牛津書蟲系列 遠離塵囂17 農(nóng)場主伯德伍德開始盼望

Chapter 17 Farmer Boldwood begins to hope
第十七章 農(nóng)場主伯德伍德開始盼望
When Troy did not return，Bathsheba felt neither happiness nor sadness.
托伊出而不歸，芭絲謝芭既不覺得高興，也不感到傷心，
She had no hope for the future.
她對將來沒有什么期望。
She was sure that one day he would return，and spend the rest of her money.
她確信他總有一天要回來，接著花她的錢。
Then they would have to sell the farm. She could do nothing to prevent it.
到了那時，他們只得把農(nóng)場賣掉，她無法避免此事發(fā)生。
One Saturday at Casterbridge market，a stranger came up to her.
一個星期六，她正在卡斯特橋市場，一個陌生人向她走來。
‘I must tell you，ma'am，’he said，‘your husband is dead. ’
“我得告訴你，太太，”他說，“你丈夫死了。”
‘No，it can't be true!’gasped Bathsheba.
“沒有，不可能!”芭絲謝芭氣吁吁地說。
Darkness came over her eyes，and she fell.
她眼前一黑，向前倒下，但沒有倒在地上。
But not to the ground. Boldwood，who had been standing in a corner watching her，ran forward to catch her.
原來伯德伍德一直站在一個拐角看著她，此時跑上前來扶住了她。
‘Tell me more，’he said to the stranger，as he held the unconscious girl gently in his arms.
“還有什么消息告訴我。”他對那陌生人說，一邊用雙手把失去知覺的姑娘輕輕攬住。
‘The police found her husband's clothes on the beach.
“警察在海灘上發(fā)現(xiàn)了她丈夫的衣服，
He must have been swimming，and drowned off the Budmouth coast. ’
他準是在巴德茅斯岸邊游泳時淹死了。”
There was a strange excitement in Boldwood's face，but he said nothing.
伯德伍德臉上出現(xiàn)一絲不可思議的激動，但他什么也沒有說。
He carried her to a private room at the hotel，where she could rest until she felt well enough to ride home.
他把她抱到旅店的一間僻靜房間，讓她在那里休息，直至她能夠騎馬回家。
When she arrived home，still feeling weak and confused，Liddy had already heard the news.
她到家時，仍覺得虛弱與惶惑，利蒂已經(jīng)聽說了。
‘Shall we get some black clothes made for you，ma'am?’said the maid，hesitating a little.
“咱們給你定做黑衣服吧，太太?”她有點猶豫地說。
‘No，Liddy. It isn't necessary. You see，I think he may still be alive.
“不用，利蒂。沒必要。你知道吧，我覺得他可能還活著。
I feel—I think I'm sure he's alive!’
我感覺——我想我可以確信他還活著!”
But the following Monday Troy's death was reported in the local newspaper.
但是，到星期一，當?shù)貓蠹埳蠄蟮懒送幸恋乃烙崳?br /> A witness had seen him in deep water，shouting and waving for help.
一個目擊者曾看到他在深水中呼喊并揮手求救。
And when his clothes and his watch，found on the beach，were delivered to the farmhouse，Bathsheba began to doubt that he was alive.
人們把在海灘上發(fā)現(xiàn)的衣服和表送到農(nóng)場時，芭絲謝芭開始懷疑他是否還活著。
She opened the back of his watch case and took out the curl of golden hair.
她把表的后蓋打開，把那一綹金發(fā)取了出來。
‘He was Fanny's and she was his，’she said to herself.
“他屬于范妮，范妮也屬于他，”她自語道。
‘They should be together. I mean nothing to either of them.
“他們應當在一起的。對于他倆來說，我什么都不是。
Why should I keep her hair?’She held the curl over the fire.
我干嗎保留她的頭發(fā)?”她把那綹頭發(fā)舉到火上。
‘No，I won't burn it，I'll keep it in memory of her，poor thing!’
“不行，不能燒掉。我得留著紀念她，可憐的東西!”
Through the autumn and winter Bathsheba's life was more peaceful.
整個秋天至冬天，芭絲謝芭的生活都較以前平靜。
She no longer took such an interest in the farm，and very sensibly appointed Gabriel Oak her farm manager.
她已不很關心農(nóng)事，因為她的農(nóng)場經(jīng)理人蓋伯瑞爾·奧克把農(nóng)場經(jīng)營得井井有條。
He had already been doing the job unofficially，and now would be paid for it.
他早已干起了經(jīng)理人的工作，而且即將拿經(jīng)理人的工資。
At last his good qualities were being recognized.
他的好品質(zhì)終于得到承認，
Gabriel's luck had certainly changed.
他時來運轉(zhuǎn)了。
Boldwood could not concentrate on farming these days either.
這些日子，伯德伍德的心思也集中不到農(nóng)事上頭。
His wheat and hay had all been so damaged by the rain that it was worthless.
