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人总是要死的，"离我很近的一个声音说道："但并不是所有的人都注定要象你这样，慢悠悠受尽折磨而早死的，要是你就这么死于饥渴的话。" "Who or what speaks?" I asked, terrified at the unexpected sound,and incapable now of deriving from any occurrence a hope of aid. Aform was near--what form, the pitch-dark night and my enfeebledvision prevented me from distinguishing. With a loud long knock,the new-comer appealed to the door." 是谁，或者什么东西在说话？"我问道，一时被突如其来的声音吓了一跳。此刻我不会对发生的任何事情寄予得救的希望。一个影子移近了一-究竟什么影子，漆黑的夜和衰弱的视力使我难以分辨。这位新来者在门上重重地长时间敲了起来。 "Is it you, Mr. St. John?" cried Hannah." 是你吗，圣.约翰先生？"汉娜叫道。 "Yes--yes; open quickly."" 是呀-一是呀，快开门。" "Well, how wet and cold you must be, such a wild night as it is!Come in--your sisters are quite uneasy about you, and I believethere are bad folks about. There has been a beggar-woman--I declareshe is not gone yet!--laid down there. Get up! for shame! Moveoff, I say!"" 哎呀，那么个狂风暴雨的夜晚，你准是又湿又感觉冷了：进来吧--你妹妹们为你很担心，而且我相信附近有坏人。有一个女讨饭--我说她还没有走呢？躺在那里。快起来！真害臊！我说你走吧！" 
嘘，汉娜！我来对这女人说句话，你已经尽了责把她关在门外，这会儿让我来尽我的责把她放进来。我就在旁边，听了你也听了她说的。我想这情况特殊一一我至少得了解一下。年轻的女人，起来吧，从我面前进屋去。" With difficulty I obeyed him. Presently I stood within that clean,bright kitchen--on the very hearth--trembling, sickening; consciousof an aspect in the last degree ghastly, wild, and weather-beaten.The two ladies, their brother, Mr. St. John, the old servant, wereall gazing at me. 我困难地照他的话办了，不久我就站在干净明亮的厨房里了--就在炉子跟前--浑身发抖，病得厉害，知道自己风吹雨打、精神狂乱，样子极其可怕。两位小姐，她们的哥哥圣.约翰先生和老仆人都呆呆地看着我。 "St. John, who is it?" I heard one ask." 圣.约翰，这是谁呀，"我听见一个问。 "I cannot tell: I found her at the door," was the reply." 我说不上来，发现她在门边，"那人回答。 "She does look white," said Hannah." 她脸色真苍白，"汉娜说。 
色如死灰，"对方回答，"她会倒下的，让她坐着吧。" And indeed my head swam: I dropped, but a chair received me. Istill possessed my senses, though just now I could not speak. 说真的我的脑袋昏昏沉沉的。我倒了下去，但一把椅子接住了我。尽管这会儿我说不了话，但神志是清醒的。 "Perhaps a little water would restore her. Hannah, fetch some. Butshe is worn to nothing. How very thin, and how very bloodless!"" 也许喝点水会使她恢复过来。汉娜，去打点水来吧。不过她憔悴得不成样子了。那么瘦，一点血色也没有！" "A mere spectre!"" 简直成了个影子。" "Is she ill, or only famished?"" 她病了，还光是饿坏了？" 
我想是饿坏了。汉娜，那可是牛奶，给我吧，再给一片面包。" Diana (I knew her by the long curls which I saw drooping between meand the fire as she bent over me) broke some bread, dipped it inmilk, and put it to my lips. Her face was near mine: I saw therewas pity in it, and I felt sympathy in her hurried breathing. Inher simple words, too, the same balm-like emotion spoke: "Try toeat." 黛安娜（我是在她朝我弯下身子，看到垂在我与火炉之间的长卷发知道的）掰下了一些面包，在牛奶里浸了一浸，送进我嘴里。她的脸紧挨着我，在她脸上我看到了一种怜悯的表情，从她急促的呼吸中我感受到了她的同情。她用朴素的话说出了满腔温情："硬吃一点吧。" "Yes--try," repeated Mary gently; and Mary's hand removed my soddenbonnet and lifted my head. I tasted what they offered me: feeblyat first, eagerly soon." 是呀--硬吃一点"玛丽和气地重复着，从我头上摘去了湿透的草帽，把我的头托起来。我尝了尝他们给我的东西，先是恹恹地，但马上便急不可耐了。 "Not too much at first--restrain her," said the brother; "she hashad enough." And he withdrew the cup of milk and the plate ofbread." 先别让她吃得太多一一控制一下，"哥哥说，"她已经吃够了"。于是她端走了那杯牛奶和那盘面包。 "A little more, St. John--look at the avidity in her eyes."" 再让她吃一点点吧，圣.约翰--瞧她眼睛里的贪婪相。" 
