《简·爱》 Chapter 36 第三十六章（7）

The crows sailing overhead perhaps watched me while I took this survey.

我这么观察着的时候，在头顶滑翔的乌鸦们也许正俯视着我。

I wonder what they thought.

我不知道它们在想什么，

They must have considered I was very careful and timid at first, and that gradually I grew very bold and reckless.

它们一定以为起初我十分小心和胆怯，但渐渐地我变得大胆而鲁莽了。

A peep, and then a long stare; and then a departure from my niche¹ and a straying out into the meadow;

我先是窥视一下，随后久久盯着，再后是离开我躲藏的角落，不经意走进了草地，

and a sudden stop full in front of the great mansion², and a protracted³, hardy⁴ gaze towards it.

突然在府宅正面停下脚步，久久地死盯着它。

"What affectation of diffidence was this at first?"

“起初为什么装模做样羞羞答答？”

they might have demanded;

乌鸦们也许会问，

"what stupid regardlessness now?"

“而这会儿又为什么傻里傻气，不顾一切了？”

Hear an illustration, reader.

读者呀，且听我解释。

A lover finds his mistress asleep on a mossy bank; he wishes to catch a glimpse of her fair face without waking her.

一位情人发现他的爱人睡在长满青苔的河岸上，他希望看一眼她漂亮的面孔而不惊醒她。

He steals softly over the grass, careful to make no sound;

他悄悄地踏上草地，注意不发出一点声响，

he pauses -- fancying she has stirred: he withdraws: not for worlds would he be seen.

他停下脚步——想象她翻了个身。他往后退去，千方百计要不让她看到。

All is still: he again advances: he bends above her;

四周万籁俱寂。他再次往前走去，向她低下头去。

a light veil rests on her features: he lifts it, bends lower;

她的脸上盖着一块轻纱。他揭开面纱，身子弯得更低了。

now his eyes anticipate the vision of beauty -- warm, and blooming, and lovely, in rest.

这会儿他的眼睛期待着看到这个美人儿——安睡中显得热情、年青和可爱。

How hurried was their first glance! But how they fix!

他的第一眼多么急不可耐！但他两眼发呆了：

How he starts! How he suddenly and vehemently⁵ clasps in both arms the form he dared not, a moment since, touch with his finger!

他多么吃惊！他又何等突然，何等激烈地紧紧抱住不久之前连碰都不敢碰的这个躯体，用手指去碰它！

How he calls aloud a name, and drops his burden, and gazes on it wildly!

他大声呼叫着一个名字，放下了抱着的身躯，狂乱地直愣愣瞧着它。

He thus grasps and cries, and gazes, because he no longer fears to waken by any sound he can utter -- by any movement he can make.

他于是紧抱着，呼叫着，凝视着，因为他不再担心他发出的任何声音，所做的任何动作会把她惊醒。

He thought his love slept sweetly: he finds she is stone dead.

他以为他的爱人睡得很甜。但此发现她早己死去了。

1 niche   

n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)

参考例句：

• Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。
• The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

2 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

3 protracted   

adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

5 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。