Scarlett was in Marietta when Rhett’s urgent telegram came. —
当雷思(Rhett)紧急的电报到达时，斯嘉丽(Scarlett)正在马里埃塔(Marietta)。 —

There was a train leaving for Atlanta in ten minutes and she caught it, carrying no baggage except her reticule and leaving Wade and Ella at the hotel with Prissy.
还有10分钟就要开往亚特兰大(Atlanta)的火车，她赶上了它，只带着她的小手提包(reticule)，把韦德(Wade)和埃拉(Ella)留在旅馆与普里西(Prissy)一起。

Atlanta was only twenty miles away but the train crawled interminably through the wet early autumn afternoon, stopping at every bypath for passengers. —
亚特兰大只有20英里远，但火车却在潮湿的早秋下午缓慢前行，每到一个小路口都停下来接乘客。 —

Panic stricken at Rhett’s message, mad for speed, Scarlett almost screamed at every halt. —
在雷思的紧急消息下，斯嘉丽充满了恐慌，渴望加快速度，几乎每一次停下来她都几乎尖叫出声。 —

Down the road lumbered the train through forests faintly, tiredly gold, past red hillsides still scarred with serpentine breastworks, past old battery emplacements and weed-grown craters, down the road over which Johnston’s men had retreated so bitterly, fighting every step of the way. —
火车沉重地行驶在那条被微弱而疲惫的金光笼罩的森林间路上，经过依然被蛇形壕沟划伤的红色山坡，经过被杂草覆盖的炮台和弹坑，在那条约翰斯顿(Johnston)的军队曾经惨烈撤退的道路上，每一步都经历着激烈的战斗。 —

Each station, each crossroad the conductor called was the name of a battle, the site of a skirmish. —
火车经过的每一个站点，每个十字路口，列车长呼喊的都是一场战斗的名字，一个冲突的地点。 —

Once they would have stirred Scarlett to memories of terror but now she had no thought for them.
以前这些地方会唤起斯嘉丽恐怖的回忆，但现在她对它们毫无思考。

Rhett’s message had been:
雷思的消息是：

“Mrs. Wilkes ill. Come home immediately.”
“威尔克斯太太病了，立即回家。”

Twilight had fallen when the train pulled into Atlanta and a light misting rain obscured the town. —
当火车驶入亚特兰大时，夜幕降临，轻微的细雨笼罩着小镇。 —

The gas street lamps glowed dully, blobs of yellow in the fog. —
煤气路灯在雾中黯淡发光，像一团团黄色的斑点。 —

Rhett was waiting for her at the depot with the carriage. —
退特站在车站等候着她，车马准备就绪。 —

The very sight of his face frightened her more than his telegram. —
他的脸庞让她比他的电报更加恐惧。 —

She had never seen it so expressionless before.
她从未见过他的脸如此没有表情。

“She isn’t—” she cried.
“她不会——”她哭喊道。

“No. She’s still alive.” Rhett assisted her into the carriage. —
“不，她还活着。”退特搀扶她上了马车。 —

“To Mrs. Wilkes’ house and as fast as you can go,” he ordered the coachman.
“去威尔克斯太太的家，尽快走”，他对车夫下令道。

“What’s the matter with her? I didn’t know she was ill. She looked all right last week. —
“她怎么了？我不知道她生病了。上个星期看起来还好。” —

Did she have an accident? Oh, Rhett, it isn’t really as serious as you—”
“她出了事故吗？哦，退特，她真的没有你说的那么严重吧——”

“She’s dying,” said Rhett and his voice had no more expression than his face. —
“她快要死了，”退特说，他的声音与他的脸一样没有表情。 —

“She wants to see you.”
“她想见你。”

“Not Melly! Oh, not Melly! What’s happened to her?”
“不是梅利！哦，不是梅利！她怎么了？”

“She’s had a miscarriage.”
“她流产了。”

“A—a-mis—but, Rhett, she—” Scarlett floundered. —
“啊，我——她——但是，瑞特，她——”斯佳丽支支吾吾地说道。 —

This information on top of the horror of his announcement took her breath away.
这个消息加上他的宣告让她惊呆了。

“You did not know she was going to have a baby?”
“你不知道她要生孩子吗？”

She could not even shake her head.
她甚至无法摇摇头。

“Ah, well. I suppose not. I don’t think she told anyone. —
“啊，好吧。我想不会吧。我觉得她没有告诉任何人。 —

She wanted it to be a surprise. But I knew.”
她想要个惊喜。但是我知道。”

“You knew? But surely she didn’t tell you!”
“你知道？但是肯定她没有告诉你！”

“She didn’t have to tell me. I knew. She’s been so—happy these last two months I knew it couldn’t mean anything else.”
“她不需要告诉我。我知道。这两个月她一直这么开心，我知道那意味着别的什么。”

“But Rhett, the doctor said it would kill her to have another baby!”
“但是瑞特，医生说再生一个孩子会害死她！”

“It has killed her,” said Rhett. And to the coachman: “For God’s sake, can’t you drive faster?”
“她已经死了，”瑞特说。然后对车夫说：“天哪，你还可以再快点开车吗？”

“But, Rhett, she can’t be dying! I—I didn’t and I—”
“但是，瑞特，她不能死！我——我没有——”

“She hasn’t your strength. She’s never had any strength. She’s never had anything but heart.”
“她没有你那种力量。她从来没有过任何力量。她一直只有心。”

The carriage rocked to a standstill in front of the flat little house and Rhett handed her out. —
马车在那个平淡的小房子前停下，瑞特搀扶着她下了车。 —

Trembling, frightened, a sudden feeling of loneliness upon her, she clasped his arm.
颤抖着，又害怕，突然感到孤单无助，她抓住了瑞特的胳膊。

“You’re coming in, Rhett?”
“雷特，你进来了吗？”

“No,” he said and got back into the carriage.
“不，”他说着重新回到马车里。

She flew up the front steps, across the porch and threw open the door. —
她飞上前台阶，穿过门廊，推开了门。 —

There, in the yellow lamplight were Ashley, Aunt Pitty and India. Scarlett thought: —
在黄色的灯光下，阿什利、皮提姨妈和印度站在那里。斯嘉丽想道： —

“What’s India doing here? Melanie told her never to set foot in this house again.” —
“印度在这里做什么？梅兰妮告诉她再也不许踏进这个房子。” —

The three rose at the sight of her, Aunt Pitty biting her trembling lips to still them, India staring at her, grief stricken and without hate. —
她们三个看到她，皮提姨妈咬着颤抖的嘴唇使劲儿使之平静，印度注视着她，心碎而没有恨意。 —

