“They’ll take suggestion as a cat laps milk.” –SHAKESPEARE: Tempest.
“他们将接受建议，就像猫舔牛奶一样。” –莎士比亚: 《暴风雨》。

The triumphant confidence of the Mayor founded on Mr. Featherstone’s insistent demand that Fred and his mother should not leave him, was a feeble emotion compared with all that was agitating the breasts of the old man’s blood-relations, who naturally manifested more their sense of the family tie and were more visibly numerous now that he had become bedridden. —
市长的胜利自信建立在费瑟斯通先生坚持要求弗雷德和他的母亲不能离开他的基础上，与那些老人的血亲情感相比，这种信心是微弱的，后者自然更显露出他们对家庭关系的感触，现在他已经卧床了，人数也更多了。 —

Naturally: for when “poor Peter” had occupied his arm-chair in the wainscoted parlor, no assiduous beetles for whom the cook prepares boiling water could have been less welcome on a hearth which they had reasons for preferring, than those persons whose Featherstone blood was ill-nourished, not from penuriousness on their part, but from poverty. —
自然而然地，因为当“可怜的彼得”占据着他们镶嵌的客厅的扶手椅时，没有什么熟悉的甲壳虫比那些煮沸水给厨师准备的家伙更不受欢迎，这些人的费瑟斯通家族是由于贫困而严重营养不良，而不是他们自己守财。 —

Brother Solomon and Sister Jane were rich, and the family candor and total abstinence from false politeness with which they were always received seemed to them no argument that their brother in the solemn act of making his will would overlook the superior claims of wealth. —
所罗门兄弟和简姊妹是富有的，他们总是坦率地接受家常和完全不拘于虚伪的礼貌，看来他们并不认为他们在庄严地立遗嘱时这种财富的优势会被忽视。 —

Themselves at least he had never been unnatural enough to banish from his house, and it seemed hardly eccentric that he should have kept away Brother Jonah, Sister Martha, and the rest, who had no shadow of such claims. —
他们总是对别人表示家中欢迎，至少他们自己从来没有疏远过他，所以他应该也不会对约拿弟兄、玛莎姊妹和其他人做这种事，他们并没有这种权利要求。 —

They knew Peter’s maxim, that money was a good egg, and should be laid in a warm nest.
他们知道彼得的格言，金钱是一个好蛋，应该放在一个温暖的巢里。

But Brother Jonah, Sister Martha, and all the needy exiles, held a different point of view. —
但约拿弟兄、玛莎姊妹和所有贫困的流亡者持有不同的观点。 —

Probabilities are as various as the faces to be seen at will in fretwork or paper-hangings: —
可能性与在格子工或壁纸上可以随意看到的面孔一样多样化： —

every form is there, from Jupiter to Judy, if you only look with creative inclination. —
只要你有创造性的意愿，每种形式都在那里，从朱庇特到朱迪。 —

To the poorer and least favored it seemed likely that since Peter had done nothing for them in his life, he would remember them at the last. —
对于那些更贫困和不被青睐的人来说，这似乎是可能的，因为彼得在他的一生中对他们没有做过什么，他会在最后记得他们。 —

Jonah argued that men liked to make a surprise of their wills, while Martha said that nobody need be surprised if he left the best part of his money to those who least expected it. —
约拿认为，人们喜欢把他们的遗嘱搞成惊喜，而玛莎说，如果他把最好的一部分钱留给那些最不期待的人，没人会感到惊讶。 —

Also it was not to be thought but that an own brother “lying there” with dropsy in his legs must come to feel that blood was thicker than water, and if he didn’t alter his will, he might have money by him. —
再说，一个“躺在那里”的满脚水肿的亲兄弟想必会感到血浓于水，如果他不改变他的遗嘱，他可能会有钱。 —

At any rate some blood-relations should be on the premises and on the watch against those who were hardly relations at all. —
无论如何，一些血亲应该在场并对那些几乎不算血亲的人保持警惕。 —

Such things had been known as forged wills and disputed wills, which seemed to have the golden-hazy advantage of somehow enabling non-legatees to live out of them. —
伪造的遗嘱和有争议的遗嘱的事情是已知的，这似乎有一种金色朦胧的优势，以某种方式让非名单上的人有资格从中获利。 —

Again, those who were no blood-relations might be caught making away with things–and poor Peter “lying there” helpless! —
再者，那些不是血亲关系的人可能会一走了之——可怜的彼得“躺在那里”无能为力！ —

Somebody should be on the watch. But in this conclusion they were at one with Solomon and Jane; —
有人应当保持警惕。但在这个结论中，他们与所罗门和简是一致的; —

also, some nephews, nieces, and cousins, arguing with still greater subtilty as to what might be done by a man able to “will away” his property and give himself large treats of oddity, felt in a handsome sort of way that there was a family interest to be attended to, and thought of Stone Court as a place which it would be nothing but right for them to visit. —
此外，一些侄子、侄女和堂亲们，更加巧妙地辩论着一个男人能够“遗赠”他的财产并且给自己带来大笔奇特款待的可能性，感到家庭利益需要被关注，并认为 Stone Court 是他们应该拜访的地方。 —

Sister Martha, otherwise Mrs. Cranch, living with some wheeziness in the Chalky Flats, could not undertake the journey; —
住在灰白色平原上，偶尔有些喘息的玛莎姐，否则就是柯兰奇夫人，不能承担旅行; —

but her son, as being poor Peter’s own nephew, could represent her advantageously, and watch lest his uncle Jonah should make an unfair use of the improbable things which seemed likely to happen. —
但她的儿子，作为贫穷彼得自己的侄子，可以代表她带来好处，并监视以防他的大叔约纳会对可能发生的荒谬之事做出不公平利用。 —

