06-03-傲慢与偏见 [17]
to the ladies．However，when a novel was handed to Mr Collins，he looked shocked，and protested that he never read novels．He chose a religious book instead，and start- ed reading in a slow，serious voice．Lydia could not hide her boredom for long，and after only three pages she interrupted him rudely，to ask her mother a question about one of the offi- cers in Meryton Mr Collins was offended，and refused to read any more，although Mrs Bennet and her other daughters apolo- gized for Lydia's lack of manners．
Mr Collins was not a sensible man，and neither education nor society had improved him．The respect he felt for his patron， and his very good opinion of himself and his new position， made him proud and servile at the same time．Now that he had a home and a considerable income，he had decided to marry． The Bennet girls，who would lose their inheritance because of him，had a reputation for being attractive and charming，and his idea of making amends to them was to marry one of them． He considered this an excellent plan，and thought himself ex- tremely generous and unselfish in carrying it out．
He had known he was right when he arrived at Longbourn and saw Jane Bennet's lovely face．As the eldest，she should marry first，and for the first evening she was his choice．But the next morning，after a fifteen-minute conversation with Mrs Bennet，he had to change his mind．When he explained that he was hoping to find a wife among her daughters，she replied， with a happy smile，that her eldest daughter was very likely to be engaged soon．‘But there are my other daughters，Mr Collins，’she continued，encouragingly．
Mr Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth，and it was soon done—done while Mrs Bennet was pouring the tea． Next to Jane in birth and beauty，Elizabeth was the obvious choice．
Mr Bennet was delighted，hoping that she might soon have two daughters married．The man whom she had so disliked the day before was now a favourite with her．
■ 3 柯林斯先生造访浪搏恩
“亲爱的，我希望你已经通知过厨师今天送上一份像样的晚饭，我有客人来。”第二天早饭后班纳特先生对妻子说。
“亲爱的，是谁？除了夏洛特·卢卡斯偶尔来一趟，我不知道谁还会来。要是她，家常便饭就够了。”
“我说的那个人是个有教养的男人，一个陌生人。”
班纳特太太激动得两眼放光。“是彬格莱先生，我敢肯定！简，你怎么从来没有提过！啊，能见到他我高兴极了。丽迪亚，我的乖，快拉铃。我得马上跟厨师讲。”
“不是彬格莱先生，”她丈夫说，“这个人我以前从来没有见过。”
一言既出，满座皆惊。太太和五个女儿异口同声，急切地向他发问，这使他十分得意。他先拿她们的好奇心逗了一会儿乐，最后作了解释。“最近，我收到了远房侄子柯林斯先生的一封来信。你们知道，我死后他要继承我的一切财产，到时候可能随时把你们赶出这幢房子。”
“哦，亲爱的！”他妻子叫道。“请不要提那个可恶的家伙。自己的财产不留给自己的孩子，这恐怕是世界上最难叫人接受的事情了。我要是你的话，肯定不会就此罢休。”
简和伊丽莎白又向她解释了一遍法律上的具体情况。她们以前经常向她解释，可是这种事班纳特太太拒不理解，她继续叫苦不迭地对柯林斯先生发牢骚。
“这件事当然很不公平，”班纳特先生表示赞同，“柯林斯先生继承这幢房子受之有愧，无论怎样他都难以免于这种愧疚。可是，如果你愿意听听他的来信，他说话的口气也许会使你的态度缓和一点。”
他大声朗读了以下这封信：
亲爱的先生，
阁下与先父之不和一直令我深感不安。自从先父去世之后我一直希望重修两家之好。经
Mr Collins was not a sensible man，and neither education nor society had improved him．The respect he felt for his patron， and his very good opinion of himself and his new position， made him proud and servile at the same time．Now that he had a home and a considerable income，he had decided to marry． The Bennet girls，who would lose their inheritance because of him，had a reputation for being attractive and charming，and his idea of making amends to them was to marry one of them． He considered this an excellent plan，and thought himself ex- tremely generous and unselfish in carrying it out．
He had known he was right when he arrived at Longbourn and saw Jane Bennet's lovely face．As the eldest，she should marry first，and for the first evening she was his choice．But the next morning，after a fifteen-minute conversation with Mrs Bennet，he had to change his mind．When he explained that he was hoping to find a wife among her daughters，she replied， with a happy smile，that her eldest daughter was very likely to be engaged soon．‘But there are my other daughters，Mr Collins，’she continued，encouragingly．
Mr Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth，and it was soon done—done while Mrs Bennet was pouring the tea． Next to Jane in birth and beauty，Elizabeth was the obvious choice．
Mr Bennet was delighted，hoping that she might soon have two daughters married．The man whom she had so disliked the day before was now a favourite with her．
■ 3 柯林斯先生造访浪搏恩
“亲爱的，我希望你已经通知过厨师今天送上一份像样的晚饭，我有客人来。”第二天早饭后班纳特先生对妻子说。
“亲爱的，是谁？除了夏洛特·卢卡斯偶尔来一趟，我不知道谁还会来。要是她，家常便饭就够了。”
“我说的那个人是个有教养的男人，一个陌生人。”
班纳特太太激动得两眼放光。“是彬格莱先生，我敢肯定！简，你怎么从来没有提过！啊，能见到他我高兴极了。丽迪亚，我的乖，快拉铃。我得马上跟厨师讲。”
“不是彬格莱先生，”她丈夫说，“这个人我以前从来没有见过。”
一言既出，满座皆惊。太太和五个女儿异口同声，急切地向他发问，这使他十分得意。他先拿她们的好奇心逗了一会儿乐，最后作了解释。“最近，我收到了远房侄子柯林斯先生的一封来信。你们知道，我死后他要继承我的一切财产，到时候可能随时把你们赶出这幢房子。”
“哦，亲爱的！”他妻子叫道。“请不要提那个可恶的家伙。自己的财产不留给自己的孩子，这恐怕是世界上最难叫人接受的事情了。我要是你的话，肯定不会就此罢休。”
简和伊丽莎白又向她解释了一遍法律上的具体情况。她们以前经常向她解释，可是这种事班纳特太太拒不理解，她继续叫苦不迭地对柯林斯先生发牢骚。
“这件事当然很不公平，”班纳特先生表示赞同，“柯林斯先生继承这幢房子受之有愧，无论怎样他都难以免于这种愧疚。可是，如果你愿意听听他的来信，他说话的口气也许会使你的态度缓和一点。”
他大声朗读了以下这封信：
亲爱的先生，
阁下与先父之不和一直令我深感不安。自从先父去世之后我一直希望重修两家之好。经