評論
打印
Mrs. Dashwood remained at Norland several months; not from any disinclination to move when the sight of every well known spot ceased to raise the violent emotion which it produced for a while; for when her spirits began to revive, and her mind became capable of some other exertion than that of heightening its affliction by melancholy remembrances, she was impatient to be gone, and indefatigable in her inquiries for a suitable dwelling in the neighbourhood of Norland; for to remove far from that beloved spot was impossible. But she could hear of no situation that at once answered her notions of comfort and ease, and suited the prudence of her eldest daughter, whose steadier judgment rejected several houses as too large for their income, which her mother would have approved.
達什伍德太太在諾蘭莊園又住了幾個月。這倒不是因為她不愿意搬走。有一陣子，一見到她所熟悉的每個地方，她都要激動不已，可是現在已經激動不起來了。如今她的情緒開始好轉，不再被那些令人痛苦的傷心事所壓倒，而是能夠思索點別的問題了。她急切地想離開這里，不辭辛苦地四處打聽，想在諾蘭莊園附近找座合適的房子。她留戀這個地方，要遠走高飛是不可能的。不過，她怎么也打聽不到這樣一個去處，一方面符合她自己需要舒適安逸的想法，另方面又能滿足謹慎從事的大女兒的要求。有幾座房子，做母親的本來是中意的，不料大女兒比較固執己見，硬說房子太大住不起，最后只好作罷。
Mrs. Dashwood had been informed by her husband of the solemn promise on the part of his son in their favour, which gave comfort to his last earthly reflections. She doubted the sincerity of this assurance no more than he had doubted it himself, and she thought of it for her daughters' sake with satisfaction, though as for herself she was persuaded that a much smaller provision than 7000L would support her in affluence. For their brother's sake, too, for the sake of his own heart, she rejoiced; and she reproached herself for being unjust to his merit before, in believing him incapable of generosity. His attentive behaviour to herself and his sisters convinced her that their welfare was dear to him, and, for a long time, she firmly relied on the liberality of his intentions.
達什伍德太太聽丈夫說過，他兒子鄭重其事地答應關照她們母女幾個。丈夫臨終前聽到這番許諾，死也暝目了。她和丈夫一樣，對兒子的誠意深信不疑。雖然她覺得自己別說七千鎊，即使再少得多，也能過得綽綽有余，但她一想起來就為女兒們感到高興。再看那做哥哥的心眼這么好，她也為他感到高興。她責怪自己以前不該錯怪他，認為他一毛不拔。他這樣對待繼母和妹妹們，足以說明他多么關心她們的幸福。有好長一段時間，她對他的慷慨豁達堅信不疑。
The contempt which she had, very early in their acquaintance, felt for her daughter-in-law, was very much increased by the farther knowledge of her character, which half a year's residence in her family afforded; and perhaps in spite of every consideration of politeness or maternal affection on the side of the former, the two ladies might have found it impossible to have lived together so long, had not a particular circumstance occurred to give still greater eligibility, according to the opinions of Mrs. Dashwood, to her daughters' continuance at Norland.
她和兒媳剛認識，就瞧不起她，如今在她家里住上半年，進一步了解了她的為人，不覺對她更加鄙視。盡管當婆母的以母愛為重，處處注意禮貌，若不是出現了一個特殊情況，婆媳倆也許還共處不了這么長時間呢。照達什伍德太太的看法，出了這件事，她的女兒們理所當然是要繼續呆在諾蘭莊園的。
