The Dashwood family
达什伍德一家
For very many years there had been Dashwoods living in Sussex, in the south of England.
多年来，达什伍德一家一直居住在英格兰南部的苏塞克斯郡。
The family owned a large area of land around their country house, Norland Park.
这个家族在乡间宅邸诺兰庄园周围拥有大片土地。
Recently the head of the family, an unmarried man of great age, had invited into his home his nephew, who was expected to inherit the house and land, with his wife and children.
最近，这位年迈未婚的一家之主邀请了他的侄子及其妻儿住进家中，这位侄子本被期望继承房产和土地。
The nephew, Mr Henry Dashwood, and his wife behaved kindly and thoughtfully towards the old gentleman, not from interest in his fortune, but from goodness of heart, so that he was able to spend his last years comfortably with these pleasant and cheerful companions.
侄子亨利·达什伍德先生和他的妻子对老先生关怀备至、体贴入微，这并非出于对其财产的觊觎，而是源于善良的内心，使老先生能在这些令人愉快且开朗的陪伴中安度晚年。
By his first wife Mr Henry Dashwood had one son, John; by his present wife, three daughters.
亨利·达什伍德先生与前妻育有一子约翰；与现任妻子育有三女。
John, a respectable, serious young man, had received a large inheritance from his mother, and had also added to his wealth by his own marriage.
约翰是个受人尊敬、严肃认真的年轻人，他从母亲那里继承了一大笔遗产，并通过自己的婚姻增加了财富。
To him, therefore, the Norland fortune was not as important as to his sisters, who had very little money of their own.
因此，对他而言，诺兰庄园的财产并不像对他的姐妹们那样重要，因为她们几乎没有自己的钱。
When the old gentleman died, it was discovered that he had not left his fortune to Henry Dashwood to do what he liked with, but only to use during his lifetime.
老先生去世后，人们发现他并未将财产留给亨利·达什伍德由其随意支配，而仅允许其在有生之年使用。
On Henry Dashwood’s death, the inheritance would pass to his son John, and to John’s son, a child of four years old.
亨利·达什伍德去世后，遗产将传给他的儿子约翰，以及约翰四岁的儿子。
The old man had become fond of the small boy on his occasional visits to Norland, and so a spoilt child was preferred to Henry Dashwood’s gentle wife and daughters, in spite of their years of loving care.
老人在小男孩偶尔造访诺兰庄园时喜欢上了他，因此尽管亨利的妻子和女儿们多年来悉心照料，一个被宠坏的孩子却比她们更受青睐。
No unkindness had been intended, however, and as a sign of his affection for the girls, the old gentleman left them one thousand pounds each.
然而，老人并无恶意，作为对女孩们喜爱的表示，他给她们每人留下了一千英镑。
At first Mr Henry Dashwood was bitterly disappointed, as he had wanted the fortune more for his wife and daughters than for himself.
起初，亨利·达什伍德先生深感失望，因为他想要这笔财产更多是为了妻女而非自己。
But he soon realized that if he was careful with money in the next few years, he could save enough to provide generously for his family.
但他很快意识到，如果在接下来几年里精打细算，他能攒下足够的钱为家人提供优渥的生活。
Unfortunately, he did not live to carry out this plan, as he survived his uncle by only one year, and ten thousand pounds was all that remained for his widow and daughters.
不幸的是，他未能活着实现这一计划，因为他仅在叔叔去世一年后便离世了，留给遗孀和女儿的只剩一万英镑。
Just before his death he sent for his son, and begged him to take care of his stepmother and sisters.
临终前，他召来儿子，恳求他照顾继母和妹妹们。
Mr John Dashwood had not the strong feelings of the rest of the family, but such a request at such a time naturally had an effect on him, so he promised to do everything he could to make his father’s family comfortable.
约翰·达什伍德先生不像家里其他人那样感情丰富，但在这样的时刻面对这样的请求，自然深受触动，于是承诺尽其所能让父亲的家人过得舒适。
He was not a bad young man, but rather cold-hearted, and rather selfish, although he was, in general, well respected.
