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》第五十九章。

THE discomposure ofspiritswhichthis extraordinary visit threw Elizabeth into， could not be easily overcome； nor could she， for many hours， learn to think of it less than incessantly. Lady Catherine， it appeared， had actually taken the trouble of this journey from Rosings， for the sole purpose of breaking off her supposed engagement with Mr. Darcy. It was a rational scheme， to be sure！ but from what the report of their engagement could originate， Elizabeth was at a loss to imagine； till she recollected that his being the intimate friend of Bingley， and her being the sister of Jane， was enough， at a time when the expectation of one wedding made every body eager for another， to supply the idea. She had not herself forgotten to feel that the marriage of her sister must bring them more frequently together. And her neighbours at Lucas lodge， therefore （for through their communication with the Collinses， the report， she concluded， had reached Lady Catherine）， had only set that down as almost certain and immediate， which she had looked forward to as possible at some future time.

In revolving Lady Catherines expressions， however， she could not help feeling some uneasiness as to the possible consequence of her persisting in this interference. From what she had said of her resolution to prevent their marriage， it occurred to Elizabeth that she must meditate an application to her nephew； and how he might take a similar representation of the evils attached to a connection with her， she dared not pronounce. She knew not the exact degree of his affection for his aunt， or his dependence on her judgment， but it was natural to suppose that he thought much higher of her ladyship than she could do； and it was certain that， in enumerating the miseries of a marriage with one whose immediate connections were so unequal to his own， his aunt would address him on his weakest side. With his notions of dignity， he would probably feel that the arguments， which to Elizabeth had appeared weak and ridiculous， contained much good sense and solid reasoning.

If he had been wavering before as to what he should do， which had often seemed likely， the advice and intreaty of so near a relation might settle every doubt， and determine him at once to be as happy as dignity unblemished could make him. In that case he would return no more. Lady Catherine might see him in her way through town； and his engagement to Bingley of coming again to Netherfield must give way.

“If， therefore， an excuse for not keeping his promise should come to his friend within a few days，”she added，“I shall know how to understand it. I shall then give over every expectation， every wish of his constancy. If he is satisfied with only regretting me， when he might have obtained my affections and hand， I shall soon cease to regret him at all.”

The surprise of the rest of the family， on hearing who their visitor had been， was very great； but they obligingly satisfied it， with the same kind of supposition which had appeased Mrs. Bennets curiosity； and Elizabeth was spared from much teazing on the subject.

The next morning， as she was going down stairs， she was met by her father， who came out of his library with a letter in his hand.

“Lizzy，”said he，“I was going to look for you； come into my room.”

She followed him thither； and her curiosity to know what he had to tell her was heightened by the supposition of its being in some manner connected with the letter he held. It suddenly struck her that it might be from Lady Catherine； and she anticipated with dismay all the consequent explanations.

She followed her father to the fire place， and they both sat down. He then said，“I have received a letter this morning that has astonished me exceedingly. As it principally concerns yourself， you ought to know its contents. I did not know before， that I had two daughters on the brink of matrimony. Let me congratulate you on a very important conquest.”

The colour now rushed into Elizabeths cheeks in the instantaneous conviction of its being a letter from the nephew， instead of the aunt； and she was undetermined whether most to be pleased that he explained himself at all， or offended that his letter was not rather addressed to herself； when her father continued，“You look conscious. Young ladies have great penetration in such matters as these； but I think I may defy even your sagacity， to discover the name of your admirer. This letter is from Mr. Collins.”

“From Mr. Collins！ and what can he have to say？”

“Something very much to the purpose of course. He begins with congratulations on the approaching nuptials of my eldest daughter， of which， it seems， he has been told by some of the good- natured， gossiping Lucases. I shall not sport with your impatience， by reading what he says on that point. What relates to yourself， is as follows.”“Having thus offered you the sincere congratulations of Mrs. Collins and myself on this happy event， let me now add a short hint on the subject of another； of which we have been advertised by the same authority. Your daughter Elizabeth， it is presumed， will not long bear the name of Bennet， after her elder sister has resigned it， and the chosen partner of her fate may be reasonably looked up to as one of the most illustrious personages in this land.”

