I rather wished than believed him to be sincere; but, at any rate, was perfectly ready to accede to his proposal. I knew that Mr. Wickham ought not to be a clergyman. The business was therefore soon settled. He resigned all claim to assistance in the church, were it possible that he could ever be in a situation to receive it, and accepted in return three thousand pounds. All connection between us seemed now dissolved. I thought too ill of him to invite him to Pemberley, or admit his society in town. In town, I believe, he chiefly lived, but his studying the law was a mere pretence, and being now free from all restraint, his life was a life of idleness and dissipation.
我与其说，相信他这些话靠得住，不如说，我但愿他这些话靠得住。不过，我无论如何还是愿意答应他的要求。我知道韦翰先生不适宜当牧师。 因此这件事立刻就谈妥条件，获得解决：我们拿出三千磅给他，他不再要求我们帮助他获得圣职，算是自动放弃权利，即使将来他有资格担任圣职，也不再提出请 求。从此我和他之间的一切关系，便好象一刀两断。我非常看不起他，不再请他到彭伯里来玩，在城里也不和他来往。我相信他大半都住在城里，但是他所谓学法 律，只不过是一个借口罢了，现在他既然摆脱了一切羁绊，便整天过着浪荡挥霍的生活。
For about three years I heard little of him; but on the decease of the incumbent of the living which had been designed for him, he applied to me again by letter for the presentation. His circumstances, he assured me, and I had no difficulty in believing it, were exceedingly bad. He had found the law a most unprofitable study, and was now absolutely resolved on beingordained, if I would present him to the living in question -- of which he trusted there could be little doubt, as he was well assured that I had no other person to provide for, and I could not have forgotten my revered father's intentions. You will hardly blame me for refusing to comply with this entreaty, or for resisting every repetition of it. His resentment was in proportion to the distress of his circumstances -- and he was doubtless as violent in his abuse of me to others, as in his reproaches to myself. After this period, every appearance of acquaintance was dropt. How he lived I know not. But last summer he was again most painfully obtruded on my notice.
我大约接连三年简直听不到他的消息，可是后来有个牧师逝世了，这份俸禄本来是可以由他接替的，于是他又写信给我，要我荐举他。他说他境遇窘得不能再窘，这 一点我当然不难相信。他又说研究法律毫无出息，现在已下决心当牧师，只要我肯荐举他去接替这个位置就行了。他自以为我一定会推荐他，因为他看准我没有别人 可以补缺，况且我也不能疏忽先父生前应承他的一片好意。我没有答应他的要求，他再三请求，我依然拒绝，这你总不见得会责备我吧。他的境遇愈困苦，怨愤就愈 深。毫无问题，他无论在我背后骂我，当面骂我，都是一样狠毒。从这个时期以后，连一点点面子账的交情都完结了。我不知道他是怎样生活的，可是说来痛心之 至，去年夏天他又引起了我的注意。
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