第一章

凡是有財產(chǎn)的單身漢，必定需要娶位太太，這已經(jīng)成了一條舉世公認的真理。

有條人人信以為真的真理：凡是有錢的單身漢，總覺得自己缺個太太。

IT IS A TRUTH universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

這樣的單身漢，每逢新搬到一個地方，四鄰八舍雖然完全不了解他的性情如何，見解如何，可是，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(yīng)得的一筆財產(chǎn)。

至於這單身漢怎麼想、心裡是什麼感覺，大家也不去管，只要方圓百里內(nèi)出現(xiàn)這麼一號人物，這條真理立刻在附近人家心裡活動，理直氣壯把對方當(dāng)成自家女兒的財產(chǎn)。

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.

有一天，班納特太太對她的丈夫說：“我的好老爺，尼日斐花園終于租出去了，你聽說過沒有？”

「班奈特先生，」這天太座開口了，「你聽說沒有，尼德斐莊園終於租出去了?！?/p>

'My dear Mr Bennet,' said his lady to him one day, 'have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?'

班納特先生回答道，他沒有聽說過。

班奈特先生回說沒有。

Mr Bennet replied that he had not.

“的確租出去了，” 她說，“郎格太太剛剛上這兒來過，她把這件事的底細，一五一十地都告訴了我?！?/p>

「但真的租出去了，」她又說，「隆格太太剛才來家裡坐，一五一十告訴我了?！?/p>

'But it is,' returned she; 'for Mrs Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.'

班納特先生沒有理睬她。

班奈特先生沒搭理她。

Mr Bennet made no answer.

“你難道不想知道是誰租去的嗎？” 太太不耐煩地嚷起來了。

「你不想知道是誰租的嗎？」太座不耐煩了。

'Do not you want to know who has taken it?' cried his wife impatiently.

"既是你要說給我聽，我聽聽也無妨。"

「妳想告訴我，我也不反對?！?/p>

'You?want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.'

這句話足夠鼓勵她講下去了。

這就算是歡迎她說下去了。

This was invitation enough.

“哦，親愛的，你得知道，郎格太太說，租尼日斐花園的是個闊少爺，他是英格蘭北部的人；聽說他星期一那天，乘著一輛駟馬大轎車來看房子，看得非常中意，當(dāng)場就和莫理斯先生談妥了；他要在‘米迦勒節(jié)’以前搬進來，打算下個周末先叫幾個用人來住?！?/p>

「哎呀，親愛的，我跟你說，隆格太太說啊，這尼德斐莊園，是給個有錢的青年租去了，聽說是北方人，禮拜一乘著私家馬車下來看房子，看得高興了，當(dāng)場就跟莫里斯先生談妥，說是九月底以前入住，下週末先差家僕過來打掃。」

'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.'

“這人叫什么名字？”

「姓什麼？」

'What is his name?'

“彬格萊?！?/p>

「賓利。」

'Bingley.'

“有太太的呢，還是個單身漢？”

「結(jié)婚了還是單身？」

'Is he married or single?'

“噢！是個單身漢，親愛的，確確實實是個單身漢！一個有錢的單身漢，每年有四五千鎊的收入。真是女兒們的福氣！”

「哎！是單身哪，親愛的，我都打聽清楚了！是個有錢的單身漢！每年光利息收入就有四、五千鎊。這下我們家丫頭可好了！」

'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!'

“這怎么說？關(guān)女兒們什么事？”

「怎麼說？這跟我們家丫頭有什麼關(guān)係？」

'How so? how can it affect them?'

“我的好老爺，” 太太回答道，“你怎么這樣叫人討厭！告訴你吧，我正在盤算，他要是挑中我們的一個女兒做老婆，可多好！”

「班奈特先生，」太座回他，「你這人也真討厭！難道你不知道我是在想他娶我們家丫頭嗎?！?/p>

'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.'

“他住到這兒來，就是為了這個打算嗎？”

「原來他搬來打的是這個算盤?！?/p>

'Is that his design in settling here?'

“打算！胡扯，這是哪兒的話！不過，他倒興許看中我們的某一個女兒呢。他一搬來，你就得去拜訪拜訪他?！?/p>

「打什麼算盤！胡說八道！不過人家是真的有可能看上我們家丫頭哪，所以他人一到你就去走動走動吧。」

'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.'

“我不用去。你帶著女兒們就得啦，要不你干脆打發(fā)她們自己去，那或許倒更好些，因為你跟女兒們比起來，她們哪一個都不能勝過你的美貌，你去了，彬格萊先生倒可能挑中你呢?！?/p>

「我看沒這個必要。妳跟幾個丫頭去就好，不然叫她們自己去更好，否則你這麼漂亮，跟丫頭不相上下，說不定賓利先生最中意妳呢?！?/p>

'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.'

“我的好老爺，你太捧我啦。從前也的確有人贊賞過我的美貌，現(xiàn)在我可不敢說有什么出眾的地方了。一個女人家有了五個成年的女兒，就不該想到自己的美貌啦。”

「親愛的，你太抬舉我了。我漂亮是漂亮過，但現(xiàn)在也無心假裝出眾了。女人家啊，女兒都大了，就不該只想著自己的美貌了?！?/p>

'My dear, you flatter me. I certainly?have?had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.'

