导读

《傲慢与偏见》（Pride and Prejudice）是英国女小说家简·奥斯汀的创作的长篇小说。这部作品以日常生活为素材，以反当时社会上流行的感伤小说的内容和矫揉造作的写作方法，生动地反映了18世纪末到19世纪初处于保守和闭塞状态下的英国乡镇生活和世态人情。并多次被改编成电影和电视剧。

 

 

  

 

No one made any reply. She then yawned again, threw aside her book, and cast her eyes round the room in quest of some amusement; when, hearing her brother mentioning a ball to Miss Bennet, she turned suddenly towards him and said,

谁也没有理睬她。于是她又打了个呵欠，抛开书本，把整个房间里望了一转，要想找点儿什么东西消遗消遗，这时忽听得她哥哥跟班纳特小姐说要开一次跳舞会，她就猛可地掉过头来对他说：

 

“By the bye, Charles, are you really serious in meditating a dance at Netherfield? - I would advise you, before you determine on it, to consult the wishes of the present party; I am much mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure.”

“这样说，查尔斯，你真打算在尼日斐花园开一次跳舞会吗？我劝你最好还是先征求一下在场朋友们的意见再作决定吧。这里面就会有人觉得跳舞是受罪，而不是娱乐，要是没有这种人，你怪我好了。”

 

“If you mean Darcy,” cried her brother, “he may go to bed, if he chuses, before it begins - but as for the ball, it is quite a settled thing; and as soon as Nicholls has made white soup enough I shall send round my cards.”

“如果你指的是达西，”她的哥哥大声说，“那么，他可以在跳舞开始以前就上床去睡觉，随他的便好啦。舞会已经决定了非开不可，只等尼可尔斯把一切都准备好了，我就下请贴。”

 

“I should like balls infinitely better,” she replied, “if they were carried on in a different manner; but there is something insufferably tedious in the usual process of such a meeting. It would surely be much more rational if conversation instead of dancing made the order of the day.”

彬格莱小姐说：“要是开舞会能换些花样，那我就更高兴了，通常舞会上的那老一套，实在讨厌透顶。你如果能把那一天的日程改一改，用谈话来代替跳舞，那一定有意思得多。”

 

“Much more rational, my dear Caroline, I dare say, but it would not be near so much like a ball.”

“也许有意思得多，珈罗琳，可是那还象什么舞会呢。”

 

Miss Bingley made no answer; and soon afterwards got up and walked about the room. Her figure was elegant, and she walked well; - but Darcy, at whom it was all aimed, was still inflexibly studious. In the desperation of her feelings she resolved on one effort more; and turning to Elizabeth, said,

彬格莱小姐没有回答。不大一会儿工夫，她就站起身来，在房间里踱来踱去，故意在达西面前卖弄她优美的体态和矫健的步伐，只可惜达西只顾在那里一心一意地看书，因此她只落得枉费心机。她绝望之余，决定再作一次努力，于是转过身来对伊丽莎白说：

 

“Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. - I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude.”

“伊丽莎·班纳特小姐，我劝你还是学学我的样子，在房间里瞎走动走动吧。告诉你，坐了那么久，走动一下可以提提精神。”

 

Elizabeth was surprised, but agreed to it immediately. Miss Bingley succeeded no less in the real object of her civility; Mr. Darcy looked up. He was as much awake to the novelty of attention in that quarter as Elizabeth herself could be, and unconsciously closed his book. He was directly invited to join their party, but he declined it, observing that he could imagine but two motives for their chosing to walk up and down the room together, with either of which motives his joining them would interfere. “What could he mean? she was dying to know what could be his meaning” - and asked Elizabeth whether she could at all understand him?

伊丽莎白觉得很诧异，可是立刻依了她的意思。于是彬格莱小姐献殷勤的真正目的达到了──达西先生果然抬起头来，原来达西也和伊丽莎白一样，看出了她在耍花招引人注目，便不知不觉地放下了书本。两位小姐立刻请他来一块儿踱步，可是他谢绝了，说是她们俩所以要在屋子里踱来踱去，据他的想象，无非有两个动机，如果他参加她们一起散步，对于她们的任何一个动机都会有妨碍。他这话是什么意思？彬格莱小姐极想知道他讲这话用意何在，便问伊丽莎白懂不懂。