Разум и чувства

УДК 372.8
ББК 81.2 Англ93
 О 76

ISBN 9785992502886
© КАРО, 2006

Остин Дж.
О 76
Разум и чувства: Книга для чтения на
английском языке — СПб.: КАРО, 2009. — 576 с.

ISBN 9785992502886

Джейн Остин (1775–1817) — известная английская
писательница, романы которой за две сотни лет пережили
множество изданий, как на языке оригинала, так и в
переводах, и несколько экранизаций.
«Разум и чувства» (1811) — первый роман
писательницы. Это книга о любви и предательстве, об
искренности и притворстве, о верности и вероломстве, о
страсти и привязанности, и, конечно же, о вечной борьбе
разума и чувств.
Неадаптированный текст на языке оригинала снабжен
постраничными комментариями и словарем.

УДК 372.8
ББК 81.2 Англ93

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

Chapter 1

The family of Dashwood had been long settled in
Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was
at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where,
for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a
manner, as to engage the general good opinion of their
surrounding acquaintance. The late owner of this estate
was a single man, who lived to a very advanced age, and
who for many years of his life, had a constant companion and housekeeper in his sister. But her death, which
happened ten years before his own, produced a great
alteration in his home; for to supply her loss, he invited
and received into his house the family of his nephew
Mr. Henry Dashwood, the legal inheritor of the Norland estate, and the person to whom he intended to
bequeath it. In the society of his nephew and niece, and
their children, the old Gentleman’s days were comfortably spent. His attachment to them all increased. The
constant attention of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood
to his wishes, which proceeded not merely from interest,

JANE AUSTEN

but from goodness of heart, gave him every degree
of solid comfort which his age could receive; and the
cheerfulness of the children added a relish to his
existence.
By a former marriage, Mr. Henry Dashwood had
one son: by his present lady, three daughters. The
son, a steady respectable young man, was amply provided for by the fortune of his mother, which had
been large, and half of which devolved on him on his
coming of age1. By his own marriage, likewise, which
happened soon afterwards, he added to his wealth.
To him therefore the succession to the Norland estate was not so really important as to his sisters; for
their fortune, independent of what might arise to
them from their father’s inheriting that property, could
be but small2. Their mother had nothing, and their
father only seven thousand pounds in his own disposal; for the remaining moiety of his first wife’s fortune
was also secured to her child, and he had only a life
interest in it3.

1 devolved on him on his coming of age — перешла к нему по
наследству по достижении совершеннолетия

2 for their fortune, independent of what might arise to them from
their father’s inheriting that property, could be but small — поскольку их состояние, если бы их отец не унаследовал имение, было бы очень небольшим

3 and he had only a life interest in it — он имел право только на
пожизненное получение процентов

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

The old Gentleman died; his will was read, and
like almost every other will, gave as much disappointment as pleasure. He was neither so unjust, nor so ungrateful, as to leave his estate from his nephew; — but
he left it to him on such terms as destroyed half the
value of the bequest. Mr. Dashwood had wished for
it more for the sake of his wife and daughters than
for himself or his son: — but to his son, and his son’s
son, a child of four years old, it was secured, in such
a way, as to leave to himself no power of providing
for those who were most dear to him, and who most
needed a provision, by any charge on the estate, or
by any sale of its valuable woods. The whole was tied
up for the benefit of this child, who, in occasional
visits with his father and mother at Norland, had so
far gained on the affections of his uncle, by such attractions as are by no means unusual in children of
two or three years old; an imperfect articulation, an
earnest desire of having his own way, many cunning
tricks, and a great deal of noise, as to outweigh all
the value of all the attention which, for years, he had
received from his niece and her daughters. He meant
not to be unkind however, and, as a mark of his affection for the three girls, he left them a thousand
pounds a-piece.1

1 he left them a thousand pounds apiece — оставил по тысяче
фунтов каждой

JANE AUSTEN

Mr. Dashwood’s disappointment was, at first, severe;
but his temper was cheerful and sanguine, and he might
reasonably hope to live many years, and by living economically, lay by a considerable sum from the produce of
an estate already large, and capable of almost immediate
improvement. But the fortune, which had been so tardy
in coming, was his only one twelvemonth.1 He survived
his uncle no longer; and ten thousand pounds, including
the late legacies, was all that remained for his widow and
daughters. His son was sent for, as soon as his danger was
known, and to him Mr. Dashwood recommended, with
all the strength and urgency which illness could command, the interest of his mother-in-law and sisters.
Mr. John Dashwood had not the strong feelings of
the rest of the family; but he was affected by a recommendation of such a nature at such a time, and he promised to do everything in his power to make them
comfortable. His father was rendered easy by such an
assurance2, and Mr. John Dashwood had then leisure to
consider how much there might prudently be in his
power to do for them.
He was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be
rather cold-hearted, and rather selfish, is to be ill-dis
1 But the fortune, which had been so tardy in coming, was his only
one twelvemonth. — Но наследство, которое пришлось так
долго ждать, принадлежало ему всего год.

