《奥勃洛莫夫》开篇：英文原著带中文翻译

One morning, in a flat in one of the great buildings in Gorokliovaia Street, * the population of which was sufficient to constitute that of a provincial town, there was lying in bed a gentleman named Ilya Ilyitch Oblomov. He was a fellow of a little over thirty, of medium height, and of pleasant exterior. Unfortunately, in his dark-grey eyes there was an absence of any definite idea, and in his other features a total lack of concentration. Suddenly a thought would wander across his face with the freedom of a bird, flutter for a moment in his eyes, settle on his half-opened lips, and remain momentarily lurking in the lines of his forehead. Then it would disappear, and once more his face would glow with a radiant insouciance which extended even to his attitude and the folds of his night-robe. At other times his glance would darken as with weariness or ennui. Yet neither the one nor the other expression could altogether banish from his countenance that gentleness which was the ruling, the fundamental, characteristic, not only of his features, but also of the spirit which lay beneath them. That spirit shone in his eyes, in his smile, and in his every movement of hand and head. On glancing casually at Oblomov a cold, a superficially observant person would have said, “Evidently he is good-natured, but a simpleton;” whereas a person of greater penetration and sympathy than the first would have prolonged his glance, and then gone on his way thoughtfully, and with a smile as though he were pleased with something.

一天早晨，在戈罗霍瓦亚街上一幢大房子里的一套住宅里，住的人足以构成一个县城的人口，有个名叫伊利亚·伊里奇·奥勃洛莫夫的先生正躺在床上。他三十出头，中等身材，外貌讨人喜欢。可惜，在他深灰色的眼睛里，没有任何明确的思想，在他其余的特征中，也完全没有专注。忽然，一个念头像鸟儿一样自由地掠过他的脸庞，在眼睛里扑闪一下，落在半张的嘴唇上，暂时潜伏在额头的皱纹里。然后它消失了，脸上又焕发出一种无忧无虑的光彩，甚至延伸到他的姿态和睡袍的褶皱里。有时他的目光会因疲倦或无聊而变得阴沉。然而，这两种表情都无法完全抹去他脸上的那种温和，这种温和是他面貌的主要的、根本的特征，也是他面貌之下精神的主要的、根本的特征。这种精神在他的眼睛里、微笑里、手和头的每一个动作里闪耀。一个冷淡的、肤浅的观察者随便看奥勃洛莫夫一眼，会说：「显然他心地善良，但是个傻瓜。」而一个比前者更有洞察力和同情心的人，会延长他的注视，然后若有所思地走开，带着微笑，仿佛对什么感到满意。

Oblomov’s face was neither reddy nor dull nor pale, but of an indefinite hue. At all events, that was the impression which it gave—possibly because, through insufficiency of exercise, or through want of fresh air, or through a lack of both, he was wrinkled beyond his years. In general, to judge from the extreme whiteness of his bare neck, his small, puffy hands, and his soft shoulders, one would conclude that he possessed an effeminate body. Even when excited, his actions were governed by an unvarying gentleness, added to a lassitude that was not devoid of a certain peculiar grace. On the other hand, should depression of spirits show itself in his face, His glance would grow dull, and his brow furrowed, as doubt, despondency, and apprehension fell to contending with one another. Yet this crisis of emotion seldom crystallized into the form of a definite idea—still less into that of a fixed resolve. Almost always such emotion evaporated in a sigh, and shaded off into a sort of apathetic lethargy.

奥勃洛莫夫的脸既不红润，也不暗淡，也不苍白，而是一种不确定的色调。无论如何，这是它给人的印象，也许是因为缺乏运动，或者缺乏新鲜空气，或者两者都缺，他显得比实际年龄更老。总的来说，从他裸露的脖子极其白皙、小而浮肿的手和柔软的肩膀来判断，会得出结论：他有一个柔弱的身躯。即使激动时，他的动作也受一种不变的温和支配，加上一种并非没有某种特殊优雅的倦怠。另一方面，如果精神沮丧表现在他脸上，他的目光会变得迟钝，额头会皱起，因为怀疑、沮丧和忧虑互相争斗。然而这种情感危机很少结晶成明确的思想，更少形成固定的决心。几乎总是这种情感在一声叹息中消散，并逐渐变成一种冷漠的昏睡。