第六章: 一个悔过自新的人
As soon as she recovered from her surprise, she moved away so that he would not notice her. But he suddenly caught sight of her, and the effect on him was electric. His enthusiasm faded, his voice hesitated, his lips trembled, his eyes dropped in confusion. Tess walked rapidly away along the road.
她一从惊异中缓过神来，就赶紧走开了，想避免让他注意到她。但是他突然看见她了，这一发现给他带来了触电般的震惊。他的激情消退了，他的声音含糊了，他的嘴唇哆嗦着，他的眼睛慌乱不安地瞟来瞟去。苔丝加快步伐上了路。
However, as she walked she felt he must be looking at her back as she walked away. And now she knew she could never escape the past, as she had hoped. Reminders of her past would surround her until she died. As she walked uphill she heard footsteps behind her, and, turning, saw that it was the one person in the whole world she did not want to meet this side of the grave.
然而，她一边走一边觉得他在她离开时一定盯着她的背影看。现在她知道了，她永远都无法如她所希望的那样摆脱过去。在她死去之前，她过去经历的各种见证者重重包围着她。当她朝着山上走去时，她听到背后响起了脚步声，她掉过头去，看见的是那个只要她一息犹存，便最不愿意在这世上见到的人。
This was the first time she had seen or heard of D’Urberville since she had left Trantridge. And although he stood there openly as a preacher, as a religious man, she still felt afraid of him. He had changed his clothes, his hair, his moustache and his expression, but could she really believe that he had changed his most secret thoughts and beliefs?
自从离开纯瑞脊之后，这是她第一次见到或听说德伯。虽然他是以一个传道士、一个虔诚的基督徒的身份公然地站在那里，可是，她对他仍然感到恐惧。他已经改变了他的装束、他的发型、他的胡须和他的表情，可是她真地能相信他已经改变了他内心最深处暗藏的想法和信念吗？
“I see you are,” she said coldly. They walked on together.
“我知道是你，”她冷漠地回答。他们一起朝前走着。
“You may wonder why I’m following you. Well, I feel you are the person I would most like to save from hell. So I have come to do that.”
“你一定纳闷，为什么我要跟着你。嗯，我觉得你是我最想从地狱中拯救的一个人。所以我就来这么做了。”
“Have you saved yourself?” Tess asked bitterly.
“你拯救了你自己吗？”
“Tess!” he said. “I’m Alec D’Urberville!”
“苔丝！”他说，“我是亚历克·德伯！”
“God has done it all, not me! I must tell you how I came to believe in Him. Have you ever heard of the parson of Emminster, old Mr Clare? A very strict, sincere man.”
“是上帝做了这一切，不是我！我得告诉你我是怎样渐渐地相信他的。你曾经听说过爱敏斯特的牧师，老克莱尔先生吗？一个严格、真诚的人。”
“I have,” said Tess.
“我听说过，”苔丝说道。
“Don’t go on!” cried Tess. “I can’t believe in such a sudden change! I almost hate you for talking to me like this, when you know how you’ve ruined my life! You enjoy yourself for a while and then you make sure of your place in heaven!” As she spoke she looked him full in the face with her great beautiful eyes.
“别再说下去了！”苔丝叫了起来，“我不能相信这样一个突如其来的改变！你这样跟我说话，我几乎要恨你了！你知道，你怎样地把我的生活给毁掉了！你寻欢作乐了一段时间后，又要确保在天堂里给你留个地方！”她用她那双美丽的大眼睛直直地盯着他的脸，说道。
“Well, he came to Trantridge once and tried to show me how wicked my life was. I insulted him at the time. But later my mother died, and somehow I began to think about what old Mr Clare said. Since then my one desire has been to help others to understand God too…”
“嗯，有一次他来到纯瑞脊，竭力给我指出我当时的生活是多么邪恶。那时候，我辱骂了他。可是后来，我母亲去世了，不知怎么地，我开始思考老克莱尔先生说过的话。打那以后，我唯一的愿望就是帮助其他人，还有了解上帝……”
“I must go to the right here. I’m preaching at six this evening. Tell me, how has your life been since we last met?”
“我得在这儿右拐了，今晚六点钟我还要讲道呢。跟我说说，我们分手以后你的生活怎么样？”
“Don’t look at me like that!” said Alec. “Your eyes remind me of — well, women’s faces have too much power over me. Don’t look at me! It might be dangerous for you!”
“别这样看着我！”亚历克说，“你的眼睛让我回想起了——唉，女人的脸蛋对我的威力真是太大了。别看着我！这可能对你有危险！”
Eventually they came to a crossroads, where a strange stone stood. It was a lonely, unfriendly place, where people did not like to stay for long. Alec stopped here.
终于，他们来到了一处三岔路口，那儿竖着一块奇异的石头。这是个荒僻、险恶的地方，人们都不喜欢在此久留，亚历克在这儿停住了。
Tess told him about the baby. Alec was shocked.
