英文名著精选阅读:《傲慢与偏见》第五十九章(上)
"MY dear Lizzy, where can you have been walking to?" was a question which Elizabeth received from Jane as soon as she entered their room, and from all the others when they sat down to table. She had only to say in reply, that they had wanderedabout, till she was beyond her own knowledge. She coloured as she spoke; but neither that, nor any thing else, awakened a suspicionof the truth.
且说伊丽莎白一走进家门,吉英便问她:“亲爱的丽萃,你们到什么地方去了?等到他们俩人坐下来的时候,家里所有的人都这样问她,她只得说,他们俩人随便逛逛,后来她自己也不知道走到什么地方去了。她说话时涨红了脸;可是不管她神色如何,都没有引起大家怀疑到那件事上面去。
The evening passed quietly, unmarked by any thing extraordinary. The acknowledged lovers talked and laughed, the unacknowledgedwere silent. Darcy was not of a dispositionin which happiness overflowsin mirthand Elizabeth, agitatedand confused, rather knew that she was happy than felt herself to be so; for, besides the immediate embarrassment, there were other evils before her. She anticipatedwhat would be felt in the family when her situation became known; she was aware that no one liked him but Jane; and even feared that with the others it was a dislike which not all his fortune and consequence might do away.
那个下午平平静静地过去了,并没有什么特别的事情。公开的那一对爱人有说有笑;没有公开的那一对不声不响。达西生性沉静,喜悦不形于色;伊丽莎白心慌意乱,只知道自己很幸福,却没有确切体味到究竟如何幸福,因为除了眼前这一阵别扭以外,还有种种麻烦等在前头。她预料事情公开以后,家里人有何种感觉。她知道除了吉英以外,家里没有一个人喜欢他,她甚至顾虑到家里人都会讨厌他,哪怕凭他的财产地位,也是无法挽救。
At night she opened her heart to Jane. Though suspicion was very far from Miss Bennet's general habits, she was absolutely increduloushere.
晚上,她把真心话说给吉英听。虽说吉英一向并不多疑,可是对这件事却简直不肯相信。
"You are joking, Lizzy. This cannot be! -- engaged to Mr. Darcy! No, no, you shall not deceiveme. I know it to be impossible."
“你在开玩笑!丽萃。不会有这种事!跟达西先生订婚!不行,不行,你不要骗我;我知道这件事不可能。
"This is a wretchedbeginning indeed! My sole dependence was on you; and I am sure nobody else will believe me, if you do not. Yet, indeed, I am in earnest. I speak nothing but the truth. He still loves me, and we are engaged."
“一开头就这样糟糕,可真要命!我唯一希望全寄托在你身上,要是你不相信我,就没有人会相信我了。我决不是跟你胡说。我说的都是真话。他仍然爱我,我们已经讲定了。
Jane looked at her doubtingly. "Oh, Lizzy! it cannot be. I know how much you dislike him."
吉英半信半疑地看着她。“噢,丽萃,不会有这种事的。我知道你非常厌恶他。
"You know nothing of the matter. That is all to be forgot. Perhaps I did not always love him so well as I do now. But in such cases as these, a good memory is unpardonable. This is the last time I shall ever remember it myself."
“你一点也不明白这里面的曲折,这种话不必再提。也许我一向并不象现在这样爱他。可是这一类的事,总不应该把宿怨记得太牢。我从今以后也一定要把它忘记得干干净净。
Miss Bennet still looked all amazement. Elizabeth again, and more seriously assured her of its truth.
班纳特小姐仍然显出非常诧异的样子。于是伊丽莎白更加一本正经地重新跟她说,这是事实。
"Good Heaven! can it be really so! Yet now I must believe you," cried Jane. "My dear, dear Lizzy, I would -- I do congratulateyou -- but are you certain? forgive the question -- are you quite certain that you can be happy with him?"
