第一章
有钱的单身汉总要娶位太太，这是一条举世公认的真理。
这条真理还真够深入人心的，每逢这样的单身汉新搬到一个地方，四邻八舍的人家尽管对他的心思想法一无所知，却把他视为自己某一个女儿的合法财产。
“亲爱的贝内特先生，”一天，贝内特太太对丈夫说道，“你有没有听说内瑟菲尔德庄园终于租出去啦？”
贝内特先生回答说没有。
“的确租出去啦，”太太说道。“朗太太刚刚来过，她把这事一五一十地全告诉我了。”
贝内特先生没有理睬。
“难道你不想知道是谁租去的吗？”太太不耐烦地嚷道。
“既然你想告诉我，我听听也无妨。”
这句话足以逗引太太讲下去了。
“哦，亲爱的，你应该知道，朗太太说内瑟菲尔德让英格兰北部的一个阔少爷租去了；说他星期一那天乘坐一辆驷马马车来看房子，看得非常中意，当下就和莫里斯先生讲妥了；说他打算赶在米迦勒节以前搬进新居，下周末以前打发几个用人先住进来。”
“他姓什么？”
“宾利。”
“成家了还是单身？”
“哦！单身，亲爱的，千真万确！一个有钱的单身汉，每年有四五千镑的收入。真是女儿们的好福气！”
“这是怎么说？跟女儿们有什么关系？”
“亲爱的贝内特先生，”太太答道，“你怎么这么令人讨厌！告诉你吧，我在琢磨他娶她们中的一个做太太呢。”
“他搬到这里就是为了这个打算？”
“打算！胡扯，你怎么能这么说话！他兴许会看中她们中的哪一个，因此，他一来你就得去拜访他。”
“我看没有那个必要。你带着女儿们去就行啦，要不你索性打发她们自己去，这样或许更好些，因为你的姿色并不亚于她们中的任何一个，你一去，宾利先生倒作兴看中你呢。”
“亲爱的，你太抬举我啦。我以前确实有过美貌的时候，不过现在却不敢硬充有什么出众的地方了。一个女人家有了五个成年的女儿，就不该对自己的美貌再转什么念头了。”
“这么说来，女人家对自己的美貌也转不了多久的念头啦。”
“不过，亲爱的，宾利先生一搬到这里，你可真得去见见他。”
“告诉你吧，这事我可不能答应。”
“可你要为女儿们着想呀。请你想一想，她们谁要是嫁给他，那会是多好的一门亲事。威廉爵士夫妇打定主意要去，还不就是为了这个缘故，因为你知道，他们通常是不去拜访新搬来的邻居的。你真应该去一次，要不然，我们母女就没法去见他了。
”
“你实在多虑了。宾利先生一定会很高兴见到你的。我可以写封信让你带去，就说他随便想娶我哪位女儿，我都会欣然同意。不过，我要为小莉齐美言两句。”
“我希望你别做这种事。莉齐丝毫不比别的女儿强。我敢说，论长相，她没有简一半漂亮；论脾气，她没有莉迪亚一半好。可你总是偏爱她。”
“她们哪一个也没有多少好称道的，”贝内特先生答道。“她们像别人家的姑娘一样，一个个又傻又蠢，倒是莉齐比几个姐妹伶俐一些。”
“贝内特先生，你怎么能这样糟蹋自己的孩子？你就喜欢气我，压根儿不体谅我那脆弱的神经。”
“你错怪我了，亲爱的。我非常尊重你的神经。它们是我的老朋友啦。至少在这二十年里，我总是听见你郑重其事地说起它们。”
“唉！你不知道我受多大的罪。”
“我希望你会好起来，亲眼看见好多每年有四千镑收入的阔少爷搬到这一带。”
“既然你不肯去拜访，即使搬来二十个，那对我们又有什么用。”
“放心吧，亲爱的，等到搬来二十个，我一定去挨个拜访。”
贝内特先生是个古怪人，一方面乖觉诙谐，好挖苦人，另一方面又不苟言笑，变幻莫测，他太太积二十三年之经验，还摸不透他的性格。这位太太的心性就不那么难以捉摸了。她是个智力贫乏、孤陋寡闻、喜怒无常的女人。一碰到不称心的时候，就自以为神经架不住。她人生的大事，是把女儿们嫁出去；她人生的快慰，是访亲拜友和打听消息。
?
Pride and Prejudice
This a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in
possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man maybe on
his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in
the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the
rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
“My dear Mr. Bennet, ” said his lady to him one day, “have you
heard that Netherfield Park is let at last? ”
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
“But it is, ” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here,
andshe told me all about it. ”
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
“Do not you want to know who has taken it? ” cried his wife
impatiently.
“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.
”
This was invitation enough.
“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfieldis
taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England;
that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place,
and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris
immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and
some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next
week. ”
“What is his name? ”
“Bingley. ”
“Is he married or single? ”
“Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune;
four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!
”
“How so? how can it affect them? ”
“My dear Mr. Bennet, ” replied his wife, “how can you be so
tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of
them. ”
“Is that his design in settling here? ”
“Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that
he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit
him as soon as he comes. ”
“I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may
send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as
you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the
best of the party. ”
“My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty,
but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When adwoman
has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her
own beauty. ”
“In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.
”
“But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes
into the neighborhood. ”
“It is more than I engage for, I assure you. ”
“But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it
would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined
to go, merely on that account, for in general you know they visit
no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us
to visit him, if you do not. ”
“You are over-scrupulous surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will beery
glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him
of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the
girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.
”
“I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than
the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor
half so good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the
preference. ”
“They have none of them much to recommend them, ” replied he; “they
are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has
something more of quickness than her sisters. ”
“Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such away? You
take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor
nerves. ”
“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves.
They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with
consideration these twenty years at least. ”
“Ah! you do not know what I suffer. ”
“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of
four thousand a year come into the neighborhood. ”
“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come since you will
not visit them. ”
“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit
them all. ”
Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor,
reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years
had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.
Her mind was less difficult to developed. She was a woman of mean
understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she
was discontented she fancied herself nervous. The business of her
life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and
news.
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