名著阅读

Sir John called on them as soon as the next interval of fair weather that morning allowed him to get out of doors; and Marianne's accident being related to him, he was eagerly asked whether he knew any gentleman of the name of Willoughby at Allenham.

这天上午，天一放晴，约翰爵士便上门拜访来了。她们一边给他讲述玛丽安的意外遭遇，一边迫不及待地询问他是否认识艾伦汉一个姓威洛比的先生。

"Willoughby!" cried Sir John; "what, is HE in the country? That is good news however; I will ride over tomorrow, and ask him to dinner on Thursday. "
　　
“威洛比，”约翰爵士大声叫道，“怎么，他在乡下？不过，这是个好消息。我明天就坐车去找他，请他星期四来吃晚饭。”

"You know him then, " said Mrs. Dashwood.

“这么说，你认识他？”达什伍德太太问道。

"Know him! to be sure I do. Why, he is down here every year. "
　　
“认识他！当然认识。噢，他每年都到这里来。”

"And what sort of a young man is he?"

“他是个什么样的青年？”

"As good a kind of fellow as ever lived, I assure you. A very decent shot, and there is not a bolder rider in England. "

“他的确是个好小伙子，要多好有多好。一个百发百中的神枪手，英格兰没有比他更勇敢的骑手。”

"And is that all you can say for him?" cried Marianne, indignantly. "But what are his manners on more intimate acquaintance? What his pursuits, his talents, and genius?"

“你对他就能说这些？”玛丽安忿忿地嚷道。“他与人相熟以后态度怎么样？有什么爱好、特长和才能？”

Sir John was rather puzzled.

约翰爵士愣住了。

"Upon my soul, " said he, "I do not know much about him as to all THAT. But he is a pleasant, good humoured fellow, and has got the nicest little black bitch of a pointer I ever saw. Was she out with him today?"
　　
“说实话，”他说，“我对他这些方面不太了解。不过，他是个可爱、快活的小伙子，养了一只黑色的小猎犬，我从未见过那么可爱的小猎犬。他今天把它带出来了吗？”

But Marianne could no more satisfy him as to the colour of Mr. Willoughby's pointer, than he could describe to her the shades of his mind.

就像约翰爵士说不清威洛比的智能状况一样，玛丽安也不能令人满意地告诉他那只猎犬的颜色。

"But who is he?" said Elinor. "Where does he come from? Has he a house at Allenham?"
　　
“可他是个什么人？”埃丽诺问道。“他是哪里人？在艾伦汉有房子吗？”

词汇释义

1.interval n. 间隔，休息时间，(数学)区间，(音乐)音程

There is an hour's interval to the next train.
下一火班车还要过一小时才开。

2.decent['di:snt] adj. 体面的，正派的，有分寸的，得体的，相当好的

His first novel was a flash in the pan, and he hasn't written anything decent since.
他的第一部小说如昙花一现，此后他再没写出像样的东西。

3.indignantly adv. 愤慨地，义愤地

难句解析

1.But Marianne could no more satisfy him as to the colour of Mr. Willoughby's pointer, than he could describe to her the shades of his mind.

【难句解析】no more...than“和...一样不”；

【句子翻译】就像约翰爵士说不清威洛比的智能状况一样，玛丽安也不能令人满意地告诉他那只猎犬的颜色。