【经典名著阅读】《傲慢与偏见》第四十九章（上）

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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; 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."班纳特先生回来两天了。那天吉英和伊丽莎白正在屋后的矮树林里散步，只见管家奶奶朝她俩走来，她们以为是母亲打发她来叫她们回去的，于是迎面走上前去。到了那个管家奶奶跟前，才发觉事出意外，原来她并不是来叫她们的。她对吉英说：“小姐，请原谅我打断了你们的谈话，不过，我料想你们一定获得了从城里来的好消息，所以我来大胆地问一问。”
        "What do you mean, Hill? We have heard nothing from town."“你这话怎么讲，希尔？我们没有听到一点儿城里来的消息。”
        "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."希尔奶奶惊奇地嚷道：“亲爱的小姐，嘉丁纳先生打发了一个专差给主人送来一封信，难道你们不知道吗？他已经来了半个钟头啦。”
        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, "If you are looking for my master, ma'am, he is walking towards the little copse."两位小姐拔脚就跑，急急忙忙跑回家去，话也来不及说了。她们俩跑进大门口，来到起坐间，再从起坐间来到书房，两处地方都没有见到父亲，正要上楼梯到母亲那儿去找他，又碰到了厨子，厨子说：“小姐，你们是在找主人吧，他正往小树林里去散步呢。”
        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.她们听到这话，又走过穿堂，跑过一片草地，去找父亲，只见父亲正在从容不迫地向围场旁边的一座小树林走去。
        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, "Oh, Papa, what news? what news? Have you heard from my uncle?"吉英没有伊丽莎白那么玲珑，也没有她那么会跑，因此一下子就落后了，只见妹妹已经上气不接下气地跑到了父亲跟前，迫不及待地嚷道：“爸爸，有了什么消息？你接到舅父的信了吗？”
        "Yes, I have had a letter from him by express."“是的，他打发专人送了封信来。”
        "Well, and what news does it bring? good or bad?"“唔，信里说些什么消息呢──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."“哪来好消息？”他一面说，一面从口袋里掏出信来。“也许你倒高兴看一看。”
        Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand. Jane now came up.伊丽莎白性急地从他手里接过信来。吉英也赶上来了。
        "Read it aloud," said their father, "for I hardly know myself what it is about."“念出来吧，”父亲说，“我几乎也不知道信上讲些什么。”
        "Gracechurch-street, Monday, August 2.---MY DEAR BROTHER, At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope 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. The particulars I reserve till we meet. It is enough to know they are discovered; I have seen them both --""亲爱的姐夫：我终于能够告诉你一些有关外甥女的消息了，希望这个消息大体上能叫你满意。总算侥幸，你星期六走了以后，我立刻打听出他们俩在伦敦的住址。详细情况等到见面时再告诉你。你只要知道我已经找到了他们就够啦。我已经看到了他们俩──
        "Then it is as I always hoped," cried Jane; "they are married!"吉英听到这里，不禁嚷了起来：“那么这一下我可盼望到了！他们结婚了吧！”

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        Elizabeth read on:伊丽莎白接着读下去：
        "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. 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. These are conditions which, considering every thing, 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. 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. 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. There will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again; therefore, stay quietly at Longbourn, and depend on my diligence and care. Send back your answer as soon as you can, and be careful to write explicitly. 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 today. I shall write again as soon as any thing more is determined on.