delighted to see, and nobody remembers to talk to.”
“That is exactly what I think of him,” cried Marianne.
“Do not boast of it, however,” said Elinor, “for it is injustice in both of you. He is highly esteemed by all the family at the park, and I never see him myself without taking pains to converse with him.”
“That he is patronised by YOU,” replied Willoughby, “is certainly in his favour; but as for the esteem of the others, it is a reproach in itself. Who would submit to the indignity of being approved by such a woman as Lady Middleton and Mrs. Jennings, that could command the indifference of any body else?”
“But perhaps the abuse of such people as yourself and Marianne will make amends for the regard of Lady Middleton and her mother. If their praise is censure, your censure may be praise, for they are not more undiscerning, than you are prejudiced and unjust.”
“In defence of your protege you can even be saucy.”
“My protege, as you call him, is a sensible man; and sense will always have attractions for me. Yes, Marianne, even in a man between thirty and forty. He has seen a great deal of the world; has been abroad, has read, and has a thinking mind. I have found him capable of giving me much information on various subjects; and he has always answered my inquiries with readiness of good-breeding and good nature.”
“That is to say,” cried Marianne contemptuously, “he has told you, that in the East Indies the climate is hot, and the mosquitoes are troublesome.”
“He WOULD have told me so, I doubt not, had I made any such inquiries, but they happened to be points on which I had been previously informed.”
“Perhaps,” said Willoughby, “his observations may have extended to the existence of nabobs, gold mohurs, and palanquins.”
“I may venture to say that HIS observations have stretched much further than your candour. But why should you dislike him?”
“I do not dislike him. I consider him, on the contrary, as a very respectable man, who has every body’s good word, and nobody’s notice; who, has more money than he can spend, more time than he knows how to employ, and two new coats every year.”
“Add to which,” cried Marianne, “that he has neither genius, taste, nor spirit. That his understanding has no brilliancy, his feelings no ardour, and his voice no expression.”
“You decide on his imperfections so much in the mass,” replied Elinor, “and so much on the strength of your own imagination, that the commendation I am able to give of him is comparatively cold and insipid. I can only pronounce him to be a sensible man, well-bred, well-informed, of gentle address, and, I believe, possessing an amiable heart.”
“Miss Dashwood,” cried Willoughby, “you are now using me unkindly. You are endeavouring to disarm me by reason, and to convince me against my will. But it will not do. You shall find me as stubborn as you can be artful. I have three unanswerable reasons for disliking Colonel Brandon; he threatened me with rain when I wanted it to be fine; he has found fault with the hanging of my curricle, and I cannot persuade him to buy my brown mare. If it will be any satisfaction to you, however, to be told, that I believe his character to be in other respects irreproachable, I am ready to confess it. And in return for an acknowledgment, which must give me some pain, you cannot deny me the privilege of disliking him as much as ever.”
Rozumienie tekstu
Zaznacz zdania prawdziwe literą T (true), a fałszywe – literą F (false).
1. Mr Henry Dashwood asks his son to support his wife and daughters, but John Dashwood doesn’t intend to fulfil the promise.
2. At the beginning of her acquaintance with Edward Ferrars, Elinor does not reciprocate his affection because she thinks him too shy and simple.
3. During a visit to the Middletons’, Marianne’s musical skills impress Colonel Brandon.
4. Elinor and Mrs Dashwood believe that Colonel Brandon’s ailment make him an unattractive candidate for a husband.
5. Willoughby tends to be rather critical of Colonel Brandon’s personality.
O słowach
WSPOMNIENIE
„Her mind became capable of some other exertion than that of heightening its affliction by melancholy remembrances.”
Remembrance (pamiątka, wspomnienie, pamięć) występuje przede wszystkim w kontekście uroczystości organizowanych ku pamięci poległych lub zmarłych czy dla upamiętnienia istotnych wydarzeń. Remembrance ceremony to właśnie uroczystość upamiętniająca, a Remembrance Day oznacza dzień pamięci poległych w czasie wojny.
Wyraz memory oznacza pamięć, ale również wspomnienie. W pierwszym użyciu jest to rzeczownik niepoliczalny. Porównaj przykłady:
I’m afraid she’s beginning to lose memory.
Obawiam się, że zaczyna tracić pamięć.
It’s one of my loveliest memories.
To jedno z moich najmilszych wspomnień.
Wspomnienie to także reminiscence. Wyraz ten najczęściej występuje w liczbie mnogiej, np.:
Alison’s reminiscences of two decades spent in South Africa were absolutely amazing.
Wspomnienia Alison o dwóch dekadach spędzonych w południowej Afryce były naprawdę niesamowite.
Słowo recollection również oznacza wspomnienie, często takie, którego przywołanie wymaga wysiłku. Wyrażenie to (the best of) my recollection to odpowiednik polskich zwrotów: o ile mnie pamięć nie myli; z tego, co pamiętam, np.:
To (the best of) my recollection, Andy turned up at seven.
Z tego, co pamiętam, Andy pojawił się o siódmej.
ŚMIERĆ
„The late owner of this estate was a single man, who lived to a very advanced age.”
Przymiotnik late w połączeniu z rzeczownikiem to odpowiednik polskiego (niedawno) zmarły. Inne wyrazy o tym samym znaczeniu to: deceased, gone czy po prostu dead.
Synonimami czasownika die (umierać) są m.in. pass away (odejść) i pass on (umrzeć, odejść). Wyrażenie breathe out one’s last to odpowiednik polskiego wydać ostatnie tchnienie. Go to meet one’s Maker i go to a better place oznaczają iść do nieba. Wyrażeniem formalnym, używanym najczęściej podczas religijnych uroczystości pogrzebowych, jest depart this/one’s life