他并不是个坏年轻人，只是有些冷漠和自私，尽管总体上颇受尊重。
If he had married a pleasanter woman, he would probably have been even more respected and perhaps have become pleasanter himself, but his wife was colder and more selfish than he was.
如果他娶了一位更和善的妻子，或许会更受尊敬，甚至自己也会变得更和善，但他的妻子比他还要冷漠和自私。
As soon as his father was dead and buried, Mrs John Dashwood arrived unexpectedly at Norland with her child and her servants.
父亲刚下葬，约翰·达什伍德太太就带着孩子和仆人出人意料地来到了诺兰庄园。
She wished to make it clear that, as the house belonged to her husband from the moment of his father’s death, she did not need any invitation from her mother-in-law.
她想表明，既然房子从公公去世那一刻起就归她丈夫所有，她便无需婆婆的任何邀请。
To a widow in Mrs Dashwood’s situation, this appeared unforgivable.
对于处于达什伍德太太这种境况的寡妇来说，这似乎是不可原谅的。
In fact, Mrs Dashwood, a sensitive and generous woman, felt so strongly about her daughter-in-law’s unpleasant behaviour that she would have left the house immediately, if her eldest daughter had not begged her to reconsider.
事实上，敏感而慷慨的达什伍德太太对儿媳的无礼行为感到极度愤慨，若不是长女恳求她三思，她早就立刻搬离了这所房子。
Elinor, this eldest daughter whose advice was so useful, had a great deal of intelligence and common sense and, although only nineteen, frequently acted as her mother’s adviser.
埃莉诺是长女，她的建议非常有用，她聪慧且富有常识，虽然年仅十九岁，却经常充当母亲的顾问。
To the advantage of the whole family, she was often able to persuade Mrs Dashwood to hold back the violent enthusiasms which were likely to lead them all into difficulties.
为了全家的利益，她常能说服达什伍德太太克制那些可能导致全家陷入困境的激烈情绪。
Elinor had an excellent heart, full of affection, and although her feelings were strong, she knew how to control them.
埃莉诺心地善良，充满深情，虽然感情强烈，但她懂得如何控制。
This was something which her mother had not yet learnt to do, and which Marianne, one of her sisters, had decided never to learn.
这是她母亲尚未学会的事，也是她的妹妹玛丽安决定永远不去学的事。
Marianne was, like Elinor, generous, clever, and sensitive, but, unlike Elinor, she was eager in everything; her feelings were always strongly felt and expressed.
玛丽安和埃莉诺一样慷慨、聪明且敏感，但与埃莉诺不同的是，她对一切都热情洋溢；她的感受总是强烈而直白地表达出来。
In this, she was very similar to her mother.
在这一点上，她与母亲非常相似。
Elinor saw with concern how little her sister could control her feelings, but her mother loved Marianne for her sensibility.
埃莉诺担忧地发现妹妹几乎无法控制自己的情绪，但母亲却因玛丽安的感性而格外疼爱她。
Now, after Mr Henry Dashwood’s death, Mrs Dashwood and Marianne encouraged each other in the violence of their unhappiness, becoming more and more miserable as they remembered the past and thought bitterly of the future.
如今，在亨利·达什伍德先生去世后，达什伍德太太和玛丽安在极度的悲伤中相互推波助澜，回忆往昔、苦思未来，愈发痛苦不堪。
Elinor, too, suffered deeply, but she could still make an effort to discuss business with her brother, be polite to her sister-in-law, and try to persuade her mother to be calmer.
埃莉诺同样深感痛苦，但她仍能努力与哥哥商谈事务，对嫂子保持礼貌，并试图劝说母亲冷静下来。
The youngest sister, Margaret, was a pleasant girl of thirteen, but as she already had some of Marianne’s sensibility and not much of her intelligence, she seemed likely to grow up without her sisters’ advantages.
