Jane Austen

《傲慢與偏見》（Pride and Prejudice）是英國女小說家簡-奧斯汀的長篇小說。

小說描寫了鄉(xiāng)紳班納特五個待字閨中的千金的生活，主角是二女兒伊麗莎白。她在一次舞會上認識了一位年輕的紳士達西，但是耳聞他為人傲慢，就一直對他心生排斥。經(jīng)歷了一番周折，伊麗莎白終于消除了對達西的偏見，達西也不再傲慢，有情人終成眷屬。

這部作品以日常生活為素材，一反當時社會上流行的感傷小說矯揉造作的寫作手法，生動地反映了18世紀末到19世紀初處于保守和閉塞狀態(tài)下的英國鄉(xiāng)鎮(zhèn)生活和人情世態(tài)。它多次被改編成電影和電視劇。

本文節(jié)選自《傲慢與偏見》第五十一章。

MR. BENNET had very often wished. before this period ofhis life . that. instead of spending his whole income. he had laidby an annual sum for the better provision of his children. and ofhis wife. if she survived him. He now wished it more than ever.Had he done his duty in that respect， Lydia need not have beenindebted to her uncle for whatever of honour or credit could nowbe purchased for her. The satisfaction ofprevailing on one of themost worthless young men in Great Britain to be her husbandmight then have rested in its proper place.

He was seriously concemed that a cause of so little advantageto any one should be forwarded at the sole expence of his brother-in-law. and he was determined， if possible. to find out theextent of his assistance. and to discharge the obligation as soonas he could.

When first Mr. Bennet had married. economy was held tobe perfectly useless; for. of course， they were to have a son.This son was to join in cutting off the entail. as soon as heshould be of age， and the widow and younger children would by

班納特先生遠在好久以前，就希望每年的收入不要全部花光，能夠積蓄一部分，讓兒女往后不至于衣食匱乏;如果太太比他命長，衣食便也有了著落。拿目前來說，他這個希望比以往來得更迫切。要是他在這方面早就安排好了，那么這次麗迪雅挽回面子名譽的事，自然就不必要她舅舅為她花錢;也不必讓舅舅去說服全英國最下流的一個青年給她確定夫婦的名份。

這事情對任何人都沒有好處，如今卻得由他舅爺獨自拿出錢來成其好事，這實在叫他太過意不去;他決定要竭力打聽出舅爺究竟幫了多大的忙，以便盡快報答這筆人情。

班納特先生剛結(jié)婚的時候，完全不必省吃儉用，因為他們夫婦自然會生兒子，等到兒子成了年，外人繼承產(chǎn)權(quán)的這樁事就可以取消，寡婦孤女也就衣食無憂了?？墒俏鍌€女that means be provided for. Five daughters successively enteredthe world， but yet the son was to come; and Mrs. Bennet. formany years after Lydia' s birth. had been certain that he would.This event had at last been despaired of. but it was then too late tobe saving. Mrs. Bennet had no turn for economy， and her husband ' slove

of independence had

alone prevented their exceeding theirmcome.

Five thousand pounds was settled by marriage articles onMrs. Bennet and the children. But in what proportions it should bedivided amongst the latter depended on the will of the parents.This was one point， with regard to Lydia at least. which was nowto be settled. and Mr. Bennet could have no hesitation in accedingto the proposal before him. In terms of grateful acknowledgmentfor the kindness of his brother. though expressed most concisely，he then delivered on paper his perfect approbation of all that wasdone. and his willingness to fulfil the engagements that had beenmade for him. He had never before supposed that. could Wickhambe prevailed on to marry his daughter， it would be done with solittle inconvenience to himself as by the present arrangement. Hewould scarcely be ten pounds a year the loser， by the hundred thatwas to be paid them; for， what with her board and pocket allowance.and the continual presents in money which passed to her throughher mother' s hands， Lydia ' s expences had been very little withinthat sum.

That it would be done with such trifling exertion on his side.too. was another very welcome surprise; for his chief wish atpresent was to have as little trouble in the business as possible.When the first transports of rage which had produced his activityin seeking her were over. he naturally returned to all his formerindolence. His letter was soon dispatched; for though dilatory inundertaking business. he was quick in its execution. He begged toknow farther particulars of what he was indebted to his brother;but was too angry with Lydia to send any message to her.

