Pride and Prejudice

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

凡是有钱的单身汉，总想娶位太太，这已经成了一条举世公认的真理。

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

尽管这样的男人第一次来到一个地区时，他的感情或看法如何，人们知道得很少，但这条真理在邻近的各个家庭中却是如此根深蒂固，以致于他被视为他们某个女儿理所当然的财产。

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”

“亲爱的班纳特先生，”他的太太有一天对他说，“你听说尼日斐花园终于出租了吗？”

“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”

“可是确实如此，”她回答道，“因为朗格太太刚刚来过，她全都告诉我了。”

“Do not you want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife, impatiently.

“你难道不想知道是谁租下的吗？”他的妻子不耐烦地嚷道。

“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”

“你想告诉我，我也不反对听。”

“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”

“哦，亲爱的，你可得知道，朗格太太说尼日斐花园是被一个从英格兰北部来的大富人家年轻男子租下的；他星期一乘着一辆四马马车来看这个地方，非常满意，立刻就跟莫里斯先生谈妥了；他要在米迦勒节之前搬进来，下周末他的一些仆人就要先住进来。”