《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》第五十四章。

The contents of this letter threw Elizabeth into a flutter of spirits， in which it was difficult to determine whether pleasure or pain bore the greatest share. The vague and unsettled suspicions which uncertainty had produced of what Mr. Darcy might have been doing to forward her sister's match， which she had feared to encourage as an exertion of goodness too great to be probable， and at the same time dreaded to be just， from the pain of obligation， were proved beyond their greatest extent to be true！ He had followed them purposely to town， he had taken on himself all the trouble and mortificationattendant on such a research; in which supplication had been necessary to a woman whom he must abominate and despise， and where he was reduced to meet， frequently meet， reason with， persuade， and finally bribe， the man whom he always most wished to avoid， and whose very name it was punishment to him to pronounce. He had done all this for a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem. Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her.

伊麗莎白读了这封信，真是心神摇荡。她这种心情，叫人家弄不明白她是高兴多于苦痛，还是苦痛多于高兴。她本来也曾隐隐约约、疑疑惑惑地想到达西先生可能会成全她妹妹的好事，可是又不敢往这方面多想，怕他不可能好心到这个地步;另一方面她又顾虑到，如果他当真这样做了，那又未免情意太重，报答不了人家，因此她又痛苦。如今这些揣测却成了千真万确的事实！想不到他那天竟会跟随着她和舅父母赶到城里去。他不惜担当起一切的麻烦和艰苦，来探索这件事。他不得不向一个他所深恶痛绝、极其鄙视的女人去求情。他不得不委曲求全，同一个他极力要加以回避、而且连名字也不愿意提起的人去见面，常常见面，跟他说理，规劝他，最后还不得不贿赂他。他这般仁至义尽，只不过是为了一个他既无好感又不器重的姑娘。她心里轻轻地说，他这样做，都是为了她。

But it was a hope shortly checked by other considerations， and she soon felt that even her vanity was insufficient， when required to depend on his affection for her -- for a woman who had already refused him -- as able to overcome a sentiment so natural as abhorrence against relationship with Wickham. Brother-in-law of Wickham！ Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection. He had， to be sure， done much. She was ashamed to think how much. But he had given a reason for his interference， which asked no extraordinary stretch of belief. It was reasonable that he should feel he had been wrong; he had liberality， and he had the means of exercising it; and though she would not place herself as his principal inducement， she could， perhaps， believe that remaining partiality for her might assist his endeavours in a cause where her peace of mind must be materially concerned. It was painful， exceedingly painful， to know that they were under obligations to a person who could never receive a return. They owed the restoration of Lydia， her character， every thing， to him. Oh！ how heartily did she grieve over every ungracious sensation she had ever encouraged， every saucy speech she had ever directed towards him. For herself she was humbled; but she was proud of him. Proud that in a cause of compassion and honour， he had been able to get the better of himself. She read over her aunt's commendation of him again and again. It was hardly enough; but it pleased her. She was even sensible of some pleasure， though mixed with regret， on finding how steadfastly both she and her uncle had been persuaded that affection and confidence subsisted between Mr. Darcy and herself.

但是，再想到一些别的方面，她立刻就不敢再存这个希望。她马上感觉到，她本可以从虚荣心出发，认为他确实爱她，可是她哪能存着那么大的虚荣心，指望他会爱上一个已经拒绝过他的女人！他不愿意跟韦翰做亲戚，这种情绪本来也极其自然，又哪能指望他去迁就！何况是跟韦翰做连襟！凡是稍有自尊心的人，都容忍不了这种亲戚关系。毫无问题，他为这件事出了很大的力。她简直不好意思去想象他究竟出了多大的力。他所以要过问这件事，理由已经由他自己加以说明，你不必多费思索就可以深信无疑。他怪他自己当初做事欠妥，这自然讲得通;他很慷慨，而且有资格可以慷慨;虽然她不愿意认为他这次主要就是为了她，可是她也许可以相信，他对她依旧未能忘情，因此遇到这样一件与她心境攸关的事情，他还是愿意尽心竭力。一想起这样一个人对她们情意隆重，而她们却无法报答他，这真是痛苦，说不尽的痛苦。丽迪雅能够回来，能够保全了人格，这一切都得归功于他。她一想起自己以前竟会那样厌恶他，竟会对他那样出言唐突，真是万分伤心！她不胜自愧，同时又为他感到骄傲。骄傲的是，他竟会一本同情之心，崇尚义气，委曲求全。于是她把舅母信上恭维他的那段话读了又读，只觉还嫌说得不够，可是也足以叫她十分高兴。她发觉舅父母都断定她跟达西先生感情深切，推心置腹。她虽然不免因此而感到几分懊惱，却也颇为得意。

She was roused from her seat， and her reflections， by some one's approach; and before she could strike into another path， she was overtaken by Wickham.

