傲慢与偏见

精读《傲慢与偏见》15：宾利姐妹为什么看不起别人？

第四章，伊丽莎白没有被宾利姐妹打动，因为她看见了礼貌背后的骄傲。读懂 pliancy, conceited, seminary, unassailed。

伊丽莎白没有被宾利姐妹打动，因为她看见了礼貌背后的骄傲。

这一段来自《傲慢与偏见》第四章。它的重点不只是推进情节，而是让我们看到人物怎样通过语言、判断和社交反应暴露自己。

English Text: Elizabeth's Judgment of the Bingley Sisters

Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced: their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and with a judgment, too, unassailed by any attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them. They were, in fact, very fine ladies; not deficient in good-humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of being agreeable where they chose it; but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome; had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town; had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds; were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank; and were, therefore, in every respect entitled to think well of themselves and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother’s fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.

Mr. Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand pounds from his father, who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it. Mr. Bingley intended it likewise, and sometimes made choice of his county; but, as he was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper, whether he might not spend the remainder of his days at Netherfield, and leave the next generation to purchase.

中文翻译：伊丽莎白评判宾利姐妹

伊丽莎白静静地听着，却并未信服：他们在舞会上的举止并非为了取悦大众；相比姐姐，她观察更为敏锐，性情不那么随和，而且由于对方并未对她献殷勤，她的判断也就未受干扰，因此她很难对他们产生好感。实际上，她们是几位非常体面的女士；当她们高兴时，不乏幽默感；当她们想要讨人喜欢时，也有能力做到；但她们骄傲自大。她们长得颇为漂亮，曾在伦敦一流的私立学校受过教育，拥有两万英镑的财产，习惯于挥霍无度，结交权贵，因此在各方面都觉得自己有权自视甚高，而看不起别人。她们出身于英格兰北部一个体面的家族；这一点深深印在她们的记忆中，甚至比她们兄弟和自己的财富其实是靠经商得来的这一点印象更深。

宾利先生从父亲那里继承了近十万英镑的遗产。他父亲本打算购置一处庄园，可惜未及如愿便去世了。宾利先生也有此意，有时甚至选好了郡县；但是，既然现在已经有了一所不错的房子和庄园的使用权，那些最了解他随遇而安性格的人不禁怀疑，他是否会在内瑟菲尔德度过余生，而把购置田产的事留给下一代去完成。

阅读提示：不是不漂亮，而是骄傲得太明显

这一段从伊丽莎白的沉默开始：Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced. 她听见简夸宾利小姐们，却没有被说服。原因很清楚：她观察更快，性情不那么柔顺，而且没有被对方的殷勤影响判断。

奥斯汀并没有把宾利姐妹写成完全没有优点的人。她们漂亮，受过教育，有幽默感，也能在愿意的时候讨人喜欢。但紧接着就是转折：but proud and conceited。问题不在能力，而在姿态。

最有讽刺意味的是 by trade。她们很愿意记住自己出身体面，却不愿记住财富来自经商。这里已经不是单纯人物描写，而是英国乡绅社会里“钱、教育、家族、地位”之间的张力。

重点词汇

pliancy /ˈplaɪənsi/ noun — 柔顺，温顺，易受影响
原文例句：He lacked the pliancy of mind to adapt to new situations.

conceited /kənˈsiːtɪd/ adj. — 自负的，骄傲自大的
原文例句：She was so conceited that she thought everyone was looking at her.

seminary /ˈsemɪnəri/ noun — （旧时的）私立学校，女子学校
原文例句：The young ladies were educated at a prestigious seminary in town.

unassailed /ˌʌnəˈseɪld/ adj. — 未受攻击的；（此处指）未受影响的
原文例句：His integrity remained unassailed despite the corruption around him.

长难句解析

1. Mr. Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand pounds from his father, who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it.

📌 这是一个包含非限制性定语从句的复合句。主句陈述宾利先生继承了遗产；逗号后的 'who' 引导定语从句修饰先行词 'father'，说明父亲生前的打算及未能实现的遗憾。

🔍 结构：主句 (Mr. Bingley inherited...) + 定语从句 (who had intended... but did not live...)

2. They were of a respectable family in the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother’s fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.

📌 分号后是一个名词性短语作为补充说明。'more... than...' 结构进行了比较，指出她们更愿意记住家族的体面，而选择性忽略财富来源于经商（因为当时经商地位低于拥有土地的绅士阶层）这一事实。

🔍 结构：主句 (They were...) + 同位语/补充说明 (a circumstance...) + 比较结构 (more impressed... than that...)

今日测验

Q1. Why was Elizabeth 'very little disposed to approve' of Bingley's sisters?

A. They were poor and uneducated.
B. They had insulted her sister Jane directly.
C. She saw their pride and was not swayed by any flattery towards herself.
D. They refused to speak to anyone at the assembly.

Q2. What is the uncertainty regarding Mr. Bingley's future residence?

A. Whether he will lose his inheritance.
B. Whether he will buy an estate or just keep renting Netherfield.
C. Whether he will move back to the north of England.
D. Whether he will sell Netherfield to his sisters.

答案提示

Q1: C. 文中提到伊丽莎白观察敏锐（quickness of observation），且因为对方没有向她献殷勤（unassailed by any attention to herself），以此她的判断未受干扰，看出了她们的骄傲（proud and conceited）。
Q2: B. 第二段提到虽然他打算买房，但因为性格随遇而安（easiness of his temper），大家怀疑他可能就在内瑟菲尔德（Netherfield）租住下去，不再买地了。