名著精讀《理智與情感》第八章 第2節

The immediate advantage to herself was by no means inconsiderable, for it supplied her with endless jokes against them both. At the park she laughed at the colonel, and in the cottage at Marianne. To the former her raillery was probably, as far as it regarded only himself, perfectly indifferent; but to the latter it was at first incomprehensible; and when its object was understood, she hardly knew whether most to laugh at its absurdity, or censure its impertinence, for she considered it as an unfeeling reflection on the colonel's advanced years, and on his forlorn condition as an old bachelor.
　　
當然，她自己也可直接佔到不少便宜，因爲這爲她戲弄他們兩人提供了無窮無盡的笑料。她在巴頓莊園嘲笑布蘭登上校，到了鄉舍便嘲弄瑪麗安。對於前者，她的戲弄只牽涉到他一個人，因而他也毫不在乎。但是對於後者，她的嘲弄起先是莫名其妙的，後來弄清了是針對誰的，瑪麗安真不知道是該嘲笑這事的荒謬，還是責難它的欠妥。她認爲這是對上校上了年紀和孤苦伶燈的單身漢處境的無情捉弄。

　　
Mrs. Dashwood, who could not think a man five years younger than herself, so exceedingly ancient as he appeared to the youthful fancy of her daughter, ventured to clear Mrs. Jennings from the probability of wishing to throw ridicule on his age.

達什伍德太太很難想象，一個比她自己年輕五歲的男人，在她女兒那富於青春活力的心目中，會顯得何等蒼老，於是便大着膽子對詹寧斯太太說：她不該拿上校的年齡取笑。

"But at least, Mamma, you cannot deny the absurdity of the accusation, though you may not think it intentionally ill-natured. Colonel Brandon is certainly younger than Mrs. Jennings, but he is old enough to be MY father; and if he were ever animated enough to be in love, must have long outlived every sensation of the kind. It is too ridiculous! When is a man to be safe from such wit, if age and infirmity will not protect him?"

(抱歉，本段暫無權威譯文。)

"Infirmity!" said Elinor, "do you call Colonel Brandon infirm? I can easily suppose that his age may appear much greater to you than to my mother; but you can hardly deceive yourself as to his having the use of his limbs!"

“體衰！”埃麗諾說。“你說布蘭登上校體衰？不難想象，他的年齡在你看來比在母親看來要大得多，不過你總不能自欺欺人地說他手腳不靈吧！”

nsiderable adj. 不足取的，瑣碎的，不值得考慮的

He passed his life in an inconsiderable village.
他在一個小小村落中度過他的一生。

rdity n. 荒謬，悖理，荒謬的事

Every absurdity have a champion to defend it. 添加生詞 改進詞條
任何謬論都擁有擁護它的鬥士。

ure n. 責難，非難 v. 非難，責備，公開譴責

They were censured as traitors.
他們被指責爲叛徒。

rtinence n. 無禮，魯莽，不恰當

I've had enough of your impertinence.
你太沒禮貌，我已經受夠了。

sation n. 控告，指控，非難

He said that the people's accusation was unjust.
他說人們的指控是不公正的。

-natured adj. 心地不良的，歪曲的

ive[aut'liv] vt. 比 ... 活得長，經受住

He outlived his wife by three years.
他比妻子多活了三年。

rmity n. 虛弱，病身，疾病，弱點

Infirmity often comes with old age.
虛弱常隨年老而來。

[lim] n. 樹枝，四肢，枝幹，邊緣

The workers saw off a limb from the tree.
工人從樹上鋸下了一根大樹枝。