Ashley looked dull as a sleepwalker and, as he came to her and put his hand upon her arm, he spoke like a sleepwalker.
阿什利像一个行走着的梦游者一样呆呆地看着她，当他走到她面前并把手放在她的胳膊上时，他像梦游者一样说话。

“She asked for you,” he said. “She asked for you.”
“她要求见你，”他说。“她要求见你。”

“Can I see her now?” She turned toward the closed door of Melanie’s room.
“我现在可以见她吗？”她转向梅兰妮房间的紧闭门。

“No. Dr. Meade is in there now. I’m glad you’ve come, Scarlett.”
“不可以。米德医生现在在里面。我很高兴你来了，斯嘉丽。”

“I came as quickly as I could.” Scarlett shed her bonnet and her cloak. —
“我尽快赶过来了。”斯嘉丽脱下了她的贝雷帽和披风。 —

“The train— She isn’t really— Tell me, she’s better, isn’t she, Ashley? —
“那班火车——她真的——告诉我，她好点了，对吧，阿什利？ —

Speak to me! Don’t look like that! She isn’t really—”
跟我说话！别这样看着我！她真的——”

“She kept asking for you,” said Ashley and looked her in the eyes. —
“她一直在问你，”艾什莉说着，凝视着她的眼睛。 —

And, in his eyes she saw the answer to her question. —
而在他的眼睛里，她看到了对她问题的答案。 —

For a moment, her heart stood still and then a queer fear, stronger than anxiety, stronger than grief, began to beat in her breast. —
她的心停了一下，然后一种奇怪的恐惧，比焦虑更强烈，比悲伤更强烈，开始在她的胸膛中跳动。 —

It can’t be true, she thought vehemently, trying to push back the fear. Doctors make mistakes. —
不可能是真的，她猛烈地想着，试图排除这种恐惧。医生会犯错。 —

I won’t think it’s true. I can’t let myself think it’s true. —
我不会相信这是真的。我不能让自己相信这是真的。 —

I’ll scream if I do. I must think of something else.
如果我相信了，我会尖叫的。我必须想别的事情。

“I don’t believe it!” she cried stormily, looking into the three drawn faces as though defying them to contradict her. —
“我不相信！”她愤怒地哭喊着，看着那三张憔悴的面孔，仿佛在挑衅他们不敢反驳她。 —

“And why didn’t Melanie tell me? I’d never have gone to Marietta if I’d known!”
“为什么梅兰妮没告诉我？如果我知道的话，我绝不会去玛丽埃塔！”

Ashley’s eyes awoke and were tormented.
阿什莉的眼睛苏醒了，充满困扰。

“She didn’t tell anyone, Scarlett, especially not you. She was afraid you’d scold her if you knew. —
“她没告诉任何人，斯嘉丽，尤其不是你。她怕如果你知道了，会责备她。 —

She wanted to wait three—till she thought it safe and sure and then surprise you all and laugh and say how wrong the doctors had been. —
她想等三个月，直到她认为安全可靠，然后给你个惊喜，大笑着说医生错了。” —

And she was so happy. You know how she was about babies—how much she’s wanted a little girl. And everything went so well until—and then for no reason at all—”
她非常开心。你知道她对婴儿的喜爱-她多么渴望要一个小女孩。一切都进行得很顺利，直到-然后突然无缘无故的-

The door of Melanie’s room opened quietly and Dr. Meade came out into the hall, shutting the door behind him. —
梅兰妮的房间门悄悄打开，梅德博士走出走廊，关上了门。 —

He stood for a moment, his gray beard sunk on his chest, and looked at the suddenly frozen four. —
他站了一会儿，灰色的胡子沉在胸前，望着这四个突然僵住的人。 —

His gaze fell last on Scarlett. As he came toward her, she saw that there was grief in his eyes and also dislike and contempt that flooded her frightened heart with guilt.
他的目光最后落在斯嘉丽身上。当他走向她时，她看到他眼中有悲伤，也有厌恶和蔑视，这使她惊恐的心充满了罪恶感。

“So you finally got here,” he said.
“所以你终于来了，”他说。

Before she could answer, Ashley started toward the closed door.
在她回答之前，阿什利向关闭的门口走去。

“Not you, yet,” said the doctor. “She wants to speak to Scarlett.”
“还不是你，”医生说。”她想要和斯嘉丽说话。

“Doctor,” said India, putting a hand on his sleeve. —
“医生，”印第安娅说着，一只手放在他的袖子上。 —

Though her voice was toneless, it plead more loudly than words. “Let me see her for a moment. —
尽管她的声音没有情绪，但她的请求比言语更响亮。”让我见她一会儿。 —

I’ve been here since this morning, waiting, but she— Let me see her for a moment. —
我从今天早上起就在这里等着了，但她- 让我见她一会儿。 —

I want to tell her—must tell her—that I was wrong about—something.”
我想告诉她-必须告诉她-我错了-关于一些事情。

She did not look at Ashley or Scarlett as she spoke, but Dr. Meade allowed his cold glance to fall on Scarlett.
她说话时没有看着Ashley或Scarlett，但Dr. Meade冷冷地瞥了Scarlett一眼。

“I’ll see, Miss India,” he said briefly. “But only if you’ll give me your word not to use up her strength telling her you were wrong. —
“我来看看，印度小姐，”他简短地说。“但前提是你保证不会用尽她的力气告诉她你错了。 —

She knows you were wrong and it will only worry her to hear you apologize.”
她知道你错了，听到你道歉只会让她担心。”

Pitty began, timidly: “Please, Dr. Meade—”
Pitty小心翼翼地说：“请，Dr. Meade-”

“Miss Pitty, you know you’d scream and faint.”
“Pitty小姐，你知道你会尖叫晕倒。”

Pitty drew up her stout little body and gave the doctor glance for glance. —
Pitty挺直了她的小胖身子，用目光对视着医生。 —

Her eyes were dry and there was dignity in every curve.
她的眼睛干涩，每一丝动作都透着尊严。

“Well, all right, honey, a little later,” said the doctor, more kindly. “Come, Scarlett.”
“好吧，亲爱的，一会儿再说，”医生声音变得更加温和。“来吧，Scarlett。”

They tiptoed down the hall to the closed door and the doctor put his hand on Scarlett’s shoulder in a hard grip.
他们小心翼翼地踏过走廊，来到紧闭的门前，医生用力抓住了Scarlett的肩膀。

“Now, Miss,” he whispered briefly, “no hysterics and no deathbed confessions from you or, before God, I will wring your neck! —
“现在，小姐，”他低声说，“不要歇斯底里，也不要在临终前忏悔，否则，我发誓，我会掐死你！ —