The good news quickly spread through the house; and兒接連出世，兒子還不知道在哪里;麗迪雅出世多少年以后，班納特太太還一直以為會生兒子。這個指望落了空，如今省吃儉用已經(jīng)太遲了。班納特太太不慣于節(jié)省，好在丈夫自有主張，才算沒有入不敷出。

當年老夫婦的婚約上規(guī)定了班納特太太和子女們一共應享有五千磅遺產(chǎn)。至于子女們究竟怎樣分，得由父母在遺囑上解決，班納特先生毫不猶豫地同意了擺在他面前的那個建議。他回信給舅爺，多謝他一片好心。他的措辭極其簡潔，只說他對一切既成事實都表示贊同，而且舅爺所提出的各項條件，他都愿意照辦。原來這次說服韋翰跟他女兒結(jié)婚一事，竟安排得這樣好，簡直沒有帶給他什么麻煩，這實在是他所意料不到的。雖說他每年要付給他們兩一百鎊，可是事實上他每年還損失不了十鎊，因為麗迪雅在家里也要吃用開銷，外加她母親還要貼錢給她花，算起來每年幾乎也不下于一百鎊。

還有一件可喜的意外，那就是辦起這件事來，他自己簡直可以不費什么力氣，他目前最希望麻煩越少越好。他開頭也曾因為一時沖動，親自去找女兒，如今他已經(jīng)氣平怒消，自然又變得像往常一樣懶散。他把那封回信立刻寄出去;雖然做事喜歡拖延，可是只要他肯動手，倒也完成得很快。他在信上請他舅爺把一切代勞之處詳詳細細告訴他，可是說起麗迪雅，實在使他太氣惱，因此連問候也沒有問候她一聲。

好消息立刻在全家傳開了，而且很快便with proportionate speed through the neighbourhood. It wasbome in the latter with decent philosophy. To be sure. it wouldhave been more for the advantage of conversation. had MissLydia Bennet come upon the town; or， as the happiest altemative .been secluded from the world in some distant farm house. Butthere was much to be talked of in marrying her; and the good-natured wishes for her well-doing， which had proceeded beforefrom all the spiteful old ladies in Meryton， lost but little of theirspirit in this change of circumstances， because with such anhusband， her misery was considered certain.

It was a fortnight since Mrs. Bennet had been down stairs.but on this happy day she again took her seat at the head of hertable. and in spirits oppressively high. No sentiment of shamegave a damp to her triumph. The marriage of a daughter， whichhad been the first object of her wishes since Jane was sixteen.was now on the point of accomplishment. and her thoughts andher words ran wholly on those attendants of elegant nuptials，fine muslins. new carriages， and servants. She was busilysearching through the neighbourhood for a "proper situation"for her daughter， and. without knowing or considering whattheir income might be， rejected many as deficient in size andimportance.

"Haye-Park might do ， " said she. "if the Gouldings wouldquit it， or the great house at Stoke. if the drawing-room werelarger; but Ashworth is too far off！

I could not bear to have herten miles from me; and as for Purvis Lodge， the attics aredreadful. "

Her husband allowed her to talk on without interruptionwhile the servants remained. But when they had withdrawn. hesaid to her. "Mrs. Bennet， before you take any or all of thesehouses for your son and daughter， let us come to a rightunderstanding. Into one house in this neighbourhood， they shallnever have admittance. I will not encourage the impudence ofeither by receiving them at Longboum."傳到鄰舍們的耳朵里去。四鄰八舍對這件事都抱著相當超然的態(tài)度。當然，如果麗迪雅·班納特小姐親自上這兒來了，或者說，如果她恰恰相反，遠隔塵囂，住到一個偏僻的農(nóng)村里去，那就可以給人家增加許多談資。不過她的出嫁問題畢竟還是使人家議論紛紛。麥里屯那些惡毒的老太婆，原先總是一番好心，祝她嫁個如意夫君，如今雖然眼看著情況變了，也在起勁地談個不休，因為大家看到她嫁了這么一個丈夫，都認為必定會得到悲慘的下場。

班納特太太已經(jīng)有兩個星期沒有下樓，遇到今天這么快樂的日子，她歡喜若狂，又坐上了首席。她并沒有覺得羞恥，自然也不會掃興。遠從吉英十六歲那年起，她的第一個心愿就是嫁女兒，現(xiàn)在她快要如愿以償了。她的思想言論都完全離不了婚嫁的漂亮排場：上好的細布、新的馬車，以及男女傭仆之類的事情。她還在附近到處奔波，要給女兒找一所適當?shù)淖≌?她根本不知道他們有多少收入，也從來沒有考慮到這一點。她看了多少處房子都看不中，不是為了開間太小，就是嫌不夠氣派。

