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【导读】 经典名著《傲慢与偏见》情节富有喜剧性，语言机智幽默，是奥
斯丁小说中最受欢迎的一部。阅读下面选取有关爱情的节选，对比中外文化中对
爱情态度的异同。
Pride and Prejudice (excerpt)
The Bennets' new neighbour
It is a truth well known to all the world that an unmarried man in possession of a
large fortune must be in need of a wife.And when such a man moves into a
neighbourhood，even if nothing is known about his feelings or opinions，this truth is
so clear to the surrounding families，that they think of him immediately as the future
husband of one or other of their daughters.
“My dear Mr Bennet，” said Mrs Bennet to her husband one day，“have you
heard that someone is going to rent Netherfield Park at last？”
“No，Mrs Bennet，I haven't，” said her husband.
“Don't you want to know who is renting it？” cried Mrs Bennet impatiently.
“You want to tell me，and I don't mind listening.”
Mrs Bennet needed no further encouragement.“Well，my dear，I hear that he's a
very rich young man from the north of England.It seems he came to see Netherfield
on Monday and was so delighted with it that he arranged to rent it at once.Of course，
it is the finest house in the area，with the largest gardens.His servants will be here by
the end of the week，and he will be arriving soon afterwards！”
“What is his name？” asked Mr Bennet.
“Bingley.”
“Is he married or single？”
“Oh，single，my dear，of course! A single man of large fortune—he has an
income of four or five thousand pounds a year.How wonderful for our girls！”
“Why? How can it affect them？” Mr Bennet asked.
“My dear Mr Bennet，” she replied，“how can you be so annoying! You must
realize I'm thinking of his marrying one of our daughters.”
“Is that his purpose in coming to the area？”
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“His purpose? No，of course not.But it's very likely that he'll fall in love with
one of them.And I want him to see the girls as soon as possible，before our other
neighbours introduce themselves.So you must visit him as soon as he arrives.”
“I really don't see why I should，” said Mr Bennet.“You and the girls can visit
him，or perhaps you should send them by themselves.Yes，that might be better，as
you're as attractive as any of them，and Mr Bingley might like you best.”
“My dear，you flatter me，” replied his wife，“I certainly have been called
beautiful in the past ， but I think a woman with five adult daughters should stop
thinking of her own beauty.Mr Bennet，I beg you to visit him.You know it's correct for
the gentleman of the family to visit new neighbours first.I simply cannot take the girls
to see him unless you have already met him.”
“ Surely you worry too much about the rules of polite society.I'm sure Mr
Bingley will be delighted to see you all.And I'll write him a few lines，which you can
give him，agreeing gladly to his marrying any of the girls，although I must especially
recommend my dear little Lizzy.”
“Oh no，Mr Bennet！” gasped Mrs Bennet，horrified.“Please don't do that!
And Lizzy is no better than the others，although I know she is your favourite.”
“Our daughters are all very silly，ignorant girls，it's true.But at least Lizzy is a
little more intelligent than her sisters.”
“Mr Bennet，how can you speak so unkindly of your own children? Oh dear，
how ill I feel! Have you no pity for me? Don't you realize how I suffer？”
“Indeed，my dear，I've suffered with you for the last twenty three years.But I
think you will recover，and live to see many more rich young men come into the
neighbourhood.”
《傲慢与偏见》(节选)
班纳特家的新邻居
家财万贯而又尚未婚配的男人一定需要一个贤内助，这是一条世界上尽人皆
知的真理。当这样一位男人搬到了附近时，这条真理在邻居们心中就显得更加清
楚，他们哪怕对他的感情或意见一无所知，也会马上把他当作他们哪个女儿未来
的丈夫。
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“亲爱的班纳特先生，”一天，班纳特夫人对她丈夫说，“你听说了吗？尼日
斐庄园到底还是租出去了。”
“我还没听说，班纳特太太，”她丈夫说。
“难道你不想知道是谁要租吗？”班纳特太太不耐烦地嚷了起来。
“你要想告诉我，我也不妨听听。”
班纳特夫人不需要更多的鼓励就开腔了。“啊，亲爱的，我听说他是个阔少
爷，英格兰北部人。好像是星期一来看了看尼日斐，十分喜欢，马上安排把它租
了下来。当然，连宅子的花园都那么大，那确实是这一片最好的庄园。他的仆人
周末到，他本人随后就到！”
“他叫什么名字？”班纳特先生问道。
“彬格莱。”
“结婚了还是单身？”
“啊，亲爱的，当然是单身！家财万贯的单身汉——他每年收入四五千镑呢。
对咱家姑娘们来说真是再好不过了！”
“为什么？这跟姑娘们有什么关系？”班纳特先生问道。
“我亲爱的班纳特先生，”她回答道，“你怎么那么讨厌！你应该想到，我是
在考虑他跟我们哪个姑娘结婚。”
“他搬到这儿住就是为了这个吗？”
“为这个？当然不是。可是真说不准他会爱上我们哪个姑娘。我想尽早让他
见见姑娘们，要赶在其他邻居自我介绍之前。所以，他一来你就得去拜访他一下。”
“我真是不明白为什么要去拜访他，”班纳特先生说，“你可以和姑娘们去，
或者你让她们自己去。对，还是让她们自己去好，你长得那么迷人，比她们哪个
都不逊色，说不定彬格莱先生会看上你呢。”
“亲爱的，你太夸奖我了，”他妻子答道，“过去人们当然说我漂亮，可是我
觉得，一个女人家，五个女儿都长大成人了，不应该再老想自己漂亮不漂亮。班
纳特先生，我求求你，还是去拜访他一下吧。你知道，来了新邻居，家里的男人
先去拜访一下是应该的。你如果不先见见他，我怎么好带着姑娘们去呢？”
“你对文明社会的条条框框真是考虑得太多了。我相信彬格莱先生会很高兴
见到你们几个的。对了，我给他写几句话，你可以捎过去，就说他随便娶哪个姑
娘，我都很乐意。不过，我得特别推荐我的小丽萃。”
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“哦，不，班纳特先生！”班纳特太太倒抽口气，吓坏了。“别那样！再说，
丽萃也不比其他几个好，不过我知道你偏爱她。”
“我们几个姑娘都很蠢，很无知，这是真的。可是，丽萃至少还比她几个姐
妹聪明点儿。”
“班纳特先生，你怎么能这样无情地说自己的亲生女儿？哦。亲爱的，我难
受极了！你一点儿也不心疼我吗？你没想到我多难受吗？”
“怎么没想到，亲爱的，我跟着你难受了 23 年了。不过我想你会恢复过来
的，会在有生之年看到更多的阔少爷来和我们做邻居。”
[知识积累]
1．flatter v. 奉承；阿谀
2．gasp v. 喘着气说出
3．horrified adj. 惊悸的；带有恐怖感的；惊骇的
4．ignorant adj. 无知的；愚昧的
[文化链接]
《傲慢与偏见》之角色解读
彬格莱先生是一位仪表堂堂的年轻绅士，为人温柔敦厚、坦白直爽，是每一
位丈母娘都喜欢的“国民女婿”。但他天性谦和、缺乏自信，容易受他人影响。
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