A week passed, and no news arrived of Mr. Rochester: ten days, and still he did not come. —
一周过去了，没有任何有关罗切斯特先生的消息：十天过去了，他还是没有回来。 —

Mrs. Fairfax said she should not be surprised if he were to go straight from the Leas to London, and thence to the Continent, and not show his face again at Thornfield for a year to come; —
费尔法克斯夫人说，如果他直接从里斯去伦敦，然后去欧洲大陆，一年都不会再露面在索恩菲尔德的话，她一点也不会感到惊讶； —

he had not unfrequently quitted it in a manner quite as abrupt and unexpected. —
他经常以同样突然和出乎意料的方式离开。 —

When I heard this, I was beginning to feel a strange chill and failing at the heart. —
听到这个消息，我开始感到一种奇怪的寒冷和心力交瘁。 —

I was actually permitting myself to experience a sickening sense of disappointment; —
我竟然允许自己产生一种令人恶心的失望感； —

but rallying my wits, and recollecting my principles, I at once called my sensations to order; —
但是我集中思绪，回想起自己的原则，立刻让我的感觉有条不紊地调整了过来； —

and it was wonderful how I got over the temporary blunder—how I cleared up the mistake of supposing Mr. Rochester’s movements a matter in which I had any cause to take a vital interest. —
真是奇妙，我如何纠正了这个临时的错误——如何解开我认为罗切斯特先生的行动是我有充分理由极为关注的一个问题的错误。 —

Not that I humbled myself by a slavish notion of inferiority: —
并不是因为我自卑地认为自己低人一等： —

on the contrary, I just said—
相反，我只是说——

“You have nothing to do with the master of Thornfield, further than to receive the salary he gives you for teaching his protégée, and to be grateful for such respectful and kind treatment as, if you do your duty, you have a right to expect at his hands. —
“你与索恩菲尔德的主人没有任何关系，除了领取他给你教他的门徒的薪水，并为如此尊敬和友善的待遇感激，如果你尽到你的职责，你有权期待他给予你这样的待遇。” —

Be sure that is the only tie he seriously acknowledges between you and him; —
“确保这是他真正承认你与他之间唯一的联系；” —

so don’t make him the object of your fine feelings, your raptures, agonies, and so forth. —
“因此，不要让他成为你美好感情、痴迷和苦恼的对象。” —

He is not of your order: keep to your caste, and be too self-respecting to lavish the love of the whole heart, soul, and strength, where such a gift is not wanted and would be despised.”
“他不属于你的阶级：坚守你的阶层，保持足够的自尊，不要把全部的爱倾注在一个不需要也会被蔑视的地方。”

I went on with my day’s business tranquilly; —
“我平静地继续着我的日常工作；” —

but ever and anon vague suggestions kept wandering across my brain of reasons why I should quit Thornfield; —
“但时不时地，模糊的建议仍然在我脑海中游荡，提示我应该离开索恩菲尔德；” —

and I kept involuntarily framing advertisements and pondering conjectures about new situations: —
“我情不自禁地构思着广告，思考着新工作的猜测；” —

these thoughts I did not think to check; —
“我没有去抑制这些想法；” —

they might germinate and bear fruit if they could.
“如果可能的话，它们可能会生根发芽并结果。”

Mr. Rochester had been absent upwards of a fortnight, when the post brought Mrs. Fairfax a letter.
罗切斯特先生已经不在了两周以上，邮局给费尔法克斯夫人送来了一封信。

“It is from the master,” said she, as she looked at the direction. —
“这是主人写的信。”她说着，看着信封上的地址。 —

“Now I suppose we shall know whether we are to expect his return or not.”
“现在我想我们会知道他是否会回来了。”

And while she broke the seal and perused the document, I went on taking my coffee (we were at breakfast): —
当她打开信封并阅读文件时，我继续喝着我的咖啡（我们正在吃早餐）： —

it was hot, and I attributed to that circumstance a fiery glow which suddenly rose to my face. —
那杯咖啡很热，我把脸上突然升起的火辣感归因于这个原因。 —

Why my hand shook, and why I involuntarily spilt half the contents of my cup into my saucer, I did not choose to consider.
我不愿意考虑的是，为什么我的手会颤抖，为什么我不由自主地把一半的咖啡洒在碟子里。

“Well, I sometimes think we are too quiet; but we run a chance of being busy enough now: —
“嗯，我有时候想我们太安静了；但现在我们有可能会很忙，至少是暂时会很忙，”费尔法克斯太太说道，仍然把纸条摆在眼镜前。 —

for a little while at least,” said Mrs. Fairfax, still holding the note before her spectacles.
在我允许自己要求解释之前，我系好了爱德莱的围裙上的绳子，它恰好松了：

Ere I permitted myself to request an explanation, I tied the string of Adèle’s pinafore, which happened to be loose: —
我还帮她拿了一个小圆面包和重新加满了她杯子里的牛奶，我漫不经心地说道—— —

having helped her also to another bun and refilled her mug with milk, I said, nonchalantly—
“罗切斯特先生不太可能很快回来，我想是吗？”

“Mr. Rochester is not likely to return soon, I suppose?”
“他确实会在三天之内回来，他说是下周四；而且他不会一个人回来。”

“Indeed he is—in three days, he says: that will be next Thursday; and not alone either. —
“我不知道Leas的这些贵族们会有多少人和他一起来。” —

I don’t know how many of the fine people at the Leas are coming with him: —
—

he sends directions for all the best bedrooms to be prepared; —
他给所有最好的卧室发送了布置指示； —

and the library and drawing-rooms are to be cleaned out; —
图书馆和客厅要清理一空； —

I am to get more kitchen hands from the George Inn, at Millcote, and from wherever else I can; —
我要从米尔科特的乔治酒店以及其他地方找更多的厨房工人； —

and the ladies will bring their maids and the gentlemen their valets: —
女士们会带上她们的女仆，男士们会带上他们的男仆； —

so we shall have a full house of it.” And Mrs. Fairfax swallowed her breakfast and hastened away to commence operations.
所以我们将有一个满屋的人。”费尔法克斯夫人把早餐一吞就匆匆走开开始行动。

The three days were, as she had foretold, busy enough. —
三天过得正如她所预言的那样忙碌。 —

I had thought all the rooms at Thornfield beautifully clean and well arranged; —
我本以为索恩菲尔德的所有房间都是干净整洁的； —

but it appears I was mistaken. Three women were got to help; —
但是事实证明我错了。找来了三个女人来帮忙； —

and such scrubbing, such brushing, such washing of paint and beating of carpets, such taking down and putting up of pictures, such polishing of mirrors and lustres, such lighting of fires in bedrooms, such airing of sheets and feather-beds on hearths, I never beheld, either before or since. —
如此擦洗、打扫、油漆、拍打地毯、拆卸和挂起画像、擦拭镜子和灯饰、点燃卧室的壁炉、在地面上晾晒床单和羽绒床，无论是之前还是之后，我都从未见过如此场面。 —

Adèle ran quite wild in the midst of it: —
阿黛尔在这一切的中间玩得疯狂。 —

the preparations for company and the prospect of their arrival, seemed to throw her into ecstasies. —
为公司做准备和他们的到来前景，似乎让她陶醉其中。 —

She would have Sophie to look over all her “toilettes,” as she called frocks; —
她让索菲审查她所有的“打扮”，她称之为服装； —

to furbish up any that were “passées,” and to air and arrange the new. —
整理那些“过时”的衣物，晾晒和整理新衣服。 —

For herself, she did nothing but caper about in the front chambers, jump on and off the bedsteads, and lie on the mattresses and piled-up bolsters and pillows before the enormous fires roaring in the chimneys. —
至于她自己，她只是在前面的房间里跳跃，上下床，躺在床上和堆起的枕头和靠垫上，前面的壁炉里燃烧着巨大的火焰。 —

From school duties she was exonerated: Mrs. Fairfax had pressed me into her service, and I was all day in the storeroom, helping (or hindering) her and the cook; —
她被免除了学校的责任：费尔法克斯夫人利用我帮助她和厨师整天呆在储藏室里（或者说是帮倒忙）； —

learning to make custards and cheese-cakes and French pastry, to truss game and garnish desert-dishes.
学会做蛋奶酪和法式糕点，安排好猎物和装饰甜点盘。

The party were expected to arrive on Thursday afternoon, in time for dinner at six. —
预计客人会在星期四下午到达，足够时间赶上下午六点的晚餐。 —

During the intervening period I had no time to nurse chimeras; —
在这段时间里，我没有时间胡思乱想； —

and I believe I was as active and gay as anybody—Adèle excepted. —
我相信我像任何人一样积极和开心——除了阿黛勒。 —

Still, now and then, I received a damping check to my cheerfulness; —
然而，偶尔，我会收到一张抑制我快乐心情的遏制支票； —

and was, in spite of myself, thrown back on the region of doubts and portents, and dark conjectures. This was when I chanced to see the third-storey staircase door (which of late had always been kept locked) open slowly, and give passage to the form of Grace Poole, in prim cap, white apron, and handkerchief; —
尽管我不情愿，但却被迫回到了怀疑和不祥预兆的领域，深陷暗淡的猜测中。当我碰巧看到一楼梯门（最近总是锁着）慢慢打开时，格雷斯·普尔的身影穿过门口，戴着整洁的帽子，白色围裙和手帕； —

when I watched her glide along the gallery, her quiet tread muffled in a list slipper; —
当我看着她在走廊上滑行时，她安静的脚步被一双厚底拖鞋减弱了声音； —

when I saw her look into the bustling, topsy-turvy bedrooms,—just say a word, perhaps, to the charwoman about the proper way to polish a grate, or clean a marble mantelpiece, or take stains from papered walls, and then pass on. —
当我看见她瞥一眼忙碌而乱糟糟的卧室，也许只是对清洁女工说一句话，关于正确地擦亮火炉、清理大理石壁炉架或去除墙纸上的污渍，然后继续前行。 —

She would thus descend to the kitchen once a day, eat her dinner, smoke a moderate pipe on the hearth, and go back, carrying her pot of porter with her, for her private solace, in her own gloomy, upper haunt. —
她每天都会下到厨房，吃完午餐，在炉子边吸一根温和的烟斗，然后带上她的瓶装淡啤酒，回到自己阴暗的上层藏身之处，获得她私人的慰藉。 —