她說：“要是戈丁家能遷走，海夜花園倒還合適;斯托克那幢大房子，要是會客室大一些，也還可以，可是阿西渥斯離這兒太遠！我不忍心讓她同我隔開十英里路;講到柏衛(wèi)別業(yè)，那閣樓實在太糟了。”

當有傭人在跟前的時候，她丈夫總是讓她講下去，不去打斷她的話。可是傭人一出去，他可老實不客氣地跟她說了：“我的好太太，你要為你的女兒和女婿租房子，不管你要租一幢也好，或是把所有的房子都租下來也好，都得讓我們事先把問題談談清楚。鄰近的房子，一幢也不許他們來住。他們不要夢想，認為我會在浪搏恩招待他們！”

A long dispute followed this declaration， but Mr. Bennetwas firm; it soon led to another. and Mrs. Bennet found. withamazement and horror. that her husband would not advancea guinea to buy clothes for his daughter. He protested that sheshould receive from him no mark of affection whatever on theoccasion. Mrs. Bennet could hardly comprehend it. That hisanger could be carried to such a point of inconceivable resentment.as to refuse his daughter a privilege without which her marriagewould scarcely seem valid， exceeded all that she could believepossible. She was more alive to the disgrace which the want ofnew clothes must reflect on her daughter' s nuptials， than to anysense of shame at her eloping and living with Wickham afortnight before they took place.

Elizabeth was now most heartily sorry that she had. fromthe distress of the moment. been led to make Mr. Darcyacquainted with their fears for her sister; for since her marriagewould so shortly give the proper termination to the elopement，they might hope to conceal its unfavourable beginning from allthose who were not immediately on the spot.

She had no fear of its spreading farther through his means.There were few people on whose secrecy she would havemore confidently depended; but at the same time. there was noone whose knowledge of a sister ' s frailty would have mortifiedher so much. Not. however. from any fear of disadvantagefrom it individually to herself; for at any rate. there seemed agulfimpassablebetween them. Had Lydia' s marriage beenconcluded on the most honourable terms. it was not to besupposed that Mr. Darcy would connect himself with a familywhere. to every other objection would now be addedan alliance and relationship of the nearest kind with the manwhom he so justly scorned.

From such a connection she could not wonder that heshould shrink. The wish of procuring her regard， which she hadassured herself of his feeling in Derbyshire， could not

這話一出口，兩人便爭吵不休;可是班納特先生說一不二，于是又吵了起來;后來班納特太太又發(fā)覺丈夫不肯拿出一文錢來給女兒添置一些衣服，不禁大為驚駭。班納特先生堅決聲明，麗迪雅這一次休想得到他半點疼愛，這實在叫他太太弄不懂。他竟會氣憤到這樣深惡痛絕的地步，連女兒出嫁都不肯優(yōu)待她一點，簡直要把婚禮弄得不成體統(tǒng)，這確實太出乎她的意料。她只知道女兒出嫁而沒有嫁妝是件丟臉的事情，至于她的私奔，她沒有結(jié)婚就跟韋翰同居了兩個星期，她倒絲毫不放在心上。

伊麗莎白目前非常后悔，當初實在不應該因為一時痛苦，竟讓達西先生知道了她自己家里為她妹妹擔憂的經(jīng)過，因為妹妹既然馬上就可以名正言順地結(jié)婚，了卻那一段私奔的風流孽債，那么，開頭那一段不體面的事情，她們當然希望最好不要讓局外人知道。

她并不是擔心達西會把這事情向外界傳開。講到保守秘密，簡直就沒有第二個人比他更能使她信任;不過，這一次如果是別的人知道了她妹妹的丑行，她決不會像現(xiàn)在這樣難受。這倒不是生怕對她本身有任何不利，因為她和達西之間反正隔著一條跨不過的鴻溝。即使麗迪雅能夠體體面面地結(jié)了婚，達西先生也決不會跟這樣一家人家攀親，因為這家人家本來已經(jīng)缺陷夠多，如今又添上了一個一向為他所不齒的人做他的至親，那當然一切都免談了。

她當然不怪他對這門親事望而卻步。她在德比郡的時候就看出他想要博得她的歡心，可是他遭受了這一次打擊以后，當然不會不改in rational expectation survive such a blow as this. She washumbled. she was grieved; she repented， though she hardlyknew of what. She became jealous of his esteem， when shecould no longer hope to be benefited by it. She wanted to hear ofhim. when there seemed the least chance of gainingintelligence. She was convinced that she could have been happywith him， when it was no longer likely they should meet. Whata triumph for him， as she often thought， could he know that theproposals which she had proudly spurned only four months ago，would now have been gladly and gratefully received！ He wasas generous. she doubted not. as the most generous of his sex.But while he was mortal. there must be a triumph.

