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Emma, when first published in 1816, was written when Jane Austen was at the height of her powers. In it, we have her two greatest comic creations -- the eccentric Mr. Woodhouse and that quintissential bore, Miss Bates. In it, too, we have her most profound characterization: the witty, imaginative, self-deluded Emma, a heroine the author declared "no one but myself will much like," but who has been much loved by generations of readers. Delightfull funny, full of rich irony, Emma is regarded as one of Jane Austen's finest achievements.
内容简介
As daughter of the richest, most important man in the small provincial village of Highbury, Emma Woodhouse is firmly convinced that it is her right--perhaps even her "duty"--to arrange the lives of others. Considered by most critics to be Austen's most technically brilliant achievement, "Emma" sparkles with ironic insights into self-deception, self-discovery, and the interplay of love and power.
作者简介
Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 at Steventon near Basingstoke, the seventh child of the rector of the parish. She lived with her family at Steventon until they moved to Bath when her father retired in 1801. After his death in 1805, she moved around with her mother; in 1809, they settled in Chawton, near Alton, Hampshire. Here she remained, except for a few visits to London, until in May 1817 she moved to Winchester to be near her doctor. There she died on July 18, 1817.
As a girl
Jane Austen wrote stories, including burlesques of popular romances. Her works were only published after much revision, four novels being published in her lifetime. These are Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1816). Two other novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, were published posthumously in 1818 with a biographical notice by her brother, Henry Austen, the first formal announcement of her authorship. Persuasion was written in a race against failing health in 1815-16. She also left two earlier compositions, a short epistolary novel, Lady Susan, and an unfinished novel, The Watsons. At the time of her death, she was working on a new novel, Sanditon, a fragmentary draft of which survives.
简·奥斯汀,是英国著名女性小说家,她的作品主要关注乡绅家庭女性的婚姻和生活,以女性特有的细致入微的观察力和活泼风趣的文字真实地描绘了她周围世界的小天地。
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精彩书摘
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 affectionate, 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 excellent woman as governess, who had fallen little short of a mother in affection.
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 office 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 friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked; highly esteeming Miss Taylor's judgment, but directed chiefly by her own.
The 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 first brought grief. It was on the wedding day of this beloved friend that Emma first sat in mournful thought of any continuance. The 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 after dinner, as usual, and she had then only to sit and think of what she had lost.
The 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. The want of Miss Taylor would be felt every hour of every day. She recalled her past kindness-the kindness, the affection of sixteen years-how she had taught and how she had played with her from five 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 seven years, the equal footing 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 affection for her as could never find 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 difference 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 suffering 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 Hartfield, before Christmas brought the next visit from Isabella and her husband, and their little children, to fill the house, and give her pleasant society again.
Highbury, the large and populous village almost amounting to a town, to which Hartfield, in spite of its separate lawn, and shrubberies, and name, did really belong, afforded her no equals. The Woodhouses were first in consequence there. All looked up to them. She had many acquaintances in the place, for her father was universally civil, but not one among them who could be accepted in lieu of 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 affection, when he was now obliged to part with Miss Taylor too; and from his habits of gentle selfishness, and of being never able to suppose that other people could feel differently 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 Hartfield. 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!"
"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 humours,1 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? This is three times as large; and you have never any odd humours, my dear."
"How often 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 our 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."
"The 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?"
"They 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. That 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 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 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 flow 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. The backgammon-table was placed; but a visitor immediately afterwards walked in and made it unnecessary.
Mr. Knightley, a sensible man about seven or eight-and-thirty, 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 connections in London. He had returned to a late dinner after some days' absence, and now walked up to Hartfield 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 after "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."
"Not at all, sir. It is a beautiful moonlight night; and so mild that I must draw back from your great fire."
"But you must have found it very damp and dirty. I wish you may not catch cold."
"Dirty, sir! Look at my shoes. Not a speck on them."
"Well: that is quite surprising, for we have had a vast deal of rain here. It rained dreadfully hard for half an hour while we were at breakfast. I wanted them to put off the wedding."
"By the bye, I have not wished you joy. Being pretty well aware of what sort of joy you must both be feeling, I have been in no hurry with my congratulations; but I hope it all went off tolerably well. How did you all behave? Who cried most?"
"Ah! poor Miss Taylor! 'tis a sad business."