苔丝跟他说了孩子的事。亚历克很震惊。
Tess went on her way, feeling upset, and soon met a man on the road. He told her that the cross was not religious, but marked the place where a criminal was put to death and buried. Trembling a little at this information, she finally arrived at Flintcomb-Ash.
苔丝怏怏不乐地继续她的路程，不久，她在路上碰见了一个人，他告诉她，那个十字架没有宗教的含义，而是给一个罪犯被判处死刑和埋葬的地方做个标记。听到这件事情让苔丝有些发颤。终于，她走到了弗林特石灰谷。
“I shall pray for you,” called Alec as he walked away. “Who knows, we may meet again!”
“我会为你祈祷的，”亚历克一边走一边喊道，“谁知道呢，也许我们还会再见面的！”
Tess placed her hand on the stone and swore.
苔丝把她的手放在石头上，发了誓。
“Good God! How can you ask such an unnecessary thing! I don’t want to see you ever again!”
“我的天哪！你怎么会要我做这种毫无必要的事！我连见都不想再见你！”
“You should have told me! But before we part, come, put your hand on this stone. It was once a holy cross. I’m afraid of your power over me. Swear on the cross that you will never tempt me into wickedness!”
“你早该告诉我！那么，来，在我们分手之前，你把手放在这块石头上，这里有过一个神圣的十字架。我很害怕你对我产生的威力。对着十字架发誓你永远不会引诱我犯罪！”
“No, but swear it.”
“没错，不过，发誓吧。”
“Who is he?” asked D’Urberville. “Where is he? Why isn’t he here to look after you? What sort of husband can he be, leaving you to work like this?”
“他是谁？”德伯问道，“他在哪儿？他为什么不在这儿照料你？把你抛下干这样的活儿，他算哪门子的丈夫？”
“No!”
“不是！”
“Oh no, sir!” she cried, horrified.
“哦，不，先生！”她惊骇地叫道。
“Perhaps that is only a passing feeling…”
“也许那只是一时的感情……”
“Yes! Why not? You must tell me!”
“是的！为什么不是？你一定得告诉我！”
“Your eyes!” whispered Alec. “I thought I no longer felt anything for you, but when I look into your eyes…” He took her hand.
“你的眼睛！”亚历克喃喃说道，“我原以为我对你已不再有什么感觉了，但是，当我看到你的眼睛……”他抓住了她的手。
“Well, then… I have married him.”
“嗯，那么……我已经嫁给他了。”
“Will you help me put right the wicked thing I did to you? Will you be my wife?”
“你愿意帮我挽回我对你犯下的罪过吗？你愿意做我的妻子吗？”
“Why not?” Disappointment was visible in his face. It was not only duty which pushed him to make this offer, but also his old passion for her.
“为什么不行？”他脸上的失望显而易见。不仅仅是他的责任促使他提出这个请求，还有他对她昔日的激情。
“Ah!” he cried and looked hard at her.
“啊！”他惊叫起来，愕然地注视着她。
“It’s a secret here,” she begged. “Please don’t tell anybody.”
“在这儿，这是个秘密，”她请求道，“请不要告诉任何人。”
One day the following week when Tess was working in the fields as usual, Alec D’Urberville came to see her. He explained to her that he intended to sell his land at Trantridge and go to help poor people in Africa.
接下来的那个星期，有一天苔丝正像平常那样在地里干活儿，亚历克·德伯看她来了。他向她说明他打算把纯瑞脊的土地卖了，然后去非洲救助那儿的穷人。
“You know I don’t love you,” answered Tess. “In fact, I love somebody else.”
“你知道我不爱你，”苔丝回答说，“实际上，我爱上别人了。”
“Don’t ask!” cried Tess, her eyes flashing.
“别问了！”苔丝叫道，她的眼睛闪着光。
The farmer approached at that moment and was angry with Tess for wasting time talking to a stranger. Tess preferred hard words from this man of stone to sweet ones from Alec D’Urberville. For a moment, however, she imagined escaping from her present hard life by marrying Alec, but rejected it immediately.
这时，农场主过来了，他对苔丝浪费时间和一个陌生人交谈这事大为恼火。苔丝宁愿受到这个冷酷的人的严厉谴责，也不愿意听到亚历克·德怕的甜言蜜语。然而，有一刻她想象着与亚历克结婚来摆脱她目前艰难的生活，但是立即又打消了这个念头。
“Don’t worry, I can control myself. I just hoped that our marriage would take away the bad in both of us. But that plan is no good now.” He walked slowly away, his head bent in thought.
“别担心，我能控制自己。我原来只是希望我们的结合能除去我们两个人身上的罪恶。可是这个计划现在看来已经不合适了。”他慢慢地走开了，低头沉思着什么。
“Go now, please, in the name of your new religion, go! Respect me and my husband!”
“走吧，请你走吧，以你的新信仰的名义，走吧！请尊重我和我的丈夫！”
At home that night she began a letter to Clare, telling him of her great love for him. Reading between the lines he would have seen her secret fear for the future. But again she could not finish the letter, thinking of his offer to lzz, and so he never received it.
