"This was a lucky idea of mine, indeed!" said Mrs. Bennet, more than once, as if the credit of making it rain were all her own. Till the next morning, however, she was not aware of all the felicity of her contrivance. Breakfast was scarcely over when a servant from Netherfield brought the following note for Elizabeth:

班纳特太太一遍又一遍地说：“真亏我想出了这个好办法！”好象天下雨老师她一手造成的。不过，她的神机妙算究竟造成了多大幸福，她一直到第二天早上才知道。早饭还没吃完，尼日斐花园就打发了人送来一封信给伊丽莎白：

"My dearest Lizzy,

I FIND myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is to be imputed¹ to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hear of my returning home till I am better. They insist also on my seeing Mr. Jones -- therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of his having been to me -- and excepting a sore throat and head-ache, there is not much the matter with me.

Yours, &c."

我亲爱的丽萃，──今晨我觉得很不舒服，我想这可能是昨天淋了雨的缘故。承蒙这儿好朋友们的关切，要我等到身体舒适一些才回家来。朋友们再三要请钏斯医生来替我看病，因此，要是你们他上我这儿来过，可别惊讶。我只不过有点儿喉咙痛和头痛，并没有什么大不了的毛病。───姐字。

"Well, my dear," said Mr. Bennet, when Elizabeth had read the note aloud, "if your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness, if she should die, it would be a comfort to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders."

伊丽莎白读信的时候，班纳特先生对他太太说：“唔，好太太，要是你的女儿得了重病──万一她一病不起──倒也值得安慰呀，因为她是奉了你命令去追求彬格莱先生的。”

"Oh! I am not at all afraid of her dying. People do not die of little trifling² colds. She will be taken good care of. As long is she stays there, it is all very well. I would go and see her, if I could have the carriage."

“噢！她难道这么一下子就会送命！哪有小伤风就会送命的道理。人家自会把她等候得好好的。只要她待在那儿，包管无事。倘使有车子的话，我也想去看看她。”

Elizabeth, feeling really anxious, was determined³ to go to her, though the carriage was not to be had; and as she was no horse-woman, walking was her only alternative. She declared her resolution.

真正着急的倒是伊丽莎白，她才不管有车无车，决定非去一趟不可。她既然不会骑马，唯一的办法便只有步行。她把自己的打算说了出来。

"How can you be so silly," cried her mother, "as to think of such a thing, in all this dirt! You will not be fit to be seen when you get there."

她妈妈叫道：“你怎么这样蠢！路上这么泥泞，亏你想得出来！等你走到那儿，你那副样子怎么见人。”

"I shall be very fit to see Jane -- which is all I want."

“我只要见到吉英就成。”

"Is this a hint⁴ to me, Lizzy," said her father, "to send for the horses?"

“丽萃，”她的父亲说，“你的意思是叫我替你弄几匹马来驾马车吗？”

"No, indeed. I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is nothing, when one has a motive⁵; only three miles. I shall be back by dinner."

“当然不是这个意思。我不怕步行，只要存心去，这点儿路算得上什么。才不过三英里路。我可以赶回来吃晚饭。”

"I admire the activity of your benevolence," observed Mary, "but every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and, in my opinion, exertion⁶ should always be in proportion to what is required."

这时曼丽说道：“你完全是出于一片手足之情，我很佩服，可是你千万不能感情用事，你得有理智一点，而且我觉得尽力也不要尽得过分。“

"We will go as far as Meryton with you," said Catherine and Lydia. -- Elizabeth accepted their company, and the three young ladies set off together.

珈苔琳和丽迪雅同声说道：“我们陪你到麦里屯。”伊丽莎表示赞成，于是三位年轻的小姐就一块儿出发了。