I rather wished than believed him to be sincere; but, at any rate, was perfectly ready to accede to his proposal. I knew that Mr. Wickham ought not to be a clergyman. The business was therefore soon settled. He resigned all claim to assistance in the church, were it possible that he could ever be in a situation to receive it, and accepted in return three thousand pounds. All connection between us seemed now dissolved. I thought too ill of him to invite him to Pemberley, or admit his society in town. In town, I believe, he chiefly lived, but his studying the law was a mere pretence, and being now free from all restraint, his life was a life of idleness and dissipation.
我與其說，相信他這些話靠得住，不如說，我但愿他這些話靠得住。不過，我無論如何還是愿意答應他的要求。我知道韋翰先生不適宜當牧師。 因此這件事立刻就談妥條件，獲得解決：我們拿出三千磅給他，他不再要求我們幫助他獲得圣職，算是自動放棄權(quán)利，即使將來他有資格擔任圣職，也不再提出請 求。從此我和他之間的一切關系，便好象一刀兩斷。我非?？床黄鹚辉僬埶脚聿飦硗?，在城里也不和他來往。我相信他大半都住在城里，但是他所謂學法 律，只不過是一個借口罷了，現(xiàn)在他既然擺脫了一切羈絆，便整天過著浪蕩揮霍的生活。
For about three years I heard little of him; but on the decease of the incumbent of the living which had been designed for him, he applied to me again by letter for the presentation. His circumstances, he assured me, and I had no difficulty in believing it, were exceedingly bad. He had found the law a most unprofitable study, and was now absolutely resolved on beingordained, if I would present him to the living in question -- of which he trusted there could be little doubt, as he was well assured that I had no other person to provide for, and I could not have forgotten my revered father's intentions. You will hardly blame me for refusing to comply with this entreaty, or for resisting every repetition of it. His resentment was in proportion to the distress of his circumstances -- and he was doubtless as violent in his abuse of me to others, as in his reproaches to myself. After this period, every appearance of acquaintance was dropt. How he lived I know not. But last summer he was again most painfully obtruded on my notice.
我大約接連三年簡直聽不到他的消息，可是后來有個牧師逝世了，這份俸祿本來是可以由他接替的，于是他又寫信給我，要我薦舉他。他說他境遇窘得不能再窘，這 一點我當然不難相信。他又說研究法律毫無出息，現(xiàn)在已下決心當牧師，只要我肯薦舉他去接替這個位置就行了。他自以為我一定會推薦他，因為他看準我沒有別人 可以補缺，況且我也不能疏忽先父生前應承他的一片好意。我沒有答應他的要求，他再三請求，我依然拒絕，這你總不見得會責備我吧。他的境遇愈困苦，怨憤就愈 深。毫無問題，他無論在我背后罵我，當面罵我，都是一樣狠毒。從這個時期以后，連一點點面子賬的交情都完結(jié)了。我不知道他是怎樣生活的，可是說來痛心之 至，去年夏天他又引起了我的注意。
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