傲慢与偏见

精读《傲慢与偏见》50：贝内特太太越夸越得罪人

贝内特太太夸威廉爵士"见谁都有话说"才叫有教养，转脸就贬"自以为重要、金口难开"的人；她越想显摆女儿的体面，越把虚荣和失礼摊在众人面前。

这一段来自《傲慢与偏见》第九章。它的看点是：贝内特太太每夸一个人，就顺手贬低另一个——借"有教养"指桑骂槐地戳沉默的达西，又拿夏洛特反衬自家女儿，说者无心，却句句自曝虚荣。

English Text: A Compliment That Cuts Both Ways

Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his countenance. His sister was less delicate, and directed her eye towards Mr. Darcy with a very expressive smile. Elizabeth, for the sake of saying something that might turn her mother’s thoughts, now asked her if Charlotte Lucas had been at Longbourn since her coming away.

“Yes, she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable man Sir William is, Mr. Bingley--is not he? so much the man of fashion! so genteel and so easy! He has always something to say to everybody. That is my idea of good breeding; and those persons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths quite mistake the matter.”

“Did Charlotte dine with you?”

“No, she would go home. I fancy she was wanted about the mince-pies. For my part, Mr. Bingley, I always keep servants that can do their own work; my daughters are brought up differently. But everybody is to judge for themselves, and the Lucases are a very good sort of girls, I assure you. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not that I think Charlotte so very plain; but then she is our particular friend.”

中文翻译：夸着夸着，就得罪了满屋子人

唯有出于对伊丽莎白的顾念，宾利先生才勉强绷住了脸没笑出来。他妹妹可没这么客气，冲着达西先生投去意味深长的一笑。伊丽莎白想找点话岔开母亲的思路，便问她：自己离家之后，夏洛特·卢卡斯有没有来过浪博恩。

“来过，她昨天和她父亲一起来的。宾利先生，威廉爵士真是个讨人喜欢的人，您说是不是？那么有派头！那么文雅，那么随和！他跟谁都能聊上几句。在我看来，这才叫有教养；至于那些自以为了不起、却金口难开的人，可就大错特错了。”

“夏洛特留下来跟你们吃饭了吗？”

“没有，她非要回家去。我猜是家里做肉馅饼要人搭把手吧。宾利先生，就我个人来说，我雇的仆人都能自己把活儿干利索；我的女儿们，教养方式可不一样。不过嘛，各人有各人的看法，卢卡斯家的姑娘们确实都是好孩子，我跟您担保。可惜她们长得都不出挑！我倒不是说夏洛特有多难看，只是她到底是我们的至交好友嘛。”

阅读提示：她的每一句"夸奖"，都在得罪另一个人

贝内特太太每夸一个人，就顺手贬低另一个——借"有教养"指桑骂槐地戳沉默的达西，又拿夏洛特反衬自家女儿，说者无心，却句句自曝虚荣。

奥斯汀这里的高明之处，是让贝内特太太自己把自己写坏。她本想显得懂社交、有见识，可她夸威廉爵士"见谁都有话说"才叫 good breeding，紧接着一句"那些自以为重要、金口难开的人"，恰好把当场沉默的达西钉在了反面。她并非有意冒犯，正因为无意，才更暴露她判断人的标准有多浅。

再看她怎么写自家：夏洛特"回家做肉馅饼"，被她轻轻一转，就成了"我的女儿们受的教养不一样"的垫脚石；夸一句"卢卡斯家的姑娘都是好孩子"，转头又补一刀"可惜长得不漂亮"。读这一段时，可以数一数：她每开一次口，得罪了谁、又抬高了谁；而全场唯一还绷得住的，是顾着伊丽莎白体面的宾利。

重点词汇

countenance /ˈkaʊntənəns/ noun — 神情，面容；(keep one's ~) 绷住脸，保持镇定
原文例句：Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his countenance.
这个词是这一段的"情绪温度计"：宾利要 keep his countenance，说明贝内特太太的话已经好笑到让人想笑，只是碍于伊丽莎白才忍住。

genteel /dʒɛnˈtiːl/ adj — 文雅有教养的；有派头的
原文例句：so genteel and so easy!
贝内特太太用它来夸威廉爵士，但她心里的"genteel"只等于"能说会道"，恰恰暴露了她对"教养"的理解有多表面。

breeding /ˈbriːdɪŋ/ noun — 教养；从小养成的举止
原文例句：That is my idea of good breeding.
她把 good breeding 定义成"逢人就有话说"，这句自信的断言，反而成了她自己缺乏分寸的证据。

fancy /ˈfænsi/ verb — 自以为；想当然地认为
原文例句：those persons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths...
fancy 在这里带贬义——"自以为"重要。讽刺的是，最"fancy themselves"、最想当众显摆的，其实正是说这话的贝内特太太自己。

长难句解析

1. Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his countenance.

说明：Nothing but... 是"除了……之外没有别的"，等于强调"只有……才"。整句意思是：只有出于对伊丽莎白的顾念，宾利才勉强绷住脸没笑出来——反过来说明贝内特太太的话有多失态。

结构：主语(Nothing but concern for Elizabeth) + 谓语(could enable) + 宾语(Bingley) + 宾语补足语(to keep his countenance)

2. Those persons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths quite mistake the matter.

说明：主干是 those persons ... quite mistake the matter；中间的 who 引导定语从句，一口气给"那种人"贴了两个标签。表面在讲道理，实则指桑骂槐，戳的正是在场沉默的达西。

结构：主语(Those persons) + 定语从句(who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths) + 谓语(quite mistake) + 宾语(the matter)

今日测验

Q1. Why does Mrs. Bennet criticize people who "never open their mouths"?

A. She thinks they have bad breath.
B. She prefers people who are quiet and reserved.
C. She is indirectly attacking Mr. Darcy for his silence.
D. She believes talking is the only way to show intelligence.

Q2. What does Mrs. Bennet imply about the Lucas family compared to her own?

A. The Lucases are wealthier.
B. The Lucas daughters have to do housework, unlike her own daughters.
C. The Lucas daughters are more beautiful.
D. The Lucases have better servants.