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移除书签Tess went down the hill to Trantridge Cross, and inattentively waited to take her seat in the van returning from Chaseborough to Shaston. —
She did not know what the other occupants said to her as she entered, though she answered them; —
and when they had started anew she rode along with an inward and not an outward eye.
One among her fellow-travellers addressed her more pointedly than any had spoken before: —
`Why, you be quite a posy! And such roses in early June!’
Then she became aware of the spectacle she presented to their surprised vision: roses at her breast; —
roses in her hat; roses and strawberries in her basket to the brim. —
She blushed, and said confusedly that the flowers had been given to her. —
When the passengers were not looking she stealthily removed the more prominent blooms from her hat and placed them in the basket, where she covered them with her handkerchief. —
Then she fell to reflecting again, and in looking downwards a thorn of the rose remaining in her breast accidentally pricked her chin. —
Like all the cottagers in Blackmoor Vale, Tess was steeped in fancies and prefigurative superstitions; —
she thought this an ill omen - the first she had noticed that day.
The van travelled only so far as Shaston, and there were several miles of pedestrian descent from that mountain town into the vale to Marlott. —
Her mother had advised her to stay here for the night, at the house of a cottage woman they knew, If she should feel too tired to come on; —
and this Tess did, not descending to her home till the following afternoon.
When she entered the house she perceived in a moment from her mother’s triumphant manner that something had occurred in the interim.
Oh yes; I know all about it! I told 'ee it would be all right, and now 'tis proved!'
<span><tang1>哦，是的；我全知道了！我告诉过你一切会好起来的，现在被证明了！’
Since I've been away? What has?' said Tess rather wearily.
<span><tang1>自从我离开以来？发生了什么事？’苔丝有些厌倦地说道。
Her mother surveyed the girl up and down with arch approval, and went on banteringly: —
So you've brought 'em round!'
<span><tang1>所以你说动了他们！’
How do you know, mother,'
<span><tang1>你怎么知道的，妈妈，’
I've had a letter.'
<span><tang1>我收到了一封信。’
Tess then remembered that there would have been time for this.
They say - Mrs d'Urberville says - that she wants you to look after a little fowl-farm which is her hobby. ---
<span><tang1>他们说 - 德伯维尔夫人说 - 她想让你照顾她的一个小家禽养殖场，这是她的爱好。 —
But this is only her artful way of getting ‘ee there without raising your hopes. —
She’s going to own ‘ee as kin - that’s the meaning o’.’
But I didn't see her.'
<span><tang1>但我没见到她。’
You zid somebody, I suppose?'
<span><tang1>我猜你见到了谁吧？’
I saw her son.'
<span><tang1>我见到了她的儿子。’
And did he own 'ee?'
<span><tang1>他承认你了吗？’
`Well - he called me Coz.’
An' I knew it! Jacky he called her Coz!' cried Joan to her husband. ---
<span><tang1>啊，我就知道！杰基，他叫她Coz！’琼对她的丈夫说。 —
Well, he spoke to his mother, of course, and she do want 'ee there.'
<span><tang1>嗯，他当然跟他妈妈说了，她希望你去那儿。’
But I don't know that I am apt at tending fowls,' said the dubious Tess.
<span><tang1>但我不确定我擅长照顾家禽。’多疑的苔丝说。
Then I don't know who is apt. You've been born in the business, and brought up in it. ---
<span><tang1>那就更没有人比你更擅长了。你是生在这个行当，也是长在这行当里。 —
They that be born in a business always know more about it than any ‘prentice. —
Besides, that’s only just a show of something for you to do, that you midn’t feel beholden.’
I don't altogether think I ought to go,' said Tess thoughtfully.
<span><tang1>我不确定我应该去。’苔丝沉思着说。
Who wrote the letter? Will you let me look at it?'
<span><tang1>是谁写的这封信？能让我看看吗？’
Mrs d'Urberville wrote it. Here it is.'
