《傲慢與偏見(jiàn)》(Pride and Prejudice)是英國(guó)女小說(shuō)家簡(jiǎn)·奧斯汀的長(zhǎng)篇小說(shuō)。
小說(shuō)描寫(xiě)了鄉(xiāng)紳班納特五個(gè)待字閨中的千金的生活,主角是二女兒伊麗莎白。她在一次舞會(huì)上認(rèn)識(shí)了一位年輕的紳士達(dá)西,但是耳聞他為人傲慢,就一直對(duì)他心生排斥。經(jīng)歷了一番周折,伊麗莎白終于消除了對(duì)達(dá)西的偏見(jiàn),達(dá)西也不再傲慢,有情人終成眷屬。
這部作品以日常生活為素材,一反當(dāng)時(shí)社會(huì)上流行的感傷小說(shuō)矯揉造作的寫(xiě)作手法,生動(dòng)地反映了18世紀(jì)末到19世紀(jì)初處于保守和閉塞狀態(tài)下的英國(guó)鄉(xiāng)鎮(zhèn)生活和人情世態(tài)。它多次被改編成電影和電視劇。
本文節(jié)選自《傲慢與偏見(jiàn)》第五十六章。
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
AS soon as they were gone, Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits; or in other words, to dwell without interruption on those subjects that must deaden them more. Mr. Darcy's behaviour astonished and vexed her.
他們一走,伊麗莎白便到屋外去留達(dá),好讓自己精神舒暢一下,換句話說(shuō),也就是不停去想那些足以使她精神更加沉悶的念頭。達(dá)西先生的行為叫她驚奇,也叫她煩惱。
"Why, if he came only to be silent, grave, and indifferent," said she, "did he come at all?"
她想:“要是他這次來(lái)是為了要沉默寡言,莊嚴(yán)冷淡,那他又何必來(lái)?”
"He could be still amiable, still pleasing, to my uncle and aunt, when he was in town; and why not to me? If he fears me, why come hither? If he no longer cares for me, why silent? Teazing, teazing, man! I will think no more about him."
“他在城里的時(shí)候,對(duì)我的舅父母依舊很和氣,很討人喜歡,怎么反而對(duì)我兩樣?如果他已經(jīng)無(wú)心于我,又何必有話不說(shuō)?好一個(gè)慣會(huì)作弄人的男子!今后我再也不去想念他了?!?/p>
Her resolution was for a short time involuntarily kept by the approach of her sister, who joined her with a cheerful look, which shewed her better satisfied with their visitors, than Elizabeth.
姐姐走近前來(lái),使她不得不把這個(gè)念頭暫時(shí)擱在一旁。她一見(jiàn)姐姐神色欣然,便知道這兩位貴客雖使她自己失意,卻使她姐姐較為得意。
"Now," said she, "that this first meeting is over, I feel perfectly easy. I know my own strength, and I shall never be embarrassed again by his coming. I am glad he dines here on Tuesday. It will then be publicly seen that, on both sides, we meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance."
姐姐說(shuō):“第一次見(jiàn)面總算過(guò)去了,我倒覺(jué)得非常自在。這次我既然能夠應(yīng)付,等他下次再來(lái),我便不會(huì)發(fā)窘。他星期二能到這兒來(lái)吃飯,我倒很高興,因?yàn)榈侥菚r(shí)候,大家都會(huì)看出,我和他不過(guò)是無(wú)所謂的普通朋友?!?/p>
"Yes, very indifferent indeed," said Elizabeth, laughingly. "Oh, Jane, take care."
伊麗莎白笑著說(shuō):“好一個(gè)無(wú)所謂的朋友!吉英,還是當(dāng)心點(diǎn)兒好!”
"My dear Lizzy, you cannot think me so weak, as to be in danger now?"
“親愛(ài)的麗萃,你可別以為我那么軟弱,到現(xiàn)在還會(huì)招來(lái)什么危險(xiǎn)?!?/p>
"I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever."
