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“我明白，一个男子拿出心中最美好、纯洁的爱情奉献给她，她也是当之无愧的，”梅莱太太说，“我明白，她天性中的献身精神和爱心需要的绝不是普普通通的回报，而是需要一个深深相爱，永不变心的人。在我做一些在我看来必须做到的事时，如果不是我感觉到了这一点，另外还知道，她爱上的人只要态度有一点改变都会使她心碎，我也不会感到自己的使命如此困难，或者说，我内心也不会发生这么多的矛盾了。” 'This is unkind, mother,' said Harry. 'Do you still suppose that I am a boy ignorant of my own mind, and mistaking the impulses of my own soul?' “这不公平，妈妈，”哈利说道，“你还是把我当小孩子，完全不懂得自己的想法，也不懂我灵魂上的一次次冲动？” 'I think, my dear son,' returned Mrs. Maylie, laying her hand upon his shoulder, 'that youth has many generous impulses which do not last; and that among them are some, which, being gratified, become only the more fleeting. Above all, I think' said the lady, fixing her eyes on her son's face, 'that if an enthusiastic, ardent, and ambitious man marry a wife on whose name there is a stain, which, though it originate in no fault of hers, may be visited by cold and sordid people upon her, and upon his children also: and, in exact proportion to his success in the world, be cast in his teeth, and made the subject of sneers against him: he may, no matter how generous and good his nature, one day repent of the connection he formed in early life. And she may have the pain of knowing that he does so.' “在我看来，我的好儿子，”梅莱太大把一只手搭在哈利肩上，回答道，“年轻人有许多高尚的冲动往往难以持久，其中有一些一旦得到满足，只会变得更加短暂，转瞬即逝。总之，我相信，”老太太目不转睛，盯着儿子的面容，说道，“一个有着满腔热忱和远大抱负的男子，如果娶了一个名分上有污点的妻子，哪怕这个污点并不是由于她的过错，那就会引来一班冷酷龌龊的小人，还会影响到孩子们--丈夫在世间取得了多大成就，就会受到多大的低毁，把他当成讥笑嘲弄的目标--总有一天，不管做丈夫的天性多么豁达，为人多么善良，都会后悔当初结下了这门亲事。做妻子的知道丈夫感到后悔了，也同样会很痛苦。” 'Mother,' said the young man, impatiently, 'he would be a selfish brute, unworthy alike of the name of man and of the woman you describe, who acted thus.' “妈妈，”年轻人按捺不住地说，“谁要是这么做，就是一头只顾自己的畜生，根本不配称作一个男人，也配不上您描述的那个女人。” 'You think so now, Harry,' replied his mother. “你现在是这样认为，哈利。”母亲说道。 
“永远是这样。”年轻人说，“过去两天我精神上遭受的痛苦，迫使我毫不掩饰地向您承认，我是有这样一份感情，您完全清楚，这份感情并非昨天才产生，也不是我轻率形成的。我的心属于露丝，多么可爱而又温柔的姑娘啊。我和一切倾心于人的男子汉一样坚定。我的思想、抱负、生活中的希望都和她分不开。如果您在这件大事上反对我，您就是把我的安宁与幸福抓在手里，随风抛撒。妈妈，多想想这一点，多想想我吧，不要把这种幸福看得一钱不值，这事您好像想得很少。” 'Harry,' said Mrs. Maylie, 'it is because I think so much of warm and sensitive hearts, that I would spare them from being wounded. “哈利，”梅莱太太说，“正因为我替热烈而敏感的心想得很多，我才不愿意使它们受到损伤。 But we have said enough, and more than enough, on this matter, just now.' 不过，眼下我们对这件事谈得太多，到此为止吧。” 'Let it rest with Rose, then,' interposed Harry. 'You will not press these overstrained opinions of yours, so far, as to throw any obstacle in my way?' “那好，就看露丝怎么决定吧，”哈利接口说道，“您该不会把您的这些偏见强加于人，甚至不惜为我制造障碍吧？” 'I will not,' rejoined Mrs. Maylie; 'but I would have you consider--' “我不会的，”梅莱太太回答，“但我要你考虑一下--” 