吉英不禁大声叫道:“老天爷呀!真有这件事吗?这一下我可应该相信你了,我的好丽萃,亲丽萃,我要恭喜你,我一定得恭喜你;可是,对不起,让我问你一声:你能不能断定──能不能百分之百地断定,嫁了他是否幸福?
"There can be no doubt of that. It is settled between us already, that we are to be the happiest couple in the world. But are you pleased, Jane? Shall you like to have such a brother?"
“这当然毫无疑问。我们俩都认为我们是世界上最幸福的一对。可是你高兴吗,吉英?你愿意要这样一位妹夫吗?
"Very, very much. Nothing could give either Bingley or myself more delight. But we considered it, we talked of it as impossible. And do you really love him quite well enough? Oh, Lizzy! do any thing rather than marry without affection. Are you quite sure that you feel what you ought to do?"
“非常非常愿意。彬格莱和我真是再高兴也没有了。这件事我们也考虑过,谈论过,都认为不可能。你当真非常爱他吗?噢,丽萃,什么事都可以随便,没有爱情可千万不能结婚。你确实感觉到你应该这样做吗?
"Oh, yes! You will only think I feel more than I ought to do, when I tell you all."
“的确如此!等我把详情细节都告诉了你,你只会觉得我还做得不够呢。
"What do you mean?"
“你这话是什么意思?
"Why, I must confess that I love him better than I do Bingley. I am afraid you will be angry."
“嗳,我得承认,我爱他要比爱彬格莱更深切。我怕你要生气吧。
"My dearest sister, now be serious. I want to talk very seriously. Let me know every thing that I am to know, without delay. Will you tell me how long you have loved him?"
“好妹妹,请你严肃一些。我要听你严肃地谈一谈。凡是可以对我说的话,赶快对我说个明白,你是否愿意告诉我,你爱他有多久了?
"It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley."
“这是慢慢儿发展起来的,我也说不出从什么时候开始,不过我觉得,应该从看到彭伯里他那美丽的花园算起。
Another intreatythat she would be serious, however, produced the desired effect; and she soon satisfied Jane by her solemnassurances of attachment. When convinced on that article, Miss Bennet had nothing farther to wish.
姐姐又叫她严肃些,这一次总算产生了效果;她立刻依了吉英的意见,郑重其事地把自己爱他的经过讲给吉英听。班纳特小姐弄明白了这一点以后,便万事放心了。
"Now I am quite happy," said she, "for you will be as happy as myself. I always had a value for him. Were it for nothing but his love of you, I must always have esteemedhim; but now, as Bingley's friend and your husband, there can be only Bingley and yourself more dear to me. But Lizzy, you have been very sly, very reserved with me. How little did you tell me of what passed at Pemberley and Lambton! I owe all that I know of it to another, not to you."
她说:“我现在真是太幸福了,因为你也会同我一样幸福。我一向很器重他。不说别的,光是为了他爱你,我也就要永远敬重他了;他既是彬格莱的朋友,现在又成了你的丈夫,那么除了彬格莱和你以外,我最喜欢的当然就是他啦。可是丽萃,你太狡猾了,平常连一点口风也不向我吐露。彭伯里的事和蓝白屯的事从来没有说给我听过!我所知道的一些情形,都是别人说给我听的,不是你自己说的。
Elizabeth told her the motivesof her secrecy. She had been unwilling to mention Bingley; and the unsettled state of her own feelings had made her equally avoid the name of his friend. But now she would no longer conceal from her his share in Lydia's marriage. All was acknowledged, and half the night spent in conversation.
伊丽莎白只得把保守秘密的原因告诉了她。原来她以前不愿意提起彬格莱,加上她又心绪不宁,所以也不讲起达西,可是现在,她大可不必再把达西为丽迪雅婚姻奔忙的那段情节,瞒住吉英了。她把一切事都和盘托出,姐妹俩一直谈到半夜。
"Good gracious!" cried Mrs. Bennet, as she stood at a window the next morning, "if that disagreeable Mr. Darcy is not coming here again with our dear Bingley! What can he mean by being so tiresomeas to be always coming here? I had no notion but he would go a-shooting, or something or other, and not disturb us with his company. What shall we do with him? Lizzy, you must walk out with him again, that he may not be in Bingley's way."
