20170606-chapter 2-《pride and prejudice 傲慢与偏见》精读
Chapter 2
“Which do you mean?” and turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth.
He caught her eye, then looked away and coldly said, “She is tolerable (尚好的，还可以的) , but not pretty enough to interest me.
I am in no mood (心情) at present to give thought to young ladies whom other men do not want to dance with.
You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”
Mr. Bingley followed his advice. Mr. Darcy walked off, and Elizabeth remained, with somewhat unfriendly feelings toward him.
She told the story, however, with great enjoyment to all her friends, for she was a lively girl who delighted in anything ridiculous.
Between Bingley and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite (不管) of their very different characters.
Darcy liked Bingley for the easiness （舒适的） of his character, even though in this, Bingley was very different from him. Bingley, in turn, relied greatly on Darcy’s good judgment.
There was nothing wrong with Bingley’s judgment, but Darcy was clever. He was also arrogant (傲慢的) , reserved （冷淡的）, and demanding.
His manners, though polite, were not inviting. In that respect Bingley had a great advantage.
While Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared, Darcy was constantly giving offense .
The evening turned out pleasantly for the whole family. Mrs. Bennet had seen her eldest daughter Jane dance twice with Mr. Bingley.
Jane was as pleased by this as her mother could be, though in a quieter way. Elizabeth felt Jane’s pleasure.
Mary had heard herself mentioned to Miss Bingley as the most accomplished girl in the neighborhood.
Catherine and Lydia had been fortunate enough never to be without partners, which was all that they had yet learnt to care for at a ball.
Therefore, they returned in good spirits to Longbourn, the village where they lived and of which they were the principal inhabitants (居民) .
Jane had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before,
but when she and Elizabeth were alone in their room, Jane told her sister how very much she admired him
“He is just what a young man ought to be,” said she, “sensible (通情达理的) , good-humored, and lively. I never saw such happy manners!
I was very flattered (感到荣幸的) by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment (恭维) .”
“Why not?** What could be more natural than his asking you again?**
He could not help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as every other woman in the room.
Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you permission to like him. You have liked many stupider people.”
“Dear Lizzy!”
“Oh! You never see a fault in anybody. Everyone is good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you criticize (批判) anyone in your life.
“I would not wish to be too quick to criticize (批判) anyone, but I always say what I think.”
“I know you do, and that is what is so surprising. With your good sense, not to see the failings and nonsense (冒失的行为) of others!
To take the good of everybody’s character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad—this talent belongs to you alone.”
Within a short walk of Longbourn lived the Lucases, a family with whom the Bennets were particularly friendly.
Sir William Lucas had formerly been in business at Meryton, where he had made a respectable fortune.
Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, and not too clever to be a valuable neighbor to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children.
The eldest of them was Charlotte Lucas, a sensible (通情达理的) , intelligent young woman of about twenty-seven, and Elizabeth’s intimate (亲密的) friend.
That the women of the two families should meet to talk over the ball was of course absolutely necessary.
“You began the evening well, Charlotte,” said Mrs. Bennet, “you were Mr. Bingley’s first choice.”
“Yes, but he seemed to like his second choice, Jane, better,” Charlotte Lucas replied.
“He danced with her twice, and I overheard (无意中听到) him telling Mr. Robinson that she was without a doubt the prettiest woman in the room.
That was much more agreeable than what Elizabeth overheard (无意中听到) Mr. Darcy saying—poor Eliza, to be only just tolerable (凑合的) !”
“He is such an unpleasant man that it would be a misfortune to be liked by him,” said Mrs. Bennet. “He sat by Mrs. Long for half an hour and hardly said a word to her—probably because he had heard that the Longs have no carriage （四轮马车）of their own, and came to the ball in a hired one.”
“His pride,” said Miss Lucas, “does not offend me as much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it.
::One cannot be surprised that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune,::
::everything in his favor, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud.”::
“That is very true,” replied Elizabeth, “and I could easily forgive him his pride, if he had not hurt mine.”
The ladies of Longbourn soon visited those of Netherfield, and that visit was soon returned.
Miss Bennet’s pleasing manners were admired by all, and although her mother was found to be intolerable, and her younger sisters not worth speaking to,
the ladies of Netherfield expressed a wish to be better acquainted with the two eldest.
Jane heard this with the greatest pleasure, but Elizabeth saw their kindness to Jane as probably resulting from the influence of their brother’s admiration.
It was obvious to anyone who had seen Mr. Bingley that evening that he did admire Jane.
To Elizabeth it was equally obvious that Jane was ready to fall very much in love.
However, Elizabeth considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general,
since Jane’s calm and cheerful manner would guard her from any suspicion. She mentioned this to her friend Miss Lucas.
“It is sometimes a disadvantage,” Charlotte replied, “to be so very careful.
If a woman conceals (隐藏) her affection so well from the man she likes, she may lose the opportunity of marrying him.
::It will not be much comfort then that other people do not know of one’s feelings either.::
Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly, but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.”
“But if a woman likes a man, and does not try to hide it, he must （肯定，||必须||）find it out.”
“Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention.”
“Your plan is a good one,” Elizabeth replied, “and if I were determined to get a rich husband—any husband—I should probably adopt it.
But these are not Jane’s feelings. She really likes Mr. Bingley, and yet she has known him only a short while—not long enough to fully understand his character.”
“Well,” Charlotte said, “I wish Jane success with all my heart. If she married him either tomorrow or next year,
I should think her chances of happiness would be the same.
It is better to know as little as possible of the defects (缺点) of the person with whom you are to pass your life.”
“You make me laugh, Charlotte, but it is not proper. You know it is not proper, and that you would never act in this way yourself.”
Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley and her sister, Elizabeth did not notice that she herself was becoming an object of some interest to Mr. Darcy.
He had not at first thought her to be pretty, but to his great surprise,
he began to find her face made uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes.
