【经典名著阅读】《德伯家的苔丝》第三十三章（中）

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        He looked a little disturbed and worn, she thought. But he said not a word to her about her revelation, even when they were alone. Could he have had it? Unless he began the subject she felt that she could say nothing. So the day passed, and it was evident that whatever he thought he meant to keep to himself. Yet he was frank and affectionate as before. Could it be that her doubts were childish? that he forgave her; that he loved her for what she was, just as she was, and smiled at her disquiet as at a foolish nightmare? Had he really received her note? She glanced into his room, and could see nothing of it. It might be that he forgave her. But even if he had not received it she had a sudden enthusiastic trust that he surely would forgive her.她在心里头想，他有点儿心神不安，也有点儿疲倦。不过对于她坦诚相告的事情，他一个字也没有提起，即使他们单独在一起的时候也没有提起。他是不是收到了信？除非是他开始了这个话题，否则她自己只能闭口不提。这一天就这样过去了，很明显，他无论是怎样想的，他是不想让别人知道的。不过，他还是像从前一样坦率，一样地爱她。是不是她的怀疑太孩子气了？是不是他已经原谅了她？是不是他爱她爱的就是她本来这个人？他的微笑是不是在笑她让傻里傻气的恶梦闹得心神不安？他真的收到了她写给他的信吗？她在他的房间里瞧了一眼，但是什么也没有看见。可能他已经原谅她了。不过即使他没有收到她写的信，她也对他突然产生了一种强烈的信任，相信他肯定会原谅她的。
        Every morning and night he was the same, and thus New Year's Eve broke - the wedding-day.每天早晨和每天晚上，他还是同从前一样，于是除夕那一天来到了，那天是他们结婚的日子。
        The lovers did not rise at milking-time, having through the whole of this last week of their sojourn at the dairy been accorded something of the position of guests, Tess being honoured with a room of her own. When they arrived downstairs at breakfast-time they were surprised to see what effects had been produced in the large kitchen for their glory since they had last beheld it. At some unnatural hour of the morning the dairyman had caused the yawning chimney-corner to be whitened, and the brick hearth reddened, and a blazing yellow damask blower to be hung across the arch in place of the old grimy blue cotton one with a black sprig pattern which had formerly done duty here. This renovated aspect of what was the focus indeed of the room on a dull winter morning, threw a smiling demeanour over the whole apartment.这一对情人不用在挤牛奶的时间里起早床了，在他们住在奶牛场的最后一个礼拜里，他们的身分有点儿像客人的身分了，苔丝也受到优待，自己拥有了一个房问。吃早饭时他们一下楼，就惊奇地看见那间大餐厅因为他们的婚事已经发生了变化。在早晨天还没有亮的时候，奶牛场老板就吩咐人把那个大张着口的壁扇的炉角粉刷白了，砖面也刷洗得变红了，在壁炉上方的圆拱上，从前挂的是带黑条纹图案的又旧又脏的蓝棉布帘子，现在换上了光彩夺目的黄色花缎。在冬季阴沉的早晨，房间里最引人注目的壁炉现在焕然一新，给整个房间平添了一种喜庆的色彩。
        'I was determined to do summat in honour o't,' said the dairyman. 'And as you wouldn't hear of my gieing a rattling good randy wi' fiddles and bass-viols complete, as we should ha' done in old times, this was all I could think o' as a noiseless thing.'“我决定为你们的结婚庆祝一下，”奶牛场老板说。“要是按照我们过去的做法，我们应该组织一个乐队，用大提琴、小提琴等全套乐器演奏起来，可是你们不愿意这样，所以这是我能够想到的不加张扬的庆祝了。”
        Tess's friends lived so far off that none could conveniently have been present at the ceremony, even had any been asked; but as a fact nobody was invited from Marlott. As for Angel's family, he had written and duly informed them of the time, and assured them that he would be glad to see one at least of them there for the day if he would like to come. His brothers had not replied at all, seeming to be indignant with him; while his father and mother had written a rather sad letter, deploring his precipitancy in rushing into marriage, but making the best of the matter by saying that, though a dairywoman was the last daughter-in-law they could have expected, their son had arrived at an age at which he might be supposed to be the best judge.苔丝家里人住的地方离这儿很远，所以出席她的婚礼不很方便，甚至也没有邀请她家里任何人；而且事实上马洛特村没有来任何人。至于安琪尔家里人，他已经写信通知了他们结婚的时间，也表示很高兴在结婚那一天至少能看见家里来一个人，如果他们愿意来的话。他的两个哥哥根本就没有回信，似乎对他很生气；而他的父母亲给他回了一封令人悲伤的信，埋怨他不该这样匆匆忙忙地结婚，不过坏事往好处想，说他们虽然从来没有想到会娶一个挤牛奶的姑娘做他们小儿子的媳妇，但是他们的儿子既然已经长大成人，相信他会做出最好的判断。

