🔊 Be not alarmed, Madam, on receiving this letter, by the apprehension of its containing any repetition of those sentiments, or renewal of those offers, which were last night so disgusting to you. I write without any intention of paining you, or humbling myself, by dwelling on wishes, which, for the happiness of both, cannot be too soon forgotten; and the effort which the formation and the perusal of this letter must occasion, should have been spared, had not my character required it to be written and read. You must, therefore, pardon the freedom with which I demand your attention; your feelings, I know, will bestow it unwillingly, but I demand it of your justice.

夫人,收到此信时,请勿因担忧其中会重提那些令您昨晚如此厌恶的情意或提议而惊慌。我写此信绝无意图令您痛苦或令自己蒙羞,若非要保全我的品格,此信的草拟与阅读本可省却,然而我的性格要求我必须写下并请您阅读。因此,您必须原谅我冒昧要求您的关注；我知道您的感受会不情愿地给予,但我基于公正要求它。

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apprehension /ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃən/

n. 忧虑,担心➕

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perusal /pəˈruːzəl/

n. 阅读,细读➕

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bestow /bɪˈstoʊ/

v. 给予,授予➕

🔊 Two offences of a very different nature, and by no means of equal magnitude, you last night laid to my charge. The first mentioned was, that, regardless of the sentiments of either, I had detached Mr. Bingley from your sister, and the other, that I had, in defiance of various claims, in defiance of honour and humanity, ruined the immediate prosperity and blasted the prospects of Mr. Wickham. Wilfully and wantonly to have thrown off the companion of my youth, the acknowledged favourite of my father, a young man who had scarcely any other dependence than on our patronage, and who had been brought up to expect its exertion, would be a depravity, to which the separation of two young persons, whose affection could be the growth of only a few weeks, could bear no comparison. But from the severity of that blame which was last night so liberally bestowed, respecting each circumstance, I shall hope to be in the future secured, when the following account of my actions and their motives has been read. If, in the explanation of them, which is due to myself, I am under the necessity of relating feelings which may be offensive to yours, I can only say that I am sorry. The necessity must be obeyed, and further apology would be absurd.

您昨晚指控我两项性质迥异、严重程度不一的罪行。第一项指控是,我不顾双方感情,将彬格莱先生从令姊身边拉开；第二项指控是,我无视各种权利要求,无视荣誉与人道,毁坏了韦翰先生的眼前繁荣并断送了他的前程。蓄意而任性抛弃我儿时的伙伴、我父亲公认的宠儿、一个几乎完全依赖我们庇护并自幼期待此庇护得以施行的年轻人,这种堕落行径,与两个年轻人因几周情愫而分离之事,不可同日而语。但通过阅读以下关于我行为及其动机的叙述,我希望能从昨晚就每件事所受的严厉指责中获得未来的保障。若在出于自身需要的解释中,我不得不提及可能冒犯您感情的感受,我只能表示歉意。此必要性必须遵从,进一步的道歉将显得荒谬。

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magnitude /ˈmæɡnɪtjuːd/

n. 大小,重要性➕

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defiance /dɪˈfaɪəns/

n. 违抗,蔑视➕

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depravity /dɪˈprævɪti/

n. 堕落,道德败坏➕

🔊 I had not been long in Hertfordshire, before I saw, in common with others, that Bingley preferred your eldest sister to any other young woman in the country. But it was not till the evening of the dance at Netherfield that I had any apprehension of his feeling a serious attachment. I had often seen him in love before. At that ball, while I had the honour of dancing with you, I was first made acquainted, by Sir William Lucas's accidental information, that Bingley's attentions to your sister had given rise to a general expectation of their marriage. He spoke of it as a certain event, of which the time alone could be undecided. From that moment I observed my friend's behaviour attentively; and I could then perceive that his partiality for Miss Bennet was beyond what I had ever witnessed in him. Your sister I also watched. Her look and manners were open, cheerful, and engaging as ever, but without any symptom of peculiar regard, and I remained convinced from the evening's scrutiny, that though she received his attentions with pleasure, she did not invite them by any participation of sentiment. If you have not been mistaken here, I must have been in an error. Your superior knowledge of your sister must make the latter probable. If it be so, if I have been misled by such error to inflict pain on her, your resentment has not been unreasonable. But I shall not scruple to assert, that the serenity of your sister's countenance and air was such as might have given the most acute observer a conviction that, however amiable her temper, her heart was not likely to be easily touched. That I was desirous of believing her indifferent is certain - but I will venture to say that my investigation and decisions are not usually influenced by my hopes or fears. I did not believe her to be indifferent because I wished it; I believed it on impartial conviction, as truly as I wished it in reason. My objections to the marriage were not merely those which I last night acknowledged to have required the utmost force of passion to put aside, in my own case; the want of connection could not be so great an evil to my friend as to me. But there were other causes of repugnance; causes which, though still existing, and existing to an equal degree in both instances, I had myself endeavoured to forget, because they were not immediately before me. These causes must be stated, though briefly. The situation of your mother's family, though objectionable, was nothing in comparison of that total want of propriety so frequently, so almost uniformly betrayed by herself, by your three younger sisters, and occasionally even by your father. Pardon me. It pains me to offend you. But amidst your concern for the defects of your nearest relations, and your displeasure at this representation of them, let it give you consolation to consider that, to have conducted yourselves so as to avoid any share of the like censure, is praise no less generally bestowed on you and your eldest sister, than it is honourable to the sense and disposition of both. I will only say farther that from what passed that evening, my opinion of all parties was confirmed, and every inducement heightened which could have led me before, to preserve my friend from what I esteemed a most unhappy connection. He left Netherfield for London, on the day following, as you, I am certain, remember, with the design of soon returning.

