文/liangchaoxford 廣東涼茶煲牛津
一
這是第32篇閱讀隨筆。
昨日流量收入1.48元。
繼續(xù)閱讀英文版《傲慢與偏見》。
“I am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me so before? If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”
這句話是《傲慢與偏見》中的貝內特先生（Mr. Bennet） 所說。
“真遺憾聽到你這么說，可你之前怎么不告訴我呢？要是今早我就知道你聽膩了，我肯定不會去拜訪他了。這可太不巧了；但既然我都已經(jīng)去過了，咱們現(xiàn)在也沒法避開和他認識了?！?br/>結合前文語境，貝內特太太抱怨“我聽膩賓利先生這個名字了”，貝內特先生以此回應，用調侃的語氣與妻子互動，順勢揭曉了自己“已私下拜訪過賓利先生”的關鍵行動。
二
這段文字有三個句子，我逐句閱讀：
第一句“I am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me so before?”
“I am sorry to hear that”（真遺憾聽到你這么說），貝內特先生假意惋惜，前文妻子抱怨“聽膩賓利先生”，先生實則帶著調侃語氣。
“why did not you tell me so before”（你之前怎么不告訴我），貝內特先生明知妻子此前并未明確表達厭煩，故意“甩鍋”，捉弄妻子。
第二句“If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him.”
“called on him”（拜訪他），明確貝內特先生已私下見過賓利先生，與前文妻子的焦慮、厭煩形成強烈反差。
“If I had known... would not have called”（虛擬語氣），看著“后悔拜訪”，是故意逗妻子，掩蓋自己“早已行動”的篤定。
第三句“It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”
“paid the visit”（完成拜訪），確認行動已發(fā)生。
“cannot escape the acquaintance”（沒法避開相識），給出最終結果，打破妻子此前的焦慮，為女兒們結識賓利先生鋪平道路。
三
讀到貝內特先生講的這三句話，我看這老頭不簡單，有“生活的藝術（Art）”，每一句里都有“art”，值得學。
第一句：“I am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me so before?”（“聽你這么說我很遺憾，可你之前怎么不告訴我呢？”）
這話聽著像抱怨，其實藏著“說話的Art”。
貝內特先生先接下對方的情緒，再慢慢說事兒，日子少了些臉紅脖子粗。
“Speaking with kindness is an art.”（溫柔說話，是一種藝術。）
年輕時覺得“直爽”是真，老了才懂，讓人心暖的話，都帶著點“Art”的溫度。
看這句：“If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him.”（“要是今早知道你這么想，我肯定不會去拜訪他了?！保?br/>這可不是真后悔，是貝內特先生“開玩笑的Art”。
這種“反話里的關心”，不就是生活里最鮮活的Art？
“Humor is the art of making others smile.”（幽默是讓別人笑的藝術。）
咱們的日子，不就是靠這些帶點“Art”的玩笑，才沒那么多苦嗎？
接著讀：“It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”（“真不巧，可我既然已經(jīng)去了，這交情咱們就躲不掉了?！保?br/>你看這“轉彎的Art”多妙！
明明是自己早有打算，卻順著妻子的話頭說，既給了臺階，又把事兒辦了。
貝內特先生這樣“順著說，逆著做”，是“相處的Art”。
“Compromise is the art of living together.”（妥協(xié)是共處的藝術。）
咱們這代人的日子，處處都是“Art”。
“Simple life has its own art.”（平凡日子里藏著自己的藝術。）
咱們沒那么多講究，卻把日子過出了滋味。
“The art of life is to enjoy every moment.”（生活的藝術是享受每一刻。）
“Life is the most beautiful art, painted with our own hands.”（生活是最美的藝術，由我們親手描繪。）
貝內特先生用幾句玩笑化解了妻子的急，咱們用一輩子的煙火氣，把柴米油鹽，釀成了最珍貴的“生活的Art”，是不是這樣？