名著精讀《傲慢與偏見》第八章 第2節

"Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain; and the gown which had been let down to hide it not doing its office."

“是呀，還有她的襯裙──可惜你沒看到她的襯裙。我絕對不是瞎說，那上面糊上了有足足六英寸泥，她把外面的裙子放低了些，想把來遮蓋，可是遮蓋不住。”

"Your picture may be very exact, Louisa," said Bingley; "but this was all lost upon me. I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well, when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice."

彬格萊先生說：“你形容得並沒有過火的地方，露薏莎，可是我並不以爲然。我倒覺得伊麗莎白·班納特小姐今兒早上走進屋來的時候，那種神情風度很不錯呢。我並沒有看到她的骯髒的襯裙。”

"You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure," said Miss Bingley, "and I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition."

"Certainly not."

“你一定看到的，達西先生，”彬格萊小姐說，“我想，你總不願意看到你自己的姐妹弄成那副狼狽樣子吧。”

“當然不願意。”

"To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ancles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! what could she mean by it? It seems to me to shew an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country town indifference to decorum."

“無緣無故趕上那麼三英里路、五英里路，誰曉得多少英里呢，泥土蓋沒了踝骨，而且是孤孤單單的一個人！她這究竟是什麼意思？我看她十足表現了沒有家教的野態，完全是鄉下人不懂禮貌的輕狂。”
"It shews an affection for her sister that is very pleasing," said Bingley.

彬格萊先生說：“那正說明了她的手足情深，真是好極了。”

"I am afraid, Mr. Darcy," observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper, "that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes."

彬格萊小姐死樣怪氣地說：“達西先生，我倒擔心，她這次的冒失行爲，會影響你對她那雙美麗的眼睛的愛慕吧？”

"Not at all," he replied; "they were brightened by the exercise." -- A short pause followed this speech, and Mrs. Hurst began again.

達西回答道：“一點兒影響也沒有，她跑過了這趟路以後，那雙眼睛更加明亮了。”說完這句話，屋子裏稍許沉默了一會兒，然後赫斯脫太太又開口說話：

"I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it."

“我非常關心吉英·班納特──她倒的確是位可愛的姑娘──我誠心誠意地希望她好好兒攀門親事。只可惜遇到那樣的父母，加上還有那麼些下流的親戚，我怕她沒有什麼指望了。”

icoat adj. 女性的 n. 襯裙

Her petticoat was too long.
她的襯裙太長了。

an exhibition 出醜

inable adj. 討厭的, 令人憎惡的

I can't go out in this abominable weather.
這樣惡劣的天氣我不能出去。

rum n. 端正, 禮貌合宜, 禮儀

I hope you will behave with decorum at the funeral.
我們希望你在葬禮上做到得體有禮。

the gown which had been let down to hide it not doing its office

【難句解析】句子的主幹是the gown not doing...;do its office的意思是“不管用”；

【句子翻譯】...裙子放低了些，想來遮蓋，可是遮蓋不住；

I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition.

【難句解析】be inclined to的意思是“傾向於...”；make an exhibition 出醜；

【句子翻譯】我想，你總不願意看到你自己的姐妹弄成那副狼狽樣子吧。