“我已经考虑过了。”答复已经相当急躁，“妈妈，我考虑了好多年了。自打我能够进行严肃认真的思考以来，我就在考虑。我的感情永远不会改变，永远都是这样。为什么一旦说出来，我就得承受一拖再拖的痛苦呢，这种痛苦又有什么好处？不，在我离开这个地方以前，露丝得听一听我说的话。” 'She shall,' said Mrs. Maylie. “她会的。”梅莱太太答道。 'There is something in your manner, which would almost imply that she will hear me coldly, mother,' said the young man. “妈妈，您的态度几乎已经暗示，她会以冷冰冰的态度对待我要说的话。”年轻人说道。 'Not coldly,' rejoined the old lady; 'far from it.' “不是冷冰冰的，”老太太回答，“远远不是那样。” 'How then?' urged the young man. 'She has formed no other attachment?' “那又怎么样？”年轻人直言不讳，“她还不曾另有所爱吧？” 
“没有，一点不假，”作母亲的答道，“或许是我弄错了，你已经牢牢抓住了她的感情。我要说的，”作儿子的正想开口，老太太上住了他，接着说道，“正是这一点。在你豁出一切，拿这个机会来打赌之前，在你身不由己，飞向希望的顶点之前，我亲爱的孩子，要多考虑一下露丝的身世，你想想，她完全是出于高尚的心灵和无所保留的自我牺牲精神，对我们一直忠心耿耿，无论大事小事，她的性格特点就是自我奉献，她要是得知自己的出生疑点甚多，这会给她的决定造成什么样的影响。” 'What do you mean?' “您指的是什么？” 'That I leave you to discover,' replied Mrs. Maylie. 'I must go back to her. God bless you!' “这个问题我留给你去解答，”梅莱太太回答，“我得回她那儿去了。上帝保佑你。” 'I shall see you again to-night?' said the young man, eagerly. “今天晚上我还能见到您吗？”年轻人急切地说。 'By and by,' replied the lady; 'when I leave Rose.' “要不了多久，”老太太答道，“在我离开露丝的时候吧。” 
“您是不是要告诉她我在这儿？”哈利说道。 'Of course,' replied Mrs. Maylie. “那还用说。”梅莱太太回答。 'And say how anxious I have been, and how much I have suffered, and how I long to see her. You will not refuse to do this, mother?' “告诉她，我是多么着急，吃了多少苦头，又是多想见到她。您不会拒绝这么做吧，妈妈？” 'No,' said the old lady; 'I will tell her all.' And pressing her son's hand, affectionately, she hastened from the room. “是的，”老太太说道，“我要把一切都告诉她。”她慈爱地握了握儿子的手，匆匆离开房间。 Mr. Losberne and Oliver had remained at another end of the apartment while this hurried conversation was proceeding. The former now held out his hand to Harry Maylie; and hearty salutations were exchanged between them. The doctor then communicated, in reply to multifarious questions from his young friend, a precise account of his patient's situation; which was quite as consolatory and full of promise, as Oliver's statement had encouraged him to hope; and to the whole of which, Mr. Giles, who affected to be busy about the luggage, listened with greedy ears. 这一番仓促的谈话正在进行的时候，罗斯伯力先生和奥立弗一直呆在房间的另一角。罗斯伯力先生这时朝哈利·梅莱伸过手来，互道衷心的问候。接着，大夫针对年轻朋友提出的一大堆问题做了解答，详细说明了病人的状况，这番说明和奥立弗的陈述一样充满希望，非常令人欣慰。凯尔司先生装出忙着收拾行李的样子，其实大夫讲的每一句话都没有落下。 
“你近来打到什么特别的东西没有，凯尔司？”大夫讲完之后问道。 'Nothing particular, sir,' replied Mr. Giles, colouring up to the eyes. “没什么特别的东西，先生。”凯尔司先生的脸一直红到了耳根。 'Nor catching any thieves, nor identifying any house-breakers?' said the doctor. “也没逮住小偷什么的，或者认出哪一个强盗来？”大夫说道。 'None at all, sir,' replied Mr. Giles, with much gravity. “没有，先生。”凯尔司先生非常庄重地回答。 'Well,' said the doctor, 'I am sorry to hear it, because you do that sort of thing admirably. Pray, how is Brittles?' “哦，”大夫说道，“真是遗憾，因为你办那种事情非常令人敬佩。请问，布里特尔斯怎么样了？” 
“那孩子很不错，先生。”凯尔司先生又恢复了平日那一副恩人的口气，说道，“他要我向你转达他的敬意，先生。”
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