Don’t give me any of your innocent stares. You know what I mean. —
不要给我任何你天真的凝视。你知道我指的是什么。 —

Miss Melly is going to die easily and you aren’t going to ease your own conscience by telling her anything about Ashley. —
梅莉小姐很容易就会死去，你告诉她有关阿什利的事情并不能让你的良心安宁。 —

I’ve never harmed a woman yet, but if you say anything now—you’ll answer to me.”
我从来没有伤害过一个女人，但是如果你现在说出任何事情，你会向我负责。

He opened the door before she could answer, pushed her into the room and closed the door behind her. —
在她回答之前，他打开了门，将她推进了房间，然后关上了门。 —

The little room, cheaply furnished in black walnut, was in semidarkness, the lamp shaded with a newspaper. —
这个小房间用黑胡桃木家具简单地布置着，其中的灯用一张报纸遮住，处于半昏暗状态。 —

It was as small and prim a room as a schoolgirl’s, the narrow little low-backed bed, the plain net curtains looped back, the clean faded rag rugs on the floor, were so different from the lavishness of Scarlett’s own bedroom with its towering carved furniture, pink brocade draperies and rose-strewn carpet.
这是一个像学生的小房间，狭窄的床背低，普通的纱窗被挂在旁边，地上铺着干净而褪色的地毯，与斯嘉丽自己的卧室形成鲜明对比，后者有着高耸的雕刻家具、粉红色织锦窗帘和铺满玫瑰的地毯。

Melanie lay in the bed, her figure under the counterpane shrunken and flat like a little girl’s. —
梅拉尼躺在床上，她的身材在床单下减少而扁平，就像一个小女孩。 —

Two black braids fell on either side of her face and her closed eyes were sunken in twin purple circles. —
她脸两边有两条黑色发辫，她闭着眼睛，周围有一对紫色的深陷。 —

At the sight of her Scarlett stood transfixed, leaning against the door. —
看到她的样子，斯嘉丽站在门边，目瞪口呆。 —

Despite the gloom of the room, she could see that Melanie’s face was of a waxy yellow color. —
尽管屋子里阴暗，她还是能看出梅兰妮的脸色泛着蜡黄色。 —

It was drained of life’s blood and there was a pinched look about the nose. —
它已经失去了生机，鼻子有一种紧绷的表情。 —

Until that moment, Scarlett had hoped Dr. Meade was mistaken. But now she knew. —
迄今为止，斯嘉丽一直希望米德医生是错的。但此刻她知道了。 —

In the hospitals during the war she had seen too many faces wearing this pinched look not to know what it inevitably presaged.
战争期间在医院里，她见过太多面带这种紧绷表情的脸，所以她知道这意味着什么。

Melanie was dying, but for a moment Scarlett’s mind refused to take it in. Melanie could not die. —
梅兰妮快要死了，但是斯嘉丽的思绪一时无法接受。梅兰妮不能死。 —

It was impossible for her to die. God wouldn’t let her die when she, Scarlett, needed her so much. —
她不能死。上帝不会让她死，当她，斯嘉丽，这么需要她的时候。 —

Never before had it occurred to her that she needed Melanie. —
以前从未有过这样的念头，认识到她需要梅兰妮。 —

But now, the truth surged in, down to the deepest recesses of her soul. —
但现在，真相涌上心头，深深地触动了她的灵魂。 —

She had relied on Melanie, even as she had relied upon herself, and she had never known it. —
她一直依赖梅兰妮，就像她一直依赖自己一样，她从未意识到这一点。 —

Now, Melanie was dying and Scarlett knew she could not get along without her. —
现在，梅兰妮快要死了，斯嘉丽知道自己无法没有她的陪伴。 —

Now, as she tiptoed across the room toward the quiet figure, panic clutching at her heart, she knew that Melanie had been her sword and her shield, her comfort and her strength.
现在，当她轻步穿过房间朝那个安静的身影走去时，恐慌紧紧抓住她的心，她明白梅兰妮一直是她的剑和盾，她的安慰和力量。

“I must hold her! I can’t let her get away!” —
“我必须抓住她！我不能让她离开！” —

she thought and sank beside the bed with a rustle of skirts. —
她想着，一边在裙子的沙沙声中蹲在床边。 —

Hastily she grasped the limp hand lying on the coverlet and was frightened anew by its chill.
她匆忙地抓住盖毯上躺着的那只无力的手，手的寒冷使她再次感到害怕。

“It’s me, Melly,” she said.
“是我，梅莉。”她说道。

Melanie’s eyes opened a slit and then, as if having satisfied herself that it was really Scarlett, she closed them again. —
梅兰妮的眼睛微微睁开，然后好像确认了是真的是斯嘉丽后，又闭上了。 —

After a pause she drew a breath and whispered:
停顿片刻后，她呼了一口气，低声说道：

“Promise me?”
“答应我？”

“Oh, anything!”
“哦，什么都可以！”

“Beau—look after him.”
“保护好小博，好好照顾他。”

Scarlett could only nod, a strangled feeling in her throat, and she gently pressed the hand she held by way of assent.
斯嘉丽只能点头，喉咙里卡着一股扼杀的感觉，她轻轻地握住手，表示同意。

“I give him to you.” There was the faintest trace of a smile. —
“我把他交给你了。”她微微露出了一丝微笑。 —

“I gave him to you, once before—’member? —
“我曾经把他交给过你，记得吗？ —

—before he was born.”
-在他出生之前。”

Did she remember? Could she ever forget that time? —
她记得吗？她能否永远忘记那段时光？ —

Almost as clearly as if that dreadful day had returned, she could feel the stifling heat of the September noon, remembering her terror of the Yankees, hear the tramp of the retreating troops, recall Melanie’s voice begging her to take the baby should she die—remember, too, how she had hated Melanie that day and hoped that she would die.
几乎像是那可怕的一天回来了，她能感受到九月中午闷热的气息，记得自己对联邦军的恐惧，听到悠然远去的军队的脚步声，想起梅兰妮请求她在自己去世时带走孩子，还记得那一天她是多么厌恶梅兰妮，希望她去世。

“I’ve killed her,” she thought, in superstitious agony. —
“我杀了她，”她在迷信的痛苦中想。 —

“I wished so often she would die and God heard me and is punishing me.”
“我曾多次希望她去世，上帝听到了我的祈祷，正在惩罚我。”

“Oh, Melly, don’t talk like that! You know you’ll pull through this—”
“哦，梅丽，请不要这样说！你知道你会度过这个难关的－”

“No. Promise.”
“不，答应我。”

Scarlett gulped.
斯佳丽吞了吞口水。

“You know I promise. I’ll treat him like he was my own boy.”
“你知道我答应了。我会像是自己的孩子一样对待他。”

