🔊 Alexey Fyodorovitch Karamazov was the third son of Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov, a land owner well known in our district in his own day, and still remembered among us owing to his gloomy and tragic death, which happened thirteen years ago, and which I shall describe in its proper place. For the present I will only say that this "landowner"-for so we used to call him, although he hardly spent a day of his life on his own estate-was a strange type, yet one pretty frequently to be met with, a type abject and vicious and at the same time senseless. But he was one of those senseless persons who are very well capable of looking after their worldly affairs, and, apparently, after nothing else. Fyodor Pavlovitch, for instance, began with next to nothing; his estate was of the smallest; he ran to dine at other men's tables, and fastened on them as a toady, yet at his death it appeared that he had a hundred thousand roubles in hard cash. At the same time, he was all his life one of the most senseless, fantastical fellows in the whole district. I repeat, it was not stupidity-the majority of these fantastical fellows are shrewd and intelligent enough-but just senselessness, and a peculiar national form of it.

阿列克谢·费奥多罗维奇·卡拉马佐夫是费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇·卡拉马佐夫的第三个儿子,后者在我们地区曾是个有名的地主,至今仍因其十三年前那场阴郁悲惨的死亡而被我们铭记--此事我将在适当之处详述。眼下我只想说,这位“地主”--我们惯常这样称呼他,尽管他一生中几乎没在自己庄园待过一天--是个古怪的类型,却又相当常见:卑劣、邪恶,同时愚不可及。但他属于那种愚钝却极善打理俗务的人,除此之外,似乎一无所长。譬如,费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇起初几乎一无所有；他的产业微乎其微；他常跑到别人桌上蹭饭,像个马屁精似的巴结他们,然而死后却发现他竟有十万卢布的现金。与此同时,他终其一生都是全区最愚妄、最荒诞的人物之一。我重申,这并非愚蠢--这类荒诞之徒多半足够精明聪慧--而纯属愚妄,且是一种独特的民族性愚妄。

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gloomy /ˈɡluːmi/

adj. 阴郁的,忧郁的➕

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tragic /ˈtrædʒɪk/

adj. 悲剧的,悲惨的➕

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abject /ˈæbdʒekt/

adj. 卑鄙的,可怜的➕

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vicious /ˈvɪʃəs/

adj. 恶毒的,凶残的➕

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senseless /ˈsensləs/

adj. 无意义的,愚蠢的➕

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worldly /ˈwɜːrldli/

adj. 世俗的,世故的➕

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toady /ˈtoʊdi/

n. 谄媚者,马屁精➕

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fantastical /fænˈtæstɪkəl/

adj. 幻想的,奇异的➕

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shrewd /ʃruːd/

adj. 精明的,敏锐的➕

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intelligent /ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/

adj. 聪明的,有智慧的➕

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senselessness /ˈsensləsnəs/

n. 无意义,愚蠢➕

🔊 He was married twice, and had three sons, the eldest, Dmitri, by his first wife, and two, Ivan and Alexey, by his second.