最小的妹妹玛格丽特是个讨人喜欢的十三岁女孩，但由于她已有几分玛丽安的感性却缺乏相应的智慧，长大后恐怕难以具备姐姐们的优点。
Mrs John Dashwood now made sure that everyone knew she was mistress of Norland, and that her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law were there as visitors.
约翰·达什伍德太太现在确保所有人都知道她是诺兰庄园的女主人，而她的婆婆和小姑们只是这里的访客。
Her husband, however, reminded her of the promise he had given to his dying father, that he would take care of his stepmother and sisters.
然而，她的丈夫提醒她，他曾向临终的父亲承诺会照顾继母和妹妹们。
‘I had thought, my dear,’ he added, ‘of giving the girls one thousand pounds each. It would certainly be a generous present for them.’
“亲爱的，”他补充道，“我本想给姑娘们每人一千英镑。这对她们来说肯定是一笔丰厚的礼物。”
Mrs John Dashwood did not at all, approve of this. It would mean taking three thousand pounds from the fortune of their dear little boy.
约翰·达什伍德太太完全不赞成此举。这意味着要从他们心爱的小儿子的财产中拿走三千英镑。
She begged her husband to think again. How could he rob his child, and his only child too, of so much money?
她恳求丈夫重新考虑。他怎么能剥夺自己的孩子——而且是独生子——这么多钱呢？
And how could the Miss Dashwoods, who were related to him only by half blood, which she considered no relation at all, possibly expect him to be so generous?
况且达什伍德小姐们与他只是同父异母的关系，在她看来这根本不算亲戚，又怎能指望他如此慷慨？
‘It was my father’s last request to me,’ replied her husband. ‘I must keep my promise to him. I must do something for them when they leave Norland for a new home.’
“这是我父亲对我的最后嘱托，”丈夫回答道，“我必须信守对他的承诺。当她们离开诺兰庄园搬往新家时，我必须为她们做点什么。”
‘Well, then, do something for them, but you need not give them three thousand pounds. Consider that when you have given the money, it will never come back. Your sisters will marry, and it will be gone from the family for ever.’
“那好吧，为她们做点事也行，但不必给三千英镑。想想看，钱一旦给出就再也回不来了。你的妹妹们终会嫁人，这笔钱就会永远流出我们家。”
‘You are right, my dear,’ said her husband seriously. ‘Perhaps I should give them half that. Five hundred pounds would be a valuable present for them.’
“你说得对，亲爱的，”丈夫严肃地说，“也许我该给一半。五百英镑对她们来说也是一份贵重的礼物了。”
‘Oh, beyond anything! What brother on earth would do half as much for his sisters, even if really his sisters! And as it is—only half blood!—But you have such a generous nature!’
“噢，这简直超乎想象！世上哪有哥哥会对妹妹这么好，哪怕是亲妹妹！更何况她们只是同父异母！但你天性就是这么慷慨！”
‘I would not wish to do anything mean. It is better, on such occasions, to do too much, rather than too little. Even they themselves cannot expect more.’
“我不想做得太吝啬。在这种场合，宁可多给，不可少给。就连她们自己也不能指望更多了。”
‘There is no knowing what they may expect,’ said the lady, ‘but the question is, what you can afford to do.’
“谁知道她们心里怎么想，”太太说道，“问题是你负担得起多少。”
‘Certainly, and I think I can afford to give them five hundred pounds each. As it is, without my money, they will each have more than three thousand pounds on their mother’s death; a very comfortable fortune for any young woman.’
“当然，我想我负担得起每人五百英镑。况且即便没有我的钱，等母亲去世后，她们每人也能分得三千多英镑；对任何年轻女子来说，这都是笔很宽裕的财产了。”
‘Indeed it is, and in fact I begin to think they need no extra money at all. They will be able to live very comfortably together on the interest of their ten thousand pounds.’
