6级-《傲慢与偏见》-第12课

前情提要

班纳特一家在舞会上出尽了洋相，让伊丽莎白觉得十分难堪。转过天来，柯林斯先生决定向伊丽莎白求婚……

故事原文

Pride and Prejudice 12

傲慢与偏见 12

It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.

现在非打断他的话不可了。

'Sir, you forget I have given no answer. Accept my thanks for the compliment you are paying me, but it is impossible for me to accept your proposal.'

“先生，你忘了我还没有回答你。你对我的恭维，我表示感谢，但是，接受你的求婚是不可能的。”

'Of course I understand,' said Mr Collins, 'that young ladies often do not accept a proposal of marriage the first time. I am therefore not at all discouraged, and sincerely hope we shall be married soon.'

“我当然理解，”柯林斯先生说，“年轻的小姐遇到求婚时第一次通常不接受。因此，我一点都不气馁，并真切地希望我们不久就会结婚。”

'Sir,' cried Elizabeth, 'your hope is rather extraordinary after what I've said! I am perfectly serious. You could not make me happy, and I'm convinced I'm the last woman in the world who would make you happy. And I'm sure that if Lady Catherine knew me, she would find me poorly qualified for(1) the situation,'

“先生，”伊丽莎白嚷道，“我拒绝你以后你的希望真是太不同寻常了！我的话是完全严肃的。你不会使我幸福，在这个世界上，我也是最不可能给你幸福的人。而且我相信，如果凯瑟琳夫人认识我，她会发现我做你妻子不合格。”

'If I knew Lady Catherine thought so—'began Mr Collins, looking very worried. 'But I cannot imagine she would disapprove of(2) you. And when I have the honour of seeing her again, I shall certainly tell her how modest, economical(3) and practical you are.'

“我要是知道凯瑟琳夫人这么想——”柯林斯先生又开口道，看起来有点担忧。“可是难以想象她会不满意你。我下次有幸再见到她时，一定会告诉她你多么谦虚，多么勤俭，多么实际。”

'Indeed, Mr Collins, all praise of me will be unnecessary. Pay me the compliment of believing what I say. I hope you will be very happy and very rich, but I cannot accept your proposal.' She got up and was going to leave the room, but Mr Collins was speaking to her again.

“柯林斯先生，说实话，对我的一切称赞都是没必要的。相信我说的话才是对我的恭维。我希望你十分幸福，十分富有，但是我不能接受你的求婚。”她起身正要离开房间，可是柯林斯先生又对她说话了。

'I am far from accusing you of cruelty in refusing me, as I know it is the custom with elegant ladies in society to refuse a gentleman the first time. I hope to receive a more favourable answer next time I speak to you of marriage.'

“你残酷地拒绝了我，我一点也不责怪你，因为我知道社会上高雅的小姐总是习惯于第一次拒绝先生的求婚。我希望下次同你谈起婚姻大事时能给我一个肯定的答复。”

'Really, Mr Collins,' cried Elizabeth with some warmth, 'you do puzzle(4) me! I do not know how to express my refusal so that it convinces you!'

“柯林斯先生，”伊丽莎白有些激动地嚷道，“你真使我迷惑不解！我不知道如何表示拒绝你才能相信！”

'You must allow me to flatter myself, dear cousin, that you do not intend to refuse me for long. My situation in life, my connections with the de Bourgh family, and my relationship to your own, all make my proposal a very suitable one. And you should remember that in spite of your many admirable qualities, it is not certain that you will receive any other offer of marriage, as you have very little money of your own.'

“亲爱的表妹，我的理解是你不会长时间拒绝我的，你应当容许我这样想。我的地位，我与德·包尔家的关系以及我与你们家的关系都使得我的求婚十分合适。并且你要记住，虽然你有很多品质令人钦佩，但你能不能得到别人的求爱，还不敢肯定，因为你自己一贫如洗。”

'Sir, thank you again for the honour you have done me, but to accept your proposal is absolutely impossible. Can I speak plainer than that? Don't think of me as an elegant female, but as a thinking creature speaking the truth from her heart!'

“先生，再次感谢你对我的垂青，但是接受你的求婚是绝对不可能的。我还能说得比这更清楚吗？不要把我看成高雅的女性，把我看成一个能从心底说真话的会思考的人吧！”

'You are charming!' he cried, 'and I' m sure that when both your excellent parents agree, you will accept my proposal!'

“你真有魅力！”他叫道，“我相信，当你尊敬的父母都同意后，你也会接受我的求婚的！”

Elizabeth did not reply, but left the room silently, determined to ask her father, if necessary, to make her refusal clear to the self-deceiving Mr Collins.

伊丽莎白没有回答，而是默默地离开了房间，决心去请父亲（如果有必要的话）把她的意思向这个自欺欺人的柯林斯先生说清楚。

Mrs Bennet had been waiting eagerly for the end of the interview, and when she saw Elizabeth leave the room, she hurried in to offer her congratulations to Mr Collins. He received them with pleasure, adding that he was sure his cousin's refusal was a natural result of her modesty and delicacy of character.

班纳特太太一直在热切地期待着会面的结束，她看到伊丽莎白出来以后，赶忙进屋向柯林斯先生表示祝贺。他十分高兴地接受了祝贺，并补充说，他肯定表妹的拒绝是谦虚和矜持的自然结果。

'Refusal?' repeated Mrs Bennet, shocked. 'Lizzy refused you? Do not worry, Mr Collins. I shall speak to her at once. She's a very obstinate, foolish girl, but I'll make her accept you.'

