書蟲(chóng)6級(jí)《名利場(chǎng)》第二章: 貝姬·夏普結(jié)交新朋友

Sir Pitt Crawley is nothing like we silly girls imagined a baronet to be. Think of a short old man, in dirty old clothes, who smokes a horrible pipe, speaks with a rough uneducated accent, swears at his servants, and gets drunk every night! He has been married twice, I learn, and has two sons by his first wife. The older, Mr Pitt Crawley, still lives here. He's a pale, thin, ugly man, who is always reading religious books and riding around the countryside, telling everybody to lead good lives.

皮特·克勞利爵士跟我們這些傻姑娘想象中的準(zhǔn)男爵的樣子一點(diǎn)都不像。想象一下，一個(gè)矮老頭子，衣衫骯臟破舊，抽糟糕的煙斗，說(shuō)一口粗野土話，沖著仆人咒罵，還每天晚上都喝醉！我聽(tīng)說(shuō)，他結(jié)了兩次婚，和第一任妻子生了兩個(gè)兒子。長(zhǎng)子皮特·克勞利先生，現(xiàn)在仍住在這里。他蒼白瘦弱，長(zhǎng)相難看，總是讀宗教書籍，還騎著馬在鄉(xiāng)下到處轉(zhuǎn)悠，勸誡人們要規(guī)規(guī)矩矩地生活。

Becky Sharp left London and travelled down to Queen's Crawley in hampshire, the home of Sir Pitt Crawley. Sir Pitt was a baronet and a Member of Parliament, and the land-owning Crawley family was of a higher social class than the Sedleys and the Osbornes, who had made their money by commerce. This thought comforted Becky as she reflected on her failed adventure with Mr Joseph Sedley.

貝姬·夏普離開(kāi)倫敦，南下前往漢普郡昆士克勞利的皮特·克勞利爵士家。皮特爵士是準(zhǔn)男爵，下院議員?？藙诶易鍝碛型恋?，比起經(jīng)商發(fā)財(cái)?shù)娜吕液蛫W斯本家，社會(huì)地位要更高。當(dāng)貝姬回想起她和約瑟夫·塞德利先生的失敗經(jīng)歷時(shí)，這一點(diǎn)使她心里獲得了些許慰藉。

After a week Amelia received a letter from her friend.

一周后，阿梅莉亞收到了她朋友的來(lái)信。

MY DEAREST, SWEETEST AMELIA -- Oh, how my life has changed from those happy times in your house! There I was surrounded by the kindness of a loving friend, and now…!

我最親愛(ài)最溫柔的阿梅莉亞：唉，在你家度過(guò)那些歡樂(lè)的時(shí)光后，我的生活變化多大啊！在那里，一位摯友對(duì)我關(guān)懷備至，可現(xiàn)在……！

Sir Pitt also has a brother, Mr Bute Crawley. He and his wife, whom everyone calls Mrs Bute (there are so many Crawleys!), live in a house nearby. It seems that he and Sir Pitt don't get on -- some quarrel about money, I believe. Indeed, Sir Pitt himself is very mean -- I am not allowed to have a candle in my room after eleven at night! But of course I cannot complain, as I am only a poor little governess!

皮特爵士還有個(gè)弟弟——比特·克勞利先生。他和他的妻子——大家叫她比特夫人（這里叫克勞利的實(shí)在太多了！）——住在附近的一棟宅子里。他和皮特爵士似乎關(guān)系不和——是因?yàn)殄X發(fā)生爭(zhēng)執(zhí)，我認(rèn)為。千真萬(wàn)確，皮特爵士本人吝嗇極了——晚上十一點(diǎn)過(guò)后我的房間里都不準(zhǔn)點(diǎn)蠟燭！可是當(dāng)然啦，我是不能抱怨的，我只不過(guò)是個(gè)可憐的小家庭教師罷了！

Your affectionate friend, Rebecca

深愛(ài)你的朋友，麗貝卡

As for Lady Crawley, Sir Pitt's second wife, she is a poor, faded, unhappy creature, who has nothing to say. She is quite often ill, and spends the rest of her time sewing. I am governess to her two little girls, Rose and Violet, who are no trouble, and already love me quite as much as their mother, I think!

