作者﹕簡．奧斯汀
第 4 章
吉英本來並不輕易讚揚彬格萊先生，可是當她和伊莉莎白兩個人在一起的時候，她就向她的妹妹傾訴衷曲，說她自己多麼愛慕他。
"他真是一個典型的好青年，"她說，"有見識，有趣味，人又活潑；我從來沒有見過他那種討人喜歡的舉止！那麼大方，又有十全十美的教養！"
"他也長得很漂亮，"伊莉莎白回答道，"一個年輕的男人也得弄得漂亮些，除非辦不到，那又當別論。他真夠得上一個完美無瑕的人。"
"他第二次又來請我跳舞，我真高興死了。我真想不到他會這樣抬舉我。"
"你真的沒想到嗎？我倒替你想到了。不過，這正是我和你大不相同的地方。你遇到人家抬舉你，總是受寵若驚，我就不是這樣。他第二次再來請你跳舞，這不是再自然不過的事嗎？你比起舞場裏任何一位小姐都要漂亮得不知多少倍，他長了眼睛自然會看得出。他向你獻殷勤你又何必感激。說起來，他的確很可愛，我也不反對你喜歡他。不過你以前可也喜歡過很多蠢貨啊。"
"我的親麗萃！"
"唔！我知道，你總是太容易發生好感。你從來看不出人家的短處。在你眼睛裏看來，天下都是好人，你都看得順眼。我生平從來沒聽見你說人家的壞話。"
"我倒希望不要輕易責難一個人，可是我一向都是想到什麼就說什麼。"
"我知道你是這樣的，我對你感到奇怪的也就是這種地方。憑你這樣一個聰明人。為什麼竟會忠厚到看不出別人的愚蠢和無聊！你走遍天下，到處都可以遇到偽裝坦白的人。可是，這可只有你做得到。那麼，你也喜歡那位先生的姐妹們嗎？她們的風度可比不上他呀。"
"初看上去的確比不上。不過跟她們攀談起來，就覺得她們也都是些討人喜歡的女人。聽說彬格萊小姐將要跟她兄弟住在一起，替他料埋家務；她要不是個好鄰居，那才怪呢。"
伊莉莎白聽著姐姐的話，嘴上一聲不響，心裏可並不信服。她比她姐姐的觀察力來得敏銳，脾氣她沒有姐姐那麼好惹，因此提到彬家姐妹，她只要想想她們在跳舞場裏的那種舉止，就知道她們並不打算要討一般人的好。而且她胸有城府，決不因為人家等待她好就改變主張，她不會對她們發生多大好感的。事實上她們都是些非常好的小姐；她們並不是不會談笑風生，問題是在要碰到她們高興的時候；她們也不是不會待人和顏悅色，問題在於她們是否樂意這樣做。可惜的是，她們一味驕傲自大。她們都長得很漂亮，曾經在一個上流的專科學校裏受過教育，有兩萬鎊的財產，花起錢來總是揮霍無度，愛結交有身價地位的人，因此才造成了她們在各方面都自視甚高，不把別人放在眼裏。她們出生於英格蘭北部的一個體面家族。她們對自己的出身記得很牢，可是卻幾乎忘了她們兄弟的財產以及她們自己的財產都是做生意賺來的。
彬格萊先生從他的父親那兒只承繼了一筆將近十萬鎊的遺產。他父親生前本來打算購置些田產，可惜沒有了卻心願就與世長辭了。彬格萊先生同樣有這個打算，並且一度打算就在自己故鄉購置，不過目前他既然有了一幢很好的房子，而且有莊園聽他任意使用，於是那些瞭解他性格的人都說，象他這樣一個隨遇而安的人，下半輩子恐怕就在尼日斐花園度過，購置田產的事又要留給下一代去做了。他的姐妹們倒反而替他著急，希望早些購置產業；不過儘管他現在僅僅是以一個租戶的身分在這兒住了下來，彬格萊小姐還是非常願意替他掌管家務，再說那位嫁了個窮措大的赫斯脫太太，每逢上弟弟這兒來作客，依舊像是到了自己家裏一樣。當時彬格萊先生成年還不滿兩個年頭，只因為偶然聽到人家推薦尼日斐花園的房子，他便來到這兒看看。他裏裏外外看了半個鐘頭，地段和幾間主要的房間都很中他的意，加上房東又把那幢房子大大讚美了一番，那番話對他也是正中下懷，於是他就當場租了下來。他和達西雖然性格大不相同，彼此之間友誼卻始終如一。達西所以喜歡彬格萊，是因為彬格萊為人溫柔敦厚、坦白直爽，儘管個性方面和他自己極端相反，而他自己也從來不曾覺得自己的個性有什麼不完美的地方。達西很器重彬格萊，因此彬格萊對他極其信賴，對他的見解也推崇備至。在智力方面講，達西比他強──這並不是說彬格萊笨，而是說達西聰明些。達西為人兼有傲慢、含蓄和愛挑剔的性子，他雖說受過良好的教養，可是他的風度總不受人歡迎。從這一方面講，他的朋友可比他高明了。彬格萊無論走到哪兒，一定都會討人喜歡，達西卻始終得罪人。
從他倆談起麥裏屯舞會的態度來看，就足見兩人性格的不同。彬格萊說，他生平從來沒有遇到過什麼人比這兒的人更和藹，也沒有遇到過什麼姑娘比這兒的姑娘更漂亮；在他看來，這兒每個人都極其和善，極其殷勤，不拘禮，不局促，他一下子就覺得和全場的人都相處得很熟；講起班納特小姐，他想像不出人間會有一個比她更美麗的天使。至於達西，他總覺得他所看到的這些人既不美，又談不上風度，沒有一個人使他感興趣，也沒有一個人對他獻殷勤，博取他的歡心。他承認班納特小姐是漂亮的，可惜她笑得太多。赫斯脫太太姐妹同意他這種看法──可是她們仍然羡慕她，喜歡她，說她是個甜姐兒，她們並不反對跟她這樣的一位小姐做個深交。班納特小姐就這樣成為一個甜姐兒了，她們的兄弟聽到了這番讚美，便覺得今後可以愛怎麼樣想她就怎麼樣想她了。
Chapter 4
When Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before, expressed to her sister just how very much she admired him.
"He is just what a young man ought to be," said she, "sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!--so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!"
"He is also handsome," replied Elizabeth, "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete."
"I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment."
"Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take YOU by surprise, and ME never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as every other woman in the room. No thanks to his gallantry for that. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person."
"Dear Lizzy!"
"Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life."
"I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone; but I always speak what I think."