我到哈福德郡不久,便与众人一样看出,宾利对令长姊的青睐胜过乡间任何其他年轻女子。但直到尼日斐花园舞会那晚,我才开始担忧他动了真情。我常见他坠入爱河。在那场舞会上,我有幸与您共舞时,从威廉·卢卡斯爵士无意中透露的消息,首次得知宾利对令姊的殷勤已引起众人对他们婚事的普遍期待。他谈及此事犹如既定事实,唯时间未定。从那一刻起,我仔细观察了我朋友的行为；那时我察觉到他对班纳特小姐的偏爱,远超我以往所见。我也观察了令姊。她的神情举止一如往常般开朗、欢快、迷人,但并无特别倾心的迹象,经过那晚的审视,我仍相信她虽愉快接受他的殷勤,却未以情感回应加以鼓励。若您在此处未错,则必是我误。您对令姊的深入了解必使后者更可能成立。若果真如此,若我因误解而令她痛苦,您的怨恨并非无理。但我不讳言,令姊面容与气质的宁静足以令最敏锐的观察者确信,无论她性情多么和善,她的心不易被打动。我渴望相信她无意是确定的--但我敢说,我的调查与判断通常不受希望或恐惧影响。我并非因愿而信她无意；我基于公正信念相信此事,正如我理性上如此希望。我对这桩婚事的反对,不仅限于昨晚我承认需以极大激情方能搁置的那些理由；对我朋友而言,门第不当之恶不如对我那般严重。但尚有其他令人反感的缘由；这些缘由虽仍存在,且在两例中程度相当,我自己曾努力忘却,因它们非迫在眼前。这些缘由必须陈述,虽则简略。您母亲家族的处境虽可指摘,但与她自己、您三个妹妹甚至偶尔您父亲所频繁、几乎一贯暴露的完全失当相比,微不足道。请原谅。冒犯您令我痛苦。但您在为至亲缺陷忧心、对此描绘不悦之际,请以慰藉思量:您与令长姊举止得体,免遭类似责难,此赞誉不仅普遍赋予你们,亦彰显两位的识见与品性。我只再说,从那晚之事,我对各方的看法得以确认,一切先前促使我保全朋友免遭我视为极不幸联姻的诱因均被强化。他于次日离开尼日斐花园前往伦敦,我确信您记得,本拟速归。

