This was all overheard by Miss Dashwood; and in the whole of the sentence, in his manner of pronouncing it, and in his addressing her sister by her Christian name alone, she instantly saw an intimacy so decided, a meaning so direct, as marked a perfect agreement between them. From that moment she doubted not of their being engaged to each other; and the belief of it created no other surprise than that she, or any of their friends, should be left by tempers so frank, to discover it by accident.
这一席活都被达什伍德小姐无意中听到了。她从威洛比的整个说话内容,从他说话时的那副神气,从他直称她妹妹的教名,当即发现他们两人如此亲密,如此直率,真可谓情投意合极了。从此刻起,她不再怀疑他们之间已经许定终身。唯一使她感到意外的是,他们两人性情如此坦率,她(或他们的朋友)竟因此而受骗,以至于在无意中她才发现这一秘密。
Margaret related something to her the next day, which placed this matter in a still clearer light. Willoughby had spent the preceding evening with them, and Margaret, by being left some time in the parlour with only him and Marianne, had had opportunity for observations, which, with a most important face, she communicated to her eldest sister, when they were next by themselves.
次日,玛格丽特向她诱露了一些情况,这就使问题更加明朗。头天晚上,威洛比和她们呆在一起,当时客厅里只剩下玛格丽特、威洛比和玛丽安,于是玛格丽特便趁机观察了一香。随后,当她和她大姐单独呆在一起时,她摆出,副神气十足的面孔,向她透个口风。
"Oh, Elinor!" she cried, "I have such a secret to tell you about Marianne. I am sure she will be married to Mr. Willoughby very soon. "
“哎,埃丽诺,”她嚷道,“我想告诉你玛丽安的一个秘密。我敢肯定,她不久就要嫁给威洛比先生,”
"You have said so, " replied Elinor, "almost every day since they first met on High-church Down; and they had not known each other a week, I believe, before you were certain that Marianne wore his picture round her neck; but it turned out to be only the miniature of our great uncle. "
“自从他们在高派教会丘地邂逅以来,”埃丽诺答道,“你几乎天天都这么说。我想他们认识还不到一个星期,你就一口咬定玛丽安脖子上挂着他的相片,谁想那原来是伯祖父的微型画像。”
"But indeed this is quite another thing. I am sure they will be married very soon, for he has got a lock of her hair. "
“不过,这次确实是另一码事。我敢肯定,他们不久就要结婚,因为他有一绺玛丽安的头发。”
"Take care, Margaret. It may be only the hair of some great uncle of HIS. "
“当心点,玛格丽特。那也许只是他伯祖父的头发。”
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