至于皮特爵士的第二任妻子——克勞利女士，她是個(gè)容顏憔悴、郁郁寡歡的可憐人，沒(méi)有什么話好說(shuō)。她經(jīng)常生病，不生病的時(shí)候就做針線活。我是她兩個(gè)小女兒——羅絲和維奧萊特——的家庭教師。她們一點(diǎn)都不惹事，而且已經(jīng)像愛(ài)她們母親那樣愛(ài)我了呢，我認(rèn)為！

Becky may have been a poor governess, but she was a clever, cunning little creature as well. For we must remember that this story has Vanity Fair for a title, and Vanity Fair is a very vain, wicked, foolish place, full of all sorts of falseness and pretence.

貝姬或許是個(gè)可憐的家庭教師，但她同時(shí)也是個(gè)聰明狡猾的小東西。我們得記住，這本書的書名是《名利場(chǎng)》，而名利場(chǎng)是個(gè)極盡浮華、邪惡且又荒唐的地方，充斥著各式虛偽與矯飾。

It was certainly true that Sir Pitt Crawley was a mean, selfish, rude old man. He was never known to give away a penny, or to do a good action, but he enjoyed a joke -- and the company of a lively and amusing young woman. So the little governess had no difficulty in making herself useful and agreeable to her employer. She wrote his letters for him, played cards with him, and helped with the management of the farm, park and gardens.

一點(diǎn)沒(méi)錯(cuò)，皮特·克勞利爵士是個(gè)又吝嗇又自私又粗魯?shù)睦项^。他從沒(méi)白給過(guò)一分錢，也從沒(méi)做過(guò)一件善事，但是他喜歡取笑活潑風(fēng)趣的年輕女子，也喜歡有她做伴。因此，這位小家庭教師不必費(fèi)力表現(xiàn)便贏得了雇主的歡心。她代他寫信，和他玩牌，協(xié)助打理農(nóng)莊、庭園和花園。

Before many months had passed she was almost mistress of the house, though she was always careful to appear modest and respectful. She was popular with everyone, it seemed, including two other members of the Crawley family, whom she described in another letter to her dear friend.

沒(méi)過(guò)幾個(gè)月，她儼然成為了家里的女主人，然而，她一直小心翼翼表現(xiàn)出謙遜恭敬的樣子?？雌饋?lái)，她受眾人喜愛(ài)，包括克勞利家族的另外兩位成員。她在給她親愛(ài)的朋友的另一封信中寫到了這兩位。

PLEASE FORGIVE MY LONG SILENCE, dearest Amelia, but for some weeks now our usual quiet life at Queen's Crawley has been quite different, because Miss Matilda Crawley is here on her yearly visit. We have dinner-parties and dancing-parties; we drink the best wines every day, and there are fires in every room. Miss Crawley, you see, is Sir Pitt's unmarried half-sister. She is a fat old lady, but has a fortune of seventy thousand pounds, which makes her brothers, Sir Pitt and Mr Bute, very affectionate towards her, as you might imagine! It is said that she intends to divide her fortune between Mr Bute's family, and Sir Pitt's younger son, Rawdon Crawley, who is a captain in the army and a great favourite with his aunt. This Captain Rawdon is staying here now, and I suppose you will like to know what sort of person he is.

請(qǐng)?jiān)徫议L(zhǎng)時(shí)間杳無(wú)音信，最親愛(ài)的阿梅莉亞，但是這幾周昆士克勞利以往平靜的生活，因?yàn)楝數(shù)贍栠_(dá)·克勞利小姐一年一度的到訪而變得完全不同了。我們舉行各種晚宴和舞會(huì)，每天都喝最好的葡萄酒，而且每個(gè)房間里都生了火。你瞧，克勞利小姐是皮特爵士同父異母的姐姐，至今未婚。她是個(gè)體態(tài)臃腫的老婦人，但是有七萬(wàn)英鎊的身家，因此，她的兩個(gè)弟弟皮特爵士和比特先生都對(duì)她殷勤得很，你可以想象得到！據(jù)說(shuō)，她打算把財(cái)產(chǎn)分給比特先生一家和皮特爵士的次子羅頓·克勞利。羅頓是一位陸軍上尉，十分討他姑姑的歡心。這位羅頓上尉現(xiàn)在就住在這里，我猜你會(huì)想知道他是個(gè)什么樣的人吧。

Shall I tell you a compliment Captain Rawdon paid me? One night at a dancing-party he asked me, the poor little governess, to dance with him, and afterwards he swore out loud that I was the neatest little dancer in the room. You should have seen the angry stares I received from all the fine young ladies!