“Can you possibly guess， Lizzy， who is meant by this？”“This young gentleman is blessed， in a peculiar way， with every thing the heart of mortal can most desire， splen- did property， noble kindred， and extensive patronage. Yet in spite of all these temptations， let me warn my cousin Elizabeth， and yourself， of what evils you may incur by a precipitate closure with this gentlemans proposals， which， of course， you will be inclined to take immediate advantage of.”

“Have you any idea， Lizzy， who this gentleman is？ But now it comes out.”

‘My motive for cautioning you is as follows. We have reason to imagine that his aunt， Lady Catherine de Bourgh， does not look on the match with a friendly eye.

“Mr. Darcy， you see， is the man！ Now， Lizzy， I think I havesurprisedyou.Couldhe，ortheLucases， have pitched on any man within the circle of our acquaintance， whose name would have given the lie more effectually to what they related？ Mr. Darcy， who never looks at any woman but to see a blemish， and who probably never looked at you in his life！ It is admirable！”

Elizabeth tried to join in her fathers pleasantry， but could only force one most reluctant smile. Never had his wit been directed in a manner so little agreeable to her.

“Are you not diverted？”

“Oh！ yes. Pray read on.”

“After mentioning the likelihood of this marriage to her ladyship last night， she immediately， with her usual condescension， expressed what she felt on the occasion； when it become apparent， that on the score of some family objections on the part of my cousin， she would never give her consent to what she termed so disgraceful a match. I thought it my duty to give the speediest intelligence of this to my cousin， that she and her noble admirer may be aware of what they are about， and not run hastily into a marriage which has not been properly sanctioned.”“Mr. Collins moreover adds，”“I am truly rejoiced that my cousin Lydias sad business has been so well hushed up， and am only con-cerned that their living together before the marriage took place should be so generally known. I must not， however， neglect the duties of my station， or refrain from declaring my amazement at hearing that you received the young couple into your house as soon as they were married. It was an encouragement of vice； and had I been the rector of Longbourn， I should very strenuously have opposed it. You ought certainly to forgive them as a Christian， but never to admit them in your sight， or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing.”“That is his notion of Christian forgiveness！ The rest of his letter is only about his dear Charlottes situation， and his expectation of a young olivebranch. But， Lizzy， you look as if you did not enjoy it. You are not going to be Missish， I hope， and pretend to be affronted at an idle report. For what do we live， but to make sport for our neighbours， and laugh at them in our turn？”

“Oh！”cried Elizabeth，”I am excessively diverted. But it is so strange！”

“Yes -- that is what makes it amusing. Had they fixed on any other man it would have been nothing； but his perfect indifference， and your pointed dislike， make it so delightfully absurd！ Much as I abominate writing， I would not give up Mr. Collinss correspondence for any consideration. Nay， when I read a letter of his， I cannot help giving him the preference even over Wickham， much as I value the impudence and hypocrisy of my son- in- law. And pray， Lizzy， what said Lady Catherine about this report？ Did she call to refuse her consent？”

To this question his daughter replied only with a laugh； and as it had been asked without the least suspicion， she was not distressed by his repeating it. Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make her feelings appear what they were not. It was necessary to laugh， when she would rather have cried. Her father had most cruelly mortified her， by what he said of Mr. Darcys indifference， and she could do nothing but wonder at such a want of penetration， or fear that perhaps， instead of his seeing too little， she might have fancied too much.

這不速之客走了以后，伊麗莎白很是心神不寧，而且難以平靜。她接連好幾個鐘頭不斷地思索著這件事?？α辗蛉诉@次居然不怕麻煩，遠從羅新斯趕來，原來是她自己異想天開，認為伊麗莎白和達西先生已經(jīng)訂了婚，所以特地趕來要把他們拆散。這個辦法倒的確很好；可是，關于他們訂婚的謠言，究竟有什么根據(jù)呢？這真叫伊麗莎白無從想象，后來她才想起了達西的好朋友彬格萊，她自己是吉英的妹妹，而目前大家往往會因為一重婚姻而連帶想到再結(jié)一重婚姻，那么，人們自然要生出這種念頭來了。她自己也早就想到，姐姐結(jié)婚以后，她和達西先生見面的機會也就更多了。因此盧家莊的鄰居們（她認為只有他們和柯林斯夫婦通信的時候會說起這件事，因此才會傳到咖苔琳夫人那里去）竟把這件事看成十拿九穩(wěn)，而且好事就在眼前，可是她自己只不過覺得這件事將來有點希望而已。

