Pride and Prejudice — Page 5

English → Chinese Preface Level 7/10

But if the attempt were made, it would certainly not be hampered by any of those loosenesses of construction, which, sometimes disguised by the conveniences of which the novelist can avail himself, appear at once on the stage.

但如果真的有人尝试这样做，它certainly不会受到那些结构上的松散之处的阻碍——这些松散之处有时被小说家所能利用的种种便利所掩盖，却会在舞台上立刻显露无遗。

I think, however, though the thought will doubtless seem heretical to more than one school of critics, that construction is not the highest merit, the choicest gift, of the novelist.

然而我认为，尽管这一想法无疑会被不止一个批评流派视为异端，但结构并非小说家最高的优点，也非其最珍贵的天赋。

It sets off his other gifts and graces most advantageously to the critical eye; and the want of it will sometimes mar those graces--appreciably, though not quite consciously--to eyes by no means ultra-critical.

结构能在批评者眼中最有利地衬托出作者的其他才华与风采；而缺乏结构有时也会损害这些风采——在并非极度挑剔的读者眼中，这种损害虽可察觉，却未必完全自觉。

But a very badly-built novel which excelled in pathetic or humorous character, or which displayed consummate command of dialogue--perhaps the rarest of all faculties--would be an infinitely better thing than a faultless plot acted and told by puppets with pebbles in their mouths.

但是，一部结构极差却在悲情或幽默人物塑造上出类拔萃、或展现出炉火纯青的对话驾驭能力——这或许是所有才能中最为罕见的——的小说，也将远胜于一部情节无懈可击却由口含石子的木偶来演绎讲述的作品。

And despite the ability which Miss Austen has shown in working out the story, I for one should put Pride and Prejudice far lower if it did not contain what seem to me the very masterpieces of Miss Austen's humour and of her faculty of character-creation--masterpieces who may indeed admit John Thorpe, the Eltons, Mrs. Norris, and one or two others to their company, but who, in one instance certainly, and perhaps in others, are still superior to them.

尽管奥斯汀小姐在故事构建上展现出了非凡的才能，但就我个人而言，如果《傲慢与偏见》不包含那些在我看来堪称奥斯汀小姐幽默才华与人物创造能力之巅峰的杰作，我会将其评价低得多——这些杰作或许确实可以将约翰·索普、埃尔顿夫妇、诺里斯太太以及另外一两个人物纳入其行列，但至少在一个例子上，乃至也许在其他例子上，这些人物仍然高于彼等。

