Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 8
傲慢与偏见 - 第八章
While Mr. Collins was staying with the Bennets, the militia arrived in Meryton. A regiment of soldiers was to be quartered in the town, and the young women of the neighbourhood were excited by the prospect of meeting officers.
柯林斯先生和贝内特家一起住时,军队到达梅里顿。一个团的士兵将被驻扎在镇上,附近年轻女性对遇见军官的前景兴奋。
Lydia and Kitty were particularly delighted. They talked constantly of the officers, planning how they might meet them and hoping to catch the attention of some handsome young man.
莉迪亚和基蒂特别高兴。她们不断谈论军官,计划如何遇见他们,希望吸引一些英俊年轻人的注意。
Elizabeth found their silliness annoying, but she had to admit that the officers were pleasant enough, at least on acquaintance. One officer in particular, Mr. Wickham, was handsome and charming, with an easy manner that made him popular with everyone.
伊丽莎白觉得她们愚蠢烦人,但她不得不承认军官足够愉快,至少在交往上。一个军官,威克姆先生,英俊迷人,有容易的举止使他受所有人欢迎。
"He is delightful," Jane said after meeting him. "So kind and pleasant."
"他可爱,"见到他后简说,"如此善良和愉快。"
Elizabeth agreed. Mr. Wickham seemed to be everything that Darcy was not: friendly, approachable, and without pride. When Elizabeth talked to him, she learned that he had once been acquainted with Darcy.
伊丽莎白同意。威克姆先生似乎达西不是的一切:友好、容易接近,没有骄傲。当伊丽莎白和他谈话,她得知他曾经与达西认识。
"I knew him from childhood," Wickham told her. "Our fathers were friends. But when Darcy's father died, he treated me very badly. He refused to give me the living that his father had promised me."
"我从小认识他,"威克姆告诉她,"我们的父亲是朋友。但当达西的父亲去世,他对我很不好。他拒绝给我他父亲答应我的牧师职位。"
Elizabeth was shocked. "That is terrible!" she exclaimed. "How could he be so unjust?"
伊丽莎白震惊。"太糟糕了!"她喊,"他怎么能如此不公正?"
Wickham sighed. "Pride, Miss Bennet. Pride and jealousy. Darcy could not bear that his father had been fond of me. He wanted everything for himself."
威克姆叹息。"骄傲,贝内特小姐。骄傲和嫉妒。达西不能忍受他的父亲喜欢我。他想要一切给自己。"
This information confirmed Elizabeth's poor opinion of Darcy. She had already thought him proud, but now she saw him as cruel and unjust as well.
这信息证实了伊丽莎白对达西的坏看法。她已经认为他骄傲,但现在她也看到他残酷和不公正。
"I am sorry that you were treated so badly, Mr. Wickham," she said warmly. "You did not deserve it."
"我很抱歉你被这样对待,威克姆先生,"她热情地说,"你不应得的。"
Wickham smiled at her, and Elizabeth felt herself drawn to him. He was handsome, kind, and a victim of Darcy's pride. How could she not like him?
威克姆对她微笑,伊丽莎白发现自己被他吸引。他英俊、善良,是达西骄傲的受害者。她怎么能不喜欢他?
But Elizabeth did not know that Wickham was not telling the whole truth. There was another side to the story, one that she would only learn much later.
但伊丽莎白不知道威克姆没有告诉全部真相。故事的另一面,她只会后来才知道。