Verstand en gevoel
Read Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen in Dutch and English, a parallel text graded reader with audio. Available in CEFR levels A2, B1, B2, and C2.
About this book
A father dies barely a year after coming into his fortune, and a single clause in an old man's will settles the family estate on an infant great-nephew instead of the widow and daughters left behind. What follows is one of Jane Austen's quietest cruelties: a deathbed promise to provide for them, and a son who talks himself out of it by degrees. Three thousand pounds shrinks to five hundred, then to an annuity, then to a few kind favors, all while he believes himself generous. The narration lets him unravel in his own reasonable-sounding words, and the effect is comedy with a cold edge.
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De familie Dashwood woonde al lange tijd in Sussex.
The Dashwood family had lived in Sussex for a long time.
Ze bezaten veel land, en hun huis stond bij Norland Park, midden in hun land.
They owned a lot of land, and their home was at Norland Park, in the middle of their land.
Al heel veel jaren had hun familie daar gewoond. Hun buren mochten hen erg graag.
For many, many years, their family had lived there. Their neighbors liked them very much.
De laatste eigenaar van dit landgoed was een ongetrouwde man die erg oud werd.
The last owner of this estate was a single man who lived to be very old.
Vele jaren woonde zijn zus bij hem en zorgde ze voor zijn huis.
For many years, his sister lived with him and took care of his house.
Maar ze stierf tien jaar voor hem. Daarna voelde hij zich erg verdrietig en eenzaam.
But she died ten years before he did. After this, he felt very sad and lonely.
Ze liet een lege plek achter. Daarom vroeg hij zijn neef, Mr. Henry Dashwood, en zijn familie om bij hem te komen wonen.
She left an empty space. So he invited his nephew, Mr. Henry Dashwood, and his family to live with him.