第四章: 结果
Clare was a thoughtful, honest man. He knew Tess was not a toy to play with and throw away when finished with. Her life was as important to her as his was to him. He knew he must treat her affection for him seriously. But if they went on meeting every day, their relationship must develop: he could not stop himself. As he had not decided what purpose their relationship should have, he decided that for the moment they should meet as little as possible. But it was not easy to keep to this decision. He was driven towards her by the heat in his blood.
克莱尔是一个善于思考、诚实正直的人。他知道苔丝不是一个用来戏耍的玩偶，在玩过之后就可以丢弃。她的生活对于她与他的生活对于他同等重要。他知道他必须严肃认真地对待她的感情。但是如果他们继续保持天天见面，他们的关系势必会继续发展：他无法阻止自己。因为他还无法断定他们的关系将发展成什么结果，于是他决定在这段时间里，他们应尽量少见面。但执行这样一个决定绝非易事。他沸腾的热血在驱使着他走近她。
The nights were as hot as the days. Angel Clare could not sleep. He went out into the darkness to think over what had happened that afternoon. He had come as a student of farming to this dairy, thinking he would be here only a short time. He thought it would be a quiet place. From here he could observe the great world outside, before plunging back into it. But the world outside had lost its interest, and the quiet place was now the centre of all feeling.
夜晚与白天一样炎热。安吉尔·克莱尔无法入睡，就来到外面漆黑的夜里，他在思考那天下午发生的事情。他是作为一名学习务农的学生来到这个牛奶场的，原以为在这儿只待一小段时间。他原以为这儿会是一个平静的地方。在他重新投入到外面那个伟大的世界中之前，他可以在这儿冷眼旁观它。但是外部的世界已经失去了它的重要性，而这个平静的地方现在却成了他所有喜怒哀乐的中心。
He thought he would go and see his family. In less than five months he would have finished his studies here. After a few more months on other farms, he would be ready to start farming himself. Shouldn’t a farmer’s wife be a woman who understood farming?
他觉得他应该回去见见他的家人。再有不到五个月，他在这儿的学习就要结束了。再到别的农场学习几个月，他就准备开始经营自己的农场了。一个农场主的妻子难道不该是个懂农务的女人吗？
His family were delighted, though surprised, to see him. Angel was glad to be at home, and yet he did not feel so much part of the family as he used to. His father’s religious belief was very strict, but he was a kind, honest man, and fond of his sons. However, he would have been shocked to know of the pagan pleasure in nature and pretty womanhood experienced by Angel. His mother shared his father’s religious views and helped in his church work. His brothers seemed rather unimaginative and narrow-minded, although they were both well educated: they felt that anybody outside the Church or university could not be respected.
尽管有些惊讶，他的家人见到他还是很高兴。回到家安吉尔也感到很愉快，然而他不再像过去那样觉得自己是这个家庭的重要组成部分了。他父亲恪守宗教信条，非常严格，但他是个和善正直的人，深爱着他的孩子们。然而，他若是知道安吉尔从自然界和漂亮女人身上所获得的非基督教的快乐，一定会感到震惊的。他母亲有着同父亲一样的宗教观念，并帮助父亲从事教堂的工作。他的哥哥们看起来相当枯燥死板，而且心胸狭窄，尽管他们俩都受过良好的教育，但他们觉得任何教堂或大学外的人都不应受到尊敬。
As he rode into the village, he saw a group of young girls waiting outside the church. Walking quickly to join them was Miss Mercy Chant, only daughter of his father’s neighbour. His parents quietly hoped Angel would marry Mercy one day. She was very good at giving Bible classes, but in Angel’s mind was the face of the pretty milkmaid who hardly ever thought of God.
当他骑马进村时，他看到一群年轻姑娘正等候在教堂外面。默茜·钱特小姐正快步走去加入她们，她是他父亲家邻居的独生女。他的父母都暗暗地希望有一天安吉尔能和默茜结婚。她对于传授《圣经》知识非常在行，但安吉尔的心被一张漂亮的面孔占据了，就是那个几乎从没有想起过上帝的挤奶女工的面孔。
He rode along the narrow road towards Emminster and his parents’ house. His eyes were looking, not at the road, but at next year. He loved her: ought he to marry her? What would his mother and brothers say? What would he himself say two years after the wedding?
他骑马沿着一条狭长的道路朝爱敏斯特和他父母的房子走去。他的眼睛在展望着什么，不是路面，而是下一个年头。他爱她：他应该娶她吗？他的母亲和哥哥们会怎么说？他自己在结婚两年后又会怎么说？
“A really Christian woman. Nothing else matters. For example, my neighbour Dr Chant…”
“一个虔诚的基督教徒，别的什么都不重要。比如说，我的邻居钱特医生……”
As he walked with his brothers, Angel felt that, however lucky they were to have a university education, neither of them really saw life as it was lived. They thought farming was a poor man’s job, not suitable for a gentleman. Angel felt all the more determined to keep to his choice.
当他和哥哥们走在一起时，安吉尔感觉到，尽管他们俩很幸运地接受了大学教育，但没有一个能实事求是地看待生活。他们认为务农是穷人的职业，对一个绅士来说是不合适的。安吉尔坚持自己选择的决心更坚定了。
“But isn’t the main thing that she should be able to milk cows, churn good butter, value animals and direct farm workers?”
“但是难道这点不重要吗？就是她要会挤牛奶，搅制出上等的黄油，珍惜动物，并指导农场工人？”
Mr Clare had clearly never thought of this before.
很明显，克莱尔先生以前从未想过这个方面。
In the evening he spoke to his father alone after prayers. Mr Clare told his son he had been saving the money he would have spent on his university education for him. This encouraged Angel to ask his father what sort of wife a farmer needed.
晚上做完祷告之后，他和父亲单独谈了谈。克莱尔先生告诉儿子，他一直都在积攒那笔该用来给他支付大学教育费用的钱。这让安吉尔有了勇气，问父亲一个农场主需要什么样的妻子。
“Yes, yes, certainly. But I was going to say that you will never find a purer woman than Mercy Chant. Your mother and I would be very happy if you…”
“是的，是的，当然。但我要说的是，你不可能再遇到一位比默茜·钱特更纯洁的姑娘啦。你母亲和我会非常高兴的，如果你……”
“Yes, yes, Mercy is good, I know. But, father, don’t you think that one who is just as good and pure, and who understands farm life as well as the farmer, would be much better?”
“是的，是的，我知道默茜是个好姑娘。但是，爸爸，难道你不认为一位同样纯洁善良的姑娘，像一个农场主一样了解农场生活的姑娘，会更合适吗？”
“Is she of a good family, like Mercy?” asked his surprised mother, who had come in during the conversation.
“她是位大家闺秀吗？像默茜一样？”颇感意外的母亲问道，她是在他们谈话时进来的。
“I shall help her with her reading. She will learn fast. She’s full of poetry, real poetry. She lives what poets only write. And she is a good Christian girl. I’m sure you’ll value her for that.”
