“L’ altra vedete ch’ha fatto alla guancia Della sua palma, sospirando, letto.” –Purgatorio, vii.
“另一个女子将手掌上撇出一条刀痕，叹息着，躺下来。” –煉獄，第七誦

When George the Fourth was still reigning over the privacies of Windsor, when the Duke of Wellington was Prime Minister, and Mr. Vincy was mayor of the old corporation in Middlemarch, Mrs. Casaubon, born Dorothea Brooke, had taken her wedding journey to Rome. In those days the world in general was more ignorant of good and evil by forty years than it is at present. —
乔治四世仍掌控温莎城堡的内室，惠灵顿公爵是首相，文西先生是中世纪镇上旧企业的市长时，出生于德罗西娅·布鲁克的妻子卡索邦夫人进行了她的蜜月旅行前往罗马。那时，普通世人对于善恶的了解，比起现在要晚四十年。 —

Travellers did not often carry full information on Christian art either in their heads or their pockets; —
旅行者头脑中或口袋里很少携带有关基督教艺术的详尽资料； —

and even the most brilliant English critic of the day mistook the flower-flushed tomb of the ascended Virgin for an ornamental vase due to the painter’s fancy. —
即使是当时最杰出的英国评论家，也会将升天宝贵的圣母雕像误解为画家幻想中的一种装饰花瓶。 —

Romanticism, which has helped to fill some dull blanks with love and knowledge, had not yet penetrated the times with its leaven and entered into everybody’s food; —
浪漫主义，曾经帮助填补某些乏味的空白，带来了爱和知识，却尚未渗透到时代中起发酵作用，并融入人人润引的食粮； —

it was fermenting still as a distinguishable vigorous enthusiasm in certain long-haired German artists at Rome, and the youth of other nations who worked or idled near them were sometimes caught in the spreading movement.
它仍然在罗马的某些头发长长的德国艺术家中作为一个可辨认而强烈的热情在发酵，而在他们附近工作或消磨时间的其他国家的青年有时也会被这股推广运动所席卷。

One fine morning a young man whose hair was not immoderately long, but abundant and curly, and who was otherwise English in his equipment, had just turned his back on the Belvedere Torso in the Vatican and was looking out on the magnificent view of the mountains from the adjoining round vestibule. —
一个清晨，一个头发并不过分长而丰盈卷曲的年轻人，其他方面的装束也十分英式，正刚刚转过身去，背对着梵蒂冈的比法列多神像，眺望着旁边圆形门厅外壮丽的群山景色。 —

He was sufficiently absorbed not to notice the approach of a dark-eyed, animated German who came up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder, said with a strong accent, “Come here, quick! —
他当时全神贯注，没有注意到一个黑眼睛、生气勃勃的德国人正向他走来，并把手放在他肩膀上，带着浓重的口音说道：“快来这里！ —

else she will have changed her pose.”
否则她会换个姿势的。”

Quickness was ready at the call, and the two figures passed lightly along by the Meleager, towards the hall where the reclining Ariadne, then called the Cleopatra, lies in the marble voluptuousness of her beauty, the drapery folding around her with a petal-like ease and tenderness. —
快速地响应了这个呼唤，两个人轻而易举地经过梅利亚吉耳像，朝着大厅走去，那里，倚卧的阿里阿德涅，当时被称为克利奥帕特拉，在其美丽的色调下以大理石的骄矜庄严展现，衣袍围绕着她的身躯，宛如花瓣一般轻柔。 —

They were just in time to see another figure standing against a pedestal near the reclining marble: —
他们正赶上另一个人站在靠近倚卧大理石的基座旁的情形； —

a breathing blooming girl, whose form, not shamed by the Ariadne, was clad in Quakerish gray drapery; —
一个呼吸如花、相貌神采飞扬的女孩，她的身姿并未因阿里阿德涅而感到羞愧，身着类似贵格会式的灰色衣袍； —

her long cloak, fastened at the neck, was thrown backward from her arms, and one beautiful ungloved hand pillowed her cheek, pushing somewhat backward the white beaver bonnet which made a sort of halo to her face around the simply braided dark-brown hair. —
长披风，领口处系紧，从她的手臂上抛向后方，一只美丽的不戴手套的手枕在她的面颊上，推着那白色的毛皮贝雷帽，使得简单梳成的深棕色头发周围仿佛形成一种光环。 —