Only one hour in the twenty-four did she pass with her fellow-servants below; —
她每天只和其他佣人待在一起一小时。 —

all the rest of her time was spent in some low-ceiled, oaken chamber of the second storey: —
其余的时间她都呆在二楼一个天花板很低的橡木房间里： —

there she sat and sewed—and probably laughed drearily to herself,—as companionless as a prisoner in his dungeon.
她坐在那里缝纫——很可能自嘲地笑着——像一个囚徒一样孤单无伴地呆在自己的牢房里。

The strangest thing of all was, that not a soul in the house, except me, noticed her habits, or seemed to marvel at them: —
最奇怪的是，除了我之外，屋子里没有一个人注意到她的习惯，也似乎对此感到奇怪： —

no one discussed her position or employment; no one pitied her solitude or isolation. —
没有人讨论她的地位或工作；没有人为她的孤独或隔离感到惋惜。 —

I once, indeed, overheard part of a dialogue between Leah and one of the charwomen, of which Grace formed the subject. —
有一次，我确实偷听到了Leah和一位保洁员的对话的一部分，其中提到了格雷斯。 —

Leah had been saying something I had not caught, and the charwoman remarked—
Leah说了我没听清楚的某些话，保洁员评论道——

“She gets good wages, I guess?”
“她拿到不错的工资，我猜是吧？”

“Yes,” said Leah; “I wish I had as good; —
“是的，” Leah说；“我希望我也能拿到那么高的工资； —

not that mine are to complain of,—there’s no stinginess at Thornfield; —
不过我的工资也不值得抱怨，索恩菲尔德这里并不吝啬； —

but they’re not one fifth of the sum Mrs. Poole receives. And she is laying by: —
但是它们还不到Poole太太拿到的五分之一那么多。而且她还攒了些钱： —

she goes every quarter to the bank at Millcote. —
她每个季度都去米尔科特的银行。 —

I should not wonder but she has saved enough to keep her independent if she liked to leave; —
我并不奇怪，但如果她想离开的话，她已经存了足够的钱来保持独立; —

but I suppose she’s got used to the place; —
但我想她已经习惯了这个地方; —

and then she’s not forty yet, and strong and able for anything. —
而且她还没有四十岁，身强体壮，能够胜任任何事情。 —

It is too soon for her to give up business.”
她放弃生意还为时过早。”

“She is a good hand, I daresay,” said the charwoman.
“我敢说她是一个好女工，”清洁工说。

“Ah!—she understands what she has to do,—nobody better,” rejoined Leah significantly; —
“啊！——她知道她该做什么，没有人比她更懂，”莉娅有意味地回答说； —

“and it is not every one could fill her shoes—not for all the money she gets.”
“而且不是每个人都能填补她的位置，即使给她所有的钱。”

“That it is not!” was the reply. “I wonder whether the master—”
“确实不是！”答道。“我想知道主人是否——”

The charwoman was going on; but here Leah turned and perceived me, and she instantly gave her companion a nudge.
清洁工还在说着，但莉娅转过头来看见了我，立刻用肘部戳了她的同伴一下。

“Doesn’t she know?” I heard the woman whisper.
“她不知道吗？”我听到那个女人在轻声说。

Leah shook her head, and the conversation was of course dropped. —
莉娅摇了摇头，谈话自然而然地停止了。 —

All I had gathered from it amounted to this,—that there was a mystery at Thornfield; —
我从中得到的全部信息是——索恩菲尔德有一个谜团； —

and that from participation in that mystery I was purposely excluded.
而且我刻意被排除在那个谜团之外。

Thursday came: all work had been completed the previous evening; —
星期四到来了：前一晚所有的工作都已完成； —

carpets were laid down, bed-hangings festooned, radiant white counterpanes spread, toilet tables arranged, furniture rubbed, flowers piled in vases: —
地毯铺好了，床帘悬挂，悠闲而明亮的白色床罩铺展开来，梳妆台整理好，家具擦拭干净，花朵堆满花瓶； —

both chambers and saloons looked as fresh and bright as hands could make them. —
无论是卧室还是客厅都焕然一新，光亮而明亮； —

The hall, too, was scoured; and the great carved clock, as well as the steps and banisters of the staircase, were polished to the brightness of glass; —
大厅也被擦得一尘不染；雕刻精美的钟表、楼梯的台阶和扶手都擦得乌亮如玻璃； —

in the dining-room, the sideboard flashed resplendent with plate; —
在餐厅里，餐具闪烁着辉煌的光芒； —

in the drawing-room and boudoir, vases of exotics bloomed on all sides.
在客厅和闺房里，异国情调的花瓶到处绽放着。

Afternoon arrived: Mrs. Fairfax assumed her best black satin gown, her gloves, and her gold watch; —
下午到了：费尔法克斯太太穿上了她最好的黑色缎子长袍，戴上手套和金表； —

for it was her part to receive the company,—to conduct the ladies to their rooms, &c. —
因为接待客人是她的责任——引导女士们进入房间等等。 —

Adèle, too, would be dressed: though I thought she had little chance of being introduced to the party that day at least. —
艾黛尔也要打扮一下：尽管我觉得她至少这一天没有被介绍给这个聚会的人。 —

However, to please her, I allowed Sophie to apparel her in one of her short, full muslin frocks. —
然而，为了取悦她，我允许索菲穿上她的一件短款、饱满的薄纱裙子。 —

For myself, I had no need to make any change; —
对我自己来说，我没有必要做任何改变； —

I should not be called upon to quit my sanctum of the schoolroom; —
我不需要离开我的学堂； —

for a sanctum it was now become to me,—“a very pleasant refuge in time of trouble.”
因为现在对我来说，它变成了一个避难所，一个在困扰时非常愉快的避难所。

It had been a mild, serene spring day—one of those days which, towards the end of March or the beginning of April, rise shining over the earth as heralds of summer. —
那是一个温和、宁静的春日—那种在三月底或四月初升起的照亮大地的日子，它们是夏天的使者。 —

It was drawing to an end now; but the evening was even warm, and I sat at work in the schoolroom with the window open.
现在已经快要结束了；但是晚上还是很暖和，我坐在学堂里，打开窗户工作。

“It gets late,” said Mrs. Fairfax, entering in rustling state. —
“时间晚了，”费尔法克斯太太走进来，沙沙作响。 —

“I am glad I ordered dinner an hour after the time Mr. Rochester mentioned; —
“我很高兴我把晚餐安排在罗切斯特先生说的时间之后一个小时； —

for it is past six now. I have sent John down to the gates to see if there is anything on the road: —
因为现在已经过了六点了。我让约翰去大门那里看看是否有什么事情： —

one can see a long way from thence in the direction of Millcote.” She went to the window. —
从那里可以朝着米尔科特方向看得很远。”她走向窗户。 —

“Here he is!” said she. “Well, John” (leaning out), “any news?”
“他来了！”她说道。 “约翰，这下有什么消息了吗？”

“They’re coming, ma’am,” was the answer. “They’ll be here in ten minutes.”
“他们要来了，夫人。”答复说道。“他们将在十分钟内到达此地。”

Adèle flew to the window. I followed, taking care to stand on one side, so that, screened by the curtain, I could see without being seen.
阿黛勒飞快地走向窗户。我跟在她后面，小心地站在一边，躲在帘子后面，能够看到却不被看到。

The ten minutes John had given seemed very long, but at last wheels were heard; —
约翰给的十分钟过得很久，但是最后还是听到了车轮声； —

four equestrians galloped up the drive, and after them came two open carriages. —
四个骑手飞快地驰骋而来，他们后面是两辆开着的马车。 —

Fluttering veils and waving plumes filled the vehicles; —
飘扬的面纱和挥舞的羽毛装饰了车辆； —

two of the cavaliers were young, dashing-looking gentlemen; —
两个骑士都是年轻而英俊的绅士； —

the third was Mr. Rochester, on his black horse, Mesrour, Pilot bounding before him; —
第三个是罗切斯特先生，骑在他的黑马梅苏尔上，操纵缰绳的是“尖叫者”。 —

at his side rode a lady, and he and she were the first of the party. —
他身边骑着一位女士，他们是这个队伍里的第一对。 —

Her purple riding-habit almost swept the ground, her veil streamed long on the breeze; —
她紫色的骑士装几乎拖在地上，她的面纱随风飘动； —

mingling with its transparent folds, and gleaming through them, shone rich raven ringlets.
在透明的褶皱之中，光亮闪烁，显露出丰盈的乌黑色卷发。

“Miss Ingram!” exclaimed Mrs. Fairfax, and away she hurried to her post below.
“英格拉姆小姐!” 费尔法克斯夫人惊呼一声，然后匆匆走去她在楼下的岗位。

The cavalcade, following the sweep of the drive, quickly turned the angle of the house, and I lost sight of it. —
随着车队沿着弯道从我眼前驶过，我很快失去了它的踪迹。 —

Adèle now petitioned to go down; but I took her on my knee, and gave her to understand that she must not on any account think of venturing in sight of the ladies, either now or at any other time, unless expressly sent for: —
Adèle现在恳求下去，但我把她抱在膝上，并让她明白她绝对不能冒险在任何时候给女士们看到，除非被明确召唤： —

that Mr. Rochester would be very angry, &c. —
因为罗切斯特先生会非常生气等等。 —

“Some natural tears she shed” on being told this; —
在听到这个消息时，她“流下了一些自然的眼泪”； —

but as I began to look very grave, she consented at last to wipe them.
但是当我开始变得很严肃时，她最终同意擦去她的眼泪。

A joyous stir was now audible in the hall: —
现在大厅里传来了欢乐的喧闹声： —

gentlemen’s deep tones and ladies’ silvery accents blent harmoniously together, and distinguishable above all, though not loud, was the sonorous voice of the master of Thornfield Hall, welcoming his fair and gallant guests under its roof. —
绅士们深沉的声音和女士们银铃般的声音和谐地融合在一起，尽管不大声，但最显著的是索恩菲尔德庄园主人那宏亮的声音，在欢迎嘉宾进入他的屋檐下。 —

Then light steps ascended the stairs; and there was a tripping through the gallery, and soft cheerful laughs, and opening and closing doors, and, for a time, a hush.
然后轻快的脚步上了楼梯；走廊里传来轻快的跳跃声，欢快的笑声，开门和关门声，一时间寂静下来。

“Elles changent de toilettes,” said Adèle; —
“埃尔斯在换衣服，”Adèle 说； —

who, listening attentively, had followed every movement; and she sighed.
倾听着，她紧紧地跟随着每一个动作；她叹了口气。

