書(shū)蟲(chóng)四級(jí)《克蘭福德》：1.我們的社會(huì)

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1．Our society

1．我們的社會(huì)

The first thing to say is that Cranford is held by the ladies. They rent all the best houses. If a married couple comes to live in the town, the gentleman soon disappears from sight. He is either frightened away by being the only man at the Cranford evening parties or he is at his business all week in Drumble, twenty miles away by train.

首先要說(shuō)的是，克蘭福德是由女士們控制著的。她們租住最好的房子。如果一對(duì)夫婦來(lái)鎮(zhèn)上生活，那個(gè)男人不久就會(huì)從人們的視野中消失。他要么是因?yàn)槌闪丝颂m福德晚會(huì)上唯一的男人而被嚇跑，要么就是整個(gè)星期都待在20英里外的德萊姆伯爾忙自己的事，那里有火車(chē)相通。

Anyway, what is there for a gentleman to do in Cranford? The town already has a doctor, and the ladies manage everything else perfectly well themselves. They keep the gardens tidy and their maid-servants busy. They have opinions on every important matter without troubling themselves with unnecessary reasons or arguments. They know exactly what everyone in the town is doing. They are kind to the poor and, usually, very kind and friendly to each other.

不管怎么說(shuō)，男人在克蘭福德能做什么呢？鎮(zhèn)上已經(jīng)有一個(gè)醫(yī)生了，其他事情女士們自己都處理得井井有條。她們讓花園保持整潔，讓女仆們忙進(jìn)忙出。對(duì)每件重要的事情她們有自己的看法，從不費(fèi)神做無(wú)謂的推理或爭(zhēng)論。鎮(zhèn)里每個(gè)人在做什么她們都了如指掌。她們對(duì)窮人很好，通常彼此之間也非常友善。

A man,' as one of them said to me once, 'is terribly in the way in the house!'

“男人，”其中一位曾經(jīng)對(duì)我說(shuō)，“在家里實(shí)在礙手礙腳！”

The Cranford ladies are not fashionable, and they prefer the old ways. When I lived there, they had exact rules for visiting, which they explained most seriously to any young people who came to stay: 'Our friends have asked how you are, my dear, after your journey. They are sure to call on you the day after tomorrow, so be ready to receive them from twelve o'clock. From twelve to three are our calling hours.'

克蘭福德的女士們并不時(shí)髦，她們更喜歡傳統(tǒng)的生活方式。我住在那里的時(shí)候，她們有嚴(yán)格的串門(mén)規(guī)矩，她們對(duì)來(lái)這里的年輕人都會(huì)非常認(rèn)真地解釋這些規(guī)矩：“親愛(ài)的，我們的朋友們問(wèn)你是否旅途勞頓。她們一定會(huì)在后天來(lái)看你，所以從12點(diǎn)開(kāi)始你就要做好迎接她們的準(zhǔn)備。從12點(diǎn)到3點(diǎn)是我們的串門(mén)時(shí)間。”

Then, after the friends had called: 'Always return a call within three days, my dear. And never stay longer than a quarter of an hour.'

朋友們拜訪過(guò)后，她們又說(shuō)：“一定要在三天內(nèi)回訪，親愛(ài)的。但待在那里的時(shí)間千萬(wàn)別超過(guò)一刻鐘。”

The result of this rule, of course, was that nothing interesting was ever discussed. We talked about things like the weather, and left at the right time.

當(dāng)然，有這條規(guī)矩束縛著，談話的內(nèi)容也就從來(lái)沒(méi)有什么意思。我們談?wù)勌鞖庵?lèi)的話題，然后準(zhǔn)時(shí)離開(kāi)。

One or two of the Cranford ladies were poor, I imagine, but they tried to hide it, and the others kindly helped. When Mrs Forrester gave a party and her little maid had to get the tea-tray from under the sofa on which we sat, everyone just went on talking. And when Mrs Forrester pretended she did not know what cakes were on the tray, no one looked surprised. But we knew, and she knew that we knew, and we knew that she knew that we knew, that she had made the cakes herself that morning.

