THE discussion of Mr. Collins's offer was now nearly at an end, and Elizabeth had only to suffer from the uncomfortable feelings necessarily attending it, and occasionally from some peevish allusion of her mother. As for the gentleman himself, his feelings were chiefly expressed, not by embarrassment or dejection, or by trying to avoid her, but by stiffness of manner and resentful silence. He scarcely ever spoke to her, and the assiduous attentions which he had been so sensible of himself, were transferred for the rest of the day to Miss Lucas, whose civility in listening to him, was a seasonable relief to them all, and especially to her friend.
关于柯林斯先生求婚问题的,讨论差不多就要结束了,现在伊丽莎白只感到一种照例难免的的不愉快,有时候还要听她母亲埋怨一两声。说到那位先生本人,他可并不显得意气沮丧,也没有表现出要回避她的样子,只是气愤愤地板着脸,默然无声。他简直不跟她说话,他本来的那一股热情,到下半天都转移到卢卡斯小姐身上去了。卢小姐满有礼貌地听着他说话,这叫大家都松了口气,特别是她的朋友。

The morrow produced no abatement of Mrs. Bennet's ill humour or ill health. Mr. Collins was also in the same state of angry pride. Elizabeth had hoped that his resentment might shorten his visit, but his plan did not appear in the least affected by it. He was always to have gone on Saturday, and to Saturday he still meant to stay.
班纳特太太直到第二天还是同样不高兴,身体也没有复元。柯林斯先生也还是那样又气愤又傲慢的样子。伊丽莎白原以为他这样一气,就会早日离开此地,谁知道他决不因此而改变原来的计划,他讲她要到星期六才走,便决定要待到星期六。

After breakfast, the girls walked to Meryton, to inquire if Mr. Wickham were returned, and to lament over his absence from the Netherfield ball. He joined them on their entering the town and attended them to their aunt's, where his regret and vexation, and the concern of every body was well talked over. -- To Elizabeth, however, he voluntarily acknowledged that the necessity of his absence had been self imposed.
吃过早饭,小姐们上麦里屯去打听韦翰先生回来了没有,同时为了他没有参加尼日斐花园的舞会而去向他表示惋惜。她们一走到镇上就遇见了他,于是他陪着小姐们上她们姨妈家里去,他在那儿把他的歉意,他的烦恼,以及他对于每个人的关注,谈了个畅快。不过他却在伊丽莎白面前自动说明,那次舞会是他自己不愿意去参加。

"I found," said he, "as the time drew near, that I had better not meet Mr. Darcy; -- that to be in the same room, the same party with him for so many hours together, might be more than I could bear, and that scenes might arise unpleasant to more than myself."
他说:“当时日期一天天迫近,我心里想,还是不要碰见达西先生的好;我觉得要同他在同一间屋子里,在同一个舞会上,待上好几个钟头,那会叫我受不了,而且可能会闹出些笑话来,弄得彼此都不开心。”

She highly approved his forbearance, and they had leisure for a full discussion of it, and for all the commendation which they civilly bestowed on each other, as Wickham and another officer walked back with them to Longbourn, and during the walk he particularly attended to her. His accompanying them was a double advantage; she felt all the compliment it offered to herself, and it was most acceptable as an occasion of introducing him to her father and mother.
她非常赞美他的涵养功夫。当韦翰和另一位军官跟她们一块儿回浪博恩来的时候,一路上他特别照顾她,因此他们有充分的空暇来讨论这个问题,而且还客客气气地彼此恭维了一阵。他所以要伴送她们,是为了两大利益;一来可以让她高兴高兴,二来可以利用这个大好机会,去认识认识她的双亲。

Soon after their return, a letter was delivered to Miss Bennet; it came from Netherfield, and was opened immediately. The envelope contained a sheet of elegant, little, hot-pressed paper, well covered with a lady's fair, flowing hand; and Elizabeth saw her sister's countenance change as she read it, and saw her dwelling intently on some particular passages. Jane recollected herself soon, and putting the letter away, tried to join with her usual cheerfulness in the general conversation; but Elizabeth felt an anxiety on the subject which drew off her attention even from Wickham; and no sooner had he and his companion taken leave, than a glance from Jane invited her to follow her up stairs. When they had gained their own room, Jane taking out the letter, said, "This is from Caroline Bingley; what it contains, has surprised me a good deal. The whole party have left Netherfield by this time, and are on their way to town; and without any intention of coming back again. You shall hear what she says."
她们刚回到家里,班纳特小姐就接到一封从尼日斐花园寄来的信。信立刻拆开了,里面装着一张小巧、精致、熨烫得很平滑的信笺,字迹是出自一位小姐的娟秀流利的手笔。伊丽莎白看到姐姐读信时变了脸色,又看到她全神贯注在某几段上面。顷该之间,吉英又镇静了下来,把信放在一旁,象平常一样,高高兴兴地跟大家一起聊天;可是伊丽莎白仍然为这件事焦急,因此对韦翰也分心了。韦翰和他的同伴一走,吉英便对她做了个眼色,叫她跟上楼去。一到了她们自己房里,吉英就拿出信来,说道:“这是另罗琳·彬格莱写来的,信上的话真叫我大吃一惊。她们一家人现在已经离开尼日斐花园上城里去了,再也不打算回来了。你看看她怎么说的吧。”

