《傲慢与偏见》 第14章(5)

Lydia was bid by her two eldest¹ sisters to hold her tongue; but Mr. Collins, much offended, laid aside his book, and said, "I have often observed how little young ladies are interested by books of a serious stamp, though written solely² for their benefit. It amazes me, I confess; -- for certainly, there can be nothing so advantageous³ to them as instruction. But I will no longer importune⁴ my young cousin."

两个姐姐都吩咐丽迪雅住嘴；柯林斯先生非常生气，放下了书本，说道：“我老是看到年轻的小姐们对正经书不感兴趣，不过这些书完全是为了她们的好处写的。老实说，这不能不叫我惊奇，因为对她们最有利益的事情，当然莫过于圣哲的教训。可是我也不愿意勉强我那年轻的表妹。”

Then turning to Mr. Bennet, he offered himself as his antagonist⁵ at backgammon. Mr. Bennet accepted the challenge, observing that he acted very wisely in leaving the girls to their own trifling⁶ amusements. Mrs. Bennet and her daughters apologised most civilly for Lydia's interruption, and promised that it should not occur again, if he would resume his book; but Mr. Collins, after assuring them that he bore his young cousin no ill will, and should never resent her behaviour as any affront⁷, seated himself at another table with Mr. Bennet, and prepared for backgammon.

于是他转过身来要求班纳特先生跟他玩“贝加梦”，班纳特先生一面答应了他，一面说，这倒是个聪明的办法，还是让这些女孩子们去搞她们自己的小玩艺吧。班纳特太太和她五个女儿极有礼貌地向他道歉，请他原谅丽迪雅打断了他朗诵对书，并且说，他要是重新把那本书读下去，她保证决不会有同样的事件发生。柯林斯先生请她们不要介意，说是他一点儿也不怪表妹，决不会认为她冒犯了他而把她怀恨在心。他解释过以后，就跟班纳特先生坐到另一张桌子上去，准备玩“贝加梦”。

1 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

2 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

3 advantageous   

adj.有利的；有帮助的

参考例句：

• Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous.注射维生素C显然是有利的。
• You're in a very advantageous position.你处于非常有利的地位。

4 importune   

v.强求；不断请求

参考例句：

• It is not cost-efficient that sometimes we make ourselves exhausted just to importune something.有时候为了强求一样东西而令自己的身心都疲惫不堪，是很不划算的。
• One can no longer walk the streets without seeing beggars importuning passers by.走在街上总能看到乞丐纠缠行人乞讨。

5 antagonist   

n.敌人，对抗者，对手

参考例句：

• His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
• The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。

6 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

7 affront   

n./v.侮辱，触怒

参考例句：

• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
• This remark caused affront to many people.这句话得罪了不少人。