She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the manwho. in disposition and talents， would most suit her. Hisunderstanding and temper， though unlike her own. would haveanswered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been tothe advantage of both; by her ease and liveliness. his mindmight have been softened. his manners improved， and from hisjudgment， information. and knowledge of the world. she musthave received benefit of greater importance. But no such happymarriage could now teach the admiring multitude what connubialfelicity really was. An union of a different tendency， and pre-cluding the possibility of the other. was soon to be formed intheir family.

How Wickham and Lydia were to be supported in tolerableindependence. she could not imagine. But how little of permanenthappiness could belong to a couple who were only broughttogether because their passions were stronger than their virtue.she could easily conj ecture.

Mr. Gardiner soon wrote again to his brother. To Mr. Bennet' sacknowledgments he briefly replied. with assurances of his ea-gerness to promote the welfare of any of his family， and con-cluded with intreaties that the subject might never be mentioned變初衷。她覺得丟臉，她覺得傷心;她后悔了，可是她又幾乎不知道在后悔些什么。如今她已經(jīng)不想攀附他的身份地位，卻又忌恨他的身份地位;如今她已經(jīng)沒有機會再聽到他的消息，她可又偏偏希望能夠聽到他的消息;如今他們倆已經(jīng)再不可能見面，她可又認為，如果他們倆能夠朝夕聚首，那會多么幸福。她常常想，才不過四個月以前，她那么高傲地拒絕了他的求婚，如今可又心悅誠服地盼望他再來求婚，這要是讓他知道了，他會感到怎樣的得意！她完全相信他是個極其寬宏大量的男人。不過，他既然是人，當然免不了要得意。

她開始理解到，他無論在個性方面和才能方面，都百分之百是一個最適合她的男人?？v使他的見解，他的脾氣，和她自己不是一模一樣，可是一定能夠叫她稱心如意。這個結(jié)合對雙方都有好處：女方從容活潑，可以把男方陶治得心境柔和，作風優(yōu)雅;男方精明通達，閱歷頗深，也一定會使女方得到莫大的裨益?？上н@件幸福的婚姻已經(jīng)不可能實現(xiàn)，天下千千萬萬想要締結(jié)真正幸?；橐龅那槿?，從此也錯過了一個借鑒的榜樣。她家里立刻就要締結(jié)一門另一種意味的親事，也就是那門親事破壞了這門親事。

她無從想象韋翰和麗迪雅究竟怎么樣獨立維持生計。可是她倒很容易想象到另一方面：這種只顧情欲不顧道德的結(jié)合，實在很難得到久遠的幸福。

嘉丁納先生馬上又寫了封信給他姐夫。他先對班納特先生信上那些感激的話簡單地應酬了幾句，再說到他極其盼望班納特府上的男女老幼都能過得舒舒服服，末了還要求to him again. The principal purport of his letter was to informthem that Mr. Wickham had resolved on quitting the Militia.

"lt was greatly my wish that he should do so. " he added. as soon as his marriage was fixed on. And l think you willagree with me in considering a removal from that corps as high-Iy advisable. both on his account and my niece ' s. It is Mr. Wick-ham' s intention to go into the regulars; and， among his formerfriends. there are still some who are able and willing to assisthim in the army. He has the promise of an ensigncy in General' sregiment， now quartered in the North. It is an advantage to haveit so far from this part of the kingdom. He promises fairly; and，I hope， among different people， where they may each have acharacter to preserve， they will both be more prudent. l havewritten to Colonel Forster. to inform him of our present arrange-ments ， and to request that he will satisfy the various creditors ofMr. Wickham in and near Brighton with assurances of speedypayment， for which I have pledged myself. And will you giveyourself the trouble of carrying similar assurances to his credi-tors in Meryton， of whom I shall subjoin a list. according to hisinformation. He has given in all his debts; I hope at least he hasnot deceived us. Haggerston has our directions. and all will becompleted in a week. They will then join his regiment， unlessthey are first invited to Longboum; and I understand from Mrs.Gardiner that my niece is very desirous of seeing you all， beforeshe leaves the South. She is well， and begs to be dutifully re-membered to you and her mother. - Your' s. &c. E. GARDIN-ER. "

Mr. Bennet and his daughters saw all the advantages ofWickham' s removal from the shire as clearly as Mr. Gardinercould do. But Mrs. Bennet was not so well pleased with it. Lydia' sbeing settled in the North， just when she had expected most plea-sure and pride in her company - for she had by no means givenup her plan of their residing in Hertfordshire - was a severe dis-appointment; and besides. it was such a pity that Lydia should班納特先生再也不要提起這件事。他寫這封信的主要目的是，要把韋翰先生已經(jīng)決定脫離民兵團的消息告訴他們。

