Pride & Prejudice 《傲慢与偏见》（三）

Elizabeth: I love this dance.

Darcy: lndeed. Most invigorating.

Elizabeth: It is your turn to say something, Mr. Darcy. I talked about the dance. Now you ought to remark on the size of the room or the number of couples.

Darcy: I'm perfectly happy to oblige. Please advise me of what you would like most to hear?

Elizabeth: That reply will do for present. Perhaps by and by I may observe that private balls are much pleasanter than public ones. For now, we may remain silent.

Darcy: Do you talk as a rule while dancing?

Elizabeth: No. No, I prefer to be unsociable and taciturn. Makes it all so much more enjoyable, don't you think?

Darcy: Tell me, do you and your sisters very often walk to Meryton?

Elizabeth: Yes, we often walk to Meryton. It's a great opportunity to meet new people. In fact when you met us, we'd just had the pleasure of forming a new acquaintance.

Darcy: Mr. Wickham's blessed with such happy manners, he's sure of making friends. Whether he's capable of retaining them is less certain.

Elizabeth: He's been so unfortunate as to lose your friendship. And I dare say that is an irreversible event?

Darcy: It is. Why do you ask such a question?

Elizabeth: To make out your character, Mr. Darcy.

Darcy: And what have you discovered?

Elizabeth: Very little. I hear such different accounts of you as puzzle me exceedingly.

Darcy: I hope to afford you more clarity in the future.

妙词佳句，活学活用

1. oblige

To do a service or favor for: 施恩惠于，帮助

They obliged us by arriving early.
他们的早到帮了我们一个大忙。
If you ever need help with the babysitting, I'd be glad to oblige.
如果你需要我帮忙照顾孩子，我很愿意效劳。

2. by and by

这是一种习惯表达，意思是“不久以后；不一会儿”。在口语中和by相关的习惯用语很多，如：
By and again 时常，常常
By and large 总的来说，基本上
By the by(e) 顺便提一下

3. be blessed with

If someone is blessed with a particular good quality or skill, they have that good quality or skill. 幸运地享有（优良品质或技巧），在……方面有福气
e.g. The two brothers both are blessed with uncommon ability to fix things.

4. make out

If you try to make something out, you try to understand it or decide whether or not it is true.辨认出，理解。我们来看看下面的例子：
e.g. I couldn't make it out at all.
我一点也不明白。
It is hard to make out what criteria are used to judge a person.
很难理解应该用什么标准来评判一个人。