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 any thing extraordinary now.When a woman 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 neighbourhood.”“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 new comers.Indeed you go,for it will be impossible for us to visit him,if you do not.“You arc over scrupulous surely.I dare say Mr.Bingley will be very glad to see you；and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying
which ever 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 are all silly and ignorant like other girls；but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.”“Mr.Bonnet,how can you abuse your own children in such a way？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 got over it,and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”“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.Bonnet was as odd a mixture of quick parts，sarcastic humour，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 develop.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.
傲慢與偏見（第一卷第一章）奧斯丁有錢的單身漢總要娶位太太，這是一條舉世公認的真理。這條真理還真夠深入人心的，每逢這樣的單身漢新搬到一個地方，四鄰八舍的人家盡管對他的心思想法一無所知，卻把他視為自己某一個女兒的合法財產。“親愛的貝內特先生。”一天，貝內特太太對丈夫說道，“你有沒有聽說內瑟菲爾德莊園終於租出去啦？”貝內特先生回答說沒有。“的確租出去啦。”太太說道。“朗太太剛剛來過，她把這事一五一十地全告訴我了。”貝內特先生沒有理睬。“難道你不想知道是誰租去的嗎？”太太不耐煩地嚷道。“既然你想告訴我，我聽聽也不妨。”這句話足以逗引太太講下去了。“哦，親愛的，你應該知道，朗太太說，內瑟菲爾德讓英格蘭北部的一個闊少爺租去了；他星期一那天乘坐一輛駟馬馬車來看房子，看得非常中意，當下就和莫裏斯先生談妥了；他打算趕在米迦勒節以前搬進新居，下周末以前打發幾個傭人先住進來。”“他姓什麼？”“賓利。”“成家了還是單身？”“哦！單身，親愛的，千真萬確！一個有錢的單身漢，每年有四五千鎊的收入，真是女兒們的好福氣！”“這是怎麼說？跟女兒們有什麼關係？”“親愛的貝內特先生。”太太答道，“你怎麼這麼令人討厭！告訴你吧，我在琢磨他娶她們中的一個做太太呢。”“他搬到這裏就是為了這個打算？”“打算！胡扯，你怎麼能這麼說話！他興許會看中她們中的哪一個，因此，他一來你就得去拜訪他。”“我看沒有那個必要。你帶著女兒們去就行啦，要不你索性打發她們自己去，這樣或許更好些，因為你的姿色並不亞於她們中的任何一個，你一去，賓利先生倒作興看中你呢。”“親愛的，你太抬舉我啦。我以前確實有過美貌的時候，不過現在卻不敢硬充有什麼出眾的地方了。一個女人家有了五個成年的女兒，就不該對自己的美貌再轉什麼念頭了。”“這麼說來，女人家對自己的美貌也轉不了多久的念頭啦。”“不過，親愛的，賓利先生一搬到這裏，你可真得去見見他。”“告訴你吧，這事我可不能答應。”“可你要為女兒們著想呀。請你想一想，她們誰要是嫁給他，那會是多好的一門親事啊。盧卡斯爵士夫婦打定主意要去，還不就是為了這個緣故，因為你知道，他們通常是不去拜訪新搬來的鄰居的。你真應該去一次，要不然，我們母女就沒法去見他了。”“你實在過於多慮了。賓利先生一定會很高興見到你的。我可以寫封信叫你帶去，就說他隨便想娶我哪位女兒，我都會欣然同意。不過，我要為小莉齊美言兩句。”“我希望你別做這種事。莉齊絲毫不比別的女兒強。我敢說，論漂亮，她遠遠及不上簡；論性子，她遠遠及不上莉迪亞。可你總是偏愛她。”“她們哪一個也沒有多少好稱道的。”貝內特先生答道。“她們像別人家的姑娘一樣，一個個又傻又蠢，倒是莉齊比幾個姐妹伶俐些。”“貝內特先生，你怎麼能這樣糟蹋自己的孩子？你就喜歡氣我，壓根兒不體諒我那脆弱的神經。”“你錯怪我了，親愛的。我非常尊重你的神經。它們是我的老朋友啦。至少在這二十年裏，我總是聽見你鄭重其事地說起它們。”“唉！你不知道我受多大的罪。”“我希望你會好起來，親眼看見好多每年有四千鎊收入的闊少爺搬到這一帶。”“既然你不肯去拜訪，即使搬來二十個，那對我們又有什麼用。”“放心吧，親愛的，等到搬來二十個，我一定去挨個拜訪。”貝內特先生是個古怪人，一方麵乖覺詼諧，好挖苦人，另一方麵又不苟言笑，變幻莫測，他太太積二十三年之經驗，還摸不透他的性格。這位太太的腦子就不那麼難以捉摸了。她是個智力貧乏、孤陋寡聞、喜怒無常的女人。一碰到不稱心的時候，就自以為神經架不住。她人生的大事，是把女兒們嫁出去；她人生的快慰，是訪親拜友和打聽消息。（選自孫致禮譯《傲慢與偏見》2002年修訂版）
13.Wuthering Heights（An excerpt from Chapter18，VolumeⅡ）
Emily Bronte
I would have asked why Mrs.Dean had deserted the Grange；but it was impossible to delay her at such a crisis,so I turned away and made my exit,rambling leisurely along with the glow of a sinking sun behind,and the mild glory of a rising moon in front；one fading,and the other brightening,as I quitted the park,and climbed the stony byroad branching off to Mr.Heathcliff's dwelling.
