Our distress, my dear Lizzy, is very great. My father and mother believe the worst, but I cannot think so ill of him. Many circumstances might make it more eligible for them to be married privately in town than to pursue their first plan; and even if he could form such a design against a young woman of Lydia's connections, which is not likely, can I suppose her so lost to every thing? -- Impossible. I grieve to find, however, that Colonel F. is not disposed to depend upon their marriage; he shook his head when I expressed my hopes, and said he feared W. was not a man to be trusted. My poor mother is really ill and keeps her room. Could she exert herself it would be better, but this is not to be expected; and as to my father, I never in my life saw him so affected. Poor Kitty has anger for having concealed their attachment; but as it was a matter of confidence, one cannot wonder. I am truly glad, dearest Lizzy, that you have been spared something of these distressing scenes; but now, as the first shock is over, shall I own that I long for your return? I am not so selfish, however, as to press for it, if inconvenient. Adieu. I take up my pen again to do what I have just told you I would not, but circumstances are such, that I cannot help earnestly begging you all to come here as soon as possible. I know my dear uncle and aunt so well that I am not afraid of requesting it, though I have still something more to ask of the former. My father is going to London with Colonel Forster instantly, to try to discover her. What he means to do, I am sure I know not; but his excessive distress will not allow him to pursue any measure in the best and safest way, and Colonel Forster is obliged to be at Brighton again tomorrow evening. In such an exigence my uncle's advice and assistance would be every thing in the world; he will immediately comprehend what I must feel, and I rely upon his goodness."
親愛的麗萃,我們真是痛苦到極點。父親和母親都以為,這事情的下場勢必糟透壞極,可是我卻不忍心把他看作那么壞。也許為了種種關(guān)系,他們覺得在城里私下結(jié)婚,比較合適,故未按照原來計劃進行;縱使他欺侮麗迪雅年幼無知,沒有顯親貴戚,因而對她存心不良,難道麗迪雅自己也會不顧一切嗎?這件事絕對不可能!不過,聽到弗上校不大相信他們倆會結(jié)婚,我又不免傷心。我把我的心愿說給他聽,他只是頻頻搖頭,又說韋恐怕是個靠不住的人。可憐的媽真要病倒了,整天不出房門。要是她能勉強克制一下,事情也許要好些,可惜她無法辦到。講到父親,我一輩子也沒見過他這樣難受??蓱z的吉蒂也很氣憤,她怪她自己沒有把他們倆的親密關(guān)系預(yù)先告訴家里;但是他們倆既然信任她能夠保守秘密,我也不便怪她沒有早講。最親愛的麗萃,我真替你高興,這些痛苦的場面對你說來,真是眼不見為凈。不過,開頭一場驚險既已過去,我很希望你回來,你不會覺得我這是不合情理吧?如果你不方便,自然我也不會太自私,非要逼你回來不可。再見吧!剛剛才告訴過你,我不愿意逼你回來,現(xiàn)在我又要拿起筆來逼你了,因為照目前情況看來,我不得不誠懇地請求你們盡可能快些回來。舅父母和我相知頗深,決不會見怪,我因此才大膽提出要求,而且我還有別的事要求舅父幫忙。父親馬上就要跟弗斯脫上校到倫敦去想辦法找她。他的具體打算我無從知道,可是看他那么痛苦萬狀,就知道他辦起事來決不會十分穩(wěn)妥,而弗斯脫上校明天晚上就得回白利屯。情況如此緊急,萬萬非請舅父前來協(xié)助指示不可。我相信他一定會體諒我此刻的心情,我相信他一定肯來幫忙。

