傲慢与偏见

精读《傲慢与偏见》43：她夸的是藏书，捧的是达西

一张牌桌边，宾利小姐借夸彭伯里的藏书一句句奉承达西；达西只淡淡应一句"那是好几代人的心血"，她的哥哥却用一句玩笑点破她。

一张牌桌边，宾利小姐借夸彭伯里的藏书一句句奉承达西；达西只淡淡应一句"那是好几代人的心血"，她的哥哥却用一句玩笑点破她——买下彭伯里，都比模仿它更有可能。

这一段来自《傲慢与偏见》第八章。宾利小姐每一句"赞美彭伯里"其实都在奉承达西、经营自己，而她哥哥查尔斯一句"买下彭伯里比模仿它更有可能"的玩笑，点破了底蕴仿不来、奉承也换不来真心。

English Text: A Library, a Compliment, and a Brother's Joke

Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

“I am astonished,” said Miss Bingley, “that my father should have left so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!”

“It ought to be good,” he replied: “it has been the work of many generations.”

“And then you have added so much to it yourself--you are always buying books.”

“I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.”

“Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.”

“I wish it may.”

“But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire.”

“With all my heart: I will buy Pemberley itself, if Darcy will sell it.”

“I am talking of possibilities, Charles.”

“Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.”

中文翻译：一段藏书、一句奉承，和哥哥的一句玩笑

伊丽莎白向他保证，屋里现有的这些书完全够她消遣了。

“我真感到意外，”宾利小姐说，“家父竟然只留下这么小的一批藏书。达西先生，您在彭伯里的那座藏书室可真让人喜欢！”

“那里的藏书理应不错，”他回答，“那是好几代人的心血。”

“何况您自己又添置了那么多——您总是在买书。”

“在如今这样的年月，我实在无法理解谁会忽视一座家族藏书室。”

“忽视！我敢说，凡是能为那座高贵府邸增色的事，您绝不会忽视半分。查尔斯，等你将来盖房子，我真希望它能有彭伯里一半那么可爱。”

“但愿如此。”

“不过我真心劝你，就在那一带置产，把彭伯里当个样板。全英格兰再没有比德比郡更好的郡了。”

“我完全赞成：只要达西肯卖，我这就把彭伯里买下来。”

“查尔斯，我说的是有可能办到的事。”

“说实话，卡罗琳，我倒觉得，买下彭伯里，都比模仿它更有可能。”

阅读提示：顺着话头，看她怎样一句句把话题引向达西

这一段没有大事发生，好看的是宾利小姐说话的走向。

她先"贬"自家：抱怨父亲留下的藏书太少；再由此顺势"抬"彭伯里；接着把功劳记到达西个人头上——"您总是在买书"；最后干脆替哥哥规划未来，让他"以彭伯里为样板"。四句话像四级台阶，每一级都离达西更近一点。表面在谈书、谈房子、谈郡，落点始终是那个人。

达西的回应一句比一句短——"那是好几代人的心血""我无法理解谁会忽视"——他既不领这份奉承，也不接她铺好的话头。奥斯汀没有替我们下判断，她只是让宾利小姐一路说下去，再让哥哥查尔斯半开玩笑地收尾：想要彭伯里，买还比仿更靠谱。一句轻话，把妹妹那套"模仿彭伯里、顺便贴近达西"的心思，轻轻挑破了。

读这一段可以只盯一个问题：每一句"赞美"真正想抵达的，是那座庄园，还是庄园的主人？

重点词汇

astonished /əˈstɒnɪʃt/ adj. — 感到惊讶的
原文例句：I am astonished that my father should have left so small a collection of books.
宾利小姐开口就是"惊讶"，但这份惊讶是表演出来的引子：先夸张地嫌自家藏书少，才好把话头顺到彭伯里。

comprehend /ˌkɒmprɪˈhend/ v. — 理解，领会
原文例句：I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.
达西用 comprehend 而不是简单的 understand，语气更正式、也更端着；他不接奉承，只淡淡陈述自己的价值判断。

neglect /nɪˈɡlekt/ n./v. — 忽视，疏于照管
原文例句：I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place.
这是全段的转折词。达西说"忽视藏书室"，宾利小姐立刻抓住 neglect 反着用，把它掰成一句奉承。

imitation /ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃn/ n. — 模仿，仿制品
原文例句：I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.
这是查尔斯玩笑的关键词，也是全段的题眼：彭伯里那种几代人攒出来的底蕴，买或许还有可能，仿是仿不来的。

长难句解析

1. I am astonished that my father should have left so small a collection of books.

说明：that 引导宾语从句，从句里用 should have left 表达"惊讶、本不该如此"的情绪；注意 so small a collection 这种 so + 形容词 + a + 名词的语序，是把 small 提前强调"竟这么小"。

结构：主语(I) + 系动词(am) + 表语(astonished) + that 宾语从句(my father should have left so small a collection)

2. I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.

说明：这里用了 think it + 形容词 + to do 的结构，it 是形式宾语，真正的宾语是后面的不定式 to get Pemberley；再套一个 more...than... 的比较，把 by purchase 和 by imitation 摆在一起对比。

结构：主语(I) + 谓语(should think) + 形式宾语(it) + 宾语补足语(more possible) + 真正宾语(to get Pemberley by purchase) + 比较状语(than by imitation)

今日测验

Q1. Why does Mr. Darcy believe his library at Pemberley ought to be good?

A. Because he spends all his money on books.
B. Because it has been collected over many generations.
C. Because Miss Bingley organized it.
D. Because it is the largest in Derbyshire.

Q2. What point is Charles Bingley making in the final sentence?

A. He thinks Pemberley is too expensive to buy.
B. He believes copying Pemberley is easy.
C. He thinks it is impossible to recreate the unique quality of Pemberley.
D. He plans to buy a house in a different county.