目 录 上一节 下一节 
那么好吧，简，发挥你的想象力吧--设想你不再是受过精心培养和教导的姑娘，而是从幼年时代起就是一个放纵任性的男孩。想象你身处遥远的异国，假设你在那里铸成了大错，不管其性质如何，出于什么动机，它的后果殃及你一生，玷污你的生活。注意，我没有说'犯罪'，不是说流血或是其他犯罪行为，那样的话肇事者会被绳之以法，我用的字是'错误'。你行为的恶果，到头来使你绝对无法忍受。你采取措施以求获得解脱，非正常的措施，但既不是非法，也并非有罪。而你仍然感到不幸，因为希望在生活的边缘离你而去，你的太阳遇上日蚀，在正午就开始暗淡，你觉得不到日落不会有所改变，痛苦和卑贱的联想，成了你记忆的唯一食品。你到处游荡，在放逐中寻求安逸，在亨乐中寻觅幸福一-我的意思是沉缅于无情的肉欲--它消蚀才智，摧残情感。在几年的自愿放逐以后，你心力交瘁地回到了家里，结识了一位新知--何时结识，如何结识，都无关紧要。在这位陌生人身上，你看到了很多出类拔率的品质，为它们你已经寻寻觅觅二十来年，却终不可得。这些品质新鲜健康，没有污渍，没有斑点，这种交往使人复活，催人新生。你觉得好日子又回来了--志更高，情更真。你渴望重新开始生活，以一种更配得上不朽的灵魂的方式度过余生。为了达到这个目的，你是不是有理由越过习俗的藩篱--那种既没有得到你良心的认可，也不为你的识见所赞同的、纯粹因袭的障碍？" He paused for an answer: and what was I to say? Oh, for some goodspirit to suggest a judicious and satisfactory response! Vainaspiration! The west wind whispered in the ivy round me; but nogentle Ariel borrowed its breath as a medium of speech: the birdssang in the tree-tops; but their song, however sweet, wasinarticulate. 他停了一下等我回答，而我该说什么呢？呵！但愿有一位善良的精灵能给我提示一个明智而满意的答复！空想而已！西风在我周围的藤蔓中耳语，可就是没有一位温存的埃里厄尔①把它的呼息借我一用，充当说话的媒介。鸟儿在树梢歌唱，它们的歌声虽然甜蜜，却无法让人理解。 Again Mr. Rochester propounded his query: 罗切斯特先生再次提出了他的问题： "Is the wandering and sinful, but now rest-seeking and repentant,man justified in daring the world's opinion, in order to attach tohim for ever this gentle, gracious, genial stranger, therebysecuring his own peace of mind and regeneration of life?"" 这个一度浪迹天涯罪孽深重，现在思安悔过的人，是不是有理由无视世俗的偏见，使这位和蔼可亲、通情达理的陌生人，与他永远相依，以获得内心的宁静和生命的复苏？" "Sir," I answered, "a wanderer's repose or a sinner's reformationshould never depend on a fellow-creature. Men and women die;philosophers falter in wisdom, and Christians in goodness: if anyone you know has suffered and erred, let him look higher than hisequals for strength to amend and solace to heal."" 先生，"我回答，"一个流浪者要安顿下来，或者一个罪人要悔改，不应当依赖他的同类。男人和女人都难免一死；哲学家们会在智慧面前踌躇，基督教徒会在德行面前犹豫。要是你认识的人曾经吃过苦头，犯过错误，就让他从高于他的同类那儿，企求改过自新的力量，获得治疗创伤的抚慰。" 
可是途径呢--途径：实施者上帝指定途径。我自己--直截了当地告诉你吧--曾经是个老于世故、放荡不羁、焦躁不安的汉子，现在我相信自己找到了救治的途径，它在于--" He paused: the birds went on carolling, the leaves lightlyrustling. I almost wondered they did not check their songs andwhispers to catch the suspended revelation; but they would have hadto wait many minutes--so long was the silence protracted. At last Ilooked up at the tardy speaker: he was looking eagerly at me. 他打住了。鸟儿唱个不停，树叶飒飒有声。我几乎惊异于它们不刹住歌声和耳语，倾听中止的袒露。不过它们得等上好几分钟--这沉默延续了好久。我终于抬头去看这位吞吞吐吐的说话人，他也急切地看着我。" "Little friend," said he, in quite a changed tone--while his facechanged too, losing all its softness and gravity, and becoming harshand sarcastic--"you have noticed my tender penchant for Miss Ingram:don't you think if I married her she would regenerate me with avengeance?"" 小朋友，"他说，完全改了口气--脸色也变了，失去了一切温柔和庄重，变得苛刻和嘲弄-一"你注意到了我对英格拉姆小姐的柔情吧，要是我娶了她，你不认为她会使我彻底新生吗？" He got up instantly, went quite to the other end of the walk, andwhen he came back he was humming a tune. 他猛地站了起来，几乎走到了小径的另一头，走回来时嘴里哼着小调。" "Jane, Jane," said he, stopping before me, "you are quite pale withyour vigils: don't you curse me for disturbing your rest?"" 简，简，"他说着在我跟前站住了，"你守了一夜，脸色都发白了，你不骂我打扰了你的休息？" 
