名著·呼啸山庄 - 第1节


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  一八○一年。我刚刚拜访过我的房东回来--就是那个将要给我惹麻烦的孤独的邻居。这儿可真是一个美丽的乡间!在整个英格兰境内,我不相信我竟能找到这样一个能与尘世的喧嚣完全隔绝的地方,一个厌世者的理想的天堂。而希刺克厉夫和我正是分享这儿荒凉景色的如此合适的一对。一个绝妙的人!在我骑着马走上前去时,看见他的黑眼睛缩在眉毛下猜忌地瞅着我。而在我通报自己姓名时.他把手指更深地藏到背心袋里,完全是一副不信任我的神气。刹那间,我对他产生了亲切之感,而他却根本未察觉到。

   'Mr. Heathcliff?' I said.

  “希刺克厉夫先生吗?”我说。

   A nod was the answer.

  回答是点一下头。

   'Mr. Lockwood, your new tenant, sir. I do myself the honour of calling as soon as possible after my arrival, to express the hope that I have not inconvenienced you by my perseverance in soliciting the occupation of Thrushcross Grange: I heard yesterday you had had some thoughts - '

  “先生,我是洛克乌德,您的新房客。我一到这儿就尽可能马上来向您表示敬意 ,希望我坚持要租画眉田庄没什么使您不方便。昨天我听说您想--”。

   'Thrushcross Grange is my own, sir,' he interrupted, wincing. 'I should not allow any one to inconvenience me, if I could hinder it - walk in!'

  “画眉田庄是我自己的,先生。”他打断了我的话,闪避着。“只要是我能够阻止,我总是不允许任何人给我什么不方便的。进来吧!”

  这一声“进来”是咬着牙说出来的,表示了这样一种情绪,“见鬼!”甚至他靠着的那扇大门也没有对这句许诺表现出同情而移动;我想情况决定我接受这样的邀请:我对一个仿佛比我还更怪僻的人颇感兴趣。

   When he saw my horse's breast fairly pushing the barrier, he did put out his hand to unchain it, and then sullenly preceded me up the causeway, calling, as we entered the court, - 'Joseph, take Mr. Lockwood's horse; and bring up some wine.'

  他看见我的马的胸部简直要碰上栅栏了,竟也伸手解开了门链,然后阴郁地领我走上石路,在我们到了院子里的时候,就叫着: “约瑟夫,把洛克乌德先生的马牵走。拿点酒来。”

   'Here we have the whole establishment of domestics, I suppose,' was the reflection suggested by this compound order. 'No wonder the grass grows up between the flags, and cattle are the only hedge- cutters.'

  “我想他全家只有这一个人吧,”那句双重命令引起了这种想法。“怪不得石板缝间长满了草,而且只有牛替他们修剪篱笆哩。”

   Joseph was an elderly, nay, an old man: very old, perhaps, though hale and sinewy. 'The Lord help us!' he soliloquised in an undertone of peevish displeasure, while relieving me of my horse: looking, meantime, in my face so sourly that I charitably conjectured he must have need of divine aid to digest his dinner, and his pious ejaculation had no reference to my unexpected advent.

  约瑟夫是个上年纪的人,不,简直是个老头--也许很老了,虽然还很健壮结实。“求主保佑我们!”他接过我的马时,别别扭扭地不高兴地低声自言自语着,同时又那么愤怒地盯着我的脸,使我善意地揣度他一定需要神来帮助才能消化他的饭食,而他那虔诚的突然喊叫跟我这突然来访是毫无关系的。

   Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff's dwelling. 'Wuthering' being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather. Pure, bracing ventilation they must have up there at all times, indeed: one may guess the power of the north wind blowing over the edge, by the excessive slant of a few stunted firs at the end of the house; and by a range of gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way, as if craving alms of the sun. Happily, the architect had foresight to build it strong: the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall, and the corners defended with large jutting stones.

  呼啸山庄是希刺克厉夫先生的住宅名称。“呼啸”是一个意味深长的内地形容词,形容这地方在风暴的天气里所受的气压骚动。的确,他们这儿一定是随时都流通着振奋精神的纯洁空气。从房屋那头有几棵矮小的枞树过度倾斜,还有那一排瘦削的荆棘都向着一个方向伸展枝条,仿佛在向太阳乞讨温暖,就可以猜想到北风吹过的威力了。幸亏建筑师有先见把房子盖得很结实:窄小的窗子深深地嵌在墙里,墙角有大块的凸出的石头防护着。

  在跨进门槛之前,我停步观赏房屋前面大量的稀奇古怪的雕刻,特别是正门附近,那上面除了许多残破的怪兽和不知羞的小男孩外,我还发现“一五○○”年代和“哈里顿·恩萧”的名字。我本想说一两句话,向这倨傲无礼的主人请教这地方的简短历史,但是从他站在门口的姿势看来,是要我赶快进去,要不就干脆离开,而我在参观内部之前也并不想增加他的不耐烦。

   One stop brought us into the family sitting-room, without any introductory lobby or passage: they call it here 'the house' pre- eminently. It includes kitchen and parlour, generally; but I believe at Wuthering Heights the kitchen is forced to retreat altogether into another quarter: at least I distinguished a chatter of tongues, and a clatter of culinary utensils, deep within; and I observed no signs of roasting, boiling, or baking, about the huge fireplace; nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls. One end, indeed, reflected splendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes, interspersed with silver jugs and tankards, towering row after row, on a vast oak dresser, to the very roof. The latter had never been under-drawn: its entire anatomy lay bare to an inquiring eye, except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beef, mutton, and ham, concealed it. Above the chimney were sundry villainous old guns, and a couple of horse-pistols: and, by way of ornament, three gaudily-painted canisters disposed along its ledge. The floor was of smooth, white stone; the chairs, high-backed, primitive structures, painted green: one or two heavy black ones lurking in the shade. In an arch under the dresser reposed a huge, liver-coloured bitch pointer, surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies; and other dogs haunted other recesses.