第二天早上,班纳特太太站在窗口叫道:“天哪!那位讨厌的达西先生又跟着我们的彬格莱一块儿上这儿来了!他为什么那样不知趣,老是要上这儿来?我但愿他去打鸟,或者随便去干点什么,可别来吵我们。叫我们拿他怎么办?丽萃,你又得同他出去散散步才好,不要让他在这里麻烦彬格莱。
Elizabeth could hardly help laughing at so convenienta proposalyet was really vexed that her mother should be always giving him such an epithet.
母亲想出这个办法来,正是伊丽莎白求之不得的,她禁不住要笑出来,可是听到母亲老是说他讨厌,她亦不免有些气恼。
As soon as they entered, Bingley looked at her so expressively, and shook hands with such warmth, as left no doubt of his good information; and he soon afterwards said aloud, "Mrs. Bennet, have you no more lanes hereaboutsin which Lizzy may lose her way again today?"
两位贵客一走进门,彬格莱便意味深长地望着她,热烈地跟她的握手,她一看见这情形,便断定他准是消息十分灵通;不多一会儿工夫,他果然大声说道:“班纳特太太,这一带还有什么别的曲径小道,可以让丽萃今天再去迷路吗?
"I advise Mr. Darcy, and Lizzy, and Kitty," said Mrs. Bennet, "to walk to Oakham Mount this morning. It is a nice long walk, and Mr. Darcy has never seen the view."
班纳特太太说:“我要劝达西先生、丽萃和吉蒂,今天上午都上奥克汉山去。这一段长路走起来挺有味,达西先生还没有见过那儿的风景呢。
"It may do very well for the others," replied Mr. Bingley; "but I am sure it will be too much for Kitty. Won't it, Kitty?"
"彬格莱先生说:“对他们两人当然再好也没有了,我看吉蒂一定吃不消。是不是,吉蒂?
Kitty owned that she had rather stay at home. Darcy professeda great curiosity to see the view from the Mount, and Elizabeth silently consented. As she went up stairs to get ready, Mrs. Bennet followed her, saying, "I am quite sorry, Lizzy, that you should be forced to have that disagreeable man all to yourself. But I hope you will not mind it: it is all for Jane's sake, you know; and there is no occasion for talking to him, except just now and then. So, do not put yourself to inconvenience."
吉蒂说她宁可待在家里。达西表示非常想到那座山上去看看四面的风景。伊丽莎白默默表示同意,正要上楼去准备,班纳特太太在她后面说:“丽萃,我很对不起你,逼你去跟那个讨厌的人在一起,你可不要计较。你要知道,这都是为了吉英;你只消随便敷衍敷衍他,不必多费心思。
During their walk, it was resolvedthat Mr. Bennet's consent should be asked in the course of the evening. Elizabeth reserved to herself the application for her mother's. She could not determinehow her mother would take it; sometimes doubting whether all his wealth and grandeurwould be enough to overcome her abhorrenceof the man. But whether she were violently set against the match, or violently delighted with it, it was certain that her manner would be equally ill adapted to do credit to her sense; and she could no more bear that Mr. Darcy should hear the first raptures of her joy, than the first vehemenceof her disapprobation.
散步的时候,两人决定当天下午就去请求班纳特先生表示允许;母亲那儿由伊丽莎白自己去说。她不知道母亲是否会赞成。母亲实在太厌恶他了,因此伊丽莎白有时候竟会认为,即使以他财产地位,也挽回不了母亲的心,可是,母亲对这门婚姻无论是坚决反对也好,欣喜若狂也好,她的出言吐语反正都是不得体。叫人家觉得她毫无见识。她对达西先生不是欣喜欲狂地表示赞成,便是义愤填胸地表示反对,伊丽莎白想到这里,心里实在受不了。
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