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我内心深处埋藏着一种古怪而焦急的念头。这儿发生了一件我无法理解的事情，而且除了我，既无人知道，也无人见过。那是在前一天晚上发生的。罗切斯特先生出门去了，还没有回来。他因为有事上三十英里外的两三个小农庄去了--这些事务需要他在计划离开英国之前亲自去办理。此刻我等着他回来，急于卸去心头的包袱，请他解开困惑着我的谜。我要呆到他回来，读者，我一向他倾诉我的秘密，你们也就不言自明了。 I sought the orchard, driven to its shelter by the wind, which allday had blown strong and full from the south, without, however,bringing a speck of rain. Instead of subsiding as night drew on, itseemed to augment its rush and deepen its roar: the trees blewsteadfastly one way, never writhing round, and scarcely tossing backtheir boughs once in an hour; so continuous was the strain bendingtheir branchy heads northward--the clouds drifted from pole to pole,fast following, mass on mass: no glimpse of blue sky had beenvisible that July day. 我朝果园走去了。风把我驱赶到了隐蔽的角落。强劲的南风刮了整整一天，却没有带来一滴雨。入夜，风势非但没有减弱，反而越来越强，咆哮声越来越响。树木被一个劲儿地往一边吹着，从不改向，一个小时里，树枝几乎一次都没有朝反方向倒去，树梢一直紧绷着往北弯着。云块从一头飘到另一头，接踵而来，层层叠叠，七月的这一天看不到一丝蓝天。 It was not without a certain wild pleasure I ran before the wind,delivering my trouble of mind to the measureless air-torrentthundering through space. Descending the laurel walk, I faced thewreck of the chestnut-tree; it stood up black and riven: the trunk,split down the centre, gasped ghastly. The cloven halves were notbroken from each other, for the firm base and strong roots kept themunsundered below; though community of vitality was destroyed--thesap could flow no more: their great boughs on each side were dead,and next winter's tempests would be sure to fell one or both toearth: as yet, however, they might be said to form one tree--aruin, but an entire ruin. 我被风推着往前奔跑，把心头的烦恼付诸呼啸而过、无穷无尽的气流，倒也不失为一种狂乱的喜悦。我走下月桂小径，面前是横遭洗劫的栗树，黑乎乎的已经被撕裂，却依然站立着，树干中一劈为二，可怕地张着大口。但裂开的两半并没有完全脱开，因为坚实的树基和强壮的树根使底部仍然连接着。尽管生命的整体遭到了破坏一-树汁已不再流动，每一片大树枝都已枯死，明年冬天的暴风雨一定会把裂开的一片或者两片都刮到地上，但是它们可以说合起来是一棵树一-虽已倒地，却完整无缺。 "You did right to hold fast to each other," I said: as if themonster-splinters were living things, and could hear me. "I think,scathed as you look, and charred and scorched, there must be alittle sense of life in you yet, rising out of that adhesion at thefaithful, honest roots: you will never have green leaves more--never more see birds making nests and singing idyls in your boughs;the time of pleasure and love is over with you: but you are notdesolate: each of you has a comrade to sympathise with him in hisdecay." As I looked up at them, the moon appeared momentarily inthat part of the sky which filled their fissure; her disk was blood-red and half overcast; she seemed to throw on me one bewildered,dreary glance, and buried herself again instantly in the deep driftof cloud. The wind fell, for a second, round Thornfield; but faraway over wood and water, poured a wild, melancholy wail: it wassad to listen to, and I ran off again." 你们这样彼此紧贴着做得很对，"我说，仿佛裂开的大树是有生命的东西，听得见我的话。"我想，尽管你看上去遍体鳞伤，焦黑一片，但你身上一定还有细微的生命，从朴实忠诚的树根的粘合处冒出来。你们再也不会吐出绿叶--再也看不到鸟儿在枝头筑巢，唱起悠闲的歌。你们欢乐的相爱时刻已经逝去，但你们不会感到孤寂，在朽败中你们彼此都有同病相怜的伙伴。"我抬头仰望树干，只见月亮瞬间出现在树干裂缝中的那一小片天空，血红的月轮被遮去了一半。她似乎向我投来困惑、忧郁的一瞥，随后又躲进了厚厚的云层。刹那之间，桑菲尔德一带的风势减弱了。但远处的树林里和水面上，却响起了狂野凄厉的哀号，听起来叫人伤心，于是我便跑开了。 Here and there I strayed through the orchard, gathered up the appleswith which the grass round the tree roots was thickly strewn; then Iemployed myself in dividing the ripe from the unripe; I carried theminto the house and put them away in the store-room. Then I repairedto the library to ascertain whether the fire was lit, for, thoughsummer, I knew on such a gloomy evening Mr. Rochester would like tosee a cheerful hearth when he came in: yes, the fire had beenkindled some time, and burnt well. I placed his arm-chair by thechimney-corner: I wheeled the table near it: I let down thecurtain, and had the candles brought in ready for lighting. Morerestless than ever, when I had completed these arrangements I couldnot sit still, nor even remain in the house: a little time-piece inthe room and the old clock in the hall simultaneously struck ten. 我漫步穿过果园，把树根周围厚厚的青草底下的苹果捡起来，随后忙着把成熟了的苹果和其他苹果分开，带回屋里，放进储藏室。接着我上图书室去看看有没有生上火炉。因为虽是夏天，但我知道，在这祥一个阴沉的夜晚，罗切斯特先生喜欢一进门就看到令人愉快的炉火。不错，火生起来已经有一会儿了，烧得很旺。我把他的安乐椅放在炉角，把桌子推近它。我放下窗帘，让人送来蜡烛，以备点灯。这一切都安排好以后，我很有些坐立不安，甚至连屋子里也呆不住了。房间里的小钟和厅里的老钟同时敲响了十点。 