“College?” asked Melanie’s faint flat voice.
“上大学？”梅兰妮微弱而平淡的声音问道。

“Oh, yes! The university and Harvard and Europe and anything he wants—and—and—a pony—and music lessons— Oh, please, Melly, do try! —
“哦，是的！大学、哈佛、欧洲、他想要的任何东西－还有小马、音乐课－哦，请，梅丽，试试看！ —

Do make an effort!”
请努力！”

The silence fell again and on Melanie’s face there were signs of a struggle to gather strength to speak.
沉默再次降临，Melanie的脸上有一种努力聚集力量说话的迹象。

“Ashley,” she said. “Ashley and you—” Her voice faltered into stillness.
“Ashley，”她说道。 “Ashley和你——”她的声音渐渐消失。

At the mention of Ashley’s name, Scarlett’s heart stood still, cold as granite within her. —
一提起Ashley的名字，Scarlett的心停了下来，冰冷如她内心中的花岗岩。 —

Melanie had known all the time. Scarlett dropped her head on the coverlet and a sob that would not rise caught her throat with a cruel hand. —
Melanie一直都知道。Scarlett低下头，一股无法发出的哭泣在她的喉咙中扼住了她。 —

Melanie knew. Scarlett was beyond shame now, beyond any feeling save a wild remorse that she had hurt this gentle creature throughout the long years. —
Melanie知道了。Scarlett已经无法再感到羞耻，只剩下一种对这位温柔的人造成长时间伤害的狂野悔恨。 —

Melanie had known—and yet, she had remained her loyal friend. —
Melanie 早就知道—然而，她仍然是她忠诚的朋友。 —

Oh, if she could only live those years over again! —
哦，如果她可以重新度过那些年！ —

She would never even let her eyes meet those of Ashley.
她甚至不会让自己的眼睛与Ashley的眼睛相对。

“O God,” she prayed rapidly, “do, please, let her live! I’ll make it up to her. —
“上帝，”她迅速祈祷道， “求您，请让她活下来！我会弥补给她的一切。 —

I’ll be so good to her. I’ll never even speak to Ashley again as long as I live, if You’ll only let her get well!”
我会对她好一点。只要她能康复，我将不再与Ashley说一句话，终生如此！”

“Ashley,” said Melanie feebly and her fingers reached out to touch Scarlett’s bowed head. —
“阿什莉，”梅兰妮无力地说着，她的手指伸向斯嘉丽低垂的头颅。 —

Her thumb and forefinger tugged with no more strength than that of a baby at Scarlett’s hair. —
她的拇指和食指用宝宝般的力量轻轻拉扯着斯嘉丽的头发。 —

Scarlett knew what that meant, knew Melanie wanted her to look up. —
斯嘉丽知道这意味着什么，知道梅兰妮希望她抬起头。 —

But she could not, could not meet Melanie’s eyes and read that knowledge in them.
但她不能，不能直视梅兰妮的眼睛，读到其中的那种明悟。

“Ashley,” Melanie whispered again and Scarlett gripped herself. —
“阿什莉，”梅兰妮再次低声呢喃，斯嘉丽紧紧抓住自己。 —

When she looked God in the face on the Day of Judgment and read her sentence in His eyes, it would not be as bad as this. —
当她在审判日面对上帝，从他的眼睛里读出她的判决时，那将不会比这更糟糕。 —

Her soul cringed but she raised her head.
她的灵魂畏缩，但她抬起头。

She saw only the same dark loving eyes, sunken and drowsy with death, the same tender mouth tiredly fighting pain for breath. —
她只看到同样的深沉的爱意盎然而带有死亡气息的眼睛，那同样的温柔嘴唇努力为了呼吸而承受着痛苦。 —

No reproach was there, no accusation and no fear—only an anxiety that she might not find strength for words.
没有谴责，没有指责，也没有恐惧，只有对她可能无力言说的担心。

For a moment Scarlett was too stunned to even feel relief. —
斯嘉丽一时间惊讶得连安心的感觉都没有。 —

Then, as she held Melanie’s hand more closely, a flood of warm gratitude to God swept over her and, for the first time since her childhood, she said a humble, unselfish prayer.
那时，她紧握着Melanie的手，一股温暖的感激之情涌上心头，她第一次自童年以来谦卑而无私地祈祷。

“Thank You, God. I know I’m not worth it but thank You for not letting her know.”
“谢谢你，上帝。我知道我配不上，但感谢你没有让她知道。”

“What about Ashley, Melly?”
“关于Ashley，Melly呢？”

“You’ll—look after him?”
“你会…照顾他的吗？”

“Oh, yes.”
“噢，是的。”

“He catches cold—so easily.”
“他很容易感冒。”

There was a pause.
有一瞬间的沉默。

“Look after—his business—you understand?”
“照顾他的生意，你明白吗？”

“Yes, I understand. I will.”
“是的，我明白。我会的。”

She made a great effort.
她做出了很大的努力。

“Ashley isn’t—practical.”
“Ashley不太实际。”

Only death could have forced that disloyalty from Melanie.
只有死亡才能迫使梅兰妮做出这样的背叛。

“Look after him, Scarlett—but—don’t ever let him know.”
“照顾他，斯嘉丽，但是，永远不要让他知道。”

“I’ll look after him and the business too, and I’ll never let him know. —
“我会照顾他和生意的，我永远不会让他知道。 —

I’ll just kind of suggest things to him.”
我只会给他一些建议。”

Melanie managed a small smile but it was a triumphant one as her eyes met Scarlett’s again. —
梅兰妮勉强露出一个微笑，但这是一个胜利的微笑，因为她的目光再次与斯嘉丽的眼神交汇。 —

Their glance sealed the bargain that the protection of Ashley Wilkes from a too harsh world was passing from one woman to another and that Ashley’s masculine pride should never be humbled by this knowledge.
他们的目光确立了一个协议，即保护阿什利·威尔克斯免受世界的过度残酷，这个任务从一个女人转交给另一个女人，而阿什利的男性傲慢不应因此而受辱。

Now the struggle went out of the tired face as though with Scarlett’s promise, ease had come to her.
现在，随着斯嘉丽的承诺，疲倦的脸上失去了斗争的表情，仿佛轻松已经降临到她身上。

“You’re so smart—so brave—always been so good to me—”
“你太聪明了，太勇敢了，一直对我这么好—”

At these words, the sob came freely to Scarlett’s throat and she clapped her hand over her mouth. —
听到这些话，斯嘉丽的喉咙中自由地哭泣起来，她用手捂住嘴巴。 —