“我将帮助她读书。她很快就能学会的。她充满了诗意，真正的诗意。她充满诗意地生活着，而诗人们只有在笔下流露这些。而且她还是位虔诚的基督教徒，我相信你们会因为这点珍视她的。”
After much discussion Angel got down to details. He explained he had met a woman who was ideally suited to be a farmer’s wife, who went to church reqularly, who was honest, sensitive, intelligent, graceful, pure as snow, and extremely beautiful.
商讨了好一阵之后，安吉尔开始细细阐述。他解释道，他遇上了一位非常适合做农场主妻子的姑娘，她经常去教堂，她真诚、聪慧、机智、可爱，雪一般地纯洁，而且极其美丽。
“Mercy is educated. That has its charm,” said his mother, looking at him through her silver glasses.
“默茜受过教育，这是她的迷人之处。”他母亲透过她的银边眼镜看着他，说道。
“She is not what we call a lady,” said Angel firmly. “She is a cottager’s daughter. What’s the advantage of good family to me? My wife will have to work hard and manage with very little money.”
“她不是一位我们印象中的小姐，”安吉尔毫不退缩地说道，“她是一个农村人家的姑娘。大家闺秀能给我带来什么好处呢？我的妻子要卖力地工作，还要会安排那点微不足道的收入。”
His parents already doubted Angel’s religious belief, so they were almost relieved to hear this of his future wife. They told him not to act in a hurry, but they would like to see her. Although Angel was free to marry or not as he wished, he did not want to hurt his parents, and he accepted their advice.
他的父母已经怀疑安吉尔的宗教信仰了，因此他关于未来妻子的这一番话，倒让他们觉得宽心了。他们叫他别草率行事，表示愿意见见她。尽管安吉尔能够自由地选择结婚或不结婚，但他却不愿伤害他的父母。因此，他接受了他们的建议。
Angel was angry with D’Urberville. Dear father, you should not let yourself be insulted like that!”
安吉尔对德伯感到非常生气。“亲爱的爸爸，你不该让自己被这样辱骂！”
“It doesn’t matter to me. I have a duty to point out where people go wrong. Often men have hit me, but then at least they haven’t hit their families. And they live to thank me, and praise God.”
“这对我来说不要紧。我有责任指出人们做错的地方。经常会有人攻击我，但是至少，这样，他们就不会攻击家人了。他们在日后会感激我，赞美上帝。”
As he set off to return to the dairy and Tess, his father rode with him a little way. Mr Clare was telling his son about the new D’Urberville family who had taken the ancient name and lived near Trantridge. There was a young man and his blind mother. Preaching in the church there one day, Mr Clare had spoken out bravely against the well-known wickedness of young D’Urberville, who, after this, had publicly insulted him when they met later.
当他起身返回奶场和苔丝身边时，他父亲伴他同骑了一段路。克莱尔先生向儿子讲起了那个住在纯瑞脊附近、袭用了这个古老姓氏的新的德伯家庭。家里有一个年轻小伙子和他的双目失明的母亲。有一天在那儿的教堂布道时，克莱尔先生大胆地谴责了年轻人德伯的那些臭名昭著的恶行。此后，在他们碰面时，德伯公然地对他进行了辱骂。
Angel could not accept his father’s narrow religious beliefs, but he loved him for his courage. He remembered that his father had not once asked whether Tess had money or not. This lack of interest in money meant that all the brothers would probably be poor for ever, but Angel still admired his father’s belief that money was not important.
安吉尔无法接受他父亲狭隘的宗教信仰，但他为他的勇气敬爱他。他想起父亲从来没有问过苔丝是否有钱。这种对金钱的淡漠意味着也许他们兄弟几个会永远地一贫如洗，但是安吉尔仍然钦佩父亲关于金钱并不重要的观念。
“I hope this young man does the same!” said Angel warmly. “But it doesn’t seem likely.”
“我希望这个年轻人也能如此！”安吉尔热心地说，“但是看起来不太可能。”
“We’ll hope anyway,” said Mr Clare. “Maybe one of my words may grow like a seed in his heart one day.”
“不管怎样，我们不要放弃希望。”克莱尔先生说道，“也许我的某一句话有一天会在他心里像种子一样生根发芽的。”
“Oh Mr Clar! How you frightened me — I…” she said, looking glad, shy and surprised at the same time.
“哦，克莱尔先生！你把我吓坏了——我……”她说道，神情里带着喜悦，又带有几分羞涩和惊讶。
Clare stepped forward to put his arms round her.
克莱尔走上前去，拥抱她。
When he returned to the dairy, in the sleepy afternoon heat, nobody was awake. Getting up so early in the morning meant the milkers really needed a sleep before the afternoon milking. It was three o’clock, time for skimming. There was a slight noise upstairs, then Tess appeared before his eyes. She did not see him, and stretched one arm up above her head. She yawned like a cat and he saw the red inside of her mouth. Her whole soul breathed out physical beauty. Then her eyes flashed as she recognized him.
当他回到牛奶场时，正值叫人昏昏欲睡的炎热下午，没有人醒着。挤奶工们早上起得如此早，因此在下午工作之前，他们非常需要睡上一觉。现在是3点钟，到了该撇牛奶的时间了。楼上发出了一阵轻微的响动，然后苔丝出现在他的眼前。她没有看见他，正把一只胳膊举过头顶伸展着。她像猫一样打呵欠，他看到了她嘴里红红的东西。她的整个灵魂呼出了她外在的美丽。她发现他时，眼睛猛地一亮。
“Dear, darling Tessy!” he whispered, putting his face to her warm cheek. “Don’t call me Mr Clare any more! I’ve hurried back because of you!”
“亲爱的，宝贝苔丝！”他轻唤道，把自己的脸贴到了她温暖的脸颊上。“不要再称呼我克莱尔先生了！我这么匆忙赶回来，就是为了你！”
They stood holding each other, the sun warming them through the window He looked deep into her eyes of blue and black and grey. She looked at him as Eve must have looked at Adam.
他们站立着互相拥抱，阳光透过窗户暖暖地照在他们身上。他深情地注视着她那双又蓝又黑又灰的眼睛，而她看他的眼神尤如夏娃看着亚当。
“I must go skimming,” she said Together they went to the milk-house.
“我得去撇牛奶了，”她说。于是他们一起去了牛奶贮藏室。
“Theres’s something very practical that I want to ask you,” he said gently. “I shall sonn want to marry. Being a farmer, I need a wife who knows all about farms. Will you be that woman, Tessy?”
“我有一个非常实际的问题要问你，”他温柔地说，“我打算不久就结婚。作为一个农场主，我需要一位对农场事务样样通晓的妻子。苔丝，你愿意做这样一位妻子吗？”
Perhaps the Talbothays milk was not very well skimmed that afternoon. Tess was in a dream as she skimmed. The heat of his love made her feel like a plant under a burning sun.