我猜想，克蘭福德有一兩位女士家境并不寬裕，不過(guò)她們盡力掩飾這一點(diǎn)，其他人也善意地幫忙。福里斯特夫人舉行聚會(huì)的時(shí)候，她的小女仆不得不從我們坐著的沙發(fā)下面取出茶盤(pán)，而大家還繼續(xù)談話。福里斯特夫人假裝不知道托盤(pán)上是什么蛋糕，沒(méi)人顯出驚訝的樣子。但我們知道，她也知道我們知道，而且我們也知道她知道我們知道，蛋糕是那天早上她親手做的。

In fact, the Cranfordians thought it was 'vulgar' (a favourite word) to give anything expensive to eat or drink at their evening parties. Thin bread-and-butter was all that the Honourable Mrs Jamieson gave—and she was related to the late Lord Glenmire.

實(shí)際上，克蘭福德人覺(jué)得在晚會(huì)上請(qǐng)客人吃喝昂貴的東西很“俗氣”（人們最?lèi)?ài)用的一個(gè)詞）。抹了黃油的薄面包片就是尊敬的賈米森夫人用來(lái)待客的全部東西——她可是已故的格倫米爾勛爵的親戚。

Yes, spending money was always 'vulgar', and we certainly did not tell anyone that we had very little to spend. So I shall never forget the horror when an old army captain came to live in Cranford and spoke openly about being poor! In the street! The ladies were already rather cross about the arrival of a gentleman, and even more cross that he was going to work for a new railway near the town. If, as well as being a man and working for that awful railway, Captain Brown was going to talk about being poor, then nobody must speak to him.

是的，花錢(qián)總是很“俗氣”，我們當(dāng)然不會(huì)告訴別人我們沒(méi)多少錢(qián)可花。所以，當(dāng)一位軍隊(duì)老上尉到克蘭福德來(lái)生活并且公開(kāi)談?wù)撠毟F的時(shí)候，我感到非常驚駭！他就在大街上公開(kāi)談?wù)摚∵@種感覺(jué)我至今難忘。女士們對(duì)于一位先生的到來(lái)已經(jīng)夠生氣的了，更讓她們生氣的是，他還要在鎮(zhèn)子附近新建的鐵路上工作。如果布朗上尉身為男人，還為那條該死的鐵路工作，還要談?wù)撠毟F，那么誰(shuí)都不該和他說(shuō)話。

I was surprised, therefore, when I visited the town a year after the captain arrived, to discover that he had made himself very popular. My own friends had been strongly against calling on him, but now they welcomed him into their house, even before twelve o'clock in the morning. He had been friendly and sensible, though the Cranford ladies had been cool, and at last his helpfulness had won him a place in their hearts.

因此上尉到此一年后我再次來(lái)到鎮(zhèn)上，發(fā)現(xiàn)他居然很得人心，實(shí)在令我驚訝。我自己的朋友們?cè)?jīng)強(qiáng)烈反對(duì)拜訪他，現(xiàn)在卻歡迎他到她們家里去，哪怕是在上午12點(diǎn)之前。他對(duì)人友善，通情達(dá)理，所以雖然克蘭福德的女士們?cè)?jīng)冷淡過(guò)他，他對(duì)她們的幫助最終還是在她們心中為自己贏得了一席之地。

Captain Brown was living, with his two daughters, in a small house on the edge of the town. He was probably over sixty at this time, though he looked younger. In fact, Miss Brown, his elder daughter, looked almost as old as he did. She was only about forty, but her face was white and tired.

布朗上尉和兩個(gè)女兒住在鎮(zhèn)子邊上的一幢小房子里。當(dāng)時(shí)他大概已經(jīng)60多歲了，不過(guò)看起來(lái)要年輕得多。事實(shí)上，他的大女兒布朗小姐看起來(lái)年紀(jì)幾乎和他一樣大。她只有40歲左右，面容卻蒼白而疲憊。

Miss Jessie Brown was ten years younger and twenty times prettier. Her face was round and had dimples. Miss Jenkyns once said, when she was annoyed with Captain Brown (for a reason I'll explain later), that it was time Miss Jessie stopped having dimples and looking like a child. There was indeed something childish about the way she looked, but I liked her face. So did everybody—and I do not think she could prevent the dimples.

