MR. BENNET'S property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two thousand a year, which, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed, in default of heirs male, on a distant relation; and their mother's fortune, though ample for her situation in life, could but ill supply the deficiency of his. Her father had been an attorney in Meryton, and had left her four thousand pounds.
班納特先生的全部家當(dāng)幾乎都在一宗產(chǎn)業(yè)上，每年可以借此獲得兩千磅的收入。說起這宗產(chǎn)業(yè)，真是他女兒們的不幸。他因為沒有兒子，產(chǎn)業(yè)得由一個遠(yuǎn)親來繼承，至于她們母親的家私，在這樣的人家本來也算得上一筆大數(shù)目，事實上卻還不夠補他的損失。班納特太太的父親曾經(jīng)在麥里屯當(dāng)過律師，給了她四千英鎊的遺產(chǎn)。

She had a sister married to a Mr. Phillips, who had been a clerk to their father, and succeeded him in the business, and a brother settled in London in a respectable line of trade.
她有過妹妹，嫁給了她爸爸的書記腓力普，妹夫接下來就承繼了她爸爸的行業(yè)；她還有兄弟，住在倫敦，生意做得很得法。

The village of Longbourn was only one mile from Meryton; a most convenient distance for the young ladies, who were usually tempted thither three or four times a week, to pay their duty to their aunt, and to a milliner's shop just over the way. The two youngest of the family, Catherine and Lydia, were particularly frequent in these attentions; their minds were more vacant than their sisters', and when nothing better offered, a walk to Meryton was necessary to amuse their morning hours and furnish conversation for the evening; and however bare of news the country in general might be, they always contrived to learn some from their aunt. At present, indeed, they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the recent arrival of a militia regiment in the neighbourhood; it was to remain the whole winter, and Meryton was the head quarters.
浪博恩這個村子和麥里屯相隔只有一英里路，這么一段距離對于那幾位年輕的小姐們是再便利不過的了，她們每星期總得上那兒在三四次，看看她們的姨母，還可以順便看看那邊一家賣女人帽子的商店。兩個最小的妹妹咖苔琳和麗迪雅特別傾心于這方面，她們比姐姐們心事要少得多，每當(dāng)沒有更好的消遣辦法時，就必定到麥里屯走一遭，消遣消遣美好的晨光，并且晚上也就有了談助。盡管這村子里通常沒有什么新聞可以打聽，她們還老是千方百計地從她們姨媽那兒打聽到一些。附近地方最近開到了一團(tuán)民兵，她們的消息來源當(dāng)然從此就豐富了，真叫她們高興非凡。這一團(tuán)人要在這兒駐扎整個冬天，麥里屯就是司令部的所在地。

Their visits to Mrs. Philips were now productive of the most interesting intelligence. Every day added something to their knowledge of the officers' names and connections. Their lodgings were not long a secret, and at length they began to know the officers themselves. Mr. Philips visited them all, and this opened to his nieces a source of felicity unknown before. They could talk of nothing but officers; and Mr. Bingley's large fortune, the mention of which gave animation to their mother, was worthless in their eyes when opposed to the regimentals of an ensign.
從此她們每次拜訪腓力普太太都獲得了最有趣的消息。她們每天都會打聽到幾個軍官的名字和他們的社會關(guān)系。軍官們的住宅不久就讓大家知道了，再后來小姐們就直接跟他們搞熟了，腓力普先生一一拜訪了那些軍官，這真是替她的姨侄女們開辟了一道意想不到的幸福源泉。她們現(xiàn)在開口閉口都離不開那些軍官。在這以前，只要提到彬格萊先生的偌大財產(chǎn)，她們的母親就會眉飛色舞，如今跟軍官們的制服對比起來，她們就覺得偌大的財產(chǎn)簡直一錢不值了。

After listening one morning to their effusions on this subject, Mr. Bennet coolly observed,?"From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced."
一天早晨，班納特先生聽到她們滔滔不絕地談到這個問題，他不禁冷言冷語地說：“看你們談話的神氣，我覺得你們真是些再蠢不過的女孩子。以前我不過半信半疑，現(xiàn)在我可完全相信了。”

Catherine was disconcerted, and made no answer; but Lydia, with perfect indifference, continued to express her admiration of Captain Carter, and her hope of seeing him in the course of the day, as he was going the next morning to London.
咖苔琳一聽此話，頗感不安，可是并沒有回答。麗迪雅卻完全沒有把爸爸的話當(dāng)一回事，還是接著說下去，說她自己多么愛慕卡特上尉，還希望當(dāng)天能夠跟他見面，因為他明天上午就要到倫敦去。