那晚，她在房子里开始给克莱尔写信，倾诉她对他深厚的爱情。从字里行间，他原可以体会她对未来暗藏的恐惧。可是她又想起了他对伊茨的请求，又一次没能把信写完，因此，他根本就收不到这封信。
She pulled it quickly away.
她急忙抽了出来。
On a Sunday in February she was eating her lunch in the cottage where she lived, when D’Urberville knocked at the door. He rushed in and threw himself into a chair.
2月的一个星期天，她正在她住的小房子里吃着午饭，德伯敲响了门，他冲了进来，一屁股坐在了椅子上。
“What do I care? You are the one woman I have always wanted. Why have you tempted me away from religion? I can’t resist you!” His black eyes flashed passionately. He advanced towards her.
“我在乎什么？你一直是我想要的女人。为什么你把我从宗教信仰里诱惑出来了？我无法抵御你！”他的黑眼睛显露出心荡神驰的情欲，他一步步朝她靠近。
“Tess!” he cried desperately. “I can’t help it! I can’t stop thinking of you! Pray for me, Tess!”
“苔丝！”他声嘶力竭地喊道，“我无法克制自己！我无法停止想你！为我祈祷吧，苔丝！”
“My husband.”
“我的丈夫。”
“Who told you that?”
“谁这么跟你说的？”
Tess did not pity him. “I cannot because I don’t believe God would change His plans just because I asked Him.”
苔丝并不同情他。“我不能。因为我相信上帝不会因为我的请求就改变他的安排。”
“Ah, that’s because he knows everything!” Tess replied with enthusiasm. “What is good enough for him is good enough for me.”
“哦，那是因为他知道一切事情！”苔丝充满激情地回答道，“对他足够好的东西对我同样足够好。”
“Ah, your dear husband… Tell me what he believes.”
“啊，你亲爱的丈夫……告诉我，他都相信些什么。”
“H’m, interesting,” murmured D’Urberville. “Perhaps he understands religion better than old Mr Clare. Perhaps he’s right not to attach too much importance to the Bible and to fixed ideas. Perhaps I was wrong to become a preacher. Today I should be preaching at half-past two, and here I am! My passion for you was too strong for me!”
“哼，真有意思，”德怕咕哝着，“也许他比老克莱尔先生更好地理解了宗教。也许他是对的，不要太受《圣经》和那些教条观念的束缚。也许是我错了，竟想成为一个传教士。今天，我应该在两点半的时候讲道，但是我在这儿！我对你的感情太炽烈了！”
“The fact is, you just believe whatever he says. That’s just like you women!”
“事实上就是，你相信他说的每一句话。你们女人都是这样的。”
“You have let all those people down? They are waiting for you!”
“你让那些人都失望了？他们正在等着你呢！”
Tess explained, as clearly as she could remember, Angel’s beliefs. Alec watched her closely.
苔丝根据记忆，尽可能清楚地阐述着安吉尔的信念。亚历克密切地注视着他。
Alec stopped, turned, and went out without another word. But he went on thinking of Angel’s religious logic, as explained by Tess. It seemed to make sense. “That clever husband doesn’t know that his ideas may lead me back to her!” he laughed to himself.
亚历克不动了，一句话也没再说，转身走了出去。但是，他还在继续思考着苔丝阐述的安吉尔的宗教逻辑。它看起来合情合理。“那个聪明的丈夫不知道他的思想可能会把我重新牵回到她身边！”他在心里窃笑道。
“I couldn’t help your seeing me again!” cried Tess, moving nervously away from him. “Please leave me! Remember I am married! Remember I can’t defend myself!”
“我无法让你不再见到我！”苔丝叫着，神经质地从他身边闪开，“请离开我吧！记住我已经结婚了！记住我无法保护自己！”
In March the threshing-machine came for a day to Flintcomb-Ash. It was a huge red machine which ate all the corn the farm-workers could feed it. Next to it stood the engine which ran it, and the engineer. He lived in a world of fire and smoke, and was permanently black, as if he came from hell. The farmer put Tess next to the threshing-machine, so that she had the hardest and most tiring job of all. She had little chance to talk or rest, and at lunch time was about to start eating when she noticed D’Urberville approaching. He had Changed his parson’s clothes and now looked just like the young gentleman she had first met at Trantridge.
3月的一天，弗林特库姆一带来了一辆打谷机。这是一台大型的红色机器，它可以吞掉农场工人们装进去的所有麦子。它的旁边放着一台开动它的发动机，还站着一个技师。他生活在一个烟与火的世界里，永远是黑乎乎的，好像从地狱里来的一般。农场主安排苔丝站到打谷机边上，这样她就得干最繁重最乏味的活儿。她几乎没有机会说话或休息。到了午饭时间，她正准备吃饭时，看见德伯过来了。他已经换掉了那身牧师的服装，现在看起来就与她在纯瑞脊初次遇到时的那个年轻的绅士一样。
“I have. What a lot of stupid people they are to listen to a preacher anyway! And I am convinced that your wonderful husband’s views are better than old Parson Clare’s. I don’t know how I became so enthusiastic! So now, here I am, my love, just as in the old times!”
