牛津書蟲系列 遠離塵囂 3 The fire

3 The fire

3 火災

Two months later Gabriel went to the great fair at Casterbridge，hoping to find a job as farm manager. But when he realized by late afternoon that none of the farmers at Casterbridge wanted a farm manager，or even a shepherd，he decided to try his luck at another fair the next day. It was fifteen miles further away，in a village the other side of Weatherbury. The name Weatherbury reminded him of Bathsheba，and he wondered if she still lived there. He set out on foot as it was getting dark，and had already walked three or four miles when he saw a cart，half-full of hay，by the side of the road. ‘That's a comfortable place to sleep，’he thought，and he was so tired after his long，disappointing day at the fair that when he climbed into the cart，he fell asleep immediately.

兩個月后，蓋伯瑞爾去了位于卡斯特橋的大集市，希望找一份農(nóng)場經(jīng)理的工作。在下午，快結束時，他意識到卡斯特橋沒有哪個農(nóng)場主需要農(nóng)場經(jīng)理，甚或是一個牧羊人，他決定第二天到另一個集市去碰碰運氣。這個集市在威瑟伯里另一邊的一個村莊，還要再走15英里。威瑟伯里這個名字使他想起了芭絲謝芭，他不知道她是否還住在那兒。天將黑時，他步行著上路了。走了三四英里，他看到一輛馬車停在路邊，車上裝著半車干草。“那個地方睡覺挺舒服，”他想，經(jīng)過在集市上漫長、令人失望的一天后，他太累了。一爬上車他立刻就睡著了。

A couple of hours later，however，he was woken by the movement of the cart. It was being driven towards Weatherbury by two farm workers，who had not noticed Gabriel. He listened to their conversation.

一兩個小時后，馬車的顛簸驚醒了他。兩個農(nóng)場工人正把馬車趕向威瑟伯里，他們沒有注意到蓋伯瑞爾。他聽到了他們的談話。

‘She's a handsome woman，that's true，’said one，‘but proud too!And very vain，that's what people say!’

“她是個很漂亮的女人，這倒不假，”一個說，“可是太傲慢!人們都說她很自負!”

‘Oh，if she's vain，Billy Smallbury，I'll never be able to look at her!I'm such a shy man，as you know!’said the other. ‘A single woman，and vain!And does she pay her farm workers well?’

“唉，比利·斯摩伯里，要是她很自以為是，我就連正眼看她也不敢了!你知道，我是一個害羞的人!”另一個說。“一個單身女人，而且自負!她給她的農(nóng)場工人報酬高嗎?”

‘I don't know about that，Joseph Poorgrass. ’

“這個我不知道，約瑟夫·普格拉斯。”

Gabriel thought they could be talking about Bathsheba，except that the woman they were discussing seemed to be the mistress of a farm. As the cart was now quite near Weatherbury，Gabriel jumped out，unseen by the two men. He climbed a gate into a field，intending to sleep for the rest of the night under a hay-rick，but then he noticed an unusual light in the darkness，about half a mile away. Something was on fire.

蓋伯瑞爾想他們談論的可能是芭絲謝芭，只是他們談論的女人好像是一個農(nóng)場的女主人。馬車快到威瑟伯里時，蓋伯瑞爾跳下了車，那兩個人也未發(fā)現(xiàn)。他翻越過一個大門進了一塊地里，打算在一個干草垛下過夜，就在這時，他注意到大約一英里遠的地方黑暗中有不尋常的火光。有東西著火了。

He hurried across the fields towards the fire. Soon，in the rich orange light of the flames，he could see a hay-rick burning fiercely. It was too late to save the rick，so for a few minutes he stood and stared at the flames. But when the smoke cleared for a moment，he was horrified to see，very close to the burning rick，a whole row of wheat-ricks. These probably con-tained most of the wheat produced on the farm that year，and could catch fire at any moment.

他穿過田地向著火的地方跑去。接著，他看到熊熊的火光中，干草垛肆虐地燃燒著?，F(xiàn)在已來不及救干草垛了，有好幾分鐘他就站在那兒盯著火焰。可是當煙散開一點后，他吃驚地看到有一排麥垛就緊挨著燃燒著的干草垛。這個農(nóng)場這一年產(chǎn)的大部分麥子可能都在這兒，這些麥垛隨時有著火的可能。

As he rushed towards the wheat-rick that was most in dan-ger，he saw he was not alone. A crowd of farm workers had seen the fire and run into the field to help save the wheat，but they were so confused they did not know what to do. Gabriel took control and gave orders.

當他向最危急的一個麥垛沖去時，他看到在場的并不只是他一人。一群農(nóng)場工人看到著了火，跑到地里來幫著搶救麥子。只是他們太混亂了，不知道該做什么。蓋伯瑞爾控制住局面，開始發(fā)號施令。

‘Get a large cloth!’he shouted. ‘Put it over the wheat-rick，so the wind can't blow the flames from the hay-rick on to it!Now，you，stand here with a bucket of water and keep the cloth wet!’The men hurried to obey him. The flames，prevented from burning the bottom and sides of the wheat-rick，began to attack its roof.

