英文阅读

可是，要说夏绿蒂会怂恿他，那未免太不可能，正如她自己不可能怂恿他一样，因此她现在听到这件事，不禁大为惊讶，连礼貌也不顾了，竟大声叫了起来： “跟柯林斯先生订婚！亲爱的夏绿蒂，那怎么行！”

"My dear madam, " he replied, "this invitation is particularly gratifying, because it is what I have been hoping to receive; and you may be very certain that I shall avail myself of it as soon as possible. "

They were all astonished; and Mr. Bennet, who could by no means wish for so speedy a return, immediately said:

"But is there not danger of Lady Catherine's disapprobation here, my good sir? You had better neglect your relations than run the risk of offending your patroness. "

"My dear sir, " replied Mr. Collins, " I am particularly obliged to you for this friendly caution, and you may depend upon my not taking so material a step without her ladyship's concurrence. "

"You cannot be too much upon your guard. Risk anything rather than her displeasure; and if you find it likely to be raised by your coming to us again, which I should think exceedingly probable, stay quietly at home, and be satisfied that WE shall take no offence. "

"Believe me, my dear sir, my gratitude is warmly excited by such affectionate attention; and depend upon it, you will speedily receive from me a letter of thanks for this, and for every other mark of your regard during my stay in Hertfordshire. As for my fair cousins, though my absence may not be long enough to render it necessary, I shall now take the liberty of wishing them health and happiness, not excepting my cousin Elizabeth. "

With proper civilities the ladies then withdrew; all of them equally surprised that he meditated a quick return. Mrs. Bennet wished to understand by it that he thought of paying his addresses to one of her younger girls, and Mary might have been prevailed on to accept him.

She rated his abilities much higher than any of the others; there was a solidity in his reflections which often struck her, and though by no means so clever as herself, she thought that if encouraged to read and improve himself by such an example as hers, he might become a very agreeable companion. But on the following morning, every hope of this kind was done away. Miss Lucas called soon after breakfast, and in a private conference with Elizabeth related the event of the day before.

The possibility of Mr. Collins's fancying herself in love with her friend had once occurred to Elizabeth within the last day or two; but that Charlotte could encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as she could encourage him herself, and her astonishment was consequently so great as to overcome at first the bounds of decorum, and she could not help crying out:

"Engaged to Mr. Collins! My dear Charlotte--impossible!"

参考译文

他回答道：“亲爱的太太，承蒙邀约，不胜感激，我也正希望能领受这份盛意；请你放心，我一有空就来看你们。”

大家都吃了一惊，尤其是班纳特先生，根本不希望他马上回来，便连忙说道：

“贤侄，你不怕珈苔琳夫人不赞成吗？你最好把亲戚关系看得淡一些，免得担那么大的风险，得罪了你的女施主。”

柯林斯先生回答道：“老长辈，我非常感激你这样好心地提醒我，请你放心，这样重大的事，不得到她老人家的同意，我决不会冒昧从事。”

“多小心一些只会有益处。什么事都不要紧，可千万不能叫她老人家不高兴。要是你想到我们这儿来，而她却不高兴让你来（我觉得这是非常可能的），那么就请你安分一些，待在家里，你放心，我们决不会因此而见怪的。”

“老长辈，请相信我，蒙你这样好心地关注，真叫我感激不尽。你放心好了，你马上就会收到我一封谢函，感谢这一点，感谢我在哈福郡蒙你们对我的种种照拂。至于诸位表妹，虽然我去不了多少日子，且请恕我冒昧，就趁着现在祝她们健康幸福，连伊丽莎白表妹也不例外。”

太太小姐们便行礼如仪，辞别回房；大家听说他竟打算很快就回来，都感到惊讶。班纳特太太满以为他是打算向她的哪一个小女儿求婚，也许能劝劝曼丽去应承他。曼丽比任何姐妹都看重他的能力。他思想方面的坚定很叫她倾心；他虽然比不上她自己那样聪明，可是只要有一个象她这样的人作为榜样，鼓励他读书上进，那他一定会成为一个称心如意的伴侣。只可惜一到第二天早上，这种希望就完全破灭了。卢卡斯小姐刚一吃过早饭，就来访问，私下跟伊丽莎白把前一天的事说了出来。

早在前一两天，伊丽莎白就一度想到，柯林斯先生可能一厢情愿，自以为爱上了她这位朋友，可是，要说夏绿蒂会怂恿他，那未免太不可能，正如她自己不可能怂恿他一样，因此她现在听到这件事，不禁大为惊讶，连礼貌也不顾了，竟大声叫了起来：

“跟柯林斯先生订婚！亲爱的夏绿蒂，那怎么行！”