Pride and Prejudice Chapter 13

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.” 
第二天吃过早饭的时候，班纳特先生对他的太太说:“我的好太太，我希望你今天的晚饭准备得好一点，因为我预料今天一定有客人来。”
“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.” 
“你说的是谁，亲爱的?”我肯定谁也不知道有谁要来，除非夏绿蒂·卢卡斯碰巧会来看我——我想，每次吃饭对她来说也足够好了。我相信她在家里很少见到这样的人。”
“The person of whom I speak is a gentleman, and a stranger.” 
“我所说的这位客人是位绅士，又是位生客。”
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.” 
班纳特太太的眼睛闪闪发亮。“一位绅士，又是一位陌生人!”那一定是彬格莱先生，准没错!唔，彬格莱先生要来，我真高兴极了。但是好的主啊!多倒霉!今天一点鱼也买不到。丽迪雅，我的宝贝，去摇铃——我得马上跟希尔谈谈。”
“It is not Mr. Bingley,” said her husband; “it is a person whom I never saw in the whole course of my life.” 
她丈夫说:“并不是彬格莱先生要来;“这个人我一生都没见过。”
This roused a general astonishment; and he had the pleasure of being eagerly questioned by his wife and his five daughters at once. 
这句话引起了普遍的惊讶;他的妻子和五个女儿立刻急切地追问他，他感到很高兴。
After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he thus explained: 
他以她们的好奇心取乐了一会儿之后，便这样解释道:
“About a month ago I received this letter; and about a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy, 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.” 
“大约一个月前，我收到了这封信。大约两星期前，我回答了他的问题，因为我觉得这是件相当棘手的事，需要及早注意。我死了以后，这位表亲可以高兴什么时候把你们撵出这所房子，就什么时候撵出去。”
“Oh! my dear,” cried his wife, “I cannot bear to hear that mentioned. Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed 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.” 
“哦!“亲爱的，”他的妻子叫道，“提起这件事，我真受不了。请不要谈论那个讨厌的人吧。你的产业不能让自己的孩子继承，却要让别人来继承，这是世上最难堪的事;我敢肯定，如果我是你，早就想办法想办法了。”
Jane and Elizabeth tried to explain to her the nature of an entail. 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. 
简和伊丽莎白设法把继承权的问题解释给她听。他们以前经常试图这样做,但这是一个话题,可是这件事实在叫班纳特太太弄不明白，她还继续愤愤地抱怨说，把自己的财产留给一个谁也不关心的男人，而不是一个有五个女儿的家庭，是多么残酷。
“It certainly is a most iniquitous affair,” said Mr. Bennet, “and nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn. But if you will listen to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself.”
“这的确是最不公道的事，”班纳特先生说，“柯林斯先生要继承浪博恩的产业，他这桩罪过是洗也洗不清的。不过，要是你听听他这封信里所说的话，那你就会心肠软一些，因为他这番表明心迹还不错。” 
“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?” 
“不，我相信我不会的;我觉得他写信给你真是既没有礼貌，又非常虚伪。我讨厌这种虚伪的朋友。他为什么不象他父亲那样跟你吵得不可开交呢?”
“Why, indeed; he does seem to have had some filial scruples on that head, as you will hear.” 
“为什么,确实;我倒要告诉你，他对于这个问题，似乎有些顾虑。”
“Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent, 15th October. 
“10月15日，肯特郡韦斯特汉姆附近的汉斯福。
“Dear Sir,— “The disagreement subsisting 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 breach; 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 variance. —‘There, Mrs. Bennet.’—My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty 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 rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly 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 amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends—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 trespass 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” 
你为先父之间曾有些芥蒂，这一直使我感到不安。自先父不幸弃世以来，我常常想到要弥补这个裂痕;我一时犹豫，没有这样做，怕的是他生前既然对阁下唯恐仇视不及，而我今天却来与阁下修好，这未免有辱先人。——“,班纳特太太。不过现在我对这件事已经拿定了主意，因为我已在复活节那天受了圣职。多蒙咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人贵人惠顾，刘威斯·德·包尔爵士的遗孀，蒙他慷慨施恩，提拔我担任这个教区的教士，今后可以尽我最大的努力，恭敬敬拜这位夫人，并随时准备执行英国国教所规定的仪式和仪式。此外，作为一名牧师，我觉得我有责任尽我所能，在所有家庭中促进和平;基于这些理由，我相信我这次提出的建议一定会受到你的重视，有关我继承浪博恩的产业一事，请你也不必计较。而不是让你拒绝他的橄榄枝。我这样伤害了诸位令媛，真是深感不安，万分抱歉，但请你放心，我极愿给予她们一切可能的补偿，此事容后再说。如阁下不反对，我愿于十一月十八日(星期一)四点钟前来拜谒阁下及府上，并可能在此逗留至下星期六为止。咖苔琳夫人并不反对我星期日偶尔不去一趟，只要那天有别的牧师替我干就行了。-我继续，亲爱的先生，向您的夫人和女儿，您的祝福者和朋友，致以最恭敬的问候，
“威廉柯林斯”
“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 conscientious 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.”
