英文名著精选阅读：《傲慢与偏见》第五十六章(下)

　　Lady Catherine hesitatedfor a moment, and then replied, "The engagement between them is of a peculiarkind. From their infancy, they have been intended for each other. It was the favourite wish of his mother, as well as of her's. While in their cradles, we planned the union: and now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished in their marriage, to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family! Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss De Bourgh? Are you lost to every feeling of proprietyand delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin?"

　　咖苔琳夫人迟疑了一会儿，然后回答道：“他们的订婚，跟一般情形两样。他们从小就配好了对，双方的母亲两相情愿。他们在摇篮里的时候，我们就打算把他们配成一对;眼见他们小两口子就要结婚，老姐妹俩的愿望就要达到，却忽然来了个出身卑贱、门户低微的小妮子从中作梗，何况这个小妮子跟他家里非亲非眷!难道你丝毫也不顾全他亲人的愿望?丝毫也不顾全他跟德·包尔小姐默认的婚姻?难道你一点儿没有分寸，一点儿也不知廉耻吗?难道你没有听见我说过，他一生下来，就注定了要跟他表妹成亲的吗?”

　　"Yes, and I had heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother and aunt wished him to marry Miss De Bourgh. You both did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completiondepended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclinationconfined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?"

　　“我以前确实听到过。可是我管它做什么?如果你没有别的理由反对我跟你姨侄结婚，我也决不会因此却步。你们姐妹俩费尽了心思筹划这段婚姻，成功不成功可要看别人。如果达西先生既没有责任跟他表妹结婚，也不愿意跟她结婚，那他为什么不能另外挑一个?要是他挑中了我，我又为什么能答应他?”

　　"Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbidit. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfullyact against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us."

　　“无论从面子上讲，从礼节规矩上讲──不，从利害关系来讲，都不允许这么做。不错，班纳特小姐，确是为了你的利害关系着想。要是你有意跟大家都过不去，你就休想他家里人或是他的亲友们看得起你。凡是和他有关的人，都会斥责你，轻视你，厌恶你。你们的结合是一种耻辱;甚至我们连你的名字都不肯提起。”

　　"These are heavy misfortunes," replied Elizabeth. "But the wife of Mr. Darcy must have such extraordinarysources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine."

　　“这倒真是大大的不幸，”伊丽莎白说。“可是做了达西先生的太太必然会享受到莫大的幸福，因此，归根结底，完全用不到懊丧。”

　　"Obstinate, headstronggirl! I am ashamed of you! Is this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? Is nothing due to me on that score? Let us sit down. You are to understand, Miss Bennet, that I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be dissuadedfrom it. I have not been used to submitto any person's whims. I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment."

　　“好一个不识好歹的小丫头!我都会你害臊!今年春天我待你那么殷勤，你就这样报答我吗?难道你也没有一点儿感恩之心?让我们坐下来详谈。你应该明白，班纳特小姐，我既然上这儿来了，就非达到目的不可;谁也阻不住我。任何人玩什么花巧，我都不会屈服。我从来不肯让我自己失望。”

　　"That will make your ladyship's situation at present more pitiablebut it will have no effect on me."

　　“那只有更加使你自己难堪，可是对我毫无影响。”