Miss Wirt and these two affectionate young women so earnestly and frequently impressed upon George Osborne's mind the enormity of the sacrifice he was making, and his romantic generosity in throwing himself away upon Amelia, that I'm not sure but that he really thought he was one of the most deserving characters in the British army, and gave himself up to be loved with a good deal of easy resignation.
我最开始看这一段原文,虽然里面的字都认得,但最后一句就不大明白,如果让我翻译,恐怕译文就是乱糟糟的了。原文有个so...that...句型,初中时候就知道是如此……,以至于……的意思。可是杨必的译文中却不露痕迹,她把这层关系“化”到句子里面了。gave himself up to be loved with a good deal of easy resignation这句,“gave up”(放弃)变为“死心塌地”,“to be loved”(被爱)变为“等人家爱他”,最后的连带结构“with a good deal of easy resignation”也一刀砍下,译为“反正这也并不是难事”。这么一对照,得到杨必老师的提点,我才恍然大悟,意思全明白了。然后就是无比佩服她。一整段英文译成中文,语气依旧,意思完全没有添补,只是换上了地道的中文衣裳,真是又传神、又漂亮。单看这一段译文,把外国名字换成张三李四,不就是一段很好的中文文章么。杨必先生英文底子厚,对英文的悟性高,而中文在她手中更是不在话下,功力如此深厚才有这样的好文章。