傲慢与偏见 Pride and Prejudice-中英对照版 -40

傲慢与偏见作者 英国 简·奥斯汀

演播 一一楠语第四十集

Chapter 15

Continued

In another minute Mr. Bingley, but without seeming to have noticed what passed, took leave and rode on with his friend.

Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of Mr. Philips's house, and then made their bows, in spite of Miss Lydia's pressing entreaties that they would come in, and even in spite of Mrs. Philips' throwing up the parlour window and loudly seconding the invitation.

Mrs. Philips was always glad to see her nieces, and the two eldest, from their recent absence, were particularly welcome, and she was eagerly expressing her surprise at their sudden return home, which, as their own carriage had not fetched them, she should have known nothing about, if she had not happened to see Mr. Jones's shop boy in the street, who had told her that they were not to send any more draughts to Netherfield because the Miss Bennets were come away, when her civility was claimed towards Mr. Collins by Jane's introduction of him. She received him with her very best politeness, which he returned with as much more, apologising for his intrusion without any previous acquaintance with her, which he could not help flattering himself, however, might be justified by his relationship to the young ladies who introduced him to her notice. Mrs. Philips was quite awed by such an excess of good breeding; but her contemplation of one stranger was soon put an end to by exclamations and inquiries about the other, of whom, however, she could only tell her nieces what they already knew, that Mr. Denny had brought him from London, and that he was to have a lieutenant's commission in the ----shire. She had been watching him the last hour, she said, as he walked up and down the street, and had Mr. Wickham appeared, Kitty and Lydia would certainly have continued the occupation, but unluckily no one passed the windows now except a few of the officers, who in comparison with the stranger, were become "stupid, disagreeable fellows." Some of them were to dine with the Philipses the next day, and their aunt promised to make her husband call on Mr. Wickham, and give him an invitation also, if the family from Longbourn would come in the evening. This was agreed to, and Mrs. Philips protested that they would have a nice comfortable noisy game of lottery tickets, and a little bit of hot supper afterwards. The prospect of such delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good spirits. Mr. Collins repeated his apologies in quitting the room, and was assured with unwearying civility that they were perfectly needless.

As they walked home, Elizabeth related to Jane what she had seen pass between the two gentlemen; but though Jane would have defended either or both, had they appeared to be wrong, she could no more explain such behaviour than her sister.

Mr. Collins, on his return, highly gratified Mrs. Bennet by admiring Mrs. Philips's manners and politeness. He protested that except Lady Catherine and her daughter, he had never seen a more elegant woman; for she had not only received him with the utmost civility, but had even pointedly included him in her invitation for the next evening, although utterly unknown to her before. Something he supposed might be attributed to his connection with them, but yet he had never met with so much attention in the whole course of his life.

过了一会儿，彬格莱先生若无其事地跟她们告别了，骑着马跟他朋友管自走了。

丹呢先生和韦翰先生陪着几位年轻的小姐，走到腓力普家门口，丽迪雅小姐硬要他们进去，甚至腓力普太太也打开了窗户，大声地帮着她邀请，他们却鞠了个躬告辞而去。

腓力普太太一向喜欢看到她的侄女们，那大的两个新近不常见面，因此特别受欢迎。她恳切地说。她们姐妹俩突然回家来，真叫她非常惊奇，要不是碰巧在街上遇到钟斯医生的药铺子里那个跑街的小伙子告诉她，说是班纳特家的两位小姐都已回家了呢，这是因为她们家里没有打发马车去接她们的缘故，正当她们这样闲谈的时候，吉英向她介绍柯林斯先生，她不得不跟他寒喧几句，她极其客气地表示欢迎他，他也加倍客气地应酬她而且向她道歉，说是素昧生平，不该这么冒冒失失闯到她府上来，又说他毕竟还是非常高兴，因为介绍他的那几位年轻小姐和他还有些亲戚关系，因此他的冒昧前来也还勉强说得过去。这种过分的礼貌使腓力普太太受宠若惊。不过，正当她仔细量着这一位生客的时候，她们姐妹俩却又把另一位生客的事情，大惊小怪地提出来向她问长问短，她只得又来回答她们的话，可是她能够说给侄女儿们听的，也无非是她们早已知道了的一些情形。她说那位生客是丹尼先生刚从伦敦带来的，他将要在某某郡担任起一个中尉的职责，又说，他刚刚在街上走来走去的时候，她曾经对他望了整整一个钟头之久。这时如果韦翰先生从这儿经过，吉蒂和丽迪雅一定还要继续张望他一番；可惜现在除了几位军官之外，根本没有人从窗口走过，而这些军官们同韦翰先生一比较，都变成一些“愚蠢讨厌的家伙”了。有几个军官明天要上腓力普家里来吃饭。姨母说，倘若她们一家人明天晚上能从浪博恩赶来，那么她就要打发她的丈夫去拜访韦翰先生一次，约他也来。大家都同意了；腓力普太太说，明天要给她们来一次热闹而有趣的抓彩票的玩艺儿，玩过之后再吃一顿晚饭。想到了明天这一场欢乐真叫人兴奋，因此大家分别的时候都很快乐。柯林斯先生走出门来，又再三道谢，主人也礼貌周全地请他不必过分客气。

回家的时候，伊丽莎白一路上把刚刚亲眼看见的那两位先生之间的一幕情景说给吉英听。假使他们两人之间真有什么宿怨，吉英一定要为他们两人中间的一人辩护，或是为两人辩护，只可惜她跟她妹妹一样，对于这两个人的事情完全摸不着头脑。

柯林斯先生回来之后，大大称赞腓力普太太的殷勤好客，班纳特太太听得很满意。柯林斯说，除了咖苔琳夫人母女之外，他生平从来没见过更风雅的女人，因为他虽然和她素昧生平，她却对他礼貌周全，甚至还指明要请他明天一同去吃晚饭。他想，这件事多少应该归功于他和她们的亲戚关系。可是这样殷勤好客的事，他还是生平第一次碰到呢。