《傲慢与偏见》 第24章(3)

Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed¹ all extraordinary merit, and threw back the praise on her sister's warm affection.

吉英竭力否认这一切言过其实的夸奖，反而用这些赞美的话来赞扬妹妹的热情。

"Nay," said Elizabeth, "this is not fair. You wish to think all the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of any body. I only want to think you perfect,

“别那么说，”伊丽莎白说，“这样说不公平的，你总以为天下都是好人。我只要说了谁一句坏话，你就难受。

and you set yourself against it. Do not be afraid of my running into any excess, of my encroaching on your privilege of universal good will. You need not.

我要把你看作一个完美无瑕的人，你就来驳斥。请你放心，我决不会说得过分，你有权利把四海之内的人一视同仁，我也不会干涉你。你用不着担心。

There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it;

至于我，我真正喜欢的人没有几个，我心目中的好人就更少了。世事经历得愈多，我就愈对世事不满；我一天比一天相信，

and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence² that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.

人性都是见异思迁，我们不能凭着某人表面上一点点长处或见解，就去相信他。最近我碰到了两件事：其中一件我不愿意说出来，

I have met with two instances lately; one I will not mention; the other is Charlotte's marriage. It is unaccountable! in every view it is unaccountable!"

另一件就是夏绿蒂的婚姻问题。这简直是莫明其妙！任你怎样看法，都是莫明其妙！”

"My dear Lizzy, do not give way to such feelings as these. They will ruin your happiness. You do not make allowance enough for difference of situation and temper.

“亲爱的丽萃，不要这样胡思乱想吧。那会毁了你的幸福的。你对于各人处境的不同和脾气的不同，体谅得不够。

Consider Mr. Collins's respectability, and Charlotte's prudent³, steady character. Remember that she is one of a large family; that as to fortune, it is a most eligible⁴ match;

你且想一想柯林斯先生的身份地位和夏绿蒂的谨慎稳重吧。你得记住，她也算一个大家闺秀，说起财产方面，

and be ready to believe, for every body's sake, that she may feel something like regard and esteem⁵ for our cousin."

倒是一门挺适当的亲事。你且顾全大家的面子，只当她对我们那位表兄确实有几分敬爱和器重吧。”

"To oblige you, I would try to believe almost any thing, but no one else could be benefited by such a belief as this; for were I persuaded that Charlotte had any regard for him,

“要是看你的面子，我几乎随便对什么事都愿意以为真，可是这对于任何人都没有益处；我现在只觉得夏绿蒂根本不懂得爱情，要是再叫我去相信她是当真爱上了柯林斯，

I should only think worse of her understanding, than I now do of her heart. My dear Jane, Mr. Collins is a conceited⁶, pompous⁷, narrowminded, silly man; you know he is,

那我又要觉得她简直毫无见识。亲爱的吉英，柯林斯先生是个自高自大、喜爱炫耀、心胸狭窄的蠢汉，这一点你和我懂得一样清楚，

as well as I do; and you must feel, as well as I do, that the woman who marries him, cannot have a proper way of thinking.

你也会同我一样地感觉到，只有头脑不健全的女人才肯嫁给他。虽说这个女人就是夏绿蒂·卢卡斯，

You shall not defend her, though it is Charlotte Lucas. You shall not, for the sake of one individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity,

你也不必为她辩护。你千万不能为了某一个人而改变原则，破格迁就，也不要千方百计地说服我，

nor endeavour to persuade yourself or me that selfishness is prudence⁸, and insensibility of danger, security for happiness."

或是说服你自己去相信，自私自利就是谨慎，糊涂胆大就等于幸福有了保障。”

1 disclaimed   

v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She disclaimed any knowledge of her husband's whereabouts. 她否认知道丈夫的下落。
• He disclaimed any interest in the plan. 他否认对该计划有任何兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

3 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

4 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

5 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

6 conceited   

adj.自负的，骄傲自满的

参考例句：

• He could not bear that they should be so conceited.他们这样自高自大他受不了。
• I'm not as conceited as so many people seem to think.我不像很多人认为的那么自负。

7 pompous   

adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.他有点自大，自视甚高。
• He is a good man underneath his pompous appearance. 他的外表虽傲慢，其实是个好人。

8 prudence   

n.谨慎，精明，节俭

参考例句：

• A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
• The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。