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“这不成其为理由，”布朗罗先生答道，“销毁那两件首饰的时候，你在场，而且照法律的眼光来看，两者之中，你的罪责的确更严重。因为法律认为你妻子的行为是受你的指使。” 'If the law supposes that,' said Mr. Bumble, squeezing his hat emphatically in both hands, 'the law is a ass--a idiot. If that's the eye of the law, the law is a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is, that his eye may be opened by experience--by experience.' “要是法律这样认为，”邦布尔先生把帽子夹在两只手中间使劲地搓，说道，“法律就是一头蠢驴--一个白痴，如果这就是法律的眼光，那么法律准是个单身汉。我但愿法律落到最坏的下场，只有亲身体验过了，睁开眼睛了，才明白丈夫能不能支配妻子--这要靠亲身体验。” Laying great stress on the repetition of these two words, Mr. Bumble fixed his hat on very tight, and putting his hands in his pockets, followed his helpmate downstairs. 邦布尔先生加重语气，把最后几个字重复了一遍，紧紧地戴上帽子，双手插在口袋里，跟着他的贤内助下楼去了。 'Young lady,' said Mr. Brownlow, turning to Rose, 'give me your hand. Do not tremble. You need not fear to hear the few remaining words we have to say.' “小姐，”布朗罗先生转向露丝说道，“把手伸给我。不要发抖。你用不着害怕，听一听我们不得不讲的最后几句话。” 'If they have--I do not know how they can, but if they have--any reference to me,' said Rose, 'pray let me hear them at some other time. I have not strength or spirits now.' “你的话要是和我有关--我不知道这怎么可能，可如果--还是另找时间告诉我吧。我现在既没有力气，也打不起精神。” 
“不，”老先生挽起她的胳臂，回答说，“我相信你的毅力不止这么一点。先生，你认识这位小姐吗？” 'Yes,' replied Monks. “认识。”孟可司回答。 'I never saw you before,' said Rose faintly. “我从来没见过你。”露丝有气无力地回答。 'I have seen you often,' returned Monks. “我经常看见你。”孟可司答道。 'The father of the unhappy Agnes had TWO daughters,' said Mr. Brownlow. 'What was the fate of the other--the child?' “不幸的艾格尼丝，她父亲有两个女儿，”布朗罗先先生说道，“另外一个命运如何--那个小女儿？” 
“那个小女儿，”孟可司回答，“当时她父亲死在异乡，用的又是一个陌生的名字，没有留下一封信，一个本子，一张纸片，没留下一点点线索可以用来查找他的朋友或亲属--那孩子叫一户穷苦农民领走了，他们把孩子当成自个儿的收养下来。” 'Go on,' said Mr. Brownlow, signing to Mrs. Maylie to approach. 'Go on!' “说下去，”布朗罗先生说道，朝梅莱太太递了个眼色，要她上前边来，“说啊。” 'You couldn't find the spot to which these people had repaired,' said Monks, 'but where friendship fails, hatred will often force a way. My mother found it, after a year of cunning search--ay, and found the child.' “那户人家后来搬走了，你就是去找也是找不到的，”孟可司说道，“不过，在友谊无能为力的地方，仇恨往往大行其道。我母亲经过一年的明查暗访，找到了那个地方--嘿，并且找到了那个孩子。” 'She took it, did she?' “她把孩子带走了？” 'No. The people were poor and began to sicken--at least the man did--of their fine humanity; so she left it with them, giving them a small present of money which would not last long, and promised more, which she never meant to send. She didn't quite rely, however, on their discontent and poverty for the child's unhappiness, but told the history of the sister's shame, with such alterations as suited her; bade them take good heed of the child, for she came of bad blood;; and told them she was illegitimate, and sure to go wrong at one time or other. The circumstances countenanced all this; the people believed it; and there the child dragged on an existence, miserable enough even to satisfy us, until a widow lady, residing, then, at Chester, saw the girl by chance, pitied her, and took her home. There was some cursed spell, I think, against us; for in spite of all our efforts she remained there and was happy. I lost sight of her, two or three years ago, and saw her no more until a few months back.' “没有。那家人很穷，已经开始对自己的善心有点烦了--至少那个男的是如此。因此，我母亲要他们把孩子留下，给了他们一点钱，那点钱也维持不了多久，答应以后再寄些钱来，她根本就没打算再寄。不过她还是不太放心，生怕他们那些个牢骚和穷困把孩子整得不够惨，我母亲就把她姐姐的丑事抖落出去，说的时候想怎么编就怎么编，嘱咐他们对那孩子要提防着点，因为她出身下贱。还说她是个私生子，将来什么时候肯定会走上邪路。所有这些话和实际情况全都吻合，他们就相信了。孩子在那儿活得很凄惨，连我们都感到满意，后来，一位当时住在契斯特的富孀偶然看见了那个女孩子，觉得她怪可怜的，才把她带到自己家里。我总觉得这中间有某种该死的魔力在跟我们作对。我们虽然什么办法都想尽了，可她始终呆在那儿，日子过得挺快活。我没看见她有两三年了，直到几个月以前才又见到她。” 