Now, she was going to bawl like a child and cry out: “I’ve been a devil! —
她现在要像个孩子一样大哭起来，大声喊道：”我是个恶魔！我对你那么不公平！我从来没有为你做过任何事情！一切都是为了阿什利！” —

I’ve wronged you so! I never did anything for you! —
她突然站了起来，咬住拇指以恢复自己的控制力。 —

It was all for Ashley.”
雷特的话再次浮现在她脑海中：“她爱你。那就是你的负担。”

She rose to her feet abruptly, sinking her teeth into her thumb to regain her control. —
嗯，这个负担现在更沉重了。她已经用尽一切手段试图夺走阿什利。 —

Rhett’s words came back to her again, “She loves you. Let that be your cross.” —
他们的目光确立了一个协议，即保护阿什利·威尔克斯免受世界的过度残酷，这个任务从一个女人转交给另一个女人，而阿什利的男性傲慢不应因此而受辱。 —

Well, the cross was heavier now. It was bad enough that she had tried by every art to take Ashley from her. —
好吧，这个负担现在更重了。她已经用尽一切手段试图夺走阿什利。 —

But now it was worse that Melanie, who had trusted her blindly through life, was laying the same love and trust on her in death. —
但现在比起梅拉妮，在她生前无条件地信任她，如今在她死后又以同样的爱和信任对待她，情况更糟糕了。 —

No, she could not speak. She could not even say again: “Make an effort to live.” —
不，她无法说话。她甚至无法再说一句：“努力活下去。” —

She must let her go easily, without a struggle, without tears, without sorrow.
她必须轻松地让她离去，毫无挣扎、毫无眼泪、毫无悲伤。

The door opened slightly and Dr. Meade stood on the threshold, beckoning imperiously. —
门轻轻地打开，米德医生站在门口，命令性地示意她进去。 —

Scarlett bent over the bed, choking back her tears and taking Melanie’s hand, laid it against her cheek.
斯嘉丽俯身在床边，抑制住眼泪，握住梅拉妮的手，将它贴在自己的脸颊上。

“Good night,” she said, and her voice was steadier than she thought it possibly could be.
“晚安，”她说道，她的声音比她自己想象的要稳定。

“Promise me—” came the whisper, very softly now.
“答应我——”轻轻地传来低语，现在非常轻柔。

“Anything, darling.”
“任何事，亲爱的。”

“Captain Butler—be kind to him. He—loves you so.”
“巴特船长——对他好一点。他——如此爱你。”

“Rhett?” thought Scarlett, bewildered, and the words meant nothing to her.
“雷特？”斯嘉丽心里困惑，这些话对她来说毫无意义。

“Yes, indeed,” she said automatically and, pressing a light kiss on the hand, laid it back on the bed.
“是的，当然。”她机械地回答道，轻轻地亲吻了那只手，然后放回床上。

“Tell the ladies to come in immediately,” whispered the doctor as she passed through the door.
“告诉那些女士们立即进来。”她经过门口时，医生轻声说道。

Through blurred eyes she saw India and Pitty follow the doctor into the room, holding their skirts close to their sides to keep them from rustling. —
她模糊的眼睛看到印第亚和皮蒂紧紧地拉住裙子跟在医生后面走进了房间。 —

The door closed behind them and the house was still. Ashley was nowhere to be seen. —
门关上了，房子里一片安静。艾希莉不见了。 —

Scarlett leaned her head against the wall, like a naughty child in a corner, and rubbed her aching throat.
斯嘉丽把头靠在墙上，像一个调皮的孩子站在角落，揉着疼痛的喉咙。

Behind that door, Melanie was going and, with her, the strength upon which she had relied unknowingly for so many years. —
在那扇门的后面，梅兰妮要离开了，而她所依赖的力量也随之消失，尽管她多年来都不自知地依靠着那份力量。 —

Why, oh, why, had she not realized before this how much she loved and needed Melanie? —
为什么在此之前她没有意识到她是多么爱惜并需要梅兰妮呢？ —

But who would have thought of small plain Melanie as a tower of strength? —
但是谁会把平凡朴素的梅兰妮想象成一座坚固的堡垒呢？ —

Melanie who was shy to tears before strangers, timid about raising her voice in an opinion of her own, fearful of the disapproval of old ladies, Melanie who lacked the courage to say Boo to a goose? And yet—
梅兰妮那个在陌生人面前胆怯得要哭的人，那个在发表自己的意见时胆小得害怕，那个害怕老太太的不赞同，梅兰妮那个连对一只鹅都不敢吼一声的人？然而——

Scarlett’s mind went back through the years to the still, hot noon at Tara when gray smoke curled above a blue-clad body and Melanie stood at the top of the stairs with Charles’ saber in her hand. —
斯嘉丽的思绪回到了多年前在塔拉，当时烈日炎炎的正午，灰烟在一具身穿蓝色制服的尸体上卷起，而梅拉妮站在楼梯顶端手握查尔斯的军刀。 —

Scarlett remembered that she had thought at the time: “How silly! —
斯嘉丽记得当时她曾觉得：“多傻啊！梅尔妮连举得起那把剑都不行！”但现在她明白了，如果有必要的话，梅拉妮会冲下楼梯，杀了那个北方佬，或者自己被杀。 —

Melly couldn’t even heft that sword!” But now she knew that had the necessity arisen, Melanie would have charged down those stairs and killed the Yankee—or been killed herself.
是的，那一天梅拉妮手握着剑站在那里，为她而战。

Yes, Melanie had been there that day with a sword in her small hand, ready to do battle for her. —
现在当斯嘉丽悲伤地回顾往事时，她意识到梅拉妮一直在她身边，手握着剑，像她自己的影子一样不显眼，用盲目的、热忱的忠诚爱着她，为她战斗，与洋人、火灾、饥饿、贫困、舆论甚至她至亲的血脉作战。 —

And now, as Scarlett looked sadly back, she realized that Melanie had always been there beside her with a sword in her hand, unobtrusive as her own shadow, loving her, fighting for her with blind passionate loyalty, fighting Yankees, fire, hunger, poverty, public opinion and even her beloved blood kin.
梅拉妮一直都在她身边，一位手握剑的战士，一直默默无闻地支持她，痴情地为她战斗，为她与南北战争带来的一切困扰作战，为她与洋人、火灾、饥饿、贫困、舆论甚至她所钟爱的血亲战斗。

Scarlett felt her courage and self-confidence ooze from her as she realized that the sword which had flashed between her and the world was sheathed forever.
斯嘉丽意识到那把曾经保护她抵挡世界的剑已经永远收起，勇气和自信纷纷从她身上流走，让她感到不安。

