DAY 4
2 Jane's Illness （2-1）
1. Mr. Bennet had a comfortable income of two thousand a year， and a pleasant house in Longbourn. But, unfortunately for his daughters, after his death all his property would pass to a distant male relation．Mrs. Bennet's father had been a lawyer，and had only left his daughter a small amount of money. She had a brother who owned shops in London， and she also had a sister， married to a Mr. Philips. He had been her father's clerk，and now carried on his late（已故的） employer's business．
2. Mr. and Mrs. Philips lived in Meryton, which was only a kilometre or so from the village of Longbourn．It was a most convenient distance for the Bennet girls, who were usually tempted there three or four times a week，to visit their aunt or a dress- maker who lived opposite．The youngest daughters, Kitty and Lydia，were particularly regular visitors．Their minds were more vacant than their sisters，and if no better entertainment was available，a walk to Meryton always provided some amusement, as well as interesting local news from their aunt．
3. The latest news, which delighted Kitty and Lydia, was that the regiment （兵团）,which had recently arrived in Meryton was to stay there for the whole winter.The two girls now visited their aunt every day, and as Mr. Philips knew all the officers，Kitty and Lydia were soon introduced to them．At home they could talk of nothing but officers and their handsome uniforms（军装，制服）：even Mr. Bingley's fortune now seemed hardly worth considering．
4. After listening to their praise of the officers one morning， Mr. Bennet said coolly，‘From what I can see，you must be two of the silliest girls in the country．I've suspected it for some time，but now I'm convinced．’
5. Kitty was embarrassed and did not reply，but Lydia，the youngest， continued to express her admiration for a certain Captain Carter， with perfect indifference．
6. ‘I am very surprised，my dear，’said Mrs. Bennet，‘that you should be so ready to think your own children silly．As it happens， they are all very clever．’
7. ‘That is the only point，I think, on which we do not agree．I am afraid I must say that I consider our two youngest daughters unusually foolish．’
8. ‘My dear Mr. Bennet, you mustn't expect such young girls to have the common sense of their father or mother．I remember when I used to like a red coat myself, and indeed I still do．If a good-looking officer with five or six thousand a year wanted to marry one of my girls, I wouldn't turn him down．And I thought Colonel Forster looked very handsome last night at Sir William's，in his regimental uniform．’
9. Just then a servant entered with a note for Jane, which had come from Netherfield．Mrs. Bennet's eyes shone with pleasure and she called out eagerly， while her daughter was reading it，‘Well，Jane, who is it from？ What does he say? Tell us, tell us quickly，my love！’
10. ‘It's from Miss Bingley,’ said Jane．‘She invites me to dinner at Netherfield，as she and her sister are alone．It seems her brother and the gentlemen are having dinner with the officers，in Meryton．’
11. ‘With the officers！’cried Lydia．‘I wonder why aunt Philips didn't tell us that！’
‘Having dinner in Meryton,’ repeated Mrs. Bennet， shaking her head．‘That's very unlucky．’
‘May I take the carriage？’asked Jane．
‘No， my dear， you'd better ride over there， because it looks likely to rain，and then you’ll have to stay the night．’
‘That would be a good plan，’said Elizabeth to her mother，‘if you were sure they wouldn't offer to send her home in their carriage．’
‘Oh, but they can't！The gentlemen must have taken Mr. Bingley's carriage to go to Meryton．’
‘I'd much rather go in the carriage，’Jane said．
‘But，my dear，your father can't spare the horses， I'm sure．They're needed on the farm， aren't they， Mr. Bennet？’
Mr. Bennet finally agreed that they were in fact being used that day in the fields．So Jane set out on her horse，while her mother called cheerfully after her，‘I do hope it’ll rain heavily，my love！’And Jane had not been gone for long before it rained hard．Elizabeth was a little worried about her sister，but Mrs. Bennet was delighted．‘What a good idea of mine that was！’ she said more than once, extremely pleased with herself．
NOTES:
1. 从para.1可以了解一下Jane Austen时期的财产继承制度。
Mr. Bennet每年2000英镑，当时一家七口可以过上舒适的生活了。但他如果去世了，谁来继承他的财产呢？妻子？女儿？ NO NO NO，是远房亲戚。
在18- 19世纪的英国，不动产继承制度上实行长子继承制。当时人们的主要财产为不动产，动产在个人财产中一般只占很小比例。此外，当时英国社会还存在限定继承权。即对于没有儿子的家庭，其不动产由男性亲属继承。这也就意味着一旦Mr. Bennet去世，他的老婆孩子都无家可归了，难怪可怜的MRS.Bennet一心要教女儿们钓金龟婿的。
2. 看看原文是怎么说的吧：
原文赏析：
Mr. Bennet's property consisted almost entirely in an estate（庄园;不动产产）of two thousand a year, which, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed（限定继承）, in default of heirs male, on a distant relation; and their mother's fortune, though ample for her situation in life, could but ill （hardly）supply the deficiency of his. Her father had been an attorney（律师） in Meryton, and had left her four thousand pounds.
estate: 房地产;不动产权
consist in: 包括，包含
in default of: 在缺少..的情况下
entail :对于这个词，最普及的意思就是“需要”的意思，但作为动词时，它还有个比较少见的意思，即“限定继承”，limit the inheritance of property to a specific class of heirs
e.g. He would have sold the property long ago had it not been entailed.
这些财产若非限定继承的话，他早就卖掉了。
ill： 这里相当于hardly
“which, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed, in default of heirs male, on a distant relation;” which引导的修饰“estate” 的定语从句，从句的主干是“which ... was entailed ... on a distant relation”，其他的是几个补充信息的插入语。
大意: Mr. Bennet的全部家当几乎都在一宗产业上，每年可以借此获得两千镑的收入。说起这宗产业，真是她女儿们的不幸。因为他没有儿子，产业得有一个远亲来继承。