She was not looking at the sculpture, probably not thinking of it: —
她并没有看着雕塑，可能也没有想着雕塑； —

her large eyes were fixed dreamily on a streak of sunlight which fell across the floor. —
她的大眼睛神情恍惚地盯着地板上落下的一道日光。 —

But she became conscious of the two strangers who suddenly paused as if to contemplate the Cleopatra, and, without looking at them, immediately turned away to join a maid-servant and courier who were loitering along the hall at a little distance off.
但她突然意识到两个陌生人停下来凝视着那位克利奥帕特拉，她立刻转身离开，没有看他们，径直走向一名女佣和一名随从，他们正慢悠悠地沿着大厅走。

“What do you think of that for a fine bit of antithesis?” —
“你觉得这个反差造得怎么样？” —

said the German, searching in his friend’s face for responding admiration, but going on volubly without waiting for any other answer. —
德国人说着，期待着他朋友脸上的赞赏，却立刻滔滔不绝地接着说了下去，根本不等对方回答。 —

“There lies antique beauty, not corpse-like even in death, but arrested in the complete contentment of its sensuous perfection: —
“那里躺着古老的美，即使死去也不像尸体，而是被完美的感官造型囚禁在了完全满足中： —

and here stands beauty in its breathing life, with the consciousness of Christian centuries in its bosom. —
而这里的美则是在呼吸着生命，怀着基督教世纪中的自觉。 —

But she should be dressed as a nun; I think she looks almost what you call a Quaker; —
不过她应该打扮成修女；我觉得她看上去几乎像你们所说的夸克人； —

I would dress her as a nun in my picture. However, she is married; —
我会在我的画里把她打扮成修女。不过，她已经结婚； —

I saw her wedding-ring on that wonderful left hand, otherwise I should have thought the sallow Geistlicher was her father. —
我看到她那只神奇的左手戴着婚戒，否则我本以为那个黝黑的男人是她的父亲。 —

I saw him parting from her a good while ago, and just now I found her in that magnificent pose. —
我好久以前看到他和她分别了，刚刚发现她摆出那个华丽的姿势。 —

Only think! he is perhaps rich, and would like to have her portrait taken. Ah! —
想想！也许他很有钱，想让她的画留念。啊！ —

it is no use looking after her– there she goes! —
白费心机看着她——她走了！ —

Let us follow her home!”
让我们跟着她回家！”

“No, no,” said his companion, with a little frown.
“不，不要，”他的同伴皱了皱眉头。

“You are singular, Ladislaw. You look struck together. Do you know her?”
“你真是独特，拉迪斯劳。你看上去吓呆了。你认识她吗？”

“I know that she is married to my cousin,” said Will Ladislaw, sauntering down the hall with a preoccupied air, while his German friend kept at his side and watched him eagerly.
“我知道她嫁给了我的表亲，”威尔·拉迪斯劳一边漫步着大厅，一边心不在焉地说着，而他的德国朋友一直跟在他身边，急切地观察着他。

“What! the Geistlicher? He looks more like an uncle–a more useful sort of relation.”
“什么！这位Geistlicher？他更像是个叔叔–一个更有用的亲戚类型。”

“He is not my uncle. I tell you he is my second cousin,” said Ladislaw, with some irritation.
“他不是我的叔叔。我告诉你他是我的堂兄弟，”拉迪斯劳有些恼火地说。

“Schon, schon. Don’t be snappish. You are not angry with me for thinking Mrs. Second-Cousin the most perfect young Madonna I ever saw?”
“好了，好了。别发脾气。你难道因为我认为第二堂兄妹是我见过最完美的圣母玛利亚而生气吗？”

