Pride and Prejudice — Page 5
但如果真的有人尝试这样做，这种尝试肯定不会受到任何结构松散的拖累——这类松散有时被小说家所能利用的种种便利所掩盖，但一旦搬上舞台，便会立刻原形毕露。
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.
然而我认为——尽管这个想法对不止一个批评流派来说无疑显得有些异端——结构并非小说家最高的优点，也非其最珍贵的天赋。
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.
结构确实能在挑剔的眼光面前将作家其他的才华与魅力衬托得最为出色；而结构的缺失有时也会损害这些魅力——虽然这种损害是可以感知的，却未必完全是有意识地被察觉到的，即便是并不特别苛刻的读者也不例外。
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.
但一部结构极为拙劣、却在悲情或幽默人物塑造上出类拔萃的小说，或者一部展现出炉火纯青对话驾驭能力的小说——这或许是所有才能中最为罕见的——将远胜于一部情节无懈可击、却由口含石子的木偶来表演和讲述的作品。
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.
尽管奥斯汀小姐在推进故事情节方面展现出了卓越的能力，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艺术与人物创造才能之巅峰的作品，我会将其评价低得多。
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.
这些巅峰之作或许确实接纳了约翰·索普、埃尔顿夫妇、诺里斯太太以及其他一两位人物与之为伍，但其中至少有一例——也许还有其他几例——仍然凌驾于他们之上。
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.
Vocabulary
- but
- 表示转折或对比的连接词
- if
- 表示条件的连接词
- the
- 英语定冠词，用于特定名词前
- attempt
- 尝试、努力做某事
- were
- 动词be的过去式虚拟形式
- made
- 制造、制作、使得
- it
- 代词，指代事物或情况
- would
- 表示将来时或虚拟条件的助动词
- certainly
- 肯定地、无疑地、确实地
- not
- 否定词，表示否定意义
- be
- 最基本的动词，表示存在或状态
- hampered
- 阻碍、妨碍、阻止进行
- by
- 介词，表示被动句的施事者
- any
- 任何、一些、用于疑问或否定句
- of
- 介词，表示属于、来自或关于
- those
- 指示代词，那些、那个
- construction
- 建造、结构、构造方式
- which
- 关系代词，用于引导定语从句
- sometimes
- 有时候、不时地、偶尔
- disguised
- 伪装、掩盖、隐藏真面目
- conveniences
- 便利、便宜货、方便的事物
- novelist
- 小说家、创作小说的作者
- can
- 能够、可以、表示可能性
- himself
- 反身代词，他自己
- appear
- 出现、显得、似乎
- at
- 介词，表示地点、时间或状态
- once
- 一次、曾经、立即
- on
- 介词，表示位置、状态或进行中
- stage
- 舞台、阶段、戏剧表演
- think
- 认为、思考、想
- however
- 然而、无论如何、不管怎样
- though
- 虽然、尽管、但是
- thought
- 思想、想法、思考
- will
- 意愿、将要、遗嘱
- doubtless
- 无疑、肯定、毫无疑问
- seem
- 看起来、似乎、显得
- to
- 介词或不定式标记
- more
- 更多、附加的、进一步
- than
- 比较级介词，用于比较两事物
- one
- 数字一、某个、人们
- school
- 学校、学派、派别
- critics
- 批评家、评论家、批评者
- that
- 指示代词或关系代词
- is
- 动词be的第三人称单数形式
- highest
- 最高的、最大程度的、顶端的
- merit
- 优点、价值、值得称赞
- gift
- 礼物、天赋、才能
- sets
- 设置、放置、套装
- off
- 离开、抵消、衬托
- his
- 物主代词，他的
- other
- 其他的、别的、另外的
- gifts
- 礼物、天赋、才能
- and
- 连接词，表示并列关系
- graces
- 优雅、魅力、礼仪
- most
- 最、大多数、非常
- critical
- 批评的、评论的、关键的
- eye
- 眼睛、视力、观点
- want
- 需要、缺少、想要
- quite
- 相当、完全、十分
- consciously
- 有意识地、故意地、自觉地
- eyes
- 眼睛、视力、观点
- no
- 否定词、没有、不
- means
- 方式、意思、资源
- very
- 非常、很、极其
- novel
- 小说、新的、奇新的
- excelled
- 卓越、超群、出色
- in
- 在里面、用、表示条件
- pathetic
- 可怜的、悲哀的、令人同情的
- or
- 或者、或许、否则
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