Day4 内德菲尔庄园 外教朗读原文 Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Elizabeth passed the chief of the night in hersister's room, and in the morning had the pleasure of being able to send atolerable answer to the inquiries which she very early received from Mr.Bingley by a housemaid, and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladieswho waited on his sisters. In spite of this amendment,however, she requested to have a note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother tovisit Jane and form her own judgment of her situation. The note was immediatelydispatched, and its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompaniedby her two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.

wait on  服侍，伺候 

amendment /ə'men(d)m(ə)nt/ n. 改善，修改

Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennetwould have been very miserable; but being satisfied on seeing her that herillness was not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as herrestoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield. She would notlisten therefore to her daughter's proposal of being carried home; neither didthe apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think it at alladvisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss Bingley's appearanceand invitation, the mother and three daughters all attended her into thebreakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs. Bennet had not foundMiss Bennet worse than she expected.

apothecary /ə'pɒθɪk(ə)rɪ/ n. 药剂师

"Indeed I have, Sir," was her answer."She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not thinkof moving her. We must trespass a little longer on yourkindness."

trespass on  滥用，过多占用

"Removed!" cried Bingley. "It must notbe thought of. My sister, I am sure, will not hear of her removal."

"You may depend upon it, Madam," said MissBingley, with cold civility, "that Miss Bennet shall receive everypossible attention while she remains with us."

Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.

profuse /prə'fjuːs/ adj. 大量的

acknowledgment /ək'nɒlɪdʒmənt/ n. 感谢（熟词僻义）

"I am sure," she added, "if it was notfor such good friends I do not know what would become of her, for she is veryill indeed, and suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in theworld—which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception, thesweetest temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothingto her. You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect overthat gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is equal toNetherfield. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry, I hope, though youhave but a short lease."

"Whatever I do is done in a hurry," repliedhe; "and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I shouldprobably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself asquite fixed here."

"That is exactly what I should have supposed ofyou," said Elizabeth.

"You begin to comprehend me, do you?" criedhe, turning towards her.

"Oh! yes—I understand you perfectly."

"I wish I might take this for a compliment; butto be so easily seen through I am afraid is pitiful."

"That is as it happens. It does not necessarilyfollow that a deep, intricate character is more or lessestimable than such a one as yours."

intricate /'ɪntrɪkət/ adj. 复杂的

"Lizzy," cried her mother, "rememberwhere you are, and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to doat home."

"I did not know before," continued Bingleyimmediately, "that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusingstudy."

"Yes; but intricate characters are the mostamusing. They have at least that advantage."

"The country," said Darcy, "can ingeneral supply but few subjects for such a study. In a country neighbourhoodyou move in a very confined and unvarying society."

confined /kən'faɪnd/ adj. 狭小的，狭窄的

"But people themselves alter so much that thereis something new to be observed in them forever."

"Yes, indeed," cried Mrs. Bennet, offendedby his manner of mentioning a country neighbourhood. "I assure you thereis quite as much of that going on in the country as in town."

Everybody was surprised; and Darcy, after looking ather for a moment, turned silently away. Mrs. Bennet, who fancied she had gaineda complete victory over him, continued her triumph.

"I cannot see that London has any great advantageover the country for my part, except the shops and public places. The countryis a vast deal pleasanter, is not it, Mr. Bingley?"

"When I am in the country," he replied,"I never wish to leave it; and when I am in town it is pretty much thesame. They have each their advantages, and I can be equally happy ineither."

"Aye—that is because you have the right disposition.But that gentleman," looking at Darcy, "seemed to think the countrywas nothing at all."

disposition /dɪspə'zɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 性格

"Indeed, Mama, you are mistaken," saidElizabeth, blushing for her mother. "You quite mistook Mr. Darcy. He onlymeant that there were not such a variety of people to be met with in thecountry as in town, which you must acknowledge to be true."

"Certainly, my dear, nobody said there were; butas to not meeting with many people in this neighbourhood, I believe there arefew neighbourhoods larger. I know we dine with four and twenty families."

Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingleyto keep his countenance. His sister was less delicate, and directed her eyetowards Mr. Darcy with a very expressive smile. Elizabeth, for the sake ofsaying something that might turn her mother's thoughts, now asked her if CharlotteLucas had been at Longbourn since her coming away.

