"This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west."
“到了夏天,这间屋子做起居室一定很不适宜,窗子都朝西。”

Mrs. Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner, and then added, "May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. and Mrs. Collins well."
班纳特太太告诉她说,她们每天吃过中饭以后,从来不坐在那儿,接着又说:“我是否可以冒昧请问你夫人一声,柯林斯夫妇都好吗?”

"Yes, very well. I saw them the night before last."
“他们都很好,前天晚上我还看见他们的。”

Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motive for her calling. But no letter appeared, and she was completely puzzled.
这时伊丽莎白满以为她会拿出一封夏绿蒂的信来;她认为咖苔琳夫人这次到这里来,决不可能为了别的原因。可是并不见夫人拿信出来,这真叫她完全不明白是怎么回事了。

Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment; but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then, rising up, said to Elizabeth, "Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company."
班纳特太太恭恭敬敬地请贵夫人随意用些点心,可是咖苔琳夫人什么也不肯吃,谢绝非常坚决,非常没有礼貌,接着又站起来跟伊丽莎白说:“班纳特小姐,你们这块草地的那一头,好象颇有几分荒野的景色,倒很好看。我很想到那儿去逛逛,可否请你陪我一走?”
 

"Go, my dear," cried her mother, "and shew her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage."
只听得她母亲连忙大声对她说:“你去吧,乖孩子,陪着夫人到各条小径上去逛逛。我想,她一定会喜欢我们这个幽静的小地方。”

Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on.
伊丽莎白听从了母亲的话,先到自己房间里去拿了一把阳伞,然后下楼来侍候这位贵客。两人走过穿堂,咖苔琳夫人打开了那扇通到饭厅和客厅的门,稍稍打量了一下,说是这屋子还算过得去,然后继续向前走。

Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting-woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse; Elizabeth was determined to make no effort for conversation with a woman who was now more than usually insolent and disagreeable.
她的马车停在门口,伊丽莎白看见了车子里面坐着她的待女。两人默默无声地沿着一条通到小树林的鹅卵石铺道往前走。伊丽莎白只觉得这个老妇人比往常更傲慢,更其令人讨厌,因此拿定主张,决不先开口跟她说话。

"How could I ever think her like her nephew?" said she, as she looked in her face.
她仔细瞧了一下老妇人的脸,不禁想道:“她哪一点地方象她姨侄?”

As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner: --
一走进小树林,咖苔琳夫人便用这样的方式跟她谈话:

"You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come."
“班纳特小姐,我这次上这儿来,你一定知道我是为了什么原因。你心里一定有数,你的良心一定会告诉你,我这次为什么要来。”

Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.
伊丽莎白大为惊讶。

"Indeed, you are mistaken, Madam. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here."
“夫人,你实在想错了,我完全不明白你这次怎么这样看得起我们,会到这种地方来。”

"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you."
夫人一听此话,很是生气:“班纳特小姐,你要知道,我是决不肯让人家来跟我开玩笑的。尽管你怎样不老实,我可不是那样。我是个有名的老实坦白的人,何况遇到现在这桩事,我当然更要老实坦白。两天以前,我听到一个极其惊人的消息。我听说不光是你姐姐将要攀上一门高亲,连你,伊丽莎白·班纳特小姐,也快要攀上我的姨侄,我的亲姨侄达西先生。虽然我明知这是无稽的流言,虽然我不会那样看不起他,相信他真会有这种事情,我还是当机立断,决定上这儿来一次,把我的意思说给你听。”