“Angry? nonsense. I have only seen her once before, for a couple of minutes, when my cousin introduced her to me, just before I left England. —
“生气？胡说。我之前只见过她一次，只有几分钟，当时我的堂兄妹介绍她给我认识，就在我离开英国之前。 —

They were not married then. I didn’t know they were coming to Rome.”
那时他们还没有结婚。我不知道他们会来罗马。”

“But you will go to see them now–you will find out what they have for an address–since you know the name. —
“但你现在会去看他们的–你会查到他们的地址–因为你知道名字。 —

Shall we go to the post? And you could speak about the portrait.”
我们去邮局吧？你还可以谈谈那幅画像。”

“Confound you, Naumann! I don’t know what I shall do. I am not so brazen as you.”
“见鬼，诺曼！我不知道我会怎么做。我不像你那样莽撞。”

“Bah! that is because you are dilettantish and amateurish. —
“呸！那是因为你是业余的和业余的。 —

If you were an artist, you would think of Mistress Second-Cousin as antique form animated by Christian sentiment–a sort of Christian Antigone– sensuous force controlled by spiritual passion.”
如果你是个艺术家，你会把第二堂兄妹看作是由基督情感激发的古代形式–一种基督教的安提戈涅–感性的力量被精神热情所控制。”

“Yes, and that your painting her was the chief outcome of her existence–the divinity passing into higher completeness and all but exhausted in the act of covering your bit of canvas. —
“是的，你画她是她生命最重要的成果–神灵转化为更高的完整性，并在覆盖你的一小块画布时几乎耗尽。 —

I am amateurish if you like: I do not think that all the universe is straining towards the obscure significance of your pictures.”
如果你想，我是个业余的：我并不认为整个宇宙都在努力追寻你画作里的晦涩意义。”

“But it is, my dear!–so far as it is straining through me, Adolf Naumann: —
“但它，亲爱的!–就我来说，Adolf Naumann： —

that stands firm,” said the good-natured painter, putting a hand on Ladislaw’s shoulder, and not in the least disturbed by the unaccountable touch of ill-humor in his tone. —
那是站得住脚的，”和蔼的画家说，把手放在拉迪斯劳的肩膀上，对他口气里莫名的烦躁毫不在意。 —

“See now! My existence presupposes the existence of the whole universe– does it _not? —
“瞧！我的存在预示着整个宇宙的存在–难道不是吗？” —

_ and my function is to paint–and as a painter I have a conception which is altogether genialisch, of your great-aunt or second grandmother as a subject for a picture; —
我的职责是绘画–作为一名画家，我对你的曾祖母或曾曾祖母有一个非常巧妙的构思，作为绘画的主题； —

therefore, the universe is straining towards that picture through that particular hook or claw which it puts forth in the shape of me– not true?”
因此，宇宙正通过我这个特定的钩爪在努力朝着那幅画画– 这个钩爪或爪子就是我–这句话不是真的吗？

“But how if another claw in the shape of me is straining to thwart it? —
“但是如果另一个像我这样的爪子在努力阻挠呢？ —

– the case is a little less simple then.”
–情况就没有那么简单了。”

“Not at all: the result of the struggle is the same thing– picture or no picture–logically.”
“完全不是：斗争的结果是一样的–画还是不画–从逻辑上看。”

Will could not resist this imperturbable temper, and the cloud in his face broke into sunshiny laughter.
Will无法抵挡这种冷静的脾气，脸上的阴云变成了晴朗的笑容。

“Come now, my friend–you will help?” said Naumann, in a hopeful tone.
“现在来，我的朋友–你会帮忙吗？” Naumann以希望的口吻说。

“No; nonsense, Naumann! English ladies are not at everybody’s service as models. —
“不；胡扯，Naumann！英国女士可不是人人都能当模特儿。 —

