One morning, about a week after Bingley’s engagement with Jane had been formed, as he and the females of the family were sitting together in the dining-room, their attention was suddenly drawn to the window, by the sound of a carriage; and they perceived a chaise and four driving up the lawn. It was too early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the equipage did not answer to that of any of their neighbours. The horses were post; and neither the carriage, nor the livery of the servant who preceded it, were familiar to them. As it was certain, however, that somebody was coming, Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss Bennet to avoid the confinement of such an intrusion, and walk away with him into the shrubbery. They both set off, and the conjectures of the remaining three continued, though with little satisfaction, till the door was thrown open, and their visitor entered. It was lady Catherine de Bourgh.
They were of course all intending to be surprised; but their astonishment was beyond their expectation; and on the part of Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt.
She entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, made no other reply to Elizabeth’s salutation, than a slight inclination of the head, and sat down without saying a word. Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother, on her ladyship’s entrance, though no request of introduction had been made.
Mrs. Bennet all amazement, though flattered by having a guest of such high importance, received her with the utmost politeness. After sitting for a moment in silence, she said very stiffly to Elizabeth,
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5
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“我想,你一定过得很好吧,班纳特小姐。那位太太大概是你母亲?”
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5
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"I hope you are well, Miss Bennet. That lady I suppose is your mother."
"Yes, madam," said Mrs. Bennet, delighted to speak to a lady Catherine. "She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all, is lately married, and my eldest is somewhere about the grounds, walking with a young man, who I believe will soon become a part of the family."
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9
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咖苔琳夫人没有理睬她,过了片刻才说:“你们这儿还有个小花园呢。”
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9
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"You have a very small park here," returned Lady Catherine after a short silence.
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10
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“哪能比得上罗新斯,夫人,可是我敢说,比威廉·卢卡斯爵士的花园却要大得多。”
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10
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"It is nothing in comparison of Rosings, my lady, I dare say; but I assure you it is much larger than Sir William Lucas’s."
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11
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“到了夏天,这间屋子做起居室一定很不适宜,窗子都朝西。”
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11
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"This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west."
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12
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班纳特太太告诉她说,她们每天吃过中饭以后,从来不坐在那儿,接着又说:
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12
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Mrs. Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner; and then added,
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13
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“我是否可以冒昧请问你夫人一声,柯林斯夫妇都好吗?”
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13
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"May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. and Mrs. Collins well."
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14
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“他们都很好,前天晚上我还看见他们的。”
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14
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"Yes, very well. I saw them the night before last."
Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motive for her calling. But no letter appeared, and she was completely puzzled.
Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment; but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then rising up, said to Elizabeth,
"Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company."
Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on.
Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting-woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse; Elizabeth was determined to make no effort for conversation with a woman, who was now more than usually insolent and disagreeable.
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21
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她仔细瞧了一下老妇人的脸,不禁想道:“她哪一点地方像她姨侄?”
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21
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"How could I ever think her like her nephew?" said she, as she looked in her face.
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22
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一走进小树林,咖苔琳夫人便用这样的方式跟她谈话:
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22
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As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner:—
"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature, reached me two days ago. I was told, that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you , that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood; though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you."
"If you believed it impossible to be true," said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could your ladyship propose by it?"
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28
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“我一定要你立刻向大家去辟谣。”
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28
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"At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted."
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29
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伊丽莎白冷冷地说:“要是外界真有这种传说,那么你赶到浪搏恩来看我和我家里人,反而会弄假成真。”
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29
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"Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family," said Elizabeth, coolly, "will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence."
"If! do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves? Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?"
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31
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“我从来没有听见过。”
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31
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"I never heard that it was."
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32
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“你能不能说一声这是毫无根据?”
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32
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"And can you likewise declare, that there is no foundation for it?"
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33
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“我并不冒充我也像你老人家一样坦白。你尽管问好了,我可不想回答。”
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33
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"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions, which I shall not choose to answer."
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34
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“岂有此理!班纳特小姐,我非要你说个明白不可。我姨侄向你求过婚没有?”
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34
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"This is not to be borne. Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has he, has my nephew, made you an offer of marriage?"
"It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retains the use of his reason. But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in."
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37
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“即使我真的把他迷住了,我也决不会说给你听。”
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37
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"If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it."
"Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns."
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39
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“你可没有权利过问我的事,而且你这种态度也休想把我逼供出来。”
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39
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"But you are not entitled to know mine ; nor will such behaviour as this, ever induce me to be explicit."
"Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter . Now what have you to say?"
"Yes, and I had heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it, by knowing that his mother and aunt wished him to marry Miss De Bourgh. You both did as much as you could, in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?"
"Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by every one connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us."