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什么东西吱咯一声。那是一扇半掩的门,罗切斯特先生的房门,团团烟雾从里面冒出来。我不再去想费尔法克斯太太,也不再去想格雷斯.普尔,或者那笑声。一瞬间,我到了他房间里。火舌从床和四周窜出,帐幔己经起火。在火光与烟雾的包围中,罗切斯特先生伸长了身子,一动不动地躺着,睡得很熟。 "Wake! wake!" I cried. I shook him, but he only murmured andturned: the smoke had stupefied him. Not a moment could be lost:the very sheets were kindling, I rushed to his basin and ewer;fortunately, one was wide and the other deep, and both were filledwith water. I heaved them up, deluged the bed and its occupant,flew back to my own room, brought my own water-jug, baptized thecouch afresh, and, by God's aid, succeeded in extinguishing theflames which were devouring it." 快醒醒!快醒醒!"我一面推他。一面大叫,可是他只是咕哝了一下,翻了一个身,他已被烟雾薰得麻木了,一刻也不能耽搁了,闪为连床单也已经了火。我冲向他的脸盆和水罐,幸好一个很大,另一个很深,都灌满了水。我举起脸盆和水罐,用水冲了床和睡在床上的人,随之飞跑回我自己的房间、取了我的水罐,重新把床榻弄湿。由于上帝的帮助,我终于扑灭了正要吞没床榻的火焰。 The hiss of the quenched element, the breakage of a pitcher which Iflung from my hand when I had emptied it, and, above all, the splashof the shower-bath I had liberally bestowed, roused Mr. Rochester atlast. Though it was now dark, I knew he was awake; because I heardhim fulminating strange anathemas at finding himself lying in a poolof water. 被浇灭的火焰发出的丝丝声,我倒完水随手扔掉的水罐的破裂声,尤其是我慷慨赐予的淋浴的哗啦声,最后终于把罗切斯特先生惊醒了。尽管此刻漆黑一片,但我知道他醒了,因为我听见他一发现自己躺在水潭之中,便发出了奇怪的咒骂声。 "Is there a flood?" he cried." 发大水了吗?"他叫道。 "No, sir," I answered; "but there has been a fire: get up, do; youare quenched now; I will fetch you a candle."" 没有,先生,"我回答,"不过发生了一场火灾,起来吧,一定得起来,现在你湿透了,我去给你拿支蜡烛来。" 
基督世界所有精灵在上,那是简.爱吗?"他问"你怎么摆弄我啦,女巫,妖婆,除了你,房间里还有谁,你耍了阴谋要把我淹死吗?" "I will fetch you a candle, sir; and, in Heaven's name, get up.Somebody has plotted something: you cannot too soon find out whoand what it is."" 我去给你拿支蜡烛,先生,皇天在上,快起来吧。有人捣鬼。你不可能马上弄清楚是谁干的,究竟怎么回事。" "There! I am up now; but at your peril you fetch a candle yet:wait two minutes till I get into some dry garments, if any dry therebe--yes, here is my dressing-gown. Now run!"" 瞧--现在我起来了。不过你冒一下险去取一支蜡烛来,等我两分钟,让我穿上件干外衣,要是还有什么干衣服的话--不错,这是我的晨衣,现在你快跑!" I did run; I brought the candle which still remained in the gallery.He took it from my hand, held it up, and surveyed the bed, allblackened and scorched, the sheets drenched, the carpet roundswimming in water. 我确实跑了,取了仍然留在走廊上的蜡烛。他从我手里把把蜡烛拿走,举得高高的,仔细察看着床铺,只见一片焦黑,床单湿透了,周围的地毯浸在水中。 "What is it? and who did it?" he asked. I briefly related to himwhat had transpired: the strange laugh I had heard in the gallery:the step ascending to the third storey; the smoke,--the smell offire which had conducted me to his room; in what state I had foundmatters there, and how I had deluged him with all the water I couldlay hands on." 怎么回事?谁干的?"他问。我简要地向他叙述了一下事情的经过。我在走廊上听到的奇怪笑声;登上三楼去的脚步;还有那烟雾--那火烧味如何把我引到了他的房间;那里的一切处在什么样的情况下;我又怎样把凡是我所能搞到的水泼在他身上。 
