刚吃过饭，她便将她的戒指亮给希尔太太和两个女用人看，向大家夸示她已经结婚了。
“Well, mamma,” said she, when they were all returned to the breakfast room, “and what do you think of my husband? Is not he a charming man? I am sure my sisters must all envy me. I only hope they may have half my good luck. They must all go to Brighton. That is the place to get husbands. What a pity it is, mamma, we did not all go.”
“喂，妈妈，”在他们又都回到起居间以后丽迪雅说，“你看我的丈夫怎么样？他是不是挺可爱呢？我敢说，我的姐姐们一定都很嫉妒我。但愿她们有我一半的运气就好啦。她们都应该到布利屯去。那儿是个找丈夫的好地方。妈妈，你们没有去，可太遗憾啦。”
“Very true; and if I had my will, we should. But my dear Lydia, I don’t at all like your going such a way off. Must it be so?”
“唉，可不是。如果依我，早就去了。不过，丽迪雅，我的宝贝女儿，妈可不想让你走上那么远。难道非这样不可吗？”
“Oh, lord! yes;—there is nothing in that. I shall like it of all things. You and papa, and my sisters, must come down and see us. We shall be at Newcastle all the winter, and I dare say there will be some balls, and I will take care to get good partners for them all.”
“噢，天啊！当然是这样啦。我觉得这没什么。我愿意。你和父亲，还有我的姐姐们一定要来看我。我们整个冬天都将待在纽卡斯尔，那儿一定会有很多的舞会。我将尽心为每个姐姐找到合适的舞伴。”
“I should like it beyond anything!” said her mother.
“那太好啦！”她的母亲说。
“And then when you go away, you may leave one or two of my sisters behind you; and I dare say I shall get husbands for them before the winter is over.”
“等你们住够要回去时，你可以把一两个姐姐留在我这儿。我敢说，没过完冬天，我就能为她们找到丈夫了。”
“I thank you for my share of the favour,” said Elizabeth; “but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands.”
“我谢谢你了，”伊丽莎白说，“不过，我可不喜欢你那种找丈夫的方式。”