不過，一想起咖苔琳夫人那番話，她就禁不住有些感到不安；如果她硬要干涉，誰也說不出會造成怎樣的后果。她說她堅決要阻擋這一門親事，從這些話看來，伊麗莎白想到夫人準會去找她的姨侄；至于達西是不是也同樣認為跟她結(jié)婚有那么多害處，那她就不敢說了。她不知道他跟他姨母之間感情如何，也不知道他是否完全聽他姨母的意見，可是按情理來說，他一定會比伊麗莎白更看得起那位老夫人。只要他姨媽在他面前說明他們兩家門第不相當，跟這樣出身的女人結(jié)婚有多少害處，那就會擊中他的弱點。咖苔琳夫人說了那么一大堆理由，伊麗莎白當然覺得荒唐可笑，不值一駁，可是有他那樣一個死要面子的人看來，也許會覺得見解高明，理由充足。

如果他本來就心里動搖不定（他好像時常如此），那么，只要這位至親去規(guī)勸他一下，央求他一下，他自會立刻打消猶豫，下定決心，再不要為了追求幸福而貶低自己的身份。如果真是這樣，那他一定再也不會回來?？α辗蛉寺愤^城里，也許會去找他，他雖然和彬格萊先生有約在先，答應立即回到尼日斐花園來，這一下恐怕只能作罷了。

她心里又想：“要是彬格萊先生這幾天里就接到他的信，托辭不能踐約，我便一切都明白了，不必再去對他存什么指望，不必去希求他始終如一。當我現(xiàn)在快要愛上他、答應他求婚的時候，如果他并不真心愛我，而只是惋惜我一下，那么，我便馬上連惋惜他的心腸也不會有?！?/p>

且說她家里人聽到這位貴客是誰，都驚奇不已；可是她們也同樣用班納特太太那樣的假想，滿足了自己的好奇心，因此伊麗莎白才沒有被她們問長問短。

第二天早上，她下樓的時候，遇見父親正從書房里走出來，手里拿著一封信。

父親連忙叫她：“麗萃，我正要找你；你馬上到我房間里來一下。”

她跟著他去了，可是不明白父親究竟要跟她講些什么。她想，父親之所以要找她談話，多少和他手上那封信有關，因此越發(fā)覺得好奇。她突然想到，那封信可能是咖苔琳夫人寫來的，免不了又要向父親解釋一番，說來真是煩悶。

她跟她父親走到壁爐邊，兩個人一同坐下。父親說：“今天早上我收到一封信，使我大吃一驚。這封信上講的都是你的事，因此你應該知道里面寫了些什么。我一直不知道我同時有兩個女兒都有結(jié)婚的希望。讓我恭喜你的情場得意?！?/p>

伊麗莎白立刻斷定這封信是那個姨侄寫來的，而不是姨媽寫來的，于是漲紅了臉。她不知道應該為了他寫信來解釋而感到高興呢，還是應該怪他沒有直接把信寫給她而生氣，這時只聽得父親接下去說：“你好像心里有數(shù)似的。年輕的姑娘們對這些事情總是非常精明；可是即使以你這樣的機靈，我看你還是猜不出你那位愛人姓甚名誰。告訴你，這封信是柯林斯先生寄來的。”

“柯林斯先生寄來的！他有什么話可說？”

“當然說得很徹底。他開頭恭喜我的大女兒快要出嫁，這消息大概是那愛管閑事的好心的盧家說給他聽的。這件事姑且不念出來，免得你不耐煩。與你有關的部分是這樣寫的──‘愚夫婦既為尊府此次喜事竭誠道賀以后，容再就另一事略申數(shù)言。此事消息來源同上。據(jù)去尊府一俟大小姐出閣以后，二小姐伊麗莎白也即將出閣。且聞二小姐此次所選如意夫君，確系天下大富大貴之人。

