英文阅读

“摆在你面前的是个很不幸的难题，你得自己去抉择，伊丽莎白。从今天起，你不和父亲成为陌路人，就要和母亲成为陌路人。要是你不嫁给柯林斯先生，你的妈就不要再见你，要是你嫁给他，我就不要再见你了。”

Elizabeth replied that it was. "Very well--and this offer of marriage you have refused?"

"I have, sir. "

"Very well. We now come to the point. Your mother insists upon your accepting it. Is it not so, Mrs. Bennet?"

"Yes, or I will never see her again. "

"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do NOT marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you DO. "

Elizabeth could not but smile at such a conclusion of such a beginning, but Mrs. Bennet, who had persuaded herself that her husband regarded the affair as she wished, was excessively disappointed.

"What do you mean, Mr. Bennet, in talking this way? You promised me to INSIST upon her marrying him. "

"My dear, " replied her husband, "I have two small favours to request. First, that you will allow me the free use of my understanding on the present occasion; and secondly, of my room. I shall be glad to have the library to myself as soon as may be. "

Not yet, however, in spite of her disappointment in her husband, did Mrs. Bennet give up the point. She talked to Elizabeth again and again; coaxed and threatened her by turns. She endeavoured to secure Jane in her interest; but Jane, with all possible mildness, declined interfering; and Elizabeth, sometimes with real earnestness, and sometimes with playful gaiety, replied to her attacks. Though her manner varied, however, her determination never did.

Mr. Collins, meanwhile, was meditating in solitude on what had passed. He thought too well of himself to comprehend on what motives his cousin could refuse him; and though his pride was hurt, he suffered in no other way. His regard for her was quite imaginary; and the possibility of her deserving her mother's reproach prevented his feeling any regret.

While the family were in this confusion, Charlotte Lucas came to spend the day with them. She was met in the vestibule by Lydia, who, flying to her, cried in a half whisper, "I am glad you are come, for there is such fun here! What do you think has happened this morning? Mr. Collins has made an offer to Lizzy, and she will not have him. "

Charlotte hardly had time to answer, before they were joined by Kitty, who came to tell the same news; and no sooner had they entered the breakfast-room, where Mrs. Bennet was alone, than she likewise began on the subject, calling on Miss Lucas for her compassion, and entreating her to persuade her friend Lizzy to comply with the wishes of all her family. "Pray do, my dear Miss Lucas, " she added in a melancholy tone, "for nobody is on my side, nobody takes part with me. I am cruelly used, nobody feels for my poor nerves. "

Charlotte's reply was spared by the entrance of Jane and Elizabeth.

参考译文

伊丽莎白说，真有这回事。“很好。你把这桩婚事回绝了吗？”

“我回绝了，爸爸。”

“很好，我们现在就来谈到本题。你的妈非要你答应不可。我的好太太，可不是吗？”

“是的，否则我看也不要看到她了。”

“摆在你面前的是个很不幸的难题，你得自己去抉择，伊丽莎白。从今天起，你不和父亲成为陌路人，就要和母亲成为陌路人。要是你不嫁给柯林斯先生，你的妈就不要再见你，要是你嫁给他，我就不要再见你了。”

伊丽莎白听到了那样的开头和这样的结论，不得不笑了一笑；不过，这可苦了班纳特太太，她本以为丈夫一定会照着她的意思来对待这件事的，哪里料到反而叫她大失所望。“你这话是什么意思，我的好老爷？你事先不是答应了我，非叫她嫁给他不可吗？”

“好太太，”丈夫回答道，“我有两件事要求你帮帮忙。第一，请你允许我自由运用我自己的书房。我真巴不得早日在自己书房里图个清闲自在。”

班纳特太太虽然碰了一鼻子灰，可是并不甘心罢休。她一遍又一遍地说服伊丽莎白，一忽儿哄骗，一忽儿威胁。她想尽办法拉着吉英帮忙，可是吉英偏不愿意多管闲事，极其委婉地谢绝了。伊丽莎白应付得很好，一忽儿情意恳切，一忽儿又是嘻皮笑脸，方式尽管变来变换去，决心却始终如一。

这当儿，柯林斯先生独自把刚才的那一幕深思默想了一番。他的把自己估价太高了，因此弄不明白表妹所以拒绝他，原因究竟何在。虽说他的自尊心受到了伤害，可是他别的方面丝毫也不觉得难过。他对他的好感完全是凭空想象的，他又以为她的母亲一定会责骂她，因此心里便也不觉得有什么难受了，因为她挨她母亲的骂是活该，不必为她过意不去。

正当这一家子闹得乱纷纷的时候，夏绿蒂·卢卡斯上她们这儿来玩了。丽迪雅在大门品碰到她，立刻奔上前去凑近她跟前说道：“你来了我真高兴，这儿正闹得有趣呢！你知道今天上午发生了什么事？柯林斯先生向丽萃求婚，丽萃偏偏不肯要他。”

夏绿蒂还没来得及回答，吉蒂就走到她们跟前来了，把同样的消息报道了一遍。她们走进起坐间，只见班纳特太太正独自待在那儿，马上又和她们谈到这话题上来，要求卢卡斯小姐怜恤怜恤她老人家，劝劝她的朋友丽萃顺从全家人的意思。“求求你吧，卢卡斯小姐，”她又用苦痛的声调说道：“谁也不站在我一边，大家都故意作践我，一个个都对我狠心透顶，谁也不能体谅我的神经。”

夏绿蒂正要回答，恰巧吉英和伊丽莎白走进来了，因此没有开口。