目 录 上一节 下一节 
你怎么知道？--你从来没有试过。多严肃！--你看上去多一本正经呀，而你对这种事情一无所知，跟这个浮雕头像一模一样（从壁炉上取了一个）！你无权对我说教，你这位新教士，你还没有步入生活之门，对内中的奥秘毫不知情。" "I only remind you of your own words, sir: you said error broughtremorse, and you pronounced remorse the poison of existence."" 我不过是提醒一下你自己的话，先生。你说错误带来悔恨，而你又说悔恨是生活的毒药。" "And who talks of error now? I scarcely think the notion thatflittered across my brain was an error. I believe it was aninspiration rather than a temptation: it was very genial, verysoothing--I know that. Here it comes again! It is no devil, Iassure you; or if it be, it has put on the robes of an angel oflight. I think I must admit so fair a guest when it asks entranceto my heart."" 现在谁说起错误啦？我并不以为，刚才闪过我脑际的想法是个错误。我相信这是一种灵感，而不是一种诱惑，它非常亲切，非常令人欣慰--这我清楚。瞧，它又现形了。我敢肯定，它不是魔鬼，或者要真是的话，它披着光明天使的外衣。我认为这样一位美丽的宾客要求进入我心扉的时候，我应当允许她进来。" "Distrust it, sir; it is not a true angel."" 别相信它，先生。它不是一个真正的天使。" "Once more, how do you know? By what instinct do you pretend todistinguish between a fallen seraph of the abyss and a messengerfrom the eternal throne--between a guide and a seducer?"" 再说一遍，你怎么知道的呢？你凭什么直觉，就装作能区别一位坠入深渊的天使和一个来自永恒王座的使者--区别一位向导和一个勾引者？" 
我是根据你说产生这种联想的时候你脸上不安的表情来判断的。我敢肯定，要是你听信了它，那它一定会给你造成更大的不幸。" "Not at all--it bears the most gracious message in the world: forthe rest, you are not my conscience-keeper, so don't make yourselfuneasy. Here, come in, bonny wanderer!"" 绝对不会--它带着世上最好的信息，至于别的，你又不是我良心的监护人，因此别感到不安。来吧，进来吧，美丽的流浪者！" He said this as if he spoke to a vision, viewless to any eye but hisown; then, folding his arms, which he had half extended, on hischest, he seemed to enclose in their embrace the invisible being. 他仿佛在对着一个除了他自己别人什么看不见的幻影说话，随后他把伸出了一半的胳膊，收起来放在胸部，似乎要把看不见的人搂在怀里。 "Now," he continued, again addressing me, "I have received thepilgrim--a disguised deity, as I verify believe. Already it hasdone me good: my heart was a sort of charnel; it will now be ashrine."" 现在，"他继续说，再次转向了我，"我已经接待了这位流浪者--乔装打扮的神，我完全相信。它已经为我做了好事。我的心原本是一个停骸所，现在会成为一个神龛。" "To speak truth, sir, I don't understand you at all: I cannot keepup the conversation, because it has got out of my depth. Only onething, I know: you said you were not as good as you should like tobe, and that you regretted your own imperfection;--one thing I cancomprehend: you intimated that to have a sullied memory was aperpetual bane. It seems to me, that if you tried hard, you wouldin time find it possible to become what you yourself would approve;and that if from this day you began with resolution to correct yourthoughts and actions, you would in a few years have laid up a newand stainless store of recollections, to which you might revert withpleasure."" 说实话，先生，我一点也听不懂你的话。你的谈话我跟不上，因为已经越出了我所能理解的深度。我只知道一点，你曾说你并不像自己所希望的那样好，你对自己的缺陷感到遗憾--有一件事我是理解的，那就是你说的，玷污了的记忆是一个永久的祸根。我似乎觉得，只要你全力以赴，到时候你会发现有可能成为自己所向往的人，而要是你现在就下决心开始纠正你的思想和行动，不出几年，你就可以建立一个一尘不染的新记忆仓库，你也许会很乐意地去回味。" 