“是的，停止了。总之，他们是多么愚蠢的一大群人啊，听一个传教士布道！我为你那伟大的丈夫的观点折服了，我确信他的观点比老克莱尔牧师的好。真不知道我怎么就变得热情高涨了！所以，现在，我来了，亲爱的，就像过去的日子一样！”
“You trouble me! Your eyes look at me night and day. I can’t forget them. Tess, when you told me about that child of ours, my feelings for you became strong again. I have lost interest in religion and it is your fault!”
“是你扰乱了我的心！你的眼睛日日夜夜地注视着我。我无法忘记它们。苔丝，当你把我们的孩子的事跟我说了的时候，我对你的感情又变得炽烈起来了。对宗教我已经失去了兴趣，这是你的罪过。”
“Not like that at all, no, now it’s different!” she said firmly. “Oh why couldn’t you stay religious?”
“一点儿也不像那样了，不，现在情况不同了！”她坚决地说道，“哦，为什么你不能保持你对宗教的虔诚？”
“Why do you bother me like this?” she cried.
“你为什么老来烦我呀！”她大叫起来。
“Because you’ve explained your husband’s ideas so well to me that I accept them! Ha ha! But seriously, Tess, you need help. I am here and this husband of yours is not. Come with me! My carriage is waiting the other side of the field! You have tempted me, now share my life for ever!” He put an arm round her waist. Tess was red with anger but said nothing. She picked up a heavy leather glove and hit him in the face with it. It was an action which her ancestors must have often practised. Alec jumped up and wiped the blood from his mouth.
“因为你如此生动地向我解释了你丈夫的观点，我接受它们了！哈哈！不过，说正经的，苔丝，你需要帮助。我在这儿，而你的那个丈夫不在。跟我来吧！我的马车就在田那头等着！你已经引诱我了，现在，永远地和我一起共享生活吧！”他伸出一只手臂，揽住了她的腰。苔丝气得涨红了脸，可是一句话都说不出来。她抓起了一只笨重的皮手套，朝他的脸打去。这一定是她的祖先们经常要练习的动作。亚历克跳了起来，擦了擦嘴角渗出的血。
“I am here again, you see,” he said, smiling at her.
“你看，我又来了。”他笑着对她说。
“You have stopped preaching?” asked Tess, shocked.
“你已经停止布道了吗？”苔丝震惊地问道。
So he left, and the farm-workers started the afternoon’s threshing. It went on until the evening, as the work had to be finished that day. Tess became more and more exhausted and was near to fainting when they finally stopped. Alec D’Urberville, who had been waiting for this moment, appeared at her side.
于是他离开了，农场工人又开始了下午打谷的活儿。因为这活儿必须在今天干完，所以一直持续到晚上。苔丝越来越精疲力尽，等到他们终于干完时，她几乎快晕倒了。一直在等候着这个时刻的亚历克·德伯出现在她的身边。
“Remember one thing!” he said angrily, only just controlling himself as he held her by the shoulders. “Remember, my lady, if you are any man’s wife, you are mine! I will have you again! I’ll come back for an answer later on!”
“记住一件事情！”他恼怒地说道，抓住她的肩膀，克制着自己。“记住，我的小姐，如果你是任何一个男人的妻子，你就是我的！我会再度拥有你的！晚些时候，我会再来听你的回音！”
“You are so weak,” he said, holding her arm. “I’ve told the farmer he should not use women for work with the threshing-machine. It’s too hard. I’ll walk home with you.”
“你太虚弱了，”他抓着她的手臂说道，“我已经告诉农场主了，他不应该让女人跟着打谷机干活。这活儿太累人了，我陪你走回去。”
“Oh yes, please do!” murmured Tess, too tired to be afraid of him. “You are kind sometimes. And at least you wanted to put right the wrong by offering to marry me.”
“哦，是的，好吧！”苔丝喃喃地说道，她太累了，已感觉不到对他的惧怕。“有时候你的心肠挺好的，至少，你想弥补过去的过失，提出要跟我结婚。”
“If I can’t marry you, at least I can help you. I have finished with religion. But you must trust me! I have enough money to help your family and make them comfortable.”
“如果我不能娶你，至少我可以帮助你。我已经跟宗教没有什么瓜葛了，但是你一定要信任我！我有足够的钱帮助你的家人，让他们都过得舒舒服服的。”
How silly I was to trust that you would always love me! I ought to have known I couldn’t be so lucky.
我有多傻呀，我一开始相信您会永远爱我的！我早就应该知道，我是不可能这么幸运的。
Haven’t you ever felt one little bit of your love for me at the dairy? I am the same woman you fell in love with then, the very same. As soon as I met you, the past was dead for me. Can’t you see this?
难道你没有感觉到过一丝一毫你在牛奶场时对我的爱吗？我没变，我还是你以前爱上的那个女人，一点也没变。当初，我一见到你，过去的事情对我就都消亡了。难道你看不出这一点吗？
I live only for you. Don’t think I shall be bitter because you left me. I am so lonely without you, my darling!
