牛津書蟲系列 簡愛 chapter 7

Part Three A governess at Thomfield 7 Thornfield and Mr Rochester

第三部 特恩費得的家庭教師 7 特恩費得和羅切斯特先生

Thornfield Hall was a large gentleman’s house in the country， near a town called Millcote.There，after my sixteen-hour journed，I was welcomed by Mrs Fairfax She was a little old lady，dressed in black，who seemed glad to have someone else to talk to，apart from the servants Although the house was dark and frightening，with its big rooms full of heavy furniture，I was excited at being in a new place，and looked forward to my new life there， working for kind Mrs Fairfax.

特恩費得府是鄉(xiāng)間一幢紳士住的大房子，在小鎮(zhèn)米爾考特附近。經(jīng)過16個小時的旅途，我受到費爾法斯太太的迎接。她是個小老太太，身穿黑衣，似乎很喜歡除了仆人外能有個人聊聊天。房子陰暗嚇人，大大的房間里滿是沉重的家具。盡管如此，我還是為來到一個新地方感到激動，期待著新生活的開始，期待著為善良的費爾法斯太太工作。

But I was surprised to discover on my first full day at Thornfield that Mrs Fairfax was not in fact the owner，as I had assumed，but the housekeeper，and that my new master was a Mr Rochester，who was often away from home. My pupil was a girl called Adeèe，seven or eight years old， who was born in France and could hardly speak English. Luckily I had learnt French very well at Lowtood，and had no difficulty in communicating with young Adèle，a pretty，cheerful child.It appeared that Mr Rochester，who had known Adèle and her mother very well，had brought Adèle back to England to live with him after her mother had died.I taught her for several hours every day in the library，although it was not easy to make her concentrate on anything for long，as she was clearly not used to the discipline of lessons.

但是，在特恩費得的第一天，我驚訝地發(fā)現(xiàn)費爾法斯太太并不像我認為的那樣是這里的主人，而是管家。我的新主人是羅切斯特先生，他經(jīng)常不在家。我的學生是個叫阿黛拉的女孩，七八歲的樣子，出生在法國，幾乎不會講英語。幸好我在洛伍德法文學得不錯，可以毫不困難地和阿黛拉這個漂亮、快活的孩子進行交流。羅切斯特先生似乎是阿黛拉和她母親的熟人，她母親死后他把她接到英國一起生活。每天，我在書房給她上幾小時課，我很難讓她長時間集中精神做任何事情，因為她顯然不習慣上課的紀律。

One day I took the opportunity of asking Mrs Fairfax a few questions about Mr Rochester，as I was curious about him，and the little housekeeper seemed happy to talk.

一天，我找機會向費爾法斯太太詢問羅切斯特先生的情況，因為我很好奇。管家似乎很樂意談。

’Is he liked by most people?’was my first question.

“大家都喜歡他嗎?”這是我的第一個問題。

’Oh yes，his family have always been respected here.They’ve owned the land round here for years，’she replied.

“噢，是的。他家在這一帶很有威望，他們擁有這周圍的土地已經(jīng)許多年了。”她答道。

’But do you like him?What is his character like?’

“你喜歡他嗎?他性格怎么樣?”

’I have always liked him， and I think he’s a fair master to his servants.He’s a little peculiar，perhaps.He’s travelled a lot，you know.I expect he’s clever，but I can’t tell，really.’

“我一直都喜歡他，而且我覺得他對仆人來說是個公平的主人。也許，他有點怪，要知道他經(jīng)常旅行在外。我想他腦子聰明，但真的說不準。”

’What do you mean，peculiar?’I asked，interested.

“你是什么意思，有點怪?”我感興趣地問。

’It’s not easy to describe. You’re never sure whether he’s serious or joking.You don’t really understand him，at least I don’t.But that doesn’t matter，he’s a very good master.’

“很難形容。你總摸不透他是認真的還是開玩笑。你不能真正了解他，至少我做不到。不過這沒關(guān)系，他是個好主人。”

I could get no further information from Mrs Fairfax about Mr Rochester，but instead she offered to show me round the whole house.We went through many large，impressive rooms，finally reaching the top floor，where there was a narrow corridor with several small black doors，all shut.I stopped to look at them， and thought for a moment they looked like prison doors，hiding evil secrets.No sooner had I turned away to go downstairs than I heard a strange，ghostly laugh.