也许那天下午，塔尔勃塞的牛奶撇得质量不太高。苔丝干活的时候，一直神情恍惚。他的爱的热量让她觉得自己像炎炎烈日烘烤下的一株植物。
“Tess, have, you agreed to marry someone else?”
“苔丝，是不是你已经同意嫁给别人了？”
She looked quite worried. She had accepted that she could not help loving him, but she had not expected this result. With bitter pain she replied as she had promised herself she would.
她看上去很担心。她承认自己情不自禁地爱着他，但她没有预料到会有这样的结果。她痛苦地回答，正如她自己承诺的那样。
“But Tess!” he said, amazed at her answer and holding her still closer. “Surely you love me?”
“可是，苔丝！”他叫道。对她的回答他大感惊诧，更紧地抱住了她。“想必你是爱我的吧？”
“Oh Mr Clare — I cannot be your wife… I cannot be!” The sound of these words seemed to break her very heart.
“啊，克莱尔先生——我不能成为你的妻子——我不能！”说出这些话时，她的心都要碎了。
“No, no!”
“不，不是的！”
“Your father is a parson, and your mother will want you to marry a lady,” said poor Tess, desperately trying to find an excuse.
“你父亲是位牧师，你母亲会要你娶一位小姐的。”可怜的苔丝说道，迫切地想找一个借口。
“Then why do you refuse me?”
“那么你为什么拒绝我呢？”
“Oh yes, yes! And I would rather be yours than anybody’s in the whole world! But I cannot marry you!” cried the sweet and honest voice miserably.
“嗯，是的，爱你！比起世界上任何人来，我都更愿做你的妻子，但是我不能嫁给你！”她难过地用甜蜜而诚实的声音说。
“No, certainly not, that’s why I went home, to talk to them both.”
“不，当然不会，这次我回家的原因，就是要跟他们俩都谈谈。”
She tried to skim again, but her tears fell so that she could not do it. She could never explain her sadness, even to this her best friend. Clare began to talk more generally, to calm her. He talked about his father’s religious views, and the good work he did. He mentioned the insults his father had received from a young man near Trantridge who had a blind mother.
她想接着干活，但是她的眼泪滴落下来，让她无法继续下去。她永远无法解释她的悲伤，哪怕是对这样一个她最亲密的朋友。克莱尔开始用更一般的口气跟她谈话，好让她平静下来。他谈起了他父亲的宗教观念，以及他做的善事。他提起了一个住在纯瑞脊附近的青年辱骂他父亲的事，他有个双目失明的母亲。
She went out with the other milkmaids to the cows in the fields. Angel watched her moving freely in the air like a swimmer on a wave. He knew he was right to choose a wife from nature, not from civilization.
她和其他挤奶女工一起，朝牧场的牛群走去。安吉尔看着她在户外的空气中自由地移动着步伐，就像水波中的游泳者。他知道他是正确的，他要选择一位来自自然而不是来自文明社会的妻子。
“And my question, Tessy?”
“苔丝，我的问题怎么样了？”
Tess now looked hard and worn, and her mouth was tragic. Clare did not notice. They finished skimming and he said to her softly:
现在苔丝的脸变得严峻和焦虑起来，她的嘴显露出了不幸。克莱尔没有注意到。他们撇完牛奶后，他柔声向她问道：
“I feel I cannot — never, never!”
“我觉得自己不能——永远不能，永远不能！”
“Is it too sudden, my pretty? I’ll give you time. I won’t mention it again for a while.”
“是不是太突然了，我的美人儿？我会给你时间的。这会儿，我不再提这件事啦。”
“Oh no — no!” she replied, hopelessly, thinking bitterly of Alec D’Urberville. “It can’t be!”
“哦，不——不行！”她绝望地回答道，痛苦地想起了亚历克·德伯。“这绝不可能！”
Clare was not depressed by Tess’s refusal, feeling sure that she would finally accept him. A few days later he asked her again.
克莱尔没有因为苔丝的拒绝而感到沮丧，他相信她最终会接受他的。过了几天，他再度向她问起此事。
“Ah, you think so, but you don’t know!”
“啊，你这样认为，可是你并不知道实情啊！”
“I’m not good enough.”
“我不够好。”
“Not enough of a fine lady?”
“不够一位体面的小姐的标准？”
She could only shake her head and look away.
她只是不断地摇头，看着别处。
“Then I ought not to hold you, to talk to you like this? Why, Tess?”
“那么，我不应该抱住你，不该这样跟你谈话？为什么，苔丝？”
“You know, you’re wrong. My father and mother would. And I don’t care about my brothers.” He held her to stop her slipping away. “You didn’t mean it, did you? I can’t work or read or play or anything until I know that you will some day be mine! Say you will, Tess!”
“你知道，你这么说不对。我的父亲和母亲会尊敬你的，我不在乎我哥哥的看法。”他抱住她，防止她逃开。“你不是当真的，是不是？除非我知道有一天你将属于我，否则我无法工作，无法看书，无法放松或做任何别的事情！苔丝，说你会是我的！”
“Tess, why did you say ‘no’ so positively?”
“苔丝，为什么你这么肯定地对我说‘不行’？”
“Yes. Your family would not respect me.”
“是的。你的家庭是不会尊敬我的。”
After a struggle like this, Tess would go to the fields or her room to cry. Her heart was so strongly on the side of his that she feared she might give way.
这样一番挣扎之后，苔丝会跑到野外或房间里痛哭一常她的心是如此紧密地和他连在一起，她怕她会屈服的。
“It is for your good, my dearest! I can’t give myself the great happiness of promising to be yours — because I am sure I ought not to!”
“我最亲爱的，这是为你好！我不能给予自己这莫大的幸福，答应你我将属于你——因为我确信我不应该！”
“But you will make me happy!”
“但是那样你会让我幸福的呀！”
“Why doesn’t somebody tell him all about me?” she thought. “It was only forty miles away. Somebody must know!” But nobody knew and nobody told him.
“为什么没有人告诉他关于我的事情？”她想，“那儿离这儿只有四十英里远，一定有人知道的！”但是没有人知道，也没有人告诉他。
“I know I shall say yes — I can’t help it!” She cried to herself in bed one night. “But it may kill him when he knows! Oh, oh!”
“我知道我会答应的——我克制不了！”一天晚上睡觉时，她哭着对自己说，“可是，当他知道那件事情以后，那也许会要他的命的！唉，唉！”
“The lover in the butter-churn?” said Angel Clare, looking up from his newspaper. “And has he married the young milkmaid, as he promised?”