我只是为了你才活着。不要以为你离我而去，我会怨恨什么。亲爱的，没有你，我是多么孤寂啊！
As soon as she reached her room she wrote a passionate letter to Angel. My own husband,
她一回到房间，就给安吉尔写了一封感情深切的信。我自己的丈夫：
“Have you seen them lately?” asked Tess quickly. “God knows they need help…but no — no, I can take nothing from you, either for them or for me! Please leave me alone!”
“你最近见过他们吗？”苔丝急切地问道，”“上帝知道，他们需要帮助……但是，不——不，我不能从你这儿拿任何东西，不管是为他们还是为我自己！请让我一个人待着吧！”
I must call you that. I must ask you for help — I have no one else! I am so open to temptation, Angel! I cannot tell you who it is. Can’t you come to me now, before anything terrible happens? I know you are far away, but I need help! I know I deserved the punishment you gave me, but please, Angel, please be kind to me! If you would come, I could die in your arms!
我必须这样称呼你，我必须向你呼救了——我别无他人可求！我是这么毫无防卫地受到诱惑，安吉尔！我不能告诉你他是谁。你难道不能趁着现在，不等可怕的事情发生，立即赶到我身边来吗？我知道，你在很远的地方，但是我需要帮助！我理解你给我的惩罚，我罪有应得，可是请你，安吉尔，请你善待我！如果你来，我就可以在你怀里安息了！
Your faithful heartbroken
你忠实的心碎的妻子
If you won’t come to me, could I come to you? I’m so worried! I’m afraid I may fall into some wicked trap. Save me from what threatens me!
如果你不能到我这儿来。我能上你那儿去吗？我是这么地担心！我怕我也许会落入某个可怕的陷阱，我面临危险，救救我吧！
People say I am still rather pretty, Angel. But I don’t care about my looks because you are not here.
安吉尔，人们说我依然是那么漂亮迷人。可是，因为你不在这儿，我不关心我的容貌。
Tess
苔丝
This desperate cry for help eventually arrived at the parson’s house in Emminster. Old Mr Clare was pleased.
这封绝望的求助信最终到了爱敏斯特牧师的家中，老克莱尔先生很高兴。
This was the only complaint she ever made to her husband. He too was worried that he had been unfair to Angel. They blamed themselves for this unfortunate marriage. If Angel had studied at Cambridge he would never have become a farmer and married a country girl. Still, his more recent letters showed that Angel was planning to come home to fetch her, so perhaps their quarrel, whatever it was, could be settled.
这是她有史以来唯一一次向她的丈夫发牢骚。他自己也为他没有公平地对待安吉尔感到忧虑。他们为这桩不幸的婚姻责备自己。假如安吉尔在剑桥学习的话，他就永远不会成为一个农场主，也不会跟一个乡下姑娘结婚了。不过，安吉尔最近一次的来信表明他仍打算回家带她一起去，所以他们的争吵，不管是为了什么，也许可以解决了。
“I think this letter is from Angel’s wife. I hope this will bring him home more quickly. He did say he was planning to come home next month.”
“我想这是安吉尔的妻子来的信。我希望这会让他更快地回家。他是说过，他计划下个月回家的。”
“Dear boy, I hope he will get home safely,” murmured Mrs Clare. “I still feel he should have gone university like the other two. He should have had the same chance as them, Church or no Church.”
“亲爱的孩子，我希望他能平安到家。”克莱尔夫人低声说道，“我仍然觉得他应该像其他两个那样去上大学，他应该和他们有同样的机会，不管是不是到教会工作。”
His attitude to life had changed during this time. He began to look again at what was right and wrong. He began to see that a person should be judged not only on what he has done but also on what he wanted to do. He began to think that he had perhaps been unfair to Tess, and he thought about her with growing affection.
在这期间，他对生活的态度已发生了转变。他开始再度审视起是非曲直来。他开始明白，评判一个人不仅仅要根据他做过什么，还要根据他想做什么。他开始想到自己过去对待苔丝也许是不公平的，他怀着与日俱增的爱恋，回想着她。
He wondered why she had not written. He forgot that he had told her not to write first. He did not realize that she was obeying his orders exactly, although it was breaking her heart.
他纳闷她为什么不给他写信。他忘了，他说过不要先来信的。他没有意识到她在完完全全地服从他的命令，尽管这叫她伤心欲碎。
On his journey, he travelled with another Englishman. They were both depressed and both told each other their problems. The stranger was older and more experienced than Angel. He had a different, more open approach to life. He told Angel clearly that he was wrong in parting from Tess.
在行程中，他和另外一个英国人结伴而行。他们都很沮丧，彼此倾诉着自己的问题。这位陌生人比安吉尔年长，阅历也更丰富。他对生活的态度有自己不同的、更为豁达开朗的一套。他明确地对安吉尔说，他离开苔丝是错误的。
Angel himself was at this moment riding across Brazil towards the coast. He had never completely recovered from the serious illness he had had when he first arrived. He was not as strong as before, and looked much older. The country had been a disappointment to him. Many farmers had come here from England hoping to make their fortune, and had died in the fields or on the roads. He knew now he could not farm here.
