【经典名著阅读】《德伯家的苔丝》第三十章（下）

英语自学网

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        'No. I have thought it sad - especially since coming here, and knowing that many of the hills and fields I see once belonged to my father's people. But other hills and fields belonged to Retty's people, and perhaps others to Marian's, so that I don't value it particularly.'“不。我倒觉得悲伤——尤其是我来到这儿以后，听人说到这儿许多山林田地过去都是我们家的，我倒觉得悲伤。不过，有些山林田地属于莱蒂家里，有些属于玛丽安家里，因此我也不特别觉得这有什么用处了。”
        'Yes - it is surprising how many of the present tillers of the soil were once owners of it, and I sometimes wonder that a certain school of politicians don't make capital of the circumstance; but they don't seem to know it... . I wonder that I did not see the resemblance of your name to d'Urberville, and trace the manifest corruption. And this was the carking secret!'“不错——现在是这儿土地的佃户而过去是它们主人的人，多得让人感到吃惊呢，有时候我在想，为什么某一派的政治家不利用这种情形；不过他们好像不知道这种情形……我还想知道，为什么我看不出你的名字同德贝维尔有相同的地方，也查考不出有什么明显衰败的地方。原来这就是你焦虑不安的秘密啊！”
        She had not told. At the last moment her courage had failed her, she feared his blame for not telling him sooner; and her instinct of self-preservation was stronger than her candour.她没有把她的秘密讲出来。她的勇气在最后一刻消失了，她担心他会埋怨她没有早点告诉他；她自我保护的力量比她想坦白的勇气大得多。
        'Of course,' continued the unwitting Clare, 'I should have been glad to know you to be descended exclusively from the long-suffering, dumb, unrecorded rank and file of the English nation, and not from the self-seeking few who made themselves powerful at the expense of the rest. But I am corrupted away from that by my affection for you, Tess [he laughed as he spoke], and made selfish likewise. For your own sake I rejoice in your descent. Society is hopelessly snobbish, and this fact of your extraction may make an appreciable difference to its acceptance of you as my wife, after I have made you the well-read woman that I mean to make you. My mother too, poor soul, will think so much better of you on account of it. Tess, you must spell your name correctly - d'Urberville - from this very day.'“当然，”蒙在鼓里的克莱尔继续说，“我的确希望知道，你纯粹是出生在一个长期受苦、默默无闻和在英国档案和世家中没有记载的家庭，而不是出生在一个为了一己之私而牺牲多数人利益使自己得势的少数家庭。但是因为我爱上了你，所以我也学坏了，苔丝（他大笑着说），我也变得自私了。为了你的缘故，我喜欢你的出身。社会的势利是没有办法了，我要按照我的意思让你变成一个博学的女子，然后再做我的妻子就能被人接受了，你的德贝维尔后裔的身分也要变得大不一样了。我的母亲，可怜的人，也会因此而看重你了。苔丝，从今天起，你应该把你的姓改过来，改成德贝维尔。”
        'I like the other way rather best.'“我宁肯要另外一个姓。”

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        'But you must, dearest! Good heavens, why dozens of mushroom millionaires would jump at such a possession! By the bye, there's one of that kidney who has taken the name - where have I heard of him? - Up in the neighbourhood of The Chase, I think. Why, he is the very man who had that rumpus with my father I told you of. What an odd coincidence!'“但是你一定要改过来，最亲爱的！天啦，有许多家财百万的暴发户要是拥有了这个姓，都要高兴得跳起来呢！顺便说一句，有一个混账东西就冒用了这个姓——我是在什么地方听说来着？——我想他就住在猎苑的附近。哦，我曾经给你说过，他就是侮辱我父亲的那个家伙。多么奇怪的巧合啊！”
        'Angel, I think I would rather not take the name! It is unlucky, perhaps!'“安琪尔，我想我还是不要姓那个姓的好！也许，那个姓不吉利。”
        She was agitated.她激动起来。
        'Now then, Mistress Teresa d'Urberville, I have you. Take my name, and so you will escape yours! The secret is out, so why should you any longer refuse me?'“好啦，苔瑞莎·德贝维尔，我娶了你，姓了我的姓，因此你也就不必姓你的姓啦！秘密已经说出来了，你就不能再拒绝我了吧？”
        'If it is sure to make you happy to have me as your wife, and you feel that you do wish to marry me, very, very much------'“如果你肯定娶我做妻子能够让你幸福，你觉得你的确希望娶了我，非常非常——”
        'I do, dearest, of course!'“我当然非常希望，最亲爱的！”
        'I mean, that it is only your wanting me very much, and being hardly able to keep alive without me, whatever my offences, that would make me feel I ought to say I will.'“我的意思是说，要是你非常想娶了我，而且不娶我就不能活下去，不管我有什么过失都要娶了我，这就使我感到我应该答应你。”
        'You will - you do say it, I know! You will be mine for ever and ever.'“你答应了，你已经亲口答应我了，我听见了！你永远永远是我的了。”
        He clasped her close and kissed her.他紧紧地拥抱着她，吻她。
        'Yes!'“是的。”
        She had no sooner said it than she burst into a dry hard sobbing, so violent that it seemed to rend her. Tess was not a hysterical girl by any means, and he was surprised.她刚把话说完，就突然大哭起来，哭得那样地悲伤，好像肝肠断了一样。苔丝决不是一个歇斯底里的姑娘，他大吃一惊。