--- Your's, &c. EDW. GARDINER."我已经看到他们俩。他们并没有结婚，我也看不出他们有什么结婚的打算；可是我大胆地向你提出条件来，要是你愿意照办的话，他们不久就可以结婚了。我要求你的只有一点。你本来已经为你女儿们安排好五千磅遗产，准备在你和姐姐归天以后给她们，那么请你立刻就把这位外甥女应得的一份给她吧。你还得和她订一个契约，在你生前每年再津贴她一百镑。这些条件我已经再三考虑，自以为有权利可以代你作主，因此便毫不迟疑地答应了。我特派专人前来送给你这封信，以便可以马上得到你的回音。你了解了这些详情以后，就会明白韦翰先生并不如一般人所料想的那么生计维艰，一筹莫展。一般人都把这件事弄错了。甥女除了自己名下的钱以外，等韦翰把债务偿清以后，还可以多些钱并给她，这使我很高兴。你如果愿意根据我所说的情况，让我全权代表你处理这件事，那么，我立刻就吩咐哈斯东去办理财产过户的手续。你不必再进城，大可以安心安意地待在浪搏恩。请你放心，我办起事来既勤快又小心。请赶快给我回信，还得费你的神，写得清楚明白些。我们以为最好就让外甥女从这所屋子里出嫁，想你也会同意。她今天要上我们这儿来。倘有其他情形，容当随时奉告。余不多及。爱德华·嘉丁纳---八月二日  星期一，写于天恩寺街
        "Is it possible!" cried Elizabeth, when she had finished. -- "Can it be possible that he will marry her?"伊丽莎白读完了信问道：“这事可能吗？他竟会同她结婚？”
        "Wickham is not so undeserving, then, as we have thought him!" said her sister. "My dear father, I congratulate you."她姐姐说：“那么，韦翰倒并不象我们所想象的那样不成器啦。亲爱的爸爸，恭喜你。”
        "And have you answered the letter?" said Elizabeth.“你写了回信没有？”伊丽莎白问。
        "No; but it must be done soon."“没有写回信，可是立刻就得写。”
        Most earnestly did she then intreat him to lose no more time before he wrote.于是她极其诚恳地请求他马上就回家去写，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."她嚷道：“亲爱的爸爸马上就回去写吧。你要知道，这种事情是一分钟一秒钟也不能耽搁的。”
        "Let me write for you," said Jane, "if you dislike the trouble yourself."吉英说：“要是你怕麻烦，让我代你写好了。”
        "I dislike it very much," he replied; "but it must be done."父亲回答道：“我的确不大愿意写，可是不写又不行。”
        And so saying, he turned back with them, and walked towards the house.他一边说，一边转过身来跟她们一同回到屋里去。
        "And may I ask -- ?" said Elizabeth, "but the terms, I suppose, must be complied with."伊丽莎白说：“我可以问你一句话吗？我想，他提出的条件你一定都肯答应吧？”
        "Complied with! I am only ashamed of his asking so little."“一口答应！他要得这么少，我倒觉得不好意思呢。”
        "And they must marry! Yet he is such a man!"“他们俩非结婚不可了！然而他却是那样的一个人。”
        "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 I am ever to pay him."“是啊！怎么不是，他们非结婚不可。没有别的办法。可是有两件事我很想弄个明白──第一件，你舅舅究竟拿出了多少钱，才使这件事有了个着落；第二件，我以后有什么办法还他这笔钱？”
        "Money! my uncle!" cried Jane, "what do you mean, Sir?"吉英嚷道：“钱！舅舅！你这是什么意思，爸爸？”
        "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."“我的意思是说，一个头脑最清楚的人是不会跟丽迪雅结婚的，因为她没有哪一点地方可以叫人家看中。我生前每年给她一百镑，死后一共也只有五千磅。”
        "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."伊丽莎白说：“那倒是实话，不过我以前却从来没有想到过。他的债务偿清了以后，还会多下钱来！噢，那一定是舅舅代他张罗的！好一个慷慨善良的人！我就怕苦了他自己。这样一来，他得花费不少钱呢。”
        "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."父亲说：“韦翰要是拿不到一万镑就答应娶丽迪雅，那他才是个大傻瓜呢。我同他刚刚攀上亲戚，照理不应该多说他的坏话。”
        "Ten thousand pounds! Heaven forbid! How is half such a sum to be repaid?"“一万镑！天不容！即使半数，又怎么还得起？”
        Mr. Bennet made no answer, and each of them, deep in thought, continued silent till they reached the house. Their father then went to the library to write, and the girls walked into the breakfast-room.班纳特先生没有回答。大家都转着念头，默不作声。回到家里，父亲到书房里去写信，女儿们都走进饭厅里去。