安吉尔自己这个时候正骑马横穿巴西到海岸。他一到这儿就生了场大病，以后再也没有彻底恢复过来。他已经不如以前那么健壮了，看起来也老了许多。这个国家让他失望了。许多从英国来的农场主，怀着发家致富的梦想到了这儿，却死在了地里或路上。他知道他无法在此经营农场了。
The next day they got wet in a thunderstorm. The stranger fell ill and died a few days later. Death came as no surprise in that unfriendly land. Clare buried him, and continued his journey. The man’s words were somehow given greater importance by his unexpected death, and suddenly Clare felt ashamed. Tess had committed no crime. He should believe in her character, and not object to a past action she could not avoid. He remembered the words of Izz Huett: She would have laid down her life for you. No woman could do more. How she had looked at him on their wedding day — as if he were a god! And during that terrible evening by the fireside, when she told him her story, how desperately sad she had been to realize he might not love her any more.
第二天，他们赶上一场雷阵雨，被浇湿了。这个陌生人病倒了，几天之后便死去了。在那种环境恶劣的地方，死神的降临是不足为奇的。克莱尔将他安葬了，又继续自己的行程。由于这出人意料的死亡，他的话不知怎地显示出了更大的重要性，克莱尔突然感到羞愧了，苔丝并没有犯罪。他应该相信她的品质，而不是对她无法避免的一段过去横加指责。他回想起了伊茨·休爱特说的话：她可以为你舍弃她的生命。没有任何一个女人能付出更多了。在他们结婚的那天，她是带着怎样的眼神凝视着他呀——仿佛他是一个神！而在火炉边度过的那个可怕的夜晚，当她对他说了她的经历后，意识到他可能不再爱她时，她又是多么地伤心欲绝啊！
Meanwhile Tess was not hopeful that Angel would come in answer to her letter. The past had not changed, so he might not change either. Nevertheless she spent her spare time preparing for his possible return, practising singing the songs he used to like, tears rolling down her cheeks all the while.
同时，苔丝对安吉尔会响应她的信而回来不抱什么希望了。过去并没有改变，所以也许他也没有改变。然而，她还是利用空闲的时间，为他可能的返回作着准备，练习唱他过去爱听的歌，每到这个时候，眼泪就会从她的双颊潸潸滚落。
“Mother is very ill,” her sister said seriously, “and father is not well either and says a man of such noble family shouldn’t have to work. So we don’t know what to do.”
“妈妈病得很重，”她的妹妹焦虑地说道，“爸爸的身体也不好，还说像这样一个高贵家族的人是不该工作的。所以我们不知道如何是好。”
Tess thought for a moment. She realized she had to go home immediately, although her time was not yet up at the farm. She left her sister to rest for a while, and she herself set off at once with her possessions in a basket.
苔丝想了一会儿。她意识到自己必须立即回家一趟，尽管她在农场的干活期未满。她让妹妹留下来休息一会儿，自己把行李装在一个篮子里，即刻启程了。
“Liza-Lu!” said Tess. “What’s the matter?”
“丽莎－露！”苔丝说，“出什么事儿啦？”
Although it was night and she had a fifteen-mile walk, she felt quite safe. She was only worried about her mother, and did not notice the strange shapes of trees and hedges in the darkness. At three in the morning she passed the field where she had first seen Angel Clare, and felt again the disappointment when he did not dance with her. And when she saw the family cottage, it seemed to be part of her body and life, as it always did.
虽然是夜里了，她还有15英里的路要走，但她觉得十分安全。她只是担心她的母亲，根本注意不到黑暗中那些树木和篱笆怪异的影子。凌晨3点，她经过与安吉尔·克莱尔初次见面的田野，因他没有请她跳舞产生的失望又一次涌上心头。她看到她们家的房子，它就像她身体和生活的一部分。它总是这样的。
One evening she was in the cottage as usual when there was a knock at the door. A tall thin girl came in and Tess recognized her young sister Liza-Lu.
一天晚上，像往常一样，她正待在小屋里，这时响起了一阵敲门声。一个高高瘦瘦的女孩走了进来，苔丝认出，是她的妹妹丽莎－露。
She found her mother recovering from her illness, and took over as head of the household. Her father did not seem ill, and had a new plan for earning money.
她发现她母亲正从病中恢复，又接管了一家的事务，她的父亲则不像生病的样子，还制定了一个挣钱的新计划。
“I’m going to find all the historians round here,” he said, “and get them to pay money to keep me going. After all, they pay to look after old ruins, and I’m of historical interest. I think they’ll be pleased to do it!”
“我打算找到周围地区的所有的历史学家，”他说道，“让他们出钱支持我的生活。毕竟，他们是要花钱照看那些历史古迹的，我也有历史价值，我认为他们会乐意这么做的！”
“What are you doing here?”
