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他也没有纠正我，也许他在瞌睡。接着又是一阵长长的停顿。这时我看见有一两滴水从凯瑟琳的脸上滴落到石板地上。她是不是为了她那可羞的行为而难过呢？我自忖着，那倒要成件新鲜事哩。可是她也许愿意这样--反正我不去帮助她！不，她对于任何事情都不大操心，除非是跟她自己有关的事。 'Oh, dear!' she cried at last. 'I'm very unhappy!' “啊，天呀！”她终于喊出来，“我非常不快乐！” 'A pity,' observed I. 'You're hard to please; so many friends and so few cares, and can't make yourself content!' “可惜，”我说，“要你高兴真不容易，这么多朋友和这么少牵挂，还不能使你自己知足！” 'Nelly, will you keep a secret for me?' she pursued, kneeling down by me, and lifting her winsome eyes to my face with that sort of look which turns off bad temper, even when one has all the right in the world to indulge it. “耐莉，你肯为我保密吗？”她纠缠着，跪在我旁边，抬起她那迷人的眼睛望着我的脸，那种神气足以赶掉人的怒气，甚至在一个人极有理由发怒的时候也可以。 'Is it worth keeping?' I inquired, less sulkily. “值得保守吗？”我问，不太别扭了。 
“是的，而且它使我很烦，我非说出来不可！我要想知道我该怎么办。今天，埃德加·林惇要求我嫁给他，我也已经给他回答了。现在，在我告诉你这回答是接受还是拒绝之前，你告诉我应该是什么。” 'Really, Miss Catherine, how can I know?' I replied. 'To be sure, considering the exhibition you performed in his presence this afternoon, I might say it would be wise to refuse him: since he asked you after that, he must either be hopelessly stupid or a venturesome fool.' “真是的，凯瑟琳小姐，我怎么知道呢？”我回答。“当然，想想今天下午你当着他的面出了那么大的丑，我可以说拒绝他是聪明的。既然他在那件事之后请求你，他一定要么是个没希望的笨蛋，要么就是一个好冒险的傻瓜。” 'If you talk so, I won't tell you any more,' she returned, peevishly rising to her feet. 'I accepted him, Nelly. Be quick, and say whether I was wrong!' “要是你这么说，我就不再告诉你更多的了，”她抱怨地回答，站起来了。“我接受了，耐莉。快点，说我是不是错了！” 'You accepted him! Then what good is it discussing the matter? You have pledged your word, and cannot retract.' “你接受了？那么讨论这件事又有什么好处呢？你已经说定，就不能收回啦。” 'But say whether I should have done so - do!' she exclaimed in an irritated tone; chafing her hands together, and frowning. “可是，说说我该不该这样作--说吧！”她用激怒的声调叫着，绞着她的双手，皱着眉。 
“在正确地回答那个问题之前，有许多事要考虑的，”我说教似地讲着。“首先，最重要的是你爱不爱埃德加先生？” 'Who can help it? Of course I do,' she answered. “谁能不爱呢？当然我爱。”她回答。 Then I put her through the following catechism: for a girl of twenty-two it was not injudicious. 然后我就跟她一问一答：对于一个二十二岁的姑娘说来，这些问话倒不能算是没有见识。 'Why do you love him, Miss Cathy?' “你为什么爱他，凯蒂小姐？” 'Nonsense, I do - that's sufficient.' “问得无聊，我爱--那就够了。” 
“不行，你一定要说为什么。” 'Well, because he is handsome, and pleasant to be with.' “好吧，因为他漂亮，而且在一起很愉快。” 'Bad!' was my commentary. “糟，”这是我的评语。 'And because he is young and cheerful.' “而且因为他又年轻又活泼。” 'Bad, still.' “还是糟。” 
“而且因为他爱我。” 'Indifferent, coming there.' “那一点无关紧要。” 'And he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighbourhood, and I shall be proud of having such a husband.' “而且他将要有钱，我愿意做附近最了不起的女人，而我有这么一个丈夫就会觉得骄傲。” 'Worst of all. And now, say how you love him?' “太糟了！现在，说说你怎么爱他吧？” 'As everybody loves - You're silly, Nelly.' “跟每一个人恋爱一样。你真糊涂，耐莉。” 
“一点也不，回答吧。” 'I love the ground under his feet, and the air over his head, and everything he touches, and every word he says. I love all his looks, and all his actions, and him entirely and altogether. There now!' “我爱他脚下的地，他头上的天，他所碰过的每一样东西，以及他说出的每一个字。我爱他所有的表情和所有的动作，还有整个的完完全全的他。好了吧！” 'And why?' “为什么呢？” 'Nay; you are making a jest of it: it is exceedingly ill-natured! It's no jest to me!' said the young lady, scowling, and turning her face to the fire. “不，你是在开玩笑，这可太恶毒了！对我可不是开玩笑的事！”小姐说，并且皱起眉，掉过脸向着炉火。 'I'm very far from jesting, Miss Catherine,' I replied. 'You love Mr. Edgar because he is handsome, and young, and cheerful, and rich, and loves you. The last, however, goes for nothing: you would love him without that, probably; and with it you wouldn't, unless he possessed the four former attractions.' “我绝不是开玩笑，凯瑟琳小姐！”我回答。“你爱埃德加先生是因为他漂亮、年轻、活泼、有钱，而且爱你。最后这一点，不管怎么样，没什么作用，没有这一条，你也许还是爱他；而有了这条，你倒不一定，除非他具备四个优点。” 
“是啊，当然，如果他生得丑，而且是个粗人，也许我只能可怜他--恨他。” 'But there are several other handsome, rich young men in the world: handsomer, possibly, and richer than he is. What should hinder you from loving them?' “可是世界上还有好多漂亮的、富裕的年轻人呀--可能比他还漂亮，还有钱。你怎么不去爱他们呢？” 'If there be any, they are out of my way: I've seen none like Edgar.' “如果有的话，他们也不在我的道路上！我还没有看见过像埃德加这样的人。” 'You may see some; and he won't always be handsome, and young, and may not always be rich.' “你还可以看见一些，而且他不会总是漂亮、年轻，也不会总是有钱的。” 'He is now; and I have only to do with the present. I wish you would speak rationally.' “他现在是，而我只要顾眼前，我希望你说点合乎情理的话。” 
“好啦，那就解决了，如果你只顾眼前，就嫁林惇先生好啦。” 'I don't want your permission for that - I SHALL marry him: and yet you have not told me whether I'm right.' “这件事我并不要得到你的允许--我要嫁他。可是你还没有告诉我，我到底对不对。”
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