【经典名著阅读】《德伯家的苔丝》第九章（下）

英语自学网

23370131.jpg

        In spite of the unpleasant initiation of the day before, Tess inclined to the freedom and novelty of her new position in the morning when the sun shone, now that she was once installed there; and she was curious to test her powers in the unexpected direction asked of her, so as to ascertain her chance of retaining her post. As soon as she was alone within the walled garden she sat herself down on a coop, and seriously screwed up her mouth for the long neglected practice. She found her former ability to have degenerated to the production of a hollow rush of wind through the lips, and no clear note at all.尽管头一天一开始就叫人不痛快，但是既然她已经在这儿安置下来，所以当早晨太阳照耀时，她就爱上了她的新工作的自由和新奇；她想试试老夫人对她作的出人意料的吩咐，检验一下自己的能力，以便确定保不保得住她得到的这个工作机会。当苔丝回到围墙的院子里只剩下一个人时，她就在一个鸡笼上坐下来，认真地把嘴巴撮起来，开始了她早已生疏了的练习。她发现她吹口哨的能力已经退化了，只能从撮起的嘴唇中吹出一阵阵空洞的风声，根本就吹不成清楚的音调。
        She remained fruitlessly blowing and blowing, wondering how she could have so grown out of the art which had come by nature, till she became aware of a movement among the ivy-boughs which cloaked the garden-wall no less than the cottage. Looking that way she beheld a form springing from the coping to the plot. It was Alec d'Urberville, whom she had not set eves on since he had conducted her the day before to the door of the gardener's cottage where she had lodgings.她坐在那儿吹了又吹，总是吹不成音调，心想究竟是怎么回事，自己生来就会的本领怎么会忘记得这样干净；院子的围墙上爬满了长春藤，一点儿也不比屋子上的长春藤少，后来，她发现在长春藤中间有什么东西在动。她向那个方向看去，看见一个人影从墙头上跳到了地上。那个人影是阿历克·德贝维尔，自从前天他把她带进院子小屋里住下以后，她再也没有见过他。
        'Upon my honour!' cried he, 'there was never before such a beautiful thing in Nature or Art as you look, "Cousin" Tess ["Cousin" had a faint ring of mockery]. I have been watching you from over the wall sitting - like Im-patience on a monument, and pouting up that pretty red mouth to whistling shape, and 'whoaing and whoaing, and privately swearing, and never being able to produce a note. Why, you are quite cross because you can't do it.'“我用名誉担保！”他叫道，“无论在人间里还是在绘画里，从来也没有像你这样漂亮的人，‘苔丝’堂妹（在‘堂妹’的口气里，有一点儿嘲弄的味儿）。我已经在墙那边观察你好半天了——你坐在那儿，就像石碑上雕刻的急躁女神①，把你漂亮的红色嘴唇撮起来，做成吹口哨的形状，不停地吹着，悄悄地骂着，可就是吹不出一个音来。你因为吹不出口哨来，所以你很生气。”
        'I may be cross, but I didn't swear.'“我也许生气来着，但是我没有骂。”
        'Ah! I understand why you are trying - those bullies! My mother wants you to carry on their musical education. How selfish of her! As if attending to these curst cocks and hens here were not enough work for any girl. I would flatly refuse, if I were you.'“啊！我知道你为什么吹口哨——是为了那些小鸟儿！我母亲要你给它们上音乐课。她多么自私呀！好像照看这些公鸡和母鸡还不够一个女孩子忙的。我要是你，我就干脆不干。”
        'But she wants me particularly to do it, and to be ready by to-morrow morning.'“可是她特别要我吹口哨啊，而且要我明天早晨就开始吹。”

enone

        'Does she? Well then - I'll give you a lesson or two.'“真的吗？那好吧——让我先教你一两课吧。”
        'Oh no, you won't!' said Tess, withdrawing towards the door.“哦，不用，你不用教我！”苔丝说，一边向门口退去。
        'Nonsense; I don't want to touch you. See - I'll stand on this side of the wire netting, and you can keep on the other; so you may feel quite safe. Now, look here; you screw up your lips too harshly. There 'tis - so.'“废话；我又不想碰你。瞧好啦——我站在铁丝网的这边，你可以站在铁丝网的另一边；这样你就可以完全放心了。好啦，现在看我这儿；你把嘴唇撮得太厉害了。要像这个样子——就是这个样子。”
        He suited the action to the word, and whistled a line of 'Take, O take those lips away'. But the allusion was lost upon Tess.他一边讲解，一边示范，吹出的一句调子是：“挪开，啊，把你的两片嘴唇挪开。”不过苔丝对调子的含义完全不懂。
        'Now try,' said d'Urberville.“你来试试，”德贝维尔说。
        She attempted to look reserved; her face put on a sculptural severity. But he persisted in his demand, and at last, to get rid of him, she did put up her lips as directed for producing a clear note; laughing distressfully, however, and then blushing with vexation that she had laughed.她尽量表现出冷淡的样子；脸部的表情像一座雕像的脸那样严肃。不过他非要她试着吹吹，后来为了摆脱他的纠缠，她只好按照他说的怎样才能发出清晰音调的方法，把她的嘴唇撮起来；但是她也很难过地笑了起来，后来又因为自己笑了，心里恼怒，脸又变红了。
        He encouraged her with 'Try again!'他用“再试试”的话鼓励她。
        Tess was quite serious, painfully serious by this time; and she tried - ultimately and unexpectedly emitting a real round sound. The momentary pleasure of success got the better of her; her eyes enlarged, and she involuntarily smiled in his face.这一次苔丝做得十分认真。认真得叫人感到痛苦；她试着吹——吹到后来，没想到竟吹出了一个真正圆润的哨音来。成功暂时给她带来欢乐，使她的心情变得好起来；她的眼睛也变大了，不知不觉地在他的面前笑起来。
        'That's it! Now I have started you - you'll go on beautifully. There - I said I would not come near you; and, in spite of such temptation as never before fell to mortal man, I'll keep my word... Tess, do you think my mother a queer old soul?'“这就对了！现在我已经教会你开始吹了——你会吹得很好的。你看——我说过我不会接近你的；尽管世界上从来没有一个男人能经受这种诱惑，我还是要信守我的诺言……苔丝，你觉得我的母亲是不是一个古怪的老太婆？”
        'I don't know much of her yet, sir.'“对她我知道得还不多呢，先生。”
        'You'll find her so; she must be, to make you learn to whistle to her bullfinches. I am rather out of her books just now, but you will be quite in favour if you treat her live-stock well. Good morning. If you meet with any difficulties and want help here, don't go to the bailiff, come to me.'“你会发现她是一个古怪的老太婆；她肯定是一个古怪的人，所以才要你学习吹口哨，教她的红腹灰雀。现在我是很不讨她喜欢的，但是如果你把她的那些鸡照顾好了，你就一定能讨她的喜欢。再见。如果你遇到什么困难，在这儿需要什么帮助，就来找我好啦，不要去找管家。”