Before I arrived in sight of it,all that remained of day was a beamless,amber light along the west；but I could see every pebble on the path and every blade of grass by that splendid moon.
I had neither to climb the gate,nor to knock-it yielded to my hand.
That is an improvement!I thought.And I noticed another,by the aid of my nostrils；a fragrance of stocks and wall flowers,wafted on the air,from amongst the homely fruit trees.
Both doors and lattices wore open；and yet,as is usually the case in a coal district,a fine,red fire illumined the chimney,the comfort which the eye derives from it,renders the extra heat endurable.But the house of Wuthering Heights is so large,that the inmates have plenty of space for withdrawing out of its influence；and,accordingly,what inmates there were had stationed themselves not far from one of the windows.I could both see them and hear them talk before I entered,and looked and listened in consequence,being moved thereto by a mingled sense of curiosity and envy that grew as I lingered.“Con-trary!”said a voice,as sweet as a silver bell-“That for the third time,you dunce!I'm not going to tell you,again-Recollect,or I pull your hair!”“Contrary，then,”answered another,in deep but softened tones.“And now,kiss me,for minding so well.”“No,read it over first correctly,without a single mistake.”
The male speaker began to read-he was a young man,respectably dressed,and seated at a table,having a book before him.His handsome features glowed with pleasure,and his eyes kept impatiently wandering from the page to a small white hand over his shoulder which recalled him by a smart slap on the cheek,whenever its owner detected such signs of inattention.
Its owner stood behind；her light shining ringlets blending,at intervats,with his brown locks,as she bent to superintend his studies；and his face-it was lucky he could not see her face,or he would ever have been so steady-I could,and I bit my lip in spite,at having thrown away the chance I might have had,of doing something besides staring at its smiting beauty.
The task was done,not free from further blunders,but the pupil claimed a reward,and received at least five kisses,which,however,he generously returned.Then,they came to the door,and from their conversation,I judged they were about to issue out and have a walk on the moors.I supposed I should be condemned in Hareton Earnshaw's heart,if not by his mouth,to the lowest in the infernal regions if I showed my unfortunate person in his neighbourhood then,and feeling very mean and malignant,I skulked round to seek refuge in the kitchen.
呼嘯山莊（第二卷第十八章節選）艾米麗?勃郎特我原想問問迪安太太為什麼丟下田莊走了，但是在這個節骨眼上是不能耽擱她的，於是我便轉身走了，悠閑地信步走去，身後映著落日的霞光，塑著冉冉升起的月亮的淡輝：一個漸漸暗下去，另一個漸漸亮起來，我就在這時走出了莊園，登上了通往希思克利夫先生住宅的那條石子岔路我還沒有望見那座住宅。天已經早暗下來了，隻有西邊天際還剩下一抹朦朧的琥珀色的餘暉，但是我仍可借助皎潔的月光，看清小路上的每一顆石子，每一片草葉。我既不要從柵門上爬過去，也不要敲門――門一推就開了。我心想，這可是一個改進呀！我的鼻孔幫助我發現了另一項改進：從那些普普通通的果樹叢中，飄來了一股紫羅蘭和桂竹香的芳香。門窗都洞開著。然而，正如煤區常見的那樣，一爐紅紅的旺火把壁爐照得通明，一眼望去使人產生一種舒適感，覺得也能忍受那過多的熱量了。不過呼嘯山莊的堂屋大得很，有的是空地方，可以躲開那熱的威力。因此，這屋裏的人就待在一個離窗口不遠的地方。我還沒進門，就能看清他們，能聽見他們在說話，於是便望著，聽著，這是受到好奇心和嫉妒心驅使的緣故，我在那裏流連的時候，這種交織的感覺還在滋長著。“相――反！”一個銀鈴般的聲音說道。“這是第三遍了，你這笨蛋！我不想再教你了。用心點，不然我就揪你的頭發！”“那好，相反。”另一個人以深沉而柔和的語調答道，“那就親親我吧，我學得這麼用心。”“不行，先給我準確地念一遍，不許有一個錯。”那說話的男子開始念了。他是個年輕人，穿得很體麵，坐在一張桌子邊，麵前放著一本書。他那漂亮的麵孔喜氣洋洋的，一雙眼睛總也不安分，一次次地從書頁上溜到搭在他肩頭的一隻白白的小手上，小手的主人一發現這種不專心的跡象，就用這隻手朝他臉上啪地打一下，讓他收心。小手的主人站在他背後。她俯身輔導他學習時，她那輕柔發亮的鬈發，有時和他的棕色頭發交錯在一起。而她那張臉――幸虧男方瞧不見她那張臉，不然他決不會這麼安穩――我卻看得見。我咬著嘴唇，悔恨自己丟掉了一個機會，本來可能是有所作為的事情，現在卻隻能對著那令人傾倒的美貌幹瞪眼。課上完了，做學生的並沒有根絕錯誤，但是卻要求獎勵一下，獲得了至少五個吻，而他又慷慨地回報了。接著，他們來到了門口，從他們的談話中，我斷定他們要出去，到荒野上散散步。我想，在這個當口，要是哈雷頓?厄恩肖看見我這個沒福氣的人出現在他跟前，他即便嘴裏不說，心裏也要詛咒我下到地獄的最底層。我覺得自己心裏有鬼，太不光彩，便悄悄地繞了個圈子，想到廚房裏去躲一躲。（載於《中國翻譯》1997年第6期）