“Chez maman,” said she, “quand il y avait du monde, je le suivais partout, au salon et à leurs chambres; —
“在妈妈那里，当有客人的时候，我会到哪里都跟着，客厅和他们的房间， —

souvent je regardais les femmes de chambre coiffer et habiller les dames, et c’était si amusant: —
我经常看女仆给女士们梳妆打扮，那真是太有趣了： —

comme cela on apprend.”
这样我们就能学到很多。”

“Don’t you feel hungry, Adèle?”
“Adèle，你饿吗？”

“Mais oui, mademoiselle: voilà cinq ou six heures que nous n’avons pas mangé.”
“是的，小姐，我们已经五六个小时没吃东西了。”

“Well now, while the ladies are in their rooms, I will venture down and get you something to eat.”
“那么现在，当女士们都在她们的房间里的时候，我就下去给你找点吃的。”

And issuing from my asylum with precaution, I sought a back-stairs which conducted directly to the kitchen. —
我小心翼翼地走出我的避难所，寻找一条直接通往厨房的后楼梯。 —

All in that region was fire and commotion; —
在那个区域里，一片火光和喧闹； —

the soup and fish were in the last stage of projection, and the cook hung over her crucibles in a frame of mind and body threatening spontaneous combustion. —
汤和鱼已经进入最后的制作阶段，厨师忙碌着在火炉旁边来回晃动，身心俱疲，仿佛随时可能自燃。 —

In the servants’ hall two coachmen and three gentlemen’s gentlemen stood or sat round the fire; —
在佣人厅里，有两名车夫和三个绅士的仆人站着或坐在火炉旁边。 —

the abigails, I suppose, were upstairs with their mistresses; —
我猜测，负责照料女主人的女仆们都在楼上。 —

the new servants, that had been hired from Millcote, were bustling about everywhere. —
从米尔科特聘请来的新佣人们在各处忙碌着。 —

Threading this chaos, I at last reached the larder; —
穿越这一片混乱，我终于来到了食品储藏室。 —

there I took possession of a cold chicken, a roll of bread, some tarts, a plate or two and a knife and fork: —
在那里，我拿到了一只冷鸡、一卷面包、几块馅饼，还有一两个盘子、一把刀和叉。 —

with this booty I made a hasty retreat. I had regained the gallery, and was just shutting the back-door behind me, when an accelerated hum warned me that the ladies were about to issue from their chambers. —
我拿着这些战利品匆忙离开。我回到了走廊，刚关上后门，就听到了女士们即将出来的嗡嗡声。 —

I could not proceed to the schoolroom without passing some of their doors, and running the risk of being surprised with my cargo of victualage; —
我必须经过她们中的一些房门才能去到教室，这样一来，我冒着被她们发现携带食物的风险。 —

so I stood still at this end, which, being windowless, was dark: —
所以我就站在这一头，这里没有窗户，又很暗： —

quite dark now, for the sun was set and twilight gathering.
因为太阳已经落下了，暮色渐渐降临。

Presently the chambers gave up their fair tenants one after another: —
不久后，房间里一个接着一个地走出了美丽的女人： —

each came out gaily and airily, with dress that gleamed lustrous through the dusk. —
她们一个个穿着华丽的服装，在黑暗中闪烁着光芒。 —

For a moment they stood grouped together at the other extremity of the gallery, conversing in a key of sweet subdued vivacity: —
她们在走廊的另一端聚集在一起，以柔和而活泼的语调交谈着： —

they then descended the staircase almost as noiselessly as a bright mist rolls down a hill. —
然后她们几乎无声地走下楼梯，就像一缕明亮的雾卷下山坡一样。 —

Their collective appearance had left on me an impression of high-born elegance, such as I had never before received.
她们的整体外貌给我留下了一种高贵典雅的印象，这是我以前从未有过的。

I found Adèle peeping through the schoolroom door, which she held ajar. “What beautiful ladies! —
我发现Adele透过学室的门窥视，她把门开了一点。“多么漂亮的女士们啊！” —

” cried she in English. “Oh, I wish I might go to them! —
她用英语喊道。“哦，我真希望我能和她们一起去！” —

Do you think Mr. Rochester will send for us by-and-by, after dinner?”
你觉得罗切斯特先生会在晚饭后叫我们去吗？”

“No, indeed, I don’t; Mr. Rochester has something else to think about. —
“真的不会，罗切斯特先生有其他事要考虑。” —

Never mind the ladies to-night; perhaps you will see them to-morrow: —
别在意今晚的女士们，也许明天你会见到她们： —

here is your dinner.”
这是你的晚餐。”

She was really hungry, so the chicken and tarts served to divert her attention for a time. —
她真的很饿，所以鸡肉和果馅饼让她分散了注意力一段时间。 —

It was well I secured this forage, or both she, I, and Sophie, to whom I conveyed a share of our repast, would have run a chance of getting no dinner at all: —
幸好我弄到了这些食物，否则她、我和索菲就都有可能一顿饭都吃不上： —

every one downstairs was too much engaged to think of us. —
楼下的每个人都太忙了，没法想起我们。 —

The dessert was not carried out till after nine; —
甜点要到九点后才上桌； —

and at ten footmen were still running to and fro with trays and coffee-cups. —
十点时，仆人们还在忙着递盘子和咖啡杯。 —

I allowed Adèle to sit up much later than usual; —
我让Adele晚坐很久，比平常晚很多。 —

for she declared she could not possibly go to sleep while the doors kept opening and shutting below, and people bustling about. —
因为她声称只要楼下的门不停地开关着，人们不停地匆忙着，她就不可能入睡。 —

Besides, she added, a message might possibly come from Mr. Rochester when she was undressed; —
而且，她补充说，可能会有一封来自罗切斯特先生的短信，那时她已经脱衣服了。 —

“et alors quel dommage!”
“and then what a pity!”

I told her stories as long as she would listen to them; —
我给她讲故事，只要她愿意听。 —

and then for a change I took her out into the gallery. —
然后，为了换个活动，我带她到了走廊上。 —

The hall lamp was now lit, and it amused her to look over the balustrade and watch the servants passing backwards and forwards. —
大厅的灯已经亮了，她觉得站在栏杆上看着来回走动的仆人们很有趣。 —

When the evening was far advanced, a sound of music issued from the drawing-room, whither the piano had been removed; —
当晚已经很晚了，一阵音乐声从起居室传来，钢琴被搬到了那里。 —

Adèle and I sat down on the top step of the stairs to listen. —
我和阿黛勒坐在楼梯的最高级上听着。 —

Presently a voice blent with the rich tones of the instrument; —
片刻后，有一道声音与乐器的浑厚音调融为一体； —

it was a lady who sang, and very sweet her notes were. —
一个女士唱歌了，她的音符很动听。 —

The solo over, a duet followed, and then a glee: —
独唱结束后，还有一段二重奏，然后是一段合唱： —

a joyous conversational murmur filled up the intervals. I listened long: —
一片欢快的谈话声填补了间隙。我长久地倾听着。 —

suddenly I discovered that my ear was wholly intent on analysing the mingled sounds, and trying to discriminate amidst the confusion of accents those of Mr. Rochester; —
突然间，我发现我的耳朵完全专注于分析混杂的声音，并试图在口音的混乱中辨别出罗切斯特先生的声音。 —

and when it caught them, which it soon did, it found a further task in framing the tones, rendered by distance inarticulate, into words.
当它听到他们时（它很快就听到了），它又有了进一步的任务，将被距离模糊的音调组合成词语。

The clock struck eleven. I looked at Adèle, whose head leant against my shoulder; —
时钟敲响了十一点。我看着阿黛勒，她的头靠在我的肩上。 —

her eyes were waxing heavy, so I took her up in my arms and carried her off to bed. —
她的眼睛越来越沉重，所以我把她抱起来送她去睡觉。 —

It was near one before the gentlemen and ladies sought their chambers.
直到凌晨一点，绅士们和女士们才去寻找他们的卧室。

The next day was as fine as its predecessor: —
第二天的天气和前一天一样好： —

it was devoted by the party to an excursion to some site in the neighbourhood. —
一行人专门去附近的某个景点游玩。 —

They set out early in the forenoon, some on horseback, the rest in carriages; —
他们上午早早出发，有些人骑马，其他人坐马车。 —

I witnessed both the departure and the return. —
我亲眼目睹了他们的离开和归来。 —

Miss Ingram, as before, was the only lady equestrian; —
和以前一样，英格拉姆小姐是唯一一个女骑手； —

and, as before, Mr. Rochester galloped at her side; the two rode a little apart from the rest. —
和以前一样，罗切斯特先生在她身边飞驰；他们两个离其他人有些距离。 —

I pointed out this circumstance to Mrs. Fairfax, who was standing at the window with me—
我将这个情况向费尔法克斯夫人指出，她和我一起站在窗边。

“You said it was not likely they should think of being married,” said I, “but you see Mr. Rochester evidently prefers her to any of the other ladies.”
“你说他们不太可能考虑结婚，”我说，“但你看罗切斯特先生显然更喜欢她而不是其他的女士。”

“Yes, I daresay: no doubt he admires her.”
“是的，我可以说：他无疑欣赏她。”

“And she him,” I added; “look how she leans her head towards him as if she were conversing confidentially; —
“而且她也欣赏他，”我接着说，“看她是怎么靠着他的脑袋，仿佛在私下交谈； —

I wish I could see her face; I have never had a glimpse of it yet.”
我希望能看到她的脸；我还从未一瞥到过。”

“You will see her this evening,” answered Mrs. Fairfax. —
“你今晚会见到她的，”费尔法克斯夫人回答道。 —

“I happened to remark to Mr. Rochester how much Adèle wished to be introduced to the ladies, and he said: —
“我碰巧对罗切斯特先生说亚黛勒多么希望能见到那些女士们，他说： —

‘Oh! let her come into the drawing-room after dinner; —
‘哦！晚饭后让她到客厅来； —

and request Miss Eyre to accompany her.’”
并请爱尔小姐陪她一起去。’”

“Yes; he said that from mere politeness: I need not go, I am sure,” I answered.
“是的，他只是出于礼貌才这样说的：我确信不需要去，”我回答道。

“Well, I observed to him that as you were unused to company, I did not think you would like appearing before so gay a party—all strangers; —
“嗯，我对他说，因为你不习惯陌生人的交往，我觉得你不会喜欢出现在这么热闹的派对上； —

and he replied, in his quick way—‘Nonsense! If she objects, tell her it is my particular wish; —
他马上回答道：’胡说！如果她反对，告诉她这是我的特别愿望； —

and if she resists, say I shall come and fetch her in case of contumacy.’”
如果她不听，告诉她我会亲自来接她以示警告的。’”

