评论
打印
The discomposure of spirits which this extraordinary visit threw Elizabeth into, could not be easily overcome; nor could she, for many hours, learn to think of it less than incessantly. Lady Catherine, it appeared, had actually taken the trouble of this journey from Rosings, for the sole purpose of breaking off her supposed engagement with Mr. Darcy. It was a rational scheme, to be sure! but from what the report of their engagement could originate, Elizabeth was at a loss to imagine; till she recollected that his being the intimate friend of Bingley, and her being the sister of Jane, was enough, at a time when the expectation of one wedding made everybody eager for another, to supply the idea. She had not herself forgotten to feel that the marriage of her sister must bring them more frequently together. And her neighbours at Lucas Lodge, therefore (for through their communication with the Collinses, the report, she concluded, had reached Lady Catherine), had only set that down as almost certain and immediate, which she had looked forward to as possible at some future time.
这一不同寻常的造访给伊丽莎白心里带来的不安，并不是那么容易就能克服掉的，在很长的一段时间里，她都不能不想着这件事。凯瑟琳夫人这次不辞辛苦从罗新斯赶来，似乎全是为了拆散她和达西先生的这桩只是存在于想象中的姻缘。毫无疑问，凯瑟琳夫人的此举不能说是不明智！可是，关于他们订婚的谣言是从什么地方传出去的，这却让伊丽莎白无从想象；后来她才想起达西是宾格莱的好朋友，她是吉英的妹妹。现在既然已有一桩婚姻可望成功，人们当然也就期望着另一桩接踵而至。她自己不也早就想到姐姐结婚以后，她和达西见面的机会也就更多了吗？她的邻居鲁卡斯一家（通过他们和科林斯夫妇的通信，伊丽莎白断定，这个消息才传到了凯瑟琳夫人的耳朵里）竟把这件事看得十拿九稳，而她自己只不过认为，这件事将来也许有几分希望罢了。
In revolving Lady Catherine’s expressions, however, she could not help feeling some uneasiness as to the possible consequence of her persisting in this interference. From what she had said of her resolution to prevent their marriage, it occurred to Elizabeth that she must meditate an application to her nephew; and how he might take a similar representation of the evils attached to a connection with her, she dared not pronounce. She knew not the exact degree of his affection for his aunt, or his dependence on her judgment, but it was natural to suppose that he thought much higher of her ladyship than she could do; and it was certain that, in enumerating the miseries of a marriage with one, whose immediate connections were so unequal to his own, his aunt would address him on his weakest side. With his notions of dignity, he would probably feel that the arguments, which to Elizabeth had appeared weak and ridiculous, contained much good sense and solid reasoning.
然而，在翻来覆去地想着凯瑟琳夫人的那些话时，伊丽莎白对她一味进行干涉的后果还是感到了一些担心。从凯瑟琳夫人说她要坚决阻止这门亲事的那番话中，伊丽莎白想到她一定在盘算着如何劝说她的姨侄了；至于达西会不会像他姨妈那样来看待与她结合的这些不利，她可不敢妄下断言。伊丽莎白不清楚达西对他姨妈到底喜欢到什么程度，或者说他在多大程度上听凭于她的判断，不过，有一点自然是肯定的，那就是达西一定比她更加看重凯瑟琳夫人的意见。在列举跟一个门第远低于自己的女人缔结姻缘的种种不幸中，他的姨妈无疑会击中他的软肋的。达西有那么多的体面感和尊严感，在伊丽莎白看来不值一驳的荒唐话，他也许会觉得就是理由充分、很有道理的训诫了。
If he had been wavering before as to what he should do, which had often seemed likely, the advice and entreaty of so near a relation might settle every doubt, and determine him at once to be as happy as dignity unblemished could make him. In that case he would return no more. Lady Catherine might see him in her way through town; and his engagement to Bingley of coming again to Netherfield must give way.
如果达西以前在这个问题上曾经有过动摇，那么，他的这位至亲的劝导和恳求可能会把他的疑虑全都打消，会使他下定决心，去高高兴兴地追求他的尊严不受玷污。如果真是这样，他就再也不会回到这里来了。凯瑟琳夫人很可能在城里见到达西。达西答应宾格莱再回到尼塞费尔德的事，恐怕也就落空了。
“If, therefore, an excuse for not keeping his promise should come to his friend within a few days,” she added, “I shall know how to understand it. I shall then give over every expectation, every wish of his constancy. If he is satisfied with only regretting me, when he might have obtained my affections and hand, I shall soon cease to regret him at all.”
