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

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"It was my father's last request to me, " replied her husband, "that I should assist his widow and daughters. "

“我父亲临终有嘱咐，”丈夫回答说，“要我帮助寡母和妹妹们。”

"He did not know what he was talking of, I dare say; ten to one but he was light-headed at the time. Had he been in his right senses, he could not have thought of such a thing as begging you to give away half your fortune from your own child. "

“他准是在说胡话。那阵子，他十有八九是神志不清了，要不然他就不会异想天开地要你把自己孩子的财产白白送掉一半。”

"He did not stipulate for any particular sum, my dear Fanny; he only requested me, in general terms, to assist them, and make their situation more comfortable than it was in his power to do. Perhaps it would have been as well if he had left it wholly to myself. He could hardly suppose I should neglect them. But as he required the promise, I could not do less than give it; at least I thought so at the time. The promise, therefore, was given, and must be performed. Something must be done for them whenever they leave Norland and settle in a new home. "

“亲爱的范妮，他倒没有规定具体数目，只是笼统地要求我帮助她们，使她们的境况好一些，他是无能为力啦。也许他不如索性把事情全部交给我。他总不会认为我会怠慢她们吧。可他让我许诺时，我又不能不应承；起码在当时，我是这么想的。于是，我许诺了，而且还必须兑现。她们早晚要离开诺兰庄园，到别处安家，总得帮她们一把吧。”

"Well, then, LET something be done for them; but THAT something need not be three thousand pounds. Consider, " she added, "that when the money is once parted with, it never can return. Your sisters will marry, and it will be gone for ever. If, indeed, it could be restored to our poor little boy--"

“那好，就帮她们一把吧，可是帮—把何必要三干镑，你想想看，”她接下去说道，“那钱一旦抛出去，可就再也收不目来了。你那些妹妹一出嫁，那钱不就无影无踪啦。真是的，这钱要是能回到我们可怜的小儿子手里……”

"Why, to be sure, " said her husband, very gravely, "that would make great difference. The time may come when Harry will regret that so large a sum was parted with. If he should have a numerous family, for instance, it would be a very convenient addition. "

"To be sure it would. "

“哦，当然，”丈夫一本正经地说道，“那可就了不得啦。有朝一日，哈里会怨恨我们给他送掉这么一大笔钱。他一旦人丁兴旺起来，这笔款子可就派大用场了。”
“谁说不是呢。”

"Perhaps, then, it would be better for all parties, if the sum were diminished one half. --Five hundred pounds would be a prodigious increase to their fortunes!"

“这么说，不如把钱减掉一半，这或许对大家都有好处。绘她们一人五百镑，她们也够发大财的了。”

"Oh! beyond anything great! What brother on earth would do half so much for his sisters, even if REALLY his sisters! And as it is--only half blood!--But you have such a generous spirit!"

“哦，当然是发大财了！世上哪个做哥哥的能这样照应妹妹，即使是对待亲妹妹，连你的一半也做不到！何况你们只是同父异母关系！可你却这样慷慨解囊。”

"I would not wish to do any thing mean, " he replied. "One had rather, on such occasions, do too much than too little. No one, at least, can think I have not done enough for them: even themselves, they can hardly expect more. "

“我做事不喜欢小家子气，”做丈夫的回答说，“逢到这当口，人宁可大手大脚，而别小里小气。至少不会有人觉得我亏待了她们，就连她们自己也不会有更高的期望了。”

词汇释义

1.light-headed adj. 头晕的, 轻浮的

2.stipulate ['stipjuleit] v. 规定, 保证

The Constitution stipulate that women shall have equal rights with men in voting and being elected.
宪法规定妇女和男子一样, 有同等的选举权和被选举权。

3.gravely ['greivli] adv. 重大地, 严肃地, 壮重地

Thus he discoursed gravely and paternally;
他那样谈着，严肃地，象父兄那样；

4.prodigious adj. 巨大的, 奇异的

We are all overwhelmed by his prodigious memory.
我们都被他那惊人的记忆力折服了。

难句解析

1.Had he been in his right senses, he could not have thought of such a thing as begging you to give away half your fortune from your own child. "

【难句解析】Had he been in his right senses是个假设从句，相当于If he had been in his right senses；

【句子翻译】那阵子，他十有八九是神志不清了，要不然他就不会异想天开地要你把自己孩子的财产白白送掉一半。

2.that when the money is once parted with, it never can return.

【难句解析】be parted with的意思是“被抛开、分离”；

【难句解析】那钱一旦抛出去，可就再也收不目来了。