这时已经有人走近前来，打断了她的深思，使她从座位上站起来;她刚要从另一条小径过去，只见韦翰却赶了上来。

"I am afraid I interrupt your solitary ramble， my dear sister？" said he， as he joined her.

他走到她身边说道：“我怕打扰了你清静的散步吧，亲爱的姐姐。”

"You certainly do，" she replied with a smile; "but it does not follow that the interruption must be unwelcome."

她笑着回答道：“的确是这样，不过，打扰未必就不受欢迎。”

"I should be sorry indeed， if it were. We were always good friends; and now we are better."

“要是这样，我真过意不去。我们一向是好朋友，现在更加亲近了。”

"True. Are the others coming out？"

“你说得是。他们都出来了吗？”

"I do not know. Mrs. Bennet and Lydia are going in the carriage to Meryton. And so， my dear sister， I find， from our uncle and aunt， that you have actually seen Pemberley."

“不知道。妈妈和丽迪雅乘着马车到麦里屯去了。亲爱的姐姐，听舅父母说起，你当真到彭伯里去玩过了。”

She replied in the affirmative.

她说，当真去过了。

"I almost envy you the pleasure， and yet I believe it would be too much for me， or else I could take it in my way to Newcastle. And you saw the old housekeeper， I suppose？ Poor Reynolds， she was always very fond of me. But of course she did not mention my name to you."

“你这眼福几乎叫我嫉妒，可惜我又消受不了，否则，我到纽卡斯尔去的时候，也可以顺道一访。我想，你看到了那位年老的管家奶奶吧？可怜的雷诺奶奶！她从前老是那么喜欢我。不过，她当然不会在你面前提起我的名字。”

"Yes， she did."

“她倒提到了。”

"And what did she say？"

“她怎么说来着？”

"That you were gone into the army， and she was afraid had -- not turned out well. At such a distance as that， you know， things are strangely misrepresented."

“她说你进了军队，就怕──-就怕你情形不大好。路隔得那么远，传来的话十分靠不住。”

"Certainly，" he replied， biting his lips.

“当然罗，”他咬着嘴唇回答道。

Elizabeth hoped she had silenced him; but he soon afterwards said， "I was surprised to see Darcy in town last month. We passed each other several times. I wonder what he can be doing there."

伊丽莎白满以为这一下可以叫他住嘴了;但是过不了一会儿，他又说道：“上个月真出乎意料，在城里碰到了达西。我们见了好几次面。我不知道他到城里有什么事。”

"Perhaps preparing for his marriage with Miss de Bourgh，" said Elizabeth. "It must be something particular， to take him there at this time of year."

“或许是准备跟德·包尔结婚吧，”伊丽莎白说。“他在这样的季节到城里去，一定是为了什么特别的事。”

"Undoubtedly. Did you see him while you were at Lambton？ I thought I understood from the Gardiners that you had."

“毫无疑问。你在蓝白屯见到过他吗？听嘉丁纳夫妇说，你见到过他的。”

"Yes; he introduced us to his sister."

“见过，他还把我们介绍给他的妹妹。”

"And do you like her？"

“你喜歡她吗？”

"Very much."

“非常喜欢。”

"I have heard， indeed， that she is uncommonly improved within this year or two. When I last saw her， she was not very promising. I am very glad you liked her. I hope she will turn out well."

“真的，我听说她这一两年来有了很大的长进。以前看到他的时候，我真觉得她没有什么出息。你喜欢她，我很高兴。但愿她能够改好得象个人样。”

"I dare say she will; she has got over the most trying age."

“她一定会那样;她那最容易惹祸的年龄已经过去了。”

"Did you go by the village of Kympton？"

“你们经过金泊屯村的吗？”

"I do not recollect that we did."

“我记不得是否到过那个地方。”

"I mention it， because it is the living which I ought to have had. A most delightful place！ -- Excellent Parsonage House！ It would have suited me in every respect."

