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理智与情感(节选) Sense and Sensibility (Excerpt)

Sense and Sensibility 理智与情感  
by Jane Austen 简.奥斯丁

Chapter 10
第十章

Marianne's preserver, as Margaret, with more elegance than precision, styled Willoughby, called at the cottage early the next morning to make his personal enquiries. He was received by Mrs. Dashwood with more than politeness; with a kindness which Sir John's account of him and her own gratitude prompted; and every thing that passed during the visit tended to assure him of the sense, elegance, mutual affection, and domestic comfort of the family to whom accident had now introduced him. Of their personal charms he had not required a second interview to be convinced.
玛丽安的救命恩人(这是玛格丽特对威洛比言过其实的 尊称),第二天一早即来登门问安。达什伍德太太对他的接 待不仅彬彬有礼,而且和蔼可亲,这是约翰爵士美言的结果 ,也出自她自己的感激之情。威洛比在拜访期间所见到的一 切,都使他确信:他意外结识的这家人通情达理,举止文雅 ,相亲相爱,安安逸逸。对于她们的妩媚动人,他无需进行 第二次访问,便深信不疑。

Miss Dashwood had a delicate complexion, regular features, and a remarkably pretty figure. Marianne was still handsomer. Her form, though not so correct as her sister's, in having the advantage of height, was more striking; and her face was so lovely, that when in the common cant of praise, she was called a beautiful girl, truth was less violently outraged than usually happens. Her skin was very brown, but, from its transparency, her complexion was uncommonly brilliant; her features were all good; her smile was sweet and attractive; and in her eyes, which were very dark, there was a life, a spirit, an eagerness, which could hardily be seen without delight. From Willoughby their expression was at first held back, by the embarrassment which the remembrance of his assistance created. But when this passed away, when her spirits became collected, when she saw that to the perfect good-breeding of the gentleman, he united frankness and vivacity, and above all, when she heard him declare, that of music and dancing he was passionately fond, she gave him such a look of approbation as secured the largest share of his discourse to herself for the rest of his stay.
达什伍德小姐面色娇嫩,眉目清秀,身段袅娜。玛丽安 长得还要漂亮。她的身材虽说不及她姐姐来得匀称,但她个子高,显得更加惹人注目。她的面孔十分漂亮,若是用一般 的俗套来赞扬她,说她是个美丽的少女,倒不会像通常那样纯属阿谀逢迎,与事实相去甚远。她的皮肤黝黑,但是半透明似的,异常光润;她眉清目秀,微笑起来甜蜜蜜的,十分 迷人;她眼珠乌黑,机灵、神气、热切,谁见了都会喜爱。 但在一开始,她还不敢向威洛比传送秋波,因为一想起他抱 她回家的情形,就觉得十分难为情。当这种感觉消释了,当 情绪镇定下来,她看到他由于受到完美的绅士教养,显得既 坦率又活泼,尤其重要的是,她听他说,他酷爱音乐和舞蹈 ,这时,她向他投出了赞赏的目光。于是,他来访的后半段 时间,绝大部分是用来同她攀谈。

It was only necessary to mention any favourite amusement to engage her to talk. She could not be silent when such points were introduced, and she had neither shyness nor reserve in their discussion. They speedily discovered that their enjoyment of dancing and music was mutual, and that it arose from a general conformity of judgment in all that related to either. Encouraged by this to a further examination of his opinions, she proceeded to question him on the subject of books; her favourite authors were brought forward and dwelt upon with so rapturous a delight, that any young man of five and twenty must have been insensible indeed, not to become an immediate convert to the excellence of such works, however disregarded before. Their taste was strikingly alike. The same books, the same passages were idolized by each-- or if any difference appeared, any objection arose, it lasted no longer than till the force of her arguments and the brightness of her eyes could be displayed. He acquiesced in all her decisions, caught all her enthusiasm; and long before his visit concluded, they conversed with the familiarity of a long-established acquaintance.
你要跟玛丽安搭话,只消提起一项她所喜爱的娱乐活动 就足够了。一触及这样的话题,她就沉默不住了,谈起话来 既不腼腆,也不顾忌。他们迅即发现,两人都爱好音乐和舞 蹈,而且这种爱好还起因于他们对两者完全一致的见解。为 此,玛丽安大受鼓舞,便想进一步考察一下他的观点。她问 起他的读书情况,搬出了她最喜爱的几位作家,而旦谈得眉 飞色舞。一个二十五岁的青年人不管以前多么漠视读书,如 今面对如此优秀的作品还不赶紧顶礼膜拜,那一定是个十足 的傻瓜。他们有着惊人相似的兴趣。两人崇拜相同的书籍、 相同的段落,即使出现差别和异议,只要经她一争辩,眼睛 一亮闪,也都烟消云散。凡是她所决定的,他都默认;凡是 她所热衷的,他都喜爱。早在访问结束之前,他们就像故友 重逢似的亲切交谈着。