2 His father was rendered easy by such an assurance — такое уверение принесло его отцу облегчение

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

posed1: but he was, in general, well respected; for he
conducted himself with propriety in the discharge of
his ordinary duties. Had he married a more amiable
woman, he might have been made still more respectable than he was: — he might even have been made
amiable himself; for he was very young when he married, and very fond of his wife. But Mrs. John Dashwood was a strong caricature of himself; — more narrow-minded and selfish.
When he gave his promise to his father, he meditated within himself to increase the fortunes of his sisters by the present of a thousand pounds a-piece. He
then really thought himself equal to it. The prospect
of four thousand a-year, in addition to his present income, besides the remaining half of his own mother’s
fortune, warmed his heart and made him feel capable
of generosity. — “Yes, he would give them three thousand pounds: it would be liberal and handsome! It
would be enough to make them completely easy. Three
thousand pounds! he could spare so considerable a sum
with little inconvenience.” — He thought of it all day
long, and for many days successively, and he did not
repent.

1 He was not an illdisposed young man, unless to be rather coldhearted, and rather selfish, is to be illdisposed — Он вовсе не
был дурным человеком — конечно, если быть черствым и
эгоистичным не обязательно означает быть дурным человеком

JANE AUSTEN

No sooner was his father’s funeral over, than Mrs.
John Dashwood, without sending any notice of her intention to her mother-in-law, arrived with her child and
their attendants. No one could dispute her right to come;
the house was her husband’s from the moment of his
father’s decease; but the indelicacy of her conduct was
so much the greater, and to a woman in Mrs. Dashwood’s situation, with only common feelings, must have
been highly unpleasing; — but in her mind there was a
sense of honour so keen, a generosity so romantic, that
any offence of the kind, by whomsoever given or received, was to her a source of immoveable disgust. Mrs.
John Dashwood had never been a favourite with any of
her husband’s family; but she had had no opportunity,
till the present, of shewing them with how little attention to the comfort of other people she could act when
occasion required it.
So acutely did Mrs. Dashwood feel this ungracious
behaviour, and so earnestly did she despise her daughter-in-law for it, that, on the arrival of the latter, she
would have quitted the house forever, had not the entreaty of her eldest girl induced her first to reflect on
the propriety of going, and her own tender love for all
her three children determined her afterwards to stay,
and for their sakes avoid a breach with their brother.
Elinor, this eldest daughter whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment, which qualified her, though only nine

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

teen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enabled
her frequently to counteract, to the advantage of them
all, that eagerness of mind in Mrs. Dashwood which
must generally have led to imprudence. She had an excellent heart; — her disposition was affectionate, and
her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern
them: it was a knowledge which her mother had yet to
learn, and which one of her sisters had resolved never to
be taught.
Marianne’s abilities were, in many respects, quite
equal to Elinor’s. She was sensible and clever; but eager
in every thing; her sorrows, her joys, could have no
moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she
was every thing but prudent. The resemblance between
her and her mother was strikingly great.
Elinor saw, with concern, the excess of her sister’s
sensibility1; but by Mrs. Dashwood it was valued and
cherished. They encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction. The agony of grief which overpowered them at first, was voluntarily renewed, was
sought for, was created again and again. They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of
wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and
resolved against ever admitting consolation in future.
Elinor, too, was deeply afflicted; but still she could

1 Elinor saw, with concern, the excess of her sister’s sensibility —
Эмоциональность сестры внушала Элинор беспокойство

JANE AUSTEN

struggle, she could exert herself1. She could consult with
her brother, could receive her sister-in-law on her arrival, and treat her with proper attention; and could strive
to rouse her mother to similar exertion, and encourage
her to similar forbearance.
Margaret, the other sister, was a good-humoured
well-disposed girl; but as she had already imbibed a good
deal of Marianne’s romance, without having much of
her sense, she did not, at thirteen, bid fair to equal her
sisters at a more advanced period of life2.

1 she could exert herself — она могла взять себя в руки

2 she did not, at thirteen, bid fair to equal her sisters at a more
advanced period of life — в свои тринадцать лет она, разумеется, не могла считаться равной более взрослым сестрам