骂你？哪会呢，先生。" "Shake hands in confirmation of the word. What cold fingers! Theywere warmer last night when I touched them at the door of themysterious chamber. Jane, when will you watch with me again?"" 握手为证。多冷的手指！昨晚在那间神秘的房间门外相碰时，比现在要暖和得多。简，什么时候你再同我一起守夜呢？" "Whenever I can be useful, sir."" 凡是用得着我的时候，先生。" "For instance, the night before I am married! I am sure I shall notbe able to sleep. Will you promise to sit up with me to bear mecompany? To you I can talk of my lovely one: for now you have seenher and know her."" 比方说，我结婚的前一夜。我相信我会睡不着。你答应陪我一起熬夜吗？对你，我可以谈我心爱的人，因为现在你已经见过她，认识她了。" "Yes, sir."" 是的，先生。"、 
她是一个不可多得的人，是不是，简？" "Yes, sir."" 是的，先生。" "A strapper--a real strapper, Jane: big, brown, and buxom; withhair just such as the ladies of Carthage must have had. Bless me!there's Dent and Lynn in the stables! Go in by the shrubbery,through that wicket."" 一个体魄强壮的女人--十足的强壮女人，简。高高的个子，褐色的皮肤，丰满的胸部，迦太基女人大概会有的头发。天哪！登特和林恩在那边的马厩里了！穿过灌木，从小门进去。" As I went one way, he went another, and I heard him in the yard,saying cheerfully - 我走了一条路，他走了另一条。只听见他在院子里愉快地说： "Mason got the start of you all this morning; he was gone beforesunrise: I rose at four to see him off."" 今天早晨梅森比谁都起得早。太阳还没有出来他就走了，我四点起来送他的。" 
预感真是个怪物！还有感应，还有征兆，都无不如此。三者合一构成了人类至今无法索解的秘密。我平生从未讥笑过预感，因为我自己也有过这种奇怪的经历。我相信心灵感应是存在的（例如在关系甚远、久不往来、完全生疏的亲戚之间，尽管彼此疏远，但都认不有着同一个渊源）。心灵感应究竟如何产生，却不是人类所能理解的。至于征兆，也许不过是自然与人的感应。 When I was a little girl, only six years old, I one night heardBessie Leaven say to Martha Abbot that she had been dreaming about alittle child; and that to dream of children was a sure sign oftrouble, either to one's self or one's kin. The saying might haveworn out of my memory, had not a circumstance immediately followedwhich served indelibly to fix it there. The next day Bessie wassent for home to the deathbed of her little sister. 我还只是一个六岁的小女孩时，一天夜里听见贝茜.利文对马撒.艾博特说，她梦见了一个小孩，而梦见孩子无论对自己还是对亲人，肯定是不祥之兆。要不是紧接着发生的一件事给我留下了难以磨灭的印象，这种说法也许早就淡忘了。第二天贝茜被叫回家去看她咽气的小妹妹。 Of late I had often recalled this saying and this incident; forduring the past week scarcely a night had gone over my couch thathad not brought with it a dream of an infant, which I sometimeshushed in my arms, sometimes dandled on my knee, sometimes watchedplaying with daisies on a lawn, or again, dabbling its hands inrunning water. It was a wailing child this night, and a laughingone the next: now it nestled close to me, and now it ran from me;but whatever mood the apparition evinced, whatever aspect it wore,it failed not for seven successive nights to meet me the moment Ientered the land of slumber. 近来，我常常忆起这种说法和这件事情。因为上个星期，我几乎每晚都在床上梦见一个婴孩。有时抱在怀里哄它安静下来；有时放在膝头摆弄；有时看着它在草地上摸弄雏菊，或者伸手在流水中戏水。一晚是个哭着的孩子，另一晚是个笑着的孩子；一会儿它紧偎着我，一会又逃得远远的。但是不管这幽灵心情怎样，长相如何，一连七夜我一进入梦乡，它便来迎接我。
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