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scrutiny /ˈskruːtɪni/

n. 仔细检查,监视➕

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impartial /ɪmˈpɑːrʃl/

adj. 公正的,不偏不倚的➕

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repugnance /rɪˈpʌɡnəns/

n. 厌恶,反感➕

🔊 The part which I acted is now to be explained. His sisters' uneasiness had been equally excited with my own; our coincidence of feeling was soon discovered, and, alike sensible that no time was to be lost in detaching their brother, we shortly resolved on joining him directly in London. We accordingly went - and there I readily engaged in the office of pointing out to my friend the certain evils of such a choice. I described, and enforced them earnestly. But, however this remonstrance might have staggered or delayed his determination, I do not suppose that it would ultimately have prevented the marriage, had it not been seconded by the assurance which I hesitated not in giving, of your sister's indifference. He had before believed her to return his affection with sincere, if not with equal regard. But Bingley has great natural modesty, with a stronger dependence on my judgment than on his own. To convince him, therefore, that he had deceived himself, was no very difficult point. To persuade him against returning into Hertfordshire, when that conviction had been given, was scarcely the work of a moment. I cannot blame myself for having done thus much. There is but one part of my conduct in the whole affair on which I do not reflect with satisfaction; it is that I condescended to adopt the measures of art so far as to conceal from him your sister's being in town. I knew it myself, as it was known to Miss Bingley; but her brother is even yet ignorant of it. That they might have met without ill consequence is perhaps probable; but his regard did not appear to me enough extinguished for him to see her without some danger. Perhaps this concealment, this disguise was beneath me; it is done, however, and it was done for the best. On this subject I have nothing more to say, no other apology to offer. If I have wounded your sister's feelings, it was unknowingly done and though the motives which governed me may to you very naturally appear insufficient, I have not yet learnt to condemn them.

我扮演的角色现需解释。他姐妹的不安与我同被激起；我们情感一致很快被发现,且同样意识到刻不容缓需拉开其兄,我们不久决定直接赴伦敦与他汇合。我们遂去--在那里我欣然承担起向朋友指出此选择必然之恶的职责。我描述并恳切强调它们。但无论此劝诫如何动摇或延迟他的决心,若非辅以我毫不犹豫给出的、关于令姊无意的保证,我料想它终不能阻止婚事。他先前相信她以真诚--若非同等--情感回报他的爱慕。但宾利天性极为谦逊,对我判断的依赖强于己见。因此,令他信服自己误解并非难事。令他信服后,劝他勿返哈福德郡,几乎顷刻可成。我不自责所做这些。整个事件中,我唯一反思不悦之处是我屈尊采用手段,向他隐瞒令姊在城之事。我自知此事,彬格莱小姐亦知；但其兄至今不知。他们或许相见无碍；但在我看来,他的情意未灭至见她不危之境。或许此隐瞒、此伪装有失身份；然事已做,且为最佳而做。此主题我无更多可说,无他歉可道。若我伤害令姊感情,乃无意之举,尽管支配我的动机在您看来自然不足,我尚未学会谴责它们。

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remonstrance /rɪˈmɒnstrəns/

n. 抗议,规劝➕

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condescended /ˌkɒndɪˈsendɪd/

v. 屈尊,俯就➕

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conceal /kənˈsiːl/

v. 隐藏,隐瞒➕

🔊 With respect to that other, more weighty accusation, of having injured Mr. Wickham, I can only refute it by laying before you the whole of his connection with my family. Of what he has particularly accused me I am ignorant; but of the truth of what I shall relate, I can summon more than one witness of undoubted veracity.

关于另一更严重的指控,即伤害韦翰先生,我只能通过向您陈述他与我家全部关系来反驳。我不知他具体指控我什么；但我将叙述之真实性,可召不止一位无可置疑的证人。

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refute /rɪˈfjuːt/

v. 驳斥,反驳➕

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veracity /vəˈræsɪti/

n. 真实性,准确性➕

🔊 Mr. Wickham is the son of a very respectable man, who had for many years the management of all the Pemberley estates, and whose good conduct in the discharge of his trust naturally inclined my father to be of service to him; and on George Wickham, who was his godson, his kindness was therefore liberally bestowed. My father supported him at school, and afterwards at Cambridge - most important assistance, as his own father, always poor from the extravagance of his wife, would have been unable to give him a gentleman's education. My father was not only fond of this young man's society, whose manners were always engaging; he had also the highest opinion of him, and hoping the church would be his profession, intended to provide for him in it. As for myself, it is many, many years since I first began to think of him in a very different manner. The vicious propensities - the want of principle, which he was careful to guard from the knowledge of his best friend, could not escape the observation of a young man of nearly the same age with himself, and who had opportunities of seeing him in unguarded moments, which Mr. Darcy could not have. Here again I shall give you pain - to what degree you only can tell. But whatever may be the sentiments which Mr. Wickham has created, a suspicion of their nature shall not prevent me from unfolding his real character - it adds even another motive.