In fact there was a general sense running in the Featherstone blood that everybody must watch everybody else, and that it would be well for everybody else to reflect that the Almighty was watching him.
事实上，在费瑟斯通的血脉中有一种普遍的意识，即每个人都必须互相监视，而对每个人来说，最好想到全能的上帝正在看着他们。

Thus Stone Court continually saw one or other blood-relation alighting or departing, and Mary Garth had the unpleasant task of carrying their messages to Mr. Featherstone, who would see none of them, and sent her down with the still more unpleasant task of telling them so. —
因此，石庭不断看到一个又一个的亲戚下车或上车，玛丽·加斯特有着令人不快的任务，她要把他们的消息转达给费瑟斯通先生，而他一个也不想见，让她去告诉他们这个更加不快的任务。 —

As manager of the household she felt bound to ask them in good provincial fashion to stay and eat; —
作为家庭的管理者，她觉得有必要按照良好的乡村风格邀请他们留下来吃饭; —

but she chose to consult Mrs. Vincy on the point of extra down-stairs consumption now that Mr. Featherstone was laid up.
但是她选择咨询文茜夫人关于现在费瑟斯通先生卧床不起之后楼下额外消费的问题。

“Oh, my dear, you must do things handsomely where there’s last illness and a property. —
“哦，亲爱的，你必须要大方一点，有着最后的疾病和一笔财产。 —

God knows, I don’t grudge them every ham in the house–only, save the best for the funeral. —
上帝知道，我不会计较他们把房子里的每一块火腿都吃光–只是，请把最好的留给葬礼。 —

Have some stuffed veal always, and a fine cheese in cut. —
要时常备一些釀肉以及一块好奶酪。 —

You must expect to keep open house in these last illnesses,” said liberal Mrs. Vincy, once more of cheerful note and bright plumage.
你必须要在这最后的疾病时期开门接待,” 慷概的文茜夫人又回到了欢快的声调和明亮的服饰。

But some of the visitors alighted and did not depart after the handsome treating to veal and ham. —
但有些来访者来了后并没有离去，尽管已经慷慨地吃了釀肉和火腿。 —

Brother Jonah, for example (there are such unpleasant people in most families; —
例如，约拿弟弟（大概在大部分家庭中都有讨厌的人； —

perhaps even in the highest aristocracy there are Brobdingnag specimens, gigantically in debt and bloated at greater expense)–Brother Jonah, I say, having come down in the world, was mainly supported by a calling which he was modest enough not to boast of, though it was much better than swindling either on exchange or turf, but which did not require his presence at Brassing so long as he had a good corner to sit in and a supply of food. —
可能甚至在最高贵族门中也有Brobdingnag般的人，巨大地负债累累又花大钱）–我说，约拿弟弟，因为境遇走下坡路，主要靠一个他谦虚得不会吹嘘的职业维持生活，尽管这职业比起在交易所或跑马场上骗人要好得多，但只要有个可靠的角落坐着和足够的食物，他就不必在布拉辛待着。 —

He chose the kitchen-corner, partly because he liked it best, and partly because he did not want to sit with Solomon, concerning whom he had a strong brotherly opinion. —
他选了厨房的角落，一部分是因为他最喜欢那里，一部分是因为他不想和所罗门坐在一起，对于所罗门，他有着坚定的兄弟看法。 —

Seated in a famous arm-chair and in his best suit, constantly within sight of good cheer, he had a comfortable consciousness of being on the premises, mingled with fleeting suggestions of Sunday and the bar at the Green Man; —
坐在一张著名的扶手椅上，穿着最好的西装，一直能看见丰盛的食物，他舒适地意识到自己就在这座房子里，心中还掺杂着关于周日和绿人酒吧的快乐的回忆； —

and he informed Mary Garth that he should not go out of reach of his brother Peter while that poor fellow was above ground. —
他告诉玛丽·加思，只要那个可怜的家伙活着，他就不会离开他弟弟彼得的身边。 —

The troublesome ones in a family are usually either the wits or the idiots. —
家庭中令人讨厌的人通常要么是风趣的人，要么是白痴。 —

Jonah was the wit among the Featherstones, and joked with the maid- servants when they came about the hearth, but seemed to consider Miss Garth a suspicious character, and followed her with cold eyes.
约拿是费瑟斯通家族中的风趣之人，当女佣们来火炉边时和她们开玩笑，但似乎认为玛丽·加思是一个可疑的人物，用冷漠的眼神跟踪着她。

Mary would have borne this one pair of eyes with comparative ease, but unfortunately there was young Cranch, who, having come all the way from the Chalky Flats to represent his mother and watch his uncle Jonah, also felt it his duty to stay and to sit chiefly in the kitchen to give his uncle company. —
玛丽本来可以相对轻松地承受这一双眼睛，但不幸的是还有年轻的克兰奇，他从白滩远道而来代表他的母亲看守他的叔叔约拿，他觉得也是他的责任留下来，主要在厨房里给他叔叔做伴。 —

Young Cranch was not exactly the balancing point between the wit and the idiot,– verging slightly towards the latter type, and squinting so as to leave everything in doubt about his sentiments except that they were not of a forcible character. —
年轻的克兰奇并不是风趣和白痴之间的平衡点–稍微偏向后者的类型，一眯眼睛让人无法确定他的情感，除了那些情感不是强烈性格的。 —

