名著·简.爱 - 第78节

　　我不喜欢同一念头反复不去--不喜欢同一形象奇怪地一再出现。临要上床和幻象就要出现的时刻，我便局促不安起来。由于同这位梦中的婴孩形影不离，那个月夜，我听到了一声啼哭后便惊醒过来。第二天下午我被叫下楼去，捎来口信说有人要见我，等候在太敦

"I daresay you hardly remember me, Miss," he said, rising as Ientered; "but my name is Leaven: I lived coachman with Mrs. Reedwhen you were at Gateshead, eight or nine years since, and I livethere still.""

　　不错，先生，但那已是很久以前了，而且当时的情况不同。现在要是我无视她的心愿，我会不安心的。"

"Yes, Miss: my wife is very hearty, thank you; she brought meanother little one about two months since--we have three now--andboth mother and child are thriving."

　　对，小姐，我的太太很健康，谢谢。两个月之前她又给我生了个小家伙--现在我们有三个了--大人和孩子都好。"

"And are the family well at the house, Robert?""

　　盖茨黑德府全家都好吗，罗伯特？"

"I am sorry I can't give you better news of them, Miss: they arevery badly at present--in great trouble.""

　　很抱歉，我没法儿给你带来好消息，小姐。眼下他们都很糟--糟糕得很哪。"

　　但愿没有人去世了，"我瞥了一下他黑色的丧服说。他也低头瞧了一下围在帽上的黑纱，并回答道：

"Mr. John died yesterday was a week, at his chambers in London.""

　　约翰先生在伦敦住所去世了，到昨天正好一周。"

"Mr. John?""

　　约翰先生？"

"Yes.""

　　不错。"

"And how does his mother bear it?""

　　他母亲怎么受得了呢？"

　　哎呀你瞧，爱小姐，这不是一桩平平常常的不幸，他的生活非常放荡，最近三年他放纵得出奇，死得也吓人。"

"I heard from Bessie he was not doing well.""

　　我从贝茜那儿听到他日子不好过。"

"Doing well! He could not do worse: he ruined his health and hisestate amongst the worst men and the worst women. He got into debtand into jail: his mother helped him out twice, but as soon as hewas free he returned to his old companions and habits. His head wasnot strong: the knaves he lived amongst fooled him beyond anythingI ever heard. He came down to Gateshead about three weeks ago andwanted missis to give up all to him. Missis refused: her meanshave long been much reduced by his extravagance; so he went backagain, and the next news was that he was dead. How he died, Godknows!--they say he killed himself.""

　　不好过！不能再坏了，他在一批坏男女中间厮混，糟塌了身体，荡光了家产，负了债，坐了牢。他母亲两次帮他弄出来，但他一出来便又找到了老相识，恢复了旧习气。他的脑子不大健全，那些同他相处的无赖，不择手段欺骗他。三个礼拜之前，他来到盖茨黑德府，要夫人把什么都给他，被夫人拒绝了，因为她的财产早已被他挥霍掉很多。所以又只好返回去，随后的消息便是他死掉了。天知道他是怎么死的！--他们说他自杀了。"

I was silent: the things were frightful. Robert Leaven resumed -

　　我默默无语，这消息着实可怕。罗伯特．利文又往下说：

"Missis had been out of health herself for some time: she had gotvery stout, but was not strong with it; and the loss of money andfear of poverty were quite breaking her down. The information aboutMr. John's death and the manner of it came too suddenly: it broughton a stroke. She was three days without speaking; but last Tuesdayshe seemed rather better: she appeared as if she wanted to saysomething, and kept making signs to my wife and mumbling. It wasonly yesterday morning, however, that Bessie understood she waspronouncing your name; and at last she made out the words, 'BringJane--fetch Jane Eyre: I want to speak to her.' Bessie is not surewhether she is in her right mind, or means anything by the words;but she told Miss Reed and Miss Georgiana, and advised them to sendfor you. The young ladies put it off at first; but their mothergrew so restless, and said, 'Jane, Jane,' so many times, that atlast they consented. I left Gateshead yesterday: and if you canget ready, Miss, I should like to take you back with me early to-morrow morning.""

