Pride and Prejudice · chapter 5 of 8
The Proposal in Kent
肯特的求婚
Elizabeth visits her friend Charlotte in Kent, and a stormy evening brings the last visitor she expects: Mr. Darcy, with words she will never forget.
Read what you hear
- Narrator 春天到了，伊丽莎白去肯特看望她的好朋友夏洛特，夏洛特后来嫁给了柯林斯先生。
Chūntiān dào le, Yīlìshābái qù Kěntè kànwàng tā de hǎo péngyou Xiàluòtè, Xiàluòtè hòulái jià gěi le Kēlínsī xiānsheng.
Spring came, and Elizabeth went to Kent to visit her good friend Charlotte, who had since married Mr. Collins.
- Charlotte Lucas 伊丽莎白，欢迎你！你看，这是我的小花园，是不是很漂亮？
Yīlìshābái, huānyíng nǐ! Nǐ kàn, zhè shì wǒ de xiǎo huāyuán, shì bu shì hěn piàoliang?
Elizabeth, welcome! Look, this is my little garden. Isn't it lovely?
- Elizabeth Bennet 很漂亮。可是夏洛特，我还是不明白，你为什么会嫁给柯林斯先生？
Hěn piàoliang. Kěshì Xiàluòtè, wǒ háishi bù míngbai, nǐ wèishénme huì jià gěi Kēlínsī xiānsheng?
It's lovely. But Charlotte, I still don't understand why you married Mr. Collins.
Chapter 5 is part of SayMei Stories ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Chapter 1 of Pride and Prejudice is free, and so are The Second Cup of Tea, Mulan, The Butterfly Lovers, Journey to the West: The Monkey King, Cinderella, The Night of the Nian, Chang'e and the Moon, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, Aesop's Fables, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Ugly Duckling, Pangu and Nüwa: How the World Began, Beauty and the Beast, The Magic Lotus Lantern, Alice in Wonderland, Zhong Kui the Demon Queller, The Odyssey, Robin Hood, Jiang Ziya Goes Fishing, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Kitchen God from start to finish.
- Charlotte Lucas 我已经二十七岁了，没有钱，也不再年轻。我不需要浪漫，我只需要一个安全的家。
Wǒ yǐjīng èrshíqī suì le, méiyǒu qián, yě bú zài niánqīng. Wǒ bù xūyào làngmàn, wǒ zhǐ xūyào yí gè ānquán de jiā.
I'm twenty-seven, I have no money, and I'm not young anymore. I don't need romance. I need a safe home.
- Elizabeth Bennet 我明白了……我只是希望你能真的快乐。
Wǒ míngbai le… Wǒ zhǐshì xīwàng nǐ néng zhēn de kuàilè.
I understand… I only hope you'll be truly happy.
- Mr. Collins 各位！请看那边那座大房子，那就是罗辛斯，凯瑟琳夫人的家！
Gèwèi! Qǐng kàn nà biān nà zuò dà fángzi, nà jiù shì Luóxīnsī, Kǎisèlín fūrén de jiā!
Everyone! Look over there at the big house. That is Rosings, Lady Catherine's home!
- Mr. Collins 夫人今晚请我们去吃饭，她说过，我们要是不去，就是对她不礼貌。
Fūrén jīnwǎn qǐng wǒmen qù chīfàn, tā shuō guo, wǒmen yàoshi bú qù, jiùshì duì tā bù lǐmào.
Her ladyship has invited us to dinner tonight. She said that if we don't go, it would be impolite to her.
- Mr. Collins 夫人还说我们家的门太矮了，她明天会亲自来告诉我们怎么修！
Fūrén hái shuō wǒmen jiā de mén tài ǎi le, tā míngtiān huì qīnzì lái gàosu wǒmen zěnme xiū!
Her ladyship also says our door is too low, and tomorrow she will come herself to tell us how to fix it!
