《傲慢与偏见》第 18 期

“It may, perhaps, be pleasant,” replied Charlotte, “to be able to impose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all _begin_ freely--a slight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show _more_ affection than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly; but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.”

“也许，在这种情况下能够蒙蔽公众，确实是一件令人愉快的事，”夏洛特回答道，“但有时过于谨慎也会成为一种不利。倘若一个女人用同样高明的手段，在意中人面前隐藏自己的感情，她就可能失去使他倾心的机会；到那时，相信世人同样蒙在鼓里，也只能算是聊胜于无的安慰。几乎每一段感情中都多少掺杂着感激或虚荣，因此任由感情自行发展并不稳妥。我们都可以自由地开始——略有偏爱是十分自然的；可是，我们当中真正有足够勇气、在没有鼓励的情况下坠入爱河的人，却寥寥无几。十有八九，女人最好表现出比实际感受更多的情意。宾利无疑喜欢你的姐姐；但如果她不助他一臂之力，他也许永远只会停留在喜欢她的程度。”

“But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If _I_ can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it too.”

“可是，她已经尽其本性所能地助他一臂之力了。倘若连我都能看出她对他的好感，那么他若还发现不了，必定是个十足的傻瓜。”

“Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Jane’s disposition as you do.”

“伊丽莎，别忘了，他不像你那样了解简的性情。”

“But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavor to conceal it, he must find it out.”

“可是，如果一个女人偏爱某个男人，又不设法把这种偏爱隐藏起来，他总该看得出来吧。”

“Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But though Bingley and Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours together; and as they always see each other in large mixed parties, it is impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing together. Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chooses.”

“也许吧，前提是他有足够多的机会见到她。不过，宾利和简虽然见面颇为频繁，却从来没有连续相处好几个小时；而且他们总是在人数众多、男女混杂的聚会上见面，不可能每一刻都用来彼此交谈。因此，简应当充分利用每一个能够吸引他注意的半小时。等她确定已经赢得了他的心，自然就有的是时间随心所欲地坠入爱河。”