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TWO days after Mr. Bennet's return, as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together in the shrubbery behind the house, they saw the housekeeper coming towards them, and concluding that she came to call them to their mother, went forward to meet her; but, instead of the expected summons, when they approached her she said to Miss Bennet, "I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you, but I was in hopes you might have got some good news from town, so I took the liberty of coming to ask."
班纳特先生回来两天了。那天吉英和伊丽莎白正在屋后的矮树林里散步，只见管家奶奶朝她俩走来，她们以为是母亲打发她来叫她们回去的，于是迎面走上前去。到了那个管家奶奶跟前，才发觉事出意外，原来她并不是来叫她们的。她对吉英说：“小姐，请原谅我打断了你们的谈话，不过，我料想你们一定获得了从城里来的好消息，所以我来大胆地问一问。”
"What do you mean, Hill? We have heard nothing from town."
“你这话怎么讲，希尔？我们没有听到一点儿城里来的消息。”
"Dear madam," cried Mrs. Hill, in great astonishment, "don't you know there is an express come for master from Mr. Gardiner? He has been here this half hour, and master has had a letter."
希尔奶奶惊奇地嚷道：“亲爱的小姐，嘉丁纳先生打发了一个专差给主人送来一封信，难道你们不知道吗？他已经来了半个钟头啦。”
Away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech. They ran through the vestibule into the breakfast room; from thence to the library; their father was in neither; and they were on the point of seeking him up stairs with their mother, when they were met by the butler, who said, "If you are looking for my master, ma'am, he is walking towards the little copse."
两位小姐拔脚就跑，急急忙忙跑回家去，话也来不及说了。她们俩跑进大门口，来到起坐间，再从起坐间来到书房，两处地方都没有见到父亲，正要上楼梯到母亲那儿去找他，又碰到了厨子，厨子说：“小姐，你们是在找主人吧，他正往小树林里去散步呢。”
Upon this information, they instantly passed through the hall once more, and ran across the lawn after their father, who was deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the paddock.
她们听到这话，又走过穿堂，跑过一片草地，去找父亲，只见父亲正在从容不迫地向围场旁边的一座小树林走去。
Jane, who was not so light, nor so much in the habit of running, as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath, came up with him, and eagerly cried out, "Oh, Papa, what news? what news? Have you heard from my uncle?"
吉英没有伊丽莎白那么玲珑，也没有她那么会跑，因此一下子就落后了，只见妹妹已经上气不接下气地跑到了父亲跟前，迫不及待地嚷道：“爸爸，有了什么消息？你接到舅父的信了吗？”
"Yes, I have had a letter from him by express."
“是的，他打发专人送了封信来。”
"Well, and what news does it bring? good or bad?"
“唔，信里说些什么消息呢──好消息还是坏消息？”
"What is there of good to be expected?" said he, taking the letter from his pocket; "but perhaps you would like to read it."
“哪来好消息？”他一面说，一面从口袋里掏出信来。“也许你倒高兴看一看。”
Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand. Jane now came up.
伊丽莎白性急地从他手里接过信来。吉英也赶上来了。
"Read it aloud," said their father, "for I hardly know myself what it is about."
“念出来吧，”父亲说，“我几乎也不知道信上讲些什么。”
"Gracechurch-street, Monday, August 2.---MY DEAR BROTHER, At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were.
"亲爱的姐夫：我终于能够告诉你一些有关外甥女的消息了，希望这个消息大体上能叫你满意。总算侥幸，你星期六走了以后，我立刻打听出他们俩在伦敦的住址。