他十分严肃地倾听着。我继续谈下去,他脸上露出的表情中,关切甚于惊讶。我讲完后他没有马上开口。 "Shall I call Mrs. Fairfax?" I asked." 要我去叫费尔法克斯太太吗?"我问。 "Mrs. Fairfax? No; what the deuce would you call her for? What canshe do? Let her sleep unmolested."" 费尔法克斯太太?不要了,你究竟要叫她干什么?她能干什么呢?让她安安稳稳地睡吧。" "Then I will fetch Leah, and wake John and his wife."" 那我就叫莉娅,并把约翰夫妇唤醒。" "Not at all: just be still. You have a shawl on. If you are notwarm enough, you may take my cloak yonder; wrap it about you, andsit down in the arm-chair: there,--I will put it on. Now placeyour feet on the stool, to keep them out of the wet. I am going toleave you a few minutes. I shall take the candle. Remain where youare till I return; be as still as a mouse. I must pay a visit tothe second storey. Don't move, remember, or call any one."" 绝对不要。保持安静就行了。你已披上了披肩,要是嫌不够暖和,可以把那边的斗篷拿去。把你自己裹起来,坐在安乐椅里,那儿--我替你披上。现在把脚放在小凳子上,免得弄湿了。我要离开你几分钟,我得把蜡烛拿走,呆在这儿别动,直到我回来。你要像耗子-样安静。我得到三楼去看看。记住别动,也别去叫人。" 
他走了。我注视着灯光隐去。他轻手轻脚地走上楼梯,开了楼梯的门,尽可能不发出一点声音来,随手把门关上,于是最后的光消失了。我完全堕入了黑暗。我搜索着某种声音,但什么也没听到。很长一段时间过去了,我开始不耐烦起来,尽管披着斗篷,但依然很冷。随后我觉得呆在这儿也没有用处,反正我又不打算把整屋子的人吵醒。我正要不顾罗切斯特先生的不快,违背他的命令时,灯光重又在走廊的墙上黯淡地闪烁,我听到他没穿鞋的脚走过垫子。"但愿是他,"我想,"而不是更坏的东西。" He re-entered, pale and very gloomy. "I have found it all out,"said he, setting his candle down on the washstand; "it is as Ithought." 他再次进屋时脸色苍白,十分忧郁。"我全搞清楚了,"他们蜡烛放在洗衣架上。"跟我想的一样。" "How, sir?"" 怎么一回事,先生?" He made no reply, but stood with his arms folded, looking on theground. At the end of a few minutes he inquired in rather apeculiar tone - 他没有回答,只是抱臂而立、看着地板。几分钟后,他带着奇怪的声调问道: "I forget whether you said you saw anything when you opened yourchamber door."" 我忘了你是不是说打开房门的时候看到了什么东西。" 
没有,先生,只有烛台在地板上," "But you heard an odd laugh? You have heard that laugh before, Ishould think, or something like it?"" 可你听到了古怪的笑声?我想你以前听到过那笑声,或者类似的那种声音。" "Yes, sir: there is a woman who sews here, called Grace Poole,--shelaughs in that way. She is a singular person."" 是的,先生,这儿有一个缝衣女人,叫格雷斯.普尔--她就是那么笑的,她是个怪女人。" "Just so. Grace Poole--you have guessed it. She is, as you say,singular--very. Well, I shall reflect on the subject. Meantime, Iam glad that you are the only person, besides myself, acquaintedwith the precise details of to-night's incident. You are no talkingfool: say nothing about it. I will account for this state ofaffairs" (pointing to the bed): "and now return to your own room.I shall do very well on the sofa in the library for the rest of thenight. It is near four:- in two hours the servants will be up."" 就是这么回事,格雷斯.普尔,你猜对了。象你说的一样,她是古怪,很古怪。好吧,这件事我再细细想想。同时我很高兴,因为你是除我之外唯一了解今晚的事儿确切细节的人。你不是一个爱嚼舌头的傻瓜,关于这件事,什么也别说。这付样子(指着床),我会解释的。现在回到你房间去,我在图书室沙发上躺到天亮挺不错,已快四点了,再过两个小时仆人们就会上楼来。" "Good-night, then, sir," said I, departing." 那么晚安,先生,"我说着就要离去。 
他似乎很吃惊--完全是前后不一,因为他刚打发我走。 "What!" he exclaimed, "are you quitting me already, and in thatway?"" 什么!"他大叫道,"你已经要离开了,就那么走了?" "You said I might go, sir."" 你说我可以走了,先生。" "But not without taking leave; not without a word or two ofacknowledgment and good-will: not, in short, in that brief, dryfashion. Why, you have saved my life!--snatched me from a horribleand excruciating death! and you walk past me as if we were mutualstrangers! At least shake hands."" 可不能不告而别,不能连一两句表示感谢和善意的活都没有,总之不能那么简简单单,干干巴巴。嗨,你救了我的命呀?--把我从可怕和痛苦的死亡中拯救出来!而你就这么从我面前走过,仿佛我们彼此都是陌路人!至少也得握握手吧。"
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