英文名著精选阅读：《傲慢与偏见》第四十七章 （上）

英语自学网

　　

160R24229-0.jpg

　　英文名著精选阅读：《傲慢与偏见》第四十七章 (上)
　　"I HAVE been thinking it over again, Elizabeth," said her uncle as they drove from the town; "and really, upon serious consideration, I am much more inclinedthan I was to judge as your eldest sister does of the matter. It appears to me so very unlikely that any young man should form such a design against a girl who is by no means unprotected or friendless, and who was actually staying in his colonel's family, that I am strongly inclined to hope the best. Could he expect that her friends would not step forward? Could he expect to be noticed again by the regiment, after such an affrontto Colonel Forster? His temptation is not adequate to the risk."
　　他们离开那个城镇的时候，舅父跟伊丽莎白说：“我又把这件事想了一遍，认真地考虑了一番，越发觉得你姐姐的看法很对。我认为无论是哪个青年，决不会对这样一位姑娘存着这样的坏心眼，她又不是无亲无靠，何况她就住在他自己的上校家里，因此我要从最好的方面去着想。难道他以为她的亲友们不会挺身而出吗?难道他还以为这一次冒犯弗斯脱上校以后，还好意思回到民兵团里去吗?我看他不见得会痴情到冒险的地步。”
　　"Do you really think so?" cried Elizabeth, brightening up for a moment.
　　伊丽莎白的脸色立刻显得高兴起来，连忙嚷道：“你果真这样想吗?”
　　"Upon my word," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I begin to be of your uncle's opinion. It is really too great a violation of decency, honour, and interest, for him to be guilty of it. I cannot think so very ill of Wickham. Can you, yourself, Lizzy, so wholly give him up as to believe him capable of it?"
　　嘉丁纳太太接嘴说：“你相信我好了，我也开始赞成你舅舅的看法了。这件事太不顾羞耻，太不顾名誉和利害关系了，他不会这样胆大妄为。我觉得韦翰未必会这样坏。丽萃，你竟这样不把他放在眼里，相信他会做出这种事吗?”
　　"Not perhaps of neglecting his own interest. But of every other neglect I can believe him capable. If, indeed, it should be so! But I dare not hope it. Why should they not go on to Scotland, if that had been the case?"
　　“他也许不会不顾全自己的利害关系。除此以外，我相信他全不在乎。但愿他能有所顾忌。我可不敢存这个奢望。要是真象你所想的那样，那他们干吗不到苏格兰去呢?”
　　"In the first place," replied Mr. Gardiner, "there is no absolute proof that they are not gone to Scotland."
　　嘉丁纳先生回答道：“第一，现在并不能完全证明他们没有到苏格兰去。”
　　"Oh! but their removing from the chaise into an hackneycoach is such a presumption! And, besides, no traces of them were to be found on the Barnet road."
　　“哎哟!可是他们把原来的马车打发走，换上了出租的马车，光是凭这一点就可想而知!此外，到巴纳特去的路上，也找不到他们的踪迹。”
　　"Well, then -- supposing them to be in London. They may be there, though, for the purpose of concealment, for no more exceptionable purpose. It is not likely that money should be very abundant on either side; and it might strike them that they could be more economically, though less expeditiously, married in London, than in Scotland."
　　“那么就假定他们在伦敦吧。他们到那儿去也许是为了暂时躲避一下，不会别有用心。他们两个人都没有多少钱;也许他们都会想到，在伦敦结婚虽然比不上在苏格兰结婚来得方便，可是要省俭些。”
　　"But why all this secrecy? Why any fear of detection? Why must their marriage be private? Oh! no, no, this is not likely. His most particular friend, you see by Jane's account, was persuaded of his never intending to marry her. Wickham will never marry a woman without some money. He cannot afford it. And what claims has Lydia, what attractions has she beyond youth, health, and good humour, that could make him, for her sake, forgoevery chance of benefiting himself by marrying well? As to what restraint the apprehension of disgrace in the corps might throw on a dishonourable elopement with her, I am not able to judge; for I know nothing of the effects that such a step might produce. But as to your other objection, I am afraid it will hardly hold good. Lydia has no brothers to step forward; and he might imagine, from my father's behaviour, from his indolenceand the little attention he has ever seemed to give to what was going forward in his family, that he would do as little, and think as little about it, as any father could do in such a matter."
　　“可是为什么要这样秘密?为什么怕给人家发觉?为什么结婚要偷偷摸摸?哦，不，不，你这种想法不切合实际。你不是看到吉英信里说吗──连他自己最要好的朋友也相信他不会跟她结婚。韦翰绝不会跟一个没有钱的女人结婚的。他根本办不到。丽迪雅除了年轻、健康、爱开玩笑之外，有什么办法、有什么吸引力，可以叫他为了她而放弃掉结婚致富的机会?至于他会不会怕这次羞耻的私奔使他自己在部队里丢面子，便把行为检点一下，那我就无法判断了，因为我无从知道他这一次的行为究竟会产生什么样的后果。但是你说的另外一点，我恐怕不大靠得住。丽迪雅的确没有个亲兄弟为她出头，他又看到我父亲平日为人懒散，不管家事，便以为他遇到这类事情，也会跟人家做父亲的一样，不肯多管，也不肯多想。”
　　"But can you think that Lydia is so lost to every thing but love of him, as to consentto live with him on any other terms than marriage?"
　　“可是你以为丽迪雅为了爱他，竟会不顾一切，可以不跟他结婚而跟他同居吗?”
　　
            
