名著阅读

NOT all that Mrs. Bennet, however, with the assistance of her five daughters, could ask on the subject was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Bingley. They attacked him in various ways; with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises; but he eluded the skill of them all; and they were at last obliged to accept the second-hand intelligence of their neighbour Lady Lucas.

尽管班纳特太太有了五个女儿帮腔，向她丈夫问起彬格莱先生这样那样，可是丈夫的回答总不能叫她满意。母女们想尽办法对付他－－赤裸裸的问句，巧妙的设想，离题很远的猜测，什么办法都用到了；可是他并没有上她们的圈套。最后她们迫不得已，只得听取邻居卢卡斯太太的间接消息。

Her report was highly favourable. Sir William had been delighted with him. He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, to crown the whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party. Nothing could be more delightful! To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love; and very lively hopes of Mr. Bingley's heart were entertained.

她的报道全是好话。据说威廉爵士很喜欢他。他非常年轻，长得特别漂亮，为人又极其谦和，最重要的一点是，他打算请一大群客人来参加下次的舞会。这真是再好也没有的事；喜欢跳舞是谈情说爱的一个步骤；大家都热烈地希望去获得彬格莱先生的那颗心。

"If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield," said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, "and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for."

“我只要能看到一个女儿在尼日斐花园幸福地安了家，”班纳特太太对她的丈夫说，“看到其他几个也匹配得这样门当户对，此生就没有别的奢望了。”

In a few days Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet's visit, and sat about ten minutes with him in his library. He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whose beauty he had heard much; but he saw only the father. The ladies were somewhat more fortunate, for they had the advantage of ascertaining, from an upper window, that he wore a blue coat and rode a black horse.

不到几天功夫，彬格莱先生上门回拜班纳特先生，在他的书房里跟他盘桓了十分钟左右。他久仰班纳特先生几位小姐的年轻美貌，很希望能够见见她们；但是他只见到了她们的父亲。倒是小姐们比他幸运，他们利用楼上的窗口，看清了他穿的是蓝外套，骑的是一匹黑马。

词汇释义

1.barefaced adj. 公然的, 无耻的, 无面具的

For barefaced lying you are really it.
以无耻造谣而论, 你真算得上天下第一。

2.ingenious adj. 机灵的, 精制的, 有独创性的

An ingenious idea suddenly came upon me.
我突然想到了一个绝妙的主意.

3.supposition n. 想像, 推测, 推想

Our suppositions were fully confirmed.
我们猜测的事实已全部证实。

4.surmise n. 推测 v. 推测, 臆测

Your first surmise was right.
你第一次猜得对。

5.elude [i'lju:d, i'lu:d] v. 逃避, 躲避

The meaning eludes me.
我摸不透这意思。

6.ascertain vt. 确定, 探知, 查明

The police are trying to ascertain what really happened.
警方正设法查个水落石出。

难句解析

1.NOT all that Mrs. Bennet, however, with the assistance of her five daughters, could ask on the subject was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Bingley.

【难句解析】这句的主干是Mrs.Bennet could not ask...；with引导的结构做状语；draw from意思是“得到，提取”；

【句子翻译】尽管班纳特太太有了五个女儿帮腔，向她丈夫问起彬格莱先生这样那样，可是丈夫的回答总不能叫她满意。

2.In a few days Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet's visit, and sat about ten minutes with him in his library. He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whose beauty he had heard much; but he saw only the father.

【难句解析】return one's visit意思是“回访”；entertain的意思是“怀着，抱着，持有(信心等)”，如I have never entertained any illusions about him. 我从来没有对他抱过幻想；

【句子翻译】不到几天功夫，彬格莱先生上门回拜班纳特先生，在他的书房里跟他盘桓了十分钟左右。他久仰班纳特先生几位小姐的年轻美貌，很希望能够见见她们；但是他只见到了她们的父亲。

背景资料

1.blue coat:蓝外套。

当时男子的穿衣时尚。