"Poor Mr. and Miss Woodhouse, if you please; but I cannot possibly say 'poor Miss Taylor.' I have a great regard for you and Emma; but when it comes to the question of dependence or independence! at any rate, it must be better to have only one to please than two."
"Especially when one of those two is such a fanciful, troublesome creature!" said Emma playfully. "That is what you have in your head, I know-and what you would certainly say if my father were not by."
"I believe it is very true, my dear, indeed," said Mr. Woodhouse, with a sigh. "I am afraid I am sometimes very fanciful and troublesome."
"My dearest papa! You do not think I could mean you, or suppose Mr. Knightley to mean you. What a horrible idea! Oh, no! I meant only myself. Mr. Knightley loves to find fault with me, you know-in a joke-it is all a joke. We always say what we like to one another."
Mr. Knightley, in fact, was one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse, and the only one who ever told her of them; and though this was not particularly agreeable to Emma herself, she knew it would be so much less so to her father, that she would not have him really suspect such a circumstance as her not being thought perfect by everybody.
"Emma knows I never flatter her," said Mr. Knightley, "but I meant no reflection on anybody. Miss Taylor has been used to have two persons to please; she will now have but one. The chances are that she must be a gainer."
"Well," said Emma, willing to let it pass, "you want to hear about the wedding; and I shall be happy to tell you, for we all behaved charmingly. Everybody was punctual, everybody in their best looks: not a tear, and hardly a long face to be seen. Oh, no; we all felt that we were going to be only half a mile apart, and were sure of meeting every day."
"Dear Emma bears everything so well," said her father. "But, Mr. Knightley, she is really very sorry to lose poor Miss Taylor, and I am sure she will miss her more than she thinks for."
Emma turned away her head, divided between tears and smiles.
"It is impossible that Emma should not miss such a companion," said Mr. Knightley. "We should not like her so well as we do, sir, if we could suppose it: but she knows how much the marriage is to Miss Taylor's advantage; she knows how very acceptable it must be, at Miss Taylor's time of life, to be settled in a home of her own, and how important to her to be secure of a comfortable provision, and therefore cannot allow herself to feel so much pain as pleasure. Every friend of Miss Taylor must be glad to have her so happily married."