他的麥子和干草遭受大雨破壞，已經(jīng)不中用了。
Weatherbury people were shocked by the changes they had noticed recently in Farmer Boldwood.
威瑟伯里的人們對農(nóng)場主伯德伍德身上發(fā)生的變化都感到震驚。
Soon he himself realized that something must be done，and arranged for Gabriel to manage his farm too.
很快，他自己也意識到必須采取措施了，于是他讓蓋伯瑞爾來替他經(jīng)營農(nóng)場。
So Gabriel was responsible for both the important farms in the area，while their owners sat alone in their lonely farmhouses.
就這樣，蓋伯瑞爾經(jīng)管起了這一帶的兩個大農(nóng)場，而農(nóng)場的主人們則在他們的農(nóng)舍里獨自端坐著。
After a time Boldwood started to hope that one day，if Bathsheba remarried at all，she would marry him.
過了一段時間，伯德伍德開始希望有那么一天芭絲謝芭如果再婚，嫁的人會是他。
He tried to maintain a friendly，businesslike relationship with her，
他努力與她保持一種公事公辦式的友好關系，
keeping his love for her out of sight，until the right moment came to propose again.
而把自己對她的愛意掩藏起來，直至等到求婚的好時機再次到來。
He had no idea how long he would have to wait to marry her，but he was prepared to wait for the rest of his life.
他不清楚要等多久才能娶她為妻，但是，他已經(jīng)準備等候終生了。
The right moment did not come until the following summer when most of the Weatherbury people attended the great sheep fair at Greenhill.
直至第二年夏天威瑟 伯里的大部分人都到格林希爾參加盛大的綿羊集市，好時機才姍姍來到。
Gabriel was there with Bathsheba's and Boldwood's sheep，and so were both his employers.
蓋伯瑞爾帶著芭絲謝芭和伯德伍德的羊到了集市上，他的兩位雇主也來了。
This year a travelling circus put up its tent and offered the public a horse-riding show.
這一年，一個流動馬戲團支起了帳篷給人們表演跑馬節(jié)目。
Most of Bathsheba's farm workers were already in the tent，when Bathsheba herself arrived to see the show.
芭絲謝芭所雇的工人差不多都已進了帳篷，芭絲謝芭才趕來。
At the back of the tent，behind a curtain，were the circus riders，and one of them，pulling on his boots，was Sergeant Troy.
在帳篷后部的幕布背后，站著馬戲團的騎手，其中一個正在穿靴子的，正是托伊中士。
After being rescued，Troy had decided to stay on the ship and work as a sailor，but he was not happy with this travelling life，and finally returned to England.
托伊被救以后，決定留在船上當個水手，但他又不愿過那種漂泊的生活，于是最終返回了英格蘭。
He hesitated to go back to Bathsheba and a comfortable life on the farm.
對于回不回芭絲謝芭身邊過那種舒適的農(nóng)家生活，他很是猶豫，
Perhaps Bathsheba would fail at farming and then he would be responsible for her.
也許芭絲謝芭務不了農(nóng)，那么他還得負責養(yǎng)她。
And anyway，perhaps she would not welcome him back.
無論怎樣，芭絲謝芭都不會歡迎他回去的。
For the moment he was working as actor and horse-rider with the circus.
眼下，他在這家馬戲團當演員跑馬。
So it was with no plans for the future that Troy found himself at Greenhill fair，dangerously close to Weatherbury.
就這樣，在對未來一無所知的情況下，托伊來到了格林希爾集市，處于距離威瑟伯里很近的危險境地。
When he looked through a hole in the curtain to see the audience，he was horrified to see his wife.
他從幕布上的一個洞向外面的觀眾看了一眼，卻看到了他的妻子，令他頗感驚恐。
She looked more beautiful than he remembered.
比他記憶中的她更漂亮了。
Perhaps she would laugh at him，a nobleman's son，working in a circus!
她如果看到他這個貴族人家的兒子在馬戲團工作，定會嘲笑他的!
As he rode into the tent，he was careful to keep his face away from her，and remain wrapped in his cloak.
他騎馬進入帳篷時，裹著斗篷，小心地把自己的臉避開她，
She did not seem to recognize him.
她似乎并沒有認出他來。
When the show was over，Troy went out into the darkness.
節(jié)目結束后，托伊到了暗處。
In the large tent where meals and drinks were being served，he saw Bathsheba talking to a man.
在大帳篷里供應飯食飲料處，他看到芭絲謝芭在和一個男人交談。
Was she forgetting her husband so soon?thought Troy angrily.
她這么快就把丈夫忘了?托伊氣憤地想。
He decided to listen to their conversation，and knelt down outside the tent，
他決定聽一聽他們在說些什么，于是在帳篷外面跪了下來，
making a little hole with his knife in the heavy cotton so that he could see the two people inside.
用小刀在厚布上面割了個小洞，他便可以看到帳篷里的人了。
She was drinking a cup of tea，which Boldwood had just brought her.