“我看你有極大的危險(xiǎn),會(huì)叫他如醉如癡地愛(ài)你?!?/p>
They did not see the gentlemen again till Tuesday; and Mrs. Bennet, in the meanwhile, was giving way to all the happy schemes, which the good humour and common politeness of Bingley, in half an hour's visit, had revived.
直到星期二,她們方才又見(jiàn)到那兩位貴客。班納特太太因?yàn)樯洗慰吹奖蚋袢R先生在那短短的半小時(shí)訪問(wèn)過(guò)程中,竟然興致極高,禮貌又好,因此這幾天來(lái)便一直在打著如意算盤(pán)。
On Tuesday there was a large party assembled at Longbourn; and the two who were most anxiously expected, to the credit of their punctuality as sportsmen, were in very good time. When they repaired to the dining-room, Elizabeth eagerly watched to see whether Bingley would take the place, which, in all their former parties, had belonged to him, by her sister. Her prudent mother, occupied by the same ideas, forbore to invite him to sit by herself. On entering the room, he seemed to hesitate; but Jane happened to look round, and happened to smile: it was decided. He placed himself by her.
且說(shuō)那天浪搏恩來(lái)了許多客人;主人家最渴盼的兩位嘉賓都準(zhǔn)時(shí)而到,游獵家果然是嚴(yán)守時(shí)刻,名不虛傳。兩人一走進(jìn)飯廳,伊麗莎白連忙注意彬格萊先生,看他是不是在吉英身旁坐下,因?yàn)閺那懊糠暧醒鐣?huì),他都是坐在那個(gè)位子上。她那精明的母親也有同感,因此并沒(méi)有請(qǐng)他坐到她自己身邊去。他剛走進(jìn)飯廳的時(shí)候,好象頗有些猶豫,增虧吉英湊巧回過(guò)頭來(lái),湊巧在微笑,他這才拿定主意,在她身邊坐下。
Elizabeth, with a triumphant sensation, looked towards his friend. He bore it with noble indifference, and she would have imagined that Bingley had received his sanction to be happy, had she not seen his eyes likewise turned towards Mr. Darcy, with an expression of half-laughing alarm.
伊麗莎白看得很是得意,不由得朝他那位朋友望了一眼,只見(jiàn)達(dá)西落落大方,若無(wú)其事。她要不是恰巧看見(jiàn)彬格萊先生又驚又喜地也對(duì)達(dá)西先生望了一眼,她還以為他這次之所以能夠稱(chēng)心如意,是事先蒙到達(dá)西先生恩準(zhǔn)的呢。
His behaviour to her sister was such, during dinner time, as shewed an admiration of her, which, though more guarded than formerly, persuaded Elizabeth, that if left wholly to himself, Jane's happiness, and his own, would be speedily secured. Though she dared not depend upon the consequence, she yet received pleasure from observing his behaviour. It gave her all the animation that her spirits could boast; for she was in no cheerful humour. Mr. Darcy was almost as far from her as the table could divide them. He was on one side of her mother. She knew how little such a situation would give pleasure to either, or make either appear to advantage. She was not near enough to hear any of their discourse, but she could see how seldom they spoke to each other, and how formal and cold was their manner whenever they did. Her mother's ungraciousness, made the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth's mind; and she would, at times, have given any thing to be privileged to tell him that his kindness was neither unknown nor unfelt by the whole of the family.