  不用经过任何穿堂过道,我们径直进了这家的起坐间:他们颇有见地索性把这里叫作“屋子”。一般所谓屋子是把厨房和大厅都包括在内的;但是我认为在呼啸山庄里,厨房是被迫撤退到另一个角落里去了;至少我辨别出在顶里面有喋喋的说话声和厨房用具的磕碰声;而且在大壁炉里我并没看出烧煮或烘烤食物的痕迹,墙上也没有铜锅和锡滤锅之类在闪闪发光。倒是在屋子的一头,在一个大橡木橱柜上摆着一叠叠的白镴盘子;以及一些银壶和银杯散置着,一排排,垒得高高的直到屋顶,的确它们射出的光线和热气映照得灿烂夺目。橱柜从未上过漆;它的整个构造任凭人去研究。只是有一处,被摆满了麦饼、牛羊腿和火腿之类的木架遮盖住了。壁炉台上有杂七杂八的老式难看的枪,还有一对马枪;并且,为了装饰起见,还有三个画得俗气的茶叶罐靠边排列着。地是平滑的白石铺砌的;椅子是高背的,老式的结构,涂着绿色;一两把笨重的黑椅子藏在暗处。橱柜下面的圆拱里,躺着一条好大的、猪肝色的母猎狗,一窝唧唧叫着的小狗围着它,还有些狗在别的空地走动。

   The apartment and furniture would have been nothing extraordinary as belonging to a homely, northern farmer, with a stubborn countenance, and stalwart limbs set out to advantage in knee- breeches and gaiters. Such an individual seated in his arm-chair, his mug of ale frothing on the round table before him, is to be seen in any circuit of five or six miles among these hills, if you go at the right time after dinner. But Mr. Heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living. He is a dark- skinned gipsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman: that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire: rather slovenly, perhaps, yet not looking amiss with his negligence, because he has an erect and handsome figure; and rather morose. Possibly, some people might suspect him of a degree of under-bred pride; I have a sympathetic chord within that tells me it is nothing of the sort: I know, by instinct, his reserve springs from an aversion to showy displays of feeling - to manifestations of mutual kindliness. He'll love and hate equally under cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved or hated again. No, I'm running on too fast: I bestow my own attributes over-liberally on him. Mr. Heathcliff may have entirely dissimilar reasons for keeping his hand out of the way when he meets a would-be acquaintance, to those which actuate me. Let me hope my constitution is almost peculiar: my dear mother used to say I should never have a comfortable home; and only last summer I proved myself perfectly unworthy of one.

  要是这屋子和家具属于一个质朴的北方农民,他有着顽强的面貌,以及穿短裤和绑腿套挺方便的粗壮的腿,那倒没有什么稀奇。这样的人,坐在他的扶手椅上,一大杯啤酒在面前的圆桌上冒着白沫,只要你在饭后适当的时间,在这山中方圆五六英里区域内走一趟,总可以看得到的。但是希刺克厉夫先生和他的住宅,以及生活方式,却形成一种古怪的对比。在外貌上他像一个黑皮肤的吉普赛人,在衣着和风度上他又像个绅士--也就是,像乡绅那样的绅士:也许有点邋遢,可是懒拖拖的并不难看,因为他有一个挺拔、漂亮的身材;而且有点郁郁不乐的样子。可能有人会怀疑,他因某种程度的缺乏教养而傲慢无礼;我内心深处却产生了同情之感,认为他并不是这类人。我直觉地知道他的冷淡是由于对矫揉造作--对互相表示亲热感到厌恶。他把爱和恨都掩盖起来,至于被人爱或恨,他又认为是一种鲁莽的事。不,我这样下判断可太早了:我把自己的特性慷慨地施与他了。希刺克厉夫先生遇见一个算是熟人时,便把手藏起来,也许另有和我所想的完全不同的原因。但愿我这天性可称得上是特别的吧。我亲爱的母亲总说我永远不会有个舒服的家。直到去年夏天我自己才证实了真是完全不配有那样一个家。

   While enjoying a month of fine weather at the sea-coast, I was thrown into the company of a most fascinating creature: a real goddess in my eyes, as long as she took no notice of me. I 'never told my love' vocally; still, if looks have language, the merest idiot might have guessed I was over head and ears: she understood me at last, and looked a return - the sweetest of all imaginable looks. And what did I do? I confess it with shame - shrunk icily into myself, like a snail; at every glance retired colder and farther; till finally the poor innocent was led to doubt her own senses, and, overwhelmed with confusion at her supposed mistake, persuaded her mamma to decamp. By this curious turn of disposition I have gained the reputation of deliberate heartlessness; how undeserved, I alone can appreciate.

  我正在海边享受着一个月的好天气的当儿,一下子认识了一个迷人的人儿--在她还没注意到我的时候,在我眼中她就是一个真正的女神。我从来没有把我的爱情说出口;可是,如果神色可以传情的话,连傻子也猜得出我在没命地爱她。后来她懂得我的意思了,就回送我一个秋波--一切可以想象得到的顾盼中最甜蜜的秋波。我怎么办呢?我羞愧地忏悔了--冷冰冰地退缩,像个蜗牛似的;她越看我,我就缩得越冷越远。直到最后这可怜的天真的孩子不得不怀疑她自己的感觉,她自以为猜错了,感到非常惶惑,便说服她母亲撤营而去。由于我古怪的举止,我得了个冷酷无情的名声; 多么冤枉啊,那只有我自己才能体会。

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名著·呼啸山庄 - 第1节