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里德先生是我的舅舅--我母亲的哥哥。" "The deuce he was! You never told me that before: you always saidyou had no relations."" 哎呀他是你舅舅!你从来没有跟我说起过他,你总是说你没有亲戚。" "None that would own me, sir. Mr. Reed is dead, and his wife castme off."" 没有一个亲戚肯承认我,先生。里德先生去世了,他的夫人抛弃了我。" "Why?"" 为什么?" "Because I was poor, and burdensome, and she disliked me."" 因为我穷,是个包袱,她不喜欢我。" 
可是里德他留下了孩子?--你一定有表兄妹的了?昨天乔治.林恩爵士说起盖茨黑德府一个叫里德的人--他说这人是城里一个十足的无赖,而英格拉姆提到了同一个地方叫乔治亚娜.里德的,一两个社交季节之前,因为美貌,在伦敦大受倾慕。" "John Reed is dead, too, sir: he ruined himself and half-ruined hisfamily, and is supposed to have committed suicide. The news soshocked his mother that it brought on an apoplectic attack."" 约翰.里德也死了,先生,他毁了自己,也差不多毁了他的家,据说他是自杀的。噩耗传来,他母亲大为震惊,一下子中风了。" "And what good can you do her? Nonsense, Jane! I would never thinkof running a hundred miles to see an old lady who will, perhaps, bedead before you reach her: besides, you say she cast you off."" 你能帮她什么忙?胡闹,简?我才不会想跑一百英里去看一个老太太呢,而她也许还没等你赶到就死了。更何况你说她把你抛弃了。" "Yes, sir, but that is long ago; and when her circumstances werevery different: I could not be easy to neglect her wishes now."" 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。" "How long will you stay?"" 你要呆多久?" 
尽量短些,先生。" "Promise me only to stay a week--"" 答应我只呆一星期。" "I had better not pass my word: I might be obliged to break it."" 我还是不要许诺好,很可能我会不得不食言。" "At all events you WILL come back: you will not be induced underany pretext to take up a permanent residence with her?"" 无论如何你要回来,在任何情况下都要经得住劝诱,不跟她一辈子住在一起。" "Oh, no! I shall certainly return if all be well."" 呵,对!要是一切顺利,我当然会回来的。" 
谁同你一起走?可不能独个儿跑一百英里路呀?" "No, sir, she has sent her coachman."" 不,先生,她派了一个赶车人来。" "A person to be trusted?"" 一个信得过的人吗?" "Yes, sir, he has lived ten years in the family."" 是的先生,他在那儿已经住了十年。" Mr. Rochester meditated. "When do you wish to go?" 罗切斯特先生沉思了一会。"你希望什么时候走?" 
明天一早,先生。" "Well, you must have some money; you can't travel without money, andI daresay you have not much: I have given you no salary yet. Howmuch have you in the world, Jane?" he asked, smiling." 好吧,你得带些钱在身边,出门可不能没有钱。我猜想你钱不多。我还没有付你工资呢。你一古脑儿还有多少钱,简?"他笑着问。 I drew out my purse; a meagre thing it was. "Five shillings, sir."He took the purse, poured the hoard into his palm, and chuckled overit as if its scantiness amused him. Soon he produced his pocket-book: "Here," said he, offering me a note; it was fifty pounds, andhe owed me but fifteen. I told him I had no change. 我取出钱包,里面瘪瘪的。"五先令,先生。"他伸手拿过钱包,把里面的钱全倒在手掌上,噗吃一声笑了出来,仿佛是钱使他高兴似的。他立刻取出了自己的皮夹子,"拿着吧,"他说着递给我一张钞票:五十英镑,而他只欠我十五英镑。我告诉他我找不出。 "I don't want change; you know that. Take your wages."" 我不要你找,你知道的。拿着你的工资吧。" I declined accepting more than was my due. He scowled at first;then, as if recollecting something, he said - 我拒绝接受超过我应得的东西。他先是皱了皱眉,随后仿佛想起了什么似地说: 
行,行!现在还是不要全给你的好。要是你有五十镑,也许就会呆上三个月。十英镑,够吗?" "Yes, sir, but now you owe me five."" 够啦,先生,不过现在你欠我五英镑了。" "Come back for it, then; I am your banker for forty pounds."" 那就回来拿吧,你有四十镑存在我这儿。" "Mr. Rochester, I may as well mention another matter of business toyou while I have the opportunity."" 罗切斯特先生,我还是趁这个机会向你提一下另一桩事务吧。" "Matter of business? I am curious to hear it."" 事务?我听了很感到好奇。" 
你实际上已经通知我,先生,你很快就要结婚了。" "Yes; what then?"" 是的,那又怎么样?" "In that case, sir, Adele ought to go to school: I am sure you willperceive the necessity of it."" 那样的话,先生,阿黛勒该去上学了,可以肯定你会觉察到这样做的必要性。" "To get her out of my bride's way, who might otherwise walk over herrather too emphatically? There's sense in the suggestion; not adoubt of it. Adele, as you say, must go to school; and you, ofcourse, must march straight to--the devil?"" 让她别碍着我新娘,不然她会过份地蔑视她。毫无疑问,你这建议有道理。像你说的,阿黛勒得上学,而你,当然,得直奔--魔鬼?" "I hope not, sir; but I must seek another situation somewhere."" 希望不是这样,先生。不过我得上什么地方另找个工作。" 
当然!"他大叫道,嗓门里带着鼻音,面部抽搐了一下,表情既古怪又可笑。他打量了我几分钟。 "And old Madam Reed, or the Misses, her daughters, will be solicitedby you to seek a place, I suppose?"" 你会去求老夫人里德,或者她的女儿,也就是那些小姐们给你找个工作,我猜是吧?" "No, sir; I am not on such terms with my relatives as would justifyme in asking favours of them--but I shall advertise."" 不,先生,我亲戚们没有那层可以请求帮忙的关系--不过我会登广告。" "You shall walk up the pyramids of Egypt!" he growled. "At yourperil you advertise! I wish I had only offered you a sovereigninstead of ten pounds. Give me back nine pounds, Jane; I've a usefor it."" 你还可以大步跨上埃及金字塔!"他咆哮着。"你登广告是冒险:但愿我刚才只给了你一镑,而不是十镑。把五镑还给我,简,我要派用处。" "And so have I, sir," I returned, putting my hands and my pursebehind me. "I could not spare the money on any account."" 我也要派用处,先生,"我回嘴道,双手抓住钱包藏到了背后。"那钱我说什么也不放。"
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