“那个黄油机里的情人？”安吉尔·克莱尔抬起他正在看报纸的眼睛，说道，“他遵守诺言跟那位年轻的挤奶女工结婚了吗？”
“Not he, sir,” replied the dairyman. “He’s married an older woman who had ￡ 50 a year. They married in a great hurry and then she told him that by marrying she’d lost her￡50 a year! He only married her for her money too. So now they’re always quarrelling.”
“他没有，先生。”奶场主回答道，“他娶了一个比他大的女人，那女人一年有五十英镑收入。他们匆匆忙忙结了婚，然后她告诉他因为结婚，她失去了她的每年五十英镑！他也不过是因为她的钱才娶她的。因此，现在他们一直吵吵闹闹。”
Tess’s life now had two parts, positive pleasure and positive pain. Every time she and Angel were alone together he would ask her again, and she would refuse. She was keeping her promise to herself, but in her heart of hearts Tess knew that eventually she would accept him. Love and nature both advised her to have him without thinking of complications, to delight in passion without considering future pain.
现在，苔丝的生活包含了两部分，实实在在的快乐和实实在在的痛苦。每当她和安吉尔单独在一起的时候，他都会再问她，而她又会拒绝他。她坚守着自己的承诺，但在内心深处，苔丝知道她终归会接受他的。爱情和自然都劝她去拥有他，而不要想得太复杂，趁着现在的热情享受快乐，而不要考虑将来的痛苦。
“I’ve got some news for you all,” said Dairyman Crick as they sat down to breakfast one Sunday morning. “It’s that Jack Dollop again.”
“我给你们大家带来了一些新闻。”星期天上午，当他们坐下吃早饭时，奶场主克里克说道，“还是关于杰克·多洛的事。”
“She ought to have told him just before they went to church,” said Marian.
“她应该在他们进教堂之前跟他说。”玛丽安说道。
“She ought to have seen he only wanted her money, and refused him,” said Retty.
“她应该看清他只想要她的钱，然后拒绝他，”蕾蒂说道。
“What do you say, my dear? the dairyman asked Tess.
“你怎么认为，亲爱的？”奶场主问苔丝。
The days were shorter now, and in the mornings the dairy worked by candlelight. One morning between three and four she ran up to Clare’s room to wake him, before waking the others. Having dressed, she was about to go downstairs when Angel came out of his room and stopped her.
现在白天变短了，清晨牛奶场要借助烛光干活。一天凌晨三四点钟之间，在唤醒其他人之前，她跑到楼上克莱尔的房间里，先唤醒他。她正准备下楼，这时安吉尔已经穿好了衣服，从他的房间里走出来，叫住了她。
“I think she ought… to have told him the truth — or else refused him… I don’t know,” replied Tess, who could not swallow her food. She soon left the table and went into the fields, feeling the pain in the story. She had continued to refuse Angel’s offers of marriage, but from that Sunday he changed his approach towards her. He looked for her and came to talk to her at every possible moment, at milking, butter-making, cheese-making, among chickens and among pigs. She knew she could not resist much longer. She loved him so passionately, and he was so like a god in her eyes. He treated her as if he would love and defend her under any circumstances. This began to make her feel less afraid about agreeing to marry him, and telling him the truth about herself.
“我认为她应该……告诉他真相——或者拒绝他……我不知道。”苔丝回答道。她再也咽不下她的饭了。她很快离开了餐桌，跑到了野外，感受着故事中的痛苦。她一直下断地拒绝安吉尔的求婚，但是从星期天开始，他变着法子接近她。他四处寻找她，利用每一个可能的机会跟她说话，不管是挤奶、制黄油还是做奶酪的时候，也不管是在鸡中间还是在猪群里。她知道她抵挡不了多久了。她这么炽烈地爱他，在她眼里，他就是一个神。他对待她就像不管在什么情况下，他都会深爱她，保护她。对于答应嫁给他并告诉他关于自己的事实真相这件事，她的害怕减少了。
“Call me Angel then, and not Mr Clare. Why not Angel dearest?”
“那么叫找安吉尔，而不是克莱尔先生。为什么不叫安吉尔，最亲爱的？”
“It would mean I agree, wouldn’t it?”
“那就表明我同意了，不是吗？”
“It would only mean you love me, and you did admit that long ago.”
“这只表明你爱我，这是很早以前你就承认过的。”
“Now, miss,” he said firmly. “You must give me an answer or I shall have to leave the house. You aren’t safe with me. I saw you just now in your nightdress. Well? Is it yes at last?”
“小姐，现在，”他的语气很坚决，“你必须给我一个答覆，否则我只有离开这个房子。跟我在一起你并不安全。我刚才看到你穿着睡衣。那么，最后你是答应了？”
“I really will think seriously about it, Mr Clare.”
“我一定会认真考虑的，克莱尔先生。”
“Oh Tessy!” he cried impatiently. She was so relieved to hear this that she could not make any further self-sacrifice. She knew that this day would decide it.
“哦，苔丝！”他焦躁地叫道。听到这个，苔丝是那么宽慰，她无法再进一步地作任何自我牺牲了。她知道这天就是作决定的日子。
“Very well then, Angel dearest, if I must,” she murmured, smiling. Clare could not resist kissing her warm cheek.
“那么好吧，如果我必须这么叫的话。安吉尔，最亲爱的。”她微笑着轻声叫道。克莱尔抑制不住要亲吻她那温暖的脸颊。
After milking and skimming, all the dairy people went outside. Tess generously tried for the last time to interest Angel in the other dairymaids.
挤完又撇完牛奶之后，所有奶场的人都出去了。苔丝最后一次慷慨地尝试引起安吉尔对其他挤奶女工的兴趣。
“There’s more in those three than you think,” she said. “Any of them would make you a better wife than I could. And perhaps they love you as much as I do — almost.”
“那里面你可以考虑的远不止三个，”她说，“其中任何一个都比我更适合做你的妻子，而且也许她们和我一样爱你——几乎是一样的。”
In the late afternoon Angel Clare offered to drive the waggon with its buckets of milk to the station. He persuaded Tess to go with him.
那天傍晚，安吉尔·克莱尔要赶一辆装着一桶桶牛奶的马车去车站。他说服苔丝跟他一起去。
“Yes,” said Tess.
“是埃”苔丝说。
At first there was silence as they drove along the quiet road, simply enjoying being close to each other. Soon drops of rain started falling. Tess’s cheeks were pink and her long hair was wet. She had no jacket, and crept close to Clare. She held an old piece of cloth over them both to keep the rain off.
最初，他们沿着安静的马路赶着车子，谁也没吱声，只是默默地体会着彼此靠近的感觉。不久，开始有雨点滴落下来。苔丝的脸颊微红着，她的长发润湿了。她没有穿外套，不知不觉地偎近了克莱尔。她抓起一块旧布盖在他们身上挡雨。
They passed an old house. Angel explained that it was an interesting place which belonged to the ancient family of the D’Urbervilles.
他们经过了一座旧房子。安吉尔解释说，这是一个让人好奇的地方，它属于一个叫做德伯的古老家族。
“I’ll try.”
