Jane Austen

《傲慢與偏见》（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》第五十章。

TWO days after Mr. Bennet’s return， as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house， they saw the housekeeper coming towards them， and concluding that she came to call them to their mother， went forward to meet her; but， instead of the expected summons， when they approached her she said to Miss Bennet，“I beg your pardon， madam， for interrupting you， but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town， so I took the liberty of coming to ask.”

“What do you mean， Hill？ We have heard nothing from town.”

“Dear madam，”cried Mrs. Hill， in great astonishment， “don’t you know there is an express come for master from Mr. Gardiner？ He has been here this half hour， and master has had a letter.”

Away ran the girls， too eager to get in to have time for speech. They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast room; from thence to the library; their father was in neither; and they were on the point of seeking him up stairs with their mother， when they were met by the butler， who said， “If you are looking for my master， ma’am， he is walking towards the little copse.”

Upon this information， they instantly passed through

班纳特先生回来两天了。那天吉英和伊丽莎白正在屋后的矮树林里散步，只见管家朝她俩走来，她们以为是母亲打发她来叫她们回去的，于是迎面走上前去。到了那个管家跟前，才发觉事出意外，原来她并不是来叫她们的。她对吉英说：“小姐，请原谅我打断了你们的谈话，不过，我料想你们一定获得了从城里来的好消息，所以我来大胆地问一问。”

“你这话怎么讲，希尔？我们没有听到一点儿城里来的消息。”

希尔夫人惊奇地嚷道：“亲爱的小姐，嘉丁纳先生打发了一个邮差给主人送来一封信，难道你们不知道吗？他已经来了半个钟头啦。”

两位小姐拔脚就跑，急急忙忙跑回家去，话也来不及说了。她们俩跑进大门，来到起坐间，再从起坐间来到书房，两处地方都没有见到父亲，正要上楼到母亲那儿去找他，又碰到了厨子，厨子说：“小姐，你们是在找主人吧，他正往小树林里去散步呢。……