海伦娜·伯翰·卡特 | 朗读《傲慢与偏见》01

海伦娜只读了《傲慢与偏见》第56章：

Lady Catherine de Bourgh entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, made no other reply to Elizabeth's salutation than a slight inclination of the head, and sat down without saying a word. Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother on her ladyship's entrance, though no request of introduction had been made.

咖苔琳·德·包尔夫人走进屋来的那副神气非常没有礼貌。伊丽莎白招呼她，她只稍微侧了一下头，便一屁股坐下来，一句话也不说。她走进来的时候，虽然没有要求人家介绍，伊丽莎白还是把她的名字告诉了她母亲。

Mrs Bennet, all amazement, they're flattered by having a guest of such high importance, received her with the utmost politeness. After sitting for a moment in silence, she said very stiffly to Elizabeth, "I hope you are well, Miss Bennet. That lady, I suppose, is your mother."

班纳特太太大为惊异，不过，这样一位了不起的贵客前来登门拜访，可又使她得意非凡，因此她便极其有礼貌地加以招待。咖苔琳夫人不声不响地坐了一会儿工夫，便冷冰冰地对伊丽莎白说：“我想，你一定过得很好吧，班纳特小姐。那位太太大概是你母亲？”

Elizabeth replied very concisely that she was.

伊丽莎白简简单单地回答了一声正是。

"And that I suppose is one of your sisters."

“那一位大概就是你妹妹吧？”

"Yes, madam," said Mrs. Bennet, delighted to speak to a Lady Catherine. "She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all is lately married, and my eldest is somewhere about the grounds, walking with a young man who, I believe, will soon become a part of the family."

班纳特太太连忙应声回答：“正是，夫人，”她能够跟这样一位贵夫人攀谈，真是得意。“这是我第四个女儿。我最小的一个女儿最近出嫁了，大女儿正和她的好朋友在附近散步，那个小伙子不久也要变成我们自己人了。”

"You have a very small park here," returned Lady Catherine after a short silence.

咖苔琳夫人没有理睬她，过了片刻才说：“你们这儿还有个小花园呢。”

"It is nothing in comparison of Rosings, my lady, I dare say; but I assure you it is much larger than Sir William Lucas's."

“哪能比得上罗新斯，夫人，可是我敢说，比威廉·卢卡斯爵士的花园却要大得多。”

"This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west."

“到了夏天，这间屋子做起居室一定很不适宜，窗子都朝西。”

Mrs. Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner, and then added, "May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. and Mrs. Collins well."

班纳特太太告诉她说，她们每天吃过中饭以后，从来不坐在那儿，接着又说：“我是否可以冒昧请问你夫人一声，柯林斯夫妇都好吗？”

"Yes, very well. I saw them the night before last."

“他们都很好，前天晚上我还看见他们的。”

Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motive for her calling. But no letter appeared, and she was completely puzzled.

这时伊丽莎白满以为她会拿出一封夏洛特的信来；她认为咖苔琳夫人这次到这里来，决不可能为了别的原因。可是并不见夫人拿信出来，这真叫她完全不明白是怎么回事了。

Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment; but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating any thing; and then, rising up, said to Elizabeth, "Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company."

班纳特太太恭恭敬敬地请贵夫人随意用些点心，可是咖苔琳夫人什么也不肯吃，谢绝非常坚决，非常没有礼貌，接着又站起来跟伊丽莎白说：“班纳特小姐，你们这块草地的那一头，好象颇有几分荒野的景色，倒很好看。我很想到那儿去逛逛，可否请你陪我一走？”

"Go, my dear," cried her mother, "and shew her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage."

只听得她母亲连忙大声对她说：“你去吧，乖孩子，陪着夫人到各条小径上去逛逛。我想，她一定会喜欢我们这个幽静的小地方。”

Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the dining-parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on.

伊丽莎白听从了母亲的话，先到自己房间里去拿了一把阳伞，然后下楼来侍候这位贵客。两人走过穿堂，咖苔琳夫人打开了那扇通到饭厅和客厅的门，稍稍打量了一下，说是这屋子还算过得去，然后继续向前走。