“找一塊大布來!”他喊道。“用布把麥垛裹住，這樣干草垛上的火苗就不會被吹到麥垛上!你，拿一桶水站在這兒，讓布保持濕潤!”人們立刻聽從他的指揮。燒不著麥垛底部和邊部的火焰開始襲擊頂部。

‘Get me a ladder!’cried Gabriel. ‘And a branch，and some water!’He climbed up the wheat-rick and sat on the top，beating down the flames with the branch. Billy Smallbury，one of the men who had been in the cart，climbed up with a bucket of water， to throw water on Gabriel and keep the flames off him. The smoke was at its thickest at this corner of the rick， but Gabriel never stopped his work.

“給我找一架梯子!”蓋伯瑞爾大聲說，‘再找一個樹枝和一些水!”他爬上麥垛，坐在頂上，用樹枝打滅火苗。斯摩伯里，馬車上兩人中的一個，提著一桶水爬了上來。他把水澆在蓋伯瑞爾身上以免火苗燒到他的身上。蓋伯瑞爾呆的這個角上濃煙滾滾，但他卻一刻也沒有停歇。

On the ground the villagers were doing what they could to stop the fire，which was not much. A little further away was a young woman who had just arrived on her horse，witn her maid on foot. They were watching the fire and discussing Gabriel.

地面上村民們也在盡自己所能地滅著火，盡管地面上的火并不大。不遠處有一位騎馬剛到的年輕姑娘，她的女仆步行跟著她。她們望著大火，議論著蓋伯瑞爾。

‘He's a fine young man，ma'am，’said Liddy，the maid. ‘And look at his clothes!They're all burnt!’

“小姐，他真是個了不起的年輕人，”女仆利蒂說。“看他的衣服!全都燒了!”

‘Who does he work for?’asked the woman in a clear voice.

“他為誰做事?”女人用清晰的嗓音問。

‘I don't know，ma'am，nor do the others. He's a stranger. ’

“我不知道，小姐，其他人也不知道。他沒來過這兒。”

‘Jan Coggan!’called the woman to one of her workers. ‘Do you think the wheat is safe now?’

“簡·考根!”女人向她的一個工人喊道。”麥子現(xiàn)在沒有危險了嗎?”

‘I think so，yes，ma'am，’he answered. ‘If the fire had spread to this wheat-rick，all the other ricks would have caught fire too. That brave young man up there on top of the rick is the one who's saved your wheat. ’

“我想沒有危險了，小姐，”他答道。“如果火燒到這個麥垛，所有其它麥垛也都會著火的。垛頂上那位勇敢的年輕人就是救了你的麥子的人。”

‘He does work hard，’said the young woman，looking up at Gabriel, who had not noticed her. ‘I wish he worked for me. ’

“他確實很賣力，”年輕姑娘抬頭看著蓋伯瑞爾說道，他卻沒注意到她。“我真希望他是我的雇工。”

As the ricks were no longer in danger， Gabriel started to climb down，and at the bottom he met the maid.

麥垛沒有什么危險了，蓋伯瑞爾爬了下來，在下面他遇到了女仆。

‘I have a message from the farmer，who wishes to thank you for all you've done，’she said.

“我?guī)砹宿r(nóng)場主的口信，農(nóng)場主想為你所做的一切感謝你，”她說。

‘Where is he?’asked Gabriel，suddenly aware of the chance of getting some work.

“他在哪兒?”蓋伯瑞爾問，突然意識到這是一個找些活干的機會。

‘It isn't a he，it's a she，’answered the girl.

“不是他，是她，”姑娘答道。

‘A woman farmer?’asked Gabriel.

“女農(nóng)場主?”蓋伯瑞爾問。

‘Yes，and a rich one too!’said a villager who was standing near. ‘She inherited her uncle's farm，when he died suddenly. She has business in every bank in Casterbridge!’

“是的，而且還是個富有的農(nóng)場主!”站在附近的一個村民說。“她的叔叔去世后，她繼承了他的農(nóng)常她與卡斯特橋的每家銀行都有來往!”

‘She's over there，wrapped in a cloak，on her horse，’added the maid. In the darkness Gabriel could only see the shape of a woman sitting on a horse. He walked over to her. Although his face was black from the smoke and his clothes were burnt by the fire，he remembered to lift his hat politely，and asked, looking up at her，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am?’She let her cloak fall back from her head in surprise. Gabriel and his cold-hearted darling，Bathsheba Everdene，stared at each other. She did not speak. He only repeated sadly，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am?’