“我会尽力。”
“Well, dear,” said Angel, “what about my question?”
“嗯，亲爱的，”安吉尔说话了，“我的问题考虑得怎样了？”
“Before we get home?”
“在我们到家之前？”
“It’s very sad when a noble family dies out,” he said.
“一个高贵的家族消逝时是会让人伤感的。”他说。
At last they reached the station and watched the milk being lifted on to the train. Tess was fascinated.
终于，他们到达了车站，看着牛奶被搬上了火车。苔丝看呆了。
“That’s true, but we drove a little for our own reasons too. Now Tess,” he said anxiously, as they drove away into the night, “your heart belongs to me. Why can’t you give me your hand as well?”
“确实如此，不过，我们赶车还有一点点我们自己的事情。苔丝，现在，”当他们在夜色中驱车离开时，他急切地问道，“你的心是属于我的，为什么不能答应嫁给我呢？”
“I’ll answer you soon.”
“我很快就会答覆你的。”
“Londoners will drink it for breakfast, won’t they? People who don’t know we drove for miles in the rain so that it might reach them in time.”
“伦敦人会在早餐时喝到它们，是不是？那些人不知道我们冒着雨赶了这么远的路，就为了让他们能及时喝到牛奶。”
“Well, why should I love you less because of that?”
“可是因为这个，我为什么就得少爱你一些呢？”
“A D’Urberville! And is that the whole story, Tess?”
“德伯家的人！这就是你的所有经历吗？苔丝？”
“My only reason is you… I have something to tell you — I must fell you about my past life!”
“我唯一的理由是因为你……我有一些事情要对你说——我必须告诉你我过去的生活！”
“Yes,” she answered faintly.
“是的。”她虚弱地回答说。
“And there is something unusual about me. I…I am not a Durbeyfield, but a D’Urberville. I’m a descendant of the same family who owned that house we passed.”
“然后，关于我自己有件不寻常的事。我……我不姓德北，而姓德伯。我是那个拥有我们路过的那座房子的家族的后代。”
“Tell me if you want to, dearest. I expect you have had as many experiences as that flower over there!”
“亲爱的，要是你愿意，你就对我说吧。我想你就如那儿的鲜花一样有着丰富的经历！”
“The dairyman told me you hated old families.”
“奶场主对我说过你嫌恶旧家族。”
“Poor child! That’s nothing new.” He held her more closely to his side.
“可怜的孩子！这不是什么新鲜事。”他把她更紧地搂在了身边。
He laughed. “Well, I hate the idea that noble blood should be more important than anything else. But I am really very interested in your news. What do you think of it?”
他大笑了起来。“嗯，我憎恶这种观念，认为高贵的血统比任何其他事情都重要。但是我对你的新闻真地感兴趣。你自己是怎么想的？”
“I grew up in Marlott. And at school they said I would make a good teacher. But there was trouble in my family. Father didn’t work very hard and he drank a little.”
“我在马勒特村长大。在学校读书的时候，他们说我会成为一个好老师的，但是我们家有点困难。父亲工作不很勤快，还喝酒。”
“I think it’s sad, especially here, to see the fields which once belonged to my ancestors.”
“我觉得这让人伤心，特别是在这儿，看到这些曾经属于我的祖先的土地。”
“Now then, Teresa D’Urberville, I’ve got you! Take my name and you will escape yours!”
“喂，苔丽莎·德伯，你是说不过我的。那就用我的姓吧，这样你就可以避开你的姓了！”
“Why are you crying?”
“为什么哭了？”
She had not told him. At the last moment she had not been brave enough.
她还是没有告诉他。在这最后时刻，她失去了足够的勇气。
He held her and kissed her.
他抱住她并亲吻她。
“Angel, I would rather not take that name!”
“安吉尔，我宁愿不要那个姓！”
“I’m crying because I promised I would die unmarried! Oh, I sometimes wish I had never been born!”
“我哭，是因为我曾发誓我将终生不嫁！唉，有时我真希望自己从没出生过！”
“But you must! By the way, there’s someone who has taken the D’Urberville name near The Chase. Yes, he’s the man who insulted my father. How strange!”
“但是你必须这样！顺便提一句，在逐猎林附近已经有人袭用德伯这个姓氏了。是的，就是那个人辱骂了我的父亲。多奇怪啊！”
“If it is sure to make you happy and you do wish to marry me very very much…”
“要是你确信这会使你幸福，而且你确实非常非常希望娶我的话……”
“I do, dearest, of course! Say you will be mine for ever!”
“我确实是这样的，最亲爱的，当然是这样！说你将永远属于找！”
“I like the other name best.”
“我更喜欢另外那个姓。”
Angel was delighted. “You see, Tess, society likes a noble name, and will accept you better as my wife, because you are a D’Urberville. Even my mother will like you better. You must use the name of D’Urberville from this very day.”
安吉尔非常高兴。“苔丝，你知道，这个社会喜欢高贵的姓氏。因为你是德伯家的人，作为我的妻子，他们就会更好地接受你。甚至我母亲都会更喜欢你的。从今天开始，你一定要用德伯这个姓氏。”
“So that’s the awful secret!”
“所以，这就是那个可怕的秘密喽！”
“Yes!” No sooner had she said it than she burst into a dry hard sobbing. Angel was surprised.
“是的！”她一说出这话，便剧烈地抽噎起来。安吉尔大吃一惊。
“Yes. I never really doubted — never!”
“相信了。其实，我从来没有怀疑过——从来没有！”
“There — now do you believe?” she asked, wiping her eyes.
“你看——现在你可相信了吧？”她抹着眼泪问道。
“Of course, dear child. Where does she live?”
“当然啦，宝贝。她住在哪儿？”
Dear Tess,
亲爱的苔丝：
“Will this prove it more?” cried Tess desperately, holding him close and kissing him. For the first time Clare learnt what a passionate woman’s kisses were like, on the lips of one she loved with all her heart and soul, as Tess loved him.
“这样做是不是能更好地证实呢？”苔丝迫切地叫道。她抱紧他，亲吻他。克莱尔第一次感受到一个充满激情的女子亲吻的滋味。苔丝以发自内心的爱，亲吻着她全心全意爱着的男人的双唇。
“Yes, when you would not dance with me. Oh, I hope that doesn’t mean bad luck!”
“是的，那时候你不愿和我跳舞。哦，我希望这个意味着什么坏运气！”
“Tess, how could you wish that if you really loved me? I wish you could prove your love in some way.”
“苔丝，如果你真心爱我的话，你怎么能这样想呢？我希望你能用什么方式来证明你的爱。”
They drove on in the darkness, forming one bundle under the cloth.
他们在黑夜中继续驱车赶路，在那块布下缩成了一团。
“In Marlott.”
“在马勒特村。”
“Ah, then I have seen you before…”
“啊，那么我以前的确见过你……”
“I must write to my mother,” she said.