杰西·布朗小姐比她小十歲，漂亮20倍。她長(zhǎng)著一張圓臉，還有兩個(gè)酒窩。詹金斯小姐曾經(jīng)說(shuō)，和布朗上尉生氣的時(shí)候（具體原因我會(huì)在后面解釋?zhuān)芪餍〗愕木聘C就不見(jiàn)了，看起來(lái)也不像個(gè)孩子了。她的長(zhǎng)相的確有些孩子氣的地方，不過(guò)我喜歡她的樣子。大家都喜歡——我覺(jué)得她沒(méi)法忍住不讓酒窩出現(xiàn)。

I first saw the Brown family together in Cranford church. The captain sang loudly and happily; and when we came out, he smiled at everyone and patiently helped Miss Brown with her umbrella.

我最初是在克蘭福德的教堂見(jiàn)到布朗一家的。上尉唱歌嗓音洪亮，神采奕奕；我們出來(lái)的時(shí)候，他朝每個(gè)人微笑，并耐心地替布朗小姐打傘。

I wondered what the Cranford ladies did with him at their card-parties. We had often been glad in the past that there were no gentlemen to worry about. Indeed, we had almost persuaded ourselves that it was 'vulgar' to be a man. So now, when Miss Deborah Jenkyns (with whom I was staying) gave a party for me and invited the Browns, I wondered how the evening would go.

我想知道克蘭福德的女士們?cè)谂凭种性趺磳?duì)他。以前我們總是為不必?fù)?dān)心男人而高興。真的，我們差點(diǎn)兒讓自己相信作個(gè)男人是件“俗氣”的事。所以，現(xiàn)在德博拉·詹金斯小姐（我住在她那里）要為我舉行一個(gè)晚會(huì)，并且邀請(qǐng)了布朗一家，我想知道晚上會(huì)發(fā)生些什么。

It was the third week of November, so it was dark by four o'clock. The card-tables were arranged. Candles and clean packs of cards were put on each one. The fire was lit. The maid was given final orders. And there we stood in our best dresses, ready to light the candles as soon as the first person knocked at the door.

時(shí)值11月的第三個(gè)星期，4點(diǎn)鐘天就黑了。牌桌已經(jīng)擺好，每張桌子上都放著蠟燭和一副副干凈的紙牌。火也生上了。女仆已吩咐完畢。我們穿上最好的裙子站著，準(zhǔn)備好在第一個(gè)人敲門(mén)的時(shí)候把蠟燭點(diǎn)燃。

The Browns arrived when the tea-trays were on the tables. The captain took immediate care of all the ladies, passing round cups and bread-and-butter. He was clearly a favourite. But all the time he kept an eye on his elder daughter—a sick woman, I was sure. Miss Jessie seemed almost as popular as her father. She talked to those not playing cards, and later she sang while Miss Jenkyns beat time to the music.

茶盤(pán)擺上桌的時(shí)候，布朗一家到了。上尉馬上開(kāi)始為所有的女士服務(wù)，把茶杯和涂了黃油的面包遞給大家。顯然人們都很喜歡他。不過(guò)他一直留意著他的長(zhǎng)女——一個(gè)病怏怏的女人，我可以肯定。杰西小姐好像幾乎和她父親一樣受歡迎。她和不打牌的人聊天，后來(lái)她唱起了歌，而詹金斯小姐隨著音樂(lè)打拍子。

It was good of Miss Jenkyns to do this, because she had been much annoyed by Miss Jessie a little earlier. 'My mother's brother,' Miss Jessie had said to Miss Pole, 'is a shopkeeper in Edinburgh.' An uncle in trade! Oh dear! The Honourable Mrs Jamieson was sitting at the nearest cardtable and Miss Jenkyns had coughed loudly to prevent her hearing the terrible words. But Miss Jessie had happily repeated them, telling Miss Pole that her uncle sold the best knitting-wool in Edinburgh. So, I say again, it was good of Miss Jenkyns to beat time to her song.