“我所以要提到那个地方，就因为我当初应该得到的一份牧师俸禄就在那儿。那是个非常好玩的地方！那所牧师住宅也好极了！各方面都适合我。”

"How should you have liked making sermons？"

“你竟喜欢讲道吗？”

"Exceedingly well. I should have considered it as part of my duty， and the exertion would soon have been nothing. One ought not to repine; -- but， to be sure， it would have been such a thing for me！ The quiet， the retirement of such a life would have answered all my ideas of happiness！ But it was not to be. Did you ever hear Darcy mention the circumstance， when you were in Kent？"

“喜欢极了。我本当把它看作我自己本份的职务，即使开头要费点力气，过不了多久也就无所谓了。一个人不应该后悔;可是，这的确是我的一份好差事！这样安闲清静的生活，完全合乎我幸福的理想！只可惜已经事过境迁。你在肯特郡的时候，有没有听到达西谈起过这件事？”

"I have heard from authority， which I thought as good， that it was left you conditionally only， and at the will of the present patron."

“听到过的，而且我认为他的话很靠得住，听说那个位置给你是有条件的，而且目前这位施主可以自由处理。”

"You have. Yes， there was something in that; I told you so from the first， you may remember."

“你听到过！不错，这话也有道理;我开头就告诉过你，你可能还记得。”

"I did hear， too， that there was a time， when sermon-making was not so palatable to you as it seems to be at present; that you actually declared your resolution of never taking orders， and that the business had been compromised accordingly."

“我还听说，你过去有一个时期，并不象现在这样喜欢讲道，你曾经慎重其事地宣布过，决计不要当牧师，于是这件事就此解决了。”

"You did！ and it was not wholly without foundation. You may remember what I told you on that point， when first we talked of it."

“你真听说过！这话倒不是完全没有根据。你也许还记得，我们第一次谈起这件事的时候，我也提起过的。”

They were now almost at the door of the house， for she had walked fast to get rid of him; and unwilling， for her sister's sake， to provoke him， she only said in reply， with a good-humoured smile， "Come， Mr. Wickham， we are brother and sister， you know. Do not let us quarrel about the past. In future， I hope we shall be always of one mind."

他们两人现在快要走到家门口了，因为她有意走得很快，要摔脱他;不过看在妹妹份上，她又不愿意使他生气，因此她只是和颜悦色地笑了笑，回答道：“算了吧，韦翰先生;你要知道，我们现在已是兄弟姐妹。不要再为了过去的事去争论吧。但愿将来一直不会有什么冲突。”

She held out her hand; he kissed it with affectionate gallantry， though he hardly knew how to look， and they entered the house.

她伸出手来，他亲切而殷勤地吻了一下。他这时候简直有些啼笑皆非。他们就这样走进了屋子。

MR. Wickham was so perfectly satisfied with this conversation that he never again distressed himself， or provoked his dear sister Elizabeth， by introducing the subject of it; and she was pleased to find that she had said enough to keep him quiet.

韦翰先生对于这场谈话完全感到满意，从此他便不再提起这件事，免得自寻苦恼，也免得惹他亲爱的大姨伊丽莎白生气;伊丽莎白见他居然给说得不再开口，也觉得很高兴。

The day of his and Lydia's departure soon came， and Mrs. Bennet was forced to submit to a separation， which， as her husband by no means entered into her scheme of their all going to Newcastle， was likely to continue at least a twelvemonth.

轉眼之间，他和丽迪雅的行期来到了，班纳特太太不得不和他们分离，而且至少要分别一年，因为班纳特先生坚决不赞同她的计划，不肯让全家都搬到纽卡斯去。

"Oh！ my dear Lydia，" she cried， "when shall we meet again？"

她哭了：“哦，我的丽迪雅宝贝，我们到哪一天才能见面呢？”

"Oh， lord！ I don't know. Not these two or three years， perhaps."

“天哪！我也不知道。也可能两年三年见不着面。”

"Write to me very often， my dear."

“常常写信给我吧，好孩子。”

"As often as I can. But you know married women have never much time for writing. My sisters may write to me. They will have nothing else to do."

“我一定常常写信来。可是你知道，结了婚的女人是没有什么工夫写信的。姐妹们倒可以常常写信给我，反正她们无事可做。”

Mr. Wickham's adieus were much more affectionate than his wife's. He smiled， looked handsome， and said many pretty things.