And you want to express too much with your painting. —
你想要用你的绘画表达太多。 —

You would only have made a better or worse portrait with a background which every connoisseur would give a different reason for or against. —
你只会画出一个更好或更糟的肖像，而每位鉴赏家对于背景会有不同的支持或反对理由。 —

And what is a portrait of a woman? Your painting and Plastik are poor stuff after all. —
而一个女人的肖像又算什么？总的来说，你的绘画和雕塑都是些次品。 —

They perturb and dull conceptions instead of raising them. —
它们扰乱并变淡概念，而不是提升它们。 —

Language is a finer medium.”
语言是一个更精致的媒介。”

“Yes, for those who can’t paint,” said Naumann. —
“是的，对于那些不能画画的人来说，” Naumann说。 —

“There you have perfect right. I did not recommend you to paint, my friend.”
“你说得对。我可不是建议你去画画，我的朋友。”

The amiable artist carried his sting, but Ladislaw did not choose to appear stung. —
这位和蔼可亲的艺术家露出了他的刺，但拉迪斯劳选择不表现出被刺到的样子。 —

He went on as if he had not heard.
他继续说，好像没有听见。

“Language gives a fuller image, which is all the better for beings vague. —
“语言提供了更加丰满的形象，对于模糊的事物来说尤其好。 —

After all, the true seeing is within; and painting stares at you with an insistent imperfection. —
毕竟，真正的观看在内心；而绘画却在你面前盯着你，带着坚定的不完美。 —

I feel that especially about representations of women. —
我觉得这在描绘女性的时候尤为明显。 —

As if a woman were a mere colored superficies! You must wait for movement and tone. —
似乎女人只是彩色的表面！你必须等待运动和语调。 —

There is a difference in their very breathing: they change from moment to moment. —
她们的呼吸都有所不同：她们从一个时刻到另一个时刻都在改变。 —

–This woman whom you have just seen, for example: how would you paint her voice, pray? —
–刚刚所见的这位女人：你如何描绘她的声音呢？ —

But her voice is much diviner than anything you have seen of her.”
然而她的声音比你见到的她任何一部分都更加神圣。”

“I see, I see. You are jealous. No man must presume to think that he can paint your ideal. —
“我明白了，我明白了。你在嫉妒。没有人应该自负地认为自己可以描绘你的理想。 —

This is serious, my friend! Your great-aunt! —
这是严肃的，我的朋友！你的祖母伯母！ —

Der Neffe als Onkel' in a tragic sense--ungeheuer!" <span><tang1>nephew as uncle’在一个悲剧意义上–巨大的！”

“You and I shall quarrel, Naumann, if you call that lady my aunt again.”
“如果你再称那位女士是我的阿姨，你我就要吵架了，诺曼。”

“How is she to be called then?”
“那她应该怎样称呼呢？”

“Mrs. Casaubon.”
“卡索本夫人。”

“Good. Suppose I get acquainted with her in spite of you, and find that she very much wishes to be painted?”
“好。假设我尽管你的反对结识她，发现她非常希望被画像？”

“Yes, suppose!” said Will Ladislaw, in a contemptuous undertone, intended to dismiss the subject. —
“是的，假设！”威尔·拉迪斯劳轻蔑地低声说着，意图打发这个话题。 —

He was conscious of being irritated by ridiculously small causes, which were half of his own creation. —
他意识到自己被荒谬的小事惹怒了，这些小事有一半是他自己制造的。 —

Why was he making any fuss about Mrs. Casaubon? —
他为什么要在乎卡索邦夫人？ —

And yet he felt as if something had happened to him with regard to her. —
然而，他感觉好像在关于她方面发生了一些事情。 —

There are characters which are continually creating collisions and nodes for themselves in dramas which nobody is prepared to act with them. —
有些人物会在没有人愿意与他们一同演出的戏剧中不断制造冲突和难题。 —

Their susceptibilities will clash against objects that remain innocently quiet.
他们的敏感性将会与保持纯真安静的物体产生冲突。