要不我跟你說(shuō)說(shuō)羅頓上尉對(duì)我講的一句恭維話吧？一天晚上，在舞會(huì)上，他請(qǐng)我這個(gè)可憐的小家庭教師與他共舞。跳完后，他大聲地發(fā)誓說(shuō)，我是房間里最靈巧的小舞者了。你真該看看那些漂亮的年輕女士們?cè)趺从脩崙嵅黄降哪抗舛⒅仪频模?/p>

Well, he is a very large, fashionable young man. He has a loud voice, swears a great deal, and is always giving orders to the servants, who all love him in spite of this, for he is very generous with his money -- when he has any! He leads quite a wild life, I believe, gambling and so on, but his aunt Miss Matilda just laughs, and often pays his debts for him. She says he is worth far more than his boring brother, Mr Pitt Crawley, whom she hates.

嗯，他是個(gè)魁梧、時(shí)髦的年輕人。他大嗓門，老是說(shuō)粗話，總對(duì)仆人們發(fā)號(hào)施令。盡管如此，仆人們都很喜歡他，因?yàn)樗ㄥX非常大方——只要手頭有一點(diǎn)錢就這樣！我猜想，他生活放蕩不羈，愛(ài)賭博啊什么的，但他的姑姑瑪?shù)贍栠_(dá)小姐對(duì)此只是哈哈一笑，還經(jīng)常為他還債。她說(shuō)，他可比他那無(wú)聊的哥哥強(qiáng)多了。她討厭皮特·克勞利先生。

Your affectionate friend, Rebecca Becky did not, strange to say, give her dear friend an altogether accurate report of Captain Rawdon Crawley. The Captain had paid her not just one, but a great many compliments. The Captain had walked with her twenty times in the park, had met her in fifty corridors and passages. The Captain had leaned over her piano in the evenings as she sang, while Miss Matilda Crawley nodded sleepily in her chair by the fire. (Lady Crawley was now upstairs, being ill, and ignored by everyone in the house.)

深愛(ài)你的朋友，麗貝卡，說(shuō)來(lái)奇怪，貝姬并沒(méi)有向她的朋友完全準(zhǔn)確地描述羅頓·克勞利上尉。上尉可不僅僅只說(shuō)過(guò)一句恭維話，而是恭維過(guò)她許多次。上尉陪她在庭園里散過(guò)二十次步，在過(guò)道和走廊見(jiàn)過(guò)她五十回。晚上她邊彈琴邊唱歌時(shí)，上尉會(huì)斜倚在她的鋼琴旁，而瑪?shù)贍栠_(dá)·克勞利小姐則坐在爐邊的椅子上打瞌睡。（克勞利女士因?yàn)椴×?，待在樓上，被屋子里的所有人遺忘了。）

"You've more brains in your little finger, my dear, than most people have in their heads," she said to Becky. "You're certainly cleverer than my poor nephew Rawdon."

“親愛(ài)的，你小指頭里裝的智慧都比大部分人腦袋里裝的多。”她對(duì)貝姬說(shuō)，“可以肯定，你比我那可憐的侄子羅頓聰明多了。”

And so, in truth, she was -- cleverer than both father and son.

實(shí)際情況是，她比他們父子倆都聰明得多。

Nor did Becky mention to her friend what a great liking Miss Crawley had taken to her. Nothing would satisfy the old lady but that Miss Sharp should always sit next to her at dinner, and entertain her with amusing conversation.

貝姬也沒(méi)向她的朋友提起，克勞利小姐有多么喜歡她。什么都不能令這位老女士滿意，除非用餐時(shí)夏普小姐坐在她身旁，給她講些有趣話題讓她開(kāi)心。

Not long after this, a carriage stopped at Miss Matilda Crawley's home in London in Park Lane, a fine comfortable house, and Miss Crawley herself was carried inside. Doctors were called, and the old lady was put to bed and cared for day and night by a young person who had accompanied her from Queen's Crawley. No one else was allowed in the sickroom, and this was naturally very upsetting to Miss Briggs, who had been Miss Crawley's devoted companion and friend for many years.

