《傲慢与偏见》 第5章(1)

WITHIN a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate.

距离浪博恩不远的地方，住着一家人家，这就是威廉·卢卡斯爵士府上。

Sir William Lucas had been formerly¹ in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the King during his mayoralty.

班纳特府上跟他们特别知已。爵士从前是在麦里屯做生意起家发迹的，曾在当市长的任内上书皇上，获得了一个爵士头衔；

The distinction had perhaps been felt too strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business and to his residence in a small market town;

这个显要的身份使他觉得太荣幸，从此他就讨厌做生意，讨厌住在一个小镇上，于是歇了生意，告别小镇，

and quitting them both, he had removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, denominated from that period Lucas Lodge², where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely³ in being civil to all the world.

带着家属迁到那离开麦里屯大约一英里路的一幢房子里去住，从那时候起就把那地方叫做卢家庄。他可以在这儿自得其乐，以显要自居，而且，既然摆脱了生意的纠缠，他大可以一心一意地从事社交活动。他尽管以自己的地位欣然自得，却并不因此而目空一切，反而对什么人都应酬得非常周到。

For though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious⁴; on the contrary, he was all attention to every body. By nature inoffensive, friendly and obliging, his presentation at St. James's had made him courteous⁵.

他生来不肯得罪人，待人接物总是和蔼可亲，殷勤体贴，而且自从皇上觐见以来，更加彬彬有礼。

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. -- They had several children. The eldest⁶ of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's intimate friend. That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly brought the former to Longbourn to hear and to communicate.

卢卡斯太太是个很善良的女人，真是班纳特太太一位宝贵的邻居。卢府上有好几个孩子。大女儿是个明理懂事的年轻小姐，年纪大约二十六七岁，她是伊丽莎白的要好朋友。且说卢府上几位小姐跟班府上几位小姐这回非要见见面，谈谈这次跳舞会上的事业不可。于是在开完了跳舞会的第二天上午，卢府上的小姐们到浪博恩来跟班府上的小姐交换意见。

"You began the evening well, Charlotte," said Mrs. Bennet with civil self-command to Miss Lucas. "You were Mr. Bingley's first choice."

班纳特太太一看见卢卡斯小姐，便客客气气，从容不迫地说：“那天晚上全靠你开场开得好，你做了彬格莱先生的第一个意中人。”

"Yes; -- but he seemed to like his second better."

“是呀；可是他喜欢的倒是第二个意中人。”

"Oh! -- you mean Jane, I suppose -- because he danced with her twice. To be sure that did seem as if he admired her -- indeed I rather believe he did -- I heard something about it -- but I hardly know what -- something about Mr. Robinson."

“哦，我想你是说吉英吧，因为他跟她跳了两次。看起来，他是真的爱上她呢──我的确相信他是真的──我听到了一些话──可是我弄不清究竟──我听到了一些有关鲁宾逊先生的话。”

"Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Robinson; did not I mention it to you? Mr. Robinson's asking him how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest? and his answering immediately to the last question -- "Oh! the eldest Miss Bennet beyond a doubt, there cannot be two opinions on that point.""

“说不定你指的是我旁听到他和鲁宾逊先生的谈话吧；我不是跟你说过了吗？鲁宾逊先生问他喜欢不喜欢我们麦里屯的跳舞会，问他是否觉得到场的女宾们中间有许多人很美，问他认为哪一个最美？他立刻回答了最后一个问题：“毫无问题是班纳特家的大小姐最美。关于这一点，人们决不会有别的看法。”

"Upon my word! -- Well, that was very decided⁷ indeed -- that does seem as if -- but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know."

“一定的！说起来，那的确成了定论啦──看上去的确象是──不过，也许会全部落空呢，你知道。”

"My overhearings were more to the purpose than yours, Eliza," said Charlotte. "Mr. Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he? -- Poor Eliza! -- to be only just tolerable."

“我偷听到的话比你听到的要更有意思了，伊丽莎，”夏绿蒂说。“达西先生的话没有他朋友的话中听，可不是吗？可怜的伊丽莎！他不过认为她还可以！”

"I beg you would not put it into Lizzy's head to be vexed⁸ by his ill-treatment; for he is such a disagreeable man that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half an hour without once opening his lips."

“我请求你别叫丽萃想起了他这种无礼的举动又生起气来；他是那么讨厌的一个人，被他看上了才叫倒霉呢。郎格太太告诉我说，昨儿晚上他坐在她身边有半个钟头，可是始终不开口。”

1 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

2 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

3 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。

4 supercilious   

adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲

参考例句：

• The shop assistant was very supercilious towards me when I asked for some help.我要买东西招呼售货员时，那个售货员对我不屑一顾。
• His manner is supercilious and arrogant.他非常傲慢自大。

5 courteous   

adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的

参考例句：

• Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一，但她总是很谦恭有礼。
• He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善，而且彬彬有礼。

6 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。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 vexed   

adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。
• He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》