It now occurred to the girls that their mother was in all likelihood perfectly ignorant of what had happened. They went to the library, therefore, and asked their father whether he would not wish them to make it known to her. He was writing and, without raising his head, coolly replied:
两姐妹想到她们的母亲也许到现在还完全不知道这回事，于是便到书房去，问父亲愿意不愿意让母亲知道。父亲正在写信，头也没抬起来，只是冷冷地对她们说：
"Just as you please. "
“随你们的便。”
"May we take my uncle's letter to read to her?"
“我们可以把舅舅的信拿去读给她听吗？”
"Take whatever you like, and get away. "
“你们爱拿什么去就拿什么，快走开。”
Elizabeth took the letter from his writing-table, and they went upstairs together. Mary and Kitty were both with Mrs. Bennet: one communication would, therefore, do for all. After a slight preparation for good news, the letter was read aloud. Mrs. Bennet could hardly contain herself. As soon as Jane had read Mr. Gardiner's hope of Lydia's being soon married, her joy burst forth, and every following sentence added to its exuberance. She was now in an irritation as violent from delight, as she had ever been fidgety from alarm and vexation. To know that her daughter would be married was enough. She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct.
伊丽莎白从他的写字台上拿起那封信，姐妹俩一块儿上了楼。曼丽和吉蒂两人都在班纳特太太那里，因此只要传达一次，大家都知道了。她们稍微透露出一点好消息，便把那封信念出来。班纳特太太简直喜不自禁。吉英一读完丽迪雅可能在最近就要结婚的那一段话，她就高兴得要命，越往下读她就越高兴。她现在真是无限欢喜，极度兴奋，正如前些时候是那样地忧烦惊恐，坐立不安。只要听到女儿快要结婚，她就心满意足。她并没有因为顾虑到女儿得不到幸福而心神不安，也并没有因为想起了她的行为失检而觉得丢脸。
"My dear, dear Lydia!" she cried. "This is delightful indeed! She will be married! I shall see her again! She will be married at sixteen! My good, kind brother! I knew how it would be. I knew he would manage everything! How I long to see her! and to see dear Wickham too! But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I will write to my sister Gardiner about them directly. Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. Stay, stay, I will go myself. Ring the bell, Kitty, for Hill. I will put on my things in a moment. My dear, dear Lydia! How merry we shall be together when we meet!"
“我的丽迪雅宝贝呀！”她嚷起来了：“这太叫人高兴啦！她就要结婚了！我又可以和她见面了！她十六岁就结婚！多亏我那好心好意的弟弟！我早就知道事情不会弄糟……我早就知道他有办法把样样事情都办好。我多么想要看到她，看到亲爱的韦翰！可是衣服，嫁妆！我要立刻写信跟弟妇谈谈。丽萃，乖宝贝，快下楼去，问问你爸爸愿意给她多少陪嫁。等一会儿；还是我自己去吧。吉蒂，去拉铃叫希尔来。我马上就会把衣服穿好。丽迪雅我的心肝呀！等我们见面的时候，多么高兴啊！”
Her eldest daughter endeavoured to give some relief to the violence of these transports, by leading her thoughts to the obligations which Mr. Gardiner's behaviour laid them all under.
大女儿见她这样得意忘形，便谈起她们全家应该怎样感激嘉丁纳先生，以便让她分分心，让她精神上轻松一下。
"For we must attribute this happy conclusion, " she added, "in a great measure to his kindness. We are persuaded that he has pledged himself to assist Mr. Wickham with money. " "Well, " cried her mother, "it is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? If he had not had a family of his own, I and my children must have had all his money, you know; and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him, except a few presents. Well! I am so happy! In a short time I shall have a daughter married. Mrs. Wickham! How well it sounds! And she was only sixteen last June. My dear Jane, I am in such a flutter, that I am sure I can't write; so I will dictate, and you write for me. We will settle with your father about the money afterwards; but the things should be ordered immediately. "
“哎哟，”母亲叫道，“这真是好极了。要不是亲舅父，谁肯帮这种忙？你要知道，他要不是有了那么一家人，他所有的钱都是我和我的孩子们的了；他以前只送些礼物给我们，这一次我们才算真正得到他的好处。哎哟！我太高兴啦。过不了多久，我就有一个女儿出嫁了。她就要当上韦翰太太了！这个称呼多么动听！她到六月里才满十六岁。我的吉英宝贝，我太激动了，一定写不出信；还是我来讲，你替我写吧。关于钱的，问题我们以后再跟你爸爸商量，可是一切东西应该马上就去订好。”