"At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peacemaking gentleman," said Mr. Bennet, as he folded up the letter. "He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young man, upon my word; and I doubt not will prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be so indulgent as to let him come to us again."
“那么,四點鐘的時候,這位息事寧人的先生就要來啦,”班納特先生一邊把信折好,一邊說?!八故莻€很有良心、很有禮貌的青年,一定是的;我相信他一定會成為一個值得器重的朋友,只要咖苔琳夫人能夠開開恩,讓他以后再上我們這兒來,那更好啦?!?/div>

"There is some sense in what he says about the girls however; and if he is disposed to make them any amends, I shall not be the person to discourage him."
“他講到我們女兒們的那幾句話,倒還說得不錯;要是他果真打算設(shè)法補償,我倒不反對?!?/div>

"Though it is difficult," said Jane, "to guess in what way he can mean to make us the atonement he thinks our due, the wish is certainly to his credit."
吉英說:“他說要給我們補償,我們雖然猜不出他究竟是什么意思,可是他這一片好意也的確難得?!?/div>

Elizabeth was chiefly struck with his extraordinary deference for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it were required.
伊麗莎白聽到他對咖苔琳夫人尊敬得那么出奇,而且他竟那么好心好意,隨時替他自己教區(qū)里的居民行洗禮,主持婚禮和喪禮,不覺大為吃驚。

"He must be an oddity, I think," said she. "I cannot make him out. -- There is something very pompous in his stile. -- And what can he mean by apologizing for being next in the entail? -- We cannot suppose he would help it, if he could. -- Can he be a sensible man, sir?"
“我看他一定是個古怪人,”她說。“我真弄不懂他。他的文筆似乎有些浮夸。他所謂因為繼承了我們的產(chǎn)權(quán)而感到萬分抱歉,這話是什么意思呢?即使這件事可以取消,我們也不要以為他就肯取消,他是個頭腦清楚的人嗎,爸爸?”

"No, my dear; I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter, which promises well. I am impatient to see him."
“不,寶貝,我想他不會是的。我完全認為他是恰恰相反。從他信里那種既謙卑又自大的口氣上就可以看得出來。我倒真想見見他?!?/div>

"In point of composition," said Mary, "his letter does not seem defective. The idea of the olive branch perhaps is not wholly new, yet I think it is well expressed."
曼麗說:“就文章而論,他的信倒好象寫得沒有什么毛病。橄欖枝這種說法雖然并不新穎,可是我覺得用得倒很恰當。”

To Catherine and Lydia, neither the letter nor its writer were in any degree interesting. It was next to impossible that their cousin should come in a scarlet coat, and it was now some weeks since they had received pleasure from the society of a man in any other colour. As for their mother, Mr. Collins's letter had done away much of her ill-will, and she was preparing to see him with a degree of composure which astonished her husband and daughters.
在咖苔琳和麗迪雅看來,無論是那封信也好,寫信的人也好,都沒有一點兒意思。反正她們覺得她們的表兄絕不會穿著“紅制服”來,而這幾個星期以來,穿其他任何顏色的衣服的人,她們都不樂意結(jié)交。至于她們的母親,原來的一般怨氣已經(jīng)被柯林斯先生一封信打消了不少,她倒準備相當平心靜氣地會見他,這使得她的丈夫和女兒們都覺得非常奇怪。

Mr. Collins was punctual to his time, and was received with great politeness by the whole family. Mr. Bennet, indeed, said little; but the ladies were ready enough to talk, and Mr. Collins seemed neither in need of encouragement, nor inclined to be silent himself. He was a tall, heavy looking young man of five and twenty. His air was grave and stately, and his manners were very formal. He had not been long seated before he complimented Mrs. Bennet on having so fine a family of daughters, said he had heard much of their beauty, but that, in this instance, fame had fallen short of the truth; and added, that he did not doubt her seeing them all in due time well disposed of in marriage. This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers, but Mrs. Bennet who quarrelled with no compliments, answered most readily,?"You are very kind, sir, I am sure; and I wish with all my heart it may prove so; for else they will be destitute enough. Things are settled so oddly."
柯林斯先生準時來了,全家都非??蜌獾亟哟?,班納特先生簡直沒有說什么話;可是太太和幾位小姐都十分愿意暢談一下,而柯林斯先生本人好象既不需要人家鼓勵他多說話,也不打算不說話。他是個二十五歲的青年,高高的個兒,望上去很肥胖,他的氣派端莊而堂皇,又很拘泥禮節(jié)。他剛一坐下來就恭維班納特太太福氣好,養(yǎng)了這么多好女兒,他說,早就聽到人們對她們美貌贊揚備至,今天一見面,才知道她們的美貌遠遠超過了她們的名聲;他又說,他相信小姐們到時候都會結(jié)下美滿良緣。他這些奉承話,人家真不大愛聽,只有班納特太太,沒有哪句恭維話聽不下去,于是極其干脆地回答道:“我相信你是個好心腸的人,先生;我一心希望能如你的金口,否則她們就不堪設(shè)想了。事情實在擺布得太古怪啦?!?/div>

"You allude, perhaps, to the entail of this estate."
“你大概是說產(chǎn)業(yè)的繼承權(quán)問題吧?!?/div>

"Ah! sir, I do indeed. It is a [en]grievous
affair to my poor girls, you must confess. Not that I mean to find fault with you, for such things, I know, are all chance in this world. There is no knowing how estates will go when once they come to be entailed."[/en]
“唉,先生,我的確是說到這方面。你得承認,這對于我可憐的女兒們真是件不幸的事。我并不想怪你,因為我也知道,世界上這一類的事完全靠命運。一個人的產(chǎn)業(yè)一旦要限定繼承人,那你就無從知道它會落到誰的手里去。”

"I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair cousins, -- and could say much on the subject, but that I am cautious of appearing forward and precipitate. But I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them. At present I will not say more, but perhaps when we are better acquainted --"
“太太,我深深知道,這件事苦了表妹們,我在這個問題上有很多意見,一時卻不敢莽撞冒失??墒俏铱梢韵蚰贻p的小姐們保證,我上這兒來,就是為了要向她們表示我的敬慕。目前我也不打算多說,或許等到將來我們相處得更熟一些的時候──”
?

He was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls smiled on each other. They were not the only objects of Mr. Collins's admiration. The hall, the dining-room, and all its furniture were examined and praised; and his commendation of every thing would have touched Mrs. Bennet's heart, but for the mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as his own future property. The dinner too, in its turn, was highly admired; and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins, the excellence of its cookery was owing. But here he was set right by Mrs. Bennet, who assured him with some asperity that they were very well able to keep a good cook, and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen. He begged pardon for having displeased her. In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended; but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour.
主人家請他吃午飯了,于是他的話不得不被打斷。小姐們彼此相視而笑??铝炙瓜壬鶒勰降牟挪还夤馐撬齻兡亍K芽蛷d、飯廳、以及屋子里所有的家具,都仔細看了一遍,贊美了一番。班納特太太本當聽到他贊美一句,心里就得意一陣,怎奈她也想到,他原來是把這些東西都看作他自己未來的財產(chǎn),因此她又非常難受。連一頓午飯也蒙他稱賞不置,他請求主人告訴他,究竟是哪位表妹燒得這一手好菜。班納特太太聽到他這句話,不禁把他指責了一番。她相當不客氣地跟他說,她們家里現(xiàn)在還雇得起一個象樣的廚子,根本用不到女兒們過問廚房里的事。他請求她原諒,不要見怪。于是她用柔和的聲調(diào)說,她根本沒有怪他,可是他卻接接連連地道歉了一刻鐘之久。

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