他這封信接下去是這樣寫的：我非常希望他婚事定下之后就這樣辦。我認為無論為他自己著想，為外甥女兒著想離開民兵團的確是一個非常高明的辦法，我想你一定會同意我的看法。韋翰先生想?yún)⒓诱?guī)軍，他從前的幾個朋友都愿意協(xié)助他，也能夠協(xié)助他。駐扎在北方的某將軍麾下的一個團，已經(jīng)答應讓他當旗手。他離開這一帶遠些，只會有利于他自己。他前途頗有希望，但愿他們到了人生地不疏的地方能夠爭點面子，行為稍加檢點一些。我已經(jīng)寫了信給弗斯脫上校，把我們目前的安排告訴了他，又請他在白利屯一帶通知一下韋翰先生所有債主，就說我一定信守諾言，馬上就償還他們的債務。是否也可以麻煩你就近向麥里屯的債主們通知一聲？隨信附上債主名單一份，這都是他自己說出來的。他把全部債務都講了出來;我希望他至少沒有欺騙我們。我們已經(jīng)委托哈斯東在一周以內(nèi)將所有的事統(tǒng)統(tǒng)辦好。那時候你如果不愿意請他們上浪搏恩來，他們就可以直接到軍隊里去，聽見內(nèi)人說，外甥女兒很希望在離開南方之前跟你們見見面。她近況很好，還請我代她向你和她母親請安。愛-嘉丁納

班納特先生和他的女兒們都和嘉丁納先生同樣看得明明白白，認為韋翰離開某某郡有許多好處。只有班納特太太不甚樂意。她正在盼望著要跟麗迪雅痛痛快快、得意非凡地過一陣，不料她卻要住到北方去，這真叫她太失望。到現(xiàn)在為止，她還是決計要讓女兒和女婿住到哈德福郡來。再說麗迪雅剛剛在be taken from a regiment where she was acquainted with everybody， and had so many favourites.

"She is so fond of Mrs. Forster， " said she. "it will be quiteshocking to send her away ！

And there are several of the youngmen. too. that she likes very much. The officers may not be sopleasant in G eneral ' s regiment. "

His daughter' s request. for such it might be considered， ofbeing admitted into her family again before she set off for theNorth. received at first an absolute negative. But Jane andElizabeth， who agreed in wishing， for the sake of their sister' sfeelings and consequence， that she should be noticed on hermarriage by her parents， urged him so earnestly， yet sorationally and so mildly， to receive her and her husband atLongboum as soon as they were married. that he was prevailedon to think as they thought， and act as they wished. And theirmother had the satisfaction of knowing that she should be able toshew her married daughter in the neighbourhood. before shewas banished to the North. When Mr. Bennet wrote again to hisbrother， therefore. he sent his permission for them to come;and it was settled that， as soon as the ceremony was over， theyshould proceed to Longbourn. Elizabeth was surprised，however. that Wickham should consent to such a scheme; and，had she consulted only her own inclination， any meeting withhim would have been the last obj ect of her wishes.這個民兵團里和大家處熟了，又有那么多人喜歡她，如今遠去他方，未免太可惜。

她說：“她那么喜歡弗斯脫太太，把她送走可太糟了！而且還有好幾個年輕小伙子，她也很喜歡。某某將軍那個團里的軍官們未必能夠這樣討她喜歡呢?！?/p>

他女兒要求（其實應該算作她自己的要求）在去北方之前，再回家來看一次，不料首先就遭到她父親的斷然拒絕。幸虧吉英和伊麗莎白顧全到妹妹的心情和身份，一致希望她的婚姻會受到父母的重視，再三要求父親，讓妹妹和妹婿一結(jié)婚之后，就到浪搏恩來。她們要求得那么懇切、那么合理，又那么婉轉(zhuǎn)，終于把父親說動了心，同意了她們的想法，愿意照著她們的意思去辦。母親這一下可真得意：她可以趁著這個嫁出去的女兒沒有充軍到北方去之前，把她當作寶貝似的顯擺給街坊四鄰看看。于是班納特寫回信給她舅爺?shù)臅r候，便提到讓他們回來一次，講定讓他們舉行過婚禮就立刻到浪搏恩來。不過伊麗莎白倒冷不防地想到韋翰會不會同意這樣的做法;如果單是為她自己著想，那么，跟韋翰見面實在是萬不得已的事。