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

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The immediate advantage to herself was by no means inconsiderable, for it supplied her with endless jokes against them both. At the park she laughed at the colonel, and in the cottage at Marianne. To the former her raillery was probably, as far as it regarded only himself, perfectly indifferent; but to the latter it was at first incomprehensible; and when its object was understood, she hardly knew whether most to laugh at its absurdity, or censure its impertinence, for she considered it as an unfeeling reflection on the colonel's advanced years, and on his forlorn condition as an old bachelor.
　　
当然，她自己也可直接占到不少便宜，因为这为她戏弄他们两人提供了无穷无尽的笑料。她在巴顿庄园嘲笑布兰登上校，到了乡舍便嘲弄玛丽安。对于前者，她的戏弄只牵涉到他一个人，因而他也毫不在乎。但是对于后者，她的嘲弄起先是莫名其妙的，后来弄清了是针对谁的，玛丽安真不知道是该嘲笑这事的荒谬，还是责难它的欠妥。她认为这是对上校上了年纪和孤苦伶灯的单身汉处境的无情捉弄。

　　
Mrs. Dashwood, who could not think a man five years younger than herself, so exceedingly ancient as he appeared to the youthful fancy of her daughter, ventured to clear Mrs. Jennings from the probability of wishing to throw ridicule on his age.

达什伍德太太很难想象，一个比她自己年轻五岁的男人，在她女儿那富于青春活力的心目中，会显得何等苍老，于是便大着胆子对詹宁斯太太说：她不该拿上校的年龄取笑。

"But at least, Mamma, you cannot deny the absurdity of the accusation, though you may not think it intentionally ill-natured. Colonel Brandon is certainly younger than Mrs. Jennings, but he is old enough to be MY father; and if he were ever animated enough to be in love, must have long outlived every sensation of the kind. It is too ridiculous! When is a man to be safe from such wit, if age and infirmity will not protect him?"

(抱歉，本段暂无权威译文。)

"Infirmity!" said Elinor, "do you call Colonel Brandon infirm? I can easily suppose that his age may appear much greater to you than to my mother; but you can hardly deceive yourself as to his having the use of his limbs!"

“体衰！”埃丽诺说。“你说布兰登上校体衰？不难想象，他的年龄在你看来比在母亲看来要大得多，不过你总不能自欺欺人地说他手脚不灵吧！”

词汇释义

1.inconsiderable adj. 不足取的，琐碎的，不值得考虑的

He passed his life in an inconsiderable village.
他在一个小小村落中度过他的一生。

2.absurdity n. 荒谬，悖理，荒谬的事

Every absurdity have a champion to defend it. 添加生词 改进词条
任何谬论都拥有拥护它的斗士。

3.censure n. 责难，非难 v. 非难，责备，公开谴责

They were censured as traitors.
他们被指责为叛徒。

4.impertinence n. 无礼，鲁莽，不恰当

I've had enough of your impertinence.
你太没礼貌，我已经受够了。

5.accusation n. 控告，指控，非难

He said that the people's accusation was unjust.
他说人们的指控是不公正的。

6.ill-natured adj. 心地不良的，歪曲的

7.outlive[aut'liv] vt. 比 ... 活得长，经受住

He outlived his wife by three years.
他比妻子多活了三年。

8.infirmity n. 虚弱，病身，疾病，弱点

Infirmity often comes with old age.
虚弱常随年老而来。

9.limb[lim] n. 树枝，四肢，枝干，边缘

The workers saw off a limb from the tree.
工人从树上锯下了一根大树枝。