【名 著】2011.9.13-Pride and Prejudice（3） 樱花

blueskywhy

“It is more than I engage for, I assure you.''

“老实跟你说吧，这不是我份内的事。”

”But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know they visit no new comers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not.''

“看女儿的份上吧。只请你想一想，她们不论哪一个，要是攀上了这样一个人家，该多么好。威廉爵士夫妇已经决定去拜望他，他们也无非是这个用意。你知道，他们通常是不会 拜望新搬来的邻居的。你的确应该去一次，要是你不去，叫我们怎么去。”

“You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.''

“你实在过分心思啦。彬格莱先生一定高兴看到你的；我可以写封信给你带去，就说随便他挑中我哪一个女儿，我都心甘情愿地答应他把她娶过去；不过，我在信上得特别替小丽 萃吹嘘几句。”

”I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference.''

“我希望你别这么做。丽萃没有一点儿地方胜过别的几个女儿；我敢说，论漂亮，她抵 不上吉英一半；论性子，好抵不上丽迪雅一半。你可老是偏爱她。”

“They have none of them much to recommend them,'' replied he; “they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.”

“她们没有哪一个值得夸奖的，”他回答道；“他们跟人家的姑娘一样，又傻，又无知；倒是丽萃要比她的几个姐妹伶俐些。”

”Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.''

“我的好老爷，你怎么舍得这样糟蹋自己的新生亲生女儿？你是在故意叫我气恼，好让你自己得意吧。你半点儿也不体谅我的神经衰弱。”

“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.''

“你真错怪了我，我的好太太。我非常尊重你的神经。它们是我的老朋友。至少在最近二十年以来，我一直听道你慎重其事地提到它们。”

”Ah! you do not know what I suffer.''

“啊！你不知道我怎样受苦呢！”

“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.''

“不过我希望你这毛病会好起来，那么，象这种每年有四千镑收入的阔少爷，你就可以眼看着他们一个个搬来做你的邻居了。”

”It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.''

“你既然不愿意去拜访他们，即使有二十个搬了来，对我们又有什么好处！”

“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all.''

“放心吧，我的好太太，等到有了二十个，我一定去一个个拜望到。”

Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.

班纳特先生真是个古怪人，他一方面喜欢插科打浑，爱挖苦人，同时又不拘言笑，变幻莫测，真使他那位太太积二十三年之经验，还摸不透他的性格。太太的脑子是很容易加以分 析的。她是个智力贫乏、不学无术、喜怒无常的女人，只要碰到不称心的事，她就以为神经 衰弱。她生平的大事就是嫁女儿；她生平的安慰就是访友拜客和打听新闻。