他结过两次婚,生了三个儿子:长子德米特里是前妻所生,次子伊万和幼子阿列克谢是后妻所生。

🔊 Fyodor Pavlovitch's first wife, Adelaïda Ivanovna, belonged to a fairly rich and distinguished noble family, also landowners in our district, the Miüsovs. How it came to pass that an heiress, who was also a beauty, and moreover one of those vigorous, intelligent girls, so common in this generation, but sometimes also to be found in the last, could have married such a worthless, puny weakling, as we all called him, I won't attempt to explain. I knew a young lady of the last "romantic" generation who after some years of an enigmatic passion for a gentleman, whom she might quite easily have married at any moment, invented insuperable obstacles to their union, and ended by throwing herself one stormy night into a rather deep and rapid river from a high bank, almost a precipice, and so perished, entirely to satisfy her own caprice, and to be like Shakespeare's Ophelia. Indeed, if this precipice, a chosen and favorite spot of hers, had been less picturesque, if there had been a prosaic flat bank in its place, most likely the suicide would never have taken place. This is a fact, and probably there have been not a few similar instances in the last two or three generations. Adelaïda Ivanovna Miüsov's action was similarly, no doubt, an echo of other people's ideas, and was due to the irritation caused by lack of mental freedom. She wanted, perhaps, to show her feminine independence, to override class distinctions and the despotism of her family. And a pliable imagination persuaded her, we must suppose, for a brief moment, that Fyodor Pavlovitch, in spite of his parasitic position, was one of the bold and ironical spirits of that progressive epoch, though he was, in fact, an ill‐natured buffoon and nothing more. What gave the marriage piquancy was that it was preceded by an elopement, and this greatly captivated Adelaïda Ivanovna's fancy. Fyodor Pavlovitch's position at the time made him specially eager for any such enterprise, for he was passionately anxious to make a career in one way or another. To attach himself to a good family and obtain a dowry was an alluring prospect. As for mutual love it did not exist apparently, either in the bride or in him, in spite of Adelaïda Ivanovna's beauty. This was, perhaps, a unique case of the kind in the life of Fyodor Pavlovitch, who was always of a voluptuous temper, and ready to run after any petticoat on the slightest encouragement. She seems to have been the only woman who made no particular appeal to his senses.

费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇的第一任妻子阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜出身于一个相当富有显赫的贵族家庭,也是我们地区的庄园主,即米乌索夫家族。一位既是女继承人又是美人,而且还是那种活力充沛、聪明伶俐的姑娘--这类女子在本世代颇为常见,但上个世代亦偶有出现--竟会嫁给这样一个我们全都称之为无用、孱弱的废物,此事何以发生,我不欲深究。我认识上代一位“浪漫”小姐,她对某位绅士怀有数年幽秘的激情,本可随时轻易嫁他,却凭空捏造种种不可逾越的障碍阻挠结合,最终在一个暴风雨之夜,从一处高岸--近乎悬崖--跃入一条颇深湍急的河流,就此殒命,全然为了满足自己一时任性,并效仿莎士比亚笔下的奥菲莉娅。的确,倘若那悬崖--她钟爱流连之地--景致稍逊,若是代之以平淡无奇的平坦河岸,自杀之举很可能从未发生。这是事实,近两三世代中,类似事例恐怕不在少数。阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜·米乌索娃的行径无疑亦是他人观念的共鸣,源于精神自由匮乏所激起的烦躁。她或许是想彰显女性独立,跨越阶级界限,反抗家族专制。而柔顺的想象--我们必须推测--曾短暂说服她,费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇尽管寄人篱下,却是那个进步时代大胆讥诮的灵魂之一,尽管他实则不过是个性情恶劣的小丑罢了。这桩婚姻的辛辣之处在于它始于私奔,此事极大地俘获了阿杰莱达·伊万诺芙娜的幻想。费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇当时的处境使他特别热衷于这类冒险,因为他热切渴望以某种方式闯出一番事业。攀附良家、获取嫁妆是个诱人的前景。至于相互爱恋,显然无论新娘还是他都未曾有过,尽管阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜美貌动人。这或许是费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇一生中绝无仅有的特例,他素来耽于肉欲,稍受怂恿便会追逐任何裙钗。她似乎是唯一未能特别激起他感官欲望的女人。