吃飯的時(shí)候,彬格萊先生果然對(duì)她姐姐露出了愛(ài)慕之意。雖然這種愛(ài)慕表現(xiàn)得沒(méi)有從前那樣露骨,可是伊麗莎白卻覺(jué)得,只要能夠完全讓他自己作主,吉英的幸福和他自己的幸福一定馬上就可以十拿九穩(wěn)。雖然她不敢過(guò)存奢望,可是看到他那樣的態(tài)度,實(shí)在叫她高興。她當(dāng)時(shí)心情雖然并不十分愉快,這卻使她精神上得到了極大的鼓舞。達(dá)西先生的座位和她隔得那么遠(yuǎn),他和她母親坐在一起。她覺(jué)得這無(wú)論是對(duì)于達(dá)西,對(duì)于她母親,都是興味索然,兩不方便。座位隔得遠(yuǎn)了,她自然聽(tīng)不清達(dá)西跟她母親講些什么,可是她看得出他們倆很少談話,談起來(lái)又非常拘泥,非常冷淡??纯茨赣H對(duì)他那樣敷衍應(yīng)酬,再想想他對(duì)她們家里情深誼重,她當(dāng)然分外難受。有幾次她真恨不得能夠告訴他說(shuō),她家里并不是沒(méi)有人知道他的好處,并不是全家都對(duì)他忘恩負(fù)義。
She was in hopes that the evening would afford some opportunity of bringing them together; that the whole of the visit would not pass away without enabling them to enter into something more of conversation than the mere ceremonious salutation attending his entrance. Anxious and uneasy, the period which passed in the drawing-room, before the gentlemen came, was wearisome and dull to a degree that almost made her uncivil. She looked forward to their entrance as the point on which all her chance of pleasure for the evening must depend.
她但愿這個(gè)下午彼此能夠親近一些,多談些話,不要辜負(fù)了他這一場(chǎng)拜訪,不要讓他只是在進(jìn)門(mén)時(shí)聽(tīng)到她照例地招呼一聲,便一無(wú)所獲。她感到萬(wàn)分焦急不安,因此在兩位貴客沒(méi)有走進(jìn)會(huì)客室以前,她幾乎厭倦沉悶得快要發(fā)脾氣了。她一心盼望他們進(jìn)來(lái),因?yàn)檎麄€(gè)下午的興致完全在此一著。
"If he does not come to me, then," said she, "I shall give him up for ever."
她想:“假如那時(shí)候他依舊不到我跟前來(lái),我只好永遠(yuǎn)把他放棄?!?/p>
The gentlemen came; and she thought he looked as if he would have answered her hopes; but, alas! the ladies had crowded round the table, where Miss Bennet was making tea, and Elizabeth pouring out the coffee, in so close a confederacy that there was not a single vacancy near her which would admit of a chair. And on the gentlemen's approaching, one of the girls moved closer to her than ever, and said, in a whisper, "The men shan't come and part us, I am determined. We want none of them; do we?"
兩位貴客進(jìn)來(lái)了;看他那副神情,她倒覺(jué)得他不會(huì)辜負(fù)她一片心意??墒翘炷?!班納特小姐在桌子上斟茶,伊麗莎白在灑咖啡,女客們卻把這張桌子團(tuán)團(tuán)圍住,大家擠在一起,擺一張椅子的空地方也沒(méi)有。他們進(jìn)來(lái)以后,有一個(gè)姑娘又向伊麗莎白身邊更挨近一些,跟她低聲說(shuō)道:“我決計(jì)不讓這般男人來(lái)把我們分開(kāi)。不管哪個(gè)男人,我們都不讓他來(lái),好不好?”
Darcy had walked away to another part of the room. She followed him with her eyes, envied every one to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enough to help anybody to coffee; and then was enraged against herself for being so silly!
達(dá)西只得走開(kāi)。伊麗莎白眼睛盯牢著他看隨便看到什么人跟他說(shuō)話,她都覺(jué)得嫉妒。她幾乎沒(méi)有心思給客人們?yōu)⒖Х攘?。過(guò)了一會(huì)兒,她又埋怨自己不該這樣癡心。
"A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman? There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!"
“他是一個(gè)被我拒絕過(guò)的男人!我怎么蠢到這般地步,竟會(huì)指望他重新愛(ài)上我?哪一個(gè)男人會(huì)這樣沒(méi)有骨氣,向一個(gè)女人求第二次婚?他們決不屑做這種丟面子的事!”