"I know you do; and it is THAT which makes the wonder. With YOUR good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough--one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design--to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad--belongs to you alone. And so you like this man's sisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his."
"Certainly not--at first. But they are very pleasing women when you converse with them. Miss Bingley is to live with her brother, and keep his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a very charming neighbour in her."
Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced; their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by any attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them.
They were in fact very fine ladies; not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselves agreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother's fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.
Mr. Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand pounds from his father, who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it. Mr. Bingley intended it likewise, and sometimes made choice of his county; but as he was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper, whether he might not spend the remainder of his days at Netherfield, and leave the next generation to purchase.
His sisters were anxious for his having an estate of his own; but, though he was now only established as a tenant, Miss Bingley was by no means unwilling to preside at his table--nor was Mrs. Hurst, who had married a man of more fashion than fortune, less disposed to consider his house as her home when it suited her. Mr. Bingley had not been of age two years, when he was tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House. He did look at it, and into it for half-an-hour--was pleased with the situation and the principal rooms, satisfied with what the owner said in its praise, and took it immediately.
Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite of great opposition of character. Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Darcy's regard, Bingley had the firmest reliance, and of his judgement the highest opinion. In understanding, Darcy was the superior. Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well-bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared, Darcy was continually giving offense.
The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was sufficiently characteristic. Bingley had never met with more pleasant people or prettier girls in his life; everybody had been most kind and attentive to him; there had been no formality, no stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and, as to Miss Bennet, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure. Miss Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much.
Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so--but still they admired her and liked her, and pronounced her to be a sweet girl, and one whom they would not object to know more of. Miss Bennet was therefore established as a sweet girl, and their brother felt authorized by such commendation to think of her as he chose.
文章出處：大紀元-中英文對照文章
留言列表