“Melly is the only woman friend I ever had,” she thought forlornly, “the only woman except Mother who really loved me. —
“梅莉是我唯一一个女性朋友，”她伤感地想道，“除了妈妈，她是唯一真正爱过我的女人。” —

She’s like Mother, too. Everyone who knew her has clung to her skirts.”
她也像妈妈一样。所有认识她的人都依赖她，像孩子般依偎在她的身边。

Suddenly it was as if Ellen were lying behind that closed door, leaving the world for a second time. —
突然间，伊琳就躺在那扇关闭的门后，第二次将自己与这个世界隔离开来。 —

Suddenly she was standing at Tara again with the world about her ears, desolate with the knowledge that she could not face life without the terrible strength of the weak, the gentle, the tender hearted.
突然间，她又站在塔拉庄园，世界在她耳边崩塌，她惨淡地意识到自己无法在没有弱者、温柔者、善良者的助力下面对生活。

She stood in the hall, irresolute, frightened, and the glaring light of the fire in the sitting room threw tall dim shadows on the walls about her. —
她犹豫不决地站在大厅里，感到害怕，一灯火辉煌的客厅在四周的墙壁上投下高高的模糊的阴影。 —

The house was utterly still and the stillness soaked into her like a fine chill rain. —
整个房子异常寂静，这份寂静就像覆盖在她身上的细雨一样冰冷。 —

Ashley! Where was Ashley?
阿什利！阿什利在哪里？

She went toward the sitting room seeking him like a cold animal seeking the fire but he was not there. —
她朝客厅走去，像一只寻找火源的冷漠动物，但他不在那里。 —

She must find him. She had discovered Melanie’s strength and her dependence on it only to lose it in the moment of discovery but there was still Ashley left. —
她必须找到他。她发现了梅兰妮的力量和对它的依赖，却在发现的那一刻失去了它，但还有阿什利。 —

There was Ashley who was strong and wise and comforting. —
还有阿什利，他强大、聪明且令人安慰。 —

In Ashley and his love lay strength upon which to lay her weakness, courage to bolster her fear, ease for her sorrow.
在阿什利和他的爱中，有她可以凭借的力量，可以支撑她的脆弱，勇气可以扶持她的恐惧，悲伤能够得到安慰。

He must be in his room, she thought, and tiptoeing down the hall, she knocked softly. —
他一定在他的房间里，她想着，踮起脚尖走过走廊，她轻轻地敲了敲门。 —

There was no answer, so she pushed the door open. —
没有回应，于是她推开了门。 —

Ashley was standing in front of the dresser, looking at a pair of Melanie’s mended gloves. —
阿什利站在梳妆台前，看着一双梅兰妮修补过的手套。 —

First he picked up one and looked at it, as though he had never seen it before. —
首先，他拿起一只手套，看着它，好像从未见过。 —

Then he laid it down gently, as though it were made of glass, and picked up the other one.
然后他轻轻放下它，就像它是玻璃制品一样，又拿起了另一只。

She said: “Ashley!” in a trembling voice and he turned slowly and looked at her. —
她颤抖着声音说：“阿什利！”，他缓慢地转过身来看着她。 —

The drowsy aloofness had gone from his gray eyes and they were wide and unmasked. —
他眼中的昏昏欲睡之情不复存在，变得宽阔而毫不掩饰。 —

In them she saw fear that matched her own fear, helplessness weaker than her own, bewilderment more profound than she would ever know. —
她从他的眼中看到了与自己的恐惧相一致的恐惧，比自己的无助更加无助，比她所能知晓的困惑更加深刻。 —

The feeling of dread which had possessed her in the hall deepened as she saw his face. —
她在走廊上看到他的脸庞时，愈发感到一种不祥的恐惧。 —

She went toward him.
她朝他走去。

“I’m frightened,” she said. “Oh, Ashley, hold me. I’m so frightened!”
“我害怕，”她说，“哦，阿什莉，抱紧我。我好害怕！”

He made no move to her but stared, gripping the glove tightly in both hands. —
他没有对她做出任何动作，只是紧紧地握着手套，双手用力。 —

She put a hand on his arm and whispered: “What is it?”
她把手放在他的胳膊上，低声问道：“怎么了？”

His eyes searched her intently, hunting, hunting desperately for something he did not find. —
他的眼充满着坚定的搜索，拼命寻找着一样他找不到的东西。 —

Finally he spoke and his voice was not his own.
最后，他开口了，声音不再是他自己的声音。

“I was wanting you,” he said. “I was going to run and find you— run like a child wanting comfort—and I find a child, more frightened, running to me.”
“我在等你，”他说。“我本来要奔跑着找你的—像一个渴望安慰的孩子一样奔跑—然后我发现一个比我更害怕的孩子向我跑来。”

“Not you—you can’t be frightened,” she cried. —
“不是你—你不能害怕，”她喊道。 —

“Nothing has ever frightened you. But I— You’ve always been so strong—”
“从未有什么事能让你害怕。但是我—你一直都那么坚强—”

“If I’ve ever been strong, it was because she was behind me,” he said, his voice breaking, and he looked down at the glove and smoothed the fingers. —
“如果我曾经坚强过，那是因为她一直在我身后。”他说着，声音断了，目光落在手套上，轻轻拨弄着指尖。 —

“And—and—all the strength I ever had is going with her.”
“而且——而且，我所有的力量都随她离去了。”

There was such a note of wild despair in his low voice that she dropped her hand from his arm and stepped back. —
在他低沉的声音中，带着一丝狂野的绝望，她从他的臂膀上松开了手，退后了一步。 —

And in the heavy silence that fell between them, she felt that she really understood him for the first time in her life.
在他们之间降临的沉重沉默中，她感到自己第一次真正理解了他一生。

“Why—” she said slowly, “why, Ashley, you love her, don’t you?”
“为什么——”她慢慢地说道，“为什么，阿什利，你爱她，对吗？”

He spoke as with an effort.
他费力地说道。

“She is the only dream I ever had that lived and breathed and did not die in the face of reality.”
“她是我唯一一个在现实面前没有死去，而是活生生存在的梦想。”

“Dreams!” she thought, an old irritation stirring. “Always dreams with him! Never common sense!”
“梦！”她想，心中涌起一股古老的苦恼。“他总是做梦！从不顾及现实！”

With a heart that was heavy and a little bitter, she said: —
带着沉重和些许苦涩的心情，她说： —

“You’ve been such a fool, Ashley. Why couldn’t you see that she was worth a million of me?”
“你真是个傻瓜，阿什利。你怎么就看不出她比我好上千倍呢？”

“Scarlett, please! If you only knew what I’ve gone through since the doctor—”
“斯嘉丽，请！如果你知道医生之后我承受了什么——”