She was a little revived, however, by his bringing back his coffee cup himself; and she seized the opportunity of saying, "Is your sister at Pemberley still?"
這時(shí)只見(jiàn)他親自把咖啡杯送回來(lái),因此她總算稍微高興了一些,立即抓住這個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)跟他說(shuō)話:“你妹妹還在彭伯里嗎?”
"Yes, she will remain there till Christmas."
“還在,她一直要在那兒待到圣誕節(jié)?!?/p>
"And quite alone? Have all her friends left her?"
“只有她一個(gè)人嗎?她的朋友都走了沒(méi)有?”
"Mrs. Annesley is with her. The others have been gone on to Scarborough, these three weeks."
“安涅斯雷太太跟她在一起。別的人都在三個(gè)星期以前上斯卡巴勒去了。”
She could think of nothing more to say; but if he wished to converse with her, he might have better success. He stood by her, however, for some minutes, in silence; and, at last, on the young lady's whispering to Elizabeth again, he walked away.
她想不出別的話可說(shuō)了;不過(guò),只要他愿意跟她談話,他自有辦法。他默默無(wú)言地在她身旁站了幾分鐘,后來(lái)那位年輕的小姐又眼伊麗莎白咬起耳朵來(lái),他又只得走開(kāi)。
When the tea-things were removed, and the card tables placed, the ladies all rose, and Elizabeth was then hoping to be soon joined by him, when all her views were overthrown by seeing him fall a victim to her mother's rapacity for whist players, and in a few moments after seated with the rest of the party. She now lost every expectation of pleasure. They were confined for the evening at different tables, and she had nothing to hope, but that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself.
等到茶具撤走、牌桌全擺好以后,女客們都站起身來(lái),這時(shí)伊麗莎白更希望他立刻就到自己身邊來(lái),但見(jiàn)她母親在四處硬拉人打“惠斯脫”,他也情面難卻,頃刻之間就和從賓客一起坐上牌桌,于是她一切的希望都落了空。她滿(mǎn)懷的興致都變成泡影。今晚她已毫無(wú)指望。兩個(gè)人只得各坐牌桌一張,達(dá)西的眼睛頻頻向她這邊看,結(jié)果兩個(gè)人都打輸了牌。
Mrs. Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen to supper; but their carriage was unluckily ordered before any of the others, and she had no opportunity of detaining them.
班納特太太本來(lái)打算留尼日斐花園的這兩位貴客吃晚飯,不幸的是,他們吩咐傭人套車(chē)比誰(shuí)都先,因此她沒(méi)有機(jī)會(huì)留他們。
"Well girls," said she, as soon as they were left to themselves, "What say you to the day? I think every thing has passed off uncommonly well, I assure you. The dinner was as well dressed as any I ever saw. The venison was roasted to a turn -- and everybody said they never saw so fat a haunch. The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucases' last week; and even Mr. Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably well done; and I suppose he has two or three French cooks at least. And, my dear Jane, I never saw you look in greater beauty. Mrs. Long said so too, for I asked her whether you did not. And what do you think she said besides? "Ah! Mrs. Bennet, we shall have her at Netherfield at last." She did indeed. I do think Mrs. Long is as good a creature as ever lived -- and her nieces are very pretty behaved girls, and not at all handsome: I like them prodigiously."