從費爾法斯太太那兒，我對羅切斯特先生再了解不到什么了，可她主動提出帶我參觀整幢房子。我們走過許多令人驚嘆的大房間，最后來到頂層。那兒有一條狹窄的走廊，幾扇小黑門都緊閉著。我停下來看，覺得有點像監(jiān)獄的門，后面隱藏著罪惡的秘密。我剛轉(zhuǎn)身下樓，就聽到了奇怪的鬼一樣的笑聲。

’Mrs Fairfax!’I called out，as the housekeeper was already on her way downstairs.’Did you hear that laugh? Who is it?’

“費爾法斯太太!”我叫出了聲，管家正往樓下走。“你聽到笑聲了嗎?那是誰?”

’It may be Grace Poole，’she answered calmly.’She is paid to help the housemaid in her work，and always sews in one of those rooms.’I heard the laugh again.It did not sound human to me.

“可能是格麗絲·普爾。”她平靜地回答。“她是雇來給女傭做幫工的，總是在其中一間屋里做針線。”我又聽見了笑聲，我覺得那簡直不像人的聲音。

’Grace!’called Mrs Fairfax.I did not expect anyone to answer，but in fact a door opened and a middle-aged woman appeared.She looked too plain and sensible to be a ghost.

“格麗絲!”費爾法斯太太叫道。我以為不會有人答話，但是門開了，出現(xiàn)了一位中年婦女。她看上去普通、清醒，不可能是個鬼。

’Too much noise，Grace，’said Mrs Fairfax.’Remember your instructions!’Grace nodded and went back into the roon.

“格麗絲，太吵了。”費爾法斯太太說。“記住給你的指示。”格麗絲點點頭，回到屋里。

Several times in the next few months I went up to the top floor again，where I could look out of the high windows in the roof to see the surrounding countryside and be alone with my thoughts.I was very happy teaching pretty little Adèle in the daytime，and talking to kind old Mrs Fairfax in the evening，but I felt that something was missing from my life.I had dreams of a greater and better life，and above all，I wanted to do more.People are not always satisfied with a quiet life， and women as well as men need action.

以后的幾個月里，我又幾次到過頂層。我從房頂?shù)母叽蟠皯籼魍車泥l(xiāng)村，獨自遐想著。我白天教漂亮的小阿黛拉，晚上和費爾法斯老太太聊天，很是快活，但我總覺得生活中缺少點什么。我夢想著更不平凡、更美好的生活，最重要的是我想做更多的事情。人們不會總是滿足于平靜的生活，無論男女都需要行動。

While on the top floor I often heard Grace Poole’s strange laugh，and sometimes I saw her too.She used to go silently in and out of the room with a plate of food or a glass of beer.

在頂層時，我常常聽到格麗絲·普爾的怪笑，有時也能見到她。她經(jīng)常端著一盤食物或一杯啤酒，靜悄悄地進出房間。

One day in January I had a free afternoon， as Adèle wsa ill，so I decided to walk to Hay，a village two miles away，to post a letter for the housekeeper.It was a bright，frosty day，and I was enjoying the fresh air and the exercise.Stopping on the lonely road，I watched the sun go down in the trees behind Thornfield，and then in the silence I heard a horse approaching.Suddenly there was a crash as the horse slipped and fell on the ice，bringing down its rider.I ran to see if I could help the traveller，who was swearing furiously as he pulled himself free of his horse.

1月的一天，因為阿黛拉生病了，我整個下午空閑著，就決定步行到兩英里外的村子海依去給管家寄封信。天氣晴朗，有些霧氣，我喜歡這新鮮空氣和戶外活動。我在孤寂的路上停下腳步，凝視著太陽在樹枝間沉到了特恩費得背后，然后，我聽到寂靜中傳來了漸近的馬蹄聲。突然一聲巨響，馬打滑摔倒在冰上，把騎馬人也帶了下來。我跑過去，看是否能幫旅行的人什么忙。他正一面掙脫馬鞍，一面狂怒地咒罵著。

’Are you hurt，sir? Can I do anything?’I asked.

“你受傷了嗎，先生?我能幫忙嗎?”我問。

’Just stand back，’he growled，as he lifted himself painfully to his feet.Obviously his leg hurt him，and he sat down quickly.

“站后面點兒。”他吼道，并艱難地站了起來。顯然，他的腳受了傷，他趕緊又坐下來。

’If you need help，sir，I can fetch someone either from Thornfield Hall or from Hay，’ I offered.