不久之后，一輛馬車停在了倫敦帕克街上瑪?shù)贍栠_(dá)·克勞利小姐那座精致舒適的房子前，克勞利小姐本人被抬進(jìn)屋內(nèi)。醫(yī)生們應(yīng)召前來(lái)，安排她臥床休息，一位從昆士克勞利陪她過(guò)來(lái)的年輕人日夜照顧她，其他人一律不準(zhǔn)進(jìn)病房。這自然令布里格斯小姐異常煩心，因?yàn)槎嗄陙?lái)她一直是克勞利小姐忠實(shí)的伴侶和朋友。

This mysterious young person was none other, of course, than Miss Rebecca Sharp. She nursed Miss Crawley, gave orders to the servants, and very soon persuaded kind-hearted Miss Briggs into friendly feelings towards her.

這位神秘的年輕人并非別人，正是麗貝卡·夏普小姐。她看護(hù)克勞利小姐，吩咐仆人，而且很快就哄得心地善良的布里格斯小姐對(duì)她親切起來(lái)。

It was not the same case for another member of the Crawley family, however. Sir Pitt's wife, Lady Crawley, had been ill for some time but no one had paid her any attention at all. And some three months after Becky had gone to London, Lady Crawley quietly slipped out of this life, almost unnoticed.

然而，對(duì)克勞利家族的另一位成員來(lái)說(shuō)可就不是這么回事了。皮特爵士的妻子克勞利女士，已經(jīng)臥病一段時(shí)間，但根本沒(méi)人留意過(guò)她。貝姬去倫敦后大約三個(gè)月，克勞利女士悄然離世，幾乎無(wú)人知道。

Sir Pitt had missed Becky greatly. It was only his fear of offending his wealthy sister that had made him let Becky go to London at all. He had written to her several times and often visited her in Park Lane, begging her, commanding her to return and continue the education of his two daughters. But Miss Crawley always refused to let her go, and so Becky stayed.

皮特爵士十分想念貝姬。他只是害怕冒犯他富有的姐姐才肯讓貝姬去倫敦的。他給她寫過(guò)幾封信，還經(jīng)常去帕克街登門拜訪，軟硬兼施，讓她回去繼續(xù)教導(dǎo)他的兩個(gè)女兒。但是，克勞利小姐一直拒絕放她走，因此，貝姬留了下來(lái)。

Captain Rawdon Crawley visited every day, and spent a good deal of time in the company of Miss Sharp, receiving reports about his aunt's health. This improved rapidly, her illness being caused by no more than a rather large, hot fish supper, but when an old lady of great wealth becomes ill, all her affectionate relations are naturally anxious to pay her every attention.

羅頓·克勞利上尉每天都來(lái)拜訪，很多時(shí)候都由夏普小姐陪著，探聽(tīng)他姑姑的身體情況。她康復(fù)很快，身體不適不過(guò)是一頓豐盛滾燙的魚(yú)肉晚餐所致。但一位腰纏萬(wàn)貫的老太太生病，那些關(guān)愛(ài)她的親戚們自然會(huì)緊張不已，對(duì)她關(guān)懷備至。

The day after Lady Crawley's death, Sir Pitt appeared in Park Lane. Miss Crawley did not want to see him, so she sent Becky down with a message that she was too ill to have visitors.

克勞利女士去世的第二天，皮特爵士來(lái)到帕克街?？藙诶〗悴幌胍?jiàn)他，就派貝姬下樓去傳個(gè)口信，說(shuō)她病得太重，不能會(huì)客。

Tears ran down Becky's face, tears of real sorrow.

眼淚流過(guò)貝姬的臉龐，貨真價(jià)實(shí)的悲傷淚水。

"Oh, Sir Pitt!" she said. "Oh, Sir -- I -- I'm married already!"

