小說:《傲慢與偏見》 第54章 (中英對照)

簡.奧斯汀
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              第 54 章

他們一走,伊莉莎白便到屋外去留達,好讓自己精神舒暢一下,換句話說,也就是不停去想那些足以使她精神更加沉悶的念頭。達西先生的行為叫她驚奇,也叫她煩惱。

  她想:”要是他這次來是為了要沉默寡言,莊嚴冷淡,那他又何必來?”

  ”他在城裏的時候,對我的舅父母依舊很和氣,很討人喜歡,怎麼反而對我兩樣?如果他已經無心於我,又何必有話不說?好一個慣會作弄人的男子!今後我再也不去想念他了。”

  姐姐走近前來,使她不得不把這個念頭暫時擱在一旁。她一見姐姐神色欣然,便知道這兩位貴客雖使她自己失意,卻使她姐姐較為得意。

  姐姐說:”第一次見面總算過去了,我倒覺得非常自在。這次我既然能夠應付,等他下次再來,我便不會發窘。他星期二能到這兒來吃飯,我倒很高興,因為到那時候,大家都會看出,我和他不過是無所謂的普通朋友。”

  伊莉莎白笑著說:”好一個無所謂的朋友!吉英,還是當心點兒好!”

  ”親愛的麗萃,你可別以為我那麼軟弱,到現在還會招來什麼危險。”

  ”我看你有極大的危險,會叫他如醉如癡地愛你。”

  直到星期二,她們方才又見到那兩位貴客。班納特太太因為上次看到彬格萊先生在那短短的半小時訪問過程中,竟然興致極高,禮貌又好,因此這幾天來便一直在打著如意算盤。

  且說那天浪搏恩來了許多客人;主人家最渴盼的兩位嘉賓都準時而到,遊獵家果然是嚴守時刻,名不虛傳。兩人一走進飯廳,伊莉莎白連忙注意彬格萊先生,看他是不是在吉英身旁坐下,因為從前每逢有宴會,他都是坐在那個位子上。她那精明的母親也有同感,因此並沒有請他坐到她自己身邊去。他剛走進飯廳的時候,好象頗有些猶豫,增虧吉英湊巧回過頭來,湊巧在微笑,他這才拿定主意,在她身邊坐下。伊莉莎白看得很是得意,不由得朝他那位朋友望了一眼,只見達西落落大方,若無其事。她要不是恰巧看見彬格萊先生又驚又喜地也對達西先生望了一眼,她還以為他這次之所以能夠稱心如意,是事先蒙到達西先生恩准的呢。

  吃飯的時候,彬格萊先生果然對她姐姐露出了愛慕之意。雖然這種愛慕表現得沒有從前那樣露骨,可是伊莉莎白卻覺得,只要能夠完全讓他自己作主,吉英的幸福和他自己的幸福一定馬上就可以十拿九穩。雖然她不敢過存奢望,可是看到他那樣的態度,實在叫她高興。她當時心情雖然並不十分愉快,這卻使她精神上得到了極大的鼓舞。達西先生的座位和她隔得那麼遠,他和她母親坐在一起。她覺得這無論是對於達西,對於她母親,都是興味索然,兩不方便。座位隔得遠了,她自然聽不清達西跟她母親講些什麼,可是她看得出他們倆很少談話,談起來又非常拘泥,非常冷淡。看看母親對他那樣敷衍應酬,再想想他對她們家裏情深誼重,她當然分外難受。有幾次她真恨不得能夠告訴他說,她家裏並不是沒有人知道他的好處,並不是全家都對他忘恩負義。

  她但願這個下午彼此能夠親近一些,多談些話,不要辜負了他這一場拜訪,不要讓他只是在進門時聽到她照例地招呼一聲,便一無所獲。她感到萬分焦急不安,因此在兩位貴客沒有走進會客室以前,她幾乎厭倦沉悶得快要發脾氣了。她一心盼望他們進來,因為整個下午的興致完全在此一著。

  她想:”假如那時候他依舊不到我跟前來,我只好永遠把他放棄。”兩位貴客進來了;看他那副神情,她倒覺得他不會辜負她一片心意。可是天哪!班納特小姐在桌子上斟茶,伊莉莎白在灑咖啡,女客們卻把這張桌子團團圍住,大家擠在一起,擺一張椅子的空地方也沒有。他們進來以後,有一個姑娘又向伊莉莎白身邊更挨近一些,跟她低聲說道:”我決計不讓這般男人來把我們分開。不管哪個男人,我們都不讓他來,好不好?”

