名著精读《理智与情感》第八章 第4节

"It would be impossible, I know, " replied Elinor, "to convince you that a woman of seven and twenty could feel for a man of thirty-five anything near enough to love, to make him a desirable companion to her. But I must object to your dooming Colonel Brandon and his wife to the constant confinement of a sick chamber, merely because he chanced to complain yesterday (a very cold damp day) of a slight rheumatic feel in one of his shoulders. "

“我知道，”埃丽诺回答说，“不可能让你相信，一个二十七岁的女人可以对一个三十五岁的男人产生一定的爱情，使他成为自己的理想伴侣。但是我不赞成你把布兰登上校看死了，仅仅因为他昨天（一个潮湿的大冷天）偶尔抱怨了一声，说一只肩膀略有点风湿病的感觉，便认为他和他妻子注定要永远关在病室里。”

"But he talked of flannel waistcoats, " said Marianne; "and with me a flannel waistcoat is invariably connected with aches, cramps, rheumatisms, and every species of ailment that can afflict the old and the feeble. "

“可他说起了法兰绒马甲，”玛丽安说，“在我看来，法兰绒马甲总是与疼痛、痉挛、风湿以及老年体弱人所患的种种病症联系在一起的。”

"Had he been only in a violent fever, you would not have despised him half so much. Confess, Marianne, is not there something interesting to you in the flushed cheek, hollow eye, and quick pulse of a fever?"

“他只要发一场高烧，你就不会这么瞧不起他了。坦白地说，玛丽安，你不感到发烧时的红脸颊、眍眼睛、快脉搏也很有趣吗？”

Soon after this, upon Elinor's leaving the room, "Mamma, " said Marianne, "I have an alarm on the subject of illness which I cannot conceal from you. I am sure Edward Ferrars is not well. We have now been here almost a fortnight, and yet he does not come. Nothing but real indisposition could occasion this extraordinary delay. What else can detain him at Norland?"

说完这话，埃丽诺便走出了房间。“妈妈，”玛丽安说道，“我对疾病抱有一股恐惧感，没法向你隐瞒。我敢肯定，爱德华．费拉斯身体不好。我们来这儿都快两个星期了，可他还不来。只有身体不好，才会使他拖延这么许久。还有什么事情能把他耽搁在诺兰庄园呢？”
　　

inement n. 拘禁，限制，分娩

He has been put in solitary confinement for attacking another prisoner.
他因伤害另一囚犯而被隔离监禁。

matic[ru:'mætik] adj. 风湿症的，患风湿症的，引起风湿症的 n. 风湿症患者

tcoat n. 背心，马甲

His waistcoat is beneath his coat.
他的背心穿在外套里面。

le[fi:bl] adj. 虚弱的，无力的

This was his fatal defect; he was of feeble will.
这是他致命的弱点，他意志薄弱。

ow n. 洞，窟窿，山谷 adj. 空的，虚伪的，空腹的

This tree looks high and strong but actually its trunk is hollow.
这棵树看起来又高又壮，实际上树干是空的。

e n. 脉冲，脉波，脉搏 v. 跳动，脉跳

His pulse is not very regular.
他的脉搏不很规则。

sposition n. 小病，不舒服，厌恶

I felt a certain indisposition to face reality.
我多少有些不愿意面对现实。