IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
"But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
"Do not you want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently.
"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
This was invitation enough.
"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week."
"What is his name?"
"Bingley."
"Is he married or single?"
"Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!"
"How so? how can it affect them?"
"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."
"Is that his design in settling here?"
"Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."
"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better; for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party."
"My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty."
"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of."
"But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood."
"It is more than I engage for, I assure you."
"But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know they visit no new comers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not."
"You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy."
"I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference."
"They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters."
"Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves."
"You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."
"Ah! you do not know what I suffer."
"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood."
"It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them."
"Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all."
Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.
--正文
每个人都知道，有钱的单身汉总是想要找个老婆。
每当周围出现一个这样的男人时，尽管人们对他的性格和观点少有了解，但是邻居们都认为他想要找个老婆，便自然地把他当作别人家女儿的财产了。
“我亲爱的Bennet!”有一天Bennet的太太对他说，“Netherfield公园终于租出去了，你听说了吗？”
Bennet先生回复说没有。
'但是确实租出去了!'他的太太接着说，“因为Long大姐刚刚去过那儿，她全部都告诉我了。”
Bennet先生仍然没有理睬她。
'你就不想知道是谁租走了吗？'他老婆终于不耐烦了，大吼着说。
‘你想说就说是了，我听着呢!’Bennet先生回复道。
这句话已经足够给Bennet太太鼓励。
'亲爱的Bennet，你得知道这个，Long大姐说这个房子，是被英格兰北边来的一个有钱小伙子租掉了。听说他周一和四个人坐着马车过来看房子，结果对这个房子非常满意，当时就跟Morris先生谈妥了。他说会在MichaelMas节之前搬进来，而他的一些仆人会在下周前就搬进来。'
‘他叫什么名字?’ Bennet老爷问道。
'Bingley'
‘他是结婚了，还是单着身?’Bennet老爷又问道。
'单身!我亲爱的Bennet!千真万确!而且是个有钱的单身汉！一年可以挣四五千英磅!这对我们的女儿来说是多么好的一件事啊!'Bennet太太说。
'啥意思？这跟我们的女儿有什么关系?'
‘亲爱的Bennet老爷，’他太太说,'你怎么那么没劲呢？你明知道我想把我们的女儿嫁给他!'
‘他来这儿有这个打算么?’Bennet老爷问道。
‘打算？这不是胡说。你怎么能这么说话？我觉得他很可能会爱上我们的某个姑娘，所以
你最好在他来了之后尽早拜访他。’
'我觉得没这个必要。你可以和姑娘们一起去，或者你叫她们自己去，这样或许更好点。你跟她们长得一样漂亮，你要是去了，Binley先生说不定最喜欢你呢!'
‘亲爱的，你太奉承我了。我曾经确实有自己的美貌，但我可不敢说今天还有啥漂亮的地方了 。当女人家已经有5个成年的女儿时，她应该忘掉自己的样貌了。‘
'这样的话，那一个女人的美貌也没多少念头可想了。'
‘亲爱的老爷，Bingley先生来的时候，你一定得去看看.’
'这不是我该管的事情，我跟你说。'
‘你不为我想，也为你的女儿想想。你就想想，她们中的任意一个跟bingley结婚，会是多么走运。william先生和Lucas女士已经下决心要去，也无非是这个想法。他们一般是不会拜访新搬来的客人的。所以你一定得去，因为你不去的话，我们女人家更是无法拜访了。’
'你可真是想得周到。我敢说Bingley先生一定会特别愿意见你的。好了，我也会写上几句话让你带过去，告诉Bingley先生无论他选了我们哪个女儿结婚，我都会应允的。但是我得给我的小Lizzy说几句好话。'Bennet老爷说道。
'你可不能这么做啊，bennet老爷。Lizzy可没有比其他几个姑娘好。她没有Jane的一半漂亮，没有Lydia一半性子好。但是你总是偏爱她。'
’哈！那几个姑娘可没有你说的那么好‘,Bennet老爷说到,'他们都像其他女孩一样又傻又无知，但Lizzy和她的姐姐们不一样，她机灵的多。'
'Bennet老爷,你怎么能那么糟践自己的孩子？你总是喜欢气我，一点也不体谅体谅我脆弱的神经。'
’你误会我了，亲爱的。我对你的神经充满敬意。他们可是我的老朋友了。我至少听你唠叨它们20年了。‘
’说啥呢！你一点也不了解我承受的痛苦。‘
’但我还是希望你能克服这些痛苦，多活几年，好多看看这些一年挣四五千磅的年轻人来咱们村子。‘
'这样的年轻人来20个也没有用啊，你也不愿意去拜访他们。'
"等着瞧吧，亲爱的，如果真来了20个，我会挨个去拜访他们的，一个都不漏下。"
Bennet老爷是如此古怪，他喜欢挖苦人，又不苟言笑，喜怒无常，所以他老婆花了23年也没搞明白他的性格。Bennet太太的性格就容易理解多了。她是个理解力较低，知之甚少的女人，而且情绪很不稳定。一旦有不顺心的事情，她就会大叫自己的神经衰弱。她一生的目标就是把女儿都嫁出去，她平时就喜欢拜访友人和打听新闻。
网友评论