英文名著精选阅读：《傲慢与偏见》第五十六章（上）

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　　英文名著精选阅读：《傲慢与偏见》第五十六章(上)
　　ONE morning, about a week after Bingley's engagementwith Jane had been formed, as he and the females of the family were sitting together in the dining room, their attention was suddenly drawn to the window, by the sound of a carriage; and they perceived a chaise and four driving up the lawn. It was too early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the equipagedid not answer to that of any of their neighbours. The horses were post; and neither the carriage, nor the livery of the servant who preceded it, were familiar to them. As it was certain, however, that somebody was coming, Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss Bennet to avoid the confinementof such an intrusion, and walk away with him into the shrubbery. They both set off, and the conjectures of the remaining three continued, though with little satisfaction, till the door was thrown open and their visitor entered. It was Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
　　有一天上午，大约是彬格莱和吉英订婚之后的一个星期，彬格莱正和女眷们坐在饭厅里，忽然听到一阵马车声，大家都走到窗口去看，只见一辆四马大轿车驶进园里来。这么一大早，理当不会有客人来，再看看那辆马车的配备，便知道这位访客决不是他们的街坊四邻。马是驿站上的马，至于马车本身，车前待从所穿的号服，他们也不熟悉。彬格莱既然断定有人来访，便马上劝班纳特小姐跟他避开，免得被这不速之客缠住，于是吉英跟他走到矮树林里去了。他们俩走了以后，另外三个人依旧在那儿猜测，可惜猜不出这位来客是谁。最后门开了，客人走进屋来，原来是咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人。
　　They were of course all intending to be surprised; but their astonishment was beyond their expectationand on the part of Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt.大
　　家当然都十分诧异，万万想不到会有这样出奇的事。班纳特太太和吉蒂跟她素昧生平，可是反而比伊丽莎白更其感到宠幸。
　　She entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, made no other reply to Elizabeth's salutationthan a slight inclinationof the head, and sat down without saying a word. Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother on her ladyship's entrance, though no request of introduction had been made.
　　客人走进屋来的那副神气非常没有礼貌。伊丽莎白招呼她，她只稍微侧了一下头，便一屁股坐下来，一句话也不说。她走进来的时候，虽然没有要求人家介绍，伊丽莎白还是把她的名字告诉了她母亲。
　　Mrs. Bennet, all amazement, though flatteredby having a guest of such high importance, received her with the utmostpoliteness. After sitting for a moment in silence, she said very stifflyto Elizabeth, "I hope you are well, Miss Bennet. That lady, I suppose, is your mother."
　　班纳特太太大为惊异，不过，这样一位了不起的贵客前来登门拜访，可又使她得意非凡，因此她便极其有礼貌地加以招待。咖苔琳夫人不声不响地坐了一会儿工夫，便冷冰冰地对伊丽莎白说：“我想，你一定过得很好吧，班纳特小姐。那位太太大概是你母亲?”
　　Elizabeth replied very conciselythat she was.
　　伊丽莎白简简单单地回答了一声正是。
　　"And that I suppose is one of your sisters."
　　“那一位大概就是你妹妹吧?”
　　"Yes, madam," said Mrs. Bennet, delighted to speak to a Lady Catherine. "She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all is lately married, and my eldest is somewhere about the grounds, walking with a young man who, I believe, will soon become a part of the family."
　　班纳特太太连忙应声回答：“正是，夫人，”她能够跟这样一位贵夫人攀谈，真是得意。“这是我第四个女儿。我最小的一个女儿最近出嫁了，大女儿正和她的好朋友在附近散步，那个小伙子不久也要变成我们自己人了。”
　　"You have a very small park here," returned Lady Catherine after a short silence.
　　咖苔琳夫人没有理睬她，过了片刻才说：“你们这儿还有个小花园呢。”
　　"It is nothing in comparisonof Rosings, my lady, I dare say; but I assure you it is much larger than Sir William Lucas's."
　　“哪能比得上罗新斯，夫人，可是我敢说，比威廉·卢卡斯爵士的花园却要大得多。”
　　
            
            