“先生，如果需要幫助，我可以到特恩費得或海依去叫人來。”我建議著。

’Thank you， but I don’t need anyone.I haven’t broken any bones，’he replied crossly.I could see him clearly in the moonlight.He was of medium height，with wide shoulders and a strong chest.He had a dark face，with angry-looking eyes，and was about thirty-five.If he had been a young，attractive gentleman，I would have been too shy to offer help，but as he was not handsome，and even quite rough，I felt I wanted to help him.

“謝謝，不過我不需要任何人，我骨頭又沒斷。”他不高興地答道。月光下，我可以清楚地看到他。他中等身材，肩膀?qū)掗?，有著結(jié)實的胸膛。他臉色黑黑的，有著一雙呈怒視狀的眼睛，大約35歲的樣子。如果他是個有魅力的年輕紳士，我會不好意思主動幫忙的，但是他并不英俊，甚至相當粗魯，我覺得我想幫助他。

’I can’t leave you，sir，so late on this lonely road，till I see you are fit enough to get on your horse，’I insisted.

“先生，我不能離開，讓你孤零零這么晚待在路上，除非我看到你還能騎上馬去。”我堅持著。

He looked at me for the first time when I said this.

我說這話時，他第一次看了看我。

’I think you ought to be at home yourself，’he answered.

“我覺得你自己就該待在家里。”他說。

’Do you live near here?’

“你住在這兒嗎?”

’In that house over therd，’I said，’and I’m not at all afraid of being out at night.I’m just going to Hay to post a letter，and I’ll be happy to take a message for you.’

“住在那邊的房子里。”我說。“我一點兒也不怕晚上外出，我正要去海依寄信，我能幫您帶個口信嗎?”

’You live in…in that house?’he asked，surprised，pointing to Thornfield Hall，which was lit up in the moonlight.

“你住在那……那幢房子里?”他指著月光下已亮起燈火的特恩費得府，吃驚地問。

’Yes，sir，’I replied.

“是的，先生。”我答道。

’Whose house is it?’he asked.

“是誰的房子?”他問。

’Mr Rochester’s.’

“羅切斯特先生的。”

’Do you know Mr Rochester?’was his next question.

“你認得羅切斯特先生嗎?”他又問。

’No， I’ve never seen him，’I answered.

“不，我從沒見過他。”我回答說。

’You aren’t a servant at Thornfield Hall，of course.You must be…’he hesitated，looking at my plain black dress.He seemed puzzled to know who I was， so I helped him.

“你當然不是特恩費得的仆人。你一定是……”他看著我樸素的黑衣服猶豫不決，似乎搞不清我是誰，于是我就幫了他一個忙。

’I am the governess.’

“我是家庭教師。”

’Ah，the governess!I had forgptten!’He tried to get up but his leg was still hurting him badly.’I don’t want you to fetch help，but you could help me yourself，if you like.’

“噢，家庭教師!我忘了!”他試圖站起來，但腿仍然疼得厲害。“我不想讓你找人幫忙，但如果你愿意，你自己就能幫我。”

’Of course，sir，’I said.And so he leaned his weight on my shoulder and I helped him wald to his horse.In a moment he had jumped on to the horse’s back.

“當然愿意，先生。”我說。于是他把全身的重量都壓到我的肩膀上，我扶他走到馬邊。不一會兒，他就跳上了馬背。

’Thank you，now take your letter to Hay，then hurry home!’he called as he rode off into the distance.

“謝謝你?，F(xiàn)在去海依發(fā)信，然后趕快回家。”他說著，騎馬消失在遠方。

I walked on，glad to have helped someone，to have done something active for once.In my mind I saw that dark，strong face，and I still felt excited by our meeting.Even when I arrived back at Thornfield，I did not go in for a while.I did not want to go into the dark house，where I would spend the evening quietly with old Mrs Fairfax.So I stayed outside，staring up at the moon and the stars with a beating heart，wishing and dreaming of a different， more exciting life.

我接著走，心里因幫助了別人并第一次主動做了點事情而感到高興。我腦中又現(xiàn)出那張黑黑的、堅強的面孔，仍在為我們的相遇感到激動。即使當我回到特恩費得，我也沒有馬上走進去。我不愿走進昏暗的房子，和費爾法斯太太安靜地度過夜晚。于是我待在外面，心情激動地凝視著明月和星空，希望和夢想著另一種更加令人激動的生活。

When I entered，the servants told me that Mr Rochester had arrived，and that he had hurt his leg when his horse slipped on ice on the road to Hay.

我進屋時，仆人們告訴我羅切斯特先生回來了而他的馬在通往海依的路上滑倒在冰上了，他的腿受了傷。