During dinner Mr. Bennet scarcely spoke at all; —-
班纳特先生在晚餐期间几乎没有说话； —-

but when the servants were withdrawn, he thought it time to have some conversation with his guest, and therefore started a subject in which he expected him to shine, by observing that he seemed very fortunate in his patroness. —-
但当侍者们退出去之后，他认为是时候和他的客人进行一些谈话，于是他开始了一个他期望客人能够谈兴甚浓的话题，通过观察他对自己的赞助者似乎非常幸运。 —-

Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s attention to his wishes, and consideration for his comfort, appeared very remarkable. —-
德·包尔夫夫人对他的愿望的关注和对他的舒适的关怀似乎非常引人注目。 —-

Mr. Bennet could not have chosen better. Mr. Collins was eloquent in her praise. —-
班纳特先生没有能选择更好的话题了。柯林斯先生在赞扬她时口若悬河。 —-

The subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner, and with a most important aspect he protested that “he had never in his life witnessed such behaviour in a person of rank — such affability and condescension, as he had himself experienced from Lady Catherine. —-
这个话题使他比平常更加庄重，他以一副极其重要的样子断言：“在他的整个生命中，他从未见过如此身份的人有如此的举止——那样的亲切和谦让，正如他亲自从凯瑟琳夫人那里经历的一样。 —-

She had been graciously pleased to approve of both the discourses which he had already had the honour of preaching before her. —-
她已经慈祥地批准了他在她面前已经荣幸地讲过的两篇布道。 —-

She had also asked him twice to dine at Rosings, and had sent for him only the Saturday before, to make up her pool of quadrille in the evening. —-
她还两次邀请他到罗新斯去用餐，并在上周六还请他过去，晚上补充四人打纸牌的游戏。 —-

Lady Catherine was reckoned proud by many people he knew, but he had never seen anything but affability in her. —-
许多人认为凯瑟琳夫人很骄傲，但他从未在她身上看到除了亲切。 —-

She had always spoken to him as she would to any other gentleman; —-
她总是像对待其他绅士一样和他说话； —-

she made not the smallest objection to his joining in the society of the neighbourhood, nor to his leaving his parish occasionally for a week or two, to visit his relations. —-
她丝毫不反对他参与周边社区的社交活动，或者偶尔离开他的教区一两周去拜访他的亲属。 —-

She had even condescended to advise him to marry as soon as he could, provided he chose with discretion; —-
她甚至高度地建议他在条件合适的情况下尽快结婚； —-

and had once paid him a visit in his humble parsonage; —-
而且还曾经亲自去他的简朴的教区小屋拜访过他； —-

where she had perfectly approved all the alterations he had been making, and had even vouchsafed to suggest some herself, — some shelves in the closets up stairs.”
在那里，她完全赞同他所做的所有改动，并且甚至亲自提出了一些建议，——楼上壁橱里的一些架子。”

“That is all very proper and civil, I am sure,” said Mrs. Bennet, “and I dare say she is a very agreeable woman. —-
“那全都很得体，也很客气，我敢保证，” 班纳特太太说，”我敢说她是个非常令人愉快的女士。 —-

It is a pity that great ladies in general are not more like her. —-
遗憾的是，一般的贵妇人并不都像她这样。 —-

Does she live near you, sir?”
请问，先生，她住在你附近吗？”

“The garden in which stands my humble abode, is separated only by a lane from Rosings Park, her ladyship’s residence.”
“我那简陋的住所所在的花园，只隔了一条小径与罗新斯公园相隔，那是她夫人的住所。”

“I think you said she was a widow, sir? has she any family?”
“我记得您说她是个寡妇，对吗？她有家庭吗？”

“She has one only daughter, the heiress of Rosings, and of very extensive property.”
“她只有一个女儿，是罗新斯的继承人，拥有非常广泛的财产。”

“Ah!” cried Mrs. Bennet, shaking her head, “then she is better off than many girls. —-
“啊！”班纳特太太惊叫着，摇了摇头，” 那么她比许多姑娘都要幸运了。 —-

And what sort of young lady is she? is she handsome?”
那位小姐是个怎样的人呢？她美丽吗？”

“She is a most charming young lady indeed. —-
“她确实是一个非常迷人的年轻女士。 —-

Lady Catherine herself says that, in point of true beauty, Miss De Bourgh is far superior to the handsomest of her sex; —-
凯瑟琳夫人自己说，在真正的美丽方面，德·包尔小姐远远领先于她的性别中最美的人； —-

because there is that in her features which marks the young woman of distinguished birth. —-
因为她的容貌中有那种标志着出身显赫的少女特征。 —-

She is unfortunately of a sickly constitution, which has prevented her making that progress in many accomplishments, which she could not otherwise have failed of, as I am informed by the lady who superintended her education, and who still resides with them. —-
可惜她体质不好，这阻止了她在许多才艺上的进步，否则她不可能不成功，正如那位负责她教育的女士（至今仍与她们同住）所告诉我的。 —-

But she is perfectly amiable, and often condescends to drive by my humble abode in her little phaeton and ponies.”
但她非常可爱，常常屈尊驱车经过我的简陋住所，她的那辆小马车和小马。”

“Has she been presented? I do not remember her name among the ladies at court.”
“她出过仕吗？我不记得在宫廷的女士们中有她的名字。”

“Her indifferent state of health unhappily prevents her being in town; —-
“她健康状况不好，不幸地阻止了她去城里； —-

and by that means, as I told Lady Catherine myself one day, has deprived the British court of its brightest ornament. —-
正如我有一天对凯瑟琳夫人自己说的那样，这使得英国宫廷失去了最灿烂的装饰。 —-