enone

　　"This must be a most inconvenientsitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west."
　　“到了夏天，这间屋子做起居室一定很不适宜，窗子都朝西。”
　　Mrs. Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner, and then added, "May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. and Mrs. Collins well."
　　班纳特太太告诉她说，她们每天吃过中饭以后，从来不坐在那儿，接着又说：“我是否可以冒昧请问你夫人一声，柯林斯夫妇都好吗?”
　　"Yes, very well. I saw them the night before last."
　　“他们都很好，前天晚上我还看见他们的。”
　　Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motivefor her calling. But no letter appeared, and she was completely puzzled.
　　这时伊丽莎白满以为她会拿出一封夏绿蒂的信来;她认为咖苔琳夫人这次到这里来，决不可能为了别的原因。可是并不见夫人拿信出来，这真叫她完全不明白是怎么回事了。
　　Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshmentbut Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then, rising up, said to Elizabeth, "Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyishkind of a little wildernesson one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company."
　　班纳特太太恭恭敬敬地请贵夫人随意用些点心，可是咖苔琳夫人什么也不肯吃，谢绝非常坚决，非常没有礼貌，接着又站起来跟伊丽莎白说：“班纳特小姐，你们这块草地的那一头，好象颇有几分荒野的景色，倒很好看。我很想到那儿去逛逛，可否请你陪我一走?”
　　"Go, my dear," cried her mother, "and shew her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage."
　　只听得她母亲连忙大声对她说：“你去吧，乖孩子，陪着夫人到各条小径上去逛逛。我想，她一定会喜欢我们这个幽静的小地方。”
　　Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after a short survey, to be decentlooking rooms, walked on.
　　伊丽莎白听从了母亲的话，先到自己房间里去拿了一把阳伞，然后下楼来侍候这位贵客。两人走过穿堂，咖苔琳夫人打开了那扇通到饭厅和客厅的门，稍稍打量了一下，说是这屋子还算过得去，然后继续向前走。
　　Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting-woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copseElizabeth was determined to make no effort for conversation with a woman who was now more than usually insolentand disagreeable.
　　她的马车停在门口，伊丽莎白看见了车子里面坐着她的待女。两人默默无声地沿着一条通到小树林的鹅卵石铺道往前走。伊丽莎白只觉得这个老妇人比往常更傲慢，更其令人讨厌，因此拿定主张，决不先开口跟她说话。
　　"How could I ever think her like her nephew?" said she, as she looked in her face.
　　她仔细瞧了一下老妇人的脸，不禁想道：“她哪一点地方象她姨侄?”
　　As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner: --
　　一走进小树林，咖苔琳夫人便用这样的方式跟她谈话：
　　"You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come."
　　“班纳特小姐，我这次上这儿来，你一定知道我是为了什么原因。你心里一定有数，你的良心一定会告诉你，我这次为什么要来。”
　　Elizabeth looked with unaffectedastonishment.
　　伊丽莎白大为惊讶。
　　"Indeed, you are mistaken, Madam. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here."
　　“夫人，你实在想错了，我完全不明白你这次怎么这样看得起我们，会到这种地方来。”
　　"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifledwith. But however insincereyou may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerityand frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageouslymarried, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalousfalsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you."
　　夫人一听此话，很是生气：“班纳特小姐，你要知道，我是决不肯让人家来跟我开玩笑的。尽管你怎样不老实，我可不是那样。我是个有名的老实坦白的人，何况遇到现在这桩事，我当然更要老实坦白。两天以前，我听到一个极其惊人的消息。我听说不光是你姐姐将要攀上一门高亲，连你，伊丽莎白·班纳特小姐，也快要攀上我的姨侄，我的亲姨侄达西先生。虽然我明知这是无稽的流言，虽然我不会那样看不起他，相信他真会有这种事情，我还是当机立断，决定上这儿来一次，把我的意思说给你听。”
　　
            
            

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　　"If you believed it impossible to be true," said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could your ladyship propose by it?"
　　伊丽莎白又是诧异，又是厌恶，满脸涨得通红。“我真奇怪，你既然认为不会有这种事情，何必还要自找麻烦，跑到这么远的地方来?请问你老人家究竟有何见教?”
　　"At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted."
　　“我一定要你立刻向大家去辟谣。”
　　"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family," said Elizabeth coolly, "will be rather a confirmationof it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence."
　　伊丽莎白冷冷地说：“要是外界真有这种传说，那么你赶到浪搏恩来看我和我家里人，反而会弄假成真。”
　　"If! Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriouslycirculatedby yourselves? Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?"
　　“要是真有这种传说!你难道存心要假痴假呆不成?这不全是你自己拚命传出去的吗?难道你不知道这个消息已经闹得满城风雨了吗?”
　　"I never heard that it was."
　　“我从来没有听见过。”
　　"And can you likewise declare, that there is no foundationfor it?"
　　“你能不能说一声这是毫无根据?”
　　"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."
　　“我并不冒充我也象你老人家一样坦白。你尽管问好了，我可不想回答。”
　　"This is not to be borne. Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has my nephew, made you an offer of marriage?"
　　“岂有此理!班纳特小姐，我非要你说个明白不可。我姨侄向你求过婚没有?”
　　"Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible."
　　“你老人家自己刚刚还说过，决不会有这种事情。”
　　"It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retainsthe use of his reason. But your arts and allurementsmay, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in."
　　“不应该有这种事情;只要他还有头脑，那就一定不会有这种事情。可是你千方百计地诱惑他，他也许会一时痴迷忘了他应该对得起自己，对得起家里人。你可能已经把他迷住了。”
　　"If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it."
　　“即使我真的把他迷住了，我也决不会说给你听。”
　　"Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitledto know all his dearest concerns."
　　“班纳特小姐，你知道我是谁吗?你这种话真讲得不成体统。我差不多是他最亲近的长辈，我有权利过问他一切的切身大事。”
　　"But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behaviour as this, ever induceme to be explicit."
　　“你可没有权利过问我的事，而且你这种态度也休想把我逼供出来。”
　　"Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumptionto aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter. Now what have you to say?"
　　“好好儿听我把话说明白。你好大胆子，妄想攀这门亲，那是绝对不会成功，一辈子也不会成功的。达西先生早跟我的女儿订过婚了。好吧，你还有什么话要说?”
　　"Only this; that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me."
　　“只有一句话要说──如果他当真如此，那你就没有理由认为他会向我求婚。”