“那么，四点钟的时候，这位和平的绅士就要来了，”班纳特先生一面把信折好，一面说。“他倒是个很有良心、很有礼貌的青年，一定是这样;我相信他一定会成为一个值得器重的朋友，只要咖苔琳夫人能够开开恩，让他以后再上我们这儿来，那就更好了。” 
“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.” 
“他说我们女儿们那几句话，倒还说得不错;要是他果真打算设法补偿，我倒不反对。”
“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.”
简说:“他说要给我们补偿，我们虽然猜不出他究竟是什么意思，可是他这一声好意实在是难得。” 
Elizabeth was chiefly struck by his extraordinary deference for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his parishioners whenever it were required. 
伊丽莎白觉得奇怪的是，他对咖苔琳夫人尊敬得出奇，而且他那么好心，凡是他教区里的居民，都愿意替他们受洗、主持婚礼和丧礼。
“He must be an oddity, I think,” said she. “I cannot make him out.—There is something very pompous 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?” 
“我看他一定是个怪人，”她说。“我搞不懂他。他的文风很浮夸。他因为继承了我们的产权而道歉，这话是什么意思呢?我们不能指望他能控制住自己。——他会是个理智的人吗，先生?”
“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.” 
“不，亲爱的，我想没有。很有可能找到一个完全相反的人。在他的信中混杂着奴性和自负，对于他的承诺。我倒是很想见见他。”
“In point of composition,” said Mary, “the letter does not seem defective. The idea of the olive-branch perhaps is not wholly new, yet I think it is well expressed.” 
玛丽说:“就文章而论，这封信倒好象写得没有什么毛病。橄榄枝这种说法也许并不完全是新的，可是我觉得已经说得很好了。”
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 scarlet 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. 
对凯瑟琳和丽迪雅来说，那封信和写信人都没有什么意思。她们认为她们的表兄决不会穿红袍来，而这几个星期来，穿其他任何颜色的衣服的人，她们都不乐意结交。至于他们的母亲，自从收到柯林斯先生的那封信以后，她对他的恶感便大大地消去了，她现在正准备以相当泰然自若的态度来见他，这使她的丈夫和女儿们都大为吃惊。
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. 
柯林斯先生准时来了，全家都非常客气地接待他。班纳特先生的确没有多说话;可是女客们都很愿意谈话，而柯林斯先生自己好象既不需要人家鼓励他多说话，也不打算不说话。他是个二十五岁的年轻人，高大魁梧。他的神态庄重而庄严，他的举止非常拘谨。他刚一坐下来就恭维班纳特太太养了这么多好女儿;他说，关于她们的美貌，他早就听说过很多，可是在这次见面的时候，她们的美貌比他想像的还要美;他还说，他不怀疑她会看到他们都在适当的时候嫁出去。他这种殷勤的奉承话，有些听众并不怎么爱听。可是班纳特太太没有听出什么恭维话来，便极其爽快地回答道。
“You are very kind, I am sure; and I wish with all my heart it may prove so, for else they will be destitute enough. Things are settled so oddly.” 
“我相信你是个好心肠的人;我一心希望事实能如此，否则她们就够穷困的了。事情的安排太奇怪了。”
“You allude, perhaps, to the entail of this estate.” 
“你大概是说产业的继承权问题吧。”
“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.” 
“啊!先生，我确实这么想。你得承认，这对我可怜的女儿们来说是件伤心事。我并不想怪你，因为我知道，世界上这种事全靠运气。一个人的产业一旦要限定继承人，那你就无从知道它会落到谁的手里去了。”
“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 precipitate. 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—” 
“太太，我很清楚这件事对表妹们很不利，我在这件事上有许多话要说，只是我不愿意显得太冒失。不过我可以向年轻的小姐们保证，我是准备好来欣赏她们的。目前我不会多说;不过，也许等我们更熟了以后……”
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 admiration. 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 mortifying 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 asperity 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 displeased her. In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended; but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour. 
人家请他吃饭，于是他的话被打断了。女孩们互相微笑着。柯林斯先生所爱慕的还不只是她们。他们把穿堂、饭厅以及里面的一切家具都检查了一番，称赞了一番。班纳特太太本来一定要听他赞美一番，感到十分得意，可是她又想到，他是把这些东西都看作自己未来的财产，因此她又很难受。这顿饭也受到了高度赞扬。他问他那漂亮的表妹，烹调得这么好，究竟是谁的功劳。可是班纳特太太把他说错了，相当不客气地跟他说，她们现在还雇得起一个好厨子，根本用不着女儿们过问厨房里的事。他使她不高兴，请求原谅。她用柔和的声调表示，自己根本没有生气。但他继续道歉了大约一刻钟。