韦翰先生一声声的再见比他太太叫得亲切得多。他笑容满面，仪态万方，又说了多少漂亮话。

"He is as fine a fellow，" said Mr. Bennet， as soon as they were out of the house， "as ever I saw. He simpers， and smirks， and makes love to us all. I am prodigiously proud of him. I defy even Sir William Lucas himself to produce a more valuable son-in-law."

他们一走出门，班纳特先生就说：“他是我生平所看到的最漂亮的一个人。他既会假笑，又会痴笑，又会跟大家调笑。我真为他感到莫大的骄傲。我敢说，连卢卡斯爵士也未必拿得出一个更名贵的女婿。”

The loss of her daughter made Mrs. Bennet very dull for several days.

女儿走了以后，班纳特太太郁闷了好多天。

"I often think，" said she， "that there is nothing so bad as parting with one's friends. One seems so forlorn without them."

她说：“我常常想，同自己的亲人离别，真是再难受不过的事;他们走了，我好象失去了归宿。”

"This is the consequence， you see， Madam， of marrying a daughter，" said Elizabeth. "It must make you better satisfied that your other four are single."

伊丽莎白说：“妈妈，你要明白，这就是嫁女儿的下场，好在你另外四个女儿还没有人要，一定会叫你好受些。”

"It is no such thing. Lydia does not leave me because she is married， but only because her husband's regiment happens to be so far off. If that had been nearer， she would not have gone so soon."

“完全不是那么回事。丽迪雅并不是因为结了婚而要离开我，而是因为她丈夫的部队凑巧驻扎提那么远。要是近一点，她就用不到走得这样快了。”

But the spiritless condition which this event threw her into was shortly relieved， and her mind opened again to the agitation of hope， by an article of news which then began to be in circulation. The housekeeper at Netherfield had received orders to prepare for the arrival of her master， who was coming down in a day or two， to shoot there for several weeks. Mrs. Bennet was quite in the fidgets. She looked at Jane， and smiled and shook her head by turns.

且说这事虽然使班纳特太太精神颓丧，不过没有过多久也就好了，因为这时候外界正流传着一件新闻，使她的精神又振作起来。原来风闻尼日斐花园的主人一两天内就要回到乡下来，打几个星期的猎，他的管家奶奶正在奉命收拾一切。班纳特太太听到这消息，简直坐立不安。她一會儿望望吉英，一会儿笑笑，一会儿摇摇头。

"Well， well， and so Mr. Bingley is coming down， sister，" （for Mrs. Phillips first brought her the news）. "Well， so much the better. Not that I care about it， though. He is nothing to us， you know， and I am sure I never want to see him again. But， however， he is very welcome to come to Netherfield， if he likes it. And who knows what may happen？ But that is nothing to us. You know， sister， we agreed long ago never to mention a word about it. And so， is it quite certain he is coming？"

“好极了，彬格莱先生居然要来了，妹妹”（因为第一个告诉她这消息的正是腓力普太太。）“好极了，实在太好了。不过我倒并不在乎。你知道，我们一点也不把他放在心上，我的确再也不想见到他了。不过，他既然愿意回到尼日斐花园来，我们自然还是欢迎他。谁知道会怎么样呢？反正与我们无关。你知道，妹妹，我们早就讲好，再也不提这件事。他真的会来吗？”

"You may depend on it，" replied the other， "for Mrs. Nicholls was in Meryton last night; I saw her passing by， and went out myself on purpose to know the truth of it; and she told me that it was certain true. He comes down on Thursday at the latest， very likely on Wednesday. She was going to the butcher's， she told me， on purpose to order in some meat on Wednesday， and she has got three couple of ducks just fit to be killed."

她的妹妹说：“你放心好了，尼可斯奶奶昨儿晚上去过麦里屯。我亲眼看见她走过，便特地跑出去向她打听，是不是真有这回事;她告诉我说，的确真有这回事。他最迟星期四就会来，很可能星期三就来。她又说，她正要上肉铺子去定点儿肉，准备星期三做菜，她还有六只鸭子，已经可以宰了吃。”

Miss Bennet had not been able to hear of his coming without changing colour. It was many months since she had mentioned his name to Elizabeth; but now， as soon as they were alone together， she said，

班纳特小姐听到他要来，不禁变了脸色。她已经有好几个月没有在伊丽莎白面前提起过他的名字;可是这一次等到只有她们姐妹两人在一起的时候，她就说道：

"I saw you look at me today， Lizzy， when my aunt told us of the present report; and I know I appeared distressed. But don't imagine it was from any silly cause. I was only confused for the moment， because I felt that I should be looked at. I do assure you that the news does not affect me either with pleasure or pain. I am glad of one thing， that he comes alone; because we shall see the less of him. Not that I am afraid of myself， but I dread other people's remarks."

