《傲慢与偏见》第 4 期

“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy.”

“我希望彬格莱先生会喜欢它，丽萃。”

“We are not in a way to know _what_ Mr. Bingley likes,” said her mother, resentfully, “since we are not to visit.”

“我们没法知道彬格莱先生喜欢什么，”她母亲愤愤地说，“既然我们又不能去拜访。”

“But you forget, mamma,” said Elizabeth, “that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long has promised to introduce him.”

“可是您忘了，妈妈，”伊丽莎白说，“我们会在舞会上见到他，而且朗太太答应把他介绍给我们。”

“I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.”

“我不相信朗太太会做这样的事。她自己有两个外甥女。她是个自私、虚伪的女人，我对她没有一点好感。”

“No more have I,” said Mr. Bennet; “and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.”

“我也没有，”班纳特先生说，“而且我很高兴看到你并不指望她为你效劳。”

Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply; but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.

班纳特太太不屑于回答；但她实在按捺不住，便开始责骂女儿中的一个。

“Don’t keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven’s sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces.”

“别老是这样咳嗽，吉蒂，看在老天的分上！体谅一下我的神经吧。你简直把它们折磨得粉碎。”

“Kitty has no discretion in her coughs,” said her father; “she times them ill.”

“吉蒂咳嗽起来毫无分寸，”她父亲说，“时机总选得不对。”

“I do not cough for my own amusement,” replied Kitty, fretfully. “When is your next ball to be, Lizzy?”

“我又不是为了自娱自乐才咳嗽的，”吉蒂烦躁地回答。“丽萃，你们下一场舞会是什么时候？”

“To-morrow fortnight.”

“再过两周的明天。”

“Ay, so it is,” cried her mother, “and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so, it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself.”

“对，就是那时候，”她母亲叫道，“朗太太要到前一天才回来；所以她不可能把他介绍给我们，因为她自己还不认识他。”

“Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Bingley to _her_.”

“那么，亲爱的，你可以利用你朋友的优势，把彬格莱先生介绍给她。”

“Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; how can you be so teasing?”

“不可能，班纳特先生，不可能，我自己都不认识他；您怎么能这样逗弄我呢？”

“I honour your circumspection. A fortnight’s acquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight. But if _we_ do not venture, somebody else will; and after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must stand their chance; and, therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, I will take it on myself.”

“我敬佩你的谨慎。认识两周当然实在太短了。一个人到两周期满时，肯定还无法知道一个男人究竟是什么样的人。不过，如果我们不敢冒险，自然会有别人去做；况且，朗太太和她的外甥女们总得碰碰运气；因此，既然她会把这看成一桩善举，如果你不肯承担这份差事，我就亲自来做。”