英文阅读

谈情说爱，筹划好事，就这样度过了一星期，终于到了星期六，柯林斯先生不得不和心爱的夏绿蒂告别。不过，他既已作好接新娘的准备，离别的愁苦也就因此减轻了，他只等下次再来哈福郡，订出佳期，使他成为天下最幸福的男子。

After a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity, Mr. Collins was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrival of Saturday. The pain of separation, however, might be alleviated on his side, by preparations for the reception of his bride; as he had reason to hope, that shortly after his return into Hertfordshire, the day would be fixed that was to make him the happiest of men. He took leave of his relations at Longbourn with as much solemnity as before; wished his fair cousins health and happiness again, and promised their father another letter of thanks.

On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend the Christmas at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister, as well by nature as education. The Netherfield ladies would have had difficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and within view of his own warehouses, could have been so well-bred and agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger than Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman, and a great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces. Between the two eldest and herself especially, there subsisted a particular regard. They had frequently been staying with her in town.

The first part of Mrs. Gardiner's business on her arrival was to distribute her presents and describe the newest fashions. When this was done she had a less active part to play. It became her turn to listen. Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, and much to complain of. They had all been very ill-used since she last saw her sister. Two of her girls had been upon the point of marriage, and after all there was nothing in it.

"I do not blame Jane, " she continued, "for Jane would have got Mr. Bingley if she could. But Lizzy! Oh, sister! It is very hard to think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time, had it not been for her own perverseness. He made her an offer in this very room, and she refused him. The consequence of it is, that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I have, and that the Longbourn estate is just as much entailed as ever. The Lucases are very artful people indeed, sister. They are all for what they can get. I am sorry to say it of them, but so it is. It makes me very nervous and poorly, to be thwarted so in my own family, and to have neighbours who think of themselves before anybody else. However, your coming just at this time is the greatest of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you tell us, of long sleeves. "

Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the chief of this news had been given before, in the course of Jane and Elizabeth's correspondence with her, made her sister a slight answer, and, in compassion to her nieces, turned the conversation.

参考译文

谈情说爱，筹划好事，就这样度过了一星期，终于到了星期六，柯林斯先生不得不和心爱的夏绿蒂告别。不过，他既已作好接新娘的准备，离别的愁苦也就因此减轻了，他只等下次再来哈福郡，订出佳期，使他成为天下最幸福的男子。他象上次一样隆重其事地告别了浪搏恩的亲戚们，祝贺姐妹们健康幸福，又答应给他们的父亲再来一封谢函。

下星期一，班纳特太太的弟弟和弟妇照例到浪搏恩来过圣诞节，班纳特太太很是欣喜。嘉丁纳先生是个通情达理、颇有绅士风度的人物，无论在个性方面，在所受的教育方面，都高出他姐姐很多。他原是出身商界，见闻不出货房堆栈之外，竟会这般有教养，这般讨人喜爱，要是叫尼日斐花园的太太小姐们看见了，实在难以相信。嘉丁纳太太比班纳特太太以及腓力普太太，都要小好几岁年纪，也是个和蔼聪慧、而又很文雅的女人，浪搏恩的外甥女儿跟她特别亲切。她们常常进城去在她那儿待一阵子。

嘉丁纳太太刚到这里，第一件事就是分发礼物，讲述最时新的服装式样。这件事做过以后，她便坐在一旁，静听班纳特太太跟她说话。班纳特太太有多少牢骚要发，又有多少苦要诉。自从上年她弟妇走了以后，她家里受了人家欺负。两个女儿本来快要出嫁了，到头来只落得一场空。

“我并不怪吉英，”她接下去说，“因为吉英要是能够嫁给彬格莱先生，她早就嫁了。可是丽萃……唉，弟妇呀！要不是她自己那么拗性子，说不定她已做了柯林斯先生的夫人了。他就在这间房子里向她求婚的，她却把他拒绝了。结果倒让卢卡斯太太有个女儿比我的女儿先嫁出去，浪搏恩的财产从此就得让人家来继承。的确，卢卡斯一家手腕才高明呢，弟妇。他们都是为了要捞进这一笔财产。我本来也不忍心就这样编派他们，不过事实的确如此。我在家里既然过得这样不称心，又偏偏碰到这些只顾自己不顾别人的邻舍，真弄得我神经也坏了，人也病了。你可来得正是时候，给了我极大的安慰，我非常喜欢听你讲的那些……长袖子的事情。”

嘉丁纳太太远在跟吉英以及伊丽莎白通信的时候，大体上就已经知道了她们家里最近发生的这些事情，又为了体贴外甥女儿们起见，只稍微敷衍了班纳特太太几句，便把这个话题岔开了。