想得合理，说得也对，爱小姐，而这会儿我是使劲在给地狱铺路。" "Sir?"" 先生？" "I am laying down good intentions, which I believe durable as flint.Certainly, my associates and pursuits shall be other than they havebeen."" 我正在用良好的意图铺路，我相信它像燧石一般耐磨。当然，今后我所交往的人和追求的东西与以往的不同了。" "And better?"" 比以往更好？" "And better--so much better as pure ore is than foul dross. Youseem to doubt me; I don't doubt myself: I know what my aim is, whatmy motives are; and at this moment I pass a law, unalterable as thatof the Medes and Persians, that both are right."" 是更好--就像纯粹的矿石比污秽的渣滓要好得多一样。你似乎对我表示怀疑，我倒不怀疑自己。我明白自己的目的是什么，动机是什么。此刻我要通过一项目的和动机都是正通八达确的法律，它像玛代人和波斯人的法律那样不可更改。" 
先生，它们需要一个新的法规将它合法化，否则就不能成立。" "They are, Miss Eyre, though they absolutely require a new statute:unheard-of combinations of circumstances demand unheard-of rules."" 爱小姐，尽管完全需要一个新法规，但它们能成立；没有先例的复杂状况需要没有先例的法则。" "That sounds a dangerous maxim, sir; because one can see at oncethat it is liable to abuse."" 这听起来是个危险的格言，先生，因为一眼就可以看出来，容易造成滥用。" "Sententious sage! so it is: but I swear by my household gods notto abuse it."" 善用格言的圣人！就是这么回事，但我以家神的名义发誓，决不滥用。" "You are human and fallible."" 你是凡人，所以难免出错。" 
我是凡人，你也一样--那又怎么样？" "The human and fallible should not arrogate a power with which thedivine and perfect alone can be safely intrusted."" 凡人难免出错，不应当冒用放心地托付给神明和完人的权力。" "What power?"" 什么权力？" "That of saying of any strange, unsanctioned line of action,--'Letit be right.'"" 对奇怪而未经准许的行动就说，'算它对吧。'" "'Let it be right'--the very words: you have pronounced them.""' 算它对吧'--就是这几个字，你已经说出来了。" 
那就说'愿它对吧，'我说着站起来，觉得已没有必要再继续这番自己感到糊里糊涂的谈话。此外，我也意识到，对方的性格是无法摸透的，至少目前是这样，我还感到没有把握，有一种朦胧的不安全感，同时还确信自己很无知。" "Where are you going?"" 你上哪儿去？" "To put Adele to bed: it is past her bedtime."" 阿黛勒睡觉，已经过了她上床的时间了。" "You are afraid of me, because I talk like a Sphynx."" 你害怕我，因为我交谈起来像斯芬克斯。" "Your language is enigmatical, sir: but though I am bewildered, Iam certainly not afraid."" 你的语言不可捉模，先生。不过尽管我迷惑不解，但我根本不怕。" 
你是害怕的--你的自爱心理使你害怕出大错。" "In that sense I do feel apprehensive--I have no wish to talknonsense."" 要是那样说，我的确有些担忧--我不想胡说八道。" "If you did, it would be in such a grave, quiet manner, I shouldmistake it for sense. Do you never laugh, Miss Eyre? Don't troubleyourself to answer--I see you laugh rarely; but you can laugh verymerrily: believe me, you are not naturally austere, any more than Iam naturally vicious. The Lowood constraint still clings to yousomewhat; controlling your features, muffling your voice, andrestricting your limbs; and you fear in the presence of a man and abrother--or father, or master, or what you will--to smile too gaily,speak too freely, or move too quickly: but, in time, I think youwill learn to be natural with me, as I find it impossible to beconventional with you; and then your looks and movements will havemore vivacity and variety than they dare offer now. I see atintervals the glance of a curious sort of bird through the close-setbars of a cage: a vivid, restless, resolute captive is there; wereit but free, it would soar cloud-high. You are still bent ongoing?"" 你即使胡说八道，也会是一付板着面孔，不动声色的神态，我还会误以为说得很在理呢。你从来没有笑过吗，爱小姐？你不必费心来回答了--我知道你难得一笑，可是你可以笑得很欢。请相信我，你不是生来严肃的，就像我不是生来可恶的。罗沃德的束缚，至今仍在你身上留下某些印迹，控制着你的神态，压抑着你的嗓音，捆绑着你的手脚，所以你害怕在一个男人，一位兄长--或者父亲、或者主人，随你怎么说--面前开怀大笑，害怕说话太随便，害怕动作太迅速，不过到时候，我想你会学着同我自然一些的，就像觉得要我按照陋习来对待你是不可能的，到那时，你的神态和动作会比现在所敢于流露的更富有生气、更多姿多彩。我透过木条紧固的鸟笼，不时观察着一只颇念新奇的鸟，笼子里是一个活跃、不安、不屈不挠的囚徒，一旦获得自由，它一定会高飞云端。你还是执意要走？"
| 
