評論
打印
"I HAVE been thinking it over again, Elizabeth,'' said her uncle as they drove from the town; " and really, upon serious consideration, I am much more inclined than I was to judge as your eldest sister does of the matter. It appears to me so very unlikely that any young man should form such a design against a girl who is by no means unprotected or friendless, and who was actually staying in his colonel's family, that I am strongly inclined to hope the best. Could he expect that her friends would not step forward? Could he expect to be noticed again by the regiment, after such an affront to Colonel Forster? His temptation is not adequate to the risk.''
他們離開那個城鎮的時候，舅父跟伊麗莎白說：“我又把這件事想了一遍，認真地考慮了一番，越發覺得你姐姐的看法很對。我認為無論是哪個青年，決不會對這樣一位姑娘存著這樣的壞心眼，她又不是無親無靠，何況她就住在他自己的上校家里，因此我要從最好的方面去著想。難道他以為她的親友們不會挺身而出嗎？難道他還以為這一次冒犯弗斯脫上校以后，還好意思回到民兵團里去嗎？我看他不見得會癡情到冒險的地步。”
"Do you really think so?'' cried Elizabeth, brightening up for a moment.
伊麗莎白的臉色立刻顯得高興起來，連忙嚷道：“你果真這樣想嗎？”
"Upon my word,'' said Mrs. Gardiner, "I begin to be of your uncle's opinion. It is really too great a violation of decency, honour, and interest, for him to be guilty of it. I cannot think so very ill of Wickham. Can you, yourself, Lizzy, so wholly give him up as to believe him capable of it?''
嘉丁納太太接嘴說：“你相信我好了，我也開始贊成你舅舅的看法了。這件事太不顧羞恥，太不顧名譽和利害關系了，他不會這樣膽大妄為。我覺得韋翰未必會這樣壞。麗萃，你竟這樣不把他放在眼里，相信他會做出這種事嗎？”
"Not perhaps of neglecting his own interest. But of every other neglect I can believe him capable. If, indeed, it should be so! But I dare not hope it. Why should they not go on to Scotland, if that had been the case?''
“他也許不會不顧全自己的利害關系。除此以外，我相信他全不在乎。但愿他能有所顧忌。我可不敢存這個奢望。要是真象你所想的那樣，那他們干嗎不到蘇格蘭去呢？”
"In the first place,'' replied Mr. Gardiner, "there is no absolute proof that they are not gone to Scotland.''
嘉丁納先生回答道：“第一，現在并不能完全證明他們沒有到蘇格蘭去。”
"Oh! but their removing from the chaise into an hackney coach is such a presumption! And, besides, no traces of them were to be found on the Barnet road.''
“哎喲！可是他們把原來的馬車打發走，換上了出租的馬車，光是憑這一點就可想而知！此外，到巴納特去的路上，也找不到他們的蹤跡。”
"Well, then -- supposing them to be in London. They may be there, though, for the purpose of concealment, for no more exceptionable purpose. It is not likely that money should be very abundant on either side; and it might strike them that they could be more economically, though less expeditiously, married in London, than in Scotland.''
“那么就假定他們在倫敦吧。他們到那兒去也許是為了暫時躲避一下，不會別有用心。他們兩個人都沒有多少錢；也許他們都會想到，在倫敦結婚雖然比不上在蘇格蘭結婚來得方便，可是要省儉些。”
"But why all this secrecy? Why any fear of detection? Why must their marriage be private? Oh! no, no, this is not likely. His most particular friend, you see by Jane's account, was persuaded of his never intending to marry her. Wickham will never marry a woman without some money. He cannot afford it. And what claims has Lydia, what attractions has she beyond youth, health, and good humour, that could make him, for her sake, forgo every chance of benefiting himself by marrying well? As to what restraint the apprehension of disgrace in the corps might throw on a dishonourable elopement with her, I am not able to judge; for I know nothing of the effects that such a step might produce. But as to your other objection, I am afraid it will hardly hold good. Lydia has no brothers to step forward; and he might imagine, from my father's behaviour, from his indolence and the little attention he has ever seemed to give to what was going forward in his family, that he would do as little, and think as little about it, as any father could do in such a matter.''
“可是為什么要這樣秘密？為什么怕給人家發覺？為什么結婚要偷偷摸摸？哦，不，不，你這種想法不切合實際。你不是看到吉英信里說嗎……連他自己最要好的朋友也相信他不會跟她結婚。韋翰絕不會跟一個沒有錢的女人結婚的。他根本辦不到。麗迪雅除了年輕、健康、愛開玩笑之外，有什么辦法、有什么吸引力，可以叫他為了她而放棄掉結婚致富的機會？至于他會不會怕這次羞恥的私奔使他自己在部隊里丟面子，便把行為檢點一下，那我就無法判斷了，因為我無從知道他這一次的行為究竟會產生什么樣的后果。但是你說的另外一點，我恐怕不大靠得住。麗迪雅的確沒有個親兄弟為她出頭，他又看到我父親平日為人懶散，不管家事，便以為他遇到這類事情，也會跟人家做父親的一樣，不肯多管，也不肯多想。”
