It is a truth universally acknowledged that every woman is in search of her own Mr Darcy, but one author claims to have unearthed the original man who inspired Jane Austen's romantic hero.
這是一個舉世公認的真理：每個女人都在尋找屬于她們的達西先生。但是有位作家表示，她已經找到了那個激發簡·奧斯汀構思這位浪漫男主角的人物原型。

Dr Susan Law says she has uncovered documents and letters which prove that the character of Fitzwilliam Darcy was inspired by John Parker, the 1st Earl of Morley.
蘇珊·勞博士表示，她已經發現了一些文件書信，可以證明菲茲威廉·達西這個人物源于第一位莫雷伯爵——約翰·帕克。

Like Mr Darcy, Parker was 'tall, dark and brooding' and also became embroiled in a sex scandal after it was discovered that his first wife had been unfaithful to him.
與達西先生一樣，帕克也是“高大，黑發，性情憂郁”。同樣地，第一任妻子出軌后，帕克深陷一樁性丑聞事件。

Dr Law says the new evidence shows that that Austen stayed at the Earl's country home Saltram House in Plymouth, Devon, in the early 1800s when Pride and Prejudice was written.
勞博士說，這些新證據證明，在19世紀早期奧斯汀創作《傲慢與偏見》時，她曾待在位于德文郡普利茅斯的薩爾特倫宅邸，也就是這位伯爵的鄉村住宅。

A series of letters also show that Austen was also good friends with Parker's second wife, Frances Talbot, who was herself a known author, and that the two often exchanged writing.
一系列的信件表明，奧斯汀還是帕克第二任妻子弗朗西斯·泰爾波特的好朋友。弗朗西斯本人是一位知名作家，她和奧斯汀經常互通書信。

In fact, shortly after Pride and Prejudice first appeared anonymously, Dr Law says it was believed that Frances was the author, as the character of Mr Darcy fit her husband's profile so closely.
勞博士說，事實上，《傲慢與偏見》首次以匿名的形式出版不久，外界一度認為作者是弗朗西斯，因為達西先生這個角色與她的丈夫非常相像。

Dr Law, 52, an author and historian from Knielworth, Warwickshire, said: 'The physical similarities in them are obvious but there is also so much evidence to suggest the Earl was Mr Darcy.
勞博士來自（英國）沃里克郡涅爾沃斯，是一位作家兼歷史學家，現年52歲。她說，他們兩人的外貌顯然很相似，而且不僅如此，還有很多證據能證明帕克伯爵就是達西先生。

'When Jane Austin published her two novels Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, she did so anonymously.
“當年簡·奧斯汀是匿名出版的《傲慢與偏見》和《理智與情感》這兩本小說。”

'The Earl's second wife Francis, who was well known in literally circles, was widely thought to be the author of those novels.
“伯爵的第二任妻子弗朗西斯在文學領域享有盛名，當時各界廣泛認為她是這兩部小說的作者。”

'The Earl was tall, dark, handsome and slightly brooding. There is a picture of him in 1805 image in his militia uniform and another in the library. He looks very intense.'
“伯爵身材高大，頭發烏黑，長相英俊，還有一絲憂郁氣質。有一張他1805年穿軍裝的照片，還有一張在圖書館的。（照片中的）他看起來非常多愁善感。”

The Earl himself became mired in scandal after it was revealed that he had fathered three illegitimate children with his married mistress, leading his first wife, Lady Augusta Fane, to elope with a family friend before the two divorced in 1809.
在那起丑聞中，伯爵本人也是被指責的對象，因為據透露，他與已婚情婦有三個私生子，這才導致他的第一任妻子奧古斯塔·費恩夫人跟一位家庭朋友私奔了。伯爵與夫人后來于1809年離的婚。

It was already thought that the Earl's messy love-life likely provided the inspiration for Mansfield Park, but Dr Law now believes he likely inspired Mr Darcy as well.
已有的觀點認為，伯爵糜爛的私生活很可能是《曼斯菲爾德莊園》的素材來源，但勞博士現在認為，伯爵可能也是達西先生的原型。

Dr Law says she spent five years travelling the country unearthing old newspaper cuttings, diary entries, letters and other documents to prove Parker was Austen's inspiration.
勞博士說，她花了五年時間在英國各地旅行，尋找舊剪報、日記、信件以及其他可能證明帕克是奧斯汀靈感來源的資料。

She added: 'We don't have the concrete evidence but I have discovered there were a lot of rumours about at the time and it is a convincing argument.
她補充道：“雖然我們沒有確鑿的證據，但當時就有大量相關傳聞，這也是一個有說服力的依據。”

'There is a massive intriguing web around it. It is clear that Jane Austen had very close links with the family. She sent Francis one of the first editions of Emma - when she only had 12 printed.
“關于此事雖然眾說紛紜，讓人好奇心大增，但可以明確的是，簡·奧斯汀與這家人關系密切。她首印《艾瑪》時只印了12本，其中一本就給了弗朗西斯。”

'Jane Austin's brother Henry was also a university friend of the Earl of Morley. They were contemporaries and he then become a banker to his regiment and later the domestic chaplain to the Earl of Morley's family.
“簡·奧斯汀的兄弟亨利還是莫雷伯爵上大學時的朋友。他們是同齡人，亨利隨后在伯爵所在的機構從事財務工作，后來又到莫雷伯爵家當家庭牧師。”

'We know how close Jane Austen and Francis were. She never came out and said 'your husband was Mr Darcy' - so we can not say that 100 per cent.
“我們都知道簡·奧斯汀與弗朗西斯的關系很親密。奧斯汀從來沒有公開說過‘你的丈夫就是達西先生’，所以我們不能完全確定那么說。”

'It can be very frustrating and it is like trying to piece together a jigsaw. It has been fascinating and I have been longing to find that cast iron bit of evidence.
“這會令人非常沮喪，就像在拼圖。但這同時也是迷人的，促使我一直渴望找到確鑿的證據。”

'But after spending so long on it, I am pretty convinced.'
“但經過這么長時間的研究，我很確信他就是達西了。”

Vocabulary:

mire：陷于泥坑；陷入困境

intriguing：有趣的

contemporaries：同齡，同輩人

cast iron：鑄鐵

（譯者：李冀川BISTU，編輯：杜娟）