When Mary Garth entered the kitchen and Mr. Jonah Featherstone began to follow her with his cold detective eyes, young Cranch turning his head in the same direction seemed to insist on it that she should remark how he was squinting, as if he did it with design, like the gypsies when Borrow read the New Testament to them. —
当玛丽·加思进入厨房时，乔纳·费瑟斯通先生开始用他那冷酷的侦探般的眼睛跟在她后面。年轻的克兰奇也转过头去看，似乎是要让她注意到他那斜视的眼睛，好像是有意为之，就像是博罗向吉普赛人读新约圣经时一样。 —

This was rather too much for poor Mary; sometimes it made her bilious, sometimes it upset her gravity. —
这对可怜的玛丽来说有点太过分了；有时会让她胆碱素增高，有时则会打翻她的严肃。 —

One day that she had an opportunity she could not resist describing the kitchen scene to Fred, who would not be hindered from immediately going to see it, affecting simply to pass through. —
有一天她有机会，她不禁向弗雷德描述了厨房的场景，而弗雷德却立刻去看，假装只是路过而已。 —

But no sooner did he face the four eyes than he had to rush through the nearest door which happened to lead to the dairy, and there under the high roof and among the pans he gave way to laughter which made a hollow resonance perfectly audible in the kitchen. —
但是当他正对着那四只眼睛时，他不得不匆忙逃跑，走进最近的门，恰好通往了奶房，在那里，在高高的屋顶和一排排锅碗中，他忍不住发出了让厨房里都能听见的回荡空笑声。 —

He fled by another doorway, but Mr. Jonah, who had not before seen Fred’s white complexion, long legs, and pinched delicacy of face, prepared many sarcasms in which these points of appearance were wittily combined with the lowest moral attributes.
他通过另一扇门逃跑了，但是约纳图先生，当他首次见到弗雷德那张白皙的脸，细长的腿和狭长的细脸时，准备了许多讥讽的话语，将这些外表特征与最低劣的道德属性巧妙地结合在一起。

“Why, Tom, you don’t wear such gentlemanly trousers– you haven’t got half such fine long legs,” said Jonah to his nephew, winking at the same time, to imply that there was something more in these statements than their undeniableness. —
“汤姆，你可没有穿过这样绅士风度的裤子–你的腿没有那么修长细长，”约纳对侄儿说着，同时眨眼示意，暗示这些说法中有比表面更多的东西。 —

Tom looked at his legs, but left it uncertain whether he preferred his moral advantages to a more vicious length of limb and reprehensible gentility of trouser.
汤姆看了看他的腿，但是让人无法确定他是更喜欢自己的道德优势，还是更喜欢更长的腿和被指责的绅士风度裤子。

In the large wainscoted parlor too there were constantly pairs of eyes on the watch, and own relatives eager to be “sitters-up.” —
大大的镶木客厅里也经常有人留心观察，自己的亲属们急于成为“值夜者”。 —

Many came, lunched, and departed, but Brother Solomon and the lady who had been Jane Featherstone for twenty-five years before she was Mrs. Waule found it good to be there every day for hours, without other calculable occupation than that of observing the cunning Mary Garth (who was so deep that she could be found out in nothing) and giving occasional dry wrinkly indications of crying– as if capable of torrents in a wetter season–at the thought that they were not allowed to go into Mr. Featherstone’s room. —
许多人来了，吃了午餐，然后离开，但所罗门兄弟和在成为沃尔夫家人之前曾经是简·费瑟斯通25年的夫人，却觉得呆在那里每天几个小时很好，除了观察那位狡猾的玛丽·加思（她如此深沉，以至于在任何事情上都无法被识破），偶尔还发出干燥而多皱纹的哭声提示——好像在暗示她在潮湿的季节里可能会流下泪来– 心里想着他们不被允许进入费瑟斯通先生的房间。 —

For the old man’s dislike of his own family seemed to get stronger as he got less able to amuse himself by saying biting things to them. —
因为老人对自己的家人的反感似乎随着他越来越没法通过说刻薄的话来娱乐自己而变得更加强烈。 —

Too languid to sting, he had the more venom refluent in his blood.
他虫疲劳而无力去刺，身上的毒液却更加加剧。

Not fully believing the message sent through Mary Garth, they had presented themselves together within the door of the bedroom, both in black–Mrs. Waule having a white handkerchief partially unfolded in her hand–and both with faces in a sort of half-mourning purple; —
不完全相信玛丽·加思传达的信息，他们一起站在卧室的门口，都穿着黑色–沃尔夫夫人手中还拿着一块部分展开的白手绢– 两人的脸都带着一种半哀悼的紫色； —

while Mrs. Vincy with her pink cheeks and pink ribbons flying was actually administering a cordial to their own brother, and the light-complexioned Fred, his short hair curling as might be expected in a gambler’s, was lolling at his ease in a large chair.
而当初是简·费瑟斯通的那位夫人在她成为沃尔夫夫人之前已经有25年的时间，而弗雷德，他那头发短短地卷曲，如赌徒般，正自在地斜靠在一个大椅子上。

Old Featherstone no sooner caught sight of these funereal figures appearing in spite of his orders than rage came to strengthen him more successfully than the cordial. —
当老费瑟斯通一眼看到这些哀悼的身影违背了他的命令出现时，愤怒顿时加强了他，比强心剂更有效。 —

He was propped up on a bed-rest, and always had his gold-headed stick lying by him. —
他躺在一个躺椅上，一直把自己的镀金手杖放在身边。 —

He seized it now and swept it backwards and forwards in as large an area as he could, apparently to ban these ugly spectres, crying in a hoarse sort of screech–
他立即抓住手杖，在尽可能大的范围内来回挥动，似乎为了驱赶这些丑陋的幽灵，用嘶哑的尖叫声喊道-