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        This coolness in his relations distressed Clare less than it would have done had he been without the grand card with which he meant to surprise them ere long. To produce Tess, fresh from the dairy, as a d'Urberville and a lady, he had felt to be temerarious and risky; hence he had concealed her lineage till such time as, familiarized with worldly ways by a few months' travel and reading with him, he could take her on a visit to his parents, and impart the knowledge while triumphantly producing her as worthy of such an ancient line. It was a pretty lover's dream, if no more. Perhaps Tess's lineage had more value for himself than for anybody in the world besides.克莱尔家里人的冷淡并没有使他太悲伤，因为他手里握有一张大牌，不久就可以给家里的人一个惊喜。刚刚从奶牛场离开，就把苔丝是一位小姐、是德贝维尔家族的后裔抖露出去，他觉得是轻率的、危险的；因此他先要把她的身世隐瞒起来，带着她旅行几个月，和他一起读一些书，然后他才带她去见他的父母，表明她的家世，这时候他才得意地介绍苔丝，说她是一个古老家族的千金小姐。如果说这算不上什么，但至少也要算一个情人的美丽梦幻。苔丝的身世对世界上任何人来说，也许不会比对他自己更有价值。
        Her perception that Angel's bearing towards her still remained in no whit altered by her own communication rendered Tess guiltily doubtful if he could have received it. She rose from breakfast before he had finished, and hastened upstairs. It had occurred to her to look once more into the queer gaunt room which had been Clare's den, or rather eyrie, for so long, and climbing the ladder she stood at the open door of the apartment, regarding and pondering. She stooped to the threshold of the doorway, where she had pushed in the note two or three days earlier in such excitement. The carpet reached close to the sill, and under the edge of the carpet she discerned the faint white margin of the envelope containing her letter to him, which he obviously had never seen, owing to her having in her haste thrust it beneath the carpet as well as beneath the door.苔丝看见安琪尔对她的态度并没有因为她写信表白了自己。的过去而有什么改变，于是就开始怀疑他是否收到了她的信。在安琪尔还没有吃完早饭之前，她就急忙离开饭桌上楼。她突然想起来再去把那个古怪的房间搜查一遍，长期以来，这个房间一直是克莱尔的兽穴，或者不如说是鸟巢；她爬上楼梯，站在门开着的房间门口，观察着、思考着。她弯下身子从门槛下看去，两三天前，她就是怀着紧张的心情从那儿把信塞进去的。房间里的地毯一直铺到了门槛的跟前，在地毯下面，她看见了一个信封的白边，信封里装着她写给克莱尔的信，由于她在匆忙中把信塞进了地毯和地板之间，很显然克莱尔从来就没有看到这封信。
        With a feeling of faintness she withdrew the letter. There it was - sealed up, just as it had left her hands. The mountain had not yet been removed. She could not let him read it now, the house being in full bustle of preparation; and descending to her own room she destroyed the letter there.她把信抽出来，觉得人都快晕倒了。她拿的就是那封信，封得好好的，和当时离开她手里的时候完全一样。她面前的一座大山还是没有被移开。全屋子的人都在忙着为他们做准备，现在她是不能让他读这封信了；所以她回到自己的房间，在房间里把那封信销毁了。
        She was so pale when he saw her again that he felt quite anxious. The incident of the misplaced letter she had jumped at as if it prevented a confession; but she knew in her conscience that it need not; there was still time. Yet everything was in a stir; there was coming and going; all had to dress, the dairyman and Mrs Crick having been asked to accompany them as witnesses; and reflection or deliberate talk was well-nigh impossible. The only minute Tess could get to be alone with Clare was when they met upon the landing.克莱尔再次看到她的时候，她的脸色是那样苍白，这使得他十分担心。她把信误放进地毯下面这件事，使她把这看成天意，不让她自白；但是她的理智又使她明白不是那样一回事；她仍然还有时间啊。但是一切都处在一种混乱当中；人们进进出出；所有的人都得换衣服，奶牛场老板和克里克太太已经被请来做他们的证婚人；因此思考和认真谈话都是不可能的。苔丝唯一能单独和克莱尔在一起的机会只是他们在楼梯口相遇的时候。
        'I am so anxious to talk to you - I want to confess all my faults and blunders!' she said with attempted lightness.“我非常想和你谈一谈——我要向你坦白我的过错、我的缺点！”她装出轻松的样子说。