傲慢与偏见

精读《傲慢与偏见》18：卢卡斯一家为什么重要？

第五章，卢卡斯一家登场：从经商、获封爵士到搬进卢卡斯府，奥斯汀写出身份上升后的礼貌与喜剧感。

这一段来自《傲慢与偏见》第五章。它不只是补充背景，而是在舞会之后打开小镇社交圈，让人物通过评价别人暴露自己。

English Text: The Lucas Family Background and Character

Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune, and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king during his mayoralty. The distinction had, perhaps, been felt too strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business and to his residence in a small market town; and, quitting them both, he had removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, denominated from that period Lucas Lodge; where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world. For, though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly, and obliging, his presentation at St. James’s had made him courteous.

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth’s intimate friend.

That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly brought the former to Longbourn to hear and to communicate.

中文翻译：卢卡斯一家的背景与性格

离浪博恩不远的地方住着一家人，贝内特府上跟他们交情甚笃。威廉·卢卡斯爵士早年在梅里屯经商，赚了一笔尚算可观的财富。在他任职市长期间，因为向国王进言有功，获封爵士头衔。这份殊荣或许让他有些飘飘然了。他对做生意和住在小集镇上产生了厌恶情绪，于是辞别了生意和旧居，举家迁往离梅里屯约莫一英里的一所房子，从那时起便改称其为“卢卡斯府”。在那里，他既可以自得其乐地回味自己的显赫地位，又因为摆脱了生意场上的羁绊，可以专心致志地对世人以礼相待。虽然爵位让他感到荣耀，但他并未因此变得傲慢自大；恰恰相反，他对谁都殷勤周到。他生性随和、友善且乐于助人，而进宫觐见国王的经历更让他变得彬彬有礼。

卢卡斯夫人是个很好的女人，并没有聪明到让贝内特太太觉得高不可攀，因此是个难得的好邻居。他们有好几个孩子。长女约莫二十七岁，是个通情达理、聪慧过人的年轻女子，也是伊丽莎白的密友。

卢卡斯家的小姐们和贝内特家的小姐们碰个头，谈论一下舞会的情形，这绝对是必不可少的；于是，舞会后的次日清晨，卢卡斯家的小姐们便来到了浪博恩，既来打听消息，也来交换见闻。

阅读提示：一个爵士头衔，让一个小镇商人开始重新安排自己的体面。

卢卡斯爵士不是反派，他更像一个被身份改变了生活姿态的人。

这一段的读法，是把“闲谈”当作人物描写来看。奥斯汀不是随便写邻居聊天，而是在展示小镇社交如何制造判断、传闻和婚姻期待。

如果只看情节，这些句子似乎只是补充说明；但如果看语气，就会发现每个人都在用自己的方式解释世界。

重点词汇

supercilious /ˌsuːpəˈsɪliəs/ adj. — 傲慢的，目空一切的
原文例句：The shop assistant was supercilious and unhelpful.

intimate /ˈɪntɪmət/ adj. — 亲密的，密切的
原文例句：They remained intimate friends throughout their lives.

unshackled /ʌnˈʃækld/ adj. — 无拘无束的，解除镣铐的
原文例句：Unshackled by the demands of a 9-to-5 job, he traveled the world.

denominate /dɪˈnɒmɪneɪt/ v. — 命名，称呼
原文例句：The prices are denominated in US dollars.

长难句解析

1. For, though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody.

说明：这是一个包含让步状语的复合句。'though elated by his rank' 是省略了主语和系动词的让步状语从句（完整为 though he was elated...）。分号后的 'on the contrary' 表示转折，强调他虽然地位提升，但反而更加谦恭。

结构：连词(For) + 让步状语(though elated...) + 主句1(it did not render him supercilious) + 分号 + 连接词(on the contrary) + 主句2(he was all attention...)

2. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth’s intimate friend.

说明：这句话的主语很长，包含多个同位语成分来修饰 'The eldest of them'。谓语动词是 'was'。

结构：主语(The eldest of them) + 同位语(a sensible, intelligent young woman) + 形容词短语作后置定语(about twenty-seven) + 系动词(was) + 表语(Elizabeth’s intimate friend)

今日测验

Q1. Why did Sir William Lucas move away from the small market town?

A. He lost his fortune in trade.
B. He was disgusted by his business and former residence after being knighted.
C. He wanted to live closer to the Bennet family.
D. The King ordered him to move to a larger estate.

Q2. Which word best describes the relationship between the eldest Miss Lucas and Elizabeth Bennet?

A. Rivalry
B. Distant
C. Intimate
D. Professional