“我必须给我母亲写封信，”她说。
After this decision Tess wrote an urgent letter to her mother. This was the reply she received:
在作了这个决定之后，苔丝给她母亲写了一封紧急的信。这是她收到的回信：
I hope you are well, as I am. We are all glad to hear you are going to be married soon. But Tess, in answer to your question, whatever you do, don’t tell your future husband anything about your past experience. No girl would be so foolish, especially as it is so long ago, and not your fault at all. Remember you promised me you would never tell anybody. Best wishes to your young man.
我希望你和我一样，一切都好。听说你不久就要结婚，我们都很高兴。但是，苔丝，对你提出的问题，回答是，不管怎么样，千万不要告诉你未来的丈夫任何有关你过去的遭遇。没有哪个姑娘会这么傻的，况且这是很久以前的事了，又根本不是你的过错。记住你答应过我，你永远不会告诉任何人的。代我问候那个年轻人。
Tess could not accept her mother’s view of life, but perhaps Joan was right in this. Silence seemed best for Angel’s happiness. So she grew calm, and from October onwards she was completely happy. Clare seemed the perfect guide, thinker, and friend. She saw perfection in his face, his intelligence, and his soul. She dismissed the past from her mind. They spent all their time together, as country people do once they are engaged. In the wonderful autumn afternoons they walked by streams, crossing on little wooden bridges. They saw tiny blue fogs in the shadows of trees and hedges, and at the same time bright sunshine in the fields. The sun was so near the ground that the shadows of Clare and Tess stretched a quarter of a mile ahead of them, like two long pointing fingers. When Clare talked to Tess of their future, and the farm they would have abroad, she could hardly believe that she would be going through the world by his side. Her feeling for him was now the breath and life of Tess’s being. It 152 made her forget her past sorrows, but she knew they were waiting like wolves for their moment to attack.
苔丝不能接受母亲对于人生的看法，但也许在这件事上，琼是正确的。保持沉默看来是让安吉尔快乐的最好办法。因此，她变得平静了，而且从10月以来，她一直沉浸在无比的幸福中。克莱尔像是一位绝好的老师、思想家和朋友。她从他的容貌、他的智慧和他的灵魂中找到了完美。在心里，她摆脱了过去。像订了婚的乡下人那样，他们在一起度过了所有的时光。在壮丽的秋日午后，他们在小溪旁漫步，从小木桥上走过。他们在树木和篱笆的影子中看到轻薄的蒙蒙烟雾，而与此同时，田野上阳光灿烂、明媚。太阳离地面那么地近，它把克莱尔和苔丝在前面的影子拉到了四分之一英里长，就像伸出了两根长长的手指。当克莱尔对苔丝讲起他们的将来，还有他们将会在国外拥有的农场时，她几乎不能相信自己将会陪伴在他身旁，穿越这个世界。她对他的感情现在就如同维系苔丝身心的呼吸或生命一样。这让她忘记了过去的悲伤，但是她知道这些悲伤就像伺机等候的狼一般，在等待出击的时刻。
Love from your mother
爱你的妈妈
They had to tell the dairyman and his wife that they were planning to marry. That night as Tess entered the bedroom, all three dairymaids were waiting for her.
他们有必要把他们准备结婚的事告诉奶场主和他的妻子。那天晚上，当苔丝走进卧室时，另外三个女工都在等着她。
“That’s how I feel!” said Marian and Izz.
“我也是这种感觉！”玛丽安和伊茨说道。
“You are going to marry him!” said Marian.
“你就要嫁给他了！”玛丽安说。
“I want to hate you, but I cannot!” said Retty.
“我想要恨你，可是又恨不起来！”蕾蒂说。
“Yes, some day,” said Tess.
“是的，某一天。”苔丝说道。
“I think I ought to make him marry one of you even now!” she sobbed. they went up to her and calmed her and helped her to bed. Before they went to sleep, Marian whispered, “You will think of us when you are his wife, Tess, and how we did not hate you, because we did not expect to be chosen by him.”
“即使是现在，我想我也应该让他娶你们当中的一个！”她抽泣着说道。她们走到她身边，安抚她，并扶她上了床。在她们入睡之前，玛丽安轻轻说道：“苔丝，你成了他太太之后会想起我们的，想起我们怎么不能恨你，因为我们从没指望过被他看中。”
One day she cried out to Angel: “Why didn’t you stay and love me when I was sixteen… when you danced in Marlott? Oh, Why didn’t you?”
有一天，她对克莱尔大声喊道：“为什么当我十六岁的时候，你不留在我身边爱我？当你在马勒特村跳舞的时候？哦，为什么你不那样做？”
“Do you all hate me for it?” asked Tess in a low voice.
“你们都会为此恨我吗？”苔丝轻轻地问道。
“Going to marry him, a gentleman!” said Izz.
“嫁给他，嫁给一位绅士！”伊茨说。
“No, no, dear Tess,” they all said.
“不，不，亲爱的苔丝，”她们一起说。
“Ah yes! If only I had known! But you must not regret so bitterly! Why should you?”
“啊，我会的！如果我早知道的话！但是你个必这么哀怨地感到遗憾！为什么你会这样想？”
“He ought to marry one of you,” murmured Tess. “You are all better than I am!”
“他应该在你们中间娶一个。”苔丝说，“你们都比我好！”
Hiding her feelings quickly, she said, “I would have had four more years of your love than I can ever have now.”
她迅速地掩饰起她的感情，说道：“那样的话，比起现在来，我就可以多拥有四年你的爱！”
“It’s strange,” said Marian, “to think Tess will be his wife, not a fine lady, but a girl who lives like us.”
“不可思议，”玛丽安说，“想想苔丝要成为他的太太了，她并不是一位体面的小姐，而只是生活得跟我们差不多的一个姑娘。”
The girls did not know that Tess cried even more at this, and that she decided she would tell Angel all her history.
姑娘们不知道，苔丝听到这些话时，哭得更厉害了。她决定把自己所有的经历都告诉安吉尔。
“I’m afraid I’m glad of it,” said Angel to her, “because now we must decide when to marry. We can’t go on like this for ever.”
“恐怕对此我感到高兴，”安吉尔对她说，“因为现在我们必须决定什么时候结婚啦！我们不能永远这样下去。”
Because of this, she would not set a date for the wedding. She wanted to stay as she was, not move forward into a new life. But soon it was clear that the dairyman did not want so many dairymaids at this time of year. Tess would have to leave the dairy at Christmas.
因为这个，她不想定下婚期。她只想保持现状，不愿继续往前走入新的生活。但是很快，情况变得很明显，那就是奶场主在一年中的这个时候不再需要这么多挤奶女工了。苔丝将不得不在圣诞节的时候离开。
“I wish we could. I wish it could be always summer and autumn, with you always loving me!”