“I will not give him that trouble,” I answered. —
“我不会给他添麻烦的，”我回答道。 —

“I will go, if no better may be; but I don’t like it. —
“如果没有更好的选择，我会去的，但我不喜欢这样。” —

Shall you be there, Mrs. Fairfax?”
“你会在那儿吗，费尔法克斯夫人？”

“No; I pleaded off, and he admitted my plea. —
“不，我推辞了，而他同意了我的请求。 —

I’ll tell you how to manage so as to avoid the embarrassment of making a formal entrance, which is the most disagreeable part of the business. —
我告诉你一个方法，可以避免尴尬地正式进入，这是整个事情中最让人讨厌的部分。 —

You must go into the drawing-room while it is empty, before the ladies leave the dinner-table; —
你必须在客厅还没人的时候进去，在女士们离开餐桌之前； —

choose your seat in any quiet nook you like; —
选择你喜欢的任何安静的角落坐下； —

you need not stay long after the gentlemen come in, unless you please: —
你可以在绅士们进来后不久离开，除非你愿意： —

just let Mr. Rochester see you are there and then slip away—nobody will notice you.”
只要让罗切斯特先生知道你在那里，然后悄悄离开 - 没有人会注意到你。”

“Will these people remain long, do you think?”
“你觉得这些人会停留很久吗？”

“Perhaps two or three weeks, certainly not more. —
“也许两三周，肯定不会更久。” —

After the Easter recess, Sir George Lynn, who was lately elected member for Millcote, will have to go up to town and take his seat; —
“复活节假期结束后，最近被选为米尔科特选区议员的乔治·林恩爵士将不得不去伦敦上议会，就职。” —

I daresay Mr. Rochester will accompany him: —
“我敢说罗切斯特先生会陪同他一起去。” —

it surprises me that he has already made so protracted a stay at Thornfield.”
“他能在索恩菲尔德逗留这么久，真让我感到惊讶。”

It was with some trepidation that I perceived the hour approach when I was to repair with my charge to the drawing-room. —
我不禁有些紧张，因为我知道我将和我的被照顾者一起前往客厅。 —

Adèle had been in a state of ecstasy all day, after hearing she was to be presented to the ladies in the evening; —
Adèle整天都兴奋不已，因为她听说晚上要见到这些女士们。” —

and it was not till Sophie commenced the operation of dressing her that she sobered down. —
直到索菲开始给她穿衣服，她才平静下来。 —

Then the importance of the process quickly steadied her, and by the time she had her curls arranged in well-smoothed, drooping clusters, her pink satin frock put on, her long sash tied, and her lace mittens adjusted, she looked as grave as any judge. —
然后，整个过程的重要性迅速让她安定下来，等到她把她的卷发整理成光滑的垂坠簇、穿上粉红色的绸缎连衣裙、打好长腰带、戴好蕾丝手套时，她看起来像个平稳的法官。 —

No need to warn her not to disarrange her attire: —
毫不需要提醒她不要弄乱自己的服装： —

when she was dressed, she sat demurely down in her little chair, taking care previously to lift up the satin skirt for fear she should crease it, and assured me she would not stir thence till I was ready. —
当她穿好后，她端庄地坐在小椅子上，事先提起绸缎裙子以免弄皱，向我保证她不会离开那里直到我准备好。 —

This I quickly was: my best dress (the silver-grey one, purchased for Miss Temple’s wedding, and never worn since) was soon put on; —
我很快准备好了：我最好的衣服（那件银灰色的，为了蒂普尔小姐的婚礼而购买的，自那以后从未穿过）很快穿上了； —

my hair was soon smoothed; my sole ornament, the pearl brooch, soon assumed. We descended.
我的头发很快弄顺了；我的唯一的装饰品，珍珠胸针，很快戴好。我们下楼了。

Fortunately there was another entrance to the drawing-room than that through the saloon where they were all seated at dinner. —
幸运的是，客厅有另一个入口，不用经过餐厅，他们都坐在那里吃饭。 —

We found the apartment vacant; a large fire burning silently on the marble hearth, and wax candles shining in bright solitude, amid the exquisite flowers with which the tables were adorned. —
我们发现公寓是空的；一个大火在大理石壁炉上静静地燃烧着，蜡烛在精美的花朵中独自闪耀。 —

The crimson curtain hung before the arch: —
鲜红的帘子垂在拱门前： —

slight as was the separation this drapery formed from the party in the adjoining saloon, they spoke in so low a key that nothing of their conversation could be distinguished beyond a soothing murmur.
尽管这个帷幕与隔壁客厅的聚会只隔了一层薄薄的分隔物，但他们的对话声音非常低微，只能听到令人安心的嗡嗡声。

Adèle, who appeared to be still under the influence of a most solemnising impression, sat down, without a word, on the footstool I pointed out to her. —
艾黛尔似乎仍然受到一种极为庄重的印象的影响，默不作声地坐在我给她指出的脚凳上。 —

I retired to a window-seat, and taking a book from a table near, endeavoured to read. —
我退到一个窗座位上，从附近的桌子上拿起一本书，试图阅读。 —

Adèle brought her stool to my feet; ere long she touched my knee.
艾黛尔把她的脚凳拉到我的脚前，不久她碰到了我的膝盖。

“What is it, Adèle?”
“怎么了，艾黛尔？”

“Est-ce que je ne puis pas prendre une seule de ces fleurs magnifiques, mademoiselle? —
“我不能拿其中一朵漂亮的花吗，小姐？ —

Seulement pour completer ma toilette.”
只是为了搭配我的装束。”

“You think too much of your ‘toilette,’ Adèle: but you may have a flower. —
“艾黛尔，你太在意你的装束了，但你可以拿一朵花。” —

” And I took a rose from a vase and fastened it in her sash. —
“然后我从花瓶里拿起一枝玫瑰，别在她的腰带上。 —

She sighed a sigh of ineffable satisfaction, as if her cup of happiness were now full. —
她发出一声难以言喻的满足的叹息，仿佛她的幸福杯已满。 —

I turned my face away to conceal a smile I could not suppress: —
我转过脸去掩饰我无法抑制的笑容： —

there was something ludicrous as well as painful in the little Parisienne’s earnest and innate devotion to matters of dress.
这个小巴黎女孩对衣着的认真和天生的热爱看起来既荒谬又痛苦。

A soft sound of rising now became audible; the curtain was swept back from the arch; —
轻微的声响逐渐变得可听见了；帘子从拱门上掀开； —

through it appeared the dining-room, with its lit lustre pouring down light on the silver and glass of a magnificent dessert-service covering a long table; —
餐厅显露出来，灯光从华丽的甜点盘倾泻而下，照亮了一张长长的桌子上的银器和玻璃器皿； —

a band of ladies stood in the opening; they entered, and the curtain fell behind them.
一群女士们站在门口；她们走了进来，帘子在她们身后落下。

There were but eight; yet, somehow, as they flocked in, they gave the impression of a much larger number. —
她们只有八个；但是，不知怎么地，当她们一拥而入时给人的印象是一个更大的数量。 —

Some of them were very tall; many were dressed in white; —
她们中的一些人非常高大；许多人穿着白色； —

and all had a sweeping amplitude of array that seemed to magnify their persons as a mist magnifies the moon. —
而且她们的服饰的宽松设计使她们的身形显得丰满如雾气中的月亮一般放大。” —

I rose and curtseyed to them: one or two bent their heads in return, the others only stared at me.
我站起身向他们行了一个屈膝礼：其中一两人回礼，其他人只是盯着我看。

They dispersed about the room, reminding me, by the lightness and buoyancy of their movements, of a flock of white plumy birds. —
他们在房间中散开，他们轻盈而有活力的动作使我想起了一群白色羽毛鸟。 —

Some of them threw themselves in half-reclining positions on the sofas and ottomans: —
其中一些人半躺在沙发和脚凳上： —

some bent over the tables and examined the flowers and books: —
有些人弯下腰来仔细查看花朵和书籍： —

the rest gathered in a group round the fire: —
其他人聚集在火炉旁的一群人中： —

all talked in a low but clear tone which seemed habitual to them. —
所有人都用低而清晰的语调交谈，这似乎是他们的习惯。 —

I knew their names afterwards, and may as well mention them now.
我后来知道了他们的名字，现在可以提一下。

First, there was Mrs. Eshton and two of her daughters. —
首先是艾什顿夫人和她的两个女儿。 —

She had evidently been a handsome woman, and was well preserved still. —
她显然曾经是个漂亮的女人，而且她仍然保持得很好。 —

Of her daughters, the eldest, Amy, was rather little: —
她的女儿中，最大的，艾米，身材相当矮小： —

naïve, and child-like in face and manner, and piquant in form; —
她的面容和举止天真而孩子气，形体有点刻薄； —

her white muslin dress and blue sash became her well. —
她的白色纱裙和蓝色腰带很适合她。 —

The second, Louisa, was taller and more elegant in figure; —
第二个女儿，路易莎，个子更高，身材更优雅； —

with a very pretty face, of that order the French term minois chiffoné: —
拥有一张非常美丽的脸庞，一般被法国人称为“皱巴巴的脸”； —

both sisters were fair as lilies.
两姐妹都白皙如百合花；

Lady Lynn was a large and stout personage of about forty, very erect, very haughty-looking, richly dressed in a satin robe of changeful sheen: —
琳夫人是个四十左右的高大肥硕的人，非常挺直，看起来非常傲慢，身穿一件色彩变幻的缎子长袍； —

her dark hair shone glossily under the shade of an azure plume, and within the circlet of a band of gems.
她的黑发在蓝色翎毛的阴影下闪亮，头上还戴着一圈宝石饰品；

Mrs. Colonel Dent was less showy; but, I thought, more lady-like. —
达恩上校夫人不那么喜张扬，但我觉得更有淑女气质； —

She had a slight figure, a pale, gentle face, and fair hair. —
她身材苗条，脸色苍白，金发； —

Her black satin dress, her scarf of rich foreign lace, and her pearl ornaments, pleased me better than the rainbow radiance of the titled dame.
她的黑缎子裙子、亮丽的外国蕾丝围巾和珍珠饰品让我比不上这位爵位夫人的华彩装束；