"Well, Marianne," said Elinor, as soon as he had left them, "for one morning I think you have done pretty well. You have already ascertained Mr. Willoughby's opinion in almost every matter of importance. You know what he thinks of Cowper and Scott; you are certain of his estimating their beauties as he ought, and you have received every assurance of his admiring Pope no more than is proper. But how is your acquaintance to be long supported, under such extraordinary despatch of every subject for discourse? You will soon have exhausted each favourite topic. Another meeting will suffice to explain his sentiments on picturesque beauty, and second marriages, and then you can have nothing farther to ask."--
“玛丽安,”威洛比刚走,埃丽诺便说,“你这—个上 午干得很有成绩呀!几乎在所有重大问题上,你都已经摸清 了威洛比先生的见解。你知道了他对考柏和司各特的看法, 确信他对他们的优美诗篇作出了应有的评价。你还绝对相信 他对波普的赞赏是恰如其分的。不过,照这样奇特的速度了 结一个个话题,你们怎么能够持久地交往下去!不用多久, 你们最喜爱的话题都会一个个谈尽说完。再见一次面就能把 他对美景和再婚的看法解说清楚,以后你就没有东西好问了 ——”

"Elinor," cried Marianne, "is this fair? is this just? are my ideas so scanty? But I see what you mean. I have been too much at my ease, too happy, too frank. I have erred against every common-place notion of decorum; I have been open and sincere where I ought to have been reserved, spiritless, dull, and deceitful--had I talked only of the weather and the roads, and had I spoken only once in ten minutes, this reproach would have been spared."
“埃丽诺,”玛丽安嚷道,“这样说公平吗?合理吗? 我的思想就这么贫乏?不过,我明白你的意思。我一直太自 在,太快活,太坦率了。我违背了拘泥礼节的陈腐观念!我 不该那么坦率,那么诚挚,而应该沉默寡言,无精打采,呆 头呆脑,虚虚掩掩。我假若只是谈谈天气马路,而且十分钟 开一次口,那就不会遭此非难。”

"My love," said her mother, "you must not be offended with Elinor--she was only in jest. I should scold her myself, if she were capable of wishing to check the delight of your conversation with our new friend."-- Marianne was softened in a moment.
“我的乖孩子,”她母亲说,“你不该生埃丽诺的气— —她不过是开开玩笑。她要是真想阻止你和我们新结识的朋 友快乐地交谈,我还要骂她呢。”顿时,玛丽安又变得心平 气和了。

Willoughby, on his side, gave every proof of his pleasure in their acquaintance, which an evident wish of improving it could offer. He came to them every day. To enquire after Marianne was at first his excuse; but the encouragement of his reception, to which every day gave greater kindness, made such an excuse unnecessary before it had ceased to be possible, by Marianne's perfect recovery. She was confined for some days to the house; but never had any confinement been less irksome. Willoughby was a young man of good abilities, quick imagination, lively spirits, and open, affectionate manners. He was exactly formed to engage Marianne's heart, for with all this, he joined not only a captivating person, but a natural ardour of mind which was now roused and increased by the example of her own, and which recommended him to her affection beyond every thing else.
再看看威洛比。他处处表明,能结识她们委实使他感到 荣幸。显而易见,他热切希望进一步改善这种关系。他每天 都来登门拜访。起先,他以问候玛丽安为借口。但是,她们 一天天待他越来越亲切,使他深受鼓舞,没等玛丽安的身体 完全复原,这种借口已经大可不必了。玛丽安在屋里关了几 天,但是从来没有关得这样少有烦恼。威洛比是个十分精干 的小伙子,他思路敏捷,精力旺盛,性格开朗,感情充沛。 他有这样的气质,正中玛丽安的心意;因为他把这些气质不 仅和他那副迷人的仪表,而且和他那颗火热的心结合了起来 。这颗心如今为玛丽安的心所激励,变得更加火热,博得了 她的无比钟情。

His society became gradually her most exquisite enjoyment. They read, they talked, they sang together; his musical talents were considerable; and he read with all the sensibility and spirit which Edward had unfortunately wanted.
和他在一起逐渐成为她的最大乐趣。他们一起读书,一 起交谈,一起唱歌。他有相当高的音乐才能,读起书来也充 满感情,富有生气,这正是爱德华不幸所缺少的。

