单身贵族案 28真相大白(5)

"Still, if I had married Lord St. Simon, of course I'd have done my duty by him.

"话虽如此，要是我嫁给圣西蒙勋爵，当然我会尽我对他的义务。

We can't command our love, but we can our actions.

我们不能勉强我们的爱情，但是我们却可以勉强我们的行动。

I went to the altar with him with the intention to make him just as good a wife as it was in me to be.

我和他一起步向圣坛时是怀着尽我所能来作他的好妻子的意愿的。

But you may imagine what I felt when, just as I came to the altar rails,

但是你们可以想象，我当时的感觉如何，那就是：正当我走到圣坛栏杆前的时候，

I glanced back and saw Frank standing¹ and looking at me out of the first pew.

我回首一瞥，忽然看到弗兰克站在第一排座位那里望着我。

I thought it was his ghost at first;

起初我还以为是他的鬼魂出现，

but when I looked again there he was still, with a kind of question in his eyes,

但是当我再往那儿看时，发现他仍在那里，眼睛里露出几分疑惑的神色，

as if to ask me whether I were glad or sorry to see him. I wonder I didn't drop.

好像在问，我见到了他，是高兴还是难过。我奇怪我怎么没有昏过去。

I know that everything was turning round, and the words of the clergyman were just like the buzz of a bee in my ear.

我只感到天旋地转，