- Elizabeth Bennet 夏洛特，他是不是每天都要这样夸凯瑟琳夫人？
Xiàluòtè, tā shì bu shì měitiān dōu yào zhèyàng kuā Kǎisèlín fūrén?
Charlotte, does he praise Lady Catherine like this every single day?
- Charlotte Lucas 每天，每个小时。可是我已经学会了，在他说话的时候去看我的花。
Měitiān, měi ge xiǎoshí. Kěshì wǒ yǐjīng xuéhuì le, zài tā shuōhuà de shíhou qù kàn wǒ de huā.
Every day, every hour. But I've learned to go and look at my flowers while he talks.
- Mr. Collins 你们在说什么？是不是在夸我的花园？这些花都是我亲自选的！
Nǐmen zài shuō shénme? Shì bu shì zài kuā wǒ de huāyuán? Zhèxiē huā dōu shì wǒ qīnzì xuǎn de!
What are you talking about? Are you praising my garden? I chose every one of these flowers myself!
- Mr. Collins 对了！夫人的外甥达西先生也来了，他今天早上刚到罗辛斯！
Duì le! Fūrén de wàishēng Dáxī xiānsheng yě lái le, tā jīntiān zǎoshang gāng dào Luóxīnsī!
Oh yes! Her ladyship's nephew Mr. Darcy has come too. He arrived at Rosings this very morning!
- Elizabeth Bennet 达西先生？他……怎么会来这儿？
Dáxī xiānsheng? Tā… zěnme huì lái zhèr?
Mr. Darcy? Why… would he come here?
- Charlotte Lucas 你头疼，今晚就别去夫人家了。你听，有人敲门……是达西先生！我们先出去了。
Nǐ tóuténg, jīnwǎn jiù bié qù fūrén jiā le. Nǐ tīng, yǒu rén qiāo mén… shì Dáxī xiānsheng! Wǒmen xiān chūqù le.
You have a headache, so don't go to her ladyship's tonight. Listen, someone's knocking… It's Mr. Darcy! We'll step out.
- Mr. Darcy 伊丽莎白小姐……我有话想对你说，可以请你听我说完吗？
Yīlìshābái xiǎojie… wǒ yǒu huà xiǎng duì nǐ shuō, kěyǐ qǐng nǐ tīng wǒ shuō wán ma?
Miss Elizabeth… I have something to say to you. May I ask you to hear me out?
- Elizabeth Bennet 达西先生，您的脸色不太好，是身体不舒服吗？
Dáxī xiānsheng, nín de liǎnsè bú tài hǎo, shì shēntǐ bù shūfu ma?
Mr. Darcy, you look pale. Are you unwell?
- Mr. Darcy 不，我没有生病。这几个月，我一直想忘记你，可是我怎么也做不到。
Bù, wǒ méiyǒu shēngbìng. Zhè jǐ gè yuè, wǒ yìzhí xiǎng wàngjì nǐ, kěshì wǒ zěnme yě zuò bú dào.
No, I'm not ill. For months I've tried to forget you, and I simply cannot.
- Mr. Darcy 我和自己的心争了很久，我本来不该爱上身份比我低的人，但是我爱你，请你嫁给我。
Wǒ hé zìjǐ de xīn zhēng le hěn jiǔ, wǒ běnlái bù gāi ài shàng shēnfèn bǐ wǒ dī de rén, dànshì wǒ ài nǐ, qǐng nǐ jià gěi wǒ.
I have fought my own heart for a long time. I should not have fallen for someone of lower rank, but I love you. Please marry me.
- Elizabeth Bennet 您这是在求婚，还是在骂人？
Nín zhè shì zài qiúhūn, háishi zài mà rén?
Is this a proposal, or an insult?
- Mr. Darcy 我说的都是实话！我以为你会很高兴，还会感谢我。
Wǒ shuō de dōu shì shíhuà! Wǒ yǐwéi nǐ huì hěn gāoxìng, hái huì gǎnxiè wǒ.
I speak only the truth! I thought you would be glad, and even thank me.