“我希望我们能够如此。我希望永远是甜蜜的夏天和悦人的金秋，而且有你永远爱着我！”
So they decided on 31st December. The wedding was to take place as privately as possible at the dairy. Tess now felt she could not stop things happening, and agreed passively to whatever Angel suggested. In fact Angel’s plans were a little hurried. He had not meant to marry so soon. But he wanted to keep her with him, to help her with her reading and studying, so that he could present her proudly as a lady to his parents. He also planned to spend some time studying work in a flour-mill. They could spend their honeymoon staying in the old farmhouse which had once belonged to the D’Urbervilles, while Angel studied at the mill nearby.
于是，他们把婚期定在了12月31日。婚礼打算在牛奶场举行，尽可能地不张扬。现在，苔丝觉得自己无力阻止事情的进展，只是顺从地听任安吉尔安排。实际上，安吉尔的计划有点仓促，他本来没打算这么快结婚的，但是他想把她留在身边，帮助她读书、学习，以便日后可以自豪地把她像一位小姐似地带到他父母面前。同时，他计划花一段时间到一个面粉加工厂学习作业。他们可以在那座原来属于德伯家的旧农舍里度蜜月，同时，安吉尔可以在附近的面粉厂学习。
“I always shall.”
“我永远爱你！”
“Oh, I know you will! Angel, I’ll fix the day!”
“哦，我知道你会的！安吉尔，我愿意定下那个日子！”
The day, the impossible day of their wedding, came closer. His wife, Tess said to herself. Could it ever be?
那个日子，那个令人无法忍受的婚礼日期，越来越临近了。他的妻子，苔丝自言自语道。这可能吗？
Angel and Tess decided to spend a day together shopping on Christmas Eve. They went into town in a borrowed carriage. The town was full of strangers, who stared at Tess, happy and beautiful on Angel’s arm. At the end of the day, Tess was waiting for Angel to bring the horse and carriage, when two men passed her in the street.
圣诞节的前一天，安吉尔和苔丝决定花一天时间一起去购置一些东西。他们坐着一辆借来的马车来到了镇上。这里到处都是陌生人，他们都盯住挽着安吉尔胳膊、漂亮又快乐的苔丝看。那一天的采购结束时，苔丝正等着安吉尔去牵马拉车，这时，街上有两个男人从她身边经过。
“She’s a lovely maiden,” one said to his friend.
“她真是个讨人喜欢的处女。”其中一个对他的朋友说。
Angel returned at that moment and heard these words. Wildly angry at this insult to Tess, he hit the man in the face. The man said quickly:
安吉尔恰好在这时回来，听到了这些话。对苔丝的这种侮辱让他怒不可遏，他对准那人的脸就是一拳。那人赶紧说道：
“Certainly not,” said his friend.
“绝对没有。”他的朋友说。
“She’s lovely, yes. But she’s no maiden,” replied the other.
“她讨人喜欢，这没错。但是她可不是什么处女。”另一个回答道。
“And was it a mistake?” asked the second man.
“是弄错了吗？”另一个人问道。
“I’m sorry, sir, I must have made a mistake.”
“对不起，先生。我刚才一定是搞错了。”
On the way home Tess was very serious. She felt she could not tell him the truth to his face, but there was another way. So she went to her room and wrote a four-page letter describing exactly what had happened three or four years ago. In the night she crept up to Angel’s room and pushed the letter under his door.
在回家的路上，苔丝非常地严肃。她觉得她不能把事情的真相当面告诉他，不过还有别的办法。于是她回到自己的房间，写了一封四页长的信，信中详实地描述了三四年前所发生的事情。晚上，她蹑手蹑脚地走到安吉尔的房间，把信从门底下塞了进去。
Angel accepted this, gave the man some money, said goodnight, and drove off with Tess. The two men went in the opposite direction.
安吉尔接受了道歉，给了那人点儿钱，道了声晚安，就和苔丝驾车离开了。那两人朝相反的方向走去。
Next morning she looked anxiously at him, but he kissed her as usual. He said nothing about the letter. Had he read it? Did he forgive her? Every morning and night he was the same, until finally the wedding day came.
第二天早晨，她焦虑地看着他，但是他亲吻她时和平常没什么两样。关于那封信，他只字未提。他读过信了吗？他宽恕她了吗？每天早晚，他都一如既往，终于，他们结婚的喜日子到了。
Tess had not invited her family from Marlott. Angel had written to his. His brothers had not replied, and his parents wrote that they hoped he was not hurrying into marriage, but that he was old enough to decide for himself. Angel did not mind, because he was planning to introduce Tess to them as a D’Urberville as well as a dairymaid, some months later.
苔丝没有邀请她在马勒特的家人。安吉尔给他的家人写了信。他的哥哥们没有答覆，他的父母来信说，他们希望他不要草率地结婚，但是他已经足够大了，可以为自己做主。安吉尔并不介意，因为他打算几个月后，把苔丝不仅作为一个挤奶女工，还作为一个德伯家的人介绍给父母。
Tess was still worried about her confession, and left the crowd of busy people downstairs to creep silently up to Angel’s bedroom. There she found her letter unopened, just under the carpet. He had not seen it. She could not let him read it now, in the middle of the preparations. She found him alone for a moment.
苔丝还在为她那封自白书忧心忡忡。她悄悄地离开了正在楼下忙碌着的人群，轻手轻脚地来到了安吉尔的卧室。在那儿，她发现她的信原封未动地塞在地毯下。他还没有见到这封信。可现在她不能让他看这封信了，因为婚礼正在准备当中。她找到了与他单独待一会儿的机会。
“I must confess all my mistakes to you!” she said, trying to keep her words light.
“我必须向你坦白我所有的过错！”她说道，尽量把话说得柔和一些。
“Not today, my sweet! We’ll have plenty of time later on! I’ll confess mine too.”
“今天不行，我的宝贝儿！往后我们会有充裕的时间！那时我也要坦白我的过错！”
“I don’t, Tessy, really.”
“是的，苔丝，的确是这样。”
“Now, Tess!” He kissed her. But she had no energy left. She was now Mrs Angel Clare, but wasn’t she really Mrs Alexander D’Urberville?
“别说啦，苔丝！”他亲吻着她。但她已经虚弱不堪了。她现在已成了安吉尔·克莱尔夫人，但实际上，她难道不是亚历山大·德伯夫人吗？
“Then you really don’t want me to?”
“那么，你是真地不想让我说喽？”
There were few people in the church. At one point she let her shoulder touch Clare’s arm, to be sure that he was really there. It was only when she came out that she noticed the carriage they were driving back in. She felt she must have seen it in a dream.
教堂里只有寥寥数人。有一会儿，她用自己的肩膀碰碰他的手臂，好让自己确信他真地在那儿。只是到了她走出教堂时，她才注意到这辆载着他们回去的马车。她觉得她一定是在梦里见过它。
From now on, her one desire, to call him husband, and then if necessary to die, carried her on. She moved in a cloud.
