In vain did Elizabeth attempt to reasonable, and Jane to make her resigned. As for Elizabeth herself, this invitation was so far from exciting in her the same feelings as in her mother and Lydia, that she considered it as the death-warrant of all possibility of common sense for the latter; and detestable as such a step must make her were it known, she could not help secretly advising her father not to let her go. She represented to him all the improprieties of Lydia's general behaviour, the little advantage she could derive from the friendship of such a woman as Mrs. Forster, and the probability of her being yet more imprudent with such a companion at Brighton, where the temptations must be greater than at home. He heard her attentively, and then said,
伊麗莎白把道理講給她聽(tīng)，吉英也勸她不必生氣，她都不理睬。再說(shuō)伊麗莎白，她對(duì)于這次邀請(qǐng)，完全不象她母親和麗迪雅那樣興高采烈，她只覺(jué)得麗迪雅縱然還沒(méi)有糊涂到那種地步，這一去可算完全給毀了。于是她只得暗地里叫她父親不許麗迪雅去，也顧不得事后讓麗迪雅知道了，會(huì)把她恨到什么地步。她把麗迪雅日常行為舉止失檢的地方，都告訴了父親，說(shuō)明和弗斯脫太太這樣一個(gè)女人做朋友毫無(wú)益處，跟這樣的一個(gè)朋友到白利屯去，也許會(huì)變得更荒唐，因?yàn)槟沁叺恼T惑力一定比這里大。父親用心聽(tīng)她把話講完，然后說(shuō)道：
"Lydia will never be easy till she has exposed herself in some public place or other, and we can never expect her to do it with so little expense or inconvenience to her family as under the present circumstances."
“麗迪雅非到公共場(chǎng)所之類(lèi)的地方去出一出丑，是決不肯罷休的。她這次要去出丑，既不必花家里的錢(qián)，又用不著家里麻煩，真難得有這樣的機(jī)會(huì)呢。”
"If you were aware," said Elizabeth, "of the very great disadvantage to us all, which must arise from the public notice of Lydia's unguarded and imprudent manner; nay, which has already arisen from it, I am sure you would judge differently in the affair."
伊麗莎白說(shuō)：“麗迪雅那樣輕浮冒失，一定會(huì)引起外人注目，會(huì)使我們姐妹吃她的大虧──事實(shí)上已經(jīng)吃了很大的虧──你要是想到了這一點(diǎn)，那你對(duì)這樁事的看法就會(huì)兩樣了。”
"Already arisen!" repeated Mr. Bennet. "What, has she frightened away some of your lovers? Poor little Lizzy! But do not be cast down. Such squeamish youths as cannot bear to be connected with a little absurdity are not worth a regret. Come, let me see the list of the pitiful fellows who have been kept aloof by Lydia's folly."
“已經(jīng)使你們吃了大虧！”班納特先生重復(fù)了一遍。“這話怎么說(shuō)：她把你們的愛(ài)人嚇跑了不成？可憐的小麗萃呀，甭?lián)摹Ｄ切┙?jīng)不起一點(diǎn)兒小風(fēng)浪的挑三剔四的小伙子。因?yàn)榭匆?jiàn)了麗迪雅的放蕩行為，而不敢向你們問(wèn)津？”
評(píng)論
打印
