"This is the only point, I flatter myself, on which we do not agree. I had hoped that our sentiments coincided in every particular, but I must so far differ from you as to think our two youngest daughters uncommonly¹ foolish."

“我们两个人总算只有在这一点上看法不同。我本来希望你我在任何方面的意见都能融洽一致，可是说起我们的两个小女儿，的确非常蠢；关于这一点，到目前为止，我不得不跟你抱着两样的见解。”

"My dear Mr. Bennet, you must not expect such girls to have the sense of their father and mother. -- When they get to our age, I dare say they will not think about officers any more than we do. I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself very well -- and indeed, so I do still at my heart; and if a smart young colonel, with five or six thousand a year, should want one of my girls, I shall not say nay² to him; and I thought Colonel Forster looked very becoming the other night at Sir William's in his regimentals."

“我的好老爷，你可不能指望这些女孩都跟她们爹妈一样的见识呀。等她们到了我们这么大年纪，她们也许就会跟我们一样，不会再想到什么军官们了。我刻从前有个时期，我也很喜爱‘红制服’───当然，到现在我心里头还喜爱‘红制服’呢；要是有位漂亮的年轻上校，每年有五六千磅的收入，随便向我的哪一个女儿求婚，我决不会拒绝他的；有天晚上在威廉爵士家里，看见弗斯脱上校全副军装，真是一表人材！”

"Mama," cried Lydia, "my aunt says that Colonel Forster and Captain Carter do not go so often to Miss Watson's as they did when they first came; she sees them now very often standing³ in Clarke's library."

“妈妈，”丽迪雅嚷道，“姨妈说，弗斯脱上校跟卡特尔上尉上琴小姐家里去的次数，不象初来的时候那么勤了；她近来常常看到他们站在‘克拉克借书处’等人。”

Mrs. Bennet was prevented replying by the entrance of the footman with a note for Miss Bennet; it came from Netherfield, and the servant waited for an answer. Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and she was eagerly calling out, while her daughter read, "Well, Jane, who is it from? what is it about? what does he say? Well, Jane, make haste and tell us; make haste, my love."

班纳特太太正要答话，不料一个小厮走了进来，拿来一封信给班纳特小姐。这是尼是斐花园送来的一封信，小厮等着取回信。班纳特太太高兴得眼睛也闪亮起来。吉英读信的时候，她心急地叫道：“嘿，吉英，谁来的信？信上说些什么？是怎么说的？喂，吉英，赶快看完说给听吧；快点儿呀，宝宝！”

"It is from Miss Bingley," said Jane, and then read it aloud.

“是彬格莱小姐写来的，”吉英说，一面把信读出来：

"My dear Friend,

IF you are not so compassionate⁴ as to dine to-day with Louisa and me, we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives, for a whole day's te^te-a`-te^te between two women can never end without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can on the receipt of this. My brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers. Yours ever, CAROLINE BINGLEY."

我亲爱的的朋友，

要是你不肯发发慈悲，今天光临舍下跟露薏莎和我一同吃饭，我和她两个人就要结下终生的怨仇了。两个女人成天在一块儿谈心，到头来没有不吵架的。接信后希即尽快前来。我的哥和他的几位朋友们都要上军官们那儿去吃饭。

你的永远的朋友珈罗琳·彬格莱

"With the officers!" cried Lydia. "I wonder my aunt did not tell us of that."

“上军官们那儿去吃饭！”丽迪雅嚷道，“这件事怎么姨妈没告诉我们呢。”"Dining out," said Mrs. Bennet, "that is very unlucky."

“上别人家去吃饭，”班纳特太太说：“这真是晦气。”

"Can I have the carriage?" said Jane.

“我可以乘着车子去吗？”吉英部。

"No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night."

“不行，亲爱的，你最好骑着马去。天好象要下雨的样子，下了雨你就可以在那儿过夜。”

"That would be a good scheme," said Elizabeth, "if you were sure that they would not offer to send her home."

“这倒是个好办法，”伊丽莎白说。“只要你拿得准他们不会送她回来。”

"Oh! but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chaise to go to Meryton; and the Hursts have no horses to theirs."

“噢，彬格莱先生的马车要送他的朋友到麦里屯去，赫斯脱夫妇又是有车无马。”

"I had much rather go in the coach."

“我倒还是愿意乘着马车去。”

"But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, I am sure. They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are not they?"

“可是，乖孩子，我包管你爸爸匀不出拖车子的马来。──农庄上正要马用，我的好老爷，是不是？”

"They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them."

“农庄上常常要马用，可惜到我手里的时候并不多。”

"But if you have got them to-day," said Elizabeth, "my mother's purpose will be answered."

伊丽莎白说：“可是，如果今天到得你的手里，就如了妈妈的愿了。”

She did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that the horses were engaged. Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback, and her mother attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a bad day. Her hopes were answered; Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters were uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain continued the whole evening without intermission; Jane certainly could not come back.

她终于逼得父亲不得不承认──那儿匹拉车子的马已经有了别的用处。于是吉英只得骑着另外一匹马去，母亲送她到门口，高高兴兴地说了许多预祝天气会变坏的话。她果真如愿了；吉英走了不久，就下起大雨来。妹妹们都替她担忧，只有她老人家反而高兴。大雨整个黄昏没有停住。吉英当然无法回来了。