內容簡介
《一位女士的肖像》是亨利·詹姆斯最負盛名的一部小說，自面世以來，一直備受評論界的推崇，並深受廣大讀者喜愛。根據本部小說改編的同名電影，中文譯名為《淑女本色》。作者簡介
亨利·詹姆斯（HenryJames，1843～1916），傑出的的小說家、文學評論家、劇作家和散文家，在英美兩國的文學史上均占有重要地位。其創作以細膩的心理描寫和國際主題而聞名。他的著作主要有長篇小說《一個美國人》、《一位女士的畫像》等，中短篇小說《黛西·米勒》、《螺絲在鏇緊》、《叢林猛獸》等。精彩書摘
Bhapter1Undercertaincircumstancestherearefewhoursinlifemoreagreeablethanthehourdedicatedtotheceremonyknownasafternoontea.Therearecircumstancesinwhich，whetheryoupartakeoftheteaornot--somepeopleofcourseneverdo-thesituationisinitselfdelightful.ThosethatIhaveinmindinbeginningtounfoldthissimplehistoryofferedanadmirablesettingtoaninnocentpastime.TheimplementsofthelittlefeasthadbeendisposeduponthelawnofanoldEnglishcountry-house，inwhatIshouldcalltheperfectmiddleofasplendidsummerafternoon.heshadowsontheperfectlawnwerestraightandangular；theyweretheshadowsofanoldmansittinginadeepwickerchairnearthelowtableonwhichtheteahadbeenserved，andoftwoyoungermenstrollingtoandfro，indesultorytalk，infrontofhim.Oneofthem，fromtimetotime，ashepassed，lookedwithacertainattentionattheelderman，who，unconsciousofobservation，restedhiseyesupontherichredfrontofhisdwelling.
Thehousestooduponalowhill，abovetheriver--theriverbeingtheThames，atsomefortymilesfromLondon.Thehousehadanameandahistory；theoldgentlemantakinghisteawouldhavebeendelightedtotellyouthesethings：howithadbeenbuiltunderEdwardtheSixth，hadofferedanight‘shospitalitytothegreatElizabeth，hadbeenagooddealbruisedanddefacedinCromwell’swars，andthen，underthe
Restoration，repairedandmuchenlarged；andhow，finally，afterhavingbeenremodelledanddisfiguredintheeighteenthcentury，ithadpassedintothecarefulkeepingofashrewdAmericanbanker.