“确实如此，实际上我开始觉得她们根本不需要额外的钱。靠那一万英镑的利息，她们一起生活就能过得很舒适了。”
‘That is very true, and therefore I wonder whether on the whole it would be more advisable to pay some money regularly to my stepmother during her lifetime, instead of giving money to the girls. A hundred a year would make her, and the girls while they live with her, perfectly comfortable.’
“一点没错，所以我在想，与其直接给姑娘们钱，不如在继母在世期间定期给她一些钱是否更妥当。每年一百英镑足以让她和同住的女儿们过得十分安逸。”
His wife hesitated a little over this plan. ‘That is certainly better than giving fifteen hundred pounds all at once, but if Mrs Dashwood should live for longer than fifteen years, it would cost us more. She is very fit and healthy, and only just forty. And it is an unpleasant thing to have to pay the money out every year. One feels one’s fortune is not one’s own.’
妻子对这个提议有些犹豫。“这当然比一次性给一千五百英镑要好，但如果达什伍德太太活过十五年，我们的花费就会更多。她身体康健，才刚四十岁。而且每年都要掏钱实在令人不快，让人感觉财产都不属于自己了。”
‘I believe you are right, my love. Whatever I can give them occasionally will be of far greater assistance than a yearly allowance, because they would only live more expensively if they felt sure of receiving a larger income. If I give them a present of fifty pounds now and then, I will, I think, be keeping my promise to my father in the fullest manner.’
“我相信你是对的，亲爱的。我不定时给她们些钱远比固定年金更有帮助，因为如果她们确信有稳定收入，只会花销更大。如果我时不时送她们五十英镑，我想这就完全履行了对父亲的承诺。”
‘To be sure you will. Indeed, to tell the truth, I am certain your father had no idea of your giving them any money at all. The assistance he was thinking of was, I dare say, looking for a comfortable small house for them, helping them to move their furniture, and sending them occasional presents of fish and meat in season. Do consider, Mr Dashwood, how very cheaply they will live! No carriage, no horses, and only one or two servants! I cannot imagine how they will spend half their money, and it is foolish to think of giving them more. They will much more be able to give you something.’
“你肯定做到了。说实话，我敢肯定你父亲压根没想过让你给她们钱。他想到的帮助，无非是帮她们找个舒适的小房子，协助搬运家具，或是逢年过节送些时令鱼肉罢了。达什伍德先生，你想想她们的生活开销有多低！没有马车，没有马匹，只有一两个仆人！我无法想象她们怎么能花掉一半的钱，想给她们更多简直是愚蠢。反倒是她们更有可能给你些什么。”
‘I believe you are perfectly right,’ said Mr Dashwood. ‘Now I understand clearly what my father meant.’ And he decided to offer no more to his father’s widow and daughters than such neighbourly assistance as his wife suggested.
“我相信你说得完全正确，”达什伍德先生说，“现在我清楚父亲的意思了。”于是他决定除了妻子建议的那些邻里间的帮助外，不再给予继母和妹妹们任何资助。
Meanwhile, his stepmother, impatient to leave Norland, which held so many memories for her, had been looking for a suitable house to move into, not too far away.
与此同时，他的继母急于离开承载了太多回忆的诺兰庄园，一直在附近寻找合适的住所。
Several houses which she would have approved had already been turned down by Elinor, as too large for their income, and the search continued.
有几处她原本满意的房子已被埃莉诺否决，因为以她们的收入来说太大了，找房仍在继续。
Six months passed, with the two families living at Norland. Mrs Dashwood came to dislike her daughter-in-law more and more, and would have found it impossible to live in the same house with her for so long, if something had not happened to make Mrs Dashwood want to keep her daughters at Norland for a while.
六个月过去了，两家人同住诺兰庄园。达什伍德太太越来越厌恶她的儿媳，若非发生了一件事让她想让女儿们在诺兰庄园多待一阵子，她绝不可能与她同住这么久。
She had noticed a growing attachment between her eldest girl and Mrs John Dashwood’s brother, a gentlemanly and pleasing young man, who had come to Norland soon after his sister’s arrival, and who had spent the greater part of his time there since then.