“你在这儿干什么？”
Tess did not have time to answer. She nursed her mother, fed the children, and worked in the garden, planting vegetables for next year. She enjoyed working outside, among her neighbours. One evening when it was almost dark, she was digging happily in the vegetable garden, some distance from the cottage. It was a clear, fresh night, with smoke blowing about from small fires in the gardens. Suddenly she saw a man’s face in the light of a fire. It was D’Urberville! She gasped and stepped back, her face pale.
苔丝没有工夫回答他的话。她要看护母亲，喂养孩子，还要在园子里干活儿，为来年种点儿蔬菜。她喜欢跟左邻右舍一起，在户外干活儿。一天傍晚，天将黑时，她在菜园子里欢快地掘着土。园子离家有些距离。这是一个明朗、清新的夜晚。园子里的小火堆升起了一团团的烟雾，突然，她在火光中看到了一张男人的脸，是德伯！她惊得透不过气来，后退了几步，脸变得惨白。
“Where are you going next? To join your dear husband?”
“下一步你要去哪里？和你亲爱的丈夫团聚？”
“Yes, I have.”
“是的，结束了。”
“My dear Tess, I just want to help you, to see you. Have you finished at that farm?”
“我亲爱的苔丝，我只不过想要帮助你，看望你。你在那个农场的活儿结束了吗？”
“Oh, I don’t know!” she said bitterly. “I have no husband!”
“哦，我不知道！”她愤愤地说，“我没有丈夫！”
“But father was only a little bit ill!” said Tess, trying to take in the news.
“可是爸爸只有一点小小的病！”苔丝说道，极力领会这个消息的涵义。
Poor John Durbeyfield’s death had more importance than his family realized at first. The cottage was in his name. On his death the farmer who owned it decided to put farm workers in it, and told the Durbeyfields to leave. They were not much respected in the village because of John’s laziness. Tess also felt guilty that her presence might have influenced the farmer. The village people clearly thought she was not a good example for their children.
可怜的约翰·德北的去世所带来的影响比他的家人最先意识到的更为重大。这座房子是以他的名义使用的。因为他死了，农场主——也就是房主人决定让农场工人们住到这里，叫德比一家都搬走。因为约翰的懒惰，他们家在村子里不太受敬重。苔丝也感到很愧疚，也许她的存在影响了那个农场主。村子里的人们都明确地认为她不是弟妹们的好榜样。
On her way back one of her sisters rushed towards her shouting, “Tess! Tess! Mother is much better but father is dead!”
在回家的路上，她的一个妹妹朝她飞奔而来，叫着：“苔丝！苔丝！妈妈好多了，可是爸爸死了！”
“Oh Alec, I wish you wouldn’t give me anything! I — I have enough, I — I just don’t want to live at all!” Her tears fell as she started digging again. When she looked round, D’Urberville had left.
“哦，亚历克，我真希望你什么都不要给我！我——我已经有足够的了，我——我根本就不想活了！”当她重新开始掘土时，已是泪流满面了。她环顾四周，德伯已经走了。
“That is quite true in one way. But you have a true friend. When you go back to your cottage, you’ll see what I’ve done for you.”
“从某种意义上说，这是相当正确的，但是你有一个真正的朋友。当你回到你的屋子时，你会看到我为你做的事情。”
“He dropped down just now, and the doctor said there was no hope for him because it’s his heart!”
“他刚才跌倒了。医生说因为他心脏的毛病，他没有救活的希望了！”
So on Lady Day the Durbeyfields had to leave their old home. The night before they left, D’Urberville came to visit Tess, to offer her and her family a little house on his land at Trantridge. Her mother could look after the chickens, and he would pay for the children to go to school. Tess firmly rejected his offer. But when he had gone, for the first time a feeling of anger rose in her against her husband. She had never intended to do wrong and he had punished her too hard! She passionately wrote these few words to him:
于是在圣母领报日那天，德北一家不得不离开了他们的老房子。离开的前一天晚上，德伯来看望苔丝，提出把在纯瑞脊他的土地上的一间房子给她和她的家人祝她的母亲可以为他养鸡，他则可以出钱供孩子们上学。苔丝严厉地拒绝了他的帮助。可是当他离开之后，她内心第一次产生了对她丈夫愤怒的感觉。她从来没有存心要做错事，他对她的惩罚太残酷了！她满怀激情地写了下面几句话：
T
苔
She ran out and posted it before she could change her mind.
她跑出去，趁着她还没有改变心意赶忙寄了这封信。
Oh why have you treated me so badly, Angel? I do not deserve it. You are cruel! I intend to forget you. You have been so unfair to me!
啊，安吉尔，你为什么对我这么狠哪？这不是我应受的惩罚，你真是残酷！我要设法忘掉你。你对待我太不公平了！
“No, it wasn’t him. He’ll never, never come,” said Tess hopelessly. She had said it was not her husband, but she was feeling more and more that D’Urberville was physically her husband.
“不，不是他。他永远、永远也不会来的。”苔丝绝望地说道。她说了来者不是她的丈夫，可是她却越来越感到，德伯是她实质上的丈夫。
“I see there’s been a visitor,” said her mother, coming into the living room later. “Your husband, was it?”
