Эмма

УДК 
372.8
ББК 
81.2 Англ-93
 
О 76

ISBN 978-5-9925-0451-4

Остин Дж.
О 76 Эмма: Книга для чтения на английском языке. — СПб.: КАРО, 2009. — 544 с. («Classical 
litera ture»).

ISBN 978-5-9925-0451-4

Предлагаем вниманию читателей роман замечательной английской писательницы Джейн Остин «Эмма», который, как и все произведения писательницы, можно назвать энциклопедией английской деревенской жизни.
Неадаптированный текст на языке оригинала снабжен 
постраничным комментарием и словарем. Книга адресована студентам языковых вузов и всем любителям английской литературы.

УДК 372.8
ББК 81.2 Англ-93

© КАРО, 2009

Об авторе

Замечательная английская писательница Джейн Остин 
(1775–1817), основоположница «дамского романа» в лучшем 
его смысле, родилась в семье провинциального священника, 
который, впрочем, сильно отличался от многих своих коллег — имел ученую степень в Оксфордском университете и в 
течение некоторого времени был членом ученой корпорации 
одного из его колледжей. Это был умный, эрудированный человек с широким кругозором. Джордж Остин и его жена Анна, 
урожденная Ли, принадлежали к старинным дворянским фамилиям. Несмотря на то, что они никогда не кичились своим 
происхождением, принадлежность семьи к родовитому дворянству обусловила круг знакомств и связей, открывая перед 
Остинами двери так называемых «лучших» домов графства.
Пробовать перо Джейн начала в возрасте пятнадцати лет. 
Сначала писала остроумные пародии на современный плохой роман, которые ее близкие называли «проказами Джейн», 
но с интересом эти «проказы» слушали.
Свой первый роман Джейн написала в 1796–1797 годах. 
Это были «Первые впечатления», увидевшие свет лишь спустя шестнадцать лет под названием «Гордость и предубеждение». Потом были «Разум и чувства», «Мэнсфилд-парк», 
«Доводы рассудка», «Нортенгерское аббатство», «Эмма».
Англия начала XIX века… Герои романов Джейн Остин 
живут именно в это время. А что мы знаем о нем, кроме смутного представления об утонченных леди и безукоризненно 
вежливых джентльменах, балах, охоте на лис и идущей гдето в Европе войне с Наполеоном?
Романы Остин можно назвать энциклопедией жизни деревенской Англии. Распорядок дня дворянской семьи, расположение комнат в особняках, жалованье горничной и сельскохозяйственного рабочего, закон о майорате — наследова

EMMA

нии по мужской линии, судебная иерархия в Англии — обо 
всем этом писательница если не рассказывает в деталях, то 
упоминает, и все эти подробности интересны отнюдь не меньше, чем перипетии любовных отношений героев.
Личная жизнь писательницы не сложилась, замуж она, в 
отличие от своих героинь, так и не вышла, хотя получила по 
крайней мере одно предложение руки и сердца. Умерла она 
от неизвестной болезни, в муках и молитвах о том, чтобы Бог 
послал ей и ее близким терпения.
Надо сказать, что современники Остин были не слишком 
высокого мнения о ее талантах и очень удивились бы, узнав, 
что произведения писательницы читают и два века спустя. 
Диккенс не подозревал о существовании Джейн Остин, высказывания о ней Шарлотты Бронте были весьма негативны. Но 
романы «несравненной Джейн», как назвал ее Вальтер Скотт, 
пользуются популярностью и в XXI веке, по ним снимаются 
фильмы и телесериалы с участием знаменитых актеров, и новые поколения читательниц живо интересуются судьбами прелестных барышень и блестящих кавалеров.

* * *
Эмма Вудхаус, молодая, красивая, обеспеченная, неглупая, 
решив не выходить замуж, чтобы не оставлять беспомощного 
отца одного в большом доме, занимается тем, что помогает своим приятельницам найти подходящую партию: чтобы был и 
богат, и умен, и красив, и уж ни в коем случае не ниже по положению. В провинциальном английском городке, где все друг 
друга знают, сделать это непросто, но тем интереснее ее задача. Молва, слухи, сплетни, пересуды, намеки, тайные знаки — 
все играет ей на руку, помогая отыскать влюбленности и привязанности, как, впрочем, и неприязненные отношения.
Стараясь пристроить своих приятельниц, героиня чуть 
было не упустила собственное счастье, о котором и не помышляла.
Книгу можно читать и перечитывать, чтобы окунуться в 
этом мир — такой далекий и в чем-то экзотический для современных читателей, но милый и очень английский.