But the three most distinguished—partly, perhaps, because the tallest figures of the band—were the Dowager Lady Ingram and her daughters, Blanche and Mary. They were all three of the loftiest stature of women. —
但最显眼的三位，也许部分是因为她们是队伍中最高的身材，分别是继爵夫人英格拉姆和她的两个女儿布兰奇和玛丽。她们三个都是最高的女人； —

The Dowager might be between forty and fifty: her shape was still fine; —
继爵夫人也许在四十到五十之间，身材依然非常好。 —

her hair (by candle-light at least) still black; her teeth, too, were still apparently perfect. —
她的头发（至少在烛光下）依然黑亮；她的牙齿也显然完美无瑕。 —

Most people would have termed her a splendid woman of her age: —
大多数人都会称她为她这个年龄段的杰出女性： —

and so she was, no doubt, physically speaking; —
的确如此，就从身体上来说； —

but then there was an expression of almost insupportable haughtiness in her bearing and countenance. She had Roman features and a double chin, disappearing into a throat like a pillar: —
但是她的举止和面容中却流露着一种几乎难以忍受的高傲。她有着罗马特征和双下巴，消失在像柱子一样的脖颈之中： —

these features appeared to me not only inflated and darkened, but even furrowed with pride; —
在我看来，这些特征不仅被夸大和变黑了，甚至还有高傲的皱纹； —

and the chin was sustained by the same principle, in a position of almost preternatural erectness. —
而下巴则以一种几乎超自然的挺直姿态托起来。 —

She had, likewise, a fierce and a hard eye: it reminded me of Mrs. Reed’s; —
她的目光凶悍而强硬，让我想起了里德夫人； —

she mouthed her words in speaking; her voice was deep, its inflections very pompous, very dogmatical,—very intolerable, in short. —
她说话时夸张地嘴唇动弄，声音低沉，语调非常自大、教条，简直让人难以忍受。 —

A crimson velvet robe, and a shawl turban of some gold-wrought Indian fabric, invested her (I suppose she thought) with a truly imperial dignity.
一件深红色的天鹅绒长袍和一顶用金丝织成的印度头巾，使她看起来（我猜她是这样认为的）拥有真正的帝国尊严。

Blanche and Mary were of equal stature,—straight and tall as poplars. —
布兰奇和玛丽身材相等——高挺如杨树。 —

Mary was too slim for her height, but Blanche was moulded like a Dian. I regarded her, of course, with special interest. —
玛丽身材过于苗条，但布兰奇的身材则像戴安娜一样。我当然对她特别感兴趣。 —

First, I wished to see whether her appearance accorded with Mrs. Fairfax’s description; —
首先，我想看看她的外貌是否与费尔法克斯夫人的描述相符； —

secondly, whether it at all resembled the fancy miniature I had painted of her; —
其次，是否与我为她画的幻想肖像相似； —

and thirdly—it will out!—whether it were such as I should fancy likely to suit Mr. Rochester’s taste.
再者，噢！是否符合罗切斯特先生的口味，这个也不可避免地出现在我的脑海里。

As far as person went, she answered point for point, both to my picture and Mrs. Fairfax’s description. —
从身材上来说，她完全符合我的画像和费尔法克斯夫人的描述。 —

The noble bust, the sloping shoulders, the graceful neck, the dark eyes and black ringlets were all there; —
高贵的胸脯、倾斜的肩膀、优雅的颈部、深邃的眼神和黑色的卷发都在那里； —

—but her face? Her face was like her mother’s; a youthful unfurrowed likeness: —
但她的脸呢？她的脸像她母亲的脸；年轻而没有皱纹的相似之处： —

the same low brow, the same high features, the same pride. —
同样低的发际线，同样高的五官，同样的傲慢。 —

It was not, however, so saturnine a pride! she laughed continually; —
然而，她的傲慢并不如此冷峻！她一直在笑； —

her laugh was satirical, and so was the habitual expression of her arched and haughty lip.
她的笑声带有讽刺意味，她那翘起而傲慢的嘴唇也透露出同样的情绪。

Genius is said to be self-conscious. I cannot tell whether Miss Ingram was a genius, but she was self-conscious—remarkably self-conscious indeed. —
人们说天才是自知之明的。我无法判断英格拉姆小姐是否是个天才，但她确实很自视甚高。 —

She entered into a discourse on botany with the gentle Mrs. Dent. It seemed Mrs. Dent had not studied that science: —
她与温文尔雅的登特夫人讨论起植物学。看来登特夫人并没有学习过这门科学。 —

though, as she said, she liked flowers, “especially wild ones; —
虽然她说喜欢花，尤其是野花，但英格拉姆小姐对植物学很有研究，并带着一种自信的口吻列举起相关词汇。 —

” Miss Ingram had, and she ran over its vocabulary with an air. —
我很快意识到她在“困扰”着登特夫人，也就是玩弄她的无知；她的“困扰”也许很聪明，但显然不友善。 —

I presently perceived she was (what is vernacularly termed) trailing Mrs. Dent; —
“困扰”着别人，俗称“牵着鼻子走”，这就是英格拉姆小姐的做法。 —

that is, playing on her ignorance; her trail might be clever, but it was decidedly not good-natured. —
这种做法可能聪明，但绝对不友善。 —

She played: her execution was brilliant; she sang: her voice was fine; —
她表演得出色：她的表演非常精彩；她唱歌好听：她的声音很好； —

she talked French apart to her mamma; and she talked it well, with fluency and with a good accent.
她和她妈妈说话时使用了法语，而且说得很流利，发音也很标准。

Mary had a milder and more open countenance than Blanche; —
玛丽的面容比布兰奇温和开朗一些； —

softer features too, and a skin some shades fairer (Miss Ingram was dark as a Spaniard)—but Mary was deficient in life: —
她的五官也更加柔和，皮肤也比布兰奇白了几个色阶（英格拉姆小姐的肤色像西班牙人一样黑）- 但玛丽缺乏生气： —

her face lacked expression, her eye lustre; —
她的脸上缺乏表情，眼睛没有光彩； —

she had nothing to say, and having once taken her seat, remained fixed like a statue in its niche. —
她没有什么可说的话，一旦坐下来，就像石像一样定在那里。 —

The sisters were both attired in spotless white.
姐妹们都穿着洁白无瑕的衣服。

And did I now think Miss Ingram such a choice as Mr. Rochester would be likely to make? —
那么，我现在认为英格拉姆小姐是罗切斯特先生可能选择的人吗？ —

I could not tell—I did not know his taste in female beauty. —
我不能说- 我不知道他对女性美的偏好。 —

If he liked the majestic, she was the very type of majesty: then she was accomplished, sprightly. —
如果他喜欢威严的，她就是威严的具体体现：而且她很有才华，活泼。 —

Most gentlemen would admire her, I thought; —
大多数绅士都会欣赏她，我想； —

and that he did admire her, I already seemed to have obtained proof: —
而且他似乎确实欣赏她，我已经得到了证明。 —

to remove the last shade of doubt, it remained but to see them together.
为了消除最后一丝怀疑，只需看到他们在一起。

You are not to suppose, reader, that Adèle has all this time been sitting motionless on the stool at my feet: —
读者不要以为亚黛尔这段时间一直坐在我的脚边一动不动。 —

no; when the ladies entered, she rose, advanced to meet them, made a stately reverence, and said with gravity—
不，当女士们进来时，她站起来迎接她们，恭敬地鞠了一躬，庄重地说道——

“Bon jour, mesdames.”
“早上好，女士们。”

And Miss Ingram had looked down at her with a mocking air, and exclaimed, “Oh, what a little puppet!”
英格拉姆小姐嘲笑地看着她，说道“哦，多么可爱的小木偶！”

Lady Lynn had remarked, “It is Mr. Rochester’s ward, I suppose—the little French girl he was speaking of.”
莱恩夫人备注道，“我猜这是罗切斯特先生的养女，那个他刚才提到的小法国女孩。”

Mrs. Dent had kindly taken her hand, and given her a kiss. —
邓特夫人友善地握住她的手，亲了一下。 —

Amy and Louisa Eshton had cried out simultaneously—
艾米和路易莎·艾什顿同时喊道——

“What a love of a child!”
“多可爱的孩子啊！”

And then they had called her to a sofa, where she now sat, ensconced between them, chattering alternately in French and broken English; —
然后他们把她叫到了沙发上，她现在坐在两人中间，用法语和蹩脚的英语交谈； —

absorbing not only the young ladies’ attention, but that of Mrs. Eshton and Lady Lynn, and getting spoilt to her heart’s content.
不仅吸引了年轻女士们的注意，还吸引了艾什顿夫人和莱恩夫人的注意，她得到了心满意足的宠爱。

At last coffee is brought in, and the gentlemen are summoned. —
最后，咖啡被带了进来，绅士们被召唤过来。 —

I sit in the shade—if any shade there be in this brilliantly-lit apartment; —
我坐在阴凉处——如果在这个明亮的房间里有任何阴凉的话； —

the window-curtain half hides me. Again the arch yawns; they come. —
窗帘只遮住了我一半。拱门再次打开，他们来了。 —

The collective appearance of the gentlemen, like that of the ladies, is very imposing: —
绅士们的总体外表，就像女士们一样，非常令人印象深刻： —

they are all costumed in black; most of them are tall, some young. —
他们都穿着黑色的服装；大部分人身材高大，有些还年轻。 —

Henry and Frederick Lynn are very dashing sparks indeed; and Colonel Dent is a fine soldierly man. —
亨利和弗雷德里克·林恩确实是非常潇洒的绅士；而丹特上校是一位英姿勃发的士兵。 —

Mr. Eshton, the magistrate of the district, is gentleman-like: —
安谢顿先生，该地区的法官，非常绅士风度。 —

his hair is quite white, his eyebrows and whiskers still dark, which gives him something of the appearance of a “père noble de théâtre. —
他的头发相当白，眉毛和胡须仍然深色，使他看起来有点像一位“高贵的剧院老爷”。 —

” Lord Ingram, like his sisters, is very tall; like them, also, he is handsome; —
“英格拉姆勋爵，像他的姐妹一样，非常高大；与他们一样，他也很帅气； —

but he shares Mary’s apathetic and listless look: —
但他和玛丽一样，有着冷漠无动和倦怠的表情： —

he seems to have more length of limb than vivacity of blood or vigour of brain.
他似乎拥有比鲜活的血液或活力的大脑更多的肢体长度。

