目 录 上一节 下一节 
一定是她们中间的一个，"主人打断了我的话。 "No, sir, I solemnly assure you to the contrary. The shape standingbefore me had never crossed my eyes within the precincts ofThornfield Hall before; the height, the contour were new to me."" 不，先生，我庄严地向你保证，跟你说的恰恰相反。站在我面前的人影，以前我从来没有在桑菲尔德府地区见过。那身高和外形对我来说都是陌生的。" "Describe it, Jane."" 描绘一下吧，简。" "It seemed, sir, a woman, tall and large, with thick and dark hairhanging long down her back. I know not what dress she had on: itwas white and straight; but whether gown, sheet, or shroud, I cannottell."" 先生，那似乎是个女人，又高又大，背上垂着粗黑的长发，我不知道她穿了什么衣服，反正又白又整齐。但究竟是袍子，被单，还是裹尸布，我说不上来。" "Did you see her face?"" 你看见她的脸了吗？" 
起先没有。但她立刻把我的面纱从原来的地方取下来，拿起来呆呆地看了很久，随后往自己头上一盖，转身朝着镜子。这一刹那，在暗淡的鸭蛋形镜子里，我清清楚楚地看到了她面容与五官的映像。" "And how were they?"" 看上去怎么样？" "Fearful and ghastly to me--oh, sir, I never saw a face like it! Itwas a discoloured face--it was a savage face. I wish I could forgetthe roll of the red eyes and the fearful blackened inflation of thelineaments!"" 我觉得像鬼一样吓人--呵，先生，我从来没有见过这样的面孔！没有血色，一付凶相。但愿我忘掉那双骨碌碌转的红眼睛，那付黑乎乎五官鼓鼓的鬼相！" "Ghosts are usually pale, Jane."" 鬼魂总是苍白的，简。" "This, sir, was purple: the lips were swelled and dark; the browfurrowed: the black eyebrows widely raised over the bloodshot eyes.Shall I tell you of what it reminded me?"" 先生，它却是紫色的。嘴唇又黑又肿，额头沟壑纵横，乌黑的眉毛怒竖着，两眼充满血丝，要我告诉你我想起了什么吗？" 
可以。" "Of the foul German spectre--the Vampyre."" 想起了可恶的德国幽灵--吸血鬼。" "Ah!--what did it do?"" 呵！--它干了什么啦？" "Sir, it removed my veil from its gaunt head, rent it in two parts,and flinging both on the floor, trampled on them."" 先生，它从瘦削的头上取下面纱，撕成两半，扔在地上，踩了起来。" "Afterwards?"" 后来呢？" 
它拉开窗帘，往外张望。也许它看到已近拂晓，便拿着蜡烛朝房门退去。正好路过我床边时，鬼影停了下来。火一般的目光向我射来，她把蜡烛举起来靠近我的脸，在我眼皮底下把它吹灭了。我感到她白煞煞的脸朝我闪着光，我昏了过去。平生第二次-一只不过第二次--我吓昏了。" "Who was with you when you revived?"" 你醒过来时谁跟你在一起？" "No one, sir, but the broad day. I rose, bathed my head and face inwater, drank a long draught; felt that though enfeebled I was notill, and determined that to none but you would I impart this vision.Now, sir, tell me who and what that woman was?"" 除了大白天，先生，谁也没有。我起身用水冲了头和脸，喝了一大口水。觉得身子虽然虚弱，却并没有生病，便决定除了你，对谁都不说这恶梦的事儿。好吧，先生，告诉我这女人是谁，干什么的？" "The creature of an over-stimulated brain; that is certain. I mustbe careful of you, my treasure: nerves like yours were not made forrough handling."" 无疑，那是头脑过于兴奋的产物。对你得小心翼翼，我的宝贝，象你这样的神经，生来就经不住粗暴对待的。" "Sir, depend on it, my nerves were not in fault; the thing was real:the transaction actually took place."" 先生，毫无疑问，我的神经没有毛病，那东西是真的，事情确实发生了。" 