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distinguished /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/

adj. 卓越的,杰出的➕

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vigorous /ˈvɪɡərəs/

adj. 精力充沛的,强有力的➕

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puny /ˈpjuːni/

adj. 弱小的,微不足道的➕

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weakling /ˈwiːklɪŋ/

n. 弱者,懦弱的人➕

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enigmatic /ˌenɪɡˈmætɪk/

adj. 神秘的,费解的➕

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insuperable /ɪnˈsuːpərəbl/

adj. 不可逾越的,无法克服的➕

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precipice /ˈpresɪpɪs/

n. 悬崖,峭壁➕

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caprice /kəˈpriːs/

n. 任性,反复无常➕

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picturesque /ˌpɪktʃəˈresk/

adj. 风景如画的,生动的➕

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prosaic /prəˈzeɪɪk/

adj. 平淡的,乏味的➕

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suicide /ˈsuːɪsaɪd/

n. 自杀➕

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feminine /ˈfemənɪn/

adj. 女性的,娇柔的➕

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override /ˌoʊvərˈraɪd/

v. 推翻,凌驾于➕

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despotism /ˈdespətɪzəm/

n. 专制,暴政➕

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pliable /ˈplaɪəbl/

adj. 易受影响的,柔韧的➕

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parasitic /ˌpærəˈsɪtɪk/

adj. 寄生的,依附的➕

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ironical /aɪˈrɒnɪkəl/

adj. 讽刺的,反语的➕

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ill‐natured /ˌɪl ˈneɪtʃərd/

adj. 脾气坏的,恶意的➕

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buffoon /bəˈfuːn/

n. 小丑,滑稽的人➕

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piquancy /ˈpiːkənsi/

n. 辛辣,趣味➕

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elopement /ɪˈloʊpmənt/

n. 私奔➕

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captivated /ˈkæptɪveɪtɪd/

v. 迷住,吸引➕

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passionately /ˈpæʃənətli/

adv. 热情地,激烈地➕

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dowry /ˈdaʊri/

n. 嫁妆➕

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alluring /əˈlʊərɪŋ/

adj. 诱人的,迷人的➕

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voluptuous /vəˈlʌptʃuəs/

adj. 色情的,纵欲的,丰满的➕

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petticoat /ˈpetɪkoʊt/

n. 衬裙,女性➕

🔊 Immediately after the elopement Adelaïda Ivanovna discerned in a flash that she had no feeling for her husband but contempt. The marriage accordingly showed itself in its true colors with extraordinary rapidity. Although the family accepted the event pretty quickly and apportioned the runaway bride her dowry, the husband and wife began to lead a most disorderly life, and there were everlasting scenes between them. It was said that the young wife showed incomparably more generosity and dignity than Fyodor Pavlovitch, who, as is now known, got hold of all her money up to twenty‐five thousand roubles as soon as she received it, so that those thousands were lost to her for ever. The little village and the rather fine town house which formed part of her dowry he did his utmost for a long time to transfer to his name, by means of some deed of conveyance. He would probably have succeeded, merely from her moral fatigue and desire to get rid of him, and from the contempt and loathing he aroused by his persistent and shameless importunity. But, fortunately, Adelaïda Ivanovna's family intervened and circumvented his greediness. It is known for a fact that frequent fights took place between the husband and wife, but rumor had it that Fyodor Pavlovitch did not beat his wife but was beaten by her, for she was a hot‐tempered, bold, dark‐browed, impatient woman, possessed of remarkable physical strength. Finally, she left the house and ran away from Fyodor Pavlovitch with a destitute divinity student, leaving Mitya, a child of three years old, in her husband's hands.

私奔之后,阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜立即恍悟自己对丈夫唯有蔑视。这段婚姻遂以惊人的速度显露出本来面目。尽管娘家很快接受了此事并分给私奔新娘嫁妆,夫妻二人却开始过着极不安宁的生活,彼此间冲突不断。据说,这位年轻妻子表现出远胜费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇的慷慨与尊严,而后者,如今众所周知,在她刚拿到钱时就攫取了她全部资产--高达两万五千卢布--以致那笔巨款对她而言永远失去。作为嫁妆一部分的小村庄和颇为精美的城宅,他长久以来竭力通过某种转让契据转到自己名下。他本可能得逞,仅仅因为她精神疲惫、渴望摆脱他,也因为他那坚持不懈、无耻纠缠所激起的鄙视与厌恶。但幸运的是,阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜的家族插手干预,挫败了他的贪欲。确有实据表明,夫妻间频繁斗殴,但谣传费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇非但没打妻子,反被她殴打,因为她是个脾气火爆、胆大果敢、眉目黝黑、性情急躁的女人,拥有非凡的体力。最终,她离开家,与一个穷困潦倒的神学院学生私奔,抛下三岁幼子米佳,留在了丈夫手中。