“這樣看來，一個女人家并沒有多少時候好想到自己的美貌嘍。”

「到了這節(jié)骨眼，女人家也沒多少美貌好想了?！?/p>

'In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.'

“不過，我的好老爺，彬格萊一搬到我們的鄰近來，你的確應(yīng)該去看看他。”

「反正親愛的，你非去見賓利先生不可，他一到你就去?！?/p>

'But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.'

“老實跟你說吧，這不是我分內(nèi)的事?！?/p>

「我才不攬這事兒呢，我跟妳說真的。」

'It is more than I engage for, I assure you.'

“看女兒們分上吧。只請你想一想，她們不論哪一個，要是攀上了這樣一個人家，夠多么好。威廉爵士夫婦已經(jīng)決定去拜望他，他們也無非是這個用意。你知道，他們通常是不會拜望新搬來的鄰居的。你的確應(yīng)該去一次。要是你不去，叫我們怎么去。”

「你也替那幾個丫頭打算打算吧。要是這婚事真的成了，那可不得了。盧卡斯爵士和夫人都打定主意要去了，為的不就是這個？你哪次看過他們拜訪新來的了？真的你非去不可，你不去，我們怎麼去。」

'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 newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for?us?to visit him, if you do not.'

“你實在過分細心啦。彬格萊先生一定很高興看到你的，我可以寫封信給你帶去，就說隨便他挑中了我哪一個女兒，我都心甘情愿地答應(yīng)他把她娶過去；不過，我在信上得特別替小麗萃吹噓幾句。”

「妳想太多了。我敢說賓利先生一定很樂意接見妳；我還會寫幾句話讓妳帶去，好讓他安心，知道我是打從心底歡迎他娶我女兒，不管看上哪一個都好；不過我要多幫我的莉西美言幾句?！?/p>

'You are over-scrupulous 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 whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.'

“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；我敢說，論漂亮，她抵不過吉英一半；論性子，她抵不過麗迪雅一半。你可老是偏愛她?！?/p>

「我看不要吧；莉西哪裡比其他丫頭強了？她不及珍一半漂亮，也不及麗迪亞一半好脾氣，偏偏妳最疼她?！?/p>

'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.'

“她們沒有哪一個值得夸獎的，” 他回答道；“她們跟人家的姑娘一樣，又傻，又無知；倒是麗萃要比她的幾個姐妹伶俐些?！?/p>

「那幾個丫頭，看來看去都差不多，沒什麼好誇獎的，」 他接著說，「既沒腦筋、又沒心眼，跟外邊的女孩沒什麼兩樣；但是莉西就不同了，她比那幾個丫頭伶俐多了?！?/p>

'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.'

“我的好老爺，你怎么舍得這樣糟蹋自己的親生女兒？你是在故意叫我氣惱，好讓你自己得意吧。你半點兒也不體諒我的神經(jīng)衰弱。”

「班奈特先生，你怎麼可以這樣說自己的親生女兒？你就是愛氣我。也不體諒體諒我神經(jīng)衰弱。」

'Mr Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.'

“你真錯怪了我，我的好太太。我非常尊重你的神經(jīng)。它們是我的老朋友。至少在最近二十年以來，我一直聽到你鄭重其事地提到它們?！?/p>

「妳誤會我了，親愛的。我怎麼敢不尊重妳的神經(jīng)？我跟妳的神經(jīng)認識那麼久了，又常常聽妳煞有介事地提起，少說也聽了二十年有了?！?/p>

'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.'

“??！你不知道我怎樣受苦呢！”

「唉，你哪裡知道我難受?！?/p>

'Ah! you do not know what I suffer.'

“不過我希望你這毛病會好起來，那么，像這種每年有四千鎊收入的闊少爺，你就可以眼看著他們一個個搬來做你的鄰居了。”

「知道也好，不知道也罷，但我是真心希望妳好起來，這樣才能看著年收入四千鎊的青年一個個都搬來做妳的鄰居?！?/p>

'But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.'

“你既然不愿意去拜望他們，即使有二十個搬了來，對我們又有什么好處！”

「那有什麼用，就算來了二十個，你也不會去拜訪人家?！?/p>

'It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come since you will not visit them.'

“放心吧，我的好太太，等到有了二十個，我一定去一個個拜望到。”

「你聽我一句，親愛的，要是真的搬來二十個，我一定一個一個都去拜訪?！?/p>

'Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.'

班納特先生真是個古怪人，他一方面喜歡插科打諢，愛挖苦人，同時又不茍言笑，變幻莫測，真使他那位太太積二十三之經(jīng)驗，還摸不透他的性格。太太的腦子是很容易加以分析的。她是個智力貧乏、不學(xué)無術(shù)、喜怒無常的女人，只要碰到不稱心的事，她就自以為神經(jīng)衰弱。她生平的大事就是嫁女兒；她生平的安慰就是訪友拜客和打聽新聞。

班奈特先生這人就是這麼複雜，為人機伶，說話諷刺，寡言內(nèi)斂，難以捉摸。班奈特太太跟他做了二十三年的夫妻，還是摸不透他的個性。她的個性倒是不難了解。這女人家頭腦不好，見識淺薄，陰晴不定，一有不如意，就假想自己神經(jīng)衰弱。她每天為了幫女兒作媒而奔忙，最高興的就是拜訪鄰居和道聽途說。

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 develop. 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.

?

——第一章完——