傲慢与偏见

精读《傲慢与偏见》26：伊丽莎白怎样反击达西的观察？

达西开始留意伊丽莎白的谈话，伊丽莎白察觉后并不退缩，反而用玩笑和谚语把尴尬变成表演。

这一段来自《傲慢与偏见》第六章。这一段不是普通调情，而是一场视线权力的转换：达西观察她，伊丽莎白立刻让他知道自己也看见了他的观察。

English Text: Mr. Darcy’s Attention and Elizabeth’s Wit

He began to wish to know more of her; and, as a step towards conversing with her himself, attended to her conversation with others. His doing so drew her notice. It was at Sir William Lucas’s, where a large party were assembled.

“What does Mr. Darcy mean,” said she to Charlotte, “by listening to my conversation with Colonel Forster?”

“That is a question which Mr. Darcy only can answer.”

“But if he does it any more, I shall certainly let him know that I see what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.”

On his approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention such a subject to him, which immediately provoking Elizabeth to do it, she turned to him and said,--

“Did not you think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself uncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton?”

“With great energy; but it is a subject which always makes a lady energetic.”

“You are severe on us.”

“It will be her turn soon to be teased,” said Miss Lucas. “I am going to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know what follows.”

“You are a very strange creature by way of a friend!--always wanting me to play and sing before anybody and everybody! If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable; but as it is, I would really rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best performers.” On Miss Lucas’s persevering, however, she added, “Very well; if it must be so, it must.” And gravely glancing at Mr. Darcy, “There is a very fine old saying, which everybody here is of course familiar with--‘Keep your breath to cool your porridge,’--and I shall keep mine to swell my song.”

中文翻译：达西先生的关注与伊丽莎白的机智

他开始希望能更多地了解她；作为亲自与她交谈的一步，他开始留心她与旁人的对话。他这一举动引起了她的注意。这事发生在威廉·卢卡斯爵士家，当时那里正举办盛大的聚会。

“达西先生是什么意思，”她对夏洛特说，“为什么要偷听我和福斯特上校的谈话？”

“这个问题恐怕只有达西先生自己能回答了。”

“但他要是再这么做，我一定要让他知道我已经看穿他的意图了。他的眼神极具讽刺意味，如果我不先发制人，表现得无礼些，很快就会对他心生畏惧。”

随后不久，当他向她们走来时——尽管看起来并不打算说话——卢卡斯小姐激将她的朋友向他提起这个话题。这立刻激起了伊丽莎白的斗志，她转向他说道：——

“达西先生，刚才我缠着福斯特上校要在梅里屯举办舞会时，您不觉得我表达得特别好吗？”

“确实充满活力；不过这个话题总能让女士们充满活力。”

“您对我们太严苛了。”

“很快就轮到她被捉弄了，”卢卡斯小姐说，“我要去打开琴盖了，伊莱莎，你知道接下来该做什么。”

“你作为朋友真是个古怪的人！——总是想让我在所有人面前弹琴唱歌！如果我的虚荣心恰好在音乐方面，那你真是无价之宝；但事实并非如此，我真的不想在那些听惯了顶级演奏的人面前献丑。”但在卢卡斯小姐的坚持下，她还是补充道，“好吧；既然非这样不可，那就这样吧。”她严肃地瞥了达西先生一眼，“有一句非常精彩的老话，想必在座各位都很熟悉——‘留着口气吹凉你的粥’（省省力气）——而我要留着我的气力去高歌一曲。”

阅读提示：伊丽莎白把“被观察”改写成“我来开场”

这一段不是普通调情，而是一场视线权力的转换：达西观察她，伊丽莎白立刻让他知道自己也看见了他的观察。

奥斯汀的厉害之处，是她常常用社交动作写人物心理。一次拜访、一句玩笑、一个拒绝，表面是礼节，里面却有判断、阶层意识、自尊和误会。

这一段也可以当作阅读训练：先看谁在说话，再看这句话想达成什么效果，最后再回到具体英文词句。

重点词汇

satirical /səˈtɪrɪkl/ adj. — 讽刺的，爱挖苦的
原文例句：He has a very satirical eye, looking for faults in others.

impertinent /ɪmˈpɜːrtnənt/ adj. — 无礼的，鲁莽的（此处指俏皮的冒犯）
原文例句：She decided to be impertinent to hide her nervousness.

defy /dɪˈfaɪ/ v. — 激将，挑战；违抗
原文例句：Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention the subject to him.

vanity /ˈvænəti/ n. — 虚荣心
原文例句：If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would be invaluable.

长难句解析

1. On his approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention such a subject to him.

说明：这句话包含了一个时间状语结构和一个让步插入语。'On his approaching them' 是介词短语作时间状语，表示动作发生的时间。'though without seeming...' 是让步状语，表示尽管他看起来不想说话。主句是 'Miss Lucas defied her friend'。

结构：时间状语 (On his approaching...) + 让步状语 (though without...) + 主语 (Miss Lucas) + 谓语 (defied) + 宾语 (her friend) + 不定式补语 (to mention...)

2. If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable; but as it is, I would really rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best performers.

说明：前半部分是一个虚拟语气条件句，表示与过去或现在的某种情况相反的假设（如果我的虚荣心在于音乐...）。后半部分 'as it is' 回到现实情况，接一个定语从句修饰 'those'。

结构：虚拟条件句 (If... had taken..., you would have been...) + 转折 (but as it is) + 主句 (I would rather not...) + 定语从句 (who must be in the habit...)

今日测验

Q1. Why does Elizabeth decide to speak to Mr. Darcy about his eavesdropping?

A. Because she wants to flirt with him openly.
B. Because she is afraid of him and wants to leave.
C. Because Charlotte dared her to, and she wants to prevent herself from being intimidated.
D. Because she wants to ask him for a dance.

Q2. What does the phrase 'Keep your breath to cool your porridge' imply in this context?

A. The porridge is too hot to eat.
B. One should save their energy for their own affairs rather than criticizing others.
C. Singing requires a lot of breath control.
D. Elizabeth is inviting everyone to dinner.