她注意到大女儿与约翰·达什伍德太太的弟弟之间感情日渐深厚，这位年轻人举止绅士、讨人喜欢，在姐姐到达后不久便来到诺兰庄园，此后大部分时间都待在这里。
Edward Ferrars was the elder son of a man who had died very rich, but his future wealth was uncertain because the whole of his fortune depended on his mother’s wishes.
爱德华·费拉斯是一位巨富的长子，但他未来的财富尚不确定，因为全部财产都取决于他母亲的意愿。
Neither of these facts influenced Mrs Dashwood; it was enough for her that he loved her daughter, and that Elinor returned his affection.
这两点都没有影响达什伍德太太；对她而言，只要他爱她的女儿，而埃莉诺也对他有情，这就足够了。
Edward Ferrars was not handsome, nor were his manners especially pleasing at first sight, but when he lost his shyness, his behaviour showed what an open, affectionate heart he had.
爱德华·费拉斯相貌平平，初见面时举止也不算特别讨喜，但当他不再羞怯时，言行便流露出坦诚与深情。
His mother and sister wanted him to make a fine figure in the world in some way, but Edward was not ambitious. All his wishes were for home comforts and the quietness of private life. Fortunately he had a younger brother, Robert, who was more promising.
他的母亲和姐姐希望他在社会上出人头地，但爱德华并无野心。他只向往家庭的温馨与私生活的宁静。幸好他有个更有出息的弟弟罗伯特。
Mrs Dashwood completely approved of Edward, in spite of his quiet manner, which was so unlike the way she felt a young man should behave.
尽管爱德华性格沉静，与她心目中年轻人应有的样子截然不同，达什伍德太太仍对他十分满意。
As soon as she saw the smallest sign of love in his behaviour to Elinor, she considered their serious attachment as certain, and looked forward to their marriage in the near future.
一旦察觉他对埃莉诺流露出丝毫爱意，她便认定两人已情定终身，并期盼着他们早日完婚。
‘In a few months, my dear Marianne,’ she said, ‘Elinor will be married. We shall miss her, but she will be happy.’
“再过几个月，亲爱的玛丽安，”她说，“埃莉诺就要结婚了。我们会想念她，但她会很幸福。”
‘Oh mama! How shall we manage without her?’
“哦，妈妈！没有她我们可怎么办？”
‘My love, we shall live within a few miles of her, and see her every day. You will have a brother—a real, affectionate brother. But you look serious, Marianne. Do you disapprove of your sister’s choice?’
“宝贝，我们会住在离她几英里内的地方，每天都能见到她。你将拥有一个兄弟——一个真正的、深情的兄长。但你看起来很严肃，玛丽安。你不赞成姐姐的选择吗？”
‘Perhaps I am a little surprised, mama. He is very pleasant, but there is something missing. There is no fire in his eyes. And I am afraid, mama, he has no real taste. He does not seem very interested in music, and I think he knows little of drawing or painting. And he is so calm when we discuss or read beautiful writing! It breaks my heart to hear him talk so quietly and with so little sensibility about things that matter so much to me. I could not be happy with a man who does not share all my feelings. Elinor may be happy with him, as she has not my feelings. But mama, the more I know of the world, the more I am certain I shall never see a man I can really love.’
“也许我只是有点惊讶，妈妈。他很讨人喜欢，但似乎缺了点什么。他的眼里没有光芒。而且恐怕，妈妈，他没有真正的品味。他对音乐似乎不太感兴趣，绘画方面也知之甚少。当我们讨论或朗读优美文字时，他竟然那么平静！听到他以如此平淡、缺乏感性的方式谈论对我至关重要的事物，我的心都要碎了。我无法与一个不能与我感同身受的男人共度一生。埃莉诺或许能和他幸福，因为她不像我这般多情。但是妈妈，我对世界了解越多，就越确信自己永远遇不到一个能让我真正爱上的人。”
‘Remember, my love, you are not seventeen yet. It is too early in life to lose hope of happiness. Why should you be less fortunate than your mother?’
