【经典名著阅读】《德伯家的苔丝》第一章（上）
On an evening in the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor. The pair of legs that carried him were rickety, and there was a bias in his gait which inclined him somewhat to the left of a straight line. He occasionally gave a smart nod, as if in confirmation of some opinion, though he was not thinking of anything in particular. An empty egg-basket was slung upon his arm, the nap of his hat was ruffled, a patch being quite worn away at its brim where his thumb came in taking it off. Presently he was met by an elderly parson astride on a gray mare, who, as he rode, hummed a wandering tune.五月下旬的一个傍晚，一个中年男子正从沙斯顿向靠近布莱克莫尔谷（也叫黑荒原谷）的马洛特村里的家中走去。他走路的一双腿摇摇晃晃的，走路的姿态不能保持一条直线，老是朝左边歪着。他偶尔还轻快地点一下头，仿佛对某个意见表示同意，其实他心里一点儿也没有想到什么特别的事。他的胳膊上挎着一只装鸡蛋的空篮子，头上戴的帽子的绒面皱皱巴巴的，摘帽子时大拇指接触帽沿的地方也被磨旧了一大块。不一会儿，一个骑着一匹灰色母马一边随口哼着小调的老牧师迎面走来——
'Good night t'ee,' said the man with the basket.“您好。”挎着篮子的男子说。
'Good night, Sir John,' said the parson.“您好，约翰爵士。”牧师说。
The pedestrian, after another pace or two, halted, and turned round.步行的男子又向前走了一两步，站住了，转过身来。
'Now, sir, begging your pardon; we met last market-day on this road about this time, and I said "Good-night", and you made reply "Good night, Sir John", as now.'“喂，对不起，先生；大约上个集市日的这个时候，我们在这条路上遇见了，我说'您好'，你也回答说'您好，约翰爵士'，就像刚才说的一样。”
'I did,' said the parson.“我是这样说的。”牧师说。
'And once before that - near a month ago.'“在那以前还有一次——大约一个月以前。”
'I may have.'“我也许说过。”
'Then what might your meaning be in calling me "Sir John" these different times, when I be plain Jack Durbeyfield, the haggler?'“我只不过是一个普通的流动小贩，名叫杰克·德北菲尔德，那你反复叫我'约翰爵士'是什么意思？”
The parson rode a step or two nearer.牧师骑着马向他走近一两步。
'It was only my whim,' he said; and, after a moment's hesitation: 'It was on account of a discovery I made some little time ago, whilst I was hunting up pedigrees for the new county history. I am Parson Tringham, the antiquary, of Stagfoot Lane. Don't you really know, Durbeyfield, that you are the lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the d'Urbervilles, who derived their descent from Sir Pagan d'Urberville, that renowned knight who came from Normandy with William the Conqueror, as appears by Battle Abbey Roll?'“那只是我的一时兴致，”他说；然后又稍稍迟疑了一会儿：“那是因为不久前我为了编写新的郡史在查考家谱时的一个发现。我是鹿脚路的考古学家特林汉姆牧师。德北菲尔德，你真的不知道你是德贝维尔这个古老骑士世家的嫡传子孙吗？德贝维尔家是从著名的骑士帕根·德贝维尔爵士传下来的，据纪功寺文档①记载，他是跟随征服者威廉王从诺曼底来的。”
'Never heard it before, sir!'“过去我从没听说过，先生！”
'Well it's true. Throw up your chin a moment, so that I may catch the profile of your face better. Yes, that's the d'Urberville nose and chin - a little debased. Your ancestor was one of the twelve knights who assisted the Lord of Estremavilla in Normandy in his conquest of Glamorganshire. Branches of your family held manors over all this part of England; their names appear in the Pipe Rolls in the time of King Stephen. In the reign of King John one of them was rich enough to give a manor to the Knights Hospitallers; and in Edward the Second's time your forefather Brian was summoned to Westminster to attend the great Council there. You declined a little in Oliver Cromwell's time, but to no serious extent, and in Charles the Second's reign you were made Knights of the Royal Oak for your loyalty. Aye, there have been generations of Sir Johns among you, and if knighthood were hereditary, like a baronetcy, as it practically was in old times, when men were knighted from father to son, you would be Sir, John now.'“啊，不错。你把下巴抬起来一点点，让我好好看看你的脸的侧面。不错，这正是德贝维尔家族的鼻子和下巴——但有一点儿衰落。辅佐诺曼底的埃斯彻玛维拉勋爵征服格拉摩甘郡的骑士一共有十二个，你的祖先是他们中间的一个。在英格兰这一带地方，到处都有你们家族分支的采地；在斯蒂芬王时代，派普名册②记载着他们的名字。在约翰王时代，他们的分支中有一支很富有，曾给救护骑士团赠送了一份采地；在爱德华二世时代，你的祖先布里恩也应召到威斯敏斯特参加过大议会。你们家族在奥利弗·克伦威尔时代就有点儿开始衰落，不过没有到严重的程度，在查理斯二世时期，你们家族又因为对王室忠心，被封为皇家橡树爵士。唉，你们家族的约翰爵士已经有好几代了，如果骑士称号也像从男爵一样可以世袭的话，你现在就应该是约翰爵士了，其实在过去的时代里都是世袭的，骑士称号由父亲传给儿子。”
'Ye don't say so!'“可你没有这样说过呀！”
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