“What you’ve gone through! Don’t you think that I— Oh, Ashley, you should have known, years ago, that you loved her and not me! —
“你承受了什么！难道你不觉得我——哦，阿什利，你早几年就应该明白自己爱的是她而不是我！ —

Why didn’t you! Everything would have been so different, so— Oh, you should have realized and not kept me dangling with all your talk about honor and sacrifice! —
你为什么不明白！一切都会大不一样，那么——哦，你早该意识到，而不是一直用荣誉和牺牲说服我！ —

If you’d told me, years ago, I’d have— It would have killed me but I could have stood it somehow. —
如果你早些年告诉我，我会……那会让我崩溃，但我还能忍受。 —

But you wait till now, till Melly’s dying, to find it out and now it’s too late to do anything. —
但你等到现在，等到梅丽快死了，才发现这一切，现在已经太迟了，什么都来不及了。 —

Oh, Ashley, men are supposed to know such things—not women! —
哦，阿什利，男人应该懂得这样的事情——而不是女人！ —

You should have seen so clearly that you loved her all the time and only wanted me like—like Rhett wants that Watling woman!”
你本该清楚地看到你一直爱她，只是像雷特一样渴望我那个沃特林女人！

He winced at her words but his eyes still met hers, imploring silence, comfort. —
他听到她的话，不禁皱了皱眉，但他的眼神仍与她对视，恳求着沉默和安慰。 —

Every line of his face admitted the truth of her words. —
他脸上的每一条线条都承认了她的话的真实。 —

The very droop of his shoulders showed that his own self- castigation was more cruel than any she could give. —
他肩膀的低垂表明，他自我责备的残酷比她能给予的更加残忍。 —

He stood silent before her, clutching the glove as though it were an understanding hand and, in the stillness that followed her words, her indignation fell away and pity, tinged with contempt, took its place. —
他站在她面前默默无言，紧握着手套，仿佛那是一只能理解的手，在她的话语后的寂静中，她的愤怒消失了，取而代之的是带着鄙视的同情。 —

Her conscience smote her. She was kicking a beaten and defenseless man—and she had promised Melanie that she would look after him.
她内心感到愧疚。她正在对一个被打败和无防御的男人进行攻击，而她曾承诺过梅拉妮会照顾他。

“And just as soon as I promised her, I said mean, hurting things to him and there’s no need for me to say them or for anyone to say them. —
“就在我答应她的时候，我对他说了些刻薄、伤人的话，其实我没有必要说，也没有人有必要说。 —

He knows the truth and it’s killing him,” she thought desolately. “He’s not grown up. —
他知道真相，而这正是在杀死他，”她绝望地想着，“他还没有长大。” —

He’s a child, like me, and he’s sick with fear at losing her. —
他是一个像我一样的孩子，他因为失去她而恐惧不已。 —

Melly knew how it would be—Melly knew him far better than I do. —
梅莉知道会是怎样的——梅莉比我更了解他。 —

That’s why she said look after him and Beau, in the same breath. How can Ashley ever stand this? —
这就是为什么她在同一时间说了照顾他和博伊的话。阿什利怎么能忍受这个？ —

I can stand it. I can stand anything. I’ve had to stand so much. —
我能忍受。我能忍受任何事情。我必须忍受这么多。 —

But he can’t—he can’t stand anything without her.”
但他不能——没有她，他什么都不能忍受。

“Forgive me, darling,” she said gently, putting out her arms. “I know what you must be suffering. —
“原谅我，亲爱的”，她温柔地说道，伸出双臂。“我知道你一定很痛苦。 —

But remember, she doesn’t know anything—she never even suspected— God was that good to us.”
但请记住，她什么也不知道——她甚至从未怀疑过——上帝对我们是那么慈祥。

He came to her quickly and his arms went round her blindly. —
他迅速走到她身边，毫无目的地将双臂环绕在她身上。 —

She tiptoed to bring her warm cheek comfortingly against his and with one hand she smoothed the back of his hair.
她踮起脚尖，用温暖的脸颊安慰地贴在他身上，一只手轻抚着他的头发。

“Don’t cry, sweet. She’d want you to be brave. —
“不要哭，宝贝。她会希望你勇敢。 —

She’ll want to see you in a moment and you must be brave. —
她一会儿会想见到你，你必须要勇敢。 —

She mustn’t see that you’ve been crying. —
她不可以看到你哭过。 —

It would worry her.”
那会令她担心的。”

He held her in a grip that made breathing difficult and his choking voice was in her ear.
他紧紧地抓住她，让呼吸变得困难，他含泪的声音在她耳边哽咽着。

“What will I do? I can’t—I can’t live without her!”
“我该怎么办？我不能—我不能没有她就活下去！”

“I can’t either,” she thought, shuddering away from the picture of the long years to come, without Melanie. —
“我也不行，”她想到，颤抖着回避着那长久的岁月，没有梅拉妮。 —

But she caught herself in a strong grasp. —
但她抓住了自己的心强烈。 —

Ashley was depending on her, Melanie was depending on her. —
阿什利依靠着她，梅拉妮也依靠着她。 —

As once before, in the moonlight at Tara, drunk, exhausted, she had thought: —
就像以前，在塔拉的月光下，醉醺醺，筋疲力尽，她曾想到： —

“Burdens are for shoulders strong enough to carry them.” —
“担子是给足够强大的肩膀承担的。” —

Well, her shoulders were strong and Ashley’s were not. —
好吧，她的肩膀很强壮，而阿什利的则不强壮。 —

She squared her shoulders for the load and with a calmness she was far from feeling, kissed his wet cheek without fever or longing or passion, only with cool gentleness.
她挺直肩膀为负担做好准备，带着一种远非真实的平静，用冷静的温柔亲吻他湿漉漉的脸颊，没有狂热、渴望或激情，只有冷静。

“We shall manage—somehow,” she said.
“我们会想办法的—不管怎样，”她说。

A door opened with sudden violence into the hall and Dr. Meade called with sharp urgency:
大门猛然在走廊上打开，梅德博士紧急地喊道：

“Ashley! Quick!”
“阿什利！快点！”

“My God! She’s gone!” thought Scarlett. “And Ashley didn’t get to tell her good-by! But maybe—”
“天呐！她走了！”斯嘉丽想道。”阿什利没能告别她！但或许—”

“Hurry!” she cried aloud, giving him a push, for he stood staring like one stunned. “Hurry!”
“快点！”她大声喊着，给了他一个推，因为他像个被打击到的人一样呆立着。”快点！”

