英文阅读

她于是换了一个话题，使她们俩都能谈得更称心。她们俩在这方面的意见是完全一致的。伊丽莎白高兴地听着吉英谈起，她在彬格莱先生身上虽然不敢存奢望，却寄托着多少幸福的心愿；她于是尽心竭力说了多少话来增加姐姐的信念。

She then changed the discourse to one more gratifying to each, and on which there could be no difference of sentiment. Elizabeth listened with delight to the happy, though modest hopes which Jane entertained of Mr. Bingley's regard, and said all in her power to heighten her confidence in it. On their being joined by Mr. Bingley himself, Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas; to whose inquiry after the pleasantness of her last partner she had scarcely replied, before Mr. Collins came up to them, and told her with great exultation that he had just been so fortunate as to make a most important discovery.

"I have found out, " said he, "by a singular accident, that there is now in the room a near relation of my patroness. I happened to overhear the gentleman himself mentioning to the young lady who does the honours of the house the names of his cousin Miss de Bourgh, and of her mother Lady Catherine. How wonderfully these sort of things occur! Who would have thought of my meeting with, perhaps, a nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this assembly! I am most thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to him, which I am now going to do, and trust he will excuse my not having done it before. My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology. "

"You are not going to introduce yourself to Mr. Darcy!"

"Indeed I am. I shall entreat his pardon for not having done it earlier. I believe him to be Lady Catherine's NEPHEW. It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well yesterday se'nnight. "

Elizabeth tried hard to dissuade him from such a scheme, assuring him that Mr. Darcy would consider his addressing him without introduction as an impertinent freedom, rather than a compliment to his aunt; that it was not in the least necessary there should be any notice on either side; and that if it were, it must belong to Mr. Darcy, the superior in consequence, to begin the acquaintance. Mr. Collins listened to her with the determined air of following his own inclination, and, when she ceased speaking, replied thus:

"My dear Miss Elizabeth, I have the highest opinion in the world in your excellent judgement in all matters within the scope of your understanding; but permit me to say, that there must be a wide difference between the established forms of ceremony amongst the laity, and those which regulate the clergy; for, give me leave to observe that I consider the clerical office as equal in point of dignity with the highest rank in the kingdom--provided that a proper humility of behaviour is at the same time maintained. You must therefore allow me to follow the dictates of my conscience on this occasion, which leads me to perform what I look on as a point of duty.

参考译文

她于是换了一个话题，使她们俩都能谈得更称心。她们俩在这方面的意见是完全一致的。伊丽莎白高兴地听着吉英谈起，她在彬格莱先生身上虽然不敢存奢望，却寄托着多少幸福的心愿；她于是尽心竭力说了多少话来增加姐姐的信念。一会儿，彬格莱先生走到她们这里来了，伊丽莎白便退到卢卡斯小姐身边去。卢卡斯小姐问她跟刚才那位舞伴跳得是否愉快，她还没有来得及回答，只见柯林斯先生走上前来，欣喜欲狂地告诉她们说，他真幸运，发现了一件极其重要的事。

他说：“这真是完全出于我意料之外，我竟然发现这屋子里有一位是我女施主的至亲。我凑巧听到一位先生跟主人家的那位小姐说，他自己的表妹德·包尔小姐和他的姨母咖苔琳夫人。这些事真是太巧合了！谁想到我会在这次的舞会上碰到咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人的姨侄呢！谢天谢地，我这个发现正是时候，还来得及去问候他吧。我根本就不知道有这门亲戚，因此还有道歉的余地。”

“你打算去向达西先生自我介绍吗？”

“我当然打算去。我一定去求他原谅，请他不要怪我没有早些问候他。我相信他是咖苔琳夫人的姨侄。我可以告诉他说，上星期我还见到她老人家，她身体着实健康。”

伊丽莎白竭力劝他不要那么做，她说，他如果不经过人家介绍就去招呼达西先生，达西先生一定会认为他冒昧唐突，而不会认为他是奉承他姨母，又说双方根本不必打交道，即使要打交道，也应该由地位比较高的达西先生来跟他通候。柯林斯先生听她这么说，便显出一副坚决的神气，表示非照着自己的意思去做不可，等她说完了，他回答道：

“亲爱的伊丽莎白小姐，你对于一切的问题都有卓越的见解。我非常敬佩，可是请你听我说一句：俗人的礼节跟教士们的礼节大不相同。请听我说，我认为从尊严方面看来，一个教士的位置可以比得上一个君侯，只要你能同时保持相当的谦虚。所以，这一次你应该让我照着我自己的良心的吩咐，去做好我认为应该做的事情。