? 《木馬贏家》(The Rocking-Horse Winner)是D.H.勞倫斯較為著名的短篇小說之一,故事以現(xiàn)代寓言的形式,在荒誕的圖景之中展露了深刻的現(xiàn)實批判內容,探討了勞倫斯所關注的人與人之間的關系,從一個側面反映了西方工業(yè)社會中金錢對健康和諧的人際關系的扭曲。

作者簡介:D·H·勞倫斯(David Herbert Lawrence,1885-1930),英國文學家,詩人。為二十世紀英國最獨特和最有爭議的作家之一,他筆下有許多膾炙人口的名篇,其中包括《查泰萊夫人的情人》(1928),《兒子與情人》,《虹》(1915),《戀愛中的女人》(1921),以及《誤入歧途的女人》等。《木馬贏家》于他的晚年創(chuàng)作而成,在他去世后的1933年才發(fā)表。

?【原著選段】

There were a boy and two little girls. They lived in a pleasant house, with a garden, and they had discreet servants, and felt themselves superior to anyone in the neighborhood.

Although they lived in style, they felt always an anxiety in the house. There was never enough money. The mother had a small income, and the father had a small income, but not nearly enough for the social position which they had to keep up. The father went into town to some office. But though he had good prospects, these prospects never materialized. There was always the grinding sense of the shortage of money, though the style was always kept up.

?【譯本】

她有一個男孩與兩個小女孩,他們住在一幢舒適帶花園的房子,他們擁有體貼人的仆人,覺得比街道上的任何人都高人一等。

盡管他們生活入時,但總是感到有一種焦慮。錢總是不夠用。母親有一份微薄的收入,父親也有一份微薄的收入,但幾乎不足以維持他們不得不維持的社會地位。父親在城里任職。但盡管他有好的前景,但從未實現(xiàn)。盡管他們生活入時,但總覺得負擔重,少錢用。

?【讀書筆記】

  1. discreet:1. (言行)謹慎的, 慎重的, 考慮周到的。引申為“體貼人的”【舉例】It wasn't discreet of you to ring me up at the office. 你打電話到我辦公室真是太魯莽了
  2. superior to :優(yōu)于,勝于
  3. live in style:過豪華時髦生活
  4. feel an anxiety in:為……感到焦慮。
  5. keep up:保持。【舉例】Their spirits kept up well in spite of setbacks.盡管遭受挫折, 他們的熱情不減。
  6. materialize:vi.具體化;成為現(xiàn)實【舉例】I don’t think her idealistic plans will ever materialize. 我以為她那些空想的計劃永遠不會實現(xiàn)。
  7. grinding:(困難的形勢)沒完沒了的;無休止的;無改進的