“她就在那兒，裹著斗篷，騎著馬，”女仆加了一句。黑暗中蓋伯瑞爾只能看見馬上一個女人的輪廓。他向她走去。盡管他的臉被煙熏黑了，衣服也被火燒壞了，但他并沒有忘記有禮貌地舉舉帽子。他抬頭看著她問道，“小姐，你需要牧羊人嗎?”她吃了一驚，斗篷從頭上滑落下來，蓋伯瑞爾與他冷酷的心上人，芭絲謝芭·伊芙丁，對視著。她沒有說話。他沮喪地又問了一句，“你需要牧羊人嗎，小姐?”

Bathsheba turned away into the shadows to consider. She was a little sorry for him， but also glad that she had improved her position since they last met. She realized she had almost forgotten his offer of marriage on Norcombe Hill.

芭絲謝芭把頭扭向陰影里考慮著。她有點為他難過，但又很高興自從他們上次見面后自己的地位已今非昔比了。她意識到她差不多都不記得他在諾科姆山上曾向她求婚。

‘Yes，’she answered quietly，blushing a little，‘I do want a shepherd. But—’

“需要，”她平靜地回答，臉有點紅，“我的確需要一個牧羊人。只是——”

‘He's just the right man，ma'am，’said one of the villagers.

“小姐，他很合適.”一個村民說。

‘That's right!’said a second，and a third.

“一點兒不錯!”第二個村民、第三個村民說。

‘Then will you men tell him to speak to the farm manager?’said Bathsheba in a businesslike way，as she rode off.

“那你們告訴他去和農(nóng)場經(jīng)理說一聲，好嗎?”芭絲謝芭一邊騎馬離開，一邊以一種公事公辦的口氣說。

Gabriel soon arranged the details of his employment with Bathsheba's farm manager，Benjy Pennyways，and walked on to the village to find a place to live. As he walked，he thought of Bathsheba. How quickly the young girl he remembered had become the capable mistress of a farm!

蓋伯瑞爾很快就與芭絲謝芭的農(nóng)場經(jīng)理賓尼威斯安排妥了有關他受雇的一些具體事宜，然后向村里走去，去找一個住的地方。他一邊走，一邊想芭絲謝芭。他認識的那個年輕姑娘才幾天就成了一個農(nóng)場的女主人!

When he passed the churchyard，and the ancient trees around it，he noticed that someone was standing behind one of the trees.

在經(jīng)過教堂及教堂周圍的古樹時，他注意到有個人站在一棵樹后。

‘Is this the right way to Weatherbury?’asked Gabriel.

“這是去威瑟伯里的路嗎?”他問。

‘Oh yes，straight on，’said a girl's voice，low and sweet. After a pause she added，‘You're not a Weatherbury man?’

“噢，是的，一直往前走，”一個姑娘的聲音，聲音雖然低但甜美。停了一下她又說，“你不是威瑟伯里人?”

‘No，I'm the new shepherd，just arrived. ’

“不是，我是新來的牧羊人，剛到這里。”

‘Only a shepherd!You seem almost like a farmer to me. ’

“不過是個牧羊人!我覺得你差不多像個農(nóng)場主。”

‘Only a shepherd，’repeated Gabriel in a dull voice，thinking of the disaster that had destroyed his hopes of being a farmer.

“不過是個牧羊人，”蓋伯瑞爾悶聲悶氣地重復著，想到了那場災難，那場災難破滅了他想成為農(nóng)場主的希望。

‘Please don't tell anyone in the village that you've seen me，’begged the girl. ‘I'm rather poor，and I don't want anyone to know about me. ’ Her thin arms trembled in the cold.

“請你千萬別對村里的任何人說看見了我，”姑娘哀求說。“我很窮，我不想讓人們知道我的事。”她的瘦弱的胳膊由于天冷而顫抖著。

‘I won't tell anyone，’said Gabriel，‘but you ought to be wearing a cloak on a night like this. ’

“我誰也不告訴，”蓋伯瑞爾說，“你在這樣的晚上應該穿一件斗篷。”

‘Oh，it doesn't matter. Please go on and leave me. ’

“噢，沒關系。請你繼續(xù)趕路吧，你走吧。”

He hesitated ‘Perhaps you'd accept this. It's not much，but it's all I have to spare. ’He put a coin into her small hand，and as he touched her wrist he noticed how quickly the blood was beating. It was the same quick，hard beat that he felt in his lambs when they were close to death.

他猶豫著。“也許你會接受這個。雖然不多，我就這點富余。”他把一枚硬幣放進她的小手里，觸到她的手腕時，他察覺到她的脈搏跳動得異?？?。他的羊羔臨近死亡時，他也曾在它們身上感到了同樣迅速、劇烈的跳動。

‘What's the matter?Can't I help you?’he asked. He felt a deep sadness in this thin，weak creature.

“出了什么事?我不能幫你嗎?”他問道。他感到這瘦弱可憐的人兒懷有一種深深的悲哀。

‘No，no!Don't tell anyone you've seen me!Good night!’She stayed in the shadows，and Gabriel went on to Weather-bury.

“不，不!別告訴任何人你見過我!再見!”她呆在黑暗中，蓋伯瑞爾繼續(xù)向威瑟伯里走去。