Vocabulary

但: dàn — but, however, yet (contrast conjunction)
如果: rúguǒ — if, supposing, in case of a condition
真的: zhēn de — really, truly, genuinely
有人: yǒu rén — someone, there is a person
尝试: chángshì — to try, to attempt something
这样: zhèyàng — like this, in this way, such
做: zuò — to do, to make, to perform
它: tā — it, third-person pronoun for objects
不会: bù huì — will not, would not, unable to
受到: shòu dào — to receive, to be subjected to
那些: nàxiē — those, referring to plural distant things
结构: jiégòu — structure, framework, organization of parts
上: shàng — on, above; used as suffix indicating aspect
的: de — structural particle indicating possession or modification
松散: sōngsǎn — loose, slack, not compact or tight
之处: zhī chù — the place where, aspect or point of
阻碍: zǔ'ài — to hinder, to obstruct, to impede
这些: zhèxiē — these, referring to nearby plural things
有时: yǒushí — sometimes, occasionally, at times
被: bèi — passive marker, indicates action done to subject
小说家: xiǎoshuōjiā — novelist, a writer of fiction novels
所能: suǒ néng — what one is able to do or use
利用: lìyòng — to make use of, to exploit, to utilize
种种: zhǒngzhǒng — all kinds of, various sorts of things
便利: biànlì — convenience, facility, advantage available
所: suǒ — particle used before verbs in passive structures
掩盖: yǎngài — to cover up, to conceal, to hide flaws
却会: què huì — but will, yet would (contrastive modal phrase)
在: zài — at, in, on; indicates location or ongoing action
舞台: wǔtái — stage, theater platform, performance venue
立刻: lìkè — immediately, at once, right away
显露: xiǎnlù — to reveal, to show, to become visible
无遗: wú yí — without omission, completely, leaving nothing out
然而: rán'ér — however, nevertheless, but yet
我: wǒ — I, me, first-person singular pronoun
认为: rènwéi — to think, to believe, to consider that
尽管: jǐnguǎn — although, even though, despite the fact
这一: zhè yī — this one, this particular (preceding a noun)
想法: xiǎngfǎ — idea, thought, opinion, way of thinking
无疑: wúyí — undoubtedly, without doubt, certainly
会被: huì bèi — will be (passive future construction)
不止: bùzhǐ — more than, not limited to, exceeding
一个: yī gè — one, a single (general measure word)
批评: pīpíng — criticism, to criticize, critical commentary
流派: liúpài — school of thought, faction, style movement
视为: shì wéi — to regard as, to consider to be
异端: yìduān — heresy, heterodoxy, unorthodox belief or view
并非: bìng fēi — is not at all, by no means
最高: zuìgāo — highest, greatest, supreme, topmost quality
优点: yōudiǎn — merit, advantage, strong point, virtue
也非: yě fēi — nor is it, neither is it (negation)
其: qí — its, his, her, their (literary pronoun)
最: zuì — most, -est, superlative degree marker
珍贵: zhēnguì — precious, valuable, treasured, rare and worthy
天赋: tiānfù — natural talent, innate gift, inborn ability
批评者: pīpíng zhě — critic, one who critiques or evaluates works
眼中: yǎn zhōng — in one's eyes, from one's perspective
有利: yǒulì — advantageous, favorable, beneficial
地: de — adverbial particle linking adverb to verb
衬托: chèntuō — to set off, to highlight by contrast
出: chū — out, to emerge; resultative verb complement
作者: zuòzhě — author, writer, creator of a work
其他: qítā — other, the rest, remaining others
才华: cáihuá — talent, literary or artistic brilliance
与: yǔ — and, together with (formal conjunction)
风采: fēngcǎi — elegance, charm, distinguished style and grace
而: ér — and yet, but, while (literary conjunction)
缺乏: quēfá — to lack, to be deficient in something
也会: yě huì — will also, would also (modal phrase)
损害: sǔnhài — to damage, to harm, to impair
极度: jídù — extremely, to the highest degree, utmost
挑剔: tiāotì — picky, fastidious, overly critical
读者: dúzhě — reader, one who reads a text
这种: zhè zhǒng — this kind of, this type of
虽: suī — although, even though (literary concessive)
可: kě — can, able to, permissible (modal verb)
察觉: chájué — to perceive, to notice, to become aware
却: què — but, yet, however (contrastive adverb)
未必: wèibì — not necessarily, may not, not certainly
完全: wánquán — completely, entirely, fully, totally
自觉: zìjué — self-aware, conscious of oneself, self-motivated
但是: dànshì — but, however, nevertheless (common conjunction)
一部: yī bù — one (measure word for films, novels, works)
极差: jí chà — extremely poor, very bad in quality
悲情: bēiqíng — pathos, tragic emotion, sorrowful sentiment
或: huò — or, either, alternatively (literary conjunction)
幽默: yōumò — humor, humorous, funny and witty
人物: rénwù — character, figure, person in a story
塑造: sùzào — to shape, to create, to portray characters
出类拔萃: chū lèi bá cuì — outstanding, head and shoulders above the rest
展现: zhǎnxiàn — to display, to exhibit, to demonstrate vividly
炉火纯青: lú huǒ chún qīng — consummate skill, perfected mastery of craft
对话: duìhuà — dialogue, conversation between characters
驾驭: jiàyù — to control, to master, to handle skillfully
能力: nénglì — ability, capability, competence, skill
这: zhè — this, referring to something nearby or just mentioned
或许: huòxǔ — perhaps, maybe, possibly
是: shì — to be, is, are (copula verb)
所有: suǒyǒu — all, every, all of something
才能: cáinéng — talent, ability, skill, gifted capacity
中: zhōng — in, among, within, middle
最为: zuì wéi — most, the most (emphatic superlative construction)
罕见: hǎnjiàn — rare, uncommon, seldom seen
小说: xiǎoshuō — novel, fiction, literary prose narrative
也将: yě jiāng — will also, would also (future modal)
远胜: yuǎn shèng — far surpasses, greatly superior to
于: yú — in, at, to, than (literary preposition)
情节: qíngjié — plot, storyline, narrative sequence of events
无懈可击: wú xiè kě jī — impeccable, flawless, nothing to find fault with
由: yóu — by, from, through, via (preposition)
石子: shízǐ — pebble, small stone, gravel
木偶: mù'ǒu — puppet, wooden doll, marionette
来: lái — to come; used to indicate purpose or action
演绎: yǎnyì — to deduce, to perform, to dramatize, to enact
讲述: jiǎngshù — to narrate, to tell, to recount a story
作品: zuòpǐn — work, literary or artistic creation
小姐: xiǎojiě — Miss, young lady, unmarried woman
故事: gùshi — story, tale, narrative account
构建: gòujiàn — to construct, to build, to establish a structure
出了: chū le — produced, created, brought out (resultative)
非凡: fēifán — extraordinary, remarkable, exceptional, uncommon
就: jiù — just, then, with regard to (versatile adverb)
个人: gèrén — personal, individual, oneself
而言: ér yán — as far as … is concerned, speaking of
不: bù — no, not, negation particle
包含: bāohán — to contain, to include, to encompass
看来: kànlái — it seems, it appears, judging by appearance
堪称: kānchēng — can be called, worthy of being called
创造: chuàngzào — to create, to produce, creation, invention
之: zhī — of, possessive or linking particle (literary)
巅峰: diānfēng — peak, pinnacle, highest point or achievement
杰作: jiézuò — masterpiece, outstanding literary or artistic work
评价: píngjià — evaluation, assessment, to appraise or judge
低得多: dī de duō — much lower, far lower in degree
确实: quèshí — indeed, certainly, really, in fact
可以: kěyǐ — can, may, it is possible to
将: jiāng — will, shall; to take, to use (formal)
夫妇: fūfù — husband and wife, married couple
太太: tàitai — Mrs., wife, married woman (polite title)
以及: yǐjí — as well as, along with, and also
另外: lìngwài — in addition, besides, other, furthermore
一两: yī liǎng — one or two, a couple of (approximate)
个: gè — general measure word for people and objects
纳入: nàrù — to incorporate into, to include within a category
行列: hángliè — ranks, lineup, group of people or things
至少: zhìshǎo — at least, minimum, no fewer than
例子: lìzi — example, instance, illustrative case
乃至: nǎizhì — even, going so far as, up to and including
也许: yěxǔ — perhaps, maybe, possibly
仍然: réngrán — still, yet, continuing as before
高于: gāo yú — higher than, superior to, above
彼等: bǐ děng — they, those people (formal or literary usage)

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