从现在开始，她只有一个渴望，就是称他为丈夫。然后如果需要有人去死的话，那就让她去好了。她像在一片云雾中活动着。
“Oh, maybe you know the story of the D’Urberville carriage,” said Angel, “and this one reminds you of it. In the past a certain D’Urberville committed a crime in his carriage, and since then D’Urbervilles see or hear the old carriage whenever… But it’s rather depressing to talk about.”
“啊，也许你知道德伯家马车的故事。”安吉尔说，“这辆马车让你想起了它。过去，有一个德伯家的人曾在他的马车里犯下了罪，从那以后，德伯家的人总会看到或听到那辆旧马车，当他们……但是，谈论这个太让人沮丧了。”
“Is it when we are going to die, Angel, or is it when we have committed a crime?”
“安吉尔，是当我们要死的时候，或是当我们犯了罪的时候吗？”
Later that afternoon they left the dairy. All the dairy people watched them leave, and Clare kissed the dairymaids goodbye. As he was thanking the dairyman, a cock crowed just in front of him.
那天傍晚时分，他们离开了牛奶常牛奶场的所有人都来为他们送行。克莱尔向每一个挤奶女工亲吻告别。当他向奶场主致谢时，一只公鸡恰好在他面前啼叫开了。
“Go away!” shouted Mr Crick at the cock. Later he said to his wife, “Why did it have to crow at Mr Clare like that?”
“走开！”克里克先生冲着公鸡喊道。后来他对他的妻于说：“为什么公鸡一定要对着克莱尔先生那样啼叫呢？”
“That’s bad!” whispered the dairymen to each other. “When a cock crows at a husband like that…” and they laughed together behind their hands.
“那可不吉利！”奶场工们相互窃窃私语。“当公鸡冲着丈夫那样叫时……”他们在背后取笑起来。
“It only means a change in the weather,” said Mrs Crick, “not what you think. That’s impossible.”
“这只表明天气要变了，”克里克夫人说，“不是你想的那样。那是不可能的。”
Tess and Angel arrived at the old D’Urberville farmhouse. It was empty, although a woman came to cook and clean for them. They had their tea together, and Clare delighted in eating from the same plate as Tess. Looking at her he thought, “Do I realize how important I am to this woman? And how I must look after her? I must never forget to think about her feelings!”
苔丝和安吉尔来到这座德伯家的旧农舍。整座房子空无一人。但是，会有一个女人来给他们做饭，打扫房子。他们一起吃茶点，克莱尔能和苔丝用同一个盘子进餐了，他感到非常高兴。他看着她，心想：“我意识到了我对这个女人有多重要吗？我又必须怎样去照顾她？我必须永远不忘考虑她的感受！”
It started to rain as it grew dark outside. Finally a man arrived from the dairy with their bags.
夜幕渐渐降临，外面开始下雨了。终于，从牛奶场来了一个人，送来了他们的包裹。
“I’m sorry I’m late, sir,” he said, “but terrible things have been happening at the dairy You remember the cock crowing? Well, whatever it means, poor little Retty Priddle has tried to drown herself!”
“先生，很抱歉，我来晚了。”他说，“但是牛奶场刚刚发生了些可怕的事情。你还记得公鸡打鸣吗？唉，不管那预示着什么，可怜的小雷蒂·普里德尔想淹死自己！”
“Well, after you left, she and Marian walked from one public house to another, drinking. Retty was found in the river, later on. And Marian was found drunk in a field!”
“是这样，在你们离开以后，她和玛丽安从一个酒店走到另一个酒店，不停地喝酒。后来，有人在河里发现了蕾蒂，又有人发现玛丽安醉倒在一块田里！”
“This morning,” he said suddenly, “we said we would both confess our mistakes. I must tell you something and you must forgive me. Perhaps I ought to have told you before. I’ve put off telling you, because I didn’t want to lose you.”
“今天上午，”他突然说道，“我们说过我们都要坦白自己的过错。有些事情，我必须告诉你，而你一定要宽恕我。也许我应该早些告诉你。我一直拖到现在才告诉你，是因为我不想失去你。”
“What happened?” asked Angel.
“出了什么事？”安吉尔问道。
“Izz is at home as usual, but very sad and depressed.”
“伊茨还像平常那样待在家里，但是非常伤心沮丧。”
As the man left, Tess sat sadly by the fire, looking into it. They were simple innocent girls who had not been loved. It was wicked of her to take all the love without paying for it. She would pay: she would tell, there and then.
这人离开了，苔丝神色凄怆地坐在壁炉旁，注视着炉火。她们都是从未被人爱过的朴实、纯洁的姑娘。而她没有付出任何代价，就获得了所有的爱，这是不道德的。她会偿付的：就在此时此地，她要把一切都讲出来。
“Angel, I’m sure I’ll forgive you…” A wild hope was making Tess’s heart beat faster.
“安吉尔，我一定会宽恕你……”急切的希望加快了苔丝的心跳。
“And Izz?” asked Tess.
“那么伊茨呢？”苔丝问道。
“Well, wait a minute. You know how much I believe in goodness and purity But I myself, when I was in London years ago, did wrong with a woman I hardly knew. It lasted two days. I came home and I have never done anything like it since. Do you forgive me?”
“不过，先等一等。你知道我对美德和纯洁有多么笃信。可是，我自己，几年前在伦敦时，却糊里糊涂地和一个女人做了坏事。我们在一起度过了两天时间。回到家以后，我再也没干过类似的事情。你会宽恕我吗？”
Angel was sitting beside her, holding her hand. Their faces were red in the firelight.
安吉尔坐在她的身旁，握着她的手。在炉火的烘照下，他们的脸红彤彤的。
“Ah yes, well confess, you wicked little girl! It can hardly be more serious than mine.”
“啊，是的，好好坦白吧，你这个小坏蛋！不会比我的更严重了吧。”
“It can’t, no, it can’t!” She jumped up joyfully at the hope. “No, in fact, it is just the same. I will tell you now.”
“不会的，是的，不会的！”由于充满了希望，她快乐地跳了起来。“是的，实际上，它们完全一样。我现在就讲给你听。”
“Oh Angel, of course I do! And I am almost glad, because now you can forgive me! I have a confession too.”
“哦，安吉尔，当然，我会的！可以说，我的心情倒好些了，因为现在你能宽恕我了！我也有要坦白的事。”
She sat down again. They held hands. The fire burned like a Judgement Day fire. Her shadow rose high on the wall. Putting her head against his, she bravely told the whole story of her meeting with Alec D’Urberville and its results.
她又坐了下来。他们的手握在一起。炉火燃烧得如同末日审判的火焰一般。她的身影被长长地映在了墙上。她把头靠在他的头上，勇敢地把自己与亚历克·德伯的相遇及其结果统统告诉了他。
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