評(píng)論
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WITHIN a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the King during his mayoralty. The distinction had perhaps been felt too strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business and to his residence in a small market town; and quitting them both, he had removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, denominated from that period Lucas Lodge, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world. For though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to every body. By nature inoffensive, friendly and obliging, hispresentation at St. James's had made him courteous.
距離浪博恩不遠(yuǎn)的地方，住著一家人家，這就是威廉·盧卡斯爵士府上。班納特府上跟他們特別知已。爵士從前是在麥里屯做生意起家發(fā)跡的，曾在當(dāng)市長(zhǎng)的任內(nèi)上書皇上，獲得了一個(gè)爵士頭銜；這個(gè)顯要的身份使他覺(jué)得太榮幸，從此他就討厭做生意，討厭住在一個(gè)小鎮(zhèn)上，于是歇了生意，告別小鎮(zhèn)，帶著家屬遷到那離開(kāi)麥里屯大約一英里路的一幢房子里去住，從那時(shí)候起就把那地方叫做盧家莊。他可以在這兒自得其樂(lè)，以顯要自居，而且，既然擺脫了生意的糾纏，他大可以一心一意地從事社交活動(dòng)。他盡管以自己的地位欣然自得，卻并不因此而目空一切，反而對(duì)什么人都應(yīng)酬得非常周到。他生來(lái)不肯得罪人，待人接物總是和藹可親，殷勤體貼，而且自從皇上覲見(jiàn)以來(lái)，更加彬彬有禮。
Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. -- They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's intimate friend. That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly brought the former to Longbourn to hear and to communicate.
盧卡斯太太是個(gè)很善良的女人，真是班納特太太一位寶貴的鄰居。盧府上有好幾個(gè)孩子。大女兒是個(gè)明理懂事的年輕小姐，年紀(jì)大約二十六七歲，她是伊麗莎白的要好朋友。且說(shuō)盧府上幾位小姐跟班府上幾位小姐這回非要見(jiàn)見(jiàn)面，談?wù)勥@次跳舞會(huì)上的事業(yè)不可。于是在開(kāi)完了跳舞會(huì)的第二天上午，盧府上的小姐們到浪博恩來(lái)跟班府上的小姐交換意見(jiàn)。
"You began the evening well, Charlotte," said Mrs. Bennet with civil self-command to Miss Lucas. "You were Mr. Bingley's first choice."
班納特太太一看見(jiàn)盧卡斯小姐，便客客氣氣，從容不迫地說(shuō)：“那天晚上全靠你開(kāi)場(chǎng)開(kāi)得好，你做了彬格萊先生的第一個(gè)意中人?！?/P>
"Yes; -- but he seemed to like his second better."
“是呀；可是他喜歡的倒是第二個(gè)意中人?！?/P>
"Oh! -- you mean Jane, I suppose -- because he danced with her twice. To be sure that did seem as if he admired her -- indeed I rather believe he did -- I heard something about it -- but I hardly know what -- something about Mr. Robinson."
“哦，我想你是說(shuō)吉英吧，因?yàn)樗藘纱巍？雌饋?lái)，他是真的愛(ài)上她呢──我的確相信他是真的──我聽(tīng)到了一些話──可是我弄不清究竟──我聽(tīng)到了一些有關(guān)魯賓遜先生的話?！?/P>