Her ladyship seemed pleased with the idea; —-
她夫人对这个想法似乎很高兴； —-

and you may imagine that I am happy on every occasion to offer those little delicate compliments which are always acceptable to ladies. —-
你可以想象，我在每一个场合都乐意提供那些对女士总是受欢迎的细致恭维。 —-

I have more than once observed to Lady Catherine, that her charming daughter seemed born to be a duchess, and that the most elevated rank, instead of giving her consequence, would be adorned by her. —-
我不止一次对凯瑟琳夫人说，她那迷人的女儿似乎注定要成为公爵夫人，最高的地位，而不是给她增加重要性，反而会因她而增光。 —-

These are the kind of little things which please her ladyship, and it is a sort of attention which I conceive myself peculiarly bound to pay.”
这些都是讨她夫人喜欢的小事情，而我自认为有特殊的责任去做这些事情。”

“You judge very properly,” said Mr. Bennet, “and it is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. —-
“你判断得很对,” 班纳特先生说, “而且你拥有以微妙的方式奉承的才华，这对你来说是一件幸事。 —-

May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?”
我可以问一下，这些令人愉快的关注是一时冲动的产物，还是事先经过深思熟虑的结果？”

“They arise chiefly from what is passing at the time, and though I sometimes amuse myself with suggesting and arranging such little elegant compliments as may be adapted to ordinary occasions, I always wish to give them as unstudied an air as possible.”
“它们主要是根据当时的情况产生的，尽管有时我会自娱自乐，构思和安排些适用于平常场合的优雅恭维语，但我总希望能让它们看起来尽可能不经雕琢。”

Mr. Bennet’s expectations were fully answered. —-
班纳特先生的预期完全得到了满足。 —-

His cousin was as absurd as he had hoped, and he listened to him with the keenest enjoyment, maintaining at the same time the most resolute composure of countenance, and, except in an occasional glance at Elizabeth, requiring no partner in his pleasure.
他的堂兄像他希望的那样荒唐，他听着他的话极为愉快，同时保持着最坚定的面部表情不动，除了偶尔看一眼伊丽莎白，不需要任何人分享他的愉悦。

By tea-time, however, the dose had been enough, and Mr. Bennet was glad to take his guest into the drawing-room again, and, when tea was over, glad to invite him to read aloud to the ladies. —-
然而，到了喝茶的时候，这已经足够了，班纳特先生很高兴将他的客人再次带进客厅，茶后，他很高兴邀请他大声朗读给女士们听。 —-

Mr. Collins readily assented, and a book was produced; —-
柯林斯先生欣然同意，于是拿出了一本书； —-

but on beholding it (for everything announced it to be from a circulating library) he started back, and begging pardon, protested that he never read novels. —-
但当他看到这本书（一切都宣告着这是个公共借阅图书馆的书）时，他惊讶地退后，连忙道歉，坚称他从不读小说。 —-

Kitty stared at him, and Lydia exclaimed. —-
吉蒂盯着他看，丽迪雅大声惊呼。 —-

Other books were produced, and after some deliberation he chose Fordyce’s Sermons. —-
他们又拿出了其他书籍，经过一番考虑，他选择了福迪赛的布道集。 —-

Lydia gaped as he opened the volume, and before he had, with very monotonous solemnity, read three pages, she interrupted him with —
当他以非常单调庄重的口吻读了三页时，丽迪雅打断了他—

“Do you know, mama, that my uncle Philips talks of turning away Richard; —-
“妈妈，你知道吗，我叔叔菲利普斯说要辞退理查德； —-

and if he does, Colonel Forster will hire him. My aunt told me so herself on Saturday. —-
如果他这么做，福斯特上校会雇用他。我姑姑星期六亲自告诉我的。 —-

I shall walk to Meryton to-morrow to hear more about it, and to ask when Mr. Denny comes back from town.”
我明天要走到梅里屯去，听听更多的详情，顺便问问丹尼先生什么时候从城里回来。”

Lydia was bid by her two eldest sisters to hold her tongue; —-
两位姐姐让丽迪雅闭嘴； —-

but Mr. Collins, much offended, laid aside his book, and said —
但柯林斯先生感到很受冒犯，放下了他的书，说—

“I have often observed how little young ladies are interested by books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their benefit. —-
“我经常观察到，年轻女士们对严肃书籍的兴趣很少，即使这些都是专门为她们的好处而写的。 —-

It amazes me, I confess; for, certainly, there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction. —-
我真的很惊讶；因为，对她们来说，没有什么比学习更有益了。 —-

But I will no longer importune my young cousin.”
但我不会再打扰我的年轻表妹了。”

Then, turning to Mr. Bennet, he offered himself as his antagonist at backgammon. —-
然后，他转向班纳特先生，向他提出了一场掷骰子游戏的挑战。 —-

Mr. Bennet accepted the challenge, observing that he acted very wisely in leaving the girls to their own trifling amusements. —-
班纳特先生接受了挑战，观察道，他在离开女孩们进行她们自己的琐碎娱乐之前做出了非常明智的决定。 —-

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters apologised most civilly for Lydia’s interruption, and promised that it should not occur again, if he would resume his book; —-
班纳特夫人和她的女儿们极为有礼地为丽迪雅的打扰道了歉，并承诺如果他愿意继续读书的话，就不会再发生这样的情况； —-

but Mr. Collins, after assuring them that he bore his young cousin no ill-will, and should never resent her behaviour as any affront, seated himself at another table with Mr. Bennet, and prepared for backgammon.
但是柯林斯先生在向她们保证他对年轻表妹没有任何恶意，也绝不会将她的行为视为任何冒犯之后，便在另一张桌子坐下与班纳特先生一同准备玩掷骰子游戏。