“Back, back, Mrs. Waule! Back, Solomon!”
“退后，退后，瓦乌太太！退后，所罗门！”

“Oh, Brother. Peter,” Mrs. Waule began–but Solomon put his hand before her repressingly. —
“哦，彼得兄弟，”瓦乌太太开始说-但所罗门用手制止了她。 —

He was a large-cheeked man, nearly seventy, with small furtive eyes, and was not only of much blander temper but thought himself much deeper than his brother Peter; —
他是一个大脸盘的人，将近七十岁，眼睛小而狡猾，不仅性情温和得多，而且认为自己比弟弟彼得更深一层； —

indeed not likely to be deceived in any of his fellow-men, inasmuch as they could not well be more greedy and deceitful than he suspected them of being. —
事实上，他认为自己对他的同胞们的误解性格深透，因为他怀疑他们可能不会比他怀疑他们更贪婪欺诈。 —

Even the invisible powers, he thought, were likely to be soothed by a bland parenthesis here and there–coming from a man of property, who might have been as impious as others.
他认为，连看不见的力量也可能会被某种言辞所安抚-放在那里的是一个有产业的男人，也许会和其他人一样胆大包天。

“Brother Peter,” he said, in a wheedling yet gravely official tone, “It’s nothing but right I should speak to you about the Three Crofts and the Manganese. —
“彼得兄弟，”他心安理得但又严肃的语调说，“我有必要和你谈谈三片农田和锰矿的事。 —

The Almighty knows what I’ve got on my mind–”
全能者知道我心中所想的-

“Then he knows more than I want to know,” said Peter, laying down his stick with a show of truce which had a threat in it too, for he reversed the stick so as to make the gold handle a club in case of closer fighting, and looked hard at Solomon’s bald head.
“那么他知道的比我想知道的多。”彼得说着，放下手杖，带有威胁意味的表现，因为他把手杖倒过来，让镀金把手成为一根棒棍，将目光紧紧地盯着所罗门的光头。

“There’s things you might repent of, Brother, for want of speaking to me,” said Solomon, not advancing, however. —
“对不起，兄弟，你会为不和我说话而后悔的事情。”所罗门说，但没有前进。 —

“I could sit up with you to-night, and Jane with me, willingly, and you might take your own time to speak, or let me speak.”
“我今晚可以陪你，简也可以和我一起，愿意，你可以随意说话，或让我说话。”

“Yes, I shall take my own time–you needn’t offer me yours,” said Peter.
“是的，我会按我的时间行事-你不必提供你的时间。”彼得说。

“But you can’t take your own time to die in, Brother,” began Mrs. Waule, with her usual woolly tone. —
“但是你不能自己选择死亡的时间，兄弟。”瓦乌太太用她通常的模糊语调开始说。 —

“And when you lie speechless you may be tired of having strangers about you, and you may think of me and my children”–but here her voice broke under the touching thought which she was attributing to her speechless brother; —
“当你无言以对时，可能已经厌倦了身边的陌生人，可能会想起我和我的孩子们”–但在这个感人的想法之下，她的声音被打断了，她把这个想法归功于她无言的兄弟； —

the mention of ourselves being naturally affecting.
提及我们自己自然而然引起共鸣。

“No, I shan’t,” said old Featherstone, contradictiously. “I shan’t think of any of you. —
“不，我不会的，”老费瑟斯通顽固地说。“我不会想起你们中的任何一个。 —

I’ve made my will, I tell you, I’ve made my will.” —
我已经立遗嘱了，我告诉你，我已经立遗嘱了。” —

Here he turned his head towards Mrs. Vincy, and swallowed some more of his cordial.
在这里，他把头转向范西太太，再吞下了一些他的滋补品。

“Some people would be ashamed to fill up a place belonging by rights to others,” said Mrs. Waule, turning her narrow eyes in the same direction.
“有些人会羞于填补属于别人的位置”，瓦尔太太转动她狭窄的眼睛朝同一个方向看去。

“Oh, sister,” said Solomon, with ironical softness, “you and me are not fine, and handsome, and clever enough: —
“哦，姐姐，”所罗门轻蔑地说，“你和我不够漂亮、聪明： —

we must be humble and let smart people push themselves before us.”
我们必须谦卑，让机敏的人在我们之前挤身。”

Fred’s spirit could not bear this: rising and looking at Mr. Featherstone, he said, “Shall my mother and I leave the room, sir, that you may be alone with your friends?”
弗雷德的精神无法忍受这一切：站起来看着菲瑟斯通先生，他说：“先生，我和我母亲离开房间好吗，让您可以和您的朋友们单独相处？”

“Sit down, I tell you,” said old Featherstone, snappishly. “Stop where you are. —
“坐下，我告诉你，”老费瑟斯通尖刻地说。“待在原地。 —

Good-by, Solomon,” he added, trying to wield his stick again, but failing now that he had reversed the handle. —
“再见，所罗门，”他补充道，试图再次挥动他的手杖，但现在却失败了，因为他已经倒转了握把。 —

“Good-by, Mrs. Waule. Don’t you come again.”
“再见，瓦尔太太。你别再来了。”

“I shall be down-stairs, Brother, whether or no,” said Solomon. —
“无论如何，我会下楼的，兄弟，”索罗门说。 —

“I shall do my duty, and it remains to be seen what the Almighty will allow.”
“我会尽我的职责，到底让全能者允许什么还有待观察。”

“Yes, in property going out of families,” said Mrs. Waule, in continuation,–“and where there’s steady young men to carry on. —
“是的，在家族财产流失时，”瓦尔太太接着说，“只有在有稳健的年轻人来继承的情况下。” —

