《傲慢与偏见》第 3 期

“They have none of them much to recommend them,” replied he: “they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.”

“她们没有一个特别值得称道的，”他回答道，“她们全都像别的姑娘一样愚蠢无知；不过莉齐比她的姐妹们多一些机敏。”

“Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”

“班纳特先生，您怎么能这样辱骂自己的孩子？您就是喜欢惹我生气。您一点也不体谅我可怜的神经。”

“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.”

“你误会我了，亲爱的。我非常尊重你的神经。它们是我的老朋友。至少二十年来，我一直听你郑重其事地提起它们。”

“Ah, you do not know what I suffer.”

“啊，你不知道我受了多少苦。”

“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”

“但我希望你会熬过去，并且活着看到许多年收入四千英镑的年轻人搬到附近来。”

“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.”

“即使来了二十个，对我们也没有用，因为你不会去拜访他们。”

“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.”

“你尽管放心，亲爱的，等有了二十个，我会把他们全都拜访一遍。”

Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. _Her_ mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married: its solace was visiting and news.

班纳特先生是一个十分古怪的混合体：机敏、讥讽的幽默、矜持和任性兼而有之，因此二十三年的相处经验仍不足以让他的妻子理解他的性情。_她_的心思却不那么难以捉摸。她是个理解力平庸、见闻不多、脾气反复无常的女人。她一不称心，就觉得自己神经不适。她一生的要务就是把女儿们嫁出去；她的慰藉则是走亲访友和打听消息。

[_Copyright 1894 by George Allen._]]

[乔治·艾伦版权所有，1894年。]

“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it”

“我希望宾利先生会喜欢这里。”

[_Copyright 1894 by George Allen._]]

[乔治·艾伦版权所有，1894年。]

CHAPTER II.

第二章

Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the last always assuring his wife that he should not go; and till the evening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it. It was then disclosed in the following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with,--

班纳特先生是最早前去拜访宾利先生的人之一。他原本一直打算去拜访，尽管直到最后还总是对妻子说自己不会去；而且直到拜访结束后的那个晚上，她才知道这件事。事情是以如下方式揭晓的：他看到二女儿正在修饰一顶帽子，便突然对她说道——