Chapter I

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a 
comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite 
some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly 
twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or 
vex her.
She was the youngest of the two daughters of a most 
aff ectionate, indulgent father; and had, in consequence of 
her sister’s marriage, been mistress of his house from a very 
early period. Her mother had died too long ago for her to 
have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses; 
and her place had been supplied by an excel lent woman as 
governess, who had fallen little short of a mother1 in 
aff ection.
Sixteen years had Miss Taylor been in Mr. Woodhouse’s 
family, less as a governess than a friend, very fond of both 
daughters, but particularly of Emma. Between them it was 
more the intimacy of sisters. Even before Miss Taylor had 
ceased to hold the nominal offi  ce of governess, the mildness 
of her temper had hardly allowed her to impose any 
restraint; and the shadow of authority being now long 
passed away, they had been living together as friend and 

1 had fallen little short of a mother — (разг.) была почти 
матерью; относилась почти по-матерински

EMMA

6

friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what 
she liked; highly esteeming Miss Taylor’s judgment, but 
directed chiefl y by her own.
Th e real evils, indeed, of Emma’s situation were the 
power of having rather too much her own way, and a 
disposition to think a little too well of herself; these were 
the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her many 
enjoyments. The danger, however, was at present so 
unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as 
misfortunes with her.
Sorrow came — a gentle sorrow, but not at all in the 
shape of any disagreeable consciousness. Miss Taylor 
married. It was Miss Taylor’s loss which fi rst brought grief. 
It was on the wedding-day of this beloved friend that Emma 
fi rst sat in mournful thought of any continuance. Th e 
wedding over, and the bride-people gone, her father and 
herself were left  to dine together, with no prospect of a third 
to cheer a long evening. Her father composed himself to 
sleep aft er dinner, as usual, and she had then only to sit and 
think of what she had lost.
Th e event had every promise of happiness for her friend. 
Mr. Weston was a man of unexceptionable character, easy 
fortune, suitable age, and pleasant manners; and there was 
some satisfaction in considering with what self-denying, 
generous friendship she had always wished and promoted 
the match; but it was a black morning’s work for her. Th e 
want of Miss Taylor would be felt every hour of every day. 
She recalled her past kindness — the kindness, the aff ection 
of sixteen years, how she had taught and how she had played 
with her from fi ve years old, how she had devoted all her 
powers to attach and amuse her in health — and how nursed 
her through the various illnesses of childhood. A large debt 
of gratitude was owing here; but the intercourse of the last 

CHAPTER I

7

seven years, the equal footing1 and perfect unreserve which 
had soon followed Isabella’s marriage, on their being left  to 
each other, was yet a dearer, tenderer recollection. She had 
been a friend and companion such as few possessed: 
intelligent, well-informed, useful, gentle, knowing all the 
ways of the family, interested in all its concerns, and 
peculiarly interested in herself, in every pleasure, every 
scheme of hers — one to whom she could speak every 
thought as it arose, and who had such an aff ection for her 
as could never fi nd fault.
How was she to bear the change? It was true that her 
friend was going only half a mile from them; but Emma 
was aware that great must be the diff erence between a 
Mrs. Weston, only half a mile from them, and a Miss Taylor 
in the house; and with all her advantages, natural and 
domestic, she was now in great danger of suff ering from 
intellectual solitude. She dearly loved her father, but he was 
no companion for her. He could not meet her in 
conversation, rational or playful.
The evil of the actual disparity in their ages (and 
Mr. Woodhouse had not married early) was much increased 
by his constitution and habits; for having been a 
valetudinarian all his life, without activity of mind or body, 
he was a much older man in ways than in years; and though 
everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his heart and his 
amiable temper, his talents could not have recommended 
him at any time.
Her sister, though comparatively but little removed by 
matrimony, being settled in London, only sixteen miles off , 
was much beyond her daily reach; and many a long October 
and November evening must be struggled through at 
Hartfi eld, before Christmas brought the next visit from 