And where is Mr. Rochester?
罗切斯特先生在哪里？

He comes in last: I am not looking at the arch, yet I see him enter. —
他最后进来：我没有看拱门，但我看到他走进来。 —

I try to concentrate my attention on those netting-needles, on the meshes of the purse I am forming—I wish to think only of the work I have in my hands, to see only the silver beads and silk threads that lie in my lap; —
我试图集中注意力在那些编织针上，专注于我正在制作的钱包的网眼——我只想着手头的工作，只看着膝盖上的银珠和丝线; —

whereas, I distinctly behold his figure, and I inevitably recall the moment when I last saw it; —
然而，我清楚地看到他的身影，我不可避免地回忆起我最后一次见到他的那一刻； —

just after I had rendered him, what he deemed, an essential service, and he, holding my hand, and looking down on my face, surveyed me with eyes that revealed a heart full and eager to overflow; —
就在我给予他他认为至关重要的帮助之后，他握着我的手，低头看着我的脸，用眼睛流露出一颗充满热情和渴望迸发的心灵； —

in whose emotions I had a part. How near had I approached him at that moment! —
他的情绪中我有一部分参与。我当时离他有多近啊！ —

What had occurred since, calculated to change his and my relative positions? —
自那时以来发生了什么事情，会改变他和我的相对位置？ —

Yet now, how distant, how far estranged we were! —
然而，现在我们多么疏远，多么遥远！ —

So far estranged, that I did not expect him to come and speak to me. —
我们疏远得如此之远，我不指望他会过来和我说话。 —

I did not wonder, when, without looking at me, he took a seat at the other side of the room, and began conversing with some of the ladies.
当他坐在房间的另一边，开始与一些女士们交谈时，我并不奇怪。

No sooner did I see that his attention was riveted on them, and that I might gaze without being observed, than my eyes were drawn involuntarily to his face; —
我一看到他的注意力被他们吸引，我可以在不被察觉的情况下凝视，我的眼睛不由自主地被吸引到他的脸上； —

I could not keep their lids under control: they would rise, and the irids would fix on him. —
我无法控制眼皮，它们会抬起来，虹膜会盯着他。 —

I looked, and had an acute pleasure in looking,—a precious yet poignant pleasure; —
我看着他，内心充满了强烈的愉悦——一种宝贵而又刺骨的愉悦； —

pure gold, with a steely point of agony: —
纯金般的愉悦，带有一丝尖锐的痛苦： —

a pleasure like what the thirst-perishing man might feel who knows the well to which he has crept is poisoned, yet stoops and drinks divine draughts nevertheless.
一种如同口渴到垂死的人发现他爬行而至的井水被毒害了，然而仍然弯下腰来品尝神圣饮料的愉悦。

Most true is it that “beauty is in the eye of the gazer. —
最真实的是，“美是观者眼中的风景。 —

” My master’s colourless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyebrows, deep eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth,—all energy, decision, will,—were not beautiful, according to rule; —
“我的主人的面色苍白，橄榄色的脸，方正，庄重的额头，宽阔而浓密的眉毛，深邃的眼睛，坚定的五官，冷峻的嘴唇——是不符合美的规则的； —

but they were more than beautiful to me; —
但是对我来说，它们超越了美； —

they were full of an interest, an influence that quite mastered me,—that took my feelings from my own power and fettered them in his. —
它们充满着一种吸引力，一种影响力，完全俘虏了我——把我的感情从我的掌控中拿走，束缚在他的力量里。 —

I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; —
我本不打算爱上他；读者知道我曾经努力从我的灵魂中铲除那里发现的爱的种子； —

and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously arrived, green and strong! —
现在，在第一次重新见到他时，它们自然而然地生长出来，生机勃勃！ —

He made me love him without looking at me.
他让我爱上他，而他并没有看着我。

I compared him with his guests. What was the gallant grace of the Lynns, the languid elegance of Lord Ingram,—even the military distinction of Colonel Dent, contrasted with his look of native pith and genuine power? —
我将他与客人们进行了比较。林恩斯的优雅风度，英格拉姆勋爵的懒散优雅，甚至是登特上校的军事威严，与他天生的力量和真正的力量相比如何？ —

I had no sympathy in their appearance, their expression: —
我对他们的外貌、表情毫无同情之感： —

yet I could imagine that most observers would call them attractive, handsome, imposing; —
然而，我可以想象大多数观察者会称他们为迷人、英俊、威严； —

while they would pronounce Mr. Rochester at once harsh-featured and melancholy-looking. —
而他们却会立刻说罗切斯特先生相貌粗糙、忧郁。 —

I saw them smile, laugh—it was nothing; —
我见过他们微笑、大笑，但那都无关紧要； —

the light of the candles had as much soul in it as their smile; —
蜡烛的光芒与他们的微笑一样有灵魂； —

the tinkle of the bell as much significance as their laugh. I saw Mr. Rochester smile: —
铃铛的叮当声与他们的笑声一样有意义。我见过罗切斯特先生微笑： —

—his stern features softened; his eye grew both brilliant and gentle, its ray both searching and sweet. —
他那严厉的面容变得温和起来，他的眼睛既明亮又温柔，光芒既探询又甜美。 —

He was talking, at the moment, to Louisa and Amy Eshton. —
他当时正和路易莎和艾米·艾什顿交谈。 —

I wondered to see them receive with calm that look which seemed to me so penetrating: —
我惊讶地看到他们对这个看似透视力非凡的眼神保持淡定： —

I expected their eyes to fall, their colour to rise under it; —
我本以为他们的眼睛会垂下、脸色会涨红； —

yet I was glad when I found they were in no sense moved. —
然而，当我发现他们在任何意义上都没有被动摇时，我感到高兴。 —

“He is not to them what he is to me,” I thought: “he is not of their kind. —
“他对他们来说不是他对我所具有的那个人”，我心想：“他不是他们那一类的人。” —

I believe he is of mine;—I am sure he is—I feel akin to him—I understand the language of his countenance and movements: —
我相信他是我的人；——我确定他是——我感到与他有亲缘关系——我理解他脸上和动作中的语言： —

though rank and wealth sever us widely, I have something in my brain and heart, in my blood and nerves, that assimilates me mentally to him. —
尽管地位和财富将我们分隔得很远，但我大脑和心灵中，我的血液和神经中，有某种使我在思想上与他相融的东西。 —

Did I say, a few days since, that I had nothing to do with him but to receive my salary at his hands? —
我前几天说过，我与他除了领工资之外没有任何联系吗？ —

Did I forbid myself to think of him in any other light than as a paymaster? —
我有禁止自己以其他方式思考他吗？我只当他是一位发薪水的人吗？ —

Blasphemy against nature! Every good, true, vigorous feeling I have gathers impulsively round him. —
亵渎了大自然！我所有美好、真实而有活力的感觉都自然而然地围绕着他。 —

I know I must conceal my sentiments: I must smother hope; —
我知道我必须隐藏我的情感；我必须扼杀希望； —

I must remember that he cannot care much for me. —
我必须记住他不可能很在乎我。 —

For when I say that I am of his kind, I do not mean that I have his force to influence, and his spell to attract; —
当我说我是他的人时，我并不是指我有他的影响力和吸引力； —

I mean only that I have certain tastes and feelings in common with him. —
我只是指我与他有某些共同的喜好和感受。 —

I must, then, repeat continually that we are for ever sundered: —
那么，我必须不断重复我们永远分离的事实： —

—and yet, while I breathe and think, I must love him.”
尽管如此，在我呼吸和思考的同时，我必须爱他。”

Coffee is handed. The ladies, since the gentlemen entered, have become lively as larks; —
咖啡被递了过来。自从绅士们进来后，女士们变得像云雀一样活泼起来； —

conversation waxes brisk and merry. Colonel Dent and Mr. Eshton argue on politics; —
谈话变得热烈而愉快。德恩上校和艾什顿先生在政治问题上争论不休； —

their wives listen. The two proud dowagers, Lady Lynn and Lady Ingram, confabulate together. —
他们的妻子们倾听着。两位骄傲的贵妇人，琳恩夫人和英格拉姆夫人在一起秘密商议； —

Sir George—whom, by-the-bye, I have forgotten to describe,—a very big, and very fresh-looking country gentleman, stands before their sofa, coffee-cup in hand, and occasionally puts in a word. —
顺便说一下，乔治爵士——一位身材高大、面色红润的乡绅——站在他们的沙发前，手捧咖啡杯，偶尔插话； —

Mr. Frederick Lynn has taken a seat beside Mary Ingram, and is showing her the engravings of a splendid volume: —
林恩先生坐在玛丽英格拉姆旁边，向她展示着一本壮丽的图文集； —

she looks, smiles now and then, but apparently says little. —
她看着，偶尔微笑，但显然说得很少； —

The tall and phlegmatic Lord Ingram leans with folded arms on the chair-back of the little and lively Amy Eshton; —
高大而冷静的英格拉姆勉强靠在小巧而活泼的艾米艾什顿的椅背上； —

she glances up at him, and chatters like a wren: she likes him better than she does Mr. Rochester. —
她抬头看着他，像松鸡一样唧唧喳喳地闲聊：她比罗切斯特先生更喜欢他。 —

Henry Lynn has taken possession of an ottoman at the feet of Louisa: Adèle shares it with him: —
亨利·林恩坐在路易莎身旁的一张脚凳上，阿黛尔和他一起分享。 —

he is trying to talk French with her, and Louisa laughs at his blunders. —
他试图与她用法语交谈，而路易莎嘲笑他的错误。 —

With whom will Blanche Ingram pair? She is standing alone at the table, bending gracefully over an album. —
布兰奇·英格拉姆将与谁配对？她孤独地站在桌子旁，优雅地弯腰翻看着一本相册。 —

She seems waiting to be sought; but she will not wait too long: —
她似乎在等待被寻求，但她不会等待太久：她会自己选择伴侣。 —

she herself selects a mate.
罗彻斯特先生离开了艾什顿庄园，站在壁炉边，像她一样孤独。

Mr. Rochester, having quitted the Eshtons, stands on the hearth as solitary as she stands by the table: —
她直面他，站在壁炉对面的位置。 —

she confronts him, taking her station on the opposite side of the mantelpiece.
她站在壁炉对面，与他对视。

“Mr. Rochester, I thought you were not fond of children?”
“罗切斯特先生，我以为你不喜欢孩子？”

“Nor am I.”
“确实如此。”

“Then, what induced you to take charge of such a little doll as that? —
“那你为什么接管了这么一个小娃娃呢？”（指着爱黛拉）“你在哪里找到她的？” —