In Mrs. Dashwood's estimation he was as faultless as in Marianne's; and Elinor saw nothing to censure in him but a propensity, in which he strongly resembled and peculiarly delighted her sister, of saying too much what he thought on every occasion, without attention to persons or circumstances. In hastily forming and giving his opinion of other people, in sacrificing general politeness to the enjoyment of undivided attention where his heart was engaged, and in slighting too easily the forms of worldly propriety, he displayed a want of caution which Elinor could not approve, in spite of all that he and Marianne could say in its support.
威洛比在达什伍德太太眼里和在玛丽安眼里一样,也被 视为完美无缺。埃丽诺觉得他没有什么可以非议的地方,只 是他有个同她妹妹十分相似、因而使妹妹特别喜爱的倾向, 这就是在任何时候,对自己的想法谈论得太多,不看对象, 不分场合。他爱对别人勿忙下结论,注意力一旦被什么东西 吸引住了,便专心致志地尽情欣赏,连通常的礼貌都不顾了 ;本来是一些符合人情世故的礼仪,他也动辄加以蔑视。处 处表明他办事不够谨慎小心。对此,尽管威洛比和玛丽安极 力进行辩护,埃丽诺还是不能赞同。

Marianne began now to perceive that the desperation which had seized her at sixteen and a half, of ever seeing a man who could satisfy her ideas of perfection, had been rash and unjustifiable. Willoughby was all that her fancy had delineated in that unhappy hour and in every brighter period, as capable of attaching her; and his behaviour declared his wishes to be in that respect as earnest, as his abilities were strong.
玛丽安现在开始领悟到:她十六岁半就产生一种绝望情 绪,认为一辈子也见不到一个使她称心如意的理想男人,这 未免过于轻率,毫无道理。无论是在那不幸的关头,还是在 每个快乐的时刻,威洛比都是她理想中的完人,能够引起她 的爱慕。而且他的行为表明,他在这方面的愿望是热切的, 能力是超群的。

作者简介

      简.奥斯丁 (1775-1817) 出生在英国汉普郡斯蒂文顿镇的一个牧师家庭,过着祥和、小康的乡居生活。兄弟姐妹共八人,奥斯丁排行第六。她从未进过正规学校,只是九岁时,曾被送往姐姐的学校伴读。她的姐姐卡桑德拉是她毕生最好的朋友,然而奥斯丁的启蒙教育却更多得之于她的父亲。奥斯丁酷爱读书写作,还在十一、二岁的时候,便已开始以写作为乐事了。成年后奥斯丁随全家迁居多次。1817 年,奥斯丁已抱病在身,为了求医方便,最后一次举家再迁。然而在到了曼彻斯特后不过两个多月,她便去世了。死后安葬在温彻斯特大教堂。简·奥斯丁终身未嫁。逝世时仅为四十二岁。 
      奥斯丁创作的小说,几乎都经过长时间的反复修订改写。她出版的第一部小说是《理智与情感》(1811) 。《傲慢与偏见》(1813) 是她的第二部作品。这两部作品,加上她去世后出版的《诺桑觉寺》(1818) ,都写于十八世纪的九十年代,通常算是她的早期作品。而《曼斯菲尔德庄园》(1814) 、《爱玛》(1816) 与《劝导》(1818) 则写于十九世纪,算是后期作品。
     根据《简明不列颠百科全书》的说法,简.奥斯丁是“第一个现实地描绘日常平凡生活中平凡人物的小说家。她的作品反映了当时英国中产阶级生活的喜剧,显示了家庭文学的可能性。她多次探索青年女主角从恋爱到结婚中自我发现的过程。这种着力分析人物性格以及女主角和社会之间紧张关系的做法,使她的小说摆脱十八世纪的传统而接近于现代的生活。正是这种现代性,加上她的机智和风趣,她的现实主义和同情心,她的优雅的散文和巧妙的故事结构,使她的小说能长期吸引读者。当时 (十九世纪初) 流行夸张戏剧性的浪漫小说,已使人们所厌倦,奥斯丁的朴素的现实主义启清新之风,受到读者的欢迎。到二十世纪,人们才认识到她是英国摄政王时期 (1810-1820) 最敏锐的观察者,她严肃地分析了当时社会的性质和文化的质量,记录了旧社会向现代社会的转变。现代评论家也赞佩奥斯丁小说的高超的组织结构,以及她能于平凡而狭窄有限的情节中揭示生活的悲喜剧的精湛技巧。”

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