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discerned /dɪˈsɜːrnd/

v. 察觉,识别➕

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contempt /kənˈtempt/

n. 轻视,蔑视➕

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extraordinary /ɪkˈstrɔːrdəneri/

adj. 非凡的,特别的➕

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rapidity /rəˈpɪdəti/

n. 迅速,快速➕

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apportioned /əˈpɔːrʃənd/

v. 分配,分派➕

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disorderly /dɪsˈɔːrdərli/

adj. 混乱的,无秩序的➕

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everlasting /ˌevərˈlæstɪŋ/

adj. 永久的,永恒的➕

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incomparably /ɪnˈkɒmpərəbli/

adv. 无比地,无可比拟地➕

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generosity /ˌdʒenəˈrɒsəti/

n. 慷慨,大方➕

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dignity /ˈdɪɡnəti/

n. 尊严,高贵➕

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utmost /ˈʌtməʊst/

n. 最大限度,极端➕

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conveyance /kənˈveɪəns/

n. 转让,运输➕

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fatigue /fəˈtiːɡ/

n. 疲劳,疲乏➕

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loathing /ˈloʊðɪŋ/

n. 厌恶,憎恨➕

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persistent /pərˈsɪstənt/

adj. 坚持的,持续的➕

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shameless /ˈʃeɪmləs/

adj. 无耻的,不要脸的➕

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importunity /ˌɪmpɔːrˈtuːnəti/

n. 强求,纠缠不休➕

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intervened /ˌɪntərˈviːnd/

v. 干预,介入➕

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circumvented /ˌsɜːrkəmˈventɪd/

v. 规避,绕过➕

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greediness /ˈɡriːdinəs/

n. 贪婪,贪心➕

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hot‐tempered /ˌhɒt ˈtempərd/

adj. 脾气暴躁的,易怒的➕

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dark‐browed /ˌdɑːrk ˈbraʊd/

adj. 黑眉毛的,形容容貌➕

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remarkable /rɪˈmɑːrkəbl/

adj. 显著的,非凡的➕

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destitute /ˈdestɪtuːt/

adj. 贫困的,一无所有的➕

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divinity /dɪˈvɪnəti/

n. 神学,神性➕

🔊 Immediately Fyodor Pavlovitch introduced a regular harem into the house, and abandoned himself to orgies of drunkenness. In the intervals he used to drive all over the province, complaining tearfully to each and all of Adelaïda Ivanovna's having left him, going into details too disgraceful for a husband to mention in regard to his own married life. What seemed to gratify him and flatter his self‐love most was to play the ridiculous part of the injured husband, and to parade his woes with embellishments. "One would think that you'd got a promotion, Fyodor Pavlovitch, you seem so pleased in spite of your sorrow," scoffers said to him. Many even added that he was glad of a new comic part in which to play the buffoon, and that it was simply to make it funnier that he pretended to be unaware of his ludicrous position. But, who knows, it may have been simplicity. At last he succeeded in getting on the track of his runaway wife. The poor woman turned out to be in Petersburg, where she had gone with her divinity student, and where she had thrown herself into a life of complete emancipation. Fyodor Pavlovitch at once began bustling about, making preparations to go to Petersburg, with what object he could not himself have said. He would perhaps have really gone; but having determined to do so he felt at once entitled to fortify himself for the journey by another bout of reckless drinking. And just at that time his wife's family received the news of her death in Petersburg. She had died quite suddenly in a garret, according to one story, of typhus, or as another version had it, of starvation. Fyodor Pavlovitch was drunk when he heard of his wife's death, and the story is that he ran out into the street and began shouting with joy, raising his hands to Heaven: "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace," but others say he wept without restraint like a little child, so much so that people were sorry for him, in spite of the repulsion he inspired.

