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He was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be rather cold hearted and rather selfish is to be ill-disposed: but he was, in general, well respected; for he conducted himself with propriety in the discharge of his ordinary duties. Had he married a more amiable woman, he might have been made still more respectable than he was:--he might even have been made amiable himself; for he was very young when he married, and very fond of his wife. But Mrs. John Dashwood was a strong caricature of himself;-- more narrow-minded and selfish.

这位年轻人心眼并不坏，除非你把冷漠无情和自私自利视为坏心眼。总的说来，他很受人尊敬，因为他平常办起事来，总是十分得体。他若是娶个和蔼一点的女人，也许会更受人尊重，甚至他自己也会和蔼一些。无奈他结婚时太年轻，太偏爱妻子了。不过，约翰．达什伍德夫人倒也活像她丈夫，只是更狭隘，更自私罢了。

When he gave his promise to his father, he meditated within himself to increase the fortunes of his sisters by the present of a thousand pounds a-piece. He then really thought himself equal to it. The prospect of four thousand a-year, in addition to his present income, besides the remaining half of his own mother's fortune, warmed his heart, and made him feel capable of generosity. -- "Yes, he would give them three thousand pounds: it would be liberal and handsome! It would be enough to make them completely easy. Three thousand pounds! he could spare so considerable a sum with little inconvenience. "-- He thought of it all day long, and for many days successively, and he did not repent.

他向父亲许诺的时候，心里就在盘算，想给他妹妹每人再补贴一千镑的收入。当时，他确实觉得这是他力所能及的。他除了目前的收入和母亲另—半遗产以外，还可望每年再添四千镑。一想到这里，心里不禁热乎乎的，他认为自己可以慷慨一点。“是的，我可以给她们三千镑，这多么慷慨大方啊：可以确保她们安安生生地过日子啦。三千镑呀，我可以毫不费劲地省出这么一笔巨款。”他整天这么想着，接连想了好多天，一点也没反悔。

No sooner was his father's funeral over, than Mrs. John Dashwood, without sending any notice of her intention to her mother-in-law, arrived with her child and their attendants. No one could dispute her right to come; the house was her husband's from the moment of his father's decease; but the indelicacy of her conduct was so much the greater, and to a woman in Mrs. Dashwood's situation, with only common feelings, must have been highly unpleasing;-- but in HER mind there was a sense of honor so keen, a generosity so romantic, that any offence of the kind, by whomsoever given or received, was to her a source of immoveable disgust. Mrs. John Dashwood had never been a favourite with any of her husband's family; but she had had no opportunity, till the present, of shewing them with how little attention to the comfort of other people she could act when occasion required it.

父亲的丧事刚办完，约翰．达什伍德夫人也不打个招呼，就带着孩子、仆人来到婆婆家里。谁也无法怀疑她有权来这里，因为从她公公死去的时刻起，这房子就属于她丈夫的了。不过，她的行为实在太不文雅，按照人之常情，任何一个女人处在达什伍德太太当婆母的位置上，都会感到很不愉快。何况，达什伍德太太是个自尊心很强、慷慨大方、落拓不羁的女入，对这种唐突无礼的事情，无论是谁干的或者对谁干的，她都会感到深恶痛绝。约翰．达什伍德夫人在婆家从未受过任何人的喜爱，可是直到今天她才有机会向她们摆明：在必要时，她为人行事可以全然不顾别入的痛痒。

So acutely did Mrs. Dashwood feel this ungracious behaviour, and so earnestly did she despise her daughter-in-law for it, that, on the arrival of the latter, she would have quitted the house for ever, had not the entreaty of her eldest girl induced her first to reflect on the propriety of going, and her own tender love for all her three children determined her afterwards to stay, and for their sakes avoid a breach with their brother.

达什伍德太太厌恶这种蛮横无礼的行径，并因此而鄙视她的儿媳。一见儿媳进门，她就恨不得永远离开这个家。怎奈大女儿一再恳求，她开始考虑一走了之是否妥当。后来硬是出自对三个女儿的爱怜，她才决定留下来。看在女儿们的份上，还是不跟那个做哥哥的闹翻为好。

词汇释义

1.ill-disposed adj. 有恶意的, 坏心肠的

She's very ill-disposed towards her neighbours.
她对左邻右舍概无好感.

2.propriety adj. 适当 n. 礼节, 适当

We should observe the proprieties.
我们应该遵守礼节。

3.caricature n. 讽刺画, 漫画, 讽刺描述法 v.画成漫画, 讽刺

But how about a man who preaches liberation and yet when his daughters are seeking marriage partners, can show himself the very caricature of the heavy Victorian father?
一个自吹是思想解放的人怎么能在他女儿寻找婚姻伴侣时, 却显出一副维多利亚式的严父模样呢？

4.meditate ['mediteit] v. 想, 考虑, 计划

He meditates on his past life.
他沉思着过去的生活。

5.successively adv. 一个接一个地

Diana won five championships in women's high jump successively in the five years.
戴安娜在五年内连续获得五次女子跳高冠军称号。

6.attendant adj. 伴随的 n. 服务员, 侍从, 伴随物, 出席者

The president gave the Prince and his attendants a farewell banquet.
总统为王子和他的随员举行了告别宴会。

7.decease [di'si:s] n. 死, 死亡

His decease made us very sad.
他的去世使我们非常悲伤。

8.indelicacy [in'delikəsi] n. 粗俗

But there seems indelicacy in directing his attentions towards her, so soon after this event.

不过，她家里一发生这件变故，他就去向她献殷勤，这未免不象话吧。

9.despise [dis'paiz] vt. 轻视

He claims to despise riches.
他宣称蔑视钱财。

10.entreaty [in'tri:ti] n. 恳求, 哀求

He knelt in front of the emperor with a look of entreaty.
他面带恳求的神态跪在皇帝面前。

难句解析

1.Had he married a more amiable woman, he might have been made still more respectable than he was...

【难句解析】Had he married...he might have been made...这里用的是虚拟语气，表示与事实相反的情况；

【句子翻译】他若是娶个和蔼一点的女人，也许会更受人尊重...

2.The prospect of four thousand a-year, in addition to his present income, besides the remaining half of his own mother's fortune, warmed his heart, and made him feel capable of generosity.

【难句解析】这句的主干是the prospect warmed his heart and made him feel...; in addition to和besides引导的结构做状语；

【句子翻译】他除了目前的收入和母亲另—半遗产以外，还可望每年再添四千镑。一想到这里，心里不禁热乎乎的；

3.No sooner was his father's funeral over, than Mrs. John Dashwood, without sending any notice of her intention to her mother-in-law, arrived with her child and their attendants.

【难句解析】no sooner...than...的意思是“刚...就...”；这句的主干是John Dashwood arrived...；without引导的结构做状语；

【句子翻译】父亲的丧事刚办完，约翰．达什伍德夫人也不打个招呼，就带着孩子、仆人来到婆婆家里。