“啊，皮特爵士！”她說(shuō)，“啊，爵士——我——我已經(jīng)結(jié)婚了！”

"That's all right," Sir Pitt said. "It's you I want to see, Miss Becky. I want you back at Queen's Crawley. It's not the same without you. All my accounts have got confused again. I can't get my letters done. You must come back. Dear Becky, do come."

“沒(méi)關(guān)系。”皮特爵士說(shuō)，“我想見(jiàn)的人是你，貝姬小姐。我需要你回昆士克勞利。你不在一切都變樣了。我所有的賬目又變得亂七八糟的。我的信也寫不完。你必須 回來(lái)。親愛(ài)的貝姬，回來(lái)吧。”

"I don't think -- it would be right -- to be alone -- with you, sir," said Becky, seeming rather upset.

“我認(rèn)為——這樣不合適——單獨(dú)——和您待在一起，先生。”貝姬說(shuō)，看起來(lái)心煩意亂的樣子。

"Come as Lady Crawley, if you like," the baronet said. "There! Will that satisfy you? Come back and be my wife. Yes or no?"

“那就作為克勞利女士回來(lái)吧，如果你愿意。”準(zhǔn)男爵說(shuō)，“啊，這樣你滿意了嗎？回來(lái)做我的妻子。愿意還是不愿意？”

"Married!" cried Sir Pitt. "Married! Who to? You're joking. Who would marry you, Becky? You've not a penny to your name!"

“結(jié)婚了！”皮特爵士嚷道，“結(jié)婚了！跟誰(shuí)？你在說(shuō)笑吧。誰(shuí)愿意娶你呢，貝姬？你名下可一個(gè)子兒都沒(méi)有！”

Becky fell to her knees. "Oh, Sir Pitt, dear Sir Pitt, please don't be angry. I'm so grateful for all your goodness to me."

貝姬跪倒在地。“啊，皮特爵士，親愛(ài)的皮特爵士，請(qǐng)您不要生氣。您對(duì)我的恩情，我感激不盡。”

"Oh, sir! Please let me come back to dear Queen's Crawley. I can't be your wife, sir. Let me -- let me be your daughter!"

“啊，先生！請(qǐng)讓我回到可親的昆士克勞利。我當(dāng)不了您的妻子，先生。讓我——讓我做您的女兒吧！”

At this moment the door opened, and Miss Crawley walked in.

就在這時(shí)門開(kāi)了，克勞利小姐走了進(jìn)來(lái)。

"Grateful be damned!" shouted Sir Pitt. "Where is this husband, then? Run off and left you, has he?"

“見(jiàn)鬼的感激不盡！”皮特爵士大吼，“那個(gè)丈夫在哪里？是不是跑掉把你拋棄了？”

"Can this be true, Sir Pitt?" Miss Crawley asked, in a horrified voice. "You have actually proposed marriage to Miss Sharp?"

“這是真的嗎，皮特爵士？”克勞利小姐駭然問(wèn)道，“你真的向夏普小姐求婚了？”

Miss Briggs, accidentally listening at the door, had heard Sir Pitt's proposal and had rushed upstairs to tell Miss Crawley. Neither of them, however, had heard Becky's reason for refusing Sir Pitt's offer of marriage.

布里格斯小姐之前碰巧在門邊聽(tīng)著，一聽(tīng)到皮特爵士求婚，就沖到樓上去告訴克勞利小姐。然而，她們都沒(méi)聽(tīng)到貝姬拒絕皮特爵士求婚的原因。

"I have told Sir Pitt," said Becky, in a sad, tearful voice, "that I can never become Lady Crawley."

“我已經(jīng)告訴皮特爵士了。”貝姬帶著哭腔哀哀說(shuō)道，“我永遠(yuǎn)也不會(huì)成為克勞利女士。”

Pleased that Rebecca had shown the good sense to refuse Sir Pitt, Miss Crawley promised always to remain Rebecca's friend. To Becky's relief, finding his offer of marriage refused, Sir Pitt left, without revealing her secret to Miss Crawley. So Becky had time to make plans, and that night she sat down and wrote a letter to a certain Miss Eliza Styles.