“丽萃，今天姨母告诉我这个消息的时候，我看到你直望着我，我知道我当时神色很难看;可是人千万别以为是为了这一类的傻事，只不过当时我觉得大家都在盯着我看所以一时之间有些心乱。老实告诉你，这个消息既不使我感到愉快，也不使我感到痛苦。只有一點使我感到高兴──这次他是一个人来的，因此我们看到他的机会就会比较少。我本身并没有什么顾虑，而是怕别人闲言闲语。”

Elizabeth did not know what to make of it. Had she not seen him in Derbyshire， she might have supposed him capable of coming there with no other view than what was acknowledged; but she still thought him partial to Jane， and she wavered as to the greater probability of his coming there with his friend's permission， or being bold enough to come without it.

伊丽莎白对这件事不知道怎么想才好。如果她上次没有在德比郡见到他，她也许会以为他此来并非别有用心。可是她依旧认为他对吉英未能忘情。这次他究竟是得到了他朋友的允许才来的呢，还是他自己大胆跑来的？这实在叫她无从断定。

"Yet it is hard，" she sometimes thought， "that this poor man cannot come to a house which he has legally hired， without raising all this speculation！ I will leave him to himself."

她有时候不由得这么想：“这可怜的人，回到自己租定的房子里来，却引起人家这样的纷纷猜测，想起来着实令人难受。我也别去管他吧。”

In spite of what her sister declared， and really believed to be her feelings in the expectation of his arrival， Elizabeth could easily perceive that her spirits were affected by it. They were more disturbed， more unequal， than she had often seen them.

不管她姐姐嘴上怎么说，心里怎么想，是否盼望他来，伊丽莎白却很容易看出了她姐姐精神上受到了影响，比从前更加心魂不定，神色不安。

The subject which had been so warmly canvassed between their parents， about a twelvemonth ago， was now brought forward again.

大约在一年以前，父母曾经热烈地争论过这个问题，如今又要旧事重提了。

"As soon as ever Mr. Bingley comes， my dear，" said Mrs. Bennet， "you will wait on him of course."

班纳特太太又对她丈夫说：“我的好老爷，彬格莱先生一来，你一定要去拜访他呀。”

"No， no. You forced me into visiting him last year， and promised， if I went to see him， he should marry one of my daughters. But it ended in nothing， and I will not be sent on a fool's errand again."

“不去，不去，去年你硬逼着我去看他，说什么只要我去看了他，他就会挑中我们的某一个女儿做太太，可是结果只落得一场空，我再也不干这种傻事了。”

His wife represented to him how absolutely necessary such an attention would be from all the neighbouring gentlemen， on his returning to Netherfield.

他太太又说，那位贵人一回到尼日斐花園，邻居们都少不了要去拜候他。

"'Tis an etiquette I despise，" said he. "If he wants our society， let him seek it. He knows where we live. I will not spend my hours in running after my neighbours every time they go away and come back again."

他说：“我恨透了这一类的礼节，要是他想跟我们来往，让他自己找上门来好了。他又不是不知道我们的住址。邻居们每次来来去去，都得要我来迎送，我可没有这种功夫。”

"Well， all I know is， that it will be abominably rude if you do not wait on him. But， however， that shan't prevent my asking him to dine here， I am determined. We must have Mrs. Long and the Gouldings soon. That will make thirteen with ourselves， so there will be just room at table for him."

“唔，你不去拜访他，那就是太不知礼。不过，我还是可以请他到这儿来吃饭，我已经决定要请他来。我们本当早些请郎格太太和戈丁一家人来，加上我们自己家里的人，一共是十三个，所以正好留个位子给他。”

Consoled by this resolution， she was the better able to bear her husband's incivility; though it was very mortifying to know that her neighbours might all see Mr. Bingley， in consequence of it， before they did. As the day of his arrival drew near.

她决定了这么做，心里就觉得快慰了些，因此丈夫的无理也就叫她好受了些;然而，这样一来，结果就会使邻居们比他们先看到彬格莱先生。他来的日子迫近了。