But I pity them who are not such, and I pity their mothers. —
但我同情那些不是这样的人，我同情他们的母亲。 —

Good-by, Brother Peter.”
“再见，彼得兄弟。”

“Remember, I’m the eldest after you, Brother, and prospered from the first, just as you did, and have got land already by the name of Featherstone,” said Solomon, relying much on that reflection, as one which might be suggested in the watches of the night. —
“记住，我是你之后的长子弟，一直如你一样顺利，已经有一块叫做费瑟斯通的土地了，”所罗门说，非常依赖这样的反思，在夜间可能会被这个反思所启发。 —

“But I bid you good-by for the present.”
“但我暂时和你告别。”

Their exit was hastened by their seeing old Mr. Featherstone pull his wig on each side and shut his eyes with his mouth-widening grimace, as if he were determined to be deaf and blind.
他们匆忙离开了，因为他们看到老费瑟斯通双手拉扯假发，闭上眼睛，嘴角一阵扭曲，仿佛他决定要变聋子变瞎子。

None the less they came to Stone Court daily and sat below at the post of duty, sometimes carrying on a slow dialogue in an undertone in which the observation and response were so far apart, that any one hearing them might have imagined himself listening to speaking automata, in some doubt whether the ingenious mechanism would really work, or wind itself up for a long time in order to stick and be silent. —
尽管如此，他们每天都来到斯通庄园，坐在职责上方，有时以低沉的声音进行慢条斯理的对话，观察与回应之间相距甚远，以至任何听到他们的人都可能认为自己在听说话的自动机，怀疑这个巧妙的机械是否真的会运转，或者长时间自动复位以致于停顿沉默。 —

Solomon and Jane would have been sorry to be quick: —
所罗门和简绝不希望显得机敏； —

what that led to might be seen on the other side of the wall in the person of Brother Jonah.
明白这样会导致什么，可以在墙上的另一侧看到约拿的身影。

But their watch in the wainscoted parlor was sometimes varied by the presence of other guests from far or near. —
但他们在楼下的实木饰的客厅里看时，客人有时也会有所不同。 —

Now that Peter Featherstone was up-stairs, his property could be discussed with all that local enlightenment to be found on the spot: —
现在彼得·费瑟斯通在楼上，他的财产可以在当地被讨论透彻： —

some rural and Middlemarch neighbors expressed much agreement with the family and sympathy with their interest against the Vincys, and feminine visitors were even moved to tears, in conversation with Mrs. Waule, when they recalled the fact that they themselves had been disappointed in times past by codicils and marriages for spite on the part of ungrateful elderly gentlemen, who, it might have been supposed, had been spared for something better. —
一些农村和米德尔马奇的邻居表示赞同这家人，并对他们反对温西家族的兴趣表示同情，一些女性客人甚至在与沃尔夫太太交谈时忍不住流泪，想起过去他们自己曾因蛮横老绅士的遗嘱和出于恶意的婚姻而失望，本以为他们会为更好的事情而被留下。 —

Such conversation paused suddenly, like an organ when the bellows are let drop, if Mary Garth came into the room; —
只要玛丽·加思进入房间，这样的对话就突然停止，就像风琴一样，在风箱被放下时停止了； —

and all eyes were turned on her as a possible legatee, or one who might get access to iron chests.
所有人的目光都转向她，她可能是遗产受益人，或者是可以接触铁箱的人。

But the younger men who were relatives or connections of the family, were disposed to admire her in this problematic light, as a girl who showed much conduct, and who among all the chances that were flying might turn out to be at least a moderate prize. —
但是那些与这家族有关系的年轻男子倾向于以这种问题性光芒来赞美她，认为她表现得很有操守，而在所有可能发生的事情中，她至少可能成为一个不错的奖品。 —

Hence she had her share of compliments and polite attentions.
因此她也受到了一定比例的赞美和礼貌关注。

Especially from Mr. Borthrop Trumbull, a distinguished bachelor and auctioneer of those parts, much concerned in the sale of land and cattle: —
特别是从那里的著名的独身拍卖师博思洛普·特朗布尔先生，他对土地和牲畜的出售非常关注： —

a public character, indeed, whose name was seen on widely distributed placards, and who might reasonably be sorry for those who did not know of him. —
事实上，他是一个公众人物，他的名字出现在广泛分发的广告牌上，也许对那些不了解他的人感到惋惜。 —

He was second cousin to Peter Featherstone, and had been treated by him with more amenity than any other relative, being useful in matters of business; —
他是彼得·费瑟斯通的堂兄，对他比其他亲戚更为友好，在生意上非常有用； —

and in that programme of his funeral which the old man had himself dictated, he had been named as a Bearer. —
在他自己口述的葬礼方案中，他被列为帷幕。 —

There was no odious cupidity in Mr. Borthrop Trumbull– nothing more than a sincere sense of his own merit, which, he was aware, in case of rivalry might tell against competitors; —
博思洛普·特朗布尔先生并不具备可憎的贪婪——只是一种对自己实力的真诚感觉，他清楚，如果有竞争对手的话，这种实力可能会对竞争对手产生影响； —

so that if Peter Featherstone, who so far as he, Trumbull, was concerned, had behaved like as good a soul as ever breathed, should have done anything handsome by him, all he could say was, that he had never fished and fawned, but had advised him to the best of his experience, which now extended over twenty years from the time of his apprenticeship at fifteen, and was likely to yield a knowledge of no surreptitious kind. —
所以，如果彼得·费瑟斯通，对于特朗布尔来说，无疑表现得像一个又慈祥又虔诚的灵魂，对他行了一些慷慨之举，他只能说，他从未拍马屁，而是根据自己超过二十年的经验为他提供建议——从十五岁起的见习期算起，这段经验不可能是偷偷摸摸获得的。 —

