評論
打印
Mr. John Dashwood told his mother again and again how exceedingly sorry he was that she had taken a house at such a distance from Norland as to prevent his being of any service to her in removing her furniture. He really felt conscientiously vexed on the occasion; for the very exertion to which he had limited the performance of his promise to his father was by this arrangement rendered impracticable. -- The furniture was all sent around by water. It chiefly consisted of household linen, plate, china, and books, with a handsome pianoforte of Marianne's. Mrs. John Dashwood saw the packages depart with a sigh: she could not help feeling it hard that as Mrs. Dashwood's income would be so trifling in comparison with their own, she should have any handsome article of furniture.
約翰．達什伍德先生三番五次地對繼母說：她在距離諾蘭莊園這么遠的地方找了座房子，叫他不能為她搬運家具效力，真是不勝遺憾。此時，他良心上的確感到不安，他已經把履行對父親的諾言局限在幫幫忙這一點上，想不到這樣一來，連這點忙也幫不上了。家具全部由水路運走。主要的東西有家用亞麻臺布、金銀器皿、瓷器、書籍，以及瑪麗安的漂亮鋼琴。約翰．達什伍德夫人眼看著東西一包包地運走了，不覺嘆了口氣。達什伍德太太的收入與他們的相比，是微乎其微的，可她竟然能有這么漂亮的家具，怎么能叫她不覺得難受呢？
Mrs. Dashwood took the house for a twelvemonth; it was ready furnished, and she might have immediate possession. No difficulty arose on either side in the agreement; and she waited only for the disposal of her effects at Norland, and to determine her future household, before she set off for the west; and this, as she was exceedingly rapid in the performance of everything that interested her, was soon done. --The horses which were left her by her husband had been sold soon after his death, and an opportunity now offering of disposing of her carriage, she agreed to sell that likewise at the earnest advice of her eldest daughter. For the comfort of her children, had she consulted only her own wishes, she would have kept it; but the discretion of Elinor prevailed. HER wisdom too limited the number of their servants to three; two maids and a man, with whom they were speedily provided from amongst those who had formed their establishment at Norland.
這座房子，達什伍德太太租用一年，里面陳設齊全，她馬上就可以住進去。雙方在協議中沒有遇到任何困難。達什伍德太太只等著處理掉她諾蘭莊園的財物，確定好將來家里用幾個仆人，然后再啟程西遷。因為她對自己關心的事處理起來極其迅速，所以很快就辦妥了。她丈夫留下的馬匹，在他死后不久就賣掉了?，F在又出現一個處理馬車的機會，經大女兒懇切相勸，她也同意賣掉。若是依照她自己的愿望，為了使孩子們過得舒適，她還是要留下這輛馬車，怎奈埃麗諾考慮周到，只好依了她。也是依照埃麗諾的明智想法，她們還把仆人的數量限制到三個——兩個女仆，一個男仆，都是從她們在諾蘭莊園已有的仆人中很快挑選出來的。