费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇立即在家中蓄起常规后宫,沉湎于纵酒狂欢。间歇时,他常驾车跑遍全省,对着各色人哭诉阿杰莱达·伊万诺夫娜弃他而去,还详述那些有辱夫纲、不便启齿的婚姻细节。最令他满足、最迎合他虚荣心的,似乎是扮演受伤丈夫的可笑角色,并添油加醋地炫耀自己的不幸。“费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇,人家还以为你升了官呢,瞧你伤心之余还这么高兴,”嘲弄者这样对他说。许多人甚至补充道,他乐于有个新的滑稽角色来扮演小丑,而假装不知自己处境荒唐,不过是为了让戏码更可笑。但谁知道呢,或许那只是单纯。他终于探得逃妻踪迹。那可怜的女人原来在彼得堡,她与神学院学生去了那里,并投身于彻底放纵的生活。费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇立刻忙乱起来,准备前往彼得堡,连他自己也说不出目的何在。他或许真会动身；但既已决意前往,他当即觉得有权再狂饮一番以壮行色。恰在此时,他妻子娘家接到她在彼得堡去世的消息。据一种说法,她猝死于阁楼,因染伤寒；另一版本则说是饿死的。费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇闻讯时正醉着,传闻说他跑到街上,举手向天,欢欣呼喊:“主啊,如今可以照你的话,释放仆人安然去世了,”但也有人说他像小孩般恣意痛哭,以致人们尽管厌恶他,却也不免为他难过。

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harem /ˈhærəm/

n. 后宫,闺房➕

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orgies /ˈɔːrdʒiz/

n. 纵酒狂欢,狂欢宴会➕

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tearfully /ˈtɪərfəli/

adv. 泪流满面地,哭泣地➕

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disgraceful /dɪsˈɡreɪsfəl/

adj. 可耻的,不光彩的➕

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gratify /ˈɡrætɪfaɪ/

v. 使满足,使高兴➕

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self‐love /ˌself ˈlʌv/

n. 自爱,自我中心➕

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parade /pəˈreɪd/

v. 炫耀,游行➕

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woes /woʊz/

n. 悲哀,苦难➕

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embellishments /ɪmˈbelɪʃmənts/

n. 装饰,润色➕

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scoffers /ˈskɒfərz/

n. 嘲笑者,嘲弄者➕

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ludicrous /ˈluːdɪkrəs/

adj. 可笑的,荒谬的➕

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emancipation /ɪˌmænsɪˈpeɪʃn/

n. 解放,释放➕

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bustling /ˈbʌslɪŋ/

v. 忙碌,喧闹➕

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fortify /ˈfɔːrtɪfaɪ/

v. 加强,巩固➕

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bout /baʊt/

n. 一阵,发作➕

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reckless /ˈrekləs/

adj. 鲁莽的,不顾后果的➕

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garret /ˈɡærət/

n. 阁楼,顶楼➕

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restraint /rɪˈstreɪnt/

n. 克制,限制➕

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repulsion /rɪˈpʌlʃn/

n. 厌恶,排斥➕

🔊 It is quite possible that both versions were true, that he rejoiced at his release, and at the same time wept for her who released him. As a general rule, people, even the wicked, are much more naïve and simple‐hearted than we suppose. And we ourselves are, too.

两种说法很可能皆属实:他既为解脱而欣喜,同时又为解脱他的她而哭泣。一般而言,人--即便是恶人--也比我们想象的要天真单纯得多。我们自己亦然。

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naïve /naɪˈiːv/

adj. 天真的,幼稚的➕

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simple‐hearted /ˌsɪmpl ˈhɑːrtɪd/

adj. 心地单纯的,纯朴的➕

Chapter one: Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov (第一章:费奥多尔·帕夫洛维奇·卡拉马佐夫)