His admiration was far from being confined to himself, but was accustomed professionally as well as privately to delight in estimating things at a high rate. —
他的钦佩并不仅限于自己，职业上以及私底下，他习惯于高估事物。 —

He was an amateur of superior phrases, and never used poor language without immediately correcting himself– which was fortunate, as he was rather loud, and given to predominate, standing or walking about frequently, pulling down his waistcoat with the air of a man who is very much of his own opinion, trimming himself rapidly with his fore-finger, and marking each new series in these movements by a busy play with his large seals. —
他是个高级词汇的业余爱好者，绝不使用低俗语言，一旦使用了立即纠正——这是幸运的，因为他说话声音较大，喜欢占优势，经常站立或行走，频繁地用食指拉下背心，每次这些动作的变化都会以他的大印章起舞表示繁忙。 —

There was occasionally a little fierceness in his demeanor, but it was directed chiefly against false opinion, of which there is so much to correct in the world that a man of some reading and experience necessarily has his patience tried. —
他的态度偶尔有些狠厉，但主要是针对错误的观念，世界上这种观念需要纠正的东西太多，所以有一些阅读和经验的人必然会耐心受到考验。 —

He felt that the Featherstone family generally was of limited understanding, but being a man of the world and a public character, took everything as a matter of course, and even went to converse with Mr. Jonah and young Cranch in the kitchen, not doubting that he had impressed the latter greatly by his leading questions concerning the Chalky Flats. If anybody had observed that Mr. Borthrop Trumbull, being an auctioneer, was bound to know the nature of everything, he would have smiled and trimmed himself silently with the sense that he came pretty near that. —
他觉得费瑟斯通家族普遍理解力有限，但作为一个见多识广、公众人物的人，他把一切都视为理所当然，并甚至去厨房与乔纳先生和年轻的克兰奇交谈，毫不怀疑他通过提出关于白垩平原的引导性问题使后者深受印象。如果有人观察到博思洛普·特朗布尔是一个拍卖师，他应该了解一切的特性，他会微笑并沉默地整理自己，感到自己相当接近这一点。 —

On the whole, in an auctioneering way, he was an honorable man, not ashamed of his business, and feeling that “the celebrated Peel, now Sir Robert,” if introduced to him, would not fail to recognize his importance.
总体来说，在拍卖领域，他是一个诚实的人，不为自己的业务感到羞耻，他觉得“着名的皮尔，如今的罗伯特爵士”，如果与他相识，不会忽视他的重要性。

“I don’t mind if I have a slice of that ham, and a glass of that ale, Miss Garth, if you will allow me,” he said, coming into the parlor at half-past eleven, after having had the exceptional privilege of seeing old Featherstone, and standing with his back to the fire between Mrs. Waule and Solomon.
“如果您愿意的话，我不介意吃一片那个火腿，和一杯那个麦酒，加斯女士，”他在十一点半进入客厅说，此前特别有幸见到了老费瑟斯通，而此刻背对着火，站在华尔太太和所罗门之间。

“It’s not necessary for you to go out;–let me ring the bell.”
“你不必出去；—让我来按铃。”

“Thank you,” said Mary, “I have an errand.”
“谢谢，”玛丽说，“我有事情。”

“Well, Mr. Trumbull, you’re highly favored,” said Mrs. Waule.
“嗯，特朗布尔先生，你真是受宠！”华尔太太说。

“What! seeing the old man?” said the auctioneer, playing with his seals dispassionately. —
“什么！见到老人？”拍着他的印章，拍卖师冷静地说。 —

“Ah, you see he has relied on me considerably.” —
“啊，你看，他相当依赖我。” —

Here he pressed his lips together, and frowned meditatively.
在这里，他咬了咬嘴唇，皱着眉头沉吟着。

“Might anybody ask what their brother has been saying?” —
“有人可以问问他们的兄弟说了什么？” —

said Solomon, in a soft tone of humility, in which he had a sense of luxurious cunning, he being a rich man and not in need of it.
所罗门以一种谦卑的柔和语调说，对他来说，这种感觉像是奢侈的狡诈，因为他是一个富人，根本不需要这种感觉。

“Oh yes, anybody may ask,” said Mr. Trumbull, with loud and good-humored though cutting sarcasm. —
“哦，是的，任何人都可以问，”特朗布尔先生带着大声而好脾气的讽刺说。 —

“Anybody may interrogate. Any one may give their remarks an interrogative turn,” he continued, his sonorousness rising with his style. —
“任何人都可以质问。任何人都可以将他们的评论转为疑问句，”他继续说，他那雄壮的声音伴随着他的风格而上升。 —

“This is constantly done by good speakers, even when they anticipate no answer. —
“这是不断被好的演讲者所做的。即使他们不期望得到答复，也是这样。这就是我们所谓的修辞手法——言辞出奇的地方，可以这么说。”雄辩的拍卖师对自己的机智微笑。 —

It is what we call a figure of speech–speech at a high figure, as one may say.” The eloquent auctioneer smiled at his own ingenuity.
“如果特朗布尔先生来自悠扬的声板，”所罗门说。

“I shouldn’t be sorry to hear he’d remembered you, Mr. Trumbull,” said Solomon. —
“如果他想起你，我会很高兴，特朗布尔先生。”所罗门说。 —

