【经典名著阅读】《德伯家的苔丝》第三十三章（上）

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        Angel felt that he would like to spend a day with her before the wedding, somewhere away from the dairy, as a last jaunt in her company while they were yet mere lover and mistress; a romantic day, in circumstances that would never be repeated; with that other and greater day beaming close ahead of them. During the preceding week, therefore, he suggested making a few purchases in the nearest town, and they started together.安琪尔觉得，在举行婚礼之前，他想和苔丝一起到奶牛场以外的某个地方玩一天，他作她的情夫，让她陪着他，做他的情妇，享受最后一次短途旅行；这会是浪漫的一天，这种情形是不会重现的；而另一个更伟大的日子正在他们的面前闪耀着光彩。因此，在举行婚礼的前一个星期里，他建议到最近的镇上去买一些东西，于是他们就一起动身了。
        Clare's life at the dairy had been that of a recluse in respect to the world of his own class. For months he had never gone near a town, and, requiring no vehicle, had never kept one, hiring the dairyman's cob or gig if he rode or drove. They went in the gig that day.克莱尔在奶牛场的生活一直是一种隐士的生活，同他自己阶级的人毫无往来。好几个月来，他从来没有到附近的镇上去过，他不需要马车，也从来没有准备马车，如果要坐车出去，他就向奶牛场老板租一辆小马车，如果要骑马出去，就租一匹矮脚马。他们那天出去就是租的一辆双轮小马车。
        And then for the first time in their lives they shopped as partners in one concern. It was Christmas Eve, with its loads of holly and mistletoe, and the town was very full of strangers who had come in from all parts of the country on account of the day. Tess paid the penalty of walking about with happiness superadded to beauty on her countenance by being much stared at as she moved amid them on his arm.在他们一生中，这是他们第一次一起出去买共同的东西。那天是圣诞节前夜，小镇用冬青和槲寄生装饰起来，因为过节，镇上涌满了从四面八方来的乡下人。苔丝挽着克莱尔的胳膊走在他们中间，脸上光彩照人，满面春色，引来许多艳羡的目光。
        In the evening they returned to the inn at which they had put up, and Tess waited in the entry while Angel went to see the horse and gig brought to the door. The general sitting-room was full of guests, who were continually going in and out. As the door opened and shut each time for the passage of these, the light within the parlour fell full upon Tess's face. Two men came out and passed by her among the rest. One of them had stared her up and down in surprise, and she fancied be was a Trantridge man, though that village lay so many miles off that Trantridge folk were rarities here.傍晚时分，他们回到了先前住宿的客店，在安琪尔去照料把他们载到门口的马匹和马车的时候，苔丝就站在门口等着。大客厅里到处都是进进出出的客人。进出的客人打开门或关上门的时候，客厅里的灯光就照射到苔丝的脸上。后来客厅里又走出来两个人，从苔丝身边经过。其中有一个人见了她，觉得有些奇怪，就把她上上下下地打量了一番。苔丝心想这是从特兰里奇来的一个人，可是特兰里奇离这儿很远，因此在这儿很少见到从那儿来的人。
        'A comely maid that,' said the other.“一个漂亮姑娘。”其中一个说。
        'True, comely enough. But unless I make a great mistake------'“不错，真够漂亮的了。不过，除非是我真的认错了人……”

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        And he negatived the remainder of the definition forthwith.接着他又把没有说完的半句话说成了相反的意思。
        Clare had just returned from the stable-yard, and, confronting the man on the threshold, heard the words, and saw the shrinking of Tess. The insult to her stung him to the quick, and before he had considered anything at all he struck the man on the chin with the full force of his fist, sending him staggering backwards into the passage.克莱尔刚好从马厩里回来，在门口碰见了说话的那个人，也听见了他说的话，看见了苔丝退缩和害怕。看见苔丝受到侮辱，他怒火中烧，想也没有想就握起拳头用劲朝那个人的下巴打了一拳。这一拳打得他歪歪倒倒，又退回到走道里去了。
        The man recovered himself, and seemed inclined to come on, and Clare, stepping outside the door, put himself in a posture of defence. But his opponent began to think better of the matter. He looked anew at Tess as he passed her, and said to Clare--那个男人回过神来，似乎想冲上来动手，克莱尔走到门外，摆出招架的姿势。可是他的对手开始改变了想法。他从苔丝身边走过的时候又把她重新看了看，对克莱尔说——
        'I beg pardon, sir; 'twas a complete mistake. I thought she was another woman, forty miles from here.'“对不起，先生；这完全是一场误会。我把她当成了离这儿有四十里地的另外一个女人。”
        Clare, feeling then that he had been too hasty, and that he was, moreover, to blame for leaving her standing in an inn-passage, did what he usually did in such cases, gave the man five shillings to plaster the blow; and thus they parted, bidding each other a pacific good-night. As soon as Clare had taken the reins from the ostler, and the young couple had driven off, the two men went in the other direction.后来克莱尔也觉得自己太鲁莽了，而且也后悔自己不该把苔丝一个人留在过道里，于是他就按照自己通常处理这种事情的办法，给了那个人五个先令，算作是他打他一拳的赔偿；然后他们和和气气地说了声晚安，就分头走了。克莱尔从赶车的马夫手中接过缰绳，和苔丝一起上车动了身，那两个人走的是相反的路。
        'And was it a mistake?' said the second one.“你当真是认错人了吗？”第二个人问。
        'Not a bit of it. But I didn't want to hurt the gentleman's feelings - not I.'“一点儿也没有认错。不过我不想伤害那位绅士的感情罢了。”
        In the meantime the lovers were driving onward.就在这个时候，那一对年轻的恋人也正赶着车往前走。
        'Could we put off our wedding till a little later?' Tess asked in a dry dull voice. 'I mean if we wished?'“我们能不能把婚礼往后推迟一下？”她用干涩呆滞的声音问。“我是说如果我们愿意推迟的话。”
        'No, my love. Calm yourself. Do you mean that the fellow may have time to summon me for assault?' he asked good-humouredly.“不，我的爱人。你要冷静下来。你是说我打了那个人，他有可能到法庭去告我是不是？”他幽默地问。