“你现在看见她了吗？” 'Yes. Leaning on your arm.' “看见了。就靠在你肩上。” 'But not the less my niece,' cried Mrs. Maylie, folding the fainting girl in her arms; 'not the less my dearest child. I would not lose her now, for all the treasures of the world. My sweet companion, my own dear girl!' “可跟我自己的孩子也差不离啊。”梅莱太太一把抱住马上就要晕厥过去的露丝姑娘，大声说道，“一点也不比我最宝贝的孩子差。就是把世上的一切财富都给我，我也不会丢下她，我可爱的伙伴，我的宝贝妞妞。” 'The only friend I ever had,' cried Rose, clinging to her. 'The kindest, best of friends. My heart will burst. I cannot bear all this.' “你一直就是我唯一的亲人，”露丝依偎着她，哭喊道，“最体贴，最要好的朋友。我的心都要炸开了，这一切我真承受不起了。” 'You have borne more, and have been, through all, the best and gentlest creature that ever shed happiness on every one she knew,' said Mrs. Maylie, embracing her tenderly. 'Come, come, my love, remember who this is who waits to clasp you in his arms, poor child! See here--look, look, my dear!' “更多的事你都承受住了，你一向就是最善良、最温柔的姑娘，总是把幸福抛给认识的每一个人，”梅莱太太慈爱地抱住她，说道，“来，过来啊，我的宝贝，想想是谁还等着把你搂在怀里，苦命的孩子。瞧这儿--你瞧，他来了，我亲爱的。” 
“你不是姨妈，”’奥立弗伸出双臂，搂住露丝的脖子，喊叫着。“我永远也不叫她姨妈--我要叫姐姐，我亲爱的好姐姐，一开始就有个什么东西在教我，我的心才爱得这样深。露丝，可亲可爱的露丝姐姐。” Let the tears which fell, and the broken words which were exchanged in the long close embrace between the orphans, be sacred. A father, sister, and mother, were gained, and lost, in that one moment. Joy and grief were mingled in the cup; but there were no bitter tears: for even grief itself arose so softened, and clothed in such sweet and tender recollections, that it became a solemn pleasure, and lost all character of pain. 两个孤儿长时间地紧紧拥抱，泪水滚滚流淌，相互讲出一些不连贯的话语，让我们将这些泪水和话语献给上帝吧。转瞬之间，他俩都知道了各自的父亲、姐姐、母亲是谁。欢乐与忧伤交汇在命运的杯子里，然而其中绝没有辛酸的眼泪：因为就连忧伤本身也已冲淡，又裹在了那样甜蜜、亲切的回忆之中，失去了所有的苦涩，成了一种庄严的快慰。 They were a long, long time alone. A soft tap at the door, at length announced that some one was without. Oliver opened it, glided away, and gave place to Harry Maylie. 有很长很长一段时间，屋子里只剩下他们俩。门上轻轻响起一阵敲门声，告诉他们门外有人。奥立弗打开门，溜了出去，让哈利·梅莱取代了他的位置。 'I know it all,' he said, taking a seat beside the lovely girl. 'Dear Rose, I know it all.' “我什么都知道了，”他在心爱的姑娘身边坐下，说道，“亲爱的露丝，一切我都知道了。” 'I am not here by accident,' he added after a lengthened silence; 'nor have I heard all this to-night, for I knew it yesterday--only yesterday. Do you guess that I have come to remind you of a promise?' “我不是偶然上这儿来的，”在一阵长时间的沉默之后，他又说道，“也不是今天晚上才听说这一切，我昨天就知道了--也不过就是昨天。你猜到了，我来是要向你重提一个许诺的，对吗？” 
“等一等，”露丝说道，“你到底还是什么都明白了。” 'All. You gave me leave, at any time within a year, to renew the subject of our last discourse.' “一切都明白了。你答应过我，一年之内的任何时间重提我们最后一次谈到的事情。” 'I did.' “我答应过。” 'Not to press you to alter your determination,' pursued the young man, 'but to hear you repeat it, if you would. I was to lay whatever of station or fortune I might possess at your feet, and if you still adhered to your former determination, I pledged myself, by no word or act, to seek to change it.' “我不是要逼迫你改变主意，”年轻人苦苦相劝，“只是想听你重复一遍，如果你愿意的话。我说过，无论我能够获得何种地位或是财产，都要统统放在你的脚下，要是你依然固守从前的决定，我亲口起过誓，决不用言语或者行动去想法加以改变。” 'The same reasons which influenced me then, will influence me know,' said Rose firmly. 'If I ever owed a strict and rigid duty to her, whose goodness saved me from a life of indigence and suffering, when should I ever feel it, as I should to-night? It is a struggle,' said Rose, 'but one I am proud to make; it is a pang, but one my heart shall bear.' “当初影响我的那些理由，现在同样影响着我，”露丝坚定地说，“你母亲一片好心，把我从贫穷苦难的生活中救出来，如果说我对她负有一种不可忽视的责任，我的感觉还有什么时候能像今天晚上这样强烈？这是一场斗争，”露丝说道，“但却是我引为骄傲的一场斗争。这是一种痛苦，但我的心甘愿承受。”
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