She then read the first sentence aloud, which comprised the information of their having just resolved to follow their brother to town directly, and of their meaning to dine that day in Grosvenor street, where Mr. Hurst had a house. The next was in these words. "I do not pretend to regret any thing I shall leave in Hertfordshire, except your society, my dearest friend; but we will hope at some future period, to enjoy many returns of the delightful intercourse we have known, and in the mean while may lessen the pain of separation by a very frequent and most unreserved correspondence. I depend on you for that." To these high flown expressions, Elizabeth listened with all the insensibility of distrust; and though the suddenness of their removal surprised her, she saw nothing in it really to lament; it was not to be supposed that their absence from Netherfield would prevent Mr. Bingley's being there; and as to the loss of their society, she was persuaded that Jane must soon cease to regard it, in the enjoyment of his.
于是她先把第一句念出来,那句话是说,她们已经决定,立刻追随她们的弟兄上城里去,而且要在当天赶到格鲁斯汶纳街吃饭,原来赫斯脱先生就住在那条街上。接下去是这样写的:──“亲爱的朋友,离开哈福德郡,除了你的友谊以外,我真是一无留恋,不过,我希望将来有一天,还是可以象过去那样愉快地来往,并希望目前能经常通信,无话不谈,以抒离悃。临笔不胜企盼。”伊丽莎白对这些浮话奢词,亦只是姑妄听之;虽说她们这一次突然的迁走叫她感到惊奇,可是她并不觉得真有什么可以惋惜的地方。她们离开了尼日斐花园,未必彬格莱先生便不会再在那儿住下去;至于说到跟她们没有了来往,她相信吉英只要跟彬格莱先生时常见面,也就无所谓了。

"It is unlucky," said she, after a short pause, "that you should not be able to see your friends before they leave the country. But may we not hope that the period of future happiness to which Miss Bingley looks forward, may arrive earlier than she is aware, and that the delightful intercourse you have known as friends, will be renewed with yet greater satisfaction as sisters? -- Mr. Bingley will not be detained in London by them."
歇了片刻,伊丽莎白说道:“不幸得很,你朋友们临走以前,你没有来得及去看她们一次。可是,彬格莱小姐既然认为将来还有重聚的欢乐,难道我们不能希望这一天比她意料中来得早一些吗?将来做了姑嫂,不是比今天做朋友更满意吗?彬格莱先生不会被她们久留在伦敦的。”

"Caroline decidedly says that none of the party will return into Hertfordshire this winter. I will read it to you --"
“咖罗琳肯定地说,她们一家人,今年冬天谁也不会回到哈福郡来了。让我念给你听吧:

"When my brother left us yesterday, he imagined that the business which took him to London, might be concluded in three or four days, but as we are certain it cannot be so, and at the same time convinced that when Charles gets to town he will be in no hurry to leave it again, we have determined on following him thither, that he may not be obliged to spend his vacant hours in a comfortless hotel. Many of my acquaintance are already there for the winter; I wish I could hear that you, my dearest friend, had any intention of making one in the croud, but of that I despair. I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may abound in the gaieties which that season generally brings, and that your beaux will be so numerous as to prevent your feeling the loss of the three of whom we shall deprive you."
‘我哥哥昨天和我们告别的时候,还以为他这次上伦敦去,只要三四天就可以把事情办好;可是我们认为办不到,同时我们相信,查尔斯一进了城,决不肯马上就走,因此我们决计追踪前去,免得他冷冷清清住在旅馆里受罪。我很多朋友都上伦敦去过冬了;亲爱的朋友,我本来还希望听到你进城去的消息,结果我失望了。我真挚地希望你在哈福德郡照常能够极其愉快地度过圣诞节。希望你有很多漂亮的男朋友,免得我们一走,你便会因为少了三个朋友而感到难受。’

"It is evident by this," added Jane, "that he comes back no more this winter."
“这明明是说,”吉英补充道,“他今年冬天不会回来啦。”

"It is only evident that Miss Bingley does not mean he should."
“这不过说明彬格莱小姐不要他回来罢了。”

"Why will you think so? It must be his own doing. -- He is his own master. But you do not know all. I will read you the passage which particularly hurts me. I will have no reserves from you." "Mr. Darcy is impatient to see his sister, and to confess the truth, we are scarcely less eager to meet her again. I really do not think Georgiana Darcy has her equal for beauty, elegance, and accomplishments; and the affection she inspires in Louisa and myself is heightened into something still more interesting, from the hope we dare to entertain of her being hereafter our sister. I do not know whether I ever before mentioned to you my feelings on this subject, but I will not leave the country without confiding them, and I trust you will not esteem them unreasonable. My brother admires her greatly already, he will have frequent opportunity now of seeing her on the most intimate footing, her relations all wish the connection as much as his own, and a sister's partiality is not misleading me, I think, when I call Charles most capable of engaging any woman's heart. With all these circumstances to favour an attachment and nothing to prevent it, am I wrong, my dearest Jane, in indulging the hope of an event which will secure the happiness of so many?"
“你为什么这样想法?那一定是他自己的意思。他自己可以作主。可是你还没有全部知道呢。我一定要把那特别叫我伤心的一段读给你听。我对你完全不必忌讳。”“达西先生急着要去看看他妹妹;说老实话,我们也差不多同样热切地希望和她重逢。我以为乔治安娜·达西无论在容貌方面,举止方面,才艺方面,的确再也没有人能够比得上。露薏莎和我都大胆地希望她以后会做我们的嫂嫂,因此我们对她便越发关切了。我不知道以前有没有跟你提起过我对这件事的感觉,可是当此离开乡村之际,我不愿意不把这些感觉说出来,我相信你不会觉得这是不合理的吧。我的哥哥已经深深地受上了她,他现在可以时常去看她,他们自会更加亲密起来;双方的家庭方面都同样盼望这门亲事能够成功。我想,如果我说,查尔斯最善于博取任何女人的欢心,这可不能是出于做姐妹的偏心,瞎说一阵吧。既是各方面都赞成这段姻缘,而且事情毫无阻碍,那么,最亲爱的吉英,我衷心希望着这件人人乐意的事能够实现,你能说我错吗?”