客人們一走,班納特太太便說(shuō):“孩子們,今天過(guò)得快活嗎?告訴你們,我覺(jué)得一切都非常順利。飯菜烹調(diào)得從來(lái)沒(méi)有過(guò)的那么好。鹿肉燒得恰到好處,大家都說(shuō),從來(lái)沒(méi)有見(jiàn)過(guò)這么肥的腰肉。說(shuō)到湯,比起我們上星期在盧卡斯家里吃的,那可不知要好多少。連達(dá)西先生也承認(rèn)鷓鴣燒得美極了,我看他自己至少用了三個(gè)法國(guó)廚子呢。再說(shuō),親愛(ài)的吉英,我從來(lái)沒(méi)有看見(jiàn)你比今天更美。郎格太太也這么說(shuō),因?yàn)槲以谒媲皢?wèn)過(guò)你美不美。你猜她還說(shuō)了些什么?她說(shuō):‘呃!班納特太太,她少不了要嫁到尼日斐花園去的。她真是這么說(shuō)來(lái)著。我覺(jué)得郎格太太這個(gè)人真是太好了;她的侄女們都是些規(guī)規(guī)矩矩的好姑娘,只可惜長(zhǎng)得一點(diǎn)也不好看。我真喜歡她們?!?/p>
Mrs. Bennet, in short, was in very great spirits; she had seen enough of Bingley's behaviour to Jane, to be convinced that she would get him at last; and her expectations of advantage to her family, when in a happy humour, were so far beyond reason, that she was quite disappointed at not seeing him there again the next day, to make his proposals.
總而言之,班納特太太今天的確高興極了。她把彬格萊對(duì)吉英的一舉一動(dòng)全看在眼里,因此相信吉英一定會(huì)把他弄到手。她一時(shí)高興,便不禁想入非非,一心只指望這門(mén)親事會(huì)給她家里帶來(lái)多少多少好處,等到第二天不見(jiàn)他來(lái)求婚,她又大失所望。
"It has been a very agreeable day," said Miss Bennet to Elizabeth. "The party seemed so well selected, so suitable one with the other. I hope we may often meet again."
班納特小姐對(duì)伊麗莎白說(shuō):“今天一天過(guò)得真有意思,來(lái)吃飯的客人都挑選得那么好,大家都很投機(jī)。我希望今后我們能夠常常聚會(huì)?!?/p>
Elizabeth smiled.
伊麗莎白笑了笑。
"Lizzy, you must not do so. You must not suspect me. It mortifies me. I assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his conversation as an agreeable and sensible young man, without having a wish beyond it. I am perfectly satisfied, from what his manners now are, that he never had any design of engaging my affection. It is only that he is blessed with greater sweetness of address, and a stronger desire of generally pleasing, than any other man."
“麗萃,請(qǐng)你千萬(wàn)不要笑,千萬(wàn)不要疑心我。這會(huì)使我難受。告訴你吧,我只不過(guò)很欣賞這樣一位聰明和藹的年輕人的談吐,并沒(méi)有存別的非份之想。他的整個(gè)舉止作風(fēng)中間,有一點(diǎn)我完全感到滿(mǎn)意,那就是他絕對(duì)沒(méi)有想要博得我的歡心。只不過(guò)他的談吐實(shí)在比別人美妙,而且他也比別人隨和?!?/p>
"You are very cruel," said her sister, "you will not let me smile, and are provoking me to it every moment."
只聽(tīng)得妹妹說(shuō):“你真狠心,你不讓我笑,又偏偏要時(shí)時(shí)刻刻引我發(fā)笑?!?/p>
"How hard it is in some cases to be believed!"
“有些事是多么不容易叫人相信!”
"And how impossible in others!"
“又有些事簡(jiǎn)直不可能叫人相信!”
"But why should you wish to persuade me that I feel more than I acknowledge?"
“可是,你為什么偏要逼我,認(rèn)為我沒(méi)有把真心話全說(shuō)出來(lái)呢?”
"That is a question which I hardly know how to answer. We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing. Forgive me; and if you persist in indifference, do not make me your confidante."
“這話可收我無(wú)從回答了。我們都喜歡替人家出主意,可是人家出了主意,人家又不領(lǐng)情。算我對(duì)你不起。如果你再三要說(shuō)你對(duì)他沒(méi)有什么意思,可休想叫我相信。”