韦翰先生是一位极可敬之人的儿子,此人多年来管理所有彭伯里产业,其恪尽职守的行为自然使我父亲愿助他；因此对教子乔治·威克姆,他的仁慈慷慨施与。我父亲资助他就学,后至剑桥--此乃极重要援助,因其生父因妻奢侈常贫,无力供他绅士教育。我父亲不仅喜爱这年轻人陪伴,其风度总迷人；他亦对他评价极高,期望他以教会为业,打算在教会中为他谋职。至于我,多年前便开始以迥异方式看他。那些邪恶倾向--缺乏原则,他小心掩饰不让挚友知,却逃不过与他年岁相仿、有机会见他无戒备时刻的年轻人的观察,这是达西先生所无的。此处我又将令您痛苦--程度唯您自知。但无论韦翰先生激起何种情感,对其性质的猜疑不应阻我揭示其真实品格--这甚至增添另一动机。

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propensities /prəˈpensɪtiz/

n. 倾向,习性➕

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unguarded /ʌnˈɡɑːrdɪd/

adj. 不设防的,疏忽的➕

🔊 My excellent father died about five years ago; and his attachment to Mr. Wickham was to the last so steady, that in his will he particularly recommended it to me, to promote his advancement in the best manner that his profession might allow - and if he took orders, desired that a valuable family living might be his as soon as it became vacant. There was also a legacy of one thousand pounds. His own father did not long survive mine, and within half a year from these events, Mr. Wickham wrote to inform me that, having finally resolved against taking orders, he hoped I should not think it unreasonable for him to expect some more immediate pecuniary advantage, in lieu of the preferment, by which he could not be benefited. He had some intention, he added, of studying law, and I must be aware that the interest of one thousand pounds would be a very insufficient support therein. I rather wished, than believed him to be sincere; but, at any rate, was perfectly ready to accede to his proposal. I knew that Mr. Wickham ought not to be a clergyman; the business was therefore soon settled - he resigned all claim to assistance in the church, were it possible that he could ever be in a situation to receive it, and accepted in return three thousand pounds. All connection between us seemed now dissolved. I thought too ill of him to invite him to Pemberley, or admit his society in town. In town I believe he chiefly lived, but his studying the law was a mere pretence, and being now free from all restraint, his life was a life of idleness and dissipation. For about three years I heard little of him; but on the decease of the incumbent of the living which had been designed for him, he applied to me again by letter for the presentation. His circumstances, he assured me, and I had no difficulty in believing it, were exceedingly bad. He had found the law a most unprofitable study, and was now absolutely resolved on being ordained, if I would present him to the living in question - of which he trusted there could be little doubt, as he was well assured that I had no other person to provide for, and I could not have forgotten my revered father's intentions. You will hardly blame me for refusing to comply with this entreaty, or for resisting every repetition of it. His resentment was in proportion to the distress of his circumstances - and he was doubtless as violent in his abuse of me to others as in his reproaches to myself. After this period every appearance of acquaintance was dropped. How he lived I know not. But last summer he was again most painfully obtruded on my notice.

我卓越的父亲约五年前去世；他对韦翰先生的眷爱至终坚定,遗嘱中特别嘱我,以其职业允许的最佳方式促进他的晋升--若他受圣职,望一有价值家族牧师职位空缺即归他。另有一千镑遗产。其生父不久后亦逝,此事后半年内,韦翰先生来信告知,他最终决定不受圣职,望我不认为他期待更直接金钱利益替代那晋升为无理,因他无法受益。他补充说,有意研习法律,我必知一千镑利息于此支持甚微。我宁愿信他真诚,但无论如何,完全准备同意他的提议。我知韦翰先生不宜为牧师；因此事很快解决--他放弃教会援助的一切要求,若他可能接受,作为回报接受三千镑。我们间所有联系似现解散。我对他印象太差,未邀他至彭伯里,或容他在城交往。我相信他主要居城,但其研习法律纯属借口,现无约束,生活懒散放荡。约三年我少闻他讯；但为他设计的牧师职位现任者去世时,他再次来信向我申请圣职推荐权。他向我保证其境况极糟,我易信。他发现法律研习无利可图,现决意受圣职,若我将所述职位授予他--他信此无疑,因他确信我无他人需安置,且我未忘敬父遗愿。您应不责我拒绝此恳求或抵制其重复。他的怨恨与其境况困窘相称--无疑他在人前辱我之烈如对我责己。此后,一切相识表象皆弃。他如何生活我不知。但去年夏天,他又痛苦地闯入我视线。