　　夫人自己健康也不好，这已经有好长一段时间了。身体发胖，但并不强壮。她损失了钱，又怕变成穷光蛋，所以便垮了下来。约翰先生的死讯和这种死法来得很突然，害得她中风了。一连三天没有说话。不过上星期二似乎好些了，仿佛想说什么，不住地招呼我妻子，嘴里还叽哩咕噜。直到昨天早上贝茜才弄明白，她叨念着你的名字。最后贝茜把她的话搞清楚了，'把简叫来--去把简.爱叫来，我有话要同她说。'贝茜不敢肯定她的神志是否清醒，这些话有没有意思。不过她告诉了里德小姐和乔治亚娜小姐，向她们建议把你去叫来。起初两位年轻小姐拖拖拉拉，但她们的母亲越来越焦躁不安，而旦'简，简'地叫个不停，最后她们终算同意了。昨天我从盖茨黑德府动身。小姐，要是来得及准备，我想明天一早带你同我一起回去。"

　　是的，罗伯特，我会准备好的，我似乎应当去。"

"I think so too, Miss. Bessie said she was sure you would notrefuse: but I suppose you will have to ask leave before you can getoff?""

　　我也是这么想的，小姐。贝茜说她可以肯定，你不会拒绝。不过我想，你动身之前得请个假。"

"Yes; and I will do it now;" and having directed him to theservants' hall, and recommended him to the care of John's wife, andthe attentions of John himself, I went in search of Mr. Rochester."

　　是呀，我现在就去请假。"我把他领到了仆人室，将他交给约翰的妻子照应，并由约翰亲自过问后，便进去寻找罗切斯特先生了。

He was not in any of the lower rooms; he was not in the yard, thestables, or the grounds. I asked Mrs. Fairfax if she had seen him;--yes: she believed he was playing billiards with Miss Ingram. Tothe billiard-room I hastened: the click of balls and the hum ofvoices resounded thence; Mr. Rochester, Miss Ingram, the two MissesEshton, and their admirers, were all busied in the game. Itrequired some courage to disturb so interesting a party; my errand,however, was one I could not defer, so I approached the master wherehe stood at Miss Ingram's side. She turned as I drew near, andlooked at me haughtily: her eyes seemed to demand, "What can thecreeping creature want now?" and when I said, in a low voice, "Mr.Rochester," she made a movement as if tempted to order me away. Iremember her appearance at the moment--it was very graceful and verystriking: she wore a morning robe of sky-blue crape; a gauzy azurescarf was twisted in her hair. She had been all animation with thegame, and irritated pride did not lower the expression of herhaughty lineaments.

　　他不在底下几层的房间里，也不在院子里，马厩里或者庭园里。我问费尔法克斯太太有没有见到过他--不错，她想他跟英格拉姆小姐在玩台球。我急忙赶到台球房，那里回响着台球的咔嗒声和嗡嗡的说话声。罗切斯特先生、英格拉姆小姐、两位埃希顿小姐和她们的倾慕者正忙着玩那游戏呢。要去打搅这批兴致勃勃的人是需要有勇气的，但我的事儿又不能拖延。于是我便向我主人走去，他站在英格拉姆小姐旁边。我一走近，她便回过头来盛气凌人地看着我，她的眼睛似乎在说，"那个迟迟疑疑的家伙现在要干什么？"当我轻轻地叫了声，"罗切斯特先生"时，她移动了一下，仿佛按捺不住要命令我走开。我还记得她那时的样子--优雅而出众。她穿着一件天蓝的皱纱睡袍，头发上缠着一条青色薄纱头巾。她玩兴正浓，虽然触犯了自尊，但脸上骄矜之气未减。

"Does that person want you?" she inquired of Mr. Rochester; and Mr.Rochester turned to see who the "person" was. He made a curiousgrimace--one of his strange and equivocal demonstrations--threw downhis cue and followed me from the room."

　　那人找你吗？"她问罗切斯特先生。罗切斯特先生回头看看"那人"是谁，作了个奇怪的鬼脸--异样而含糊的表情--扔下了球棒，随我走出了房门。