“I never was against the deserving. It’s the undeserving I’m against.”
“我从来不反对值得的人。我反对不值得的人。”

“Ah, there it is, you see, there it is,” said Mr. Trumbull, significantly. —
“啊，就是那样，你看，就是那样。”特朗布尔先生有意义地说道。 —

“It can’t be denied that undeserving people have been legatees, and even residuary legatees. —
“无可否认，有些不当的人成了遗产继承人，甚至是遗产的受益人。 —

It is so, with testamentary dispositions.” —
这就是遗嘱的安排。” —

Again he pursed up his lips and frowned a little.
他又皱起了嘴唇，微微皱起了眉头。

“Do you mean to say for certain, Mr. Trumbull, that my brother has left his land away from our family?” —
“特朗布尔先生，你是不是一定要说，我哥哥把他的土地留给了我们家之外的人？” —

said Mrs. Waule, on whom, as an unhopeful woman, those long words had a depressing effect.
夫人沃尔说道，身为悲观的女人，这些长句让她感到沮丧。

“A man might as well turn his land into charity land at once as leave it to some people,” observed Solomon, his sister’s question having drawn no answer.
“一个人与其把他的土地直接变成慈善土地，还不如留给某些人，”所罗门说道，他姐姐的问题没有得到答复。

“What, Blue-Coat land?” said Mrs. Waule, again. —
“什么，蓝袍地？”夫人沃尔又问道。 —

“Oh, Mr. Trumbull, you never can mean to say that. —
“哦，特朗布尔先生，你肯定不是说那样。 —

It would be flying in the face of the Almighty that’s prospered him.”
那简直是违背了一直使他成功的全能睿智的。”

While Mrs. Waule was speaking, Mr. Borthrop Trumbull walked away from the fireplace towards the window, patrolling with his fore-finger round the inside of his stock, then along his whiskers and the curves of his hair. —
在夫人沃尔说话的时候，博思罗普·特朗布尔先生走离了壁炉，走向窗户，用食指沿着领结的内侧、胡须和头发的曲线巡视。 —

He now walked to Miss Garth’s work-table, opened a book which lay there and read the title aloud with pompous emphasis as if he were offering it for sale:
他现在走到了加思小姐的工作桌旁，打开了一本放在那里的书，以夸张的重音念出书名，仿佛在兜售:

“Anne of Geierstein' (pronounced Jeersteen) or theMaiden of the Mist, by the author of Waverley.’ —
“《吉尔斯坦的安妮》或《薄雾少女》，由《韦弗利》作者所著。” —

” Then turning the page, he began sonorously–“The course of four centuries has well-nigh elapsed since the series of events which are related in the following chapters took place on the Continent.” —
然后翻页，郑重其事地开始朗读——“距离以下章节所述的事件发生在大陆上，已经有将近四个世纪的时间了。” —

He pronounced the last truly admirable word with the accent on the last syllable, not as unaware of vulgar usage, but feeling that this novel delivery enhanced the sonorous beauty which his reading had given to the whole.
他把最后一个真正了不起的词读出来时，将重音放在了最后一个音节上，不是因为不了解通俗用法，而是感觉这种新颖的交付方式增强了他朗读时整体的音响美感。

And now the servant came in with the tray, so that the moments for answering Mrs. Waule’s question had gone by safely, while she and Solomon, watching Mr. Trumbull’s movements, were thinking that high learning interfered sadly with serious affairs. —
当仆人端着托盘进来的时候，回答沃尔夫夫人的问题的时机已经安全地过去了，所罗门和沃尔皆在注视着特兰布尔先生的动作，心里想着高深的学问与认真的事务实在是不搭调。 —

Mr. Borthrop Trumbull really knew nothing about old Featherstone’s will; —
博索普·特朗布尔先生其实对老费瑟斯通先生的遗嘱一无所知； —

but he could hardly have been brought to declare any ignorance unless he had been arrested for misprision of treason.
但除非他因渎职被捕，否则他根本不会承认自己什么都不知道。

“I shall take a mere mouthful of ham and a glass of ale,” he said, reassuringly. —
“我只会吃几口火腿和一杯啤酒,”他说，令人放心。 —

“As a man with public business, I take a snack when I can. —
“作为一位有公事在身的人，随时都得补充点食物。 —

I will back this ham,” he added, after swallowing some morsels with alarming haste, “against any ham in the three kingdoms. —
我非常赞赏这块火腿，”他边说边飞快地吞掉一些肉块，“比三国里的任何一块火腿都好。 —

In my opinion it is better than the hams at Freshitt Hall– and I think I am a tolerable judge.”
我认为这块比弗雷希特庄园里的要好–我觉得我是一个相当有眼光的评判者。”

“Some don’t like so much sugar in their hams,” said Mrs. Waule. “But my poor brother would always have sugar.”
“有些人不喜欢火腿里面太多糖，”沃尔夫夫人说，“但我可怜的兄弟总是喜欢加糖。”

“If any person demands better, he is at liberty to do so; but, God bless me, what an aroma! —
“如果有人要求更好的火腿，他可以随时提出来；但是，天啊，这种香味！ —

I should be glad to buy in that quality, I know. —
我很乐意买这种质量的，我知道。 —

There is some gratification to a gentleman”– here Mr. Trumbull’s voice conveyed an emotional remonstrance– “in having this kind of ham set on his table.”
对于一个绅士而言，有这种火腿摆在桌上有一定的满足感”– 特朗布尔先生的声音传达出一种感性的反驳。