“记住，宝贝，你还不到十七岁。现在就对幸福失去希望还为时过早。你为什么注定不如你母亲幸运呢？”
Elinor herself felt that Edward stood very high in her opinion. She believed that he also felt warmly towards her, but she was not sure enough of this to be comfortable with her sister’s and mother’s dreams of marriage for her.
埃莉诺自己也觉得爱德华在她心中地位很高。她相信他对她也怀有深情，但对此还不够确信，因而对妹妹和母亲关于她婚事的美梦感到不安。
Edward sometimes appeared strangely depressed when he was with her, which worried her a little. She knew that his mother was making life difficult for him, and would perhaps disapprove of his marrying a woman with no great fortune. But sometimes she feared that he thought of her as no more than a friend.
爱德华和她在一起时有时会显得莫名沮丧，这让她有些担心。她知道母亲让他日子不好过，或许也不赞成他娶一位没有丰厚嫁妆的女子。但有时她又害怕他只是把她当作普通朋友。
Marianne and her mother had no such doubts, believing strongly that any intelligent young man must love Elinor, and that love itself would solve all problems. Marianne, indeed, was quite horrified when her sister cautiously described her feelings for Edward as liking and respect, rather that love.
玛丽安和母亲却没有这种疑虑，坚信任何聪明的年轻人都一定会爱上埃莉诺，而爱情本身就能解决一切问题。事实上，当姐姐谨慎地将对爱德华的感情描述为喜欢和尊重而非爱情时，玛丽安大为震惊。
‘Like him! Respect him!’ she cried. ‘Oh, cold-hearted Elinor! Why should you be ashamed of expressing love?’
“喜欢他！尊重他！”她叫道，“哦，冷酷的埃莉诺！表达爱意有什么好羞耻的？”
Mrs John Dashwood had also noticed the attachment between her brother and Elinor. It made her uneasy, and she took the first opportunity of upsetting her mother-in-law by explaining her family’s high ambitions for Edward and the importance of his marrying well, and the danger for any young woman attempting to trap him into marriage.
约翰·达什伍德太太也注意到了弟弟与埃莉诺之间的亲密关系。这让她感到不安，于是她抓住第一个机会，通过阐述家族对爱德华的远大期望、门当户对的重要性，以及任何试图诱骗他结婚的年轻女子面临的危险，来惹恼婆婆。
Mrs Dashwood could not prevent herself from giving a sharp answer, and left the room at once, determined, in spite of the inconvenience, to remove herself and her daughters from Norland as soon as possible.
达什伍德太太忍不住尖锐地回击了一句，随即离开房间，下定决心不顾诸多不便，也要尽快带女儿们搬离诺兰庄园。
On the same day, she received a letter from Sir John Middleton, a gentleman who was a distant relation of hers. He wrote to offer her a small house near his home in Devonshire, where she and her girls could make their new home.
就在当天，她收到了远房亲戚约翰·米德尔顿爵士的信。他在信中提出，愿将德文郡自家附近的一处小房子提供给她们母女作为新居。
Although it was only a cottage, he promised to do anything necessary to make it more comfortable. His letter was written in such a friendly way, and she was so anxious to leave Norland and her unfeeling daughter-in-law, that, after first asking Elinor’s opinion, Mrs Dashwood wrote to accept Sir John Middleton’s kind offer.
虽然那只是一座乡舍，但他承诺会尽力修缮使其更舒适。信件写得如此友善，加之她迫切想离开诺兰庄园和那位无情的儿媳，于是在征询了埃莉诺的意见后，达什伍德太太回信接受了约翰·米德尔顿爵士的好意。
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