这么晚了！"我自言自语地说："我要跑下楼到大门口去。借着时隐时现的月光，我能看清楚很远的路。也许这会儿他就要来了，出去迎接他可以使我少担几分钟心。" The wind roared high in the great trees which embowered the gates;but the road as far as I could see, to the right hand and the left,was all still and solitary: save for the shadows of clouds crossingit at intervals as the moon looked out, it was but a long pale line,unvaried by one moving speck. 风在遮掩着大门的巨树中呼啸着。但我眼目所及，路的左右两旁都孤寂无声，只有云的阴影不时掠过。月亮探出头来时，也不过是苍白的一长条，单调得连一个移动的斑点都没有。 A puerile tear dimmed my eye while I looked--a tear ofdisappointment and impatience; ashamed of it, I wiped it away. Ilingered; the moon shut herself wholly within her chamber, and drewclose her curtain of dense cloud: the night grew dark; rain camedriving fast on the gale. 我仰望天空，一滴幼稚的眼泪蒙住了眼睛，那是失望和焦急之泪。我为此感到羞涩，赶紧把它抹去，但迟迟没有举步。月亮把自己整个儿关进了闺房，并拉上了厚实的云的窗帘。夜变得黑沉沉了，大风刮来了骤雨。 "I wish he would come! I wish he would come!" I exclaimed, seizedwith hypochondriac foreboding. I had expected his arrival beforetea; now it was dark: what could keep him? Had an accidenthappened? The event of last night again recurred to me. Iinterpreted it as a warning of disaster. I feared my hopes were toobright to be realised; and I had enjoyed so much bliss lately that Iimagined my fortune had passed its meridian, and must now decline." 但愿他会来！但愿他会来！"我大嚷着，心里产生了要发作疑病症的预感。茶点之前我就盼望他到了，而此刻天已经全黑。什么事儿耽搁了他呢？难道出了事故？我不由得想起了昨晚的一幕，我把它理解成是灾祸的预兆。我担心自己的希望过于光明而不可能实现，最近我享了那么多福，自己不免想到，我的运气已过了顶点，如今必然要走下坡路了。 "Well, I cannot return to the house," I thought; "I cannot sit bythe fireside, while he is abroad in inclement weather: better tiremy limbs than strain my heart; I will go forward and meet him."" 是呀，我不能回屋去，"我思忖道，"我不能安坐在火炉边，而他却风风雨雨在外面闯荡。与其忧心如焚，不如脚头劳累一些，我要走上前去迎接他。" 
我出发了，走得很快，但并不很远。还没到四分之一英里，我便听见了一阵马蹄声。一位骑手疾驰而来，旁边窜着一条狗。不祥的预感一扫而光！这正是他，骑着梅斯罗来了，身后跟着派洛特。他看见了我，因为月亮在空中开辟了一条蓝色的光带，在光带中飘移，晶莹透亮。他摘下帽子，在头顶挥动，我迎着他跑上去。 "There!" he exclaimed, as he stretched out his hand and bent fromthe saddle: "You can't do without me, that is evident. Step on myboot-toe; give me both hands: mount!"" 瞧！"他大声叫道，一面伸出双手，从马鞍上弯下腰来。"显然你少了我不行，踩在我靴子尖上，把两只手都给我，上！" I obeyed: joy made me agile: I sprang up before him. A heartykissing I got for a welcome, and some boastful triumph, which Iswallowed as well as I could. He checked himself in his exultationto demand, "But is there anything the matter, Janet, that you cometo meet me at such an hour? Is there anything wrong?" 我照他说的做了。心里一高兴身子也灵活了，我跳上马坐到他前面。他使劲吻我，表示对我的欢迎，随后又自鸣得意地吹了一番，我尽量一股脑儿都相信。得意之中他刹住话题问我："怎么回事？珍妮特，你居然这个时候来接我？出了什么事了？" "No, but I thought you would never come. I could not bear to waitin the house for you, especially with this rain and wind."" 没有。不过我以为你永远不会回来了。我实在耐不住等在屋子里，尤其是雨下得那么大，风刮得那么紧。" "Rain and wind, indeed! Yes, you are dripping like a mermaid; pullmy cloak round you: but I think you are feverish, Jane: both yourcheek and hand are burning hot. I ask again, is there anything thematter?" 确实是雨大风狂！是呀，看你像美人鱼一样滴着水。把我的斗篷拉过去盖住你。不过我想你有些发烧，简。你的脸颊和手都烫得厉害。我再问一句，出了什么事了吗？" 
现在没有。我既不害怕，也不难受。" "Then you have been both?"" 那样的话，你刚才害怕过，难受过？" "Rather: but I'll tell you all about it by-and-bye, sir; and Idaresay you will only laugh at me for my pains."" 有一些，不过慢慢地我会告诉你的，先生。我猜想你只会讥笑我自寻烦恼。" "I'll laugh at you heartily when to-morrow is past; till then I darenot: my prize is not certain. This is you, who have been asslippery as an eel this last month, and as thorny as a briar-rose?I could not lay a finger anywhere but I was pricked; and now I seemto have gathered up a stray lamb in my arms. You wandered out ofthe fold to seek your shepherd, did you, Jane?"" 明天一过，我要痛痛快快地笑你，但现在可不敢。我的宝贝还不一定到手。上个月你就像鳗鱼一样滑溜，像野蔷薇一样多刺，什么地方手指一碰就挨了刺。现在我好像己经把迷途的羔羊揣在怀里了，你溜出了羊栏来找你的牧羊人啦，简？"
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