傲慢与偏见

精读《傲慢与偏见》41：一个地名"齐普赛街"，就是一句阶层判决

宾利姐妹拿贝内特家"齐普赛街的舅舅"取笑不停；宾利说亲戚再多也不减她们的可爱，达西却冷静补一句——这会大大降低她们嫁给体面人的机会。

这一段来自《傲慢与偏见》第八章。伊丽莎白刚离席，姐妹俩的话锋就转向了整个贝内特家：奥斯汀把势利写得极具体，地名即阶层；而真正扎人的不是姐妹的哄笑，是达西那句冷静的"这会大大降低她们嫁给体面人的机会"，因为它说的是当时的社会现实。

English Text: A Cheapside Uncle and the Price of Connections

“It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing,” said Bingley.

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

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

“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.”

“I think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton?”

“Yes; and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside.”

“That is capital,” added her sister; and they both laughed heartily.

“If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside,” cried Bingley, “it would not make them one jot less agreeable.”

“But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world,” replied Darcy.

To this speech Bingley made no answer; but his sisters gave it their hearty assent, and indulged their mirth for some time at the expense of their dear friend’s vulgar relations.

中文翻译：齐普赛街的舅舅，与门第这道坎

“这说明她对姐姐一片深情，实在讨人喜欢，”宾利说。

“达西先生，恐怕，”宾利小姐压低了声音，“这趟折腾多少让你对她那双漂亮眼睛的赞赏打了折扣吧。”

“完全没有，”他回答，“运动反而让那双眼睛更明亮了。”这话之后是一阵短暂的沉默，赫斯特太太又开了口——

“我非常看重简·贝内特——她确实是个很可爱的姑娘——我打心底希望她能有个好归宿。可有那样一对父母，又有那样低微的亲戚，恐怕她是没什么指望了。”

“我记得听你说过，她们有个舅舅在梅里屯做律师？”

“没错；她们还有一个舅舅，住在齐普赛街附近什么地方。”

“那可真是妙极了，”她妹妹补上一句；两人都开怀大笑起来。

“哪怕她们的舅舅多到能把整条齐普赛街塞满，”宾利大声说，“也不会让她们的可爱减损分毫。”

“可这总归会大大降低她们嫁给体面人家的机会，”达西答道。

对这句话，宾利没有搭腔；他的两个姐妹却深表赞同，拿她们那位亲爱朋友的粗俗亲戚，着实取笑了好一阵。

阅读提示：真正扎人的不是哄笑，是达西那句"冷静的事实"

先看奥斯汀怎么把"势利"写得具体。姐妹俩没有泛泛地嫌贝内特家不好，而是死死咬住一个地名——齐普赛街。那是伦敦的商业区，住在那里就意味着"靠做生意吃饭"。在只认土地和继承的圈子里，一个地名就等于一份出身证明。所以一听说舅舅住齐普赛街，姐姐立刻甩出一句"That is capital"（妙极了），两人放声大笑：让她们高兴的不是这门亲戚，而是又多了一个可以嘲笑的把柄。

真正的分野，藏在三个人的先后表态里。宾利先说话，他把"人本身"和"亲戚"分开：舅舅再多，也不减她们一分可爱（not one jot less agreeable）。可达西紧接着补的那句，才是全段最冷的一刀——他没有笑，也没有骂，只是平静地陈述：这会"very materially lessen"她们嫁给体面人家的机会。姐妹的嘲笑是情绪，达西的话是判断；judgment 比 mockery 更难反驳，因为它说的正是那个社会的现实。

读这一段时，可以留意一个细节：达西开口后，宾利就沉默了（made no answer）。奥斯汀没有解释他为什么不接话，但这份沉默本身值得琢磨——他能替朋友的可爱辩护，却没法反驳门第这道坎。

重点词汇

capital /ˈkæpɪtl/ adj.（旧用法） — 极好的，一流的，妙极了
原文例句：“That is capital,” added her sister; and they both laughed heartily.
这里的 capital 不是"资本、首都"，而是一个旧义感叹词，相当于今天的"太棒了、妙极了"。妙就妙在语气：姐姐用一个满是欣喜的词，去迎接一个本该让人尴尬的消息——对方有个住齐普赛街的舅舅。

vulgar /ˈvʌlɡə(r)/ adj. — 粗俗的；（旧义）平民的、出身低微的
原文例句：...at the expense of their dear friend’s vulgar relations.
注意这是叙述者的用词。奥斯汀让"dear friend"（亲爱的朋友）和"vulgar relations"（粗俗的亲戚）挤在同一句里，等于用姐妹俩的眼光复述这一幕——嘴上叫着亲爱的简，心里却嫌她的亲戚上不了台面。

materially /məˈtɪəriəli/ adv. — 实质地，极大地
原文例句：But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world.
达西挑的不是带情绪的词，而是这个近乎公文的副词。materially 让整句话听起来像在陈述一条可计量的事实，而不是发泄不满。正是这份冷静，让它比姐妹的哄笑更难招架。

agreeable /əˈɡriːəbl/ adj. — 讨人喜欢的，令人愉快的
原文例句：It would not make them one jot less agreeable.
这是宾利的立场词。他把"这个人可不可爱"和"她有什么样的亲戚"分作两码事。把它和达西的 materially 放在一起读，两种价值观的分歧就一目了然。

长难句解析

1. If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside, it would not make them one jot less agreeable.

说明：这是一个与现在事实相反的虚拟条件句（第二类条件句）。宾利用夸张的假设——"舅舅多到能塞满整条齐普赛街"——来反衬自己的态度：哪怕真是这样，也 "not one jot less agreeable"（不减一丝一毫的可爱）。one jot 意为"一点点"，多用于否定，加重了"丝毫不受影响"的语气。

结构：If + 主语 + 过去式(had...), 主语(it) + would + 动词原形(make) + 宾语 + 宾补(less agreeable)

2. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it.

说明：赫斯特太太先用一长串 with 引导的介词短语，把"这样的父母""这样低微的亲戚"一口气摆在前面，最后才落到主句"恐怕没什么指望"。信息顺序本身就是态度：她把定罪的理由前置，结论反倒像顺理成章的宣判。

结构：But + with(原因状语：such a father and mother + such low connections) + 主句(I am afraid there is no chance of it)

今日测验

Q1. Why do Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst laugh when Cheapside is mentioned?

A. Because it is a funny name for a street.
B. Because they have fond memories of that place.
C. Because living there implies a lower social status connected to trade.
D. Because they own property there.

Q2. How does Mr. Bingley's opinion differ from Mr. Darcy's regarding the Bennet sisters' relatives?

A. Bingley hates their relatives, while Darcy likes them.
B. Bingley thinks relatives don't affect personal charm, while Darcy thinks they affect marriage prospects.
C. Bingley agrees with his sisters, while Darcy stays silent.
D. Both men agree that the relatives are wonderful.