He had been some days in town, before he was able to discover them; but he had something to direct his search, which was more than we had; and the consciousness of this was another reason for his resolving to follow us. There is a lady, it seems, a Mrs. Younge, who was some time ago governess to Miss Darcy, and was dismissed from her charge on some cause of disapprobation, though he did not say what. She then took a large house in Edward-street, and has since maintained herself by letting lodgings. This Mrs. Younge was, he knew, intimately acquainted with Wickham; and he went to her for intelligence of him as soon as he got to town. But it was two or three days before he could get from her what he wanted. She would not betray her trust, I suppose, without bribery and corruption, for she really did know where her friend was to be found. Wickham indeed had gone to her on their first arrival in London, and had she been able to receive them into her house, they would have taken up their abode with her. At length, however, our kind friend procured the wished-for direction. They were in ---- street. He saw Wickham, and afterwards insisted on seeing Lydia. His first object with her, he acknowledged, had been to persuade her to quit her present disgraceful situation, and return to her friends as soon as they could be prevailed on to receive her, offering his assistance, as far as it would go. But he found Lydia absolutely resolved on remaining where she was. She cared for none of her friends; she wanted no help of his; she would not hear of leaving Wickham. She was sure they should be married some time or other, and it did not much signify when. Since such were her feelings, it only remained, he thought, to secure and expedite a marriage, which, in his very first conversation with Wickham, he easily learnt had never been his design. He confessed himself obliged to leave the regiment, on account of some debts of honour, which were very pressing; and scrupled not to lay all the ill-consequences of Lydia's flight on her own folly alone. He meant to resign his commission immediately; and as to his future situation, he could conjecture very little about it. He must go somewhere, but he did not know where, and he knew he should have nothing to live on.
他在城里待了好几天才找到他们;可是他有线索可找,我们可没有。他也是因为自信有这点把握,才下定决心紧跟着我们而来。好象有一位扬吉太太,她早先做过达西小姐的家庭教师,后来犯了什么过错(他没有讲明)被解雇了,便在爱德华街弄了一幢大房子,分租过活。达西知道这位杨吉太太跟韦翰极其相熟,于是他一到城里,便上她那儿去打听他的消息。他花了两三天工夫,才从她那儿把事情探听明白。我想,杨吉太太早就知道韦翰的下落,可是不给她贿赂她决不肯讲出来。他们俩确实是一到伦敦便到她那里去,要是她能够留他们住,他们早就住在她那儿了。我们这位好心的朋友终于探听出了他们在某某街的住址,于是他先去看韦翰,然后他又非要看到丽迪雅不可。据他说,他第一件事就是劝丽迪雅改邪归正,一等到和家里人说通了,就赶快回去,还答应替她帮忙到底,可是他发觉丽迪雅坚决要那样搞下去,家里人一个都不在她心上。她不要他帮助,她无论如何也不肯丢掉韦翰。她断定他们俩迟早总要结婚,早一天迟一天毫无关系。于是他想,他第一次跟韦翰谈话的时候,明明发觉对方毫无结婚的打算,如今既是丽迪雅存着这样的念头,当然只有赶快促成他们结婚。韦翰曾经亲口承认,他当初所以要从民兵团里逃出来,完全是由于为赌债所逼,至于丽迪雅这次私奔所引起的不良后果,他竟毫不犹豫地把它完全归罪于她自己的愚蠢。他说他马上就要辞职,讲到事业前途,他简直不堪设想。他应该到一个什么地方去找份差事,可是又不知道究竟去哪儿,他知道他快要没有钱生活下去了。

Mr. Darcy asked him why he had not married your sister at once. Though Mr. Bennet was not imagined to be very rich, he would have been able to do something for him, and his situation must have been benefited by marriage. But he found, in reply to this question, that Wickham still cherished the hope of more effectually making his fortune by marriage in some other country. Under such circumstances, however, he was not likely to be proof against the temptation of immediate relief. They met several times, for there was much to be discussed. Wickham of course wanted more than he could get; but at length was reduced to be reasonable. Every thing being settled between them, Mr. Darcy's next step was to make your uncle acquainted with it, and he first called in Gracechurch-street the evening before I came home. But Mr. Gardiner could not be seen, and Mr. Darcy found, on further enquiry, that your father was still with him, but would quit town the next morning. He did not judge your father to be a person whom he could so properly consult as your uncle, and therefore readily postponed seeing him till after the departure of the former. He did not leave his name, and till the next day it was only known that a gentleman had called on business. On Saturday he came again. Your father was gone, your uncle at home, and, as I said before, they had a great deal of talk together. They met again on Sunday, and then I saw him too. It was not all settled before Monday: as soon as it was, the express was sent off to Longbourn.
达西先生问他为什么没有立刻跟你妹妹结婚,虽然班纳特先生算不上什么大阔人,可是也能够帮他一些忙,他结婚以后,境况一定会有利一些。但是他发觉韦翰回答这话的时候,仍然指望到别的地方去另外攀门亲,以便扎扎实实地赚进一笔钱。不过,他目前的情况既是如此,如果有救急的办法,他也未始不会心动。他们见了好几次面,因为有好多地方都得当面商讨。韦翰当然漫天讨价,结果总算减少到一个合理的数目。他们之间一切都商谈好了,达西先生的下一个步骤就是把这件事告诉你舅父,于是他就在我回家的前一天晚上,到天恩寺街来进行第一次访问。当时嘉丁纳先生不在家;达西先生打听到你父亲那天还住在这儿,不过第二天早晨就要走。他以为你父亲不是象你舅父那样一个好商量的人,因此,决定等到你父亲走了以后,再来看你舅父。他当时没有留下姓名,直到第二天,我们还只知道有位某某先生到这儿来过,找他有事,星期六他又来了。那天你父亲已经走了,你舅父在家,正如我刚才说过的,他们俩便在一起谈了许久。他们星期天又见了面,当时我也看见他的。事情一直到星期一才完全谈妥。一谈妥之后,就派专人送信到浪搏恩来。

But our visitor was very obstinate. I fancy, Lizzy, that obstinacy is the real defect of his character, after all. He has been accused of many faults at different times, but this is the true one. Nothing was to be done that he did not do himself; though I am sure (and I do not speak it to be thanked, therefore say nothing about it), your uncle would most readily have settled the whole. They battled it together for a long time, which was more than either the gentleman or lady concerned in it deserved. But at last your uncle was forced to yield, and instead of being allowed to be of use to his niece, was forced to put up with only having the probable credit of it, which went sorely against the grain; and I really believe your letter this morning gave him great pleasure, because it required an explanation that would rob him of his borrowed feathers, and give the praise where it was due. But, Lizzy, this must go no farther than yourself, or Jane at most.
但是我们这位贵客实在太固执。人们都纷纷指责他的错处,今天说他有这个错处,明天又说他有那个错处,可是这一个才是他真正的错处。样样事情都非得由他亲自来办不可;其实你舅父非常愿意全盘包办(我这样说并不是为了讨你的好,所以请你不要跟别人提起)。他们为这件事争执了好久,其实对当事人来说,无论是男方女方,都不配享受这样的对待。可是你舅父最后还是不得不依从他,以致非但不能替自己的外甥女稍微尽点力,而且还要无劳居功,这完全和他的心愿相违;我相信你今天早上的来信一定会使他非常高兴,因为这件掠人之美的事,从此可以说个清楚明白,使那应该受到赞美的人受到赞美。不过,丽萃,这件事只能让你知道,最多只能说给吉英听。