5 Mr. Collins proposes twice (5-1)

                                        柯林斯先生求婚两次

DAY 15 (Mar. 14)

At Longbourn the next day，soon after breakfast，Mr. Collins asked Mrs. Bennet for permission (请求sb.允许）to speak privately to Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet was delighted，and hurried the other girls out of the room，so that Elizabeth and Mr. Collins were left alone together．Elizabeth did not want to stay，and got up to leave，but after a moment's thought，sat down again quietly，determined to listen and reply politely．

‘My dear Miss Elizabeth，said Mr. Collins seriously，‘this little unwillingness to hear me，this modesty of yours，can only add to your other charms(增加魅力)．You can hardly doubt the purpose of my speech．Almost as soon as I entered the house，I chose you as the companion of my future life．But before I am carried away by my feelings，I think I should state my reasons for marrying．

Elizabeth was trying so hard not to laugh at the idea of Mr Collins being carried away by his feelings that she was unable to reply．

‘First,’ he continued，‘it is right for a priest to marry，as an example to other people. Secondly，I'm sure marriage will add greatly to my happiness，and thirdly，which perhaps I should have mentioned earlier，my generous patron(资助人) has advised me to marry．“Find an active，useful sort of person，”she told me，“a woman who can make a small income go a long way．Bring her to Hunsford as your wife，and I’ll visit her.” So I decided to choose a wife from among my Bennet cousins，to lessen the loss to the family when the sad event of your father's death takes place．I flatter myself that you will appreciate my motives．And now，nothing remains but to convince you of the violence of my affection．I am quite indifferent to the fact that you bring little money with you into our marringe，and promise you that I shall make no ungenerous reference to this after we are married．’

It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now．

‘Sir，you forget I have given no answer．Accept my thanks for the compliment （恭维）you are paying me，but it is impossible for me to accept your proposal．’

‘Of course I understand，’said Mr Collins，‘that young ladies often do not accept a proposal of marriage（接受求婚） the first time． I am therefore not at all discouraged，and sincerely hope we shall be married soon．’

‘Sir，’cried Elizabeth，‘your hope is rather extraordinary after what I've said！I am perfectly serious．You could not make me happy，and I'm convinced I'm the last woman in the world who would make you happy．And I'm sure that if Lady Catherine knew me，she would find me poorly qualified（不称职的） for the situation．’

‘If I knew Lady Catherine thought so—’began Mr. Collins，looking very worried．‘But I cannot imagine she would disapprove of you．And when I have the honour of seeing her again，I shall certainly tell her how modest，economical and practical you are．’

‘Indeed，Mr. Collins，all praise of me will be unnecessary． Pay me the compliment of believing what I say．I hope you will be very happy and very rich，but I cannot accept your proposal.’ She got up and was going to leave the room，but Mr Collins was speaking to her again．

‘I am far from accusing (指责/指控） you of cruelty in refusing me，as I know it is the custom with elegant ladies in society to refuse a gentleman the first time．I hope to receive a more favourable answer next time I speak to you of marriage．’

‘Really，Mr. Collins,’ cried Elizabeth with some warmth，‘you do puzzle me！I do not know how to express my refusal so that it convinces you！’

‘You must allow me to flatter myself，dear cousin，that you do not intend to refuse me for long．My situation in life，my connections with the de Bourgh family，and my relationship to your own，all make my proposal a very suitable one．And you should remember that in spite of your many admirable qualities，it is not certain that you will receive any other offer of marriage，as you have very little money of your own．’

‘Sir，thank you again for the honour you have done me，but to accept your proposal is absolutely impossible．Can I speak plainer than that？Don't think of me as an elegant female，but as a thinking creature speaking the truth from her heart！’

Task for Pride and Prejudice 15

NOTES:

1. ask sb. for permission 请求sb.允许

2. add to your charms(增加魅力)

3. ...this little unwillingness to hear me，this modesty of yours，can only add to your other charms

你稍许的推却、你的怕羞害臊更增添了你的魅力。

4. I chose you as the companion of my future life．选你做我的人生伴侣

5. before I am carried away by my feelings  在我被感情冲昏头脑之前...

be carried away...忘乎所以;陶醉

如：One mustn't be carried away by one's successes.  在胜利面前不要忘乎所以。

6. I shall certainly tell her how modest，economical and practical you are．’

 modest，economical and practical 谦逊，节俭，心灵手巧的（useful； handy）,这3个词应该基本概括了Collins找妻子的标准了。

7. Don't think of me as an elegant female，but as a thinking creature speaking the truth from her heart！’

不要把我看成高雅的女性，把我看成一个能从心底说真话的会思考的人吧!”

8. Accept my thanks for the compliment （恭维）（you are paying me），but it is impossible for me to accept your proposal．

Pay sb. compliment 恭维sb.; 赞美sb.

accept your proposal接受你的求婚。propose vt.---proposal  n. 求婚

背景知识

it is right for a priest to marry.

问：教会的神职人员可以结婚吗？

答： 答案取决于不同的宗教。

基督新教的牧师、长老都可以结婚，有些除了在教会侍奉在社会上还有自己的工作（也就是兼职）。

但天主教神父和修女是不可结婚的；如澳大利亚作家的 《荆棘鸟》里的男主是神父，为了他追求的“上帝”，他抛弃了美丽少女梅吉，然而内心又极度矛盾和痛苦。