” (pointing to Adèle). “Where did you pick her up?”
“我没有找到她，她是被扔给我的。”

“I did not pick her up; she was left on my hands.”
“你应该送她去上学。”

“You should have sent her to school.”
“我付不起，学校太贵了。”

“I could not afford it: schools are so dear.”
“怎么，我猜你为她请了个家庭教师，我刚才看见有一个人和她在一起，她去了吗？”

“Why, I suppose you have a governess for her: I saw a person with her just now—is she gone? —
“哦，没有！她还在那儿，就在窗帘后面。你当然付给她工资了吧。” —

Oh, no! there she is still, behind the window-curtain. You pay her, of course; —
“我想这也一样贵，甚至更贵。因为你不仅要养活她，还要养活你自己。” —

I should think it quite as expensive,—more so; —
“对于这个问题我还没有考虑过，”他漠然地说着，直视前方。 —

for you have them both to keep in addition.”
“我害怕——或者说，希望？——提到我会让罗切斯特先生看向我，”我不由自主地往阴影中退缩，

I feared—or should I say, hoped?—the allusion to me would make Mr. Rochester glance my way; —
但他从未转过头来。 —

and I involuntarily shrank farther into the shade: —
“我还没有考虑过这个问题，”他漠然地说着，直视前方。 —

but he never turned his eyes.
“我害怕——或者说，希望？——提到我会让罗切斯特先生看向我，”我不由自主地往阴影中退缩，

“I have not considered the subject,” said he indifferently, looking straight before him.
但他从未转过头来。

“No, you men never do consider economy and common sense. —
“不，你们男人从来不考虑经济和常识。 —

You should hear mama on the chapter of governesses: —
“你应该听听妈妈对家庭教师这一章的看法： —

Mary and I have had, I should think, a dozen at least in our day; —
“我和玛丽在我们的日子里至少遇到过十几个； —

half of them detestable and the rest ridiculous, and all incubi—were they not, mama?”
“其中一半可恶，其他的可笑，全部都是厉鬼，不是吗，妈妈？”

“Did you speak, my own?”
“你在说话吗，亲爱的？”

The young lady thus claimed as the dowager’s special property, reiterated her question with an explanation.
这位年轻女士被视为这位寡妇特别的财产，再次提出了她的问题并解释了一下。

“My dearest, don’t mention governesses; the word makes me nervous. —
“我最亲爱的，别提家庭教师了；这个词让我紧张。 —

I have suffered a martyrdom from their incompetency and caprice. —
“我在他们的无能和反复无常中受到了残酷的磨难。 —

I thank Heaven I have now done with them!”
“感谢上帝，我现在和他们一刀两断了！”

Mrs. Dent here bent over to the pious lady and whispered something in her ear; —
邓特夫人在这里俯身对着虔诚的女士耳语了一些什么； —

I suppose, from the answer elicited, it was a reminder that one of the anathematised race was present.
我想，从得到的回答可以看出，她提醒了妈妈有一个被诅咒的人在场。

“Tant pis!” said her Ladyship, “I hope it may do her good! —
“太糟糕了！”她的夫人说，“我希望这对她有好处！ —

” Then, in a lower tone, but still loud enough for me to hear, “I noticed her; —
”然后，以更低的声音，但仍然足够让我听到，“我注意到她； —

I am a judge of physiognomy, and in hers I see all the faults of her class.”
“我是面相判断的专家，从她的面相上看出了她这个阶级的所有缺点。”

“What are they, madam?” inquired Mr. Rochester aloud.
“那是什么呢，夫人？”罗切斯特先生大声询问。

“I will tell you in your private ear,” replied she, wagging her turban three times with portentous significancy.
“我会在你的隐私里告诉你的。”她回应道，用重要的意味晃动她的头巾三次。

“But my curiosity will be past its appetite; it craves food now.”
“但是我的好奇心很快会得到满足；它现在渴望食物。”

“Ask Blanche; she is nearer you than I.”
“问布兰奇吧，她离你更近。”

“Oh, don’t refer him to me, mama! I have just one word to say of the whole tribe; —
“哦，别把他指向我，妈妈！我只想说一句话; —

they are a nuisance. Not that I ever suffered much from them; I took care to turn the tables. —
“他们真讨厌。虽然我从他们那里没有受到太多伤害；我会小心翻盘。 —

What tricks Theodore and I used to play on our Miss Wilsons, and Mrs. Greys, and Madame Jouberts! —
“我和西奥多经常在我们的威尔逊斯小姐、格雷斯夫人和朱贝特夫人身上玩捉迷藏的把戏！ —

Mary was always too sleepy to join in a plot with spirit. The best fun was with Madame Joubert: —
“玛丽总是太困得没办法积极参与阴谋。最有趣的是和朱贝特夫人一起玩： —

Miss Wilson was a poor sickly thing, lachrymose and low-spirited, not worth the trouble of vanquishing, in short; —
“威尔逊斯小姐是一个可怜的病弱之人，多愁善感，不值得去征服，简而言之； —

and Mrs. Grey was coarse and insensible; no blow took effect on her. But poor Madame Joubert! —
“而格雷斯夫人粗鲁无知，根本不受打击。但是可怜的朱贝特夫人！” —

I see her yet in her raging passions, when we had driven her to extremities—spilt our tea, crumbled our bread and butter, tossed our books up to the ceiling, and played a charivari with the ruler and desk, the fender and fire-irons. —
当我们逼得她走投无路时，我仍然看到她激情四溢——洒茶、弄碎饼干和黄油、把书扔到天花板上，用尺子、书桌、壁炉栅栏和火铁翻天覆地地闹着玩。 —

Theodore, do you remember those merry days?”
“西奥多，你还记得那些快乐的日子吗？”

“Yaas, to be sure I do,” drawled Lord Ingram; —
“亚斯，我当然记得了，”英格拉姆勋爵慢悠悠地说道。 —

“and the poor old stick used to cry out, ‘Oh you villains childs! —
“那根可怜的老家伙会大声喊道，’哦，你们这些恶棍孩子！’——然后我们还会对她进行说教，指责她妄图教导我们这样聪明的家伙们，而她自己却是如此无知。” —

’—and then we sermonised her on the presumption of attempting to teach such clever blades as we were, when she was herself so ignorant.”
“是呀，我俩，特多，你知道，还帮你追究了你那教师——面皮奶酪的温先生——我们过去常常称他为脓包教士。

“We did; and, Tedo, you know, I helped you in prosecuting (or persecuting) your tutor, whey-faced Mr. Vining—the parson in the pip, as we used to call him. —
他和威尔逊小姐竟然敢彼此相爱——至少特多和我是这么认为的。 —

He and Miss Wilson took the liberty of falling in love with each other—at least Tedo and I thought so; —
请注意，我们曾帮助你追究你的家庭教师——面皮奶酪的温先生——我们过去常常称他为脓包教士。 —

we surprised sundry tender glances and sighs which we interpreted as tokens of ‘la belle passion,’ and I promise you the public soon had the benefit of our discovery; —
我们惊讶地发现了各种投来的温柔目光和叹息，我们把它们解释为‘美丽的激情’的象征，我向你承诺，公众很快就能从我们的发现中受益； —

we employed it as a sort of lever to hoist our dead-weights from the house. —
我们把这个发现当作一种杠杆，用来把我们的累赘从房子里抬走； —

Dear mama, there, as soon as she got an inkling of the business, found out that it was of an immoral tendency. —
亲爱的妈妈，一得知这件事的端倪，就认定它是不道德的； —

Did you not, my lady-mother?”
对吗，我的夫人母亲？”

“Certainly, my best. And I was quite right: depend on that: —
当然，我最亲爱的。而且我是对的，你可以相信： —

there are a thousand reasons why liaisons between governesses and tutors should never be tolerated a moment in any well-regulated house; firstly—”
在一个有纪律的家庭里，女家庭教师和男家庭教师之间的婚外恋绝不应该被容忍。首先——”

“Oh, gracious, mama! Spare us the enumeration! Au reste, we all know them: —
哦，天啊，妈妈！饶了我们吧！Au reste，我们都知道： —

danger of bad example to innocence of childhood; —
会对孩童的纯真产生不良示范的危险； —

distractions and consequent neglect of duty on the part of the attached—mutual alliance and reliance; —
陷入情感纠葛导致职责被忽略； —

confidence thence resulting—insolence accompanying—mutiny and general blow-up. —
彼此依赖的联盟和信任； —

Am I right, Baroness Ingram, of Ingram Park?”
由此产生的自信心带来的傲慢——最终导致暴乱和全面崩溃。

“My lily-flower, you are right now, as always.”
“亲爱的百合花，你现在就像以往一样正确。”

“Then no more need be said: change the subject.”
“那么就不需要再说了：换个话题吧。”

Amy Eshton, not hearing or not heeding this dictum, joined in with her soft, infantine tone: —
艾米·艾什顿听不见或不理会这个格言，以她柔和的婴儿般的语调加入其中： —

“Louisa and I used to quiz our governess too; —
“路易莎和我也经常嘲笑我们的家庭教师； —

but she was such a good creature, she would bear anything: —
但她是个好人，什么都能忍受； —

nothing put her out. She was never cross with us; —
从来不跟我们发脾气； —

was she, Louisa?”
对吧，路易莎？”

“No, never: we might do what we pleased; —
“对，从来没有：我们可以为所欲为； —

ransack her desk and her workbox, and turn her drawers inside out; —
乱翻她的书桌和手工盒，把她的抽屉倒个底朝天； —

and she was so good-natured, she would give us anything we asked for.”
她非常和蔼可亲，什么东西我们要，她都会给我们。”

“I suppose, now,” said Miss Ingram, curling her lip sarcastically, “we shall have an abstract of the memoirs of all the governesses extant: —
“我猜，” 英格拉姆小姐讽刺地撇了撇嘴，“我们现在就要听到关于所有家庭教师的传记摘要： —

in order to avert such a visitation, I again move the introduction of a new topic. —
为了避免这样的灾难，我再次提议引入一个新的话题。 —

Mr. Rochester, do you second my motion?”
罗切斯特先生，你支持我的提议吗？”

“Madam, I support you on this point, as on every other.”
“夫人，我在这一点上支持你，就像在其他每一个问题上都支持你。”

“Then on me be the onus of bringing it forward. Signior Eduardo, are you in voice to-night?”
“那么让我来承担提出的责任吧。爱德华多先生，你今晚能发声吗？”

