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The old gentleman died: his will was read, and like almost every other will, gave as much disappointment as pleasure. He was neither so unjust, nor so ungrateful, as to leave his estate from his nephew;--but he left it to him on such terms as destroyed half the value of the bequest. Mr. Dashwood had wished for it more for the sake of his wife and daughters than for himself or his son;--but to his son, and his son's son, a child of four years old, it was secured, in such a way, as to leave to himself no power of providing for those who were most dear to him, and who most needed a provision by any charge on the estate, or by any sale of its valuable woods.
老紳士死了，開讀遺囑，發現跟其他遺囑一樣，叫人既高興，也失望。他并非那樣偏頗無情，還是把田莊傳給了侄兒。但是，因為附有條件，這份遺產便失去了一半價值。本來，達什伍德先生想要這筆財產，只是顧念妻子和女兒，而不是為自己和兒子著想。但財產卻偏偏要世襲給他兒子和四歲的孫子，這樣一來，他便無權動用田莊的資財，或者變賣田莊的資財，來贍養他那些最親近、最需要贍養的家眷。
The whole was tied up for the benefit of this child, who, in occasional visits with his father and mother at Norland, had so far gained on the affections of his uncle, by such attractions as are by no means unusual in children of two or three years old; an imperfect articulation, an earnest desire of having his own way, many cunning tricks, and a great deal of noise, as to outweigh all the value of all the attention which, for years, he had received from his niece and her daughters. He meant not to be unkind, however, and, as a mark of his affection for the three girls, he left them a thousand pounds a-piece.
為了那個孩子，全盤家業都被凍結了。想當初，這孩子只是偶爾隨父母親到諾蘭莊園來過幾趟，跟其他兩三歲娃娃一樣，也沒有什么異常逗人喜愛的地方，大不過正牙牙學語，稟性倔強，好惡作劇，愛大吵大鬧，卻博得了老紳士的歡心。相形之下，侄媳母女多年關照的情分，倒變得無足輕重了。不過，老人也不想太苛刻，為了表示他對三個站娘的一片心意，好歹分給了每人一千鎊。
Mr. Dashwood's disappointment was, at first, severe; but his temper was cheerful and sanguine; and he might reasonably hope to live many years, and by living economically, lay by a considerable sum from the produce of an estate already large, and capable of almost immediate improvement. But the fortune, which had been so tardy in coming, was his only one twelvemonth. He survived his uncle no longer; and ten thousand pounds, including the late legacies, was all that remained for his widow and daughters.
達什伍德先生起初極為失望。他性情開朗，滿以為自己能多活些年歲，憑著這么大的一個田莊，只要馬上改善經營，省吃儉用，就能從收入中攢下一大筆錢，然而，這筆遲遲到手的財產在他名下只持續了一年工夫，因為叔父死后不久，他也一命歸天，給他的遺囑和女兒們留下的財產，包括叔父的遺產在內，總共不過一萬鎊。
His son was sent for as soon as his danger was known, and to him Mr. Dashwood recommended, with all the strength and urgency which illness could command, the interest of his mother-in-law and sisters.
當時，家人看他病危了，便打發人去叫他兒子。達什伍德先生竭盡最后一點氣力，向兒子做了緊急交代，囑托他照應繼母和三個妹妹。
Mr. John Dashwood had not the strong feelings of the rest of the family; but he was affected by a recommendation of such a nature at such a time, and he promised to do every thing in his power to make them comfortable. His father was rendered easy by such an assurance, and Mr. John Dashwood had then leisure to consider how much there might prudently be in his power to do for them.
約翰．達什伍德先生不像家里其他人那樣多情善感。可是，此時此刻受到這般囑托，他也深為感動，答應盡力讓她們母女生活得舒舒適適的。父親聽到這番許諾，便也放寬心了。一時間，約翰．達什伍德先生有空算計起來：若是精打細算，他到底能為她們盡多大力量。