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pecuniary /pɪˈkjuːniəri/

adj. 金钱的,财政的➕

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dissipation /ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/

n. 放荡,消散➕

🔊 I must now mention a circumstance which I would wish to forget myself, and which no obligation less than the present should induce me to unfold to any human being. Having said thus much, I feel no doubt of your secrecy. My sister, who is more than ten years my junior, was left to the guardianship of my mother's nephew, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and myself. About a year ago, she was taken from school, and an establishment formed for her in London; and last summer she went with the lady who presided over it, to Ramsgate; and thither also went Mr. Wickham, undoubtedly by design; for there proved to have been a prior acquaintance between him and Mrs. Younge, in whose character we were most unhappily deceived; and by her connivance and aid, he so far recommended himself to Georgiana, whose affectionate heart retained a strong impression of his kindness to her as a child, that she was persuaded to believe herself in love, and to consent to an elopement. She was then but fifteen, which must be her excuse; and after stating her imprudence, I am happy to add, that I owed the knowledge of it to herself. I joined them unexpectedly a day or two before the intended elopement, and then Georgiana, unable to support the idea of grieving and offending a brother whom she almost looked up to as a father, acknowledged the whole to me. You may imagine what I felt and how I acted. Regard for my sister's credit and feelings prevented any public exposure; but I wrote to Mr. Wickham, who left the place immediately, and Mrs. Younge was of course removed from her charge. Mr. Wickham's chief object was unquestionably my sister's fortune, which is thirty thousand pounds; but I cannot help supposing that the hope of revenging himself on me was a strong inducement. His revenge would have been complete indeed.

我现须提及一愿自忘之事,若非当前之需,任何义务不足诱我向人揭示。言此,我无疑您会保密。我妹,比我小十余岁,托付于我母甥费茨威廉上校与我监护。约一年前,她离校,在伦敦为她安顿；去年夏天她与主持此事的女士赴拉姆斯盖特；韦翰先生亦往,无疑有意；因证他与杨吉太太先前相识,我们不幸误解其品性；借其默许与助,他深得乔治安娜欢心,她多情的心铭记他儿时待她之善,被劝信自己坠入爱河,并同意私奔。她那时仅十五岁,此必为借口；陈述其轻率后,我欣慰补充,我知此事全靠她自己。在预定私奔前一两天,我意外加入他们,那时乔治安娜,不忍令她视如父的兄长悲伤冒犯,向我坦白一切。您可想我感受与行动。为妹声誉与感情故,避免公开揭露；但我致信韦翰先生,他立离该地,杨吉太太自被解职。韦翰先生主要目的无疑是我妹三万镑财产；但我不禁猜想报复我是强烈诱因。他的报复本可彻底。

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connivance /kəˈnaɪvəns/

n. 默许,纵容➕

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elopement /ɪˈloʊpmənt/

n. 私奔➕

🔊 This, madam, is a faithful narrative of every event in which we have been concerned together; and if you do not absolutely reject it as false, you will, I hope, acquit me henceforth of cruelty towards Mr. Wickham. I know not in what manner, under what form of falsehood he has imposed on you; but his success is not perhaps to be wondered at. Ignorant as you previously were of everything concerning either, detection could not be in your power, and suspicion certainly not in your inclination.

夫人,此乃我们相关每事的忠实叙述；若您不绝对斥其为伪,我望您此后免我残忍待韦翰先生之罪。我不知他以何方式、何种谎言欺骗您；但其成功或许不足奇。您先前对双方一切无知,察觉非您所能,猜疑自非您所愿。

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acquit /əˈkwɪt/

v. 宣告无罪➕

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henceforth /ˌhensˈfɔːrθ/

adv. 从此以后➕

🔊 You may possibly wonder why all this was not told you last night; but I was not then master enough of myself to know what could or ought to be revealed. For the truth of everything here related, I can appeal more particularly to the testimony of Colonel Fitzwilliam, who, from our near relationship and constant intimacy, and, still more, as one of the executors of my father's will, has been unavoidably acquainted with every particular of these transactions. If your abhorrence of me should make my assertions valueless, you cannot be prevented by the same cause from confiding in my cousin; and that there may be the possibility of consulting him, I shall endeavour to find some opportunity of putting this letter in your hands in the course of the morning. I will only add, God bless you.

您或许奇怪为何昨晚未告此一切；但我当时不自控,不知何可或应透露。于此所述一切之真实性,我可特别诉诸费茨威廉上校的证言,他因我们近亲关系、恒常亲密,更因作为我父遗嘱执行人之一,必知此些事务每细节。若您对我的憎恶使我断言无值,同因不能阻您信我表兄；为便咨询他,我将设法今晨找机会递此信于您手。我只再加,上帝保佑您。

🔊

abhorrence /əbˈhɒrəns/

n. 憎恶,痛恨➕

🔊

endeavour /ɪnˈdevər/

v. 努力,尽力➕

🔊 Fitzwilliam Darcy.

菲茨威廉·达西.

Chapter thirty-seven (第三十七章)