Nora's Reading Room

我們對於自己喜愛的作家究竟瞭解多少？當我們宣稱喜愛某本書時，是讀到了皮毛？還是也讀出言外之意、弦外之音？甚至穿透紙頁，讀出當時的文化歷史、寫作背景？

牛津大學出版社在 2005 年出版了一本有趣的小書，書名就叫 So you think you know Jane Austen? A Quizbook。前兩天在誠品架上看到，忍不住把它帶了回家。顧名思義，這是一本珍‧奧斯汀「考題大全」，由頂尖文學偵探 (ace literary detective) John Sutherland 以及珍迷學者 Deirdre Le Faye 聯手出擊，化身益智節目主持人，考驗珍迷對奧斯汀小說的了解程度。這是本很適合在假日拿來消遣、又能寓教於樂的讀物。據說台灣人賭性堅強，我倒是覺得自己考性堅強，尤其是這類無關成績前途的趣味性小考，總讓我躍躍欲試。

書裡的考題共分為六篇，分別是《理性與感性》、《傲慢與偏見》、《諾桑覺寺》、《曼斯菲爾莊園》、《艾瑪》以及《勸導》。每部小說各有一百道題目，其中又分為四級，每級各廿五題。題目由淺入深，從基本事實到演繹推論都有。這裡且以《傲慢與偏見》為例，每級各舉五題，並附上我自己的翻譯，有興趣的珍迷不妨一起來做這些趣味測驗：

=========== Level 1. Brass Tacks ===========
::【一、初級：理解大意】::

What does Mr. Bingley wear on his first visit to the Bennets at Longbourn?
Bingley 第一次到 Bennet 家拜訪的穿著？

Who is the commanding officer of the militia regiment which has been posted in Meryton for the winter, and who is the regiment's second in command?
駐紮在 Meryton 的軍團指揮官是誰？副指揮官又是誰？

What does Mrs. Gardiner inform her sister-in-law is the latest style in fashionable London?
根據 Mrs. Gardiner 的說法，倫敦最流行的服裝款式為何？

How old is Darcy?
達西的年紀？

Why does Mr. Bennet advise Mr. Collins to "stand by the nephew"?
Mr. Bennet 為什麼建議 Mr. Collins 「站在外甥這一邊」？

覺得在每一級結束的評分指南也很有趣，在此附上：
※25/5 題中如果能答出 15/3 題，請往「中級」邁進。
　答出 10/2 題，請再次瀏覽小說。
　答出 5/1 題，請仔細地重讀小說。
　1 題都答不出，那還是去看電視吧！

=========== Level 2. Factual but Tricky ===========
::【二、中級：細讀並理解文意】::

Lizzy is described as "trimming a hat". What does this indicate?
書中描述 Lizzy 在裝飾自己的帽子。這句話有什麼意涵？

What card-game do Jane and Bingley find they prefer?
Jane 和 Bingley 兩人都喜歡玩哪種牌戲？

Why, as the narrator uncompromisingly informs us, does Charlotte accept Mr. Collins, and what is Elizabeth's one-word expletive on hearing that (three days after proposing to her, Miss Bennet) he has offered himself to Miss Lucas?
Charlotte 為何接受 Mr. Collins 求婚？伊莉莎白聽聞此事後，說了什麼表示驚訝？

Why does Elizabeth spend six weeks at Hunsford?
伊莉莎白為什麼在 Hunsford 住了六個星期？

When is Lydia's birthday?
Lydia 的生日是何時？

※25 題中如果能答出 12 題，代表你記憶力絕佳或是剛重溫這本小說，請往「中高級」邁進。中高級不僅要熟讀小說，更要具有根據文本做合理推斷的能力。

=========== Level 3. Very Tricky--and Occasionally Deductive ===========
::【三、中高級：題目非常棘手、偶而需要推敲】::

Why is Lizzy Mr. Bennet's favourite and Mary his least favorite daughter?
為什麼 Mr. Bennet 在五個千金中最喜歡 Lizzy 最不喜歡 Mary?

Why has Mr. Bingley, who has been living in London, chosen to take a house in rural Hertfordshire?
原本住在倫敦的 Bingley 為什麼會想要搬到 Hertfordshire 這種鄉下地方？

Why has Mr. Collins offered his "olive branch" to Mr. Bennet?
Mr. Collins 為什麼要和 Mr. Bennet 講和？

What may we read into the university background of some of the novel's main characters?
從幾位主角唸過的大學，我們可以推論出哪些書中不曾明說的事？

Why does Mrs. Bennet assume that Elizabeth and Darcy will be married by "special licence"?
為什麼 Mrs. Bennett 認為伊莉莎白和達西將會持「特許證」結婚？

※這些問題十分困難，有幾道題目更需要推敲。25 題中如果能答出 10 題，請往下一級邁進。

=========== Level Four: The Interpretative Zone ===========
::【高級：進階詮釋申論題】::

When, at the Meryton ball that brings the principals together, Darcy makes his disagreeable remark that "She is tolerable; but no handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men," his is overheard by Elizabeth (and, as we apprehend, her mother). Does he mean to be overheard? Should we perhaps assume the music momentarily stopped? Is he, perhaps, a little deaf?
Meryton 鎮上舞會是書中主角首次碰面的場合，達西正是在此說出那句討人厭的名言：「她長得還不錯，不過卻不能打動我。我可沒有閒情逸致去替這位受人冷落的女子捧場。」這話不只被伊莉莎白聽到，她母親也聽到了。達西是否有意讓人聽見？或是那時音樂正好停了？還是達西根本就重聽？:p

Why does not Mr. Bennet encourage his heir, Mr. Collins, in his addresses to his eligible daughters? If not Lizzy (whom he does not want to lose) then Mary?
Mr. Bennet 為什麼不鼓勵他的繼承人 Mr. Collins 向女兒們求婚？如果他不想失去最疼愛的 Lizzy, 那麼 Mary 呢？

Why does Wickham elope with Lydia?
Wickham 為什麼和 Lydia 私奔？

Who gave Lady Catherine de Bourgh the "report of an alarming nature," that not only was Jane to marry Bingley, but that "Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my own nephew, Mr. Darcy"?
繼 Jane 即將嫁給 Bingley 後，傳言伊莉莎白也要嫁入豪門，和達西結親，這則「驚人的消息」是誰告訴 Lady Catherine de Bourgh 的？

It is conventionally observed that Miss Austen never shows two gentlemen in conversation together without a lady present. Is there any exception to this rule of her fictional universe?
據說珍‧奧斯汀從來不描寫女士不在場時男士間的對話。我們能從小說裡找到例外嗎？

※如果你覺得自己的推論比本書提供的解釋更正確、更合理，不妨給自己加分。計算總成績。如果得到滿分或超過 100 分，你可以自己出書了。超過 60 分，恭喜得到好成績。30 或低於 30 分，找時間好好享受重讀《傲慢與偏見》的樂趣吧！

看過這廿道題目之後，是否也勾起了你的考興呢？找原書來一起享受推敲的樂趣吧！