傲慢与偏见

精读《傲慢与偏见》37：满身泥泞的到访，照出四种态度

伊丽莎白徒步三英里、满身泥泞地赶到内瑟菲尔德探姐；同一个到访，宾利姐妹觉得可鄙，宾利觉得难得善良，达西既倾慕又怀疑，赫斯特先生只顾早餐。

伊丽莎白徒步三英里、满身泥泞地赶到内瑟菲尔德探望病中的姐姐；同一个到访，宾利姐妹觉得可鄙，宾利觉得难得善良，达西既倾慕又怀疑，赫斯特先生只顾早餐。

这一段来自《傲慢与偏见》第七章。它几乎没有情节，却把最要紧的功夫放在一个瞬间上：同一个"满身泥泞的清晨造访"，在四个人眼里照出四种反应，奥斯汀用一个动作，把在场每个人的高下和心思一次照亮。

English Text: A Muddy Arrival at Netherfield

In Meryton they parted: the two youngest repaired to the lodgings of one of the officers’ wives, and Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after field at a quick pace, jumping over stiles and springing over puddles, with impatient activity, and finding herself at last within view of the house, with weary ancles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.

She was shown into the breakfast parlour, where all but Jane were assembled, and where her appearance created a great deal of surprise. That she should have walked three miles so early in the day in such dirty weather, and by herself, was almost incredible to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and Elizabeth was convinced that they held her in contempt for it. She was received, however, very politely by them; and in their brother’s manners there was something better than politeness--there was good-humour and kindness. Mr. Darcy said very little, and Mr. Hurst nothing at all. The former was divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion and doubt as to the occasion’s justifying her coming so far alone. The latter was thinking only of his breakfast.

中文翻译：满身泥泞的清晨造访

在梅里屯，姐妹们分了手：两个最小的妹妹去了一位军官太太的寓所，伊丽莎白则独自继续赶路。她脚步匆匆，一片接一片地穿过田野，急切地翻过一道道梯磴，跨过一个个水洼，终于望见了那所房子；此时她已脚踝酸痛，长袜沾满泥污，脸上因剧烈运动泛着红光。

她被领进早餐室，除了简，众人都聚在那里，她的出现引起了一片惊讶。在这样泥泞的天气里，一大早独自步行三英里，这在赫斯特太太和宾利小姐看来简直不可思议；伊丽莎白也确信，她们正因此而轻视自己。不过，她们接待她时倒还十分客气；而她们兄弟的态度则比客气更进一层——那里头有一种真心的愉快和善意。达西先生话很少，赫斯特先生更是一言不发。前者心里矛盾：一边惊艳于运动为她面色添上的那层光彩，一边又怀疑，是否值得为这点事让她独自跑这么远。后者则一心只惦记着他的早餐。

阅读提示：一个泥点动作，照出四个人的目光

这一段几乎没有情节，奥斯汀却把镜头对准同一个瞬间——伊丽莎白满身泥泞地推门而入——然后依次给了在场每个人一个反应。妙的是这个顺序：先写赫斯特太太和宾利小姐的"almost incredible"与暗藏的 contempt（轻蔑），再写宾利"something better than politeness"的善意，接着才是达西那句最要紧的心理，最后落到赫斯特先生"thinking only of his breakfast"。从鄙夷到善意，从矛盾到麻木，四种目光排成一列，人物的高下一次分明。

真正的重心在达西身上。奥斯汀用了一个精准的结构：他"was divided between admiration ... and doubt"。别人看到的是狼狈，他看到的却是运动带来的红润光彩（brilliancy）；可他同时又端着体统，怀疑一个姑娘独自跑这么远合不合规矩。这句"既动心、又挑剔"的矛盾，正是他日后对伊丽莎白全部态度的起点。

读这一段时，可以带着一个问题：奥斯汀写的其实不是"伊丽莎白怎样到达"，而是"每个人怎样去看她的到达"——同一身泥点，有人只见失礼，有人偏见神采，看见什么，本身就暴露了看的人是谁。

重点词汇

repair /rɪˈpeə(r)/ v.（旧义） — 前往，去往
原文例句：...the two youngest repaired to the lodgings of one of the officers’ wives.
这里的 repair 不是"修理"，而是旧式文学里的用法：动身前往某处。两个小妹一进梅里屯就"repaired to"军官太太的住处——一个词，就把她们心里惦记的到底是谁点得清清楚楚。

stile /staɪl/ n. — 梯磴：翻越田间栅栏或篱笆用的台阶
原文例句：...jumping over stiles and springing over puddles, with impatient activity.
stile 是乡间田埂上供人翻越围篱的小台阶。伊丽莎白"jumping over stiles"——不是端庄地走来，而是一路翻越、跳跃。这个词让她"顾不上体统、只想快点见到姐姐"的急切变得具体可见，也悄悄埋下了宾利姐妹嫌她失礼的由头。

contempt /kənˈtempt/ n. — 轻蔑，鄙夷
原文例句：Elizabeth was convinced that they held her in contempt for it.
hold someone in contempt = 打心底看不起某人。奥斯汀没让宾利姐妹把轻蔑说出口，而是借伊丽莎白的判断写出来——她们表面"very politely"，心里却是 contempt。礼貌与轻蔑并行不悖，正是这两姐妹惯常的做派。

complexion /kəmˈplekʃn/ n. — 面色，气色
原文例句：...admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion.
complexion 指脸上的气色、肤色。同一张脸，宾利姐妹只看见泥污，达西看见的却是运动带来的那层红润光彩（brilliancy）。这个词把两种目光的高下分了开来：轻蔑者见狼狈，倾慕者见神采。

长难句解析

1. That she should have walked three miles so early in the day in such dirty weather, and by herself, was almost incredible to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley.

说明：这是一个主语从句。句首 That 引导的一整句"she should have walked..."整体作主语，真正的谓语是后面的 was。这里的 should have walked 不是"本该走"，而是表达对"她竟然这样做了"的惊讶。主语和谓语之间塞进了三层状语——so early、in such dirty weather、by herself——一层层堆上去，把宾利姐妹的难以置信写得步步升级。

结构：[That she should have walked...] (主语从句) + was (系动词) + almost incredible (表语) + to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley

2. The former was divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion and doubt as to the occasion’s justifying her coming so far alone.

说明：divided between A and B = 在 A 与 B 之间两分、拿不定主意。A 是 admiration（倾慕她运动后红润的光彩），B 是 doubt（怀疑这点事是否值得她独自跑这么远）。admiration 后面跟一个 which 引导的定语从句修饰 brilliancy；doubt 后面用 as to（关于）引出所疑之事。一句话就把达西"既动心、又端着"的矛盾写全了。

结构：The former (主语) + was divided (谓语) + between [admiration...which...] and [doubt as to...] (介词短语)

今日测验

Q1. Why did Elizabeth arrive with dirty stockings?

A. She fell into a ditch.
B. She walked across muddy fields.
C. She forgot to change them before leaving.
D. Her sisters splashed her.

Q2. What was Mr. Darcy's internal reaction to Elizabeth's arrival?

A. He was purely disgusted by her dirty clothes.
B. He was only focused on eating his breakfast.
C. He felt a mix of admiration for her looks and doubt about her propriety.
D. He openly mocked her along with Mrs. Hurst.