- Elizabeth Bennet 对不起，我必须拒绝您。您一开口就看不起我的家人，我怎么可能爱上您？
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ bìxū jùjué nín. Nín yì kāikǒu jiù kànbuqǐ wǒ de jiārén, wǒ zěnme kěnéng ài shàng nín?
I'm sorry, but I must refuse you. You began by looking down on my family. How could I possibly fall in love with you?
- Mr. Darcy 就因为这个吗？还有别的原因吗？请你告诉我。
Jiù yīnwèi zhège ma? Hái yǒu biéde yuányīn ma? Qǐng nǐ gàosu wǒ.
Is that all? Is there any other reason? Please tell me.
- Elizabeth Bennet 有！你把宾利先生从简的身边带走了，让我姐姐一整个冬天都在哭！
Yǒu! Nǐ bǎ Bīnlì xiānsheng cóng Jiǎn de shēnbiān dàizǒu le, ràng wǒ jiějie yì zhěnggè dōngtiān dōu zài kū!
Yes! You took Mr. Bingley away from Jane, and made my sister cry all winter!
- Mr. Darcy 我承认，我确实劝他离开了。我觉得你姐姐并不是真心爱他。
Wǒ chéngrèn, wǒ quèshí quàn tā líkāi le. Wǒ juéde nǐ jiějie bìng bú shì zhēnxīn ài tā.
I admit it. I did persuade him to leave. I thought your sister did not truly love him.
- Elizabeth Bennet 你还对威克姆先生那么残忍，让他一生都过得那么苦！
Nǐ hái duì Wēikèmǔ xiānsheng nàme cánrěn, ràng tā yìshēng dōu guò de nàme kǔ!
And you were so cruel to Mr. Wickham, and left him to a life of hardship!
- Mr. Darcy 威克姆？原来你听过他的话……好，我明白了。
Wēikèmǔ? Yuánlái nǐ tīng guo tā de huà… Hǎo, wǒ míngbai le.
Wickham? So you've heard his side… I see.
- Elizabeth Bennet 就算你是全英国最有钱的人，我也不会嫁给你！
Jiùsuàn nǐ shì quán Yīngguó zuì yǒuqián de rén, wǒ yě bú huì jià gěi nǐ!
Even if you were the richest man in all England, I would never marry you!
- Mr. Darcy 我明白了，对不起，打扰你了。明天早上，我会给你一封信，你会看到真相。
Wǒ míngbai le, duìbuqǐ, dǎrǎo nǐ le. Míngtiān zǎoshang, wǒ huì gěi nǐ yì fēng xìn, nǐ huì kàndào zhēnxiàng.
I understand. I'm sorry to have disturbed you. Tomorrow morning I will give you a letter, and you will see the truth.
- Elizabeth Bennet 真相？他还有什么真相……我的手为什么在发抖？
Zhēnxiàng? Tā hái yǒu shénme zhēnxiàng… Wǒ de shǒu wèishénme zài fādǒu?
The truth? What truth could he have… Why are my hands shaking?
- Elizabeth Bennet 我明明很生气，可是他走的时候，我怎么会有一点儿难过？
Wǒ míngmíng hěn shēngqì, kěshì tā zǒu de shíhou, wǒ zěnme huì yǒu yìdiǎnr nánguò?
I'm furious, so why did I feel a little sad when he left?
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- Why did Charlotte marry Mr. Collins?
“我不需要浪漫，我只需要一个安全的家。”
- How does Charlotte cope with Mr. Collins's endless praise of Lady Catherine?
“在他说话的时候去看我的花”
- What does Darcy say about Elizabeth's family when he proposes?
“我本来不该爱上身份比我低的人”
- Why is Elizabeth so angry with Darcy?
“你把宾利先生从简的身边带走了”……“你还对威克姆先生那么残忍”
- What does Darcy promise as he leaves?
“明天早上，我会给你一封信，你会看到真相。”