鑒于麗貝卡明智地拒絕了皮特爵士，心中滿意的克勞利小姐許諾會(huì)永遠(yuǎn)做麗貝卡的朋友。皮特爵士求婚遭拒之后就離開(kāi)了，沒(méi)向克勞利小姐揭露貝姬的秘密，這讓貝姬松了口氣。她還有時(shí)間制訂計(jì)劃。當(dāng)晚，她坐下來(lái)給一位伊麗莎·斯泰爾斯小姐寫信。

"You've refused him!" said Miss Crawley, amazed that a penniless governess should refuse a baronet. "But why? Is there someone else?"

“你拒絕了他！”克勞利小姐說(shuō)。一個(gè)一文不名的女家庭教師居然拒絕了一位準(zhǔn)男爵，這讓她大為吃驚。“可是為什么呢？是不是心中有別人了？”

"I cannot tell you now," replied poor Becky. "I am very miserable. But oh, promise you will love me always."

“我現(xiàn)在不能告訴您。”可憐的貝姬回答，“我好痛苦啊。但是，啊，請(qǐng)答應(yīng)我，您會(huì)一如既往地愛(ài)我。”

That night in Park Lane, Becky was especially charming to Miss Crawley and Miss Briggs. And after the business with Sir Pitt, Becky, with her secret sorrows, was the heroine of the day.

那天晚上在帕克街的家中，貝姬在克勞利小姐和布里格斯小姐眼中更顯可愛(ài)。經(jīng)過(guò)皮特爵士這檔子事，暗自悲傷的貝姬成了當(dāng)天的主角。

Miss Eliza Styles was, of course, no other than Captain Rawdon Crawley. That big, handsome soldier had become so devoted to little Rebecca that there was no solution but to marry her. He admired her tremendously, believing her to be the cleverest little thing alive, and when he received her orders to rent some rooms for their new home, he hurried at once to obey.

無(wú)疑，伊麗莎·斯泰爾斯小姐不是別人，正是羅頓·克勞利上尉。這位身材魁梧、相貌英俊的軍人對(duì)小麗貝卡如此傾心，只有娶了她才可一解相思。他對(duì)她愛(ài)慕至極，覺(jué)得她是世上最聰明的小東西。接到她的命令去租幾個(gè)房間作他們的新家后，他忙不迭地去辦了。

DEAREST FRIEND -- The crisis we have talked about so often has arrived! Half of my secret is known. Sir Pitt came today and asked me -- to marry him! Think of that! He knows that I am married, but not to whom. Now is the moment to tell Miss Crawley the truth. But she likes me, and she will forgive you anything. So, all will be well. She will die and leave us all her money, and you will stop gambling, and be a good boy. R.

最親愛(ài)的朋友，我們經(jīng)常談?wù)摰奈C(jī)來(lái)臨了！我的秘密泄露了一半。皮特爵士今天過(guò)來(lái)了，求我——嫁給他！想不到吧！如今他知道我已經(jīng)結(jié)婚，但還不知道嫁給了誰(shuí)?，F(xiàn)在是時(shí)候告訴克勞利小姐真相了。她喜歡我，而你做什么她都會(huì)原諒。所以，一切都會(huì)好起來(lái)的。她死了之后會(huì)把所有錢都留給我們，你也不要再賭博了，做個(gè)好男人。麗。

On the second day after Sir Pitt's proposal the servant went to wake Miss Sharp as usual, but almost at once ran to Miss Briggs's room in great excitement.

皮特爵士求婚后的第二天，仆人像往常一樣去叫夏普小姐起床，但馬上大呼小叫地奔向布里格斯小姐的房間。

"Oh, Miss Briggs," said the servant, "Miss Sharp's bed hasn't been slept in. And I found this letter for you in her room."

“哎呀，布里格斯小姐。”仆人說(shuō)，“夏普小姐的床沒(méi)有動(dòng)過(guò)。我在她房間里發(fā)現(xiàn)了這封給您的信。”

"What! " cried Miss Briggs. She opened the letter eagerly.

“什么！”布里格斯小姐大叫。她急切地打開(kāi)了信。

Only you, dear Miss Briggs, will know how to give this news to his devoted aunt. Tell her how much it hurts me to leave her. Ask her to forgive the poor girl to whom she has shown such affection. Ask Miss Crawley to forgive her children.

