Sense and Sensibility — Page 4

那位女士说道："他们会期望什么，谁也说不准，但我们不必考虑他们的期望：问题是，你能负担得起做什么。"

"There is no knowing what they may expect," said the lady, "but we are not to think of their expectations: the question is, what you can afford to do."

"当然——我想我可以给他们每人五百英镑。就目前情况而言，不加上我的任何贡献，她们的母亲去世后，每人也会得到约三千英镑——对任何年轻女性来说，这都是一笔相当可观的财富。"

"Certainly—and I think I may afford to give them five hundred pounds a-piece. As it is, without any addition of mine, they will each have about three thousand pounds on their mother's death—a very comfortable fortune for any young woman."

"这当然是的；而且说实话，我觉得她们根本不需要任何额外的补贴。她们将会得到一万英镑平分。如果她们出嫁，必定嫁得很好；如果不嫁，靠着一万英镑的利息，她们也完全可以舒舒服服地生活在一起。"

"To be sure it is; and, indeed, it strikes me that they can want no addition at all. They will have ten thousand pounds divided amongst them. If they marry, they will be sure of doing well, and if they do not, they may all live very comfortably together on the interest of ten thousand pounds."

"这话很有道理，因此，我不知道从全局来看，与其给她们，不如趁她们母亲在世时为她提供一些资助——我的意思是某种年金之类的东西。我的姐妹们和她本人都会感受到这样做的好处。每年一百英镑会让她们所有人过得非常舒适。"

"That is very true, and, therefore, I do not know whether, upon the whole, it would not be more advisable to do something for their mother while she lives, rather than for them—something of the annuity kind I mean.—My sisters would feel the good effects of it as well as herself. A hundred a year would make them all perfectly comfortable."

然而，他的妻子在同意这个计划时略显迟疑。

His wife hesitated a little, however, in giving her consent to this plan.

"当然，"她说，"这总比一下子拿出一千五百英镑要好。但是，如果达什伍德太太活了十五年，我们就完全吃亏了。"

"To be sure," said she, "it is better than parting with fifteen hundred pounds at once. But, then, if Mrs. Dashwood should live fifteen years we shall be completely taken in."

"十五年！我亲爱的范妮；她的寿命恐怕连那一半都值不上。

"Fifteen years! my dear Fanny; her life cannot be worth half that purchase.