詹金斯小姐這么做挺不容易，因?yàn)樵缦人€生著杰西小姐的氣。“我媽媽的弟弟，”杰西小姐對(duì)波爾小姐說(shuō)，“在愛(ài)丁堡開(kāi)商店。”一個(gè)做生意的舅舅！哦，天??！尊敬的賈米森夫人正好坐在最近的牌桌旁，所以詹金斯小姐大聲地咳嗽，以免她聽(tīng)到這些可怕的話。可是杰西小姐又高興地重復(fù)了一遍，告訴波爾小姐她舅舅賣(mài)的毛線是愛(ài)丁堡最好的。所以，我再說(shuō)一遍，詹金斯小姐能隨著她的歌打拍子真是不容易。

At a quarter to nine, when the trays came back with a little more food, there was conversation. After a while Captain Brown began to talk about books.

差一刻9點(diǎn)的時(shí)候，盛著稍多一點(diǎn)食物的盤(pán)子又回到了桌上，談話也開(kāi)始了。過(guò)了一會(huì)兒，布朗上尉開(kāi)始談?wù)摃?shū)籍。

Have you seen any of The Pickwick Papers?' he asked. (It was 1836, and Mr Dickens's new book was appearing month by month.)

“你們有沒(méi)有讀過(guò)《匹克威克外傳》？”他問(wèn)道。（當(dāng)時(shí)是1836年，狄更斯先生的新書(shū)每月連載出版。）

Yes, I have,' answered Miss Jenkyns. Miss Jenkyns was the daughter of a past rector of Cranford church and, having his library of church books and sermons, she considered that she knew about books of all kinds.

“是的，我讀過(guò)。”詹金斯小姐答道。詹金斯小姐是克蘭福德教堂一位已故教區(qū)長(zhǎng)的女兒，因?yàn)閾碛兴遣刂虝?huì)圖書(shū)和布道文的圖書(shū)室，她覺(jué)得自己了解各種類(lèi)型的圖書(shū)。

And what do you think of them?' asked the captain enthusiastically. 'Aren't they good?'

“你覺(jué)得它們寫(xiě)得怎么樣？”上尉熱心地問(wèn)，“挺不錯(cuò)吧？”

Not as good as Dr Johnson,' replied Miss Jenkyns. 'But perhaps your man is young. If he copies the style of the great doctor, he may succeed.'

“沒(méi)有約翰遜博士的好，”詹金斯小姐答道，“不過(guò)可能你說(shuō)的那個(gè)人年紀(jì)還輕。如果他能模仿博士大師的風(fēng)格，他也許能成功。”

But it's quite a different thing, my dear madam!' cried Captain Brown. 'Let me just read you something from this month's paper.'

“可那是兩回事，親愛(ài)的小姐！”布朗上尉大聲說(shuō)道，“讓我給你讀一段這個(gè)月連載的故事。”

The Pickwick story he read was a very amusing one about a party in Bath, but Miss Jenkyns did not smile. She sent me to fetch Dr Johnson's Rasselas, and read us a slow conversation, full of long words, between Rasselas and his teacher.

他讀的《匹克威克外傳》故事講的是巴斯的一個(gè)晚會(huì)，非常有趣，但詹金斯小姐卻沒(méi)有笑。她讓我去取約翰遜博士的《拉塞拉斯》，并給我們讀了一段拉塞拉斯和他老師之間冗長(zhǎng)的對(duì)話，里面有很多很長(zhǎng)的詞。

Now you understand,' she said grandly as she put the book down, 'why I prefer Dr Johnson as a writer. Beginners should copy his style, I did, when I began to write letters. Your favourite should do the same.'

“現(xiàn)在你明白了，”她放下書(shū)驕傲地說(shuō)，“我為什么更喜歡約翰遜博士這位作家。初學(xué)寫(xiě)作的人應(yīng)該模仿他的文風(fēng)，我剛學(xué)寫(xiě)信的時(shí)候就試過(guò)。你最喜歡的作家也該這么做。”

I hope he won't copy anything so self-important!' said Captain Brown.

“我希望他不要模仿任何那么自以為是的東西！”布朗上尉說(shuō)道。

He was sorry later for what he had said, and stood near Miss Jenkyns's armchair, trying to please her. But she did not give in. The next day she said what she thought of Miss Jessie's dimples.

后來(lái)他就后悔自己說(shuō)的那些話了，所以他站在詹金斯小姐的扶手椅旁邊，想讓她高興起來(lái)。但她并不給他臺(tái)階下。第二天她說(shuō)了自己對(duì)杰西小姐的酒窩的看法。