評論
打印
"You are mistaken, Elinor, " said she warmly, "in supposing I know very little of Willoughby. I have not known him long indeed, but I am much better acquainted with him, than I am with any other creature in the world, except yourself and mama. It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;-- it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others. I should hold myself guilty of greater impropriety in accepting a horse from my brother, than from Willoughby. Of John I know very little, though we have lived together for years; but of Willoughby my judgment has long been formed. "
“你想錯了，埃麗諾，”她激動地說道，“你認為我不很了解威洛比。的確，我認識他時間不長，可是天下人除了你和媽媽之外，我最了解的就是他了。熟悉不熟悉，不取決于時間和機緣，而只取決于性情。對某些人來說，七年也達不到相互了解，而對另些人來說，七天就綽綽有余了。我倘若接受的是我哥哥的馬，而不是威洛比的馬，我會覺得更不恰當，那才問心有愧呢。我對約翰很不了解，雖然我們在一起生活了許多年；但對威洛比，我早就有了定見。”
Elinor thought it wisest to touch that point no more. She knew her sister's temper. Opposition on so tender a subject would only attach her the more to her own opinion. But by an appeal to her affection for her mother, by representing the inconveniences which that indulgent mother must draw on herself, if (as would probably be the case) she consented to this increase of establishment, Marianne was shortly subdued; and she promised not to tempt her mother to such imprudent kindness by mentioning the offer, and to tell Willoughby when she saw him next, that it must be declined.
埃麗諾覺得，最好別再觸及那個話題。她知道她妹妹的脾氣。在如此敏感的一個問題上與她針鋒相對，只會使她更加固執己見。于是，她便轉而設法激起她的母女之請，向她擺明：母親是很溺愛子女的，倘使她同意增加這份家產（這是很可能的），那一定會給她招來諸多不便。這么一講，瑪麗安當即軟了下來。她答應不向母親提起送禮的事，以免惹得她好心好意地貿然應允。她還答應下次見到威洛比時告訴他，不能收他的禮物了。
She was faithful to her word; and when Willoughby called at the cottage, the same day, Elinor heard her express her disappointment to him in a low voice, on being obliged to forego the acceptance of his present. The reasons for this alteration were at the same time related, and they were such as to make further entreaty on his side impossible. His concern however was very apparent; and after expressing it with earnestness, he added, in the same low voice, --"But, Marianne, the horse is still yours, though you cannot use it now. I shall keep it only till you can claim it. When you leave Barton to form your own establishment in a more lasting home, Queen Mab shall receive you. "
瑪麗安信守諾言，威洛比當天來訪時，埃麗諾聽她低聲向他表示：她很失望，不得不拒絕接受他的禮物。她同時申述了她之所以改變主意的緣由，說得他不好再作懇求。但是威洛比顯然十分關切，并且一本正經地做了表白，然后以同樣低微的聲音接著說道：“不過，瑪麗安，這馬雖然你現在不能使用，卻仍然歸你所有。我先保養著，直至你領走為止。等你離開巴頓去建立自己的家庭時，‘麥布皇后’會來接你的。”