只有您，親愛(ài)的布里格斯小姐，知道怎樣把這個(gè)消息告訴深愛(ài)著他的姑姑。請(qǐng)告訴她，離開(kāi)她我有多么心痛。請(qǐng)她原諒這個(gè)她一直疼愛(ài)有加的可憐女孩吧。請(qǐng)克勞利小姐原諒她的孩子們。

Your affectionate and grateful Rebecca Crawley

深愛(ài)您、對(duì)您感激不盡的麗貝卡·克勞利

DEAR, KIND MISS BRIGGS -- I know that you will pity me and forgive me. I must leave the home where I have known nothing but kindness. I must do my duty and go to my husband, who commands me to join him. Yes, I am married, married to the best and most generous of men -- Captain Rawdon Crawley!

親愛(ài)、善良的布里格斯小姐：我知道您會(huì)憐憫我，也會(huì)原諒我的。我必須離開(kāi)這個(gè)充滿溫情的家了。我必須盡我的本分，去找我的丈夫，他要求我回到他的身邊。是的，我結(jié)婚了，嫁給了最優(yōu)秀、心腸最好的男人——羅頓·克勞利上尉！

As Miss Briggs finished reading the letter, the servant came to tell her that Mrs Bute Crawley had arrived from hampshire. Mrs Bute was a strong and determined woman, and she and her husband, Sir Pitt's brother, were anxious to pay Miss Crawley every attention. Like Rawdon, they too were in debt and their hopes lay in Miss Crawley's death, since they expected a good share of her money.

布里格斯小姐剛讀完信，仆人來(lái)通報(bào)，比特·克勞利夫人從漢普郡來(lái)訪。比特夫人是位身強(qiáng)體壯、意志堅(jiān)定的女性，她和她丈夫——皮特爵士的弟弟——也焦急地關(guān)注著克勞利小姐。和羅頓一樣，他們也欠了債。他們把希望寄托在克勞利小姐身上，想在她死后分上一大筆遺產(chǎn)。

"Likes!" Miss Briggs gasped. "Oh, my dear Miss Crawley, she is married already!"

“喜歡！”布里格斯小姐倒吸了一口氣，“啊，我親愛(ài)的克勞利小姐，她已經(jīng)結(jié)婚了！”

"There was a reason for her refusing Sir Pitt," said Mrs Bute.

“她拒絕皮特爵士是有原因的。”比特夫人說(shuō)。

"The secretive little creature! How dare she not tell me!" cried Miss Crawley. "Send her to me at once!"

“這個(gè)守口如瓶的小家伙！她竟敢瞞著我！”克勞利小姐大叫，“立刻叫她來(lái)見(jiàn)我！”

Still holding the letter, Miss Briggs ran downstairs to tell Mrs Bute the terrible, shocking news of the marriage.

布里格斯小姐抓著信，跑下樓告訴比特夫人這個(gè)可怕又令人震驚的婚訊。

"Of course there was a reason," Miss Crawley answered. "She likes someone else."

“當(dāng)然有原因。”克勞利小姐回答，“她喜歡上了別人。”

Mrs Bute and Miss Briggs waited until Miss Crawley was downstairs, seated comfortably in her armchair. And then they began to prepare her for the dreadful news about Rebecca.

比特夫人和布里格斯小姐一直等到克勞利小姐下了樓，舒舒服服地坐進(jìn)扶手椅里，才開(kāi)始為告訴她有關(guān)麗貝卡的可怕消息做鋪墊。

"It's a good thing I'm here," said Mrs Bute, "to take care of poor, dear Miss Crawley. But at least it will open her eyes to that girl. I always knew she was a wicked, cunning little thing."

“還好我在這里。”比特夫人說(shuō)，“我可以照顧可憐的克勞利小姐。不過(guò)，至少這件事能讓她看清那姑娘的真面目。我一直都知道她是個(gè)邪惡又詭計(jì)多端的小東西。”

"We cannot," said Mrs Bute. "Oh, prepare yourself, dear friend! Miss Sharp has -- gone!"

“我們叫不來(lái)。”比特夫人說(shuō)，“啊，做好心理準(zhǔn)備吧，親愛(ài)的朋友！夏普小姐已經(jīng)——走了！”

"Such shocking news! Oh, do tell her gently!" said Mrs Bute.