“麗萃，你猜得出這位貴人是誰嗎？──‘貴人年輕福宏，舉凡人間最珍貴之事物，莫不件件具有。非但家勢雄厚，門第高貴，抑且布施提拔，權力無邊。唯彼雖屬條件優(yōu)越，處處足以打動人心，然則彼若向尊府求婚，切不可遽而應承，否則難免輕率從事，后患無窮，此不佞不得不先以奉勸先生與表妹伊麗莎白者也。

“麗萃，你想得到這位貴人是誰嗎？下面就要提到了。”

‘不佞之所以不揣冒昧，戇直陳詞，實因慮及貴人之姨母咖苔琳·德包爾夫人對此次聯(lián)姻之事，萬難贊同故耳。

“你明白了吧，這個人就是達西先生！喂麗萃，我已經(jīng)叫你感到詫異了吧。無論是柯林斯也好，是盧卡斯一家人也好，他們偏偏在我們的熟人中挑出這么一個人來撒謊，這不是太容易給人家揭穿了嗎？達西先生見到女人就覺得晦氣，也許他看都沒有看過你一眼呢！我真佩服他們！”

伊麗莎白盡量湊著父親打趣，可是她的笑容顯得極其勉強。父親的俏皮幽默，從來沒有像今天這樣不討她喜歡。

“你不覺得滑稽嗎？”

“啊，當然請你再讀下去。”

“‘昨夜不佞曾與夫人提及此次聯(lián)姻可能成為事實，深蒙夫人本其平日推愛之忱，以其隱衷見告。彼謂此事千萬不能贊同，蓋以令嬡門戶低微，缺陷太多，若竟而與之聯(lián)姻實在有失體統(tǒng)。故不佞自覺責無旁貸，應將此事及早奉告表妹，冀表妹及其所愛幕之貴人皆能深明大體，以免肆無忌憚，私訂終身！——柯林斯先生還說：‘麗迪雅表妹之不貞事件得心圓滿解決，殊為欣慰。唯不佞每念及其婚前即與人同居，穢聞遠揚，仍不免有所痛心。不佞尤不能已于言者，厥為彼等一經(jīng)確定夫婦名份，先生即迎之入尊府，誠令人不勝駭異，蓋先生此舉實系助長傷風敗俗之惡習耳。設以不佞為浪搏恩牧師，必然堅決反對。先生身為基督教徒，固當寬恕為懷，然則以先生之本份而言，唯有拒見其人，拒聞其名耳。這就是他所謂的基督寬恕精神！下面寫的都是關于他親愛的夏綠蒂的一些情形，他們快要生小孩了。怎么，麗萃，你好像不樂意聽似的。我想，你不見得也有那種小姐腔，假裝正經(jīng)，聽到這種廢話就要生氣吧。人生在世，要不是讓人家開開玩笑，回頭來又取笑別人，那還有什么意思？”

伊麗莎白大聲叫道：“噢，我聽得非常有趣。不過這事情實在古怪！”

“的確古怪──有趣的也正是這一點。如果他們講的是另外一個人，那倒還說得過去。最可笑的是，那位貴人完全沒有把你放在眼里，你對他又是厭惡透頂！我平常雖然最討厭寫信，可是我無論如何也不愿和柯林斯斷絕書信往來。唔，我每次讀到他的信，總覺得他比韋翰還要討我喜歡。我那位女婿雖然又冒失又虛偽，還是及不上他。請問你，麗萃，咖苔琳夫人對這事是怎么說的？她是不是特地趕來表示反對？”

女兒聽到父親問這句話，只是笑了一笑。其實父親這一問完全沒有一點猜疑的意思，因此他問了又問，也沒有使她感覺到痛苦。伊麗莎白從來沒有象今天這樣為難：心里想的是一套，表面上卻要裝出另一套。她真想哭，可是又不得不強顏歡笑。父親說達西先生沒有把她放在眼里，這句話未免太使她傷心。她只有怪她父親為什么這樣糊涂，或者說，她現(xiàn)在心里又添了一重顧慮：這件事也許倒不能怪父親看見得太少，而應該怪她自己幻想得太多呢。