She then changed the discourse to one more gratifying to each, and on which there could be no difference of sentiment. Elizabeth listened with delight to the happy, though modest hopes which Jane entertained of Bingley's regard, and said all in her power to heighten her confidence in it. On their being joined by Mr. Bingley himself, Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas; to whose inquiry after the pleasantness of her last partner she had scarcely replied, before Mr. Collins came up to them and told her with great exultation that he had just been so fortunate as to make a most important discovery.
她于是換了一個話題，使她們倆都能談得更稱心。她們倆在這方面的意見是完全一致的。伊麗莎白高興地聽著吉英談起，她在彬格萊先生身上雖然不敢存奢望，卻寄托著多少幸福的心愿；她于是盡心竭力說了多少話來增加姐姐的信念。一會兒，彬格萊先生走到她們這里來了，伊麗莎白便退到盧卡斯小姐身邊去。盧卡斯小姐問她跟剛才那位舞伴跳得是否愉快，她還沒有來得及回答，只見柯林斯先生走上前來，欣喜欲狂地告訴她們說，他真幸運，發(fā)現(xiàn)了一件極其重要的事。
"I have found out," said he, "by a singular accident, that there is now in the room a near relation of my patroness. I happened to overhear the gentleman himself mentioning to the young lady who does the honours of this house the names of his cousin Miss de Bourgh, and of her mother Lady Catherine. How wonderfully these sort of things occur! Who would have thought of my meeting with -- perhaps -- a nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this assembly! -- I am most thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to him, which I am now going to do, and trust he will excuse my not having done it before. My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology."
他說：“這真是完全出于我意料之外，我竟然發(fā)現(xiàn)這屋子里有一位是我女施主的至親。我湊巧聽到一位先生跟主人家的那位小姐說，他自己的表妹德·包爾小姐和他的姨母咖苔琳夫人。這些事真是太巧合了！誰想到我會在這次的舞會上碰到咖苔琳·德·包爾夫人的姨侄呢！謝天謝地，我這個發(fā)現(xiàn)正是時候，還來得及去問候他吧。我根本就不知道有這門親戚，因此還有道歉的余地。”
"You are not going to introduce yourself to Mr. Darcy?"
“你打算去向達西先生自我介紹嗎？”
"Indeed I am. I shall intreat his pardon for not having done it earlier. I believe him to be Lady Catherine's nephew. It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well yesterday se'nnight."
“我當然打算去。我一定去求他原諒，請他不要怪我沒有早些問候他。我相信他是咖苔琳夫人的姨侄。我可以告訴他說，上星期我還見到她老人家，她身體著實健康。”
Elizabeth tried hard to dissuade him from such a scheme; assuring him that Mr. Darcy would consider his addressing him without introduction as an impertinent freedom, rather than a compliment to his aunt; that it was not in the least necessary there should be any notice on either side, and that if it were, it must belong to Mr. Darcy, the superior in consequence, to begin the acquaintance. -- Mr. Collins listened to her with the determined air of following his own inclination and when she ceased speaking, replied thus, "My dear Miss Elizabeth, I have the highest opinion in the world of your excellent judgment in all matters within the scope of your understanding, but permit me to say that there must be a wide difference between the established forms of ceremony amongst the laity, and those which regulate the clergy; for give me leave to observe that I consider the clerical office as equal in point of dignity with the highest rank in the kingdom -- provided that a proper humility of behaviour is at the same time maintained. You must therefore allow me to follow the dictates of my conscience on this occasion, which leads me to perform what I look on as a point of duty. Pardon me for neglecting to profit by your advice, which on every other subject shall be my constant guide, though in the case before us I consider myself more fitted by education and habitual study to decide on what is right than a young lady like yourself." And with a low bow he left her to attack Mr. Darcy, whose reception of his advances she eagerly watched, and whose astonishment at being so addressed was very evident. Her cousin prefaced his speech with a solemn bow, and though she could not hear a word of it, she felt as if hearing it all, and saw in the motion of his lips the words "apology," "Hunsford," and "Lady Catherine de Bourgh." -- It vexed her to see him expose himself to such a man. Mr. Darcy was eyeing him with unrestrained wonder, and when at last Mr. Collins allowed him time to speak, replied with an air of distant civility. Mr. Collins, however, was not discouraged from speaking again, and Mr. Darcy's contempt seemed abundantly increasing with the length of his second speech, and at the end of it he only made him a slight bow, and moved another way. Mr. Collins then returned to Elizabeth.
伊麗莎白竭力勸他不要那么做，她說，他如果不經過人家介紹就去招呼達西先生，達西先生一定會認為他冒昧唐突，而不會認為他是奉承他姨母，又說雙方根本不必打交道，即使要打交道，也應該由地位比較高的達西先生來跟他通候。柯林斯先生聽她這么說，便顯出一副堅決的神氣，表示非照著自己的意思去做不可，等她說完了，他回答道：“親愛的伊麗莎白小姐，你對于一切的問題都有卓越的見解。我非常敬佩，可是請你聽我說一句：俗人的禮節(jié)跟教士們的禮節(jié)大不相同。請聽我說，我認為從尊嚴方面看來，一個教士的位置可以比得上一個君侯，只要你能同時保持相當的謙虛。所以，這一次你應該讓我照著我自己的良心的吩咐，去做好我認為應該做的事情。請原諒我沒有領受你的指教，要是在任何其他的問題上，我一定把你的指教當作座右銘，不過對于當前這個問題，我覺得，由于我還算讀書明理，平日也曾稍事鉆研，由我自己來決定比由你這樣一位年輕小姐來決定要合適些；”他深深鞠了一躬，便離開了她，去向達西先生糾纏。于是她迫不及待地望著達西先生怎樣對待他這種冒失行為，料想達西先生對于這種問候方式一定要大為驚訝，只見她這位表兄先恭恭敬敬地對達西鞠了一躬，然后再開口跟他說話。伊麗莎白雖然一句也沒聽到他說些什么，卻又好象聽到了他所有的話，因為從他那蠕動嘴唇的動作看來，他無非口口聲聲盡說些“道歉”、“漢斯福”、“咖苔琳·德·包爾夫人”之類的話。她看到表兄在這樣的一個人面前出丑，心中好不氣惱。達西先生帶著毫不掩飾的驚奇目光斜睨著他，等到后來柯林斯先生嘮叨夠了，達西才帶著一副敬而遠之的神氣，敷衍了他幾句。柯林斯先生卻并不因此而灰心掃興，一再開口。等他第二次開口嘮叨的時候，達西先生的輕蔑的神氣顯得更露骨了。他說完以后，達西先生隨便拱了拱身子就走開了。柯林斯先生這才回到伊麗莎白跟前來。
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