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TWO days after Mr. Bennet's return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and concluding that she came to call them to their mother, went forward to meet her; but, instead of the expected summons, when they approached her she said to Miss Bennet, "I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town, so I took the liberty of coming to ask."
班納特先生回來兩天了。那天吉英和伊麗莎白正在屋后的矮樹林里散步，只見管家奶奶朝她倆走來，她們以為是母親打發她來叫她們回去的，于是迎面走上前去。到了那個管家奶奶跟前，才發覺事出意外，原來她并不是來叫她們的。她對吉英說：“小姐，請原諒我打斷了你們的談話，不過，我料想你們一定獲得了從城里來的好消息，所以我來大膽地問一問。”
"What do you mean, Hill? We have heard nothing from town."
“你這話怎么講，希爾？我們沒有聽到一點兒城里來的消息。”
"Dear madam," cried Mrs. Hill, in great astonishment, "don't you know there is an express come for master from Mr. Gardiner? He has been here this half hour, and master has had a letter."
希爾奶奶驚奇地嚷道：“親愛的小姐，嘉丁納先生打發了一個專差給主人送來一封信，難道你們不知道嗎？他已經來了半個鐘頭啦。”
Away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech. They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast room; from thence to the library; their father was in neither; and they were on the point of seeking him up stairs with their mother, when they were met by the butler, who said, "If you are looking for my master, ma'am, he is walking towards the little copse."
兩位小姐拔腳就跑，急急忙忙跑回家去，話也來不及說了。她們倆跑進大門口，來到起坐間，再從起坐間來到書房，兩處地方都沒有見到父親，正要上樓梯到母親那兒去找他，又碰到了廚子，廚子說：“小姐，你們是在找主人吧，他正往小樹林里去散步呢。”
Upon this information, they instantly passed through the hall once more, and ran across the lawn after their father, who was deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.
她們聽到這話，又走過穿堂，跑過一片草地，去找父親，只見父親正在從容不迫地向圍場旁邊的一座小樹林走去。
Jane, who was not so light, nor so much in the habit of running, as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath, came up with him, and eagerly cried out, "Oh, Papa, what news? what news? Have you heard from my uncle?"
吉英沒有伊麗莎白那么玲瓏，也沒有她那么會跑，因此一下子就落后了，只見妹妹已經上氣不接下氣地跑到了父親跟前，迫不及待地嚷道：“爸爸，有了什么消息？你接到舅父的信了嗎？”
"Yes, I have had a letter from him by express."
“是的，他打發專人送了封信來。”
"Well, and what news does it bring? good or bad?"
“唔，信里說些什么消息呢──好消息還是壞消息？”
"What is there of good to be expected?" said he, taking the letter from his pocket; "but perhaps you would like to read it."
“哪來好消息？”他一面說，一面從口袋里掏出信來。“也許你倒高興看一看。”
Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand. Jane now came up.
伊麗莎白性急地從他手里接過信來。吉英也趕上來了。
"Read it aloud," said their father, "for I hardly know myself what it is about."
“念出來吧，”父親說，“我幾乎也不知道信上講些什么。”
"Gracechurch-street, Monday, August 2.---MY DEAR BROTHER, At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were.
"親愛的姐夫：我終于能夠告訴你一些有關外甥女的消息了，希望這個消息大體上能叫你滿意。總算僥幸，你星期六走了以后，我立刻打聽出他們倆在倫敦的住址。