“如果在这几天之内，一旦有达西不再前来践约的托词传给他的朋友，”伊丽莎白心想，“我就知道是怎么回事了。那时我就该放弃一切期盼，放弃他会继续爱我的一切希望了。如果在他可以得到我的感情和我本人时，他却只满足于为我感到惋惜，那么，很快我连惋惜他的心情也会没有了。”
The surprise of the rest of the family, on hearing who their visitor had been, was very great; but they obligingly satisfied it, with the same kind of supposition which had appeased Mrs. Bennet’s curiosity; and Elizabeth was spared from much teasing on the subject.
伊丽莎白家里的人听说是谁前来拜访后，都不胜惊讶。不过，他们也只是用班纳特太太那样的猜测去满足他们的好奇心罢了。因此伊丽莎白在这件事情上倒并没有受到过多的诘问。
The next morning, as she was going downstairs, she was met by her father, who came out of his library with a letter in his hand.
第二天早晨，在伊丽莎白走下楼来的时候，碰上了父亲，见他拿着一封信从书房里出来。
“Lizzy,” said he, “I was going to look for you; come into my room.”
“丽萃”班纳特先生说，“我正要去找你，你来一下我的房间。”
She followed him thither; and her curiosity to know what he had to tell her was heightened by the supposition of its being in some manner connected with the letter he held. It suddenly struck her that it might be from Lady Catherine; and she anticipated with dismay all the consequent explanations.
伊丽莎白跟着父亲走进书房，她想知道父亲要告诉她什么事儿，由于猜测到一定与他手中的那封信有关，所以她的好奇心变得越发强烈了。她突然想到这封信也许是凯瑟琳夫人写来的，于是，她不无烦恼地预想到了她为此需要做出的种种解释。
She followed her father to the fire place, and they both sat down. He then said,
她跟父亲到了壁炉前，两个人一起坐下了。临了，父亲说道：
“I have received a letter this morning that has astonished me exceedingly. As it principally concerns yourself, you ought to know its contents. I did not know before, that I had two daughters on the brink of matrimony. Let me congratulate you on a very important conquest.”
“我今天早晨收到一封信，叫我大大地吃了一惊。因为这封信主要跟你有关，你应该知道信的内容。在此之前，我真的不知道我有两个女儿快要成亲了。让我祝贺你，你竟然得到了这样重大的胜利。”
The colour now rushed into Elizabeth’s cheeks in the instantaneous conviction of its being a letter from the nephew, instead of the aunt; and she was undetermined whether most to be pleased that he explained himself at all, or offended that his letter was not rather addressed to herself; when her father continued:
断定这封信是达西而不是他的姨妈写来的，伊丽莎白脸上立刻泛起了红晕。正在她不知道对达西终于表白了他自己的感情是应该感到高兴，还是对他的信不直接寄给她而感到气恼的时候，她的父亲说话了：
“You look conscious. Young ladies have great penetration in such matters as these; but I think I may defy even your sagacity, to discover the name of your admirer. This letter is from Mr. Collins.”
“你好像有预感似的，年轻姑娘在这类事情上总是看得很透彻的。不过，我想你纵便聪明，也猜不到爱慕你的人是谁。这封信是科林斯先生写来的。”
“From Mr. Collins! and what can he have to say?”
“科林斯先生！他能有什么话要说？”
“Something very much to the purpose of course. He begins with congratulations on the approaching nuptials of my eldest daughter, of which, it seems, he has been told by some of the good-natured, gossiping Lucases. I shall not sport with your impatience, by reading what he says on that point. What relates to yourself, is as follows: ‘Having thus offered you the sincere congratulations of Mrs. Collins and myself on this happy event, let me now add a short hint on the subject of another; of which we have been advertised by the same authority. Your daughter Elizabeth, it is presumed, will not long bear the name of Bennet, after her elder sister has resigned it, and the chosen partner of her fate may be reasonably looked up to as one of the most illustrious personages in this land.’
“当然是一些非常重要的话啰。在信的一开始他表达了对我的大女儿快要婚娶的祝贺，这消息似乎是鲁卡斯家的某个爱管闲事的好心人告诉他的。我也不打算把他的这一段祝词读出来，叫你更心急。跟你自己有关的内容是这样写的：‘在这样向你道贺了一番科林斯夫人和我自己对这门亲事的诚挚的祝福以后，我现在想就另一件事略提一二。这件事我们也是听鲁卡斯家的人说的。你的女儿伊丽莎白，据说在她姐姐出嫁以后，也会很快嫁出去。她的如意郎君可能是这块地盘上最负盛名的名流显贵之一。'”
