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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Chapter 13
"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 to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party."
"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."
"The person of whom I speak is a gentleman, and a stranger."
Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. "A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr. Bingley, I am sure! 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 to-day. Lydia, my love, ring the bell—I must speak to Hill this moment."
"It is not Mr. Bingley," said her husband; "it is a person whom I never saw in the whole course of my life."
This roused a general astonishment1; and he had the pleasure of being eagerly questioned by his wife and his five daughters at once.
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 delicacy2, 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."
"Oh! my dear," cried his wife, "I cannot bear to hear that mentioned. Pray do not talk of that odious3 man. I do think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed5 away from your own children; and I am sure, if I had been you, I should have tried long ago to do something or other about it."
Jane and Elizabeth tried to explain to her the nature of an entail4. They had often attempted to do it before, but it was a subject on which Mrs. Bennet was beyond the reach of reason, and she continued to rail bitterly against the cruelty of settling an estate away from a family of five daughters, in favour of a man whom nobody cared anything about.
"It certainly is a most iniquitous6 affair," said Mr. Bennet, "and nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt7 of inheriting Longbourn. But if you will listen to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened8 by his manner of expressing himself."
"No, that I am sure I shall not; and I think it is very impertinent of him to write to you at all, and very hypocritical. I hate such false friends. Why could he not keep on quarreling with you, as his father did before him?"
"Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent, 15th October.
"Dear Sir,—
"The disagreement subsisting10 between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach11; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance12.—'There, Mrs. Bennet.'—My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination13 at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished14 by the patronage15 of the Right Honourable16 Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty17 and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites18 and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing19 of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures20 are highly commendable21, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly22 overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch. I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable23 daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends24—but of this hereafter. If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o'clock, and shall probably trespass25 on your hospitality till the Saturday se'ennight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.—I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
"WILLIAM COLLINS"
"At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peace-making gentleman," said Mr. Bennet, as he folded up the letter. "He seems to be a most conscientious26 and polite young man, upon my word, and I doubt not will prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be so indulgent as to let him come to us again."
"There is some sense in what he says about the girls, however, and if he is disposed to make them any amends, I shall not be the person to discourage him."
"Though it is difficult," said Jane, "to guess in what way he can mean to make us the atonement he thinks our due, the wish is certainly to his credit."
Elizabeth was chiefly struck by his extraordinary deference27 for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it were required.
"He must be an oddity, I think," said she. "I cannot make him out.—There is something very pompous28 in his style.—And what can he mean by apologising for being next in the entail?—We cannot suppose he would help it if he could.—Could he be a sensible man, sir?"
"No, my dear, I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter, which promises well. I am impatient to see him."
"In point of composition," said Mary, "the letter does not seem defective29. The idea of the olive-branch perhaps is not wholly new, yet I think it is well expressed."
To Catherine and Lydia, neither the letter nor its writer were in any degree interesting. It was next to impossible that their cousin should come in a scarlet30 coat, and it was now some weeks since they had received pleasure from the society of a man in any other colour. As for their mother, Mr. Collins's letter had done away much of her ill-will, and she was preparing to see him with a degree of composure which astonished her husband and daughters.
Mr. Collins was punctual to his time, and was received with great politeness by the whole family. Mr. Bennet indeed said little; but the ladies were ready enough to talk, and Mr. Collins seemed neither in need of encouragement, nor inclined to be silent himself. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man of five-and-twenty. His air was grave and stately, and his manners were very formal. He had not been long seated before he complimented Mrs. Bennet on having so fine a family of daughters; said he had heard much of their beauty, but that in this instance fame had fallen short of the truth; and added, that he did not doubt her seeing them all in due time disposed of in marriage. This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers; but Mrs. Bennet, who quarreled with no compliments, answered most readily.
"You are very kind, I am sure; and I wish with all my heart it may prove so, for else they will be destitute31 enough. Things are settled so oddly."
"Ah! sir, I do indeed. It is a grievous affair to my poor girls, you must confess. Not that I mean to find fault with you, for such things I know are all chance in this world. There is no knowing how estates will go when once they come to be entailed."
"I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair cousins, and could say much on the subject, but that I am cautious of appearing forward and precipitate33. But I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them. At present I will not say more; but, perhaps, when we are better acquainted—"
He was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls smiled on each other. They were not the only objects of Mr. Collins's admiration34. The hall, the dining-room, and all its furniture, were examined and praised; and his commendation of everything would have touched Mrs. Bennet's heart, but for the mortifying35 supposition of his viewing it all as his own future property. The dinner too in its turn was highly admired; and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins the excellency of its cooking was owing. But he was set right there by Mrs. Bennet, who assured him with some asperity36 that they were very well able to keep a good cook, and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen. He begged pardon for having displeased37 her. In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended; but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour.
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1
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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2
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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3
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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4
entail
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| vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要 | |
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entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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6
iniquitous
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| adj.不公正的；邪恶的；高得出奇的 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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8
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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9
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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10
subsisting
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| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的现在分词 ) | |
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11
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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12
variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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13
ordination
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| n.授任圣职 | |
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14
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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15
patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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16
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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18
rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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19
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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20
overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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21
commendable
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| adj.值得称赞的 | |
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22
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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24
amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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25
trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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26
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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27
deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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28
pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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29
defective
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| adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的 | |
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30
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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31
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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32
allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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33
precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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34
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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35
mortifying
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| adj.抑制的，苦修的v.使受辱( mortify的现在分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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36
asperity
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| n.粗鲁，艰苦 | |
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37
displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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