目 录 上一节 下一节 
当真的暮色四合，阿黛勒离开我到保育室同索菲娅一起去玩时，我急盼着同他见面。我等待着听到楼下响起铃声，等待着听到莉娅带着口讯上楼的声音。有时还在恍惚中听到罗切斯特先生自己的脚步声，便赶紧把脸转向门口，期待着门一开，他走了进来。但门依然紧闭着，唯有夜色透进了窗户。不过现在还不算太晚，他常常到七、八点钟才派人来叫我，而此刻才六点。当然今晚我不应该完全失望，因为我有那么多的话要同他说，我要再次提起格雷斯.普尔这个话题，听听他会怎么回答，我要爽爽气气地问他，是否真的相信是她昨夜动了恶念，要是相信，那他为什么要替她的恶行保守秘密。我的好奇心会不会激怒他关系不大，反正我知道一会儿惹他生气，一会儿抚慰他的乐趣，这是一件我很乐意干的事，一种很有把握的直觉常常使我不至于做过头，我从来没有冒险越出使他动怒的界线，但在正边缘上我很喜欢一试身手。我可以既保持细微的自尊，保持我的身份所需的一应礼节，而又可以无忧无虑、无拘无束地同他争论，这样对我们两人都合适。 A tread creaked on the stairs at last. Leah made her appearance;but it was only to intimate that tea was ready in Mrs. Fairfax'sroom. Thither I repaired, glad at least to go downstairs; for thatbrought me, I imagined, nearer to Mr. Rochester's presence. 楼梯上终于响起了吱格的脚步声，莉娅来了，但她不过是来通知茶点己在费尔法克斯太太房间里摆好，我朝那走去，心里很是高兴，至少可以到楼下去了。我想这么一来离罗切斯特先生更近了。 "You must want your tea," said the good lady, as I joined her; "youate so little at dinner. I am afraid," she continued, "you are notwell to-day: you look flushed and feverish."" 你一定想用茶点了，"到了她那里后，这位善良的太太说，"午饭你吃得那么少，"她往下说，"我担心你今天不大舒服。你看上去脸色绯红，像是发了烧。" "Oh, quite well! I never felt better."" 啊！很好呀，我觉得再好没有了。" "Then you must prove it by evincing a good appetite; will you fillthe teapot while I knit off this needle?" Having completed hertask, she rose to draw down the blind, which she had hitherto keptup, by way, I suppose, of making the most of daylight, though duskwas now fast deepening into total obscurity." 那你得用好胃口来证实一下，你把茶壶灌满让我织完这一针好吗，"这活儿一了结，她便站起来把一直开着的百叶窗放下。我猜想没有关窗是为了充分利用日光，尽管这时己经暮霭沉沉，天色一片朦胧了。 
今晚天气晴朗，"她透过窗玻璃往外看时说，"虽然没有星光，罗切斯特先生出门总算遇上了好天气。" "Journey!--Is Mr. Rochester gone anywhere? I did not know he wasout."" 出门？--罗切斯特先生到哪里去了吗，我不知道他出去了。" "Oh, he set of the moment he had breakfasted! He is gone to theLeas, Mr. Eshton's place, ten miles on the other side Millcote. Ibelieve there is quite a party assembled there; Lord Ingram, SirGeorge Lynn, Colonel Dent, and others."" 噢，他吃好早饭就出去了！他去了里斯。埃希顿先生那儿，在米尔科特的另一边，离这儿十英里，我想那儿聚集了一大批人，英格拉姆勋爵、乔治.林恩爵士、登特上校等都在。" "Do you expect him back to-night?"" 你盼他今晚回来么？" "No--nor to-morrow either; I should think he is very likely to staya week or more: when these fine, fashionable people get together,they are so surrounded by elegance and gaiety, so well provided withall that can please and entertain, they are in no hurry to separate.Gentlemen especially are often in request on such occasions; and Mr.Rochester is so talented and so lively in society, that I believe heis a general favourite: the ladies are very fond of him; though youwould not think his appearance calculated to recommend himparticularly in their eyes: but I suppose his acquirements andabilities, perhaps his wealth and good blood, make amends for anylittle fault of look."" 不，--明天也不会回来。我想他很可能呆上一个礼拜，或者更长一点。这些杰出的上流社会的人物相聚，气氛欢快，格调高雅，娱乐款待，应有尽有，所以他们不急于散伙。而在这样的场合，尤其需要有教养有身份的人。罗切斯特先生既有才能，在社交场中又很活跃，我想他一定受到大家的欢迎。女士们都很喜欢他，尽管你会认为，在她们眼里他的外貌并没有特别值得赞许的地方。不过我猜想，他的学识、能力，也许还有他的财富和血统，弥补了他外貌上的小小缺陷。" 
