《傲慢与偏见》第 1 期
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
举世公认，一个拥有大笔财产的单身男子，必定需要娶一位妻子。
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
这样一个男子初次迁入某个地方时，他的感情或想法究竟如何，周围各家各户或许并不知晓；但这一真理在人们心中早已根深蒂固，因此大家都认为，他理所当然应当成为她们某个女儿的夫婿。
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”
“亲爱的班纳特先生，”一天，他的妻子对他说，“你听说尼日斐花园终于租出去了吗？”
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
班纳特先生回答说，他没有听说。
“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
“可确实租出去了，”她答道，“因为朗太太刚才来过，把这件事全都告诉我了。”
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
班纳特先生没有回答。
“Do not you want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife, impatiently.
“你难道不想知道是谁租的吗？”他的妻子不耐烦地喊道。
“_You_ want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”
“_你_想告诉我，而我也不介意听听。”
“He came down to see the place”
“他下来查看房子了”
[_Copyright 1894 by George Allen._]]
[_1894年乔治·艾伦版权所有。_]]
This was invitation enough.
这已经足够算是一种邀请了。
“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”
“怎么，亲爱的，你一定得知道，朗太太说，尼日斐花园是一个来自英格兰北部、家财万贯的年轻人租下的；他星期一乘着四匹马拉的马车下来查看房子，喜欢得不得了，立刻就和莫里斯先生谈妥了；他将在米迦勒节以前搬进去，而且他的几个仆人下星期末就要住进屋里了。”
“What is his name?”
“他叫什么名字？”
“Bingley.”
“宾利。”
“Is he married or single?”
“他结婚了还是单身？”
“Oh, single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!”
“哦，当然是单身，亲爱的！一个拥有大笔财产的单身男子；年收入四五千英镑。这对我们的女儿们来说可真是件美事！”
“How so? how can it affect them?”
“这怎么说？这会对她们有什么影响？”
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome? You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”
“亲爱的班纳特先生，”他的妻子回答道，“你怎么能这样令人厌烦呢？你应该知道，我是在想着让他娶她们中的一个。”
明天同一时间更新第 2 期，欢迎回来接着读。