“我看有人来拜访过了，”她母亲随后来到了起居室，说道，“是你的丈夫，对吗？”
Next day their possessions were put on a waggon and taken to Kingsbere. Mrs Durbeyfield had booked rooms there, as it was the family home of the D’Urbervilles, and she still hoped some good would come of belonging to the ancient family. But as they approached Kingsbere after a long and tiring day’s journey, a man came to tell them there were no rooms available. Tess and her mother unloaded the waggon, and left the children and furniture near the churchyard wall, while they looked for somewhere to stay. But all the rooms were full.
第二天，他们的家当被装上了一辆运货马车，带到王陴那儿。德北夫人在那儿订了房间，因为那儿是德伯家族的房产，并且由于归属于这个古老的家族，她仍然抱着从中能出现什么好事的希望。可是经过一天漫长又疲惫的旅行之后，在临近王陴时，有个人来告诉他们这儿已经没有空余的房间了。苔丝和她母亲从货车上卸下东酉，把孩子和家具留在教堂墓地围墙附近，她们自己则去寻找能住的地方。但是所有的房子都是满满的。
“Tomorrow we’ll find somewhere better!” said Joan cheerfully. “But Tess, what’s the good of you playing at marrying gentlemen, if it leaves us like this!”
“明天我们会找到一个更好的地方！”琼乐观地说道。“可是苔丝，你随随便便地嫁给绅士先生们得到了什么好处，如果我们落到这个地步的话！”
Tess looked desperately at the pile of their possessions. In the cold sunlight of this spring evening the furniture looked old and the pots looked worn.
苔丝绝望地看着这一堆家当。在这春天傍晚冷冷的日光下，家具看起来很破旧，而锅碗瓢盆都是破破烂烂的。
Tess helped her mother move the big bed against the church wall. Underground were the tombs of the D’Urbervilles, and at the head of the bed was a beautiful old window, in which the symbols on the Durbeyfield seal and spoon could be seen. The children were put to bed all together for warmth and comfort.
苔丝帮助她母亲把那张大床移到靠着教堂墙壁的位置。地下就是德伯家族的坟墓，床前有一个漂亮古老的窗格，里面可以见到德伯印章和银匙上的标记。为了保暖和舒适起见，孩子们统统上了床，挤在一起。
“Tombs belong to families for ever, don’t they?” asked her mother brightly, having looked round the churchyard. “Well, that’s where we’ll stay, children, until the place of your ancestors finds us some shelter!”
“坟墓永远属于家族所有，是不是？”在环顾了教堂墓地之后，她的母亲欢快地问道。“好了，孩子们，在你们祖先的地位给我们找到避难所之前，这就是我们要待的地方。”
Tess went inside the ancient church and stared sadly at the tombs of her ancestors. She thought she saw a movement and turned to look again at a stone figure lying on a tomb. When she saw it was Alec D’Urberville lying there, she almost fainted.
苔丝走进了这座古老的教堂，忧伤地盯着她祖先们的坟墓。她觉得她看到了什么东西在动，掉过头去又看了一眼，坟墓上躺着一个僵硬的身子。当她认出是亚历克·德伯躺在那儿时，她几乎要昏厥过去了。
Dear Sir,
敬爱的先生：
“Why am I on the wrong side of this stone?” she whispered.
“我为什么不是在墓石的另一边？”她喃喃说道。
“I’m going to help you,” he said, jumping up and smiling at her. “You’ll see that I’m more useful than a real D’Urberville. I’ll see your mother. You’ll thank me for this!” As he brushed past her, she dropped her head on to the cold stone of the tomb.
“我打算帮助你，”他跳起来，笑着对她说道。“你会看到我比一个真正的德伯家的人更有用处。我要去见你的母亲。你会为此感激我的！”当他从她身边擦肩而过时，她对着坟墓冰冷的石块垂下了头。
Marian and Izz had seen Tess moving house with her family, and knew what a difficult position she was in. They generously hoped she would one day be happy with Angel again, and were afraid for her, knowing that Alec D’Urberville was constantly tempting her. They decided to write a letter to Angel Clare, to inform him of the dangerous situation his wife was in. This is what they wrote:
玛丽安和伊茨知道苔丝和她的家人搬家了，也了解她处在一个怎样的困境当中。她们宽厚地希望有一天她会重新和安吉尔幸福地生活在一起。她们也为她担心，因为她们知道那个亚历克·德伯在不断地诱惑她。她们决定给安吉尔·克莱尔写封信，通知他有关他妻子的危险处境。这是她们写的内容：
From two well-wishers
两个好心人
Watch out for your wife if you love her as much as she loves you. She is in danger from an enemy in the shape of a friend. A woman’s strength cannot last for ever, and water, if it drops continually, will wear away a stone — yes, even a diamond.
如果您爱您的妻子也像她爱您那样深的话，请关心她吧。她正受到一个伪装成朋友的敌人的威胁。一个女人的力量是不能永无止境地持续下去的。如果不停地滴落，水都能穿石——是的，即使是钻石也会被磨光的。
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