那么你以前的梦呢，都是真的吗？难道桑菲尔德府已化成一片废墟？难道你我被不可逾越的障碍隔开了？难道我离开了你，没有流一滴泪--没有吻一吻一-没有说一句话？" "Not yet."" 不，没有。" "Am I about to do it? Why, the day is already commenced which is tobind us indissolubly; and when we are once united, there shall be norecurrence of these mental terrors: I guarantee that."" 难道我就要这么干？一-嘿，把我们溶合在一起的日子已经到来，我们一旦结合，这种心理恐惧就再也不会发生，我敢保证。" "Mental terrors, sir! I wish I could believe them to be only such:I wish it more now than ever; since even you cannot explain to methe mystery of that awful visitant."" 心理恐惧！但愿我能相信不过如此而已！而既然连你都无法解释可怕的来访者之谜，现在我更希望只是心理恐惧了。" "And since I cannot do it, Jane, it must have been unreal."" 既然我无法解释，简，那就一定不会是真的。" 
不过，先生，我今天早晨起来，这么自言自语说着，在房间里东张西望，想从光天化日下每件眼熟的东西悦目的外表上，找到点勇气和慰籍--瞧，就在地毯上-一我看到了一件东西，完全否定了我原来的设想--那块从上到下被撕成两半的面纱！" I felt Mr. Rochester start and shudder; he hastily flung his armsround me. "Thank God!" he exclaimed, "that if anything malignantdid come near you last night, it was only the veil that was harmed.Oh, to think what might have happened!" 我觉得罗切斯特先生大吃一惊，打了个寒颤，急急忙忙搂住我脖子"谢天谢地！"他嚷道，"幸好昨晚你所遇到的险情，不过就是毁了面纱--哎呀，只要想一想还会出什么别的事呢？" He drew his breath short, and strained me so close to him, I couldscarcely pant. After some minutes' silence, he continued, cheerily- 他喘着粗气，紧紧地搂住我，差点让我透不过气来。沉默片刻之后，他兴致十足地说下去： "Now, Janet, I'll explain to you all about it. It was half dream,half reality. A woman did, I doubt not, enter your room: and thatwoman was--must have been--Grace Poole. You call her a strangebeing yourself: from all you know, you have reason so to call her--what did she do to me? what to Mason? In a state between sleepingand waking, you noticed her entrance and her actions; but feverish,almost delirious as you were, you ascribed to her a goblinappearance different from her own: the long dishevelled hair, theswelled black face, the exaggerated stature, were figments ofimagination; results of nightmare: the spiteful tearing of the veilwas real: and it is like her. I see you would ask why I keep sucha woman in my house: when we have been married a year and a day, Iwill tell you; but not now. Are you satisfied, Jane? Do you acceptmy solution of the mystery?"" 这一半是梦，一半是真。我并不怀疑确实有个女人进了你房间，那女人就是一-准是-一格雷斯．普尔。你自己把她叫作怪人，就你所知，你有理由这么叫她-一瞧她怎么对待我的？怎么对待梅森？在似睡非睡的状态下，你注意到她进了房间，看到了她的行动，但由于你兴奋得几乎发狂，你把她当成了不同于她本来面貌的鬼相：散乱的长发、黑黑的肿脸、夸大了的身材是你的臆想，恶梦的产物。恶狠狠撕毁面纱倒是真的，很象她干的事。我明白你会问，干嘛在屋里养着这样一个女人。等我们结婚一周年时，我会告诉你，而不是现在。你满意了吗，简？你同意对这个谜的解释吗？" I reflected, and in truth it appeared to me the only possible one:satisfied I was not, but to please him I endeavoured to appear so--relieved, I certainly did feel; so I answered him with a contentedsmile. And now, as it was long past one, I prepared to leave him. 我想了一想，对我来说实在也只能这么解释了，说满意那倒未必，但为了使他高兴，我尽力装出这付样子来--说感到宽慰却是真的，于是我对他报之以满意的微笑。这时早过了一点钟，我准备向他告辞了。 
索菲娅不是同阿黛勒一起睡在育儿室吗？"我点起蜡烛时他问。 "Yes, sir."" 是的，先生。"
| 
