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。

 

 

 

DURING dinner, Mr. Bennet scarcely spoke at all; but when the servants were withdrawn, he thought it time to have some conversation with his guest, and therefore started a subject in which he expected him to shine, by observing that he seemed very fortunate in his patroness. Lady Catherine de Bourgh's attention to his wishes, and consideration for his comfort, appeared very remarkable.

吃饭的时候，班纳特先生几乎一句话也没有说；可是等到佣人们走开以后，他就想道，现在可以跟这位客人谈谈了。他料想到，如果一开头就谈到咖苔琳夫人身上去，这位贵客一定会笑逐颜开的，于是他便拿这个话题做开场白，说是柯林斯先生有了那样一个女施主，真是幸运极了，又说咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人对他这样言听计从，而且极其周到地照顾到他生活方面的安适，真是十分难得。

 

Mr. Bennet could not have chosen better. Mr. Collins was eloquent in her praise. The subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner, and with a most important aspect he protested that he had never in his life witnessed such behaviour in a person of rank - such affability and condescension, as he had himself experienced from Lady Catherine. She had been graciously pleased to approve of both the discourses which he had already had the honour of preaching before her. She had also asked him twice to dine at Rosings, and had sent for him only the Saturday before, to make up her pool of quadrille in the evening.

班纳特先生这个话题选得再好也没有了。柯林斯先生果然滔滔不绝地赞美起那位夫人来。这个问题一谈开了头，他本来的那种严肃态度便显得更严肃了，他带着非常自负的神气说，他一辈子也没有看到过任何有身价地位的人，能够象咖苔琳夫人那样的有德行，那样的亲切谦和。他很荣幸，曾经当着她的面讲过两次道，多蒙夫人垂爱，对他那两次讲道赞美不绝。夫人曾经请他到罗新斯去吃过两次饭，上星期六晚上还请他到她家里去打过“夸锥”。

 

Lady Catherine was reckoned proud by many people he knew, but he had never seen any thing but affability in her. She had always spoken to him as she would to any other gentlemen; she made not the smallest objection to his joining in the society of the neighbourhood, nor to his leaving his parish occasionally for a week or two, to visit his relations.

据他所知，多少人都认为咖苔琳夫人为人骄傲，可是他只觉得亲切。她平常跟他攀谈起来，总是把他当作一个有身份的人看待。她丝毫不反对他和邻居们来往，也不反对他偶而离开教区一两个星期，去拜望拜望亲友们。

 

She had even condescended to advise him to marry as soon as he could, provided he chose with discretion; and had once paid him a visit in his humble parsonage; where she perfectly approved all the alterations he had been making, and had even vouchsafed to suggest some herself, - some shelves in the closets up stairs.

多蒙她体恤下情，曾经亲自劝他及早结婚，只要他能够谨慎选择对象。她还到他的寒舍去拜访过一次，对于他住宅所有经过他整修过的地方都十分赞成，并且蒙她亲自赐予指示，叫他把楼上的璧橱添置几个架子。