  達西只得走開。伊莉莎白眼睛盯牢著他看隨便看到什麼人跟他說話,她都覺得嫉妒。她幾乎沒有心思給客人們灑咖啡了。過了一會兒,她又埋怨自己不該這樣癡心。

  ”他是一個被我拒絕過的男人!我怎麼蠢到這般地步,竟會指望他重新愛上我?哪一個男人會這樣沒有骨氣,向一個女人求第二次婚?他們決不屑做這種丟面子的事!”

  這時只見他親自把咖啡杯送回來,因此她總算稍微高興了一些,立即抓住這個機會跟他說話:

  ”你妹妹還在彭伯裏嗎?”

  ”還在,她一直要在那兒待到耶誕節。”

  ”只有她一個人嗎?她的朋友都走了沒有?”

  ”安涅斯雷太太跟她在一起。別的人都在三個星期以前上斯卡巴勒去了。”

  她想不出別的話可說了;不過,只要他願意跟她談話,他自有辦法。他默默無言地在她身旁站了幾分鐘,後來那位年輕的小姐又眼伊莉莎白咬起耳朵來,他又只得走開。

  等到茶具撤走、牌桌全擺好以後,女客們都站起身來,這時伊莉莎白更希望他立刻就到自己身邊來,但見她母親在四處硬拉人打”惠斯脫”,他也情面難卻,頃刻之間就和從賓客一起坐上牌桌,於是她一切的希望都落了空。她滿懷的興致都變成泡影。今晚她已毫無指望。兩個人只得各坐牌桌一張,達西的眼睛頻頻向她這邊看,結果兩個人都打輸了牌。

  班納特太太本來打算留尼日斐花園的這兩位貴客吃晚飯,不幸的是,他們吩咐傭人套車比誰都先,因此她沒有機會留他們。

  客人們一走,班納特太太便說:”孩子們,今天過得快活嗎?告訴你們,我覺得一切都非常順利。飯菜烹調得從來沒有過的那麼好。鹿肉燒得恰到好處,大家都說,從來沒有見過這麼肥的腰肉。說到湯,比起我們上星期在盧卡斯家裏吃的,那可不知要好多少。連達西先生也承認鷓鴣燒得美極了,我看他自己至少用了三個法國廚子呢。再說,親愛的吉英,我從來沒有看見你比今天更美。郎格太太也這麼說,因為我在她面前問過你美不美。你猜她還說了些什麼?她說:”呃!班納特太太,她少不了要嫁到尼日斐花園去的。她真是這麼說來著。我覺得郎格太太這個人真是太好了;她的侄女們都是些規規矩矩的好姑娘,只可惜長得一點也不好看。我真喜歡她們。”

  總而言之,班納特太太今天的確高興極了。她把彬格萊對吉英的一舉一動全看在眼裏,因此相信吉英一定會把他弄到手。她一時高興,便不禁想入非非,一心只指望這門親事會給她家裏帶來多少多少好處,等到第二天不見他來求婚,她又大失所望。

  班納特小姐對伊莉莎白說:”今天一天過得真有意思,來吃飯的客人都挑選得那麼好,大家都很投機。我希望今後我們能夠常常聚會。”

  伊莉莎白笑了笑。

  ”麗萃,請你千萬不要笑,千萬不要疑心我。這會使我難受。告訴你吧,我只不過很欣賞這樣一位聰明和藹的年輕人的談吐,並沒有存別的非份之想。他的整個舉止作風中間,有一點我完全感到滿意,那就是他絕對沒有想要博得我的歡心。只不過他的談吐實在比別人美妙,而且他也比別人隨和。”

  只聽得妹妹說:”你真狠心,你不讓我笑,又偏偏要時時刻刻引我發笑。”

  ”有些事是多麼不容易叫人相信!”