<span><tang1>是达伯维尔太太写的。在这里。’
The letter was in the third person, and briefly informed Mrs Durbeyfield that her daughter’s services would be useful to that lady in the management of her poultry farm, that a comfortable room would be provided for her if she could come, and that the wages would be on a liberal scale if they liked her.
Oh - that's all!' said Tess.
<span><tang1>哦 - 就这些！’苔丝说。
You couldn't expect her to throw her arms round 'ee, an' to kiss and to coll 'ee all at once.'
<span><tang1>你不能期望她一下子扑到你怀里，亲吻你，抱着你。’
Tess looked out of the window.
I would rather stay here with father and you,' she said.
<span><tang1>我宁愿和父亲还有你待在这里。’她说。
But why?'
<span><tang1>但是为什么呢？’
I'd rather not tell you why, mother; indeed, I don't quite know why.'
<span><tang1>我宁愿不告诉你为什么，母亲；事实上，我自己也不太清楚为什么。’
A week afterwards she came in one evening from an unavailing search for some light occupation in the immediate neighbourhood. —
Her idea had been to get together sufficient money during the summer to purchase another horse. —
Hardly had she crossed the threshold before one of the children danced across the room, `The gentleman’s been here!’ saying,
Her mother hastened to explain, smiles breaking from every inch of her person. —
Mrs d’Urberville’s son had called on horseback, having been riding by chance in the direction of Marlott. —
He had wished to know, finally, in the name of his mother, if Tess could really come to manage the old lady’s fowl farm or not; —
the lad who had hitherto superintended the birds having proved untrustworthy. —
Mr d'Urberville says you must be a good girl if you are at all as you appear; ---
<span><tang1>德伯维尔先生说，如果你像你看上去那样那么好，你一定是个乖孩子; —
he knows you must be worth your weight in gold. He is very much interested in ‘ee - truth to tell.’ —
Tess seemed for the moment really pleased to hear that she had won such high opinion from a stranger when, in her own esteem, she had sunk so low.
It is very good of him to think that,' she murmured; ---
<span><tang1>他这样想真是太好了，’她低声说; —
`and if I was quite sure how it would be living there, I would go any-when.’
He is a mighty handsome man!'
<span><tang1>他是个非常英俊的男士！’
I don't think so,' said Tess coldly.
<span><tang1>我不这么认为,’ 帖丝冷冷地说道。
Well, there's your chance, whether or no; and I'm sure he wears a beautiful diamond ring!'
<span><tang1>无论如何，这就是你的机会；我敢肯定他戴着一枚漂亮的钻石戒指！’
Yes,' said little Abraham, brightly, from the window bench;and I seed it! —
是的,' 小亚伯拉罕兴高采烈地说道，我看到了！ —
and it did twinkle when he put his hand up to his mistarshers. —
Mother, why did our grand relation keep on putting his hand up to his mistarshers?’
Hark at that child!' cried Mrs Durbeyfield, with parenthetic admiration.
<span><tang1>听这孩子说话！’ 德北夫人惊叹地说。
Perhaps to show his diamond ring,' murmured Sir John, dreamily, from his chair.
<span><tang1>也许是为了展示他的钻石戒指,’ 约翰爵士梦呓般地低语着。
I'll think it over,' said Tess, leaving the room.
<span><tang1>我会考虑的,’ 提丝离开房间时说。
Well, she's made a conquest o' the younger branch of us, straight off,' continued the matron to her husband,and she’s a fool if she don’t follow it up.’
好吧，她马上就征服了我们家族的年轻一支,' 妇人继续对她的丈夫说，如果她不继续下去，那她就是个傻瓜。’
I don't quite like my children going away from home,' said the haggler. ---
<span><tang1>我不太喜欢我的孩子们离家出走,’ 骗子说。 —
As the head of the family, the rest ought to come to me.'