"Yes, she called yesterday withher father. What an agreeable man Sir William is, Mr. Bingley—is not he? somuch the man of fashion! so genteel and so easy! He has alwayssomething to say to everybody. That is my idea of good breeding; and thosepersons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths quitemistake the matter."

call /kɔːl/ v. 拜访（熟词僻义）

genteel /dʒen'tiːl/ adj. 有教养的，上流社会的

"Did Charlotte dine with you?"

"No, she would go home. I fancy she was wantedabout the mince pies. For my part, Mr. Bingley, I always keep servants that cando their own work; my daughters are brought up differently. But everybody is tojudge for themselves, and the Lucases are very good sort of girls, I assureyou. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not that I think Charlotte so veryplain—but then she is our particular friend."

"She seems a very pleasant young woman,"said Bingley.

"Oh! dear, yes; but you must own sheis very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane'sbeauty. I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane—one doesnot often see anybody better looking. It is what everybody says. I do not trustmy own partiality. When she was only fifteen, there was a gentlemanat my brother Gardiner's in town, so much in love with her that mysister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came away. Buthowever, he did not. Perhaps he thought her too young. However, he wrotesome verses on her, and very pretty they were."

own /əʊn/ v. 承认（熟词僻义）

partiality /pɑːʃɪ'ælɪtɪ/ n. 偏心，偏爱

verse /vɜːs/ n. 诗

"And so ended his affection," said Elizabethimpatiently. "There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the sameway. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry indriving away love!"

efficacy /'efɪkəsɪ/ n. 效果

"I have been used to consider poetry as the foodof love," said Darcy.

"Of a fine, stout, healthy love itmay. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it beonly a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet willstarve it entirely away."

stout /staʊt/ adj. 牢固的，结实的

nourish /'nʌrɪʃ/ v. 滋养

sonnet /'sɒnɪt/ n. 十四行诗

Darcy only smiled; and the general pause which ensued madeElizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself again. She longedto speak, but could think of nothing to say; and after a short silence Mrs.Bennet began repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane, withan apology for troubling him also with Lizzy. Mr. Bingley was unaffectedlycivil in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be civil also, and saywhat the occasion required. She performed her part indeed without much graciousness,but Mrs. Bennet was satisfied, and soon afterwards ordered her carriage. Uponthis signal, the youngest of her daughters put herself forward. The two girlshad been whispering to each other during the whole visit, and the result of itwas that the youngest should tax Mr. Bingley with havingpromised on his first coming into the country to give a ball at Netherfield.

ensue /ɪn'sjuː/ v. 跟着发生，接着发生（区分ensure——确保）

graciousness /'greiʃəsnis/ n. 好心

tax sb with sth  因…而责备（某人）

Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with afine complexion and good-humoured countenance; a favouritewith her mother, whose affection had brought her into public at an early age.She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence, which theattentions of the officers, to whom her uncle's good dinners and her own easymanners recommended her, had increased into assurance. She was very equaltherefore to address Mr. Bingley on the subject of the ball, and abruptlyreminded him of his promise; adding that it would be the most shameful thing inthe world if he did not keep it. His answer to this sudden attack wasdelightful to their mother's ear.

good-humoured /'ɡud'hju:məd/ adj. 愉快的（此处humour表示“感觉、心情、精神状态”）

"I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep myengagement; and when your sister is recovered, you shall if you please name thevery day of the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing while she isill."

name /neɪm/ v. 确定，说定（熟词僻义）

Lydia declared herself satisfied. "Oh! yes—itwould be much better to wait till Jane was well, and by that time most likelyCaptain Carter would be at Meryton again. And when you have given yourball," she added, "I shall insist on their giving one also. I shalltell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if he does not."

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, andElizabeth returned instantly to Jane, leaving her own and her relations'behaviour to the remarks of the two ladies and Mr. Darcy; the latter of whom,however, could not be prevailed on to join in their censure ofher, in spite of all Miss Bingley's witticisms on fine eyes.

prevail on/upon sb to do sth  劝说某人做某事