《傲慢与偏见》 第13章(1)（在线收听）

"I HOPE my dear," said Mr. Bennet to his wife as they were at breakfast the next morning, "that you have ordered a good dinner today, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party."

第二天吃过早饭的时候，班纳特先生对他的太太说：“我的好太太，我希望你今天的午饭准备得好一些，因为我预料今天一定有客人来。”

"Who do you mean, my dear? I know of nobody that is coming, I am sure, unless Charlotte Lucas should happen to call in, and I hope my dinners are good enough for her. I do not believe she often sees such at home."

“你指的是那一位客人，我的好老爷？我一些也不知道有谁要来，除非夏绿蒂·卢卡斯碰巧会来看我们，我觉得拿我们平常的饭餐招待她也够好了。我不相信她在家里经常吃得这么好。”

"The person of whom I speak, is a gentleman and a stranger."

“我所说到的这位客人是位男宾，又是个生客。”

Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. -- "A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr. Bingley, I am sure. Why Jane -- you never dropt a word of this; you sly thing! Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr. Bingley. -- But -- good lord! how unlucky! there is not a bit of fish to be got today. Lydia, my love, ring the bell. I must speak to Hill, this moment."

班纳特太太的眼睛闪亮了起来。“一位男宾又是一位生客！那准是彬格莱先生，没有错。──哦，吉英，你从来没出过半点儿风声，你这个狡猾的东西！──嘿，彬格莱先生要来，真叫我太高兴啦。可是──老天爷呀！运气真不好，今天连一点儿鱼也买不着。──丽迪雅宝贝儿，代我按一按铃。我要马上吩咐希尔一下。”

"It is not Mr. Bingley," said her husband; "it is a person whom I never saw in the whole course of my life."

她的丈夫连忙说：“并不是彬格莱先生要来；说起这位客人，我一生都没见过他。”

This roused a general astonishment; and he had the pleasure of being eagerly questioned by his wife and five daughters at once.

这句话叫全家都吃了一惊。他的太太和五个女儿立刻迫切地追问他，使他颇为高兴。

After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he thus explained. "About a month ago I received this letter, and about a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy, and requiring early attention. It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases."

拿他太太和女儿们的好奇心打趣了一阵以后，他便原原本本地说：“大约在一个月以前，我就收到了一封信，两星期以前我写了回信，因为我觉得这是件相当伤脑筋的事，得趁早留意。信是我的表侄柯林斯先生寄来的。我死了以后，这位表侄可以高兴什么时候把你们撵出这所屋子，就什么时候撵出去。”