(单词翻译:单击)
But Mr. Gardiner, though he assured her again of his earnest endeavours in the cause, could not avoid recommending moderation to her, as well in her hopes as her fear; and after talking with her in this manner till dinner was on the table, they all left her to vent all her feelings on the housekeeper, who attended in the absence of her daughters.
嘉丁纳先生虽然又重新安了她一下心,说他一定会认真尽力地去效劳,可是又叫她不要过分乐观,也不要过分忧虑。大家跟她一直谈到吃中饭才走开,反正女儿们不在她跟前的时候,有管家妇等候她,她还可以去向管家妇发牢骚。
Though her brother and sister were persuaded that there was no real occasion for such a seclusion from the family, they did not attempt to oppose it, for they knew that she had not prudence enough to hold her tongue before the servants, while they waited at table, and judged it better that ONE only of the household, and the one whom they could most trust should comprehend all her fears and solicitude on the subject.
虽然她弟弟和弟妇都以为她大可不必和家里人分开吃饭,可是他们并不打算反对她这样做,因为他们考虑到她说话不谨慎,如果吃起饭来让好几个佣人一起来等候,那么她在佣人们面前把心里话全说了出来,未免不大好,因此最好还是只让一个佣人……一个最靠得住的佣人等候她,听她去叙述她对这件事是多么担心,多么牵挂。
In the dining-room they were soon joined by Mary and Kitty, who had been too busily engaged in their separate apartments to make their appearance before. One came from her books, and the other from her toilette. The faces of both, however, were tolerably calm; and no change was visible in either, except that the loss of her favourite sister, or the anger which she had herself incurred in this business, had given more of fretfulness than usual to the accents of Kitty. As for Mary, she was mistress enough of herself to whisper to Elizabeth, with a countenance of grave reflection, soon after they were seated at table:
他们走进饭厅不久,曼丽和吉蒂也来了,原来这两姐妹都在自己房间里忙着各人自己的事,一个在读书,一个在化妆,因此没有能够早一些出来。两人的脸色都相当平静,看不出有什么变化,只是吉蒂讲话的声调比平常显得暴躁一些,这或者是因为她丢了一个心爱的妹妹而感到伤心,或者是因为这件事也使她觉得气愤。至于曼丽,她却自有主张,等大家坐定以后,她便摆出一副严肃的面孔,跟伊丽莎白低声说道:
"This is a most unfortunate affair, and will probably be much talked of. But we must stem the tide of malice, and pour into the wounded bosoms of each other the balm of sisterly consolation. "
“家门不幸,遭此惨祸,很可能会引起外界议论纷纷。人心恶毒,我们一定要及时防范,免得一发不可收拾。我们要用姐妹之情来安慰彼此创伤的心灵。”
Then, perceiving in Elizabeth no inclination of replying, she added, "Unhappy as the event must be for Lydia, we may draw from it this useful lesson: that loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin; that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful; and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex. "
她看到伊丽莎白不想回答,便又接下去说:“此事对于丽迪雅固属不幸,但亦可以作为我们的前车之鉴。大凡女人家一经失去贞操,便无可挽救,这真是一失足成千古恨。美貌固然难于永保,名誉亦何尝容易保全。世间多的是轻薄男子,岂可不寸步留神?”