"Oh! where, where is my uncle?" cried Elizabeth, darting from her seat as she finished the letter, in eagerness to follow him without losing a moment of the time so precious; but as she reached the door, it was opened by a servant, and Mr. Darcy appeared. Her pale face and impetuous manner made him start, and before he could recover himself enough to speak, she, in whose mind every idea was superseded by Lydia's situation, hastily exclaimed, "I beg your pardon, but I must leave you. I must find Mr. Gardiner this moment, on business that cannot be delayed; I have not a moment to lose."
伊麗莎白讀完信以后,不禁失聲叫道:“舅父上哪兒去啦?”她連忙從椅子上跳起來急急去找尋舅父。時間太寶貴,一分鐘也不能錯過。她剛走到門口,恰逢傭人把門打開,達西先生走了進來。他看見她臉色蒼白,神情倉皇,不由得吃了一驚。他還沒有定下心來說一句話,她卻因為一心只想到麗迪雅的處境,卻連忙叫起來了:“對不起,不能奉陪。我有緊要的事要去找嘉丁納先生,一分鐘也不能耽擱。”

"Good God! what is the matter?" cried he, with more feeling than politeness; then recollecting himself, "I will not detain you a minute, but let me, or let the servant, go after Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. You are not well enough; -- you cannot go yourself."
他抑制不住一時的感情沖動,便也顧不得禮貌。大聲嚷道:“老天爺,這究竟是怎么回事?”他讓自己定了一下心,然后接下去說:“我不愿意耽擱你一分鐘;不過還是讓我去替你找嘉丁納先生夫婦吧,或是讓傭人去也好。你身體不好;你不能去?!?/div>

Elizabeth hesitated, but her knees trembled under her, and she felt how little would be gained by her attempting to pursue them. Calling back the servant, therefore, she commissioned him, though in so breathless an accent as made her almost unintelligible, to fetch his master and mistress home instantly.
伊麗莎白猶豫不定,但是她已經(jīng)雙膝發(fā)抖,也覺得自己沒有辦法去找他們。她只得叫傭人來,打發(fā)他去把主人和主婦立刻找回來。她說話的時候上氣不接下氣,幾乎叫人家聽不清楚。

On his quitting the room, she sat down, unable to support herself, and looking so miserably ill that it was impossible for Darcy to leave her, or to refrain from saying, in a tone of gentleness and commiseration, "Let me call your maid. Is there nothing you could take, to give you present relief? -- A glass of wine; -- shall I get you one? -- You are very ill."
傭人走出去以后,她便坐下來,達西見她身體已經(jīng)支持不住,臉色非常難看,簡直不放心離開她,便用了一種溫柔體貼的聲調(diào)跟她說:“讓我把你的女傭人叫來吧。你能不能吃點東西,叫你自己好過一些?要我給你弄一杯酒嗎?你好象有病呢?!?/div>

"No, I thank you;" she replied, endeavouring to recover herself. "There is nothing the matter with me. I am quite well. I am only distressed by some dreadful news which I have just received from Longbourn."
她竭力保持鎮(zhèn)靜,回答他道:“不要,謝謝你。我沒有什么。我很好;只是剛剛從浪搏恩傳來了一個不幸的消息,使我很難受?!?/div>

She burst into tears as she alluded to it, and for a few minutes could not speak another word. Darcy, in wretched suspense, could only say something indistinctly of his concern, and observe her in compassionate silence. At length, she spoke again. "I have just had a letter from Jane, with such dreadful news. It cannot be concealed from any one. My youngest sister has left all her friends -- has eloped; -- has thrown herself into the power of -- of Mr. Wickham. They are gone off together from Brighton. You know him too well to doubt the rest. She has no money, no connections, nothing that can tempt him to -- she is lost for ever."
她說到這里,不禁哭了起來,半天說不出一句話。達西一時摸不著頭腦,只得含含糊糊說了些慰問的話,默默無言地望著她,心里很是同情。后來她便向他吐露實情:“我剛剛收到吉英一封信,告訴我一個非常不幸的消息,反正這也瞞不住任何人。告訴你,我那最小的妹妹丟了她所有的親友──私奔了──落入了韋翰先生的圈套。他們倆是從白利屯逃走的。你深知他的為人,下文也就不必提了。她沒錢沒勢,沒有任何地方足以使他要──麗迪雅一生完了?!?/div>

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