名著精讀《傲慢與偏見》第十章 第4節

"Nay," cried Bingley, "this is too much, to remember at night all the foolish things that were said in the morning. And yet, upon my honour, I believed what I said of myself to be true, and I believe it at this moment. At least, therefore, I did not assume the character of needless precipitance merely to shew off before the ladies."

“得了吧，”彬格萊先生嚷道，“晚上還記起早上的事，真是太不值得。而且老實說，我相信我對於自己的看法並沒有錯，我到現在還相信沒有錯。因此，我至少不是故意要顯得那麼神速，想要在小姐們面前炫耀自己。”

"I dare say you believed it; but I am by no means convinced that you would be gone with such celerity. Your conduct would be quite as dependant on chance as that of any man I know; and if, as you were mounting your horse, a friend were to say, "Bingley, you had better stay till next week," you would probably do it, you would probably not go -- and, at another word, might stay a month."

“也許你真的相信你自己的話；可是我怎麼也不相信你做事情會那麼當機立斷。我知道你也跟一般人一樣，都是見機行事。譬如你正跨上馬要走了，忽然有朋友跟你說：‘彬格萊，你最好還是待到下個星期再走吧。’那你可能就會聽他的話，可能就不走了，要是他再跟你說句什麼的，你也許就會再待上一個月。”

"You have only proved by this," cried Elizabeth, "that Mr. Bingley did not do justice to his own disposition. You have shewn him off now much more than he did himself."

伊麗莎白叫道：“你這一番話只不過說明了彬格萊先生並沒有任着他自己的性子說做就做。你這樣一說，比他自己說更來得光彩啦。”

"I am exceedingly gratified," said Bingley, "by your converting what my friend says into a compliment on the sweetness of my temper. But I am afraid you are giving it a turn which that gentleman did by no means intend; for he would certainly think the better of me, if under such a circumstance I were to give a flat denial, and ride off as fast as I could."

彬格萊說：“我真太高興了，我的朋友所說的話，經你這麼一圓轉，反面變成恭維我的話了。不過，我只怕你這種圓轉並不投合那位先生的本意，因爲：我如果真遇到這種事，我會爽爽快快地謝絕那位朋友，騎上馬就走，那他一定更看得起我。”

"Would Mr. Darcy then consider the rashness of your original intention as atoned for by your obstinacy in adhering to it?"

“那麼，難道達西先生認爲，不管你本來的打算是多麼輕率鹵莽，只要你一打定主意就堅持到底，也就情有可原了嗎？”

"Upon my word I cannot exactly explain the matter; Darcy must speak for himself."

“老實說，我也解釋不清楚；那得由達西自己來說明。”

"You expect me to account for opinions which you chuse to call mine, but which I have never acknowledged. Allowing the case, however, to stand according to your representation, you must remember, Miss Bennet, that the friend who is supposed to desire his return to the house, and the delay of his plan, has merely desired it, asked it without offering one argument in favour of its propriety."

“你想要把這些意見說成我的意見，我可從來沒承認過。不過，班納特小姐，即使把你所說的這種種情形假定爲真有其事，你可別忘了這一點：那個朋友固然叫他回到屋子裏去叫他不要那麼說做就做，可是那也不過是那位朋友有那麼一種希望，對他提出那麼一個要求，可並沒有堅持要他非那樣做不可。”

ipitance n. 急躁，倉促

rity[si'leriti] n. 敏捷，快速

osition n. 性情，傾向，安排，處置，控制

Joanna had a gentle retiring disposition.
喬安娜性格溫柔而靦腆。

denial 完全否認

She gave him a flat denial.
她斷然拒絕了她。

off v. 離去，岔開去

Don't ride off on a side issue.
不要回避主題，而岔到枝節問題上去。

e vt. 補償，贖罪 vi. 償還

How can I atone for hurting your feelings?
我傷害了你的感情，該怎樣來彌補我的過錯呢？

inacy n. 頑固，(病痛等)難治

His obstinacy drives me mad!
他頑固不化把我氣得火冒三丈！

riety n. 適當，正當，得體 (複數）proprieties:禮節，禮儀

The way these tourists dress offends local standards of propriety.
這些遊客的穿着在當地人的眼中簡直不成體統。