"And you have forgotten one matter of joy to me," said Emma, "and a very considerable one-that I made the match myself. I made the match, you know, four years ago; and to have it take place, and be proved in the right, when so many people said Mr. Weston would never marry again, may comfort me for anything."
Mr. Knightley shook his head at her. Her father fondly replied, "Ah! my dear, I wish you would not make matches and foretell things, for whatever you say always comes to pass. Pray do not make any more matches."
迷失在雾中的灯塔:一封来自海角的长信 书名:迷失在雾中的灯塔 作者:伊丽莎白·哈德森 译者:李文静 出版社:远帆文化 --- 内容梗概: 《迷失在雾中的灯塔》是一部跨越世纪的家族史诗,以其细腻入微的笔触,描绘了发生在英格兰康沃尔郡一座孤立海角上的爱德华时期到二战前夕的动荡岁月。故事的核心围绕着“黑礁灯塔”及其守护者——特纳家族三代人的命运展开。 第一部:岩石上的誓言(1888 - 1910) 故事始于维多利亚时代的黄昏,年轻的航海家托马斯·特纳,一位怀揣着对海洋近乎宗教般敬畏的理想主义者,接手了管理臭名昭著的“黑礁灯塔”的职务。黑礁,因其常年被浓雾和险恶的暗礁环绕,被当地渔民视为不祥之地。托马斯带来了一位年轻、富有艺术气息的妻子——莉迪亚。莉迪亚是一位来自伦敦的植物学家,她对荒凉海岸线的热爱,源于她对自然界隐秘秩序的追求。 在这一部分,作者通过大量的书信往来和日记摘录,展现了初到灯塔生活的艰辛与浪漫。托马斯致力于完善灯塔的自动化系统,他的执着几乎让他与外界隔绝。莉迪亚则在狭小的灯塔花园里,培育着那些只能在海风侵蚀下生存的稀有耐盐植物,试图在严酷的环境中寻觅一丝生机。 主要的冲突点在于托马斯与当地保守的灯塔监管委员会之间的理念冲突,以及他与莉迪亚之间因对“家”的不同理解而产生的微妙隔阂。当一场突如其来的暴风雪将他们与大陆完全隔绝,且灯塔的光源面临熄灭的危机时,他们的婚姻和信念受到了前所未有的考验。托马斯必须在恪守规则与听从直觉之间做出抉择,而莉迪亚则在绝境中发现了她对丈夫深沉而坚韧的爱。 第二部:寂静的回响(1911 - 1925) 时间快进至爱德华时代末期。托马斯和莉迪亚的儿子,阿瑟·特纳,一个敏感、沉默寡言的少年继承了父亲的职位,但内心却充满了对文学和音乐的渴望。阿瑟的童年记忆里,充满了灯塔那单调的重复的声响和无尽的海鸟叫声,这使他成为一个与时代格格不入的灵魂。 随着第一次世界大战的爆发,黑礁灯塔的重要性陡然上升,它不再仅仅是航海的指引,更是军事通讯的关键节点。阿瑟被征召入伍,前往法国的战壕,这次经历彻底颠覆了他对世界秩序的认知。 这一部分采用了多重视角叙事。我们看到了阿瑟在战壕中挣扎求生的信件,也看到了灯塔留守的莉迪亚,如何顶住战争的压力,维护着灯塔的日常运作,同时还要应对来自内陆的质疑和来自海上的威胁。阿瑟归来时,已是残缺的灵魂,他试图用钢琴演奏出那些在硝烟中被撕裂的旋律,但最终发现,他所能奏出的,只有灯塔那永恒不变的“嘀嗒”声。他与一位来自战时难民营的年轻护士相识,这段短暂而热烈的关系,成为了他灰色生命中唯一的色彩。 第三部:雾中的继承者(1926 - 1939) 阿瑟的女儿,艾拉,在两次大战的间隙中长大。她是一个充满叛逆精神的“新女性”,厌倦了康沃尔海岸的封闭与传统,向往着巴黎和柏林的爵士乐与自由思想。艾拉对灯塔的感情复杂:它既是她血液中流淌的责任,也是束缚她翅膀的枷锁。 艾拉在伦敦接受了教育,学习了现代建筑学,她计划用现代设计来改造这座古老的灯塔,使它更加高效、更具未来感。然而,随着经济大萧条的阴影笼罩而来,以及新的战争威胁逼近,艾拉必须面对一个严峻的现实:她的现代理念在面对历史的重量时显得如此苍白无力。 她的恋人,一位雄心勃勃的工程师,力图将灯塔改造成一个利用潮汐能的新型能源中心,但这引发了艾拉与年迈的阿瑟之间关于“传承”与“革新”的激烈争论。最终,在三十年代末,当欧洲再次被战争的阴霾笼罩时,艾拉意识到,灯塔所代表的,不是过时的象征,而是永不熄灭的希望之光。她放弃了逃离的念头,选择留守,准备迎接即将到来的黑暗。 主题与特色: 《迷失在雾中的灯塔》不仅仅是一个关于灯塔守卫者的故事,它深入探讨了以下主题: 光与影的哲学辩证: 灯塔的光芒象征着理性、秩序与希望,而围绕它的浓雾则代表着未知、恐惧与人性中的脆弱。 现代性与传统的拉锯战: 每一个特纳家族的成员都在试图用自己的方式来适应或反抗他们所处的时代,无论是托马斯的机械化改造,阿瑟的艺术抗议,还是艾拉的建筑革新。 隔绝与联系: 康沃尔海角是物理上的隔绝,但正是这种隔绝,迫使人物进行最深刻的内心交流,通过书信和沉默,他们构筑了代际间的精神桥梁。 环境的塑造力: 冰冷、无情的海洋环境被描绘成一个有生命的、能考验和锤炼人性的角色。 作者简介: 伊丽莎白·哈德森(Elizabeth Hudson),当代英国最受推崇的家族小说家之一。她以对英国海岸线、气候变化及其对人类心理影响的深刻洞察而闻名。《迷失在雾中的灯塔》是她耗时五年,走访了英国所有主要灯塔遗址后完成的恢弘巨著,被评论家誉为“将现实主义的沉稳与浪漫主义的激情完美融合的典范之作”。 读者群体: 喜爱英式文学、历史小说、家族史诗以及探讨人与自然关系的读者,尤其适合喜爱维多利亚时期与爱德华时期背景故事的爱好者。 --- (全书共五百余页,精装版附赠康沃尔郡海岸线手绘地图及特纳家族族谱。)