It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
众所周知，一个单身男子如果拥有一定的财产，就必须要找个妻子。

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.
不管这种男士初来乍到时他的感情和看法如何鲜为人知，这个真理在周围家庭中已根深蒂固，他们把他看作是他们女儿们中的某一个理所当然的财产。

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”
“亲爱的班纳特先生,”有一天他的夫人对他说，” 你听说了吗？内瑟菲尔德庄园终于租出去了？”

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
班纳特先生回答说他并不知道。

“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
“但的确是这样，” 她说；”朗夫人刚刚来过，她把一切都告诉我了。”

Mr. Bennet made no answer.
班纳特先生没有回答。

“Do not you want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.
“你不想知道是谁租的吗？” 他的妻子不耐烦地叫道。

“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”
“你想告诉我，而我也没有反对听一听。”

This was invitation enough.
这已经是足够的诚意。

“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; —-
“哎呀，亲爱的，你必须知道，朗夫人说内瑟菲尔德被一个来自英格兰北部的富有青年租下了； —-

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; —-
周一他乘着四马轿车来看这个地方，很是喜欢，立刻就和莫里斯先生达成了协议； —-

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.”
他将在圣米迦勒节前搬进去，下周就会有一些仆人到达。”

“What is his name?”
“他叫什么名字？”

“Bingley.”
“彬格莱。”

“Is he married or single?”
“他是已婚还是单身？”

“Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; —-
“哦！单身，亲爱的，当然了！一个拥有大笔财产的单身男士； —-

four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!”
年收入四五千镑。这对我们的女儿们是多么好的事情啊！”

“How so? how can it affect them?”
“怎么好法？这怎么会影响到她们？”

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome! —-
“亲爱的班纳特先生，”他的妻子回答说，” 你怎么可以这么烦人！ —-

You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”
你难道不知道我是指他可以娶她们中的一个吗？”

“Is that his design in settling here?”
“他定居于此就是为了结婚吗？”

“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.”
“定居！胡说，你怎么能这么说！但他可能会爱上她们中的一个，所以一旦他来了，你得去拜访他。”

“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.”
“我不觉得有这个必要。你和女儿们去就行了，或者你可以让她们自己去，这可能还更好，因为你跟她们一样漂亮，彬格莱先生可能会最喜欢你。”

“My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now. —-
“亲爱的，你过奖了。我确实曾经拥有过美貌，但现在我不敢说自己有什么非凡之处。 —-

When a woman has five grown-up daughters she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.”
一个有五个成年女儿的女人应该不再考虑自己的美貌了。”

“In such cases a woman has not often much beauty to think of.”
“像这种情况，一个女人通常没有太多美貌可言。”

“But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.”
“但是，亲爱的，你必须去见彬格莱先生，当他到附近来的时候。”

“It is more than I engage for, I assure you.”
“这超出了我的承诺，我向你保证。”

“But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. —-
“但你得考虑你的女儿们。只想想，如果她们中的一个能够成婚，那将是多么好的场面。 —-

Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, they visit no new-comers. —-
威廉爵士和卢卡斯夫人决定去，仅仅是因为这个原因，因为通常情况下，他们是不会拜访新来的人的。 —-

Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not.”
实际上你必须去，因为如果你不去，我们就不可能拜访他。”

“You are over-scrupulous surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; —-
“你太过于谨慎了。我敢说彬格莱先生会很乐意见你的； —-

and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chuses of the girls: —-
我将通过你给他写几行字，以确保我全心全意地同意他选择任何一个女儿结婚： —-

though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.”
尽管我必须对我的小丽兹说些好话。”

“I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; —-
“我希望你不要这么做。丽兹并没有比其他人好一点； —-

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.”
我确定她既没有简美丽，也没有丽迪雅那么好脾气。但你总是偏爱她。”

“They have none of them much to recommend them,” replied he; —-
“她们都没有什么推荐的，” 他回答说； —-

“they are all silly and ignorant, like other girls; —-
她们和其他女孩一样愚蠢无知； —-

but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.”
不过丽兹比她姐妹们更机敏一些。”

“Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way! —-
“班纳特先生，你怎么可以这样辱骂自己的孩子！ —-

You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”
你就是喜欢惹我生气。你一点也不顾我这可怜的神经。”

“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. —-
“你误会我了，亲爱的。我非常尊重你的神经。它们是我的老朋友。 —-

I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.”
至少这二十年来，我一直听你考虑它们。”

“Ah! you do not know what I suffer.”
“啊！你不知道我遭受了什么。”

“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”
“但我希望你会克服这个问题，活着看到许多年收入四千的年轻人搬到附近。”

“It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.”
“如果来了二十个这样的人，对我们也没用，因为你不会去拜访他们。”

“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.”
“亲爱的，相信我，如果真的来了二十个，我会一个都不落地拜访的。”

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. —-
班纳特先生是个性格复杂的人，他聪明、讽刺，既矜持又任性，以至于二十三年的经历让他的妻子也没能弄懂他。 —-

Her mind was less difficult to develope. —-
她的脑子就简单多了。 —-

She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. —-
她理解力平庸，知识浅薄，脾气不定。 —-

When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous. —-
她不高兴的时候就自认为是神经质。 —-

The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.
她一生的事业就是让她的女儿们结婚；她的慰藉是拜访和新闻。