1 the equal footing — (разг.) равное положение

EMMA

8

Isabella and her husband, and their little children, to fi ll the 
house, and give her pleasant society again.
Highbury, the large and populous village, almost 
amounting to a town, to which Hartfi eld, in spite of its 
separate lawn, and shrubberies, and name, did really belong, 
aff orded her no equals. Th e Woodhouses were fi rst in 
consequence there. All looked up to them. She had many 
acquaintance in the place, for her father was universally 
civil, but not one among them who could be accepted in 
lieu of1 Miss Taylor for even half a day. It was a melancholy 
change; and Emma could not but sigh over it, and wish for 
impossible things, till her father awoke, and made it 
necessary to be cheerful. His spirits required support. He 
was a nervous man, easily depressed; fond of everybody 
that he was used to, and hating to part with them; hating 
change of every kind. Matrimony, as the origin of change, 
was always disagreeable; and he was by no means yet 
reconciled to his own daughter’s marrying, nor could ever 
speak of her but with compassion, though it had been 
entirely a match of aff ection, when he was now obliged to 
part with Miss Taylor too; and from his habits of gentle 
selfi shness, and of being never able to suppose that other 
people could feel diff erently from himself, he was very much 
disposed to think Miss Taylor had done as sad a thing for 
herself as for them, and would have been a great deal 
happier if she had spent all the rest of her life at Hartfi eld. 
Emma smiled and chatted as cheerfully as she could, to 
keep him from such thoughts; but when tea came, it was 
impossible for him not to say exactly as he had said at 
dinner.
“Poor Miss Taylor! I wish she were here again. What a 
pity it is that Mr. Weston ever thought of her!”

1 in lieu of — (разг.) вместо

CHAPTER I

9

“I cannot agree with you, papa; you know I cannot. 
Mr. Weston is such a good-humoured, pleasant, excellent 
man, that he thoroughly deserves a good wife; and you 
would not have had Miss Taylor live with us for ever, and 
bear all my odd humours1, when she might have a house 
of her own?”
“A house of her own! But where is the advantage of a 
house of her own? Th is is three times as large. And you have 
never any odd humours, my dear.”
“How oft en we shall be going to see them, and they 
coming to see us? We shall be always meeting! We must 
begin; we must go and pay wedding visit very soon.”
“My dear, how am I to get so far? Randalls is such a 
distance. I could not walk half so far.”
“No, papa, nobody thought of your walking. We must 
go in the carriage, to be sure.”
“Th e carriage! But James will not like to put the horses 
to for such a little way; and where are the poor horses to be 
while we are paying our visit?”
“Th ey are to be put into Mr. Weston’s stable, papa. You 
know we have settled all that already. We talked it all over 
with Mr. Weston last night. And as for James, you may be 
very sure he will always like going to Randalls, because of his 
daughter’s being housemaid there. I only doubt whether he 
will ever take us anywhere else. Th at was your doing, papa. 
You got Hannah that good place. Nobody thought of Hannah 
till you mentioned her — James is so obliged to you!”
“I am very glad I did think of her. It was very lucky, for 
I would not have had poor James think himself slighted 
upon any account; and I am sure she will make a very good 
servant: she is a civil, pretty-spoken girl; I have a great 
opinion of her. Whenever I see her, she always curtseys and 

1 odd humours — (разг.) перепады настроения

EMMA

10

asks me how I do, in a very pretty manner; and when you 
have had her here to do needlework, I observe she always 
turns the lock of the door the right way and never bangs it. 
I am sure she will be an excellent servant; and it will be a 
great comfort to poor Miss Taylor to have somebody about 
her that she is used to see. Whenever James goes over to 
see his daughter, you know, she will be hearing of us. He 
will be able to tell her how we all are.”
Emma spared no exertions to maintain this happier fl ow 
of ideas, and hoped, by the help of backgammon, to get her 
father tolerably through the evening, and be attacked by no 
regrets but her own. Th e backgammon-table was placed; 
but a visitor immediately aft erwards walked in and made 
it unnecessary.
Mr. Knightley, a sensible man about seven or eight-andthirty1, was not only a very old and intimate friend of the 
family, but particularly connected with it, as the elder 
brother of Isabella’s husband. He lived about a mile from 
Highbury, was a frequent visitor, and always welcome, and 
at this time more welcome than usual, as coming directly 
from their mutual connexions in London. He had returned 
to a late dinner, aft er some days’ absence, and now walked 
up to Hartfi eld to say that all were well in Brunswick Square. 
It was a happy circumstance, and animated Mr. Woodhouse 
for some time. Mr. Knightley had a cheerful manner, which 
always did him good; and his many inquiries aft er “poor 
Isabella” and her children were answered most satisfactorily. 
When this was over, Mr. Woodhouse gratefully observed:
“It is very kind of you, Mr. Knightley, to come out at 
this late hour to call upon us. I am afraid you must have 
had a shocking walk.”

1 about seven or eight-and-thirty — (устар.) лет тридцати семи — тридцати восьми