Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 17
傲慢与偏见 - 第十七章
Elizabeth returned from Kent with much to think about. Her experiences at Hunsford had changed her perspective on many things, particularly on Darcy.
伊丽莎白从肯特郡带着很多想法回来。她在亨斯福德的经历改变了她对很多事情的视角,特别是对达西。
She now realized that she had been prejudiced against him from the beginning. She had allowed her wounded pride to blind her to his true character. And she had believed Wickham's lies without questioning them.
她现在意识到她从一开始对他有偏见。她让她的受伤骄傲盲目他的真实品格。她相信威克姆的谎言没有质疑它们。
"I have been so foolish," she thought over and over. "I judged him without giving him a chance."
"我如此愚蠢,"她一遍又一遍想,"我不给他机会评判他。"
When she arrived home, she found the household in an uproar. Her youngest sister Lydia had been invited to go to Brighton with the regiment, and Mrs. Bennet was delighted.
当她到家,她发现家庭混乱。她的最年轻的妹妹莉迪亚被邀请和团去布莱顿,贝内特太太很高兴。
"It will be so good for her," Mrs. Bennet said. "She will have a chance to meet officers and have fun."
"这会非常好,"贝内特太太说,"她会有机会遇见军官和享受乐趣。"
Elizabeth was horrified. Brighton was a seaside town known for its wild parties and loose morals. She feared that Lydia would get into trouble there.
伊丽莎白惊恐。布莱顿是海滨城镇,以狂野派对和宽松道德出名。她害怕莉迪亚会在那里遇到麻烦。
"You cannot let her go," Elizabeth told her father. "It is too dangerous."
"你不能让她去,"伊丽莎白告诉父亲,"这太危险。"
But Mr. Bennet was careless. "Let her go," he said. "She will learn her lesson soon enough."
但贝内特先生粗心。"让她去,"他说,"她很快会学到教训。"
Elizabeth tried to convince him, but he would not listen. He thought Lydia was too silly to get into any real trouble.
伊丽莎白试图说服他,但他不听。他认为莉迪亚太愚蠢不会遇到任何真正的麻烦。
Meanwhile, Jane returned from London with news. She had seen Bingley briefly, and he had seemed friendly but distant.
与此同时,简带着消息从伦敦回来。她短暂见到宾利,他似乎友好但疏远。
"I think he has forgotten me," Jane said sadly.
"我想他忘了我,"简悲伤地说。
Elizabeth was sure that Darcy was still influencing Bingley, but she said nothing to Jane. She did not want to raise her sister's hopes falsely.
伊丽莎白确定达西仍在影响宾利,但她对简什么也没说。她不想虚假地提高姐妹的希望。
In the meantime, Elizabeth continued to think about Darcy. She remembered how he had looked at her at the ball, how he had proposed to her despite her family's obvious shortcomings. He must truly love her, she realized, to propose under such circumstances.
同时,伊丽莎白继续想达西。她记得他如何在舞会看她,他如何在家庭明显缺点下向她求婚。他必须真的爱她,她意识到,在如此情况下求婚。
And she remembered the letter—the honest explanation, the admission of his mistakes, the revelation of Wickham's true character. Darcy was not the villain she had thought him to be. He was a good man who had been misunderstood.
她记得信——诚实解释,错误承认,威克姆真实品格揭示。达西不是她认为的反派。他是个被误解的好人。
But what could she do now? It was too late to change anything. Darcy was gone, and she might never see him again.
但她现在能做什么?改变什么都太晚了。达西走了,她可能永远不再见到他。