她正在喝茶，茶是伯德伍德剛給她端來的。
Troy watched her every movement. She was as handsome as ever，and she belonged to him.
托伊注視著她的一舉一動。她還像以往那樣好看，她屬于他。
After a few moments Troy got up and walked slowly from the tent. He was considering what to do next.
過了一會兒，托伊站起身來離開帳篷。他正在考慮下一步該干什么。
Meanwhile Boldwood had offered to ride back to Weatherbury with Bathsheba，as it was getting late，and she accepted.
此時，伯德伍德提議 與芭絲謝芭一道騎馬回威瑟伯里，因為天已近黑。芭絲謝芭同意了。
Her pity for the man she had hurt so deeply made her behave more kindly towards him than was perhaps sensible.
她曾深深傷害過這個男人，因而對他懷有憐憫，于是她對他的言談話語十分和氣，或許有些有失分寸。
Her kindness made poor Boldwood dream of their future marriage，
她的和氣使可憐的伯德伍德幻想起他們二人將來結婚的事。
and suddenly，unable to stop himself，he said，‘Mrs Troy，will you marry again some day?’
突然間他不能自制，說道，“托伊夫人，你會再婚嗎?”
‘You forget that my husband's death has never been proved，so I may not really be a widow，’she said，confused.
“你忘了吧，我丈夫的死從未得到證實，所以，我可能還不是寡婦呢，”她迷茫地說。
‘I've a feeling he's alive，and I'm not thinking of marrying anyone else. ’
“我有一種感覺，他還活著。所以我還沒有考慮嫁給任何人。”
‘Do you know，Bathsheba，that according to the lawyers，you can remarry seven years after your husband's supposed death，that is，six years from now?
“你知道，芭絲謝芭，依據(jù)法律，假定你的丈夫已死，那么七年之后你便可以再婚，也就是說從現(xiàn)在起六年以后。
Could you—promise to marry me then?’
能不能——答應到時候嫁給我?”
‘I don't know. Six years is too far away. I'm bitterly sorry I behaved so stupidly towards you，
“我不知道，六年的時間太長了。我十分后悔那樣愚蠢地對待你，
but—I can promise I'll never marry another man while you want me to be your wife，but—’
可是——我可以保證只要你還想讓我做你的妻子，我就決不嫁給他人，可是——”
‘You could put right the mistake you made by promising to be my wife in six years’time!’There was wild hope in his eyes.
“你可以用保證六年以后做我的妻子來改正你所犯的錯誤!”他的雙眼里顯現(xiàn)出急切的希望。
‘Oh，what shall I do?I don't love you，
“唉，我怎么辦呢?我又不愛你，
but if I can give you happiness by just promising，then I will—consider—and promise—soon. Shall we say，by Christmas?’
不過如果我保證一下就能讓你幸福，那我愿意——考慮——盡快對你作出保證。到圣誕節(jié)前，怎樣?”
‘You'll promise at Christmas. Well，I'll say no more. ’
“你要在圣誕節(jié)作出保證，好吧，那我就不再說什么了。”
As Christmas came nearer，Bathsheba became more anxious，and one day she confessed her difficulty to Gabriel.
隨著圣誕節(jié)臨近，芭絲謝芭更加憂慮起來，于是有一天，她向蓋伯瑞爾坦露了她的難處。
‘The saddest reason of all for agreeing to his proposal，’she said，‘is that if I don't，I'm afraid he'll go mad.
“我接受他求婚，最讓我傷心的原因就是，”她說，“如果我不接受，那他就有可能發(fā)瘋。
His feelings are so extreme. I don't say that because I'm vain，
他的感情太過狂熱。我這樣說并不是因為我自負，
but I believe I hold that man's future in my hands. Oh Gabriel，it's a terrible worry!’
而是因為，這個人的未來掌握在我的手中。蓋伯瑞爾，這事可真讓人揪心哪!”
‘Then why don't you promise，ma'am?I don't think people would think it wrong.
“那你為什么不答應他呢，太太?我想人們不會覺得這有什么錯的。
The only thing that makes it wrong in my view is that you don't love him. ’
我覺得這件事情唯一不合適的一點就是你并不愛他。”
‘That is my punishment，Gabriel，for playing that foolish trick with the valentine on him. ’
“這是對我的懲罰， 蓋伯瑞爾，因為我在情人節(jié)跟他開了那種愚蠢的玩笑。”
Gabriel had given her a reasonable，sensible answer，as she knew he would，
蓋伯瑞爾給了她一個合情合理的回答，她知道也會如此。
but she felt annoyed with his cool advice.
但是，他這種冷靜的忠告令她感到惱火。
Not once had he spoken of his love for her，or said that he could wait for her too.
他不只一 次地對她談及他的愛，還說過他也可以等她。
She would have refused him of course，but at least it would have shown that he still admired her.
當然她也會拒絕他的，不過，至少那樣會表明他仍然愛慕她。