評論
打印
"But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If I can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it too."
“不過她已經(jīng)盡心竭力在幫他的忙了。要是我都能看出她對他的好感，而他卻看不出，那他未免太蠢了。”
"Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Jane's disposition as you do."
“伊麗莎，你得記住，他可不象你那么懂得吉英的性格。”
"But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour to conceal it, he must find it out."
“假如一個女人愛上了一個男人，只要女方不故意瞞住男方，男方一定會看得出的。”
"Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But though Bingley and Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours together; and as they always see each other in large mixed parties, it is impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing together. Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chooses."
“要是男方和女方見面的機會很多，或許他總會看得出。雖然彬格萊和吉英見面的次數(shù)相當多，卻從來沒有在一起接連待上幾個鐘頭，何況他們見起面來，總是跟一些雜七雜八的人在一起，不可能讓他們倆暢談。因此吉英就得時時刻刻留神，一看到有機會可以逗引他，千萬不要借過。等到能把他抓到手，再從從容容盡量去談戀愛還來得及。”
"Your plan is a good one," replied Elizabeth, "where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married; and if I were determined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say I should adopt it. But these are not Jane's feelings; she is not acting by design. As yet, she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard, nor of its reasonableness. She has known him only a fortnight. She danced four dances with him at Meryton; she saw him one morning at his own house, and has since dined in company with him four times. This is not quite enough to make her understand his character."
伊麗莎白回答道：“倘使只求嫁一個有錢的男人，你這個辦法妙極了，我如果決心找個闊丈夫，或者干脆只要隨便找個丈夫就算數(shù)，我或許會照你的辦法去做。可惜吉英不是這樣想法的；她為人處世，就是不愿意使心眼兒。而且，她自己也還拿不準她究竟對她鐘情到什么地步，鐘情得是否得體。她認識他才不過兩個星期。她在麥里屯跟他跳了四次舞；有天上午她在他家里跟他見過一次面，此后又跟他吃過四次晚飯，可是總有別人在一起。就這么點兒來往，叫她怎么能了解他的性格呢。”
"Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, she might only have discovered whether he had a good appetite; but you must remember that four evenings have been also spent together -- and four evenings may do a great deal."
“事情并不是你所說的那樣。要是她只跟他吃吃晚飯，那她或許只看得出他的飯量好不好；可是你得記住，他們既在一起吃過四頓飯也就是在一起盤恒了四個晚上呀──四個晚上的作用可大著呢。”
"Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like Vingt-un better than Commerce; but with respect to any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been unfolded."
“是的；這四個晚上叫他們彼此摸透了一樣性格，那就是他們倆都喜歡玩二十一點，不喜歡玩‘康梅司’；講到別的重要的特點，我看他們彼此之間還了解很少。”
"Well," said Charlotte, "I wish Jane success with all my heart; and if she were married to him to-morrow, I should think she had as good a chance of happiness as if she were to be studying his character for a twelvemonth. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar before-hand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always contrive to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life."
“唔，”夏綠蒂說，“我一心一意祝吉英成功。我以為即使她明天就跟他結婚，她必能獲得的幸福，比起她花上一年的時間，研究了他的性格、再去跟他結婚所能獲得的幸福，并不見得會少到哪里去。婚姻生活是否幸福，完全是個機會問題。一對愛人婚前脾氣摸得非常透，或者脾氣非常相同，這并不能保證他們倆就會幸福。他們總是弄到后來距離越來越遠，彼此煩惱。你既然得和這個人過一輩子，你最盡量少了解他的缺點。”
"You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound. You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself."
“你這番話妙透了，夏綠蒂。不過這種說法未必可靠。你也明知道未必可靠，你自己就不肯那么做。”
