It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
凡是有錢的單身漢损离，總想娶位太太哥艇，這已經(jīng)成了一條舉世公認的真理。這樣的單身漢僻澎，每逢新搬到一個地方厂画，四鄰八舍雖然完全不了解他的性情如何，見解如何瑟枫，可是遥皂，既然這樣的一條真理早已在人們心目中根深蒂固，因此人們總是把他看作自己某一個女兒理所應得的一筆財產(chǎn)秉氧。
"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"
有一天班納特太太對她的丈夫說：“我的好老爺眷昆，尼日斐花園終于租出去了，你聽說過沒有汁咏？”
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
班納特先生回答道亚斋，他沒有聽說過。
"But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."
“的確租出去了攘滩，”她說帅刊，“朗格太太剛剛上這兒來過，她把這件事的底細轰驳，一五一十地告訴了我厚掷〉茏疲”
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
班納特先生沒有理睬她。
"Do not you want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently.
“你難道不想知道是誰租去的嗎冒黑？”太太不耐煩地嚷起來了田绑。
"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
“既是你要說給我聽，我聽聽也無妨抡爹⊙谇”
This was invitation enough.
這句話足夠鼓勵她講下去了。
"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week."
“哦冬竟！親愛的欧穴，你得知道，郎格太太說泵殴，租尼日斐花園的是個闊少爺涮帘，他是英格蘭北部的人；聽說他星期一那天笑诅，乘著一輛駟馬大轎車來看房子调缨，看得非常中意，當場就和莫理斯先生談妥了吆你；他要在‘米迦勒節(jié)’以前搬進來弦叶，打算下個周未先叫幾個傭人來住「径啵”
"What is his name?"
“這個人叫什么名字伤哺？”
"Bingley."
“彬格萊≌咦妫”
"Is he married or single?"
“有太太的呢立莉，還是單身漢？”
"Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!"
“噢咸包！是個單身漢桃序，親愛的杖虾，確確實實是個單身漢烂瘫！一個有錢的單身漢；每年有四五千磅的收入奇适。真是女兒們的福氣坟比！”
"How so? how can it affect them?"
“這怎么說？關女兒女兒們什么事嚷往？”
"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."
“我的好老爺葛账，”太太回答道，“你怎么這樣叫人討厭皮仁！告訴你吧籍琳，我正在盤算菲宴，他要是挑中我們一個女兒做老婆，可多好趋急！”
"Is that his design in settling here?"
“他住到這兒來喝峦，就是為了這個打算嗎？”
"Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."
“打算呜达！胡扯谣蠢，這是哪兒的話！不過查近，他倒作興看中我們的某一個女兒呢眉踱。他一搬來，你就得去拜訪拜訪他霜威√冈”
"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better; for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party."
“我不用去。你帶著女兒們?nèi)ゾ偷美哺昶茫荒愀纱啻虬l(fā)她們自己去叁执，那或許倒更好些，因為你跟女兒們比起來矮冬，她們哪一個都不能勝過你的美貌,你去了谈宛，彬格萊先生倒可能挑中你呢？”
"My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty."
“我的好老爺胎署，你太捧我啦吆录。從前也的確有人贊賞過我的美貌，現(xiàn)在我可有敢說有什么出眾的地方了琼牧。一個女人家有了五個成年的女兒恢筝，就不該對自己的美貌再轉(zhuǎn)什么念頭【薹唬”
"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of."
“這樣看來撬槽，一個女人家對自己的美貌也轉(zhuǎn)不了多少念頭嘍≈耗欤”
"But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood."
“不過侄柔，我的好老爺，彬格萊一搬到我們的鄰近來占调，你的確應該去看看他暂题。”
"It is more than I engage for, I assure you."
“老實跟你說吧究珊，這不是我份內(nèi)的事薪者。”
"But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know they visit no new comers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not."
“看女兒的份上吧剿涮。只請你想一想言津，她們不論哪一個攻人，要是攀上了這樣一個人家，夠多么好悬槽。威廉爵士夫婦已經(jīng)決定去拜望他贝椿，他們也無非是這個用意。你知道陷谱，他們通常是不會拜望新搬來的鄰居的烙博。你的確應該去一次，要是你不去烟逊，叫我們怎么去渣窜。”
"You are overscrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy."
“你實在過分心思啦宪躯。彬格萊先生一定高興看到你的乔宿；我可以寫封信給你帶去，就說隨便他挑中我哪一個女兒访雪，我都心甘情愿地答應他把她娶過去详瑞；不過，我在信上得特別替小麗萃吹噓幾句臣缀“酉穑”
"I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference."
“我希望你別這么做。麗萃沒有一點兒地方勝過別的幾個女兒精置；我敢說计寇，論漂亮，她抵不上吉英一半脂倦；論性子番宁，好抵不上麗迪雅一半。你可老是偏愛她赖阻〉海”
"They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters."
“她們沒有哪一個值得夸獎的，”他回答道火欧；“他們跟人家的姑娘一樣棋电，又傻，又無知布隔；倒是麗萃要比她的幾個姐妹伶俐些离陶。”
"Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves."
“我的好老爺衅檀，你怎么舍得這樣糟蹋自己的新生親生女兒？你是在故意叫我氣惱霎俩，好讓你自己得意吧哀军。你半點兒也不體諒我的神經(jīng)衰弱沉眶。”
"You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."
“你真錯怪了我杉适，我的好太太谎倔。我非常尊重你的神經(jīng)。它們是我的老朋友猿推。至少在最近二十年以來片习，我一直聽道你慎重其事地提到它們〉虐龋”
"Ah! you do not know what I suffer."
“芭河健！你不知道我怎樣受苦呢秽五！”
"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood."
“不過我希望你這毛病會好起來孽查，那么，象這種每年有四千鎊收入的闊少爺坦喘，你就可以眼看著他們一個個搬來做你的鄰居了盲再。”
"It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them."
“你既然不愿意去拜訪他們瓣铣，即使有二十個搬了來答朋，對我們又有什么好處！”
"Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all."
“放心吧棠笑，我的好太太绿映，等到有了二十個，我一定去一個個拜望到腐晾〔嫦遥”
Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.
班納特先生真是個古怪人，他一方面喜歡插科打渾藻糖，愛挖苦人淹冰，同時又不拘言笑，變幻莫測巨柒，真使他那位太太積二十三年之經(jīng)驗樱拴，還摸不透他的性格。太太的腦子是很容易加以分析的洋满。她是個智力貧乏晶乔、不學無術、喜怒無常的女人牺勾，只要碰到不稱心的事正罢，她就以為神經(jīng)衰弱。她生平的大事就是嫁女兒驻民；她生平的安慰就是訪友拜客和打聽新聞翻具。