<span><tang1>作为家族的家长，其他人应该归我管理。’
But do let her go, Jacky,' coaxed his poor witless wife.He’s struck wi’ - her you can see that. —
但是让她去吧，杰基,' 他那可怜的愚蠢妻子哀求道。他对她动了心，你看得出来。 —
He called her Coz! He’ll marry her, most likely, and make a lady of her; and then she’ll be what her forefathers was.’
John Durbeyfield had more conceit than energy or health, and this supposition was pleasant to him.
Well, perhaps, that's what young Mr d'Urberville means,' he admitted; ---
<span><tang1>好吧，也许，那就是年轻的德伯维尔先生的意思,’ 他承认道； —
and sure enough he mid have serious thoughts about improving his blood by linking on to the old line. ---
<span><tang1>他确实认真考虑过通过联系旧血统来改善自己的血统。’ —
Tess, the little rogue! And have she really paid ‘em a visit to such an end as this?’ —
Meanwhile Tess was walking thoughtfully among the gooseberry bushes in the garden, and over Prince’s grave. —
When she came in her mother pursued her advantage.
Well, what be you going to do?' she asked.
<span><tang1>那么，你打算怎么办？’她问道。
I wish I had seen Mrs d'Urberville,' said Tess.
<span><tang1>我真希望见过德伯维尔夫人，’坦斯说。
I think you mid as well settle it. Then you'll see her soon enough.'
<span><tang1>我觉得你可以决定下来。那么你很快就会见到她了。’
Her father coughed in his chair.
I don't know what to say!' answered the girl restlessly.It is for you to decide. —
我不知道该说什么！'女孩不安地回答道。这取决于你。 —
I killed the old horse, and I suppose I ought to do something to get ye a new one. —
But - but - I don’t quite like Mr d’Urberville being there!’
The children, who had made use of this idea of Tess being taken up by their wealthy kinsfolk (which they imagined the other family to be) as a species of dolorifuge after the death of the horse, began to cry at Tess’s reluctance, and teased and reproached her for hesitating.
Tess won't go-o-o and be made a la-a-dy-of - !no, she says she won't!' ---
<span><tang1>坦斯不愿意去 -！她说她不愿意！’ —
they walled with square mouths. And we shan't have a nice new horse, and lots o' golden money to buy fairlings! ---
<span><tang1>他们用方形的嘴巴说道。我们将不会有漂亮的新马，和许多金钱买漂亮的衣服！ —
And Tess won’t look pretty in her best cloze no mo-o-ore!’
Her mother chimed in to the same tune: a certain way she had of making her labours in the house seem heavier than they were by prolonging them indefinitely, also weighed in the argument. —
Her father alone preserved an attitude of neutrality.
`I will go,’ said Tess at last.
Her mother could not repress her consciousness of the nuptial Vision conjured up by the girl’s consent.
`That’s right! For such a pretty maid as ‘tis, this is a fine chance!’
Tess smiled crossly.
`I hope it is a chance for earning money. It is no other kind of chance. —
You had better say nothing of that silly sort about parish.’
Mrs Durbeyfield did not promise. She was not quite sure that she did not feel proud enough, after the visitor’s remarks, to say a good deal.
Thus it was arranged; and the young girl wrote, agreeing to be ready to set out on any day on which she might be required. —
She was duly informed that Mrs d’Urberville was glad of her decision, and that a spring-cart should be sent to meet her and her luggage at the top of the Vale on the day after the morrow, when she must hold herself prepared to start. —
Mrs d’Urberville’s handwriting seemed rather masculine.
A cart?' murmured Joan Durbeyfield doubtingly.It might have been a carriage for her own kin!’
Having at last taken her course Tess was less restless and abstracted, going about her business with some self assurance in the thought of acquiring another horse for her father by an occupation which would not be onerous. —
She had hoped to be a teacher at the school, but the fates seemed to decide otherwise. —
Being mentally older than her mother she did not regard Mrs Durbeyfield’s matrimonial hopes for her in a serious aspect for a moment. —
The light minded woman had been discovering good matches for her daughter almost from the year of her birth.