  ”又有些事簡直不可能叫人相信!”

  ”可是,你為什麼偏要逼我,認為我沒有把真心話全說出來呢?”

  ”這話可收我無從回答了。我們都喜歡替人家出主意,可是人家出了主意,人家又不領情。算我對你不起。如果你再三要說你對他沒有什麼意思,可休想叫我相信。”

Chapter 54

AS soon as they were gone, Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits; or in other words, to dwell without interruption on those subjects that must deaden them more. Mr. Darcy’s behaviour astonished and vexed her.
“Why, if he came only to be silent, grave, and indifferent,” said she, “did he come at all?”
She could settle it in no way that gave her pleasure.
“He could be still amiable, still pleasing, to my uncle and aunt, when he was in town; and why not to me? If he fears me, why come hither? If he no longer cares for me, why silent? Teazing, teazing, man! I will think no more about him.”
Her resolution was for a short time involuntarily kept by the approach of her sister, who joined her with a cheerful look, which shewed her better satisfied with their visitors, than Elizabeth.
“Now,” said she, “that this first meeting is over, I feel perfectly easy. I know my own strength, and I shall never be embarrassed again by his coming. I am glad he dines here on Tuesday. It will then be publicly seen that, on both sides, we meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance.”
“Yes, very indifferent indeed,” said Elizabeth, laughingly. “Oh, Jane, take care.”
“My dear Lizzy, you cannot think me so weak, as to be in danger now?”
“I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever.”

