Sense and Sensibility《理智与情感》--Jane Austen简.奥斯丁

老庄园主去世后，可怜的母女四人被长子逐出了庄园。靠着亲戚的帮助，她们在一处小小的农舍安顿下来。势力眼的长嫂未曾想到的是，她的弟弟爱德华爱上了三姐妹中的大姐埃莉诺。理智的埃莉诺尽管也倾心于爱德华，却顾及两人地位的悬殊而努力克制着自己的感情。
　　
与此同时，妹妹玛丽安娜和英俊的军官威罗比陷入热恋。情感外露的玛丽安娜热情奔放的释放着自己对威罗比的爱慕，甚至不顾及伤害追求者布兰登上校的感情。未曾想，威罗比为人不正，根本没有把玛丽安娜的感情真正放在心上。两个姐妹的感情相继陷入了危机。
　　
性格迥异的两姐妹谁能得到真正的爱情，如愿以偿呢？母女四人又该如何走出生活的困境呢？

名著阅读

The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where, for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance.

达什伍德家在苏塞克斯定居，可有些年代了。家里置下一个偌大的田庄，府第就设在田庄中心的诺兰庄园。祖祖辈辈以来，一家人一直过着体面日子，赢得了四近乡邻的交口称誉。

The late owner of this estate was a single man, who lived to a very advanced age, and who for many years of his life, had a constant companion and housekeeper in his sister. But her death, which happened ten years before his own, produced a great alteration in his home; for to supply her loss, he invited and received into his house the family of his nephew Mr. Henry Dashwood, the legal inheritor of the Norland estate, and the person to whom he intended to bequeath it.

已故庄园主是个单身汉，活到老大年纪。在世时，妹妹长年陪伴他，替他管管家务。不想妹妹早他十年去世，致使府上发生巨变。为了填补妹妹的空缺，他将侄儿亨利．达什伍德一家接到府上。亨利．达什伍德先生是诺兰田庄的法定继承人，老达什伍德打算把家业传给他。

In the society of his nephew and niece, and their children, the old Gentleman's days were comfortably spent. His attachment to them all increased. The constant attention of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood to his wishes, which proceeded not merely from interest, but from goodness of heart, gave him every degree of solid comfort which his age could receive; and the cheerfulness of the children added a relish to his existence.

这位老绅士有侄儿、侄媳及其子女作伴，日子过得倒也舒心。他越来越喜爱他们。亨利．达什伍德夫妇不仅出自利害关系，而且由于心地善良，对他总是百般照应，使他晚年享尽了天伦之乐。而那些天真烂漫的孩子也给他的生活增添了乐趣。

By a former marriage, Mr. Henry Dashwood had one son: by his present lady, three daughters. The son, a steady respectable young man, was amply provided for by the fortune of his mother, which had been large, and half of which devolved on him on his coming of age. By his own marriage, likewise, which happened soon afterwards, he added to his wealth.

亨利．达什伍德先生同前妻生下一个儿子，同现在的太太生了三个女儿。儿子是个踏实体面的青年。当年他母亲留下一大笔遗产，到他成年时有一半交给了他，为他奠定了厚实的家底。此后不久，他成了亲，又增添了一笔财产。

To him therefore the succession to the Norland estate was not so really important as to his sisters; for their fortune, independent of what might arise to them from their father's inheriting that property, could be but small. Their mother had nothing, and their father only seven thousand pounds in his own disposal; for the remaining moiety of his first wife's fortune was also secured to her child, and he had only a life-interest in it.

所以，对他说来，父亲是不是继承诺兰田庄，远不像对他几个妹妹那样至关紧要。这几个妹妹假若不依赖父亲继承这笔家业可能给她们带来的进益，她们的财产便将微乎其微。她们的母亲一无所有，父亲仅仅掌管着七千镑，而对前妻另一半遗产的所有权只在生前有效，他一去世，这一半财产也归儿子承袭。

词汇释义

1.property n. 财产; 性质; 道具；房屋及院落；庄园；房地产

A fence divides the two properties.
有一道栅栏隔著这两处房地产。

2. acquaintance n. 熟人, 相识, 了解

I have never made his acquaintance.
我与他素昧平生。

3.bequeath [bi'kwi:ð] v. 遗赠, 遗留

His father bequeathed him a fortune.
他父亲给他留下了一笔遗产。

4.attachment n. 附件, 附著, 附属物, 依恋, 忠诚, 依赖

He has a sentimental attachment to his birthplace.
他对他的出生地有眷恋之情。

5.relish n. 滋味, 享受, 爱好, 调味品

He eats with great relish.
我吃得很极有兴味。

6.succession n. 连续, 继承权, 继位

War of Polish Succession
波兰王位继承战争

7.moiety n. 一半, 一部份, 应得之份

难句解析

1.they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance

【难句解析】这句的主干是so...that..., a good opinion意思是“赞誉”。

【句子翻译】一家人一直过着体面日子，赢得了四近乡邻的交口称誉。

2.But her death, which happened ten years before his own, produced a great alteration in his home; for to supply her loss, he invited and received into his house the family of his nephew Mr. Henry Dashwood, the legal inheritor of the Norland estate, and the person to whom he intended to bequeath it.

【难句解析】第一句中的主干是her death producted...alteration，which引导的从句指代death；第二句中，received意思是“接纳、接待”，这句话的主干是for to supply...，he invited and received the family，后面的the legal inheritor...and the person...均指代his nephew。

3.In the society of his nephew and niece...

【难句解析】句中society的意思是“相伴、交往”，该词在书中多次出现，多为此意。

【句子翻译】有侄儿、侄媳及其子女作伴...

4.By a former marriage, Mr. Henry Dashwood had one son: by his present lady, three daughters.

【难句解析】句中by表示“在...期间”

【句子翻译】亨利．达什伍德先生同前妻生下一个儿子，同现在的太太生了三个女儿。