《简·爱》 Chapter 36 第三十六章（5）

"How far is Thornfield Hall from here?"

桑菲尔德离这儿有多远？

I asked of the ostler.

我问旅店侍马人。

"Just two miles, ma'am, across the fields."

“穿过田野走两英里就到了，小姐。”

"My journey is closed," I thought to myself.

“我的旅程结束了，”我暗自思忖。

I got out of the coach, gave a box I had into the ostler's charge, to be kept till I called for it;

我跳下马车，把身边的一个盒子交给侍马人保管，回头再来提取，

paid my fare; satisfied the coachman, and was going: the brightening day gleamed on the sign of the inn,

付了车钱，给足了马夫，便启程上路了。黎明的曙光照在旅店的招牌上，

and I read in gilt¹ letters, "The Rochester Arms."

我看到了镀金的字母“罗切斯特纹章”，

My heart leapt up: I was already on my master's very lands.

心便砰砰乱跳，原来我已来到我主人的地界。

It fell again: the thought struck it: --

但转念一想，又心如止水了。

"Your master himself may be beyond the British Channel, for aught you know:

“也许你的主人在英吉利海峡彼岸。

and then, if he is at Thornfield Hall, towards which you hasten, who besides him is there?

况且，就是他在你匆匆前往的桑菲尔德府，除了他还有谁也在那里呢？

His lunatic wife: and you have nothing to do with him: you dare not speak to him or seek his presence.

还有他发了疯的妻子，而你与他毫不相干。你不敢同他说话，或者前去找他。

You have lost your labour -- you had better go no farther," urged the monitor. "

你劳而无功——你还是别再往前走吧，”冥冥中的监视者敦促道。“

Ask information of the people at the inn; they can give you all you seek:

从旅店里的人那里探听一下消息吧，他们会提供你寻觅的一切情况，

they can solve your doubts at once.

立刻解开你的疑团，

Go up to that man, and inquire if Mr. Rochester be at home."

走到那个人跟前去，问问罗切斯特先生在不在家。”

The suggestion was sensible, and yet I could not force myself to act on it.

这个建议很明智，但我无法迫使自己去实施。

I so dreaded² a reply that would crush me with despair.

我害怕得到一个让我绝望的回答。

To prolong doubt was to prolong hope.

延长疑虑就是延长希望。

I might yet once more see the Hall under the ray of her star.

我也许能再见一见星光照耀下的府第。

There was the stile before me -- the very fields through which I had hurried, blind, deaf,

我面前还是那道踏阶——还是那片田野，那天早晨我逃离桑菲尔德，急急忙忙穿过这片田野，不顾一切，漫无目的，心烦意乱，

distracted with a revengeful fury tracking and scourging³ me,

被一种复仇的愤怒跟踪着，痛苦地折磨着。

on the morning I fled from Thornfield:

呵，我还没决定走哪条路，

ere I well knew what course I had resolved to take, I was in the midst of them.

就己置身于这片田野之中了。

1 gilt   

adj.镀金的；n.金边证券

参考例句：

• The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。
• The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。

2 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

3 scourging   

鞭打( scourge的现在分词 )； 惩罚，压迫

参考例句：

• I should not deserve such a scourging to the bone as this. 我也不应该受这样痛澈骨髓的鞭打呀。
• The shroud also contains traces of blood and marks consistent with scourging and crucifixion. 这张裹尸布上有着鲜血的痕迹以及带有苦难与拷问的标记。