“拒绝？”班纳特太太重复道，大吃一惊。“丽萃拒绝了你？柯林斯先生，别担心，我马上跟她说。她很固执，很愚蠢，可是我一定让她接受。”

'Pardon me, madam,' cried Mr Collins, 'but if she's really obstinate and foolish, I do not think she would be a suitable wife for a man in my situation.'

“对不起，夫人，”柯林斯先生叫道，“如果她真是又固执又愚蠢，那我想她做我这样的人的妻子也不合适。”

'Sir, you quite misunderstand me,' said Mrs Bennet, alarmed. 'She's only obstinate in a matter like this. In everything else she is very agreeable. I'll see Mr Bennet and we'll arrange it with her, I'm sure.'

“先生，你过于误解了我，”班纳特太太说道，感到惊慌失措。“只在这种事情上她才固执，别的事她都很随和。我去找班纳特先生，我们俩把这件事包了，我有把握。”

She did not give him time to reply, but hurried to the library, where she knew she would find her husband.

她没有等他回答，而是急匆匆奔向书房，她知道在那儿肯定会找到丈夫。

'Oh, Mr Bennet, we need you urgently! We're all in such confusion! You must come and make Lizzy marry Mr Collins!'

“噢，班纳特先生，我们十万火急，需要你帮忙！都乱套了！你必须过来让丽萃嫁给柯林斯先生！”

Mr Bennet raised his eyes from his book as she entered, and stared at her with calm unconcern. 'I do not have the pleasure of understanding you, 'he said. 'What are you talking about?'

她进来后，班纳特先生从书上抬起眼皮，漠不关心地望着她。“对不起，我没听懂你的话。”他说，“你在说什么？”

'Lizzy declares she won't have him, and if you don't hurry, he'll change his mind and not have her.'

“丽萃表示她不要柯林斯先生，如果你不快点，他也就改变主意，不要她了。”

'So what should I do? It seems a hopeless business.'

“那我应当怎么办呢？看来这事没指望了。”

'Speak to her about it yourself. Tell her you insist on her marrying him.'

“你亲自跟她谈谈。告诉她你非要她嫁给他不可。”

'Call her in here. She shall hear my opinion.'

“叫她过来。她会听从我的意见的。”

Mrs Bennet gladly rang the bell, and the servant brought Elizabeth into the library.

班纳特太太高兴地拉响了铃，仆人把伊丽莎白带到了书房。

'Come here, child,' said her father as she appeared. 'I've sent for(5) you on a very important matter. I understand that Mr Collins has made you an offer of marriage, and you have refused?' When Elizabeth nodded, he continued, 'Very well. Now, your mother insists on(6) your accepting. Isn't that right, Mrs Bennet?'

“过来，孩子，”父亲一见她便说，“我叫你过来有件要紧的事情。我听说柯林斯先生向你求婚，你拒绝了？”伊丽莎白点了点头，父亲接着说：“很好。现在，你妈妈非让你接受不可。是吧，班纳特太太？”

'Yes, or I'll never see her again.'

“是的，否则，我后半辈子不再见她。”

'You now have an unhappy choice to make, Elizabeth. From this day on, you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.'

“伊丽莎白，现在你面临着一个不愉快的抉择。从今天开始，你不和母亲成为陌路人，就要和父亲成为陌路人了。你要是不嫁给柯林斯先生，你妈妈就不会再见你；你要是嫁给他，我就不会再见你。”

Elizabeth could not help smiling, but Mrs Bennet, who had been sure her husband supported her, was very disappointed.

伊丽莎白禁不住笑了，班纳特太太本来十拿九稳丈夫会支持她，可是现在感到很失望。

'What do you mean, Mr Bennet? You promised me you would insist on her marrying him.'

“你这是什么意思，班纳特先生？你答应过我你会迫使伊丽莎白嫁给他的。”

'My dear,' replied her husband, 'I have two small requests to make. First, that you will accept that I know what I promised or did not promise, and secondly, that you will all leave me in peace(7) as soon as possible.'

“亲爱的，”丈夫回答道，“我有两个小小的请求。首先，我答应过什么，没答应过什么，我心里清楚，这一点请你接受。第二，你们都赶快离开，让我清静一会儿。”

（原文中出现高光标示内容请见核心语言点）

核心语言点

1. qualified for... 够资格……， 能胜任……

例句:

He is qualified for this work.

他能胜任这项工作。

2. disapprove of sth./sb. 不赞同/不喜欢/反对某事/某人

例句：

Most people disapprove of such violent tactics.

大多数人都不赞同这种暴力手段。

3. economical 节俭的， 节约的

例句：

It's more economical to buy the bigger size.

买大点尺寸的更经济实惠。

He is economical in all areas of his life.

他在生活的各个方面都精打细算。

4. puzzle 使迷惑， 使困惑（make sb. feel confused because he or she doesn't understand sth.）

Sb./Sth. puzzle(s) sb. 某人/某事令人迷惑。

Sb. Puzzle(s) over sth. 某人对某事感到迷惑。

例句：

In rehearsing Shakespeare, I puzzled over his verse and prose.

在排练莎士比亚时， 我对他的文句感到迷惑。

5. send for sb. 请某人来， 派人去叫某人

例句：

I have sent for the doctor.

我已经派人去请医生了。

6. insist on (doing) sth. 坚持主张（做） 某事

例句：

If you insist on leaving, then go ahead.

如果你坚持要走， 那就走吧。

7. leave sb. in peace 让某人静静

例句：

Can't you leave me in peace for a while?

你就不能让我静一会儿吗？