            

entwo

　　It may be easily believed that, however little of novelty could be added to their fears, hopes, and conjectures, on this interesting subject by its repeated discussion, no other could detainthem from it long, during the whole of the journey. From Elizabeth's thoughts it was never absent. Fixed there by the keenest of all anguish, self-reproach, she could find no interval of ease or forgetfulness.
　　他们一路上把这个有趣的话题翻来复去地谈论，谈到哪些地方值得顾虑，哪些地方还可以寄予希望;揣想起来又是如何如何;实在再也谈不出什么新意来了，只得暂时住口。可是隔了不多一会儿，又谈到这件事上面来了;这是可想而知的。伊丽莎白的脑子里总是摆脱不开这件事。她为这件事自怨自艾，没有一刻能够安心，也没有一刻能够忘怀。
　　They travelled as expeditiously as possible; and, sleeping one night on the road, reached Longbourn by dinner-time the next day. It was a comfort to Elizabeth to consider that Jane could not have been wearied by long expectations.
　　他们匆匆忙忙赶着路，在中途住宿了一夜，第二天吃饭的时候就到了浪搏恩。伊丽莎白感到快慰的是，总算没有让吉英等得心焦。
　　The little Gardiners, attracted by the sight of a chaise, were standing on the steps of the house as they entered the paddockand when the carriage drove up to the door, the joyful surprise that lighted up their faces, and displayed itself over their whole bodies in a variety of capersand frisks, was the first pleasing earnest of their welcome.
　　他们进了围场，嘉丁纳舅舅的孩子们一看见一辆马车，便赶到台阶上来站着;等到马车赶到门口的时候，孩子们一个个惊喜交集，满面笑容，跳来蹦去，这是大人们回来时第一次受到的愉快热诚的欢迎。
　　Elizabeth jumped out; and, after giving each of them an hasty kiss, hurried into the vestibule, where Jane, who came running down stairs from her mother's apartment, immediately met her.
　　伊丽莎白跳下马车，匆匆忙忙把每个孩子亲吻了一下便赶快向门口奔去，吉英这时候正从母亲房间里跑下楼来，在那儿迎接她。
　　Elizabeth, as she affectionatelyembraced her, whilst tears filled the eyes of both, lost not a moment in asking whether any thing had been heard of the fugitives.
　　伊丽莎白热情地拥抱着她，姐妹两人都热泪滚滚。伊丽莎白一面又迫不及待地问她是否听到那一对私奔的男女有什么下落。
　　"Not yet," replied Jane. "But now that my dear uncle is come, I hope every thing will be well."
　　“还没有听到什么下落，”吉英回答道。“好在亲爱的舅舅回来了，我希望从此以后一切都会顺利。”
　　"Is my father in town?"
　　“爸爸进城去了吗?”
　　"Yes, he went on Tuesday, as I wrote you word."
　　“进城去了，他是星期二走的，我信上告诉过你了。”
　　"And have you heard from him often?"
　　“常常收到他的信吗?”
　　"We have heard only once. He wrote me a few lines on Wednesday, to say that he had arrived in safety, and to give me his directions, which I particularly begged him to do. He merely added that he should not write again till he had something of importance to mention."
　　“只收到他一封信。是星期三寄来的，信上三言两语，只说他已经平安抵达，又把他的详细地址告诉了我，这还是他临走时我特别要求他写的。另外他只说，等到有了重要消息，再写信来。”
　　"And my mother -- How is she? How are you all?"
　　“妈好吗?家里人都好吗?”
　　"My mother is tolerablywell, I trust; though her spirits are greatly shaken. She is up stairs, and will have great satisfaction in seeing you all. She does not yet leave her dressing-room. Mary and Kitty, thank Heaven! are quite well."
　　“我觉得妈还算好，只不过精神上受了很大的挫折。她在楼上;她看到你们回来，一定非常快活。她还在自己的化妆室里呢。谢天谢地，曼丽和吉蒂都非常好。”
　　"But you -- How are you?" cried Elizabeth. "You look pale. How much you must have gone through!"
　　“可是你好吗?”伊丽莎白又大声问道。“你脸色苍白。你一定担了多少心思啊!”
　　Her sister, however, assured her of her being perfectly well; and their conversation, which had been passing while Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were engaged with their children, was now put an end to by the approachof the whole party. Jane ran to her uncle and aunt, and welcomed and thanked them both, with alternate smiles and tears.
　　姐姐告诉她完好无恙。姐妹俩趁着嘉丁纳夫妇忙于应付孩子们的时候，刚刚谈了这几句话，只见他们一大群男女老幼都走过来了，于是谈话只得终止。吉英走到舅父母跟前去表示欢迎和感谢，笑一阵又哭一阵。
　　When they were all in the drawing room, the questions which Elizabeth had already asked were of course repeated by the others, and they soon found that Jane had no intelligence to give. The sanguinehope of good, however, which the benevolenceof her heart suggested, had not yet deserted her; she still expected that it would all end well, and that every morning would bring some letter, either from Lydia or her father, to explain their proceedings, and perhaps announce the marriage.
　　大家都走进会客室以后，舅父母又把伊丽莎白刚才问过的那些话重新问了一遍，立刻就发觉吉英没有什么消息可以奉告。吉英因为心肠慈善，总是从乐观的方面去着想，即使事到如今，她还没有心灰意冷，她还在指望着一切都会有圆满的结局;总有哪一天早上她会收到一封信，或者是父亲写来的，或者是丽迪雅写来的，信上会把事情进行的经过详细报道一番，或许还会宣布那一对男女的结婚消息。