The prospect of the Netherfield ball was extremely agreeable to every female of the family. Mrs. Bennet chose to consider it as given in compliment to her eldest daughter, and was particularly flattered by receiving the invitation from Mr. Bingley himself, instead of a ceremonious card; Jane pictured to herself a happy evening in the society of her two friends, and the attention of their brother; and Elizabeth thought with pleasure of dancing a great deal with Mr. Wickham, and of seeing a confirmation of every thing in Mr. Darcy's looks and behaviour. The happiness anticipated by Catherine and Lydia, depended less on any single event, or any particular person, for though they each, like Elizabeth, meant to dance half the evening with Mr. Wickham, he was by no means the only partner who could satisfy them, and a ball was at any rate, a ball. And even Mary could assure her family that she had no disinclination for it.
尼日斐花園要舉行舞會，這一件事使這一家太太小姐都高興到極點(diǎn)。班納特太太認(rèn)為這次舞會是為了恭維她的大女兒才開的，而且這次舞會由彬格萊先生親自登門邀請，而不是發(fā)請貼來請，這叫她更加高興。吉英心里只是想象著，到了那天晚上，便可以和兩個(gè)好朋友促膝談心，又可以受到他們兄弟的殷勤待候；伊麗莎白得意地想到跟韋翰先生痛痛快快地狂跳一下，又可以從達(dá)西先生的神情舉止中把事情的底細(xì)看個(gè)水落石出。至于咖苔琳和麗迪雅，她們可不把開心作樂寄托于某一件事或某一個(gè)人身上，雖然她們倆跟伊麗莎白一樣，想要和韋翰先生跳上大半夜，可是跳舞會上能夠使她們跳個(gè)痛快的舞伴決不止他一個(gè)人，何況跳舞會究竟是跳舞會。甚至連曼麗也告訴家里人說，她對于這次舞會也不是完全不感到興趣。

"While I can have my mornings to myself," said she, "it is enough. -- I think it no sacrifice to join occasionally in evening engagements. Society has claims on us all; and I profess myself one of those who consider intervals of recreation and amusement as desirable for every body."
曼麗說：“只要每天上午的時(shí)間能夠由我自己支配就夠了。我認(rèn)為偶然參加參加晚會并不是什么犧牲。我們大家都應(yīng)該有社交生活。我認(rèn)為誰都少不了要不些消遣和娛樂?！?/div>

Elizabeth's spirits were so high on the occasion that, though she did not often speak unnecessarily to Mr. Collins, she could not help asking him whether he intended to accept Mr. Bingley's invitation, and, if he did, whether he would think it proper to join in the evening's amusement; and she was rather surprised to find that he entertained no scruple whatever on that head, and was very far from dreading a rebuke either from the Archbishop, or Lady Catherine de Bourgh, by venturing to dance.
伊麗莎白這會兒真太高興了；她雖然本來不大跟柯林斯先生多話，現(xiàn)在也不禁問他是不是愿意上彬格萊先生那兒去作客，如果愿意，參加晚會是不是合適。出乎伊麗莎白的意料之外，柯林斯先生對于作客問題毫無猶豫，而且還敢跳舞，一點(diǎn)不怕大主教或咖苔琳·德·包爾夫人的指責(zé)。

"I am by no means of opinion, I assure you," said he, "that a ball of this kind, given by a young man of character to respectable people, can have any evil tendency; and I am so far from objecting to dancing myself, that I shall hope to be honoured with the hands of all my fair cousins in the course of the evening, and I take this opportunity of soliciting yours, Miss Elizabeth, for the two first dances especially, -- a preference which I trust my cousin Jane will attribute to the right cause, and not to any disrespect for her."
他說：“老實(shí)告訴你，這樣的舞會，主人是一個(gè)品格高尚的青年，賓客又是些體面人，我決不認(rèn)為會有什么不好的傾向。我非但不反對自己跳舞，而且希望當(dāng)天晚上表妹們都肯賞臉。伊麗莎白小姐，我就利用這次機(jī)會請你陪我跳頭兩場舞，我相信吉英表妹一定還會怪我對她有什么失禮吧，因?yàn)槲疫@樣盡先盡后有正當(dāng)?shù)睦碛??！?/div>

Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in. She had fully proposed being engaged by Wickham for those very dances: -- and to have Mr. Collins instead! her liveliness had been never worse timed. There was no help for it however. Mr. Wickham's happiness and her own was perforce delayed a little longer, and Mr. Collins's proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could. She was not the better pleased with his gallantry from the idea it suggested of something more. -- It now first struck her that she was selected from among her sisters as worthy of being the mistress of Hunsford Parsonage, and of assisting to form a quadrille table at Rosings, in the absence of more eligible visitors. The idea soon reached to conviction, as she observed his increasing civilities toward herself, and heard his frequent attempt at a compliment on her wit and vivacity; and though more astonished than gratified herself by this effect of her charms, it was not long before her mother gave her to understand that the probability of their marriage was exceedingly agreeable to her. Elizabeth, however, did not chuse to take the hint, being well aware that a serious dispute must be the consequence of any reply. Mr. Collins might never make the offer, and till he did, it was useless to quarrel about him.
伊麗莎白覺得自己完全上了當(dāng)。她本來一心要跟韋翰跳開頭幾場，如今卻來了個(gè)柯林斯先生從中作梗！她從來沒有象現(xiàn)在這樣掃興過，不過事到如今，已無法補(bǔ)救。韋翰先生的幸福跟她自己的幸福不得不耽擱一下了，她于是極其和顏悅色地答應(yīng)了柯林斯先生的請求。她一想到柯林斯此番殷勤乃是別有用心，她就不太樂意。她首先就想到他已經(jīng)在她的幾個(gè)姐妹中間看中了她自己，認(rèn)為她配做漢斯福牧師家里的主婦，而且當(dāng)羅新斯沒有更適當(dāng)?shù)馁e客時(shí)，打起牌來要是三缺一，她也可以湊湊數(shù)。她這個(gè)想法立該得到了證實(shí)，因?yàn)樗^察到他對她越來越殷勤，只聽得他老是恭維她聰明活潑。雖然從這場風(fēng)波足以想見她的誘人的魅力，她可并不因此得意，反而感到驚奇，她的母親不久又跟她說，他們倆是可能結(jié)婚的，這叫她做母親的很喜歡。伊麗莎白對母親這句話只當(dāng)作沒有聽見，因?yàn)樗浅Ｃ靼?，只要跟母親搭起腔來，就免不了要大吵一場?？铝炙瓜壬苍S不會提出求婚，既然他還沒有明白提出，那又何必為了他爭吵。

If there had not been a Netherfield ball to prepare for and talk of, the younger Miss Bennets would have been in a pitiable state at this time, for from the day of the invitation to the day of the ball, there was such a succession of rain as prevented their walking to Meryton once. No aunt, no officers, no news could be sought after; -- the very shoe-roses for Netherfield were got by proxy. Even Elizabeth might have found some trial of her patience in weather which totally suspended the improvement of her acquaintance with Mr. Wickham; and nothing less than a dance on Tuesday, could have made such a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday endurable to Kitty and Lydia.
自從尼日斐花園邀請班納特家?guī)孜恍〗銋⒓犹璧哪翘炱?，到開舞會的那天為止，雨一直下個(gè)不停，弄得班家?guī)讉€(gè)年紀(jì)小的女兒們沒有到麥里屯去過一次，也無從去看望姨母，訪問軍官和打聽新聞，要不是把參加舞會的事拿來談?wù)?，?zhǔn)備準(zhǔn)備，那她們真要可憐死了。她們連蹯鞋上要用的玫瑰花也是叫別人去代買的。甚至伊麗莎白也對這種天氣厭惡透了，就是這種天氣弄得她和韋翰先生的友誼毫無進(jìn)展?？偹阆滦瞧诙袀€(gè)跳舞會，這才使吉蒂和麗迪雅熬過了星期五，星期六，星期日和星期一。