——————————————————————————–
They did not see the gentlemen again till Tuesday; and Mrs. Bennet, in the meanwhile, was giving way to all the happy schemes, which the good humour and common politeness of Bingley, in half an hour’s visit, had revived.
On Tuesday there was a large party assembled at Longbourn; and the two who were most anxiously expected, to the credit of their punctuality as sportsmen, were in very good time. When they repaired to the dining-room, Elizabeth eagerly watched to see whether Bingley would take the place, which, in all their former parties, had belonged to him, by her sister. Her prudent mother, occupied by the same ideas, forbore to invite him to sit by herself. On entering the room, he seemed to hesitate; but Jane happened to look round, and happened to smile: it was decided. He placed himself by her.
Elizabeth, with a triumphant sensation, looked towards his friend. He bore it with noble indifference, and she would have imagined that Bingley had received his sanction to be happy, had she not seen his eyes likewise turned towards Mr. Darcy, with an expression of half-laughing alarm.
His behaviour to her sister was such, during dinner time, as shewed an admiration of her, which, though more guarded than formerly, persuaded Elizabeth, that if left wholly to himself, Jane’s happiness, and his own, would be speedily secured. Though she dared not depend upon the consequence, she yet received pleasure from observing his behaviour. It gave her all the animation that her spirits could boast; for she was in no cheerful humour. Mr. Darcy was almost as far from her as the table could divide them. He was on one side of her mother. She knew how little such a situation would give pleasure to either, or make either appear to advantage. She was not near enough to hear any of their discourse, but she could see how seldom they spoke to each other, and how formal and cold was their manner whenever they did. Her mother’s ungraciousness, made the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth’s mind; and she would, at times, have given any thing to be privileged to tell him that his kindness was neither unknown nor unfelt by the whole of the family.
She was in hopes that the evening would afford some opportunity of bringing them together; that the whole of the visit would not pass away without enabling them to enter into something more of conversation than the mere ceremonious salutation attending his entrance. Anxious and uneasy, the period which passed in the drawing-room, before the gentlemen came, was wearisome and dull to a degree that almost made her uncivil. She looked forward to their entrance as the point on which all her chance of pleasure for the evening must depend.
“If he does not come to me, then,” said she, “I shall give him up for ever.”
The gentlemen came; and she thought he looked as if he would have answered her hopes; but, alas! the ladies had crowded round the table, where Miss Bennet was making tea, and Elizabeth pouring out the coffee, in so close a confederacy that there was not a single vacancy near her which would admit of a chair. And on the gentlemen’s approaching, one of the girls moved closer to her than ever, and said, in a whisper,
“The men shan’t come and part us, I am determined. We want none of them; do we?”
Darcy had walked away to another part of the room. She followed him with her eyes, envied every one to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enough to help anybody to coffee; and then was enraged against herself for being so silly!
“A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love? Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman? There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!”
She was a little revived, however, by his bringing back his coffee cup himself; and she seized the opportunity of saying,
“Is your sister at Pemberley still?”
“Yes, she will remain there till Christmas.”
“And quite alone? Have all her friends left her?”
“Mrs. Annesley is with her. The others have been gone on to Scarborough, these three weeks.”
She could think of nothing more to say; but if he wished to converse with her, he might have better success. He stood by her, however, for some minutes, in silence; and, at last, on the young lady’s whispering to Elizabeth again, he walked away.
When the tea-things were removed, and the card tables placed, the ladies all rose, and Elizabeth was then hoping to be soon joined by him, when all her views were overthrown by seeing him fall a victim to her mother’s rapacity for whist players, and in a few moments after seated with the rest of the party. She now lost every expectation of pleasure. They were confined for the evening at different tables, and she had nothing to hope, but that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself.
Mrs. Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen to supper; but their carriage was unluckily ordered before any of the others, and she had no opportunity of detaining them.
“Well girls,” said she, as soon as they were left to themselves, “What say you to the day? I think every thing has passed off uncommonly well, I assure you. The dinner was as well dressed as any I ever saw. The venison was roasted to a turn — and everybody said they never saw so fat a haunch. The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucases’ last week; and even Mr. Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably well done; and I suppose he has two or three French cooks at least. And, my dear Jane, I never saw you look in greater beauty. Mrs. Long said so too, for I asked her whether you did not. And what do you think she said besides? “Ah! Mrs. Bennet, we shall have her at Netherfield at last.” She did indeed. I do think Mrs. Long is as good a creature as ever lived — and her nieces are very pretty behaved girls, and not at all handsome: I like them prodigiously.”
Mrs. Bennet, in short, was in very great spirits; she had seen enough of Bingley’s behaviour to Jane, to be convinced that she would get him at last; and her expectations of advantage to her family, when in a happy humour, were so far beyond reason, that she was quite disappointed at not seeing him there again the next day, to make his proposals.
“It has been a very agreeable day,” said Miss Bennet to Elizabeth. “The party seemed so well selected, so suitable one with the other. I hope we may often meet again.”
Elizabeth smiled.
“Lizzy, you must not do so. You must not suspect me. It mortifies me. I assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his conversation as an agreeable and sensible young man, without having a wish beyond it. I am perfectly satisfied, from what his manners now are, that he never had any design of engaging my affection. It is only that he is blessed with greater sweetness of address, and a stronger desire of generally pleasing, than any other man.”
“You are very cruel,” said her sister, “you will not let me smile, and are provoking me to it every moment.”
“How hard it is in some cases to be believed!”
“And how impossible in others!”
“But why should you wish to persuade me that I feel more than I acknowledge?”
“That is a question which I hardly know how to answer. We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing. Forgive me; and if you persist in indifference, do not make me your confidante.”

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    伊莉莎白果然如願以償,很快就接到了回信。她一接到信,就跑到那清靜的小樹林裏去,在一張長凳上坐下來,準備讀個痛快,因為她看到信寫得那麼長,便斷定舅母沒有拒絕她的要求。

  • 第 53 章

    韋翰先生對於這場談話完全感到滿意,從此他便不再提起這件事,免得自尋苦惱,也免得惹他親愛的大姨伊莉莎白生氣;伊莉莎白見他居然給說得不再開口,也覺得很高興。

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