里斯地方有贵妇、小姐吗？" "There are Mrs. Eshton and her three daughters--very elegant youngladies indeed; and there are the Honourable Blanche and Mary Ingram,most beautiful women, I suppose: indeed I have seen Blanche, six orseven years since, when she was a girl of eighteen. She came hereto a Christmas ball and party Mr. Rochester gave. You should haveseen the dining-room that day--how richly it was decorated, howbrilliantly lit up! I should think there were fifty ladies andgentlemen present--all of the first county families; and Miss Ingramwas considered the belle of the evening."" 有伊希顿太太和她的三个女儿--真还都是举止文雅的年轻小姐。还有可尊敬的布兰奇和玛丽.英格拉姆，我想都是非常漂亮的女人。说实在我是六七年前见到布兰奇的，当时她才十八岁。她来这里参加罗切斯特先生举办的圣诞舞会和聚会。你真该看一看那一天的餐室--布置得那么豪华，点得又那么灯火辉煌！我想有五十位女士和先生在场--都是出身于郡里的上等人家。英格拉姆小姐是那天晚上公认的美女。" "You saw her, you say, Mrs. Fairfax: what was she like?"" 你说你见到了她，费尔法克斯太太。她长得怎么个模样？" "Yes, I saw her. The dining-room doors were thrown open; and, as itwas Christmas-time, the servants were allowed to assemble in thehall, to hear some of the ladies sing and play. Mr. Rochester wouldhave me to come in, and I sat down in a quiet corner and watchedthem. I never saw a more splendid scene: the ladies weremagnificently dressed; most of them--at least most of the youngerones--looked handsome; but Miss Ingram was certainly the queen."" 是呀、我看到她了，餐室的门敞开着，而且因为圣诞期间，允许佣人们聚在大厅里，听一些女士们演唱和弹奏。罗切斯特先生要我进去，我就在一个安静的角落里坐下来看她们。我从来没有见过这么光彩夺目的景象。女士们穿戴得富丽堂皇，大多数--至少是大多数年轻女子，长得很标致，而英格拉姆小姐当然是女皇了。" "And what was she like?"" 她什么模样？" 
高高的个子，漂亮的胸部，斜肩膀，典雅硕长的脖子，黝黑而洁净的橄榄色皮肤，高贵的五官，有些像罗切斯特先生那样的眼睛，又大又黑，像她的珠宝那样大放光彩，同时她还有一头很好的头发，乌黑乌黑，而又梳理得非常妥贴，脑后盘着粗粗的发辫，额前是我所看到过的最长最富有光泽的卷发，她一身素白，一块琥珀色的围巾绕过肩膀，越过胸前，在腰上扎一下，一直垂到膝盖之下，下端悬着长长的流苏。头发上还戴着一朵琥珀色的花，与她一团乌黑的卷发形成了对比。" "She was greatly admired, of course?"" 当然她很受别人倾慕了？" "Yes, indeed: and not only for her beauty, but for heraccomplishments. She was one of the ladies who sang: a gentlemanaccompanied her on the piano. She and Mr. Rochester sang a duet."" 是呀，一点也不错，不仅是因为她的漂亮，而且还因为她的才艺，她是那天演唱的女士之一，一位先生用钢琴替她伴奏，她和罗切斯特先生还表演了二重唱。" "Mr. Rochester? I was not aware he could sing."" 罗切斯特先生!我不知道他还能唱歌。" "Oh! he has a fine bass voice, and an excellent taste for music."" 呵！他有一个漂亮的男低音，对音乐有很强的鉴赏力。" 
那么英格拉姆小姐呢，她属于哪类嗓子？" "A very rich and powerful one: she sang delightfully; it was atreat to listen to her;--and she played afterwards. I am no judgeof music, but Mr. Rochester is; and I heard him say her executionwas remarkably good."" 非常圆润而有力，她唱得很动听。听她唱歌是一种享受--随后她又演奏。我不会欣赏音乐，但罗切斯特先生行。我听他说她的演技很出色。" "And this beautiful and accomplished lady, she is not yet married?"" 这位才貌双全的小姐还没有结婚吗？" "It appears not: I fancy neither she nor her sister have very largefortunes. Old Lord Ingram's estates were chiefly entailed, and theeldest son came in for everything almost."" 好像还没有，我想她与她妹妹的财产都不多。老英格拉姆勋爵的产业大体上限定了继承人，而他的大儿子几乎继承了一切。" "But I wonder no wealthy nobleman or gentleman has taken a fancy toher: Mr. Rochester, for instance. He is rich, is he not?"" 不过我觉得很奇怪，为什么没有富裕的贵族或绅士看中她，譬如罗切斯特先生，他很有钱，不是吗，" 
唉！是呀，不过你瞧，年龄差别很大。罗切斯特先生已快四十，而她只有二十五岁。"
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