1 The ball

Pride and Prejudice

傲慢与偏见

Chapter 1 The ball The carriage was waiting; the night was warm. The Bennet sisters- Jane, Lizzy, Mary, Kitty and Lydia, were dressed in their finest ball gowns, flowers and ribbons threaded through their hair. "Hurry, hurry!" cried their mother, urging them out of the house. "Kitty, do stop coughing. Oh, Jane! How beautiful you look. I'm so glad. It's so important you look your best tonight."

第一章舞会马车在等着；夜晚很暖和。 班纳特家的姐妹——简、丽萃、玛丽、基蒂和莉迪亚，都穿着她们最漂亮的舞会礼服，头上戴着鲜花和丝带。 “快，快！”他们的母亲喊道，催促他们离开房子。 “吉蒂，别咳嗽了。哦,简!你看起来真漂亮。 我很高兴。今晚你要打扮得漂漂亮亮，这很重要。”

"And why is that?" asked her husband, Mr. Bennet, reluctantly leaving his study, a book still clasped in his hand. "How can you be so tiresome?" retorted Mrs. Bennet, as they climbed into the carriage. "You must know what I mean. This ball is our first chance to meet Mr. Bingley! He has just moved to Netherfield Park. He is young and single and rich. Such a man must be in want of a wife." "Perhaps he will choose you, my dear," said Mr. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet laughed foolishly. "I was certainly pretty in my time. But now I only think of my daughters. If I could have one settled at Netherfield, and all the others well married, I'll have nothing to wish for."

“这是为什么呢？”她的丈夫班纳特先生说着，极不情愿地离开了书斋，手里还攥着一本书。 班纳特太太说：“你怎么这样叫人讨厌？” “你一定明白我的意思。 这次舞会是我们第一次见到彬格莱先生！他刚搬到尼日斐花园。 他年轻、单身、富有。 这样的男人一定需要一个妻子。” “也许他会选择你，亲爱的，”班纳特先生说。 班纳特太太傻笑起来。 “我年轻的时候确实很漂亮。 但现在我只想着我的女儿们。 如果我能让一个人在尼日斐花园定居下来，而其他几个人都嫁得很好，那我就没有什么好奢望了。”

"I can't think he will want to dance with any of them," replied Mr. Bennet. "They are all very silly girls, though Lizzy is slightly less silly than the rest of them." "How can you say that about your own children?" cried Mrs. Bennet. "Ooh, you enjoy teasing me. You never think of my poor nerves." "On the contrary, I know them well. They're my oldest friends. You've talked about them for twenty years." Mrs. Bennet was about to protest when the carriage came to a halt. They had arrived at the ball.

班纳特先生回答说：“我看他不会愿意跟她们跳舞的。” “她们都是些很傻的姑娘，不过丽萃比她们稍微笨一点。” 班纳特太太嚷道：“你怎么能这样说你自己的孩子？” “哦，你喜欢取笑我。 你从来不考虑我那可怜的神经。” “恰恰相反，我很了解他们。 他们是我的老朋友。 你已经谈了二十年了。” 班纳特太太刚要抗议，马车就停了下来。 他们到达了舞会现场。

Music wafted out on the night air and, inside, the ballroom was alive with excitement and chatter. Candles flickered in their holders, while girls in white dresses danced with soldiers in scarlet coats. Then the doors opened to reveal a new arrival... Mr. Bingley of Netherfield Hall. "He's so rich!" breathed Mrs. Bennet. "And so handsome! Look at his sisters-

音乐在夜晚的空气中飘荡，舞厅里充满了兴奋和聊天的气氛。 蜡烛在烛台上摇曳，身穿白色礼服的女孩与身穿猩红大衣的士兵们翩翩起舞。 然后，门开了，进来了一个新人…… 尼日斐花园的彬格莱先生。 “他真有钱！”班纳特太太轻声说。 “那么漂亮！”看看他的姐妹们

such elegant dresses." "But have you heard?" cried her friend, Mrs. Lucas. "Mr. Bingley has brought his friend, Mr. Darcy, owner of Pemberley House. He is even richer." "You talk of riches," said Mary, gravely, "but virtue is more important." Lydia had already left the group. "Come on, Kitty!" she cried. "Let's go and flirt with the officers."

这么优雅的衣服。”“你听说了吗？”她的朋友卢卡斯太太叫道。 “彬格莱先生把他的朋友，彭伯里的主人达西先生带来了。 他甚至更富有了。”“你谈的是财富，”玛丽严肃地说，“但美德更重要。” 莉迪亚已经离开了小组。 “来吧，吉蒂！” “我们去和军官们调情吧。”