He pushed aside his plate, poured out his glass of ale and drew his chair a little forward, profiting by the occasion to look at the inner side of his legs, which he stroked approvingly– Mr. Trumbull having all those less frivolous airs and gestures which distinguish the predominant races of the north.
他推开自己的盘子，倒了一杯啤酒，并稍微往前挪了一点椅子，借此机会查看自己腿的内侧，自己颇为喜欢（特朗布尔先生具有那些区别于北方主导种族的较不轻浮的举止和手势）。

“You have an interesting work there, I see, Miss Garth,” he observed, when Mary re-entered. —
“我看你那边有一本有趣的书, 加思小姐，”当玛丽重新进入房间时，他评论道。 —

“It is by the author of Waverley': that is Sir Walter Scott. I have bought one of his works myself-- a very nice thing, a very superior publication, entitledIvanhoe.’ —
“这是《月落孤鹭堡》，作者是瓦尔特·司各特爵士。我自己也买了他的一部作品– 一本非常不错的书，一个非常出色的出版物，名叫《艾凡何》。 —

You will not get any writer to beat him in a hurry, I think– he will not, in my opinion, be speedily surpassed. —
我认为在短期内，你找不到比他更厉害的作家– 在我看来，他不会迅速被超越。 —

I have just been reading a portion at the commencement of `Anne of Jeersteen.’ It commences well.” —
我刚看了《詹妮夫人的庄园》开头的一部分。它开始得很不错。 —

(Things never began with Mr. Borthrop Trumbull: —
事情从来都不是从博斯洛普·特伦布尔先生那里开始的： —

they always commenced, both in private life and on his handbills. —
无论在私人生活中还是在他的广告单上，他总是开始。 —

) “You are a reader, I see. Do you subscribe to our Middlemarch library?”
“我看你是个读书人。你订阅我们的《米德尔玛奇图书馆》吗？

“No,” said Mary. “Mr. Fred Vincy brought this book.”
“不，”玛丽说，“是弗雷德·温西先生带来的这本书。”

“I am a great bookman myself,” returned Mr. Trumbull. —
“我自己是个狂热爱书之人。” 特伦布尔先生回答说。 —

“I have no less than two hundred volumes in calf, and I flatter myself they are well selected. —
“我足足有两百本皮面的书，我自问它们都是精选的。 —

Also pictures by Murillo, Rubens, Teniers, Titian, Vandyck, and others. —
另外还有穆里略、鲁本斯、坦尼尔斯、提香、范戴克等画作。 —

I shall be happy to lend you any work you like to mention, Miss Garth.”
“我会很乐意借给你任何一本你提到的书，加思小姐。”

“I am much obliged,” said Mary, hastening away again, “but I have little time for reading.”
“非常感谢。”玛丽匆匆说道，“但我很少有阅读时间。”

“I should say my brother has done something for her in his will,” said Mr. Solomon, in a very low undertone, when she had shut the door behind her, pointing with his head towards the absent Mary.
“我的弟弟应该在她的遗嘱里为她做了些什么。”所罗门先生用很低的声音说，指着离开的玛丽。

“His first wife was a poor match for him, though,” said Mrs. Waule. “She brought him nothing: —
“他第一个妻子对他来说是个较差的选择，虽然，”瓦尔太太说. “她没有给他带来什么： —

and this young woman is only her niece,– and very proud. —
而这个年轻女人只是她的侄女，- 而且非常骄傲。 —

And my brother has always paid her wage.”
而且我弟弟总是付她工资。”

“A sensible girl though, in my opinion,” said Mr. Trumbull, finishing his ale and starting up with an emphatic adjustment of his waistcoat. —
“不过，在我看来，她是个明智的女孩。”特伦布尔先生喝完啤酒，站起来，大胆地整理一下背心。 —

“I have observed her when she has been mixing medicine in drops. She minds what she is doing, sir. —
我观察过她滴药的时候。她做事很小心，先生。 —

That is a great point in a woman, and a great point for our friend up-stairs, poor dear old soul. —
这是一个女人的优点，也是我们楼上那位可怜的老灵魂的优点。 —

A man whose life is of any value should think of his wife as a nurse: —
一个珍视生命的男人应该把妻子视为一名护士： —

that is what I should do, if I married; and I believe I have lived single long enough not to make a mistake in that line. —
如果我结婚，我会这么做；我相信我单身生活得足够长，不至于在这方面犯错。 —

Some men must marry to elevate themselves a little, but when I am in need of that, I hope some one will tell me so–I hope some individual will apprise me of the fact. —
有些男人必须结婚才能提升自己一点，但当我需要的时候，希望有人告诉我——希望有人提醒我这个事实。 —

I wish you good morning, Mrs. Waule. Good morning, Mr. Solomon. —
早上好，瓦尔夫人。早上好，所罗门先生。 —

I trust we shall meet under less melancholy auspices.”
我希望我们能在不那么忧郁的情况下见面。

When Mr. Trumbull had departed with a fine bow, Solomon, leaning forward, observed to his sister, “You may depend, Jane, my brother has left that girl a lumping sum.”
当特伦布尔先生带着一个优雅的鞠躬离开后，所罗门俯身对他的妹妹说，“你可以相信，简，我哥留给那女孩一大笔钱。”

“Anybody would think so, from the way Mr. Trumbull talks,” said Jane. Then, after a pause, “He talks as if my daughters wasn’t to be trusted to give drops.”
“从特伦布尔先生说话的方式来看，任何人都会这么想。”简说。然后，停顿片刻，“他说得好像我的女儿们不能被信任给药滴。”

“Auctioneers talk wild,” said Solomon. “Not but what Trumbull has made money.”
“拍卖师说话很夸张，”所罗门说。“不过特伦布尔还是赚了不少钱。”