“Donna Bianca, if you command it, I will be.”
“唐娜，如果你命令，我会的。”

“Then, signior, I lay on you my sovereign behest to furbish up your lungs and other vocal organs, as they will be wanted on my royal service.”
“那么，先生，我要正式命令你为我的王室服务而修整你的声音和其他发声器官。”

“Who would not be the Rizzio of so divine a Mary?”
“谁不想成为如此神圣的玛丽的里齐奥呢？”

“A fig for Rizzio!” cried she, tossing her head with all its curls, as she moved to the piano. —
“去呀，里齐奥！”她大摇其头上的卷发，边走向钢琴边说道。 —

“It is my opinion the fiddler David must have been an insipid sort of fellow; —
“我认为大提琴手大卫肯定是个没趣的家伙； —

I like black Bothwell better: to my mind a man is nothing without a spice of the devil in him; —
我更喜欢黑博斯韦尔：在我眼里，一个人如果没有一丝恶魔的气息，就算什么都不是； —

and history may say what it will of James Hepburn, but I have a notion, he was just the sort of wild, fierce, bandit hero whom I could have consented to gift with my hand.”
历史可能对詹姆斯·赫本评说什么，但我敢说，他就是那种我愿意将自己嫁给的狂野、凶猛、强盗般英雄。”

“Gentlemen, you hear! Now which of you most resembles Bothwell?” cried Mr. Rochester.
“先生们，你们听到了！现在你们中谁最像博斯韦尔？”罗切斯特先生喊道。

“I should say the preference lies with you,” responded Colonel Dent.
“我觉得你最符合条件，”登特上校回答道。

“On my honour, I am much obliged to you,” was the reply.
“对不起，我非常感激您，”答道。

Miss Ingram, who had now seated herself with proud grace at the piano, spreading out her snowy robes in queenly amplitude, commenced a brilliant prelude; —
英格拉姆小姐昂首挺胸地坐在钢琴前，展开她洁白的长裙，开始了一个华丽的前奏; —

talking meantime. She appeared to be on her high horse to-night; —
与此同时，她说话。她今晚看上去很傲慢; —

both her words and her air seemed intended to excite not only the admiration, but the amazement of her auditors: —
她的言辞和气势似乎旨在引起听众的赞赏和惊讶: —

she was evidently bent on striking them as something very dashing and daring indeed.
她明显打算以非常大胆和大胆的方式打动他们。

“Oh, I am so sick of the young men of the present day! —
“哦，我对现今的年轻人烦透了！ —

” exclaimed she, rattling away at the instrument. —
”她边说边弹着乐器。 —

“Poor, puny things, not fit to stir a step beyond papa’s park gates: —
“可怜的，虚弱的事物，连爸爸的公园大门都不适合踏出一步： —

nor to go even so far without mama’s permission and guardianship! —
甚至没有妈妈的允许和监护，就不能走得太远！ —

Creatures so absorbed in care about their pretty faces, and their white hands, and their small feet; as if a man had anything to do with beauty! —
这些人如此关注自己漂亮的脸蛋，白皙的双手和纤小的脚步; 好像一个男人与美貌有什么关系！ —

As if loveliness were not the special prerogative of woman—her legitimate appanage and heritage! —
仿佛可爱之美并非女性的特权——女性合法的附属品和遗产！ —

I grant an ugly woman is a blot on the fair face of creation; —
我承认一个丑陋的“女人”是对美丽的创作的一大瑕疵； —

but as to the gentlemen, let them be solicitous to possess only strength and valour: —
但是对于“绅士”来说，让他们只关注拥有力量和勇气： —

let their motto be:—Hunt, shoot, and fight: —
让他们的座右铭是：追猎，射击和战斗： —

the rest is not worth a fillip. Such should be my device, were I a man.”
其他的一切都不值一提。如果我是男人，这就是我的座右铭。

“Whenever I marry,” she continued after a pause which none interrupted, “I am resolved my husband shall not be a rival, but a foil to me. —
“无论何时我结婚，”她在一个没有人打断的间歇后继续说道，“我决心我的丈夫不应该是我的竞争对手，而应该是我的衬托。 —

I will suffer no competitor near the throne; I shall exact an undivided homage: —
我不允许任何竞争者靠近我的王座；我要求无分心的崇拜： —

his devotions shall not be shared between me and the shape he sees in his mirror. —
他的虔诚不应该在我和他镜中的形象之间分心。 —

Mr. Rochester, now sing, and I will play for you.”
Rochester先生，现在唱歌，我为你弹奏。”

“I am all obedience,” was the response.
“我很听话，”回答道。

“Here then is a Corsair-song. Know that I doat on Corsairs; —
“这是一首海盗之歌。知道吗，我迷恋海盗； —

and for that reason, sing it con spirito.”
因此，请以意气风发地演唱。”

“Commands from Miss Ingram’s lips would put spirit into a mug of milk and water.”
从英格拉姆小姐的嘴唇上发出的命令能让一杯牛奶和水变得有生气。

“Take care, then: if you don’t please me, I will shame you by showing how such things should be done.”
“那好吧，如果你做得不好，我将让你羞愧，展示出这些事情应该如何做。”

“That is offering a premium on incapacity: I shall now endeavour to fail.”
“这等于是对无能力的人提供了奖励：我现在要努力失败。”

“Gardez-vous en bien! If you err wilfully, I shall devise a proportionate punishment.”
“当心！如果你故意犯错，我将设计出相应的惩罚。”

“Miss Ingram ought to be clement, for she has it in her power to inflict a chastisement beyond mortal endurance.”
“英格拉姆小姐应该宽容些，因为她有能力施加超越人类忍受的惩罚。”

“Ha! explain!” commanded the lady.
“哈！解释！”夫人命令道。

“Pardon me, madam: no need of explanation; —
“请原谅，夫人，无需解释； —

your own fine sense must inform you that one of your frowns would be a sufficient substitute for capital punishment.”
您的敏感灵性应该能告诉您，您的一个皱眉已经足以代替极刑。”

“Sing!” said she, and again touching the piano, she commenced an accompaniment in spirited style.
“唱！”她说着，再次触动钢琴，开始了一个有朝气的伴奏。

“Now is my time to slip away,” thought I: but the tones that then severed the air arrested me. —
“现在是我溜走的时候了，”我想，但那时穿梭空气的音调阻止了我。 —

Mrs. Fairfax had said Mr. Rochester possessed a fine voice: —
费尔法克斯夫人说罗切斯特先生的嗓音很好： —

he did—a mellow, powerful bass, into which he threw his own feeling, his own force; —
他确实拥有一种醇厚而有力的低音，他将自己的情感、力量融入其中。 —

finding a way through the ear to the heart, and there waking sensation strangely. —
通过耳朵进入心脏的方式，然后在那里产生奇怪的觉醒感。 —

I waited till the last deep and full vibration had expired—till the tide of talk, checked an instant, had resumed its flow; —
我等到最后一次深刻而完全的震动消失——直到漫谈的潮流在瞬间被阻止，然后重新恢复流动； —

I then quitted my sheltered corner and made my exit by the side-door, which was fortunately near. —
然后我离开了我藏身的角落，通过附近的侧门走出去，这真是幸运。 —

Thence a narrow passage led into the hall: in crossing it, I perceived my sandal was loose; —
然后一个狭窄的通道通向大厅，在穿过它时，我发现我的凉鞋松了。 —

I stopped to tie it, kneeling down for that purpose on the mat at the foot of the staircase. —
我停下来系鞋带，跪在楼梯脚下的垫子上。 —

I heard the dining-room door unclose; a gentleman came out; —
我听到餐厅的门打开了，一个男士走了出来。 —

rising hastily, I stood face to face with him: it was Mr. Rochester.
我急忙站起来，和他面对面站在一起，那人是罗切斯特先生。

“How do you do?” he asked.
“你好吗？”他问道。

“I am very well, sir.”
“我很好，先生。”

“Why did you not come and speak to me in the room?”
“你为什么不进房间找我说话？”

I thought I might have retorted the question on him who put it: —
我想我可能会把这个问题反问给提出这个问题的人，但我不想那样做。我回答道—— —

but I would not take that freedom. I answered—
“因为你似乎在忙，我不想打扰你，先生。”

“I did not wish to disturb you, as you seemed engaged, sir.”
“在我不在的时候你都做了些什么？”

“What have you been doing during my absence?”
“我只是静静等待。”

“Nothing particular; teaching Adèle as usual.”
“没有什么特别的，像往常一样教授阿黛尔。”

“And getting a good deal paler than you were—as I saw at first sight. What is the matter?”
“而且比起你以前看起来要苍白得多—我一见到你就注意到了。出了什么事吗？”

“Nothing at all, sir.”
“什么都没有，先生。”

“Did you take any cold that night you half drowned me?”
“那天晚上你差点把我淹死，你感冒了吗？”

“Not the least.”
“一点也没有。”

“Return to the drawing-room: you are deserting too early.”
“回客厅去吧，你离开得太早了。”

“I am tired, sir.”
“我累了，先生。”

He looked at me for a minute.
他盯着我看了一分钟。

“And a little depressed,” he said. “What about? Tell me.”
“而且有点沮丧，”他说。“为什么？告诉我。”

“Nothing—nothing, sir. I am not depressed.”
“没有什么—什么，先生。我不沮丧。”

“But I affirm that you are: so much depressed that a few more words would bring tears to your eyes—indeed, they are there now, shining and swimming; —
“但我断言你是的：如此沮丧以至于再说几句话就会让你眼泪夺眶而出—实际上，它们已经在那儿了，闪烁着，游动着； —

and a bead has slipped from the lash and fallen on to the flag. —
一颗泪珠从睫毛上滑落，落在了地板上。 —

If I had time, and was not in mortal dread of some prating prig of a servant passing, I would know what all this means. —
如果我有时间，而且不担心有些八卦的仆人走过，我就会知道这一切意味着什么。 —

Well, to-night I excuse you; but understand that so long as my visitors stay, I expect you to appear in the drawing-room every evening; —
好吧，今晚我原谅你；但要明白，只要我的客人在，我期望你每天晚上都出现在客厅里； —

it is my wish; don’t neglect it. Now go, and send Sophie for Adèle. —
这是我的愿望，请不要忽略它。现在去，把索菲派给阿黛勒。 —

Good-night, my—” He stopped, bit his lip, and abruptly left me.
晚安，我-”他停下来，咬了咬嘴唇，突然离开了我。