評論
打印
Can I have the carriage? said Jane.
“我可以乘著車子去嗎？”吉英問。
No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night.
“不行，親愛的，你最好騎著馬去。天好象要下雨的樣子，下了雨你就可以在那兒過夜。”
That would be a good scheme, said Elizabeth, if you were sure that they would not offer to send her home.
“這倒是個好辦法，”伊麗莎白說。“只要你拿得準他們不會送她回來。”
Oh! but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chaise to go to Meryton; and the Hursts have no horses to theirs.
“噢，彬格萊先生的馬車要送他的朋友到麥里屯去，赫斯脫夫婦又是有車無馬。”
I had much rather go in the coach.
“我倒還是愿意乘著馬車去。”
But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, I am sure. They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are not they?
“可是，乖孩子，我包管你爸爸勻不出拖車子的馬來。──農莊上正要馬用，我的好老爺，是不是？”
They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them.
“農莊上常常要馬用，可惜到我手里的時候并不多。”
But if you have got them today, said Elizabeth, my mother's purpose will be answered.
伊麗莎白說：“可是，如果今天到得你的手里，就如了媽媽的愿了。”
She did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that the horses were engaged. Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback, and her mother attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a bad day. Her hopes were answered; Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters were uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain continued the whole evening without intermission; Jane certainly could not come back.
她終于逼得父親不得不承認──那兒匹拉車子的馬已經有了別的用處。于是吉英只得騎著另外一匹馬去，母親送她到門口，高高興興地說了許多預祝天氣會變壞的話。她果真如愿了；吉英走了不久，就下起大雨來。妹妹們都替她擔憂，只有她老人家反而高興。大雨整個黃昏沒有停住。吉英當然無法回來了。
This was a lucky idea of mine, indeed! said Mrs. Bennet, more than once, as if the credit of making it rain were all her own. Till the next morning, however, she was not aware of all the felicity of her contrivance. Breakfast was scarcely over when a servant from Netherfield brought the following note for Elizabeth:
班納特太太一遍又一遍地說：“真虧我想出了這個好辦法！”好象天下雨老師她一手造成的。不過，她的神機妙算究竟造成了多大幸福，她一直到第二天早上才知道。早飯還沒吃完，尼日斐花園就打發了人送來一封信給伊麗莎白：
My dearest Lizzy, I FIND myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is to be imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hear of my returning home till I am better. They insist also on my seeing Mr. Jones -- therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of his having been to me -- and excepting a sore throat and head-ache, there is not much the matter with me. Yours, &c.
我親愛的麗萃，──今晨我覺得很不舒服，我想這可能是昨天淋了雨的緣故。承蒙這兒好朋友們的關切，要我等到身體舒適一些才回家來。朋友們再三要請釧斯醫生來替我看病，因此，要是你們他上我這兒來過，可別驚訝。我只不過有點兒喉嚨痛和頭痛，并沒有什么大不了的毛病。───姐字。
Well, my dear, said Mr. Bennet, when Elizabeth had read the note aloud, if your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness, if she should die, it would be a comfort to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders.
伊麗莎白讀信的時候，班納特先生對他太太說：“唔，好太太，要是你的女兒得了重病──萬一她一病不起──倒也值得安慰呀，因為她是奉了你命令去追求彬格萊先生的。”
Oh! I am not at all afraid of her dying. People do not die of little trifling colds. She will be taken good care of. As long is she stays there, it is all very well. I would go and see her, if I could have the carriage.
“噢！她難道這么一下子就會送命！哪有小傷風就會送命的道理。人家自會把她等候得好好的。只要她待在那兒，包管無事。倘使有車子的話，我也想去看看她。”
Elizabeth, feeling really anxious, was determined to go to her, though the carriage was not to be had; and as she was no horse-woman, walking was her only alternative. She declared her resolution.
真正著急的倒是伊麗莎白，她才不管有車無車，決定非去一趟不可。她既然不會騎馬，唯一的辦法便只有步行。她把自己的打算說了出來。
How can you be so silly, cried her mother, as to think of such a thing, in all this dirt! You will not be fit to be seen when you get there.
她媽媽叫道：“你怎么這樣蠢！路上這么泥濘，虧你想得出來！等你走到那兒，你那副樣子怎么見人。”
I shall be very fit to see Jane -- which is all I want.
“我只要見到吉英就成。”
Is this a hint to me, Lizzy, said her father, to send for the horses?
“麗萃，”她的父親說，“你的意思是叫我替你弄幾匹馬來駕馬車嗎？”
No, indeed. I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is nothing, when one has a motive; only three miles. I shall be back by dinner.
“當然不是這個意思。我不怕步行，只要存心去，這點兒路算得上什么。才不過三英里路。我可以趕回來吃晚飯。”