“這消息太令人震驚了！啊，婉轉(zhuǎn)地告訴她！”比特夫人說(shuō)。

"She went last night," Miss Briggs said. "She left a letter for me. She's married to --"

“她昨晚走的。”布里格斯小姐說(shuō)，“她留了封信給我。她嫁給了——”

"Tell me!" cried Miss Crawley. "Don't drive me mad!"

“告訴我！”克勞利小姐大喊，“別把我逼瘋了！”

"Married to whom?" said Miss Crawley, in a nervous fury.

“嫁給誰(shuí)了？”克勞利小姐又急又氣。

"To -- to a relation of --" Miss Briggs could not continue.

“嫁給——一個(gè)親戚——”布里格斯小姐說(shuō)不下去了。

"Oh, Miss Crawley! She's married to your nephew Rawdon!"

“啊，克勞利小姐！她嫁給了您的侄子羅頓！”

"Rawdon -- Rebecca -- married! A governess! You stupid old fool, Briggs, I don't believe you!"

“羅頓——麗貝卡——結(jié)婚了！一個(gè)女家庭教師！你真是老糊涂，布里格斯，我不相信你的話！”

The old lady screamed in fury, then fell back in a faint, and had to be taken to bed. The doctor was sent for, and Mrs Bute went to sit by the bedside to act as nurse. "Her relations ought to be round her at a time like this." she said, full of concern.

老婦人憤怒地尖叫，眩暈中向后一倒，只好被送回床上。醫(yī)生被請(qǐng)來(lái)了，比特夫人坐在床邊充當(dāng)護(hù)士。“像現(xiàn)在這種時(shí)候她的親人應(yīng)該在她身邊。”她憂心忡忡地說(shuō)。

No sooner had Miss Crawley been carried to her room than Sir Pitt arrived at the house. "Where's Becky?" he said. "Tell her to get her things together. She's coming with me to Queen's Crawley, even if she is married."

克勞利小姐剛被送進(jìn)她的房間，皮特爵士就來(lái)了。“貝姬在哪里？”他問(wèn)，“讓她把她的東西收拾好。就算她結(jié)婚了，她也要跟我回昆士克勞利。”

"Haven't you heard the news?" cried Miss Briggs. "She's gone. And she has married your son -- Captain Rawdon!"

“您還沒(méi)聽(tīng)說(shuō)嗎？”布里格斯小姐大聲說(shuō)，“她離開(kāi)了。她嫁給了您的兒子——羅頓上尉！”

When Sir Pitt heard this news, he broke out into such furious language that it sent poor Miss Briggs trembling from the room. The old man went away, back to Queen's Crawley, and there we will leave him, wild with hatred and unsatisfied desire.

皮特爵士聽(tīng)到這個(gè)消息，憤怒地破口大罵，嚇得可憐的布里格斯小姐渾身哆嗦，趕緊離開(kāi)房間。老頭兒離開(kāi)了，帶著滿腔的仇恨和未遂的心愿回到昆士克勞利。他的事我們先暫且按下不表。

"Suppose the old lady doesn't forgive us," Rawdon said to his wife as they sat together in their comfortable little London home. He had filled it with presents for his wife -- flowers, perfumes, a piano, jewellery, dresses… Becky had been trying her new piano all morning, and new rings sparkled on her little fingers. "Suppose she doesn't forgive us, eh, Becky?"

“如果老太太不原諒我們呢？”羅頓對(duì)他妻子說(shuō)。他們正一起坐在倫敦舒適的小家里。家里堆滿了他送給妻子的禮物：花朵，香水，一架鋼琴，珠寶首飾，衣裙……貝姬一上午都在試彈她那架新鋼琴，小巧的手指上一個(gè)個(gè)新戒指閃閃發(fā)光。“如果她不原諒我們呢，呃，貝姬？”

"Then I'll make your fortune," she said, patting his cheek.

“那么我 會(huì)讓你發(fā)財(cái)。”她拍拍他的臉頰說(shuō)。

"You can do anything," her husband said, kissing her little hand. "Come on, let's go out for dinner."

“你無(wú)所不能。”她丈夫吻著她的小手說(shuō)，“走，我們出去吃飯吧。”