Jane Austen

《傲慢与偏见》（Pride and Prejudice）是英国女小说家简·奥斯汀的长篇小说。    小说描写了乡绅班纳特五个待字闺中的千金的生活，主角是二女儿伊丽莎白。她在一次舞会上认识了一位年轻的绅士达西，但是耳闻他为人傲慢，就一直对他心生排斥。经历了一番周折，伊丽莎白终于消除了对达西的偏见，达西也不再傲慢，有情人终成眷属。    这部作品以日常生活为素材，一反当时社会上流行的感伤小说矫揉造作的写作手法，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人情世态。它多次被改编成电影和电视剧。

本文节选自《傲慢与偏见》第二十四章。

MISS Bingley's letter arrived， and put an end to doubt. The very first sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London for the winter， and concluded with her brother's regret at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country.

彬格莱小姐的信来了，疑虑消除了。信上第一句话就说，她们决定在伦敦过冬，结尾是替他哥哥道歉，说他在临走以前，没有来得及向哈福郡的朋友们辞行，很觉遗憾。

Hope was over， entirely over; and when Jane could attend to the rest of the letter， she found little， except the professed affection of the writer， that could give her any comfort. Miss Darcy's praise occupied the chief of it. Her many attractions were again dwelt on， and Caroline boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy， and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former letter. She wrote also with great pleasure of her brother's being an inmate of Mr. Darcy's house， and mentioned with raptures some plans of the latter with regard to new furniture.

希望破灭了，彻底破灭了。吉英继续把信读下去，只觉得除了写信人那种装腔作势的亲切之外，就根本找不出可以自慰的地方。滿篇都是赞美达西小姐的话，絮絮叨叨地谈到她的千娇百媚。珈罗琳又高高兴兴地说，她们俩之间已经一天比一天来得亲热，而且竟大胆地作出预言，说是她上封信里面提到的那些愿望，一定可以实现。她还得意非凡地写道，她哥哥已经住到达西先生家里去，又欢天喜地地提到达西打算添置新家具。

Elizabeth， to whom Jane very soon communicated the chief of all this， heard it in silent indignation. Her heart was divided between concern for her sister， and resentment against all the others. To Caroline's assertion of her brother's being partial to Miss Darcy she paid no credit. That he was really fond of Jane， she doubted no more than she had ever done; and much as she had always been disposed to like him， she could not think without anger， hardly without contempt， on that easiness of temper， that want of proper resolution which now made him the slave of his designing friends， and led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations. Had his own happiness， however， been the only sacrifice， he might have been allowed to sport with it in what ever manner he thought best; but her sister's was involved in it， as， she thought， he must be sensible himself. It was a subject， in short， on which reflection would be long indulged， and must be unavailing. She could think of nothing else， and yet whether Bingley's regard had really died away， or were suppressed by his friends' interference; whether he had been aware of Jane's attachment， or whether it had escaped his observation; whichever were the case， though her opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference， her sister's situation remained the same， her peace equally wounded.

吉英立刻把这些事大都告诉了伊丽莎白，伊丽莎白听了，怒而不言。她真伤心透了，一方面是关怀自己的姐姐，另方面是怨恨那帮人。……