She pulled open the door and motioned him through. —
她拉开门，示意他通过。 —

Galvanized by her words, he ran into the hall, the glove still clasped closely in his hand. —
听到她的话激励，他拿着手套跑进了走廊。 —

She heard his rapid steps for a moment and then the closing of a door.
她听到他急促的脚步声，然后听到了一扇门的关闭声。

She said, “My God!” again and walking slowly to the bed, sat down upon it and dropped her head in her hands. —
她再次说道：“我的上帝！”然后慢慢地走到床边，坐在床上，把头埋在双手中。 —

She was suddenly tired, more tired than she had ever been in all her life. —
她突然感到非常疲惫，比她一生中任何时候都要疲惫。 —

With the sound of the closing door, the strain under which she had been laboring, the strain which had given her strength, suddenly snapped. —
随着门关闭的声音，她一直承受的压力突然消失了，这种压力曾经给她力量。 —

She felt exhausted in body and drained of emotions. —
她感到身体疲惫，情绪耗尽。 —

Now she felt no sorrow or remorse, no fear or amazement. —
现在她不再感到悲伤或懊悔，也没有恐惧或惊讶。 —

She was tired and her mind ticked away dully, mechanically, as the clock on the mantel.
她感到疲倦，她的思绪像壁炉架上的钟表一样，呆呆地机械运转着。

Out of the dullness, one thought arose. Ashley did not love her and had never really loved her and the knowledge did not hurt. —
在这种呆滞中，一个思想浮现出来。阿什利不爱她，从来都没有真心爱过她，而这个认识并没有伤害到她。 —

It should hurt. She should be desolate, broken hearted, ready to scream at fate. —
这应该伤害。她应该感到悲伤，心碎，准备对命运尖叫。 —

She had relied upon his love for so long. It had upheld her through so many dark places. —
她长久以来一直仰赖他的爱，它支撑着她走过了那么多黑暗的地方。 —

Yet, there the truth was. He did not love her and she did not care. —
然而，真相就在那里。他不爱她，而她也无所谓。 —

She did not care because she did not love him. —
她无所谓，是因为她不爱他。 —

She did not love him and so nothing he could do or say could hurt her.
她不爱他，所以无论他做什么或说什么都无法伤害她。

She lay down on the bed and put her head on the pillow tiredly. —
她疲倦地躺在床上，把头放在枕头上。 —

Useless to try to combat the idea, useless to say to herself: “But I do love him. —
无用地试图对抗这个想法，对自己说：“但我确实爱他。 —

I’ve loved him for years. Love can’t change to apathy in a minute.”
我爱他已经有多年了。爱不可能在一分钟内变成冷漠。”

But it could change and it had changed.
但是它确实改变了，而且已经改变了。

“He never really existed at all, except in my imagination,” she thought wearily. —
“他从来就不真实，只存在于我的想象中。”她疲倦地想。 —

“I loved something I made up, something that’s just as dead as Melly is. —
“我爱的是我凭空想象的东西，就像梅莉一样已经不存在了。 —

I made a pretty suit of clothes and fell in love with it. —
我制造了一套漂亮的衣服，并爱上了它。 —

And when Ashley came riding along, so handsome, so different, I put that suit on him and made him wear it whether it fitted him or not. —
当阿什利骑着马出现时，那么英俊，那么与众不同，我给他穿上了那套衣服，不管它是否合身。 —

And I wouldn’t see what he really was. I kept on loving the pretty clothes—and not him at all.”
我不愿意看清他的真实面貌。我一直爱的是漂亮的衣服，而非他本人。”

Now she could look back down the long years and see herself in green flowered dimity, standing in the sunshine at Tara, thrilled by the young horseman with his blond hair shining like a silver helmet. —
现在她能够回望那漫长的岁月，看到自己身穿绿色花朵装饰的斜纹棉布衣，站在塔拉的阳光下，为那位金发闪闪的年轻骑士所激动，他的金发像银色头盔一样闪耀。 —

She could see so clearly now that he was only a childish fancy, no more important really than her spoiled desire for the aquamarine earbobs she had coaxed out of Gerald. —
她现在能够清晰地看到他只是一个幼稚的幻想，实际上并没有比她因为贪得无厌而从杰拉尔德那里讨到的海蓝宝石耳环更重要。 —

For, once she owned the earbobs, they had lost their value, as everything except money lost its value once it was hers. —
因为一旦她拥有了那对耳环，它们就失去了价值，就像除了金钱以外的一切东西一旦成为她的就失去了价值。 —

And so he, too, would have become cheap if, in those first far-away days, she had ever had the satisfaction of refusing to marry him. —
如果在那些最初的遥远的日子里她曾经有过拒绝嫁给他的满足感，那么他也会变得廉价起来。 —

If she had ever had him at her mercy, seen him grown passionate, importunate, jealous, sulky, pleading, like the other boys, the wild infatuation which had possessed her would have passed, blowing away as lightly as mist before sunshine and light wind when she met a new man.
如果她曾经让他屈服在她的掌握之下，看到他变得热情、纠缠不休、嫉妒、闷闷不乐、恳求，像其他男孩一样，那种疯狂的迷恋将会消失，如同迎接新人时，轻风吹散了阳光前的薄雾。

“What a fool I’ve been,” she thought bitterly. “And now I’ve got to pay for it. —
“我真是个傻瓜，”她苦涩地想到。“现在我必须为此付出代价。” —

What I’ve wished for so often has happened. I’ve wished Melly was dead so I could have him. —
我经常如此希望的事情发生了。我一直希望梅莉能死，这样我就能得到他了。 —

And now she’s dead and I’ve got him and I don’t want him. —
现在她死了，我得到了他，但我不想要他。 —

His damned honor will make him ask me if I want to divorce Rhett and marry him. Marry him? —
他该死的名节会让他问我是否愿意离婚，与他结婚。和他结婚？ —

I wouldn’t have him on a silver platter! —
就算用银盘子端给我，我也不要他！ —

But, just the same I’ve got him round my neck for the rest of my life. —
但是，尽管如此，我却得为他负责，照顾他，确保他不会挨饿，也不能让别人伤害他的感情。 —

As long as I live I’ll have to look after him and see that he doesn’t starve and that people don’t hurt his feelings. —
只要我活着，我就得照顾他，保护他，看着他。他会成为我身上的另一个负担，就像孩子一样。 —

He’ll be just another child, clinging to my skirts. I’ve lost my lover and I’ve got another child. —
我失去了我的情人，却又得到了一个孩子。他将成为我身上的另一个负担，像孩子一样地依附着我。 —

And if I hadn’t promised Melly, I’d—I wouldn’t care if I never saw him again.”
如果不是因为我答应了梅莉，我才不在乎再也不见他了。