暂时不要了，妹妹。要是她现在能说话，那就试着--问问她的名字吧。" I felt I could speak, and I answered--"My name is Jane Elliott."Anxious as ever to avoid discovery, I had before resolved to assumean ALIAS. 我觉得自己能说了，而且回答--'我的名字叫简.爱略特，因为仍急于避免被人发现，我早就决定用别名了。 "And where do you live? Where are your friends?"" 你住在什么地方，你的朋友在哪里，" I was silent. 我没有吭声。 "Can we send for any one you know?"" 我们可以把你认识的人去叫来吗？" 
我摇了摇头。 "What account can you give of yourself?"" 你能说说你自己的事儿吗？" Somehow, now that I had once crossed the threshold of this house,and once was brought face to face with its owners, I felt no longeroutcast, vagrant, and disowned by the wide world. I dared to putoff the mendicant--to resume my natural manner and character. Ibegan once more to know myself; and when Mr. St. John demanded anaccount--which at present I was far too weak to render--I said aftera brief pause - 不知怎地，我一跨进门槛，一被带到这家主人面前，就不再觉得自己无家可归，到处流浪，被广阔的世界所抛弃了。我就敢于扔掉行乞的行当一-恢复我本来的举止和个性。我再次开始了解自己。圣.约翰要我谈-下自己的事时--眼下我体质太弱没法儿讲--我稍稍顿了一顿后说-- "Sir, I can give you no details to-night."" 先生，今晚我没法给你细讲了。" "But what, then," said he, "do you expect me to do for you?"" 不过，"他说，"那么你希望我们为你做些什么呢？" 
没有，"我回答。我的力气只够我作这样简要的回答。黛安娜接过了话： "Do you mean," she asked, "that we have now given you what aid yourequire? and that we may dismiss you to the moor and the rainynight?"" 你的意思是，"她问，"我们既然已给了你所需要的帮助，那就可以把你打发到荒原和雨夜中去了？" I looked at her. She had, I thought, a remarkable countenance,instinct both with power and goodness. I took sudden courage.Answering her compassionate gate with a smile, I said--"I will trustyou. If I were a masterless and stray dog, I know that you wouldnot turn me from your hearth to-night: as it is, I really have nofear. Do with me and for me as you like; but excuse me from muchdiscourse--my breath is short--I feel a spasm when I speak." Allthree surveyed me, and all three were silent. 我看了看她。我想她的脸很出众，流溢着力量和善意。我蓦地鼓起勇气，对她满是同情的目光报之以微笑。我说："我会相信你们。假如我是一条迷路的无主狗，我知道你们今天晚上不会把我从火炉旁撵走。其实，我真的并不害怕。随你们怎么对待我照应我吧，但请原谅我不能讲得太多--我的气很短--一讲话就痉挛。"三个人都仔细打量我，三个人都不说话。 "Hannah," said Mr. St. John, at last, "let her sit there at present,and ask her no questions; in ten minutes more, give her theremainder of that milk and bread. Mary and Diana, let us go intothe parlour and talk the matter over."" 汉娜，"圣.约翰先生终于说，"这会儿就让她坐在那里吧，别问她问题。十分钟后把剩下的牛奶和面包给她。玛丽和黛安娜，我们到客厅去，仔细谈谈这件事吧。" They withdrew. Very soon one of the ladies returned--I could nottell which. A kind of pleasant stupor was stealing over me as I satby the genial fire. In an undertone she gave some directions toHannah. Ere long, with the servant's aid, I contrived to mount astaircase; my dripping clothes were removed; soon a warm, dry bedreceived me. I thanked God--experienced amidst unutterableexhaustion a glow of grateful joy--and slept. 他们出去了。很快一位小姐回来了一-我分不出是哪一位，我坐在暖融融的火炉边时，一种神思恍惚的快感悄悄地流遍我全身。她低声吩咐了汉娜。没有多久，在佣人的帮助下，我挣扎着登上楼梯，脱去了湿淋淋的衣服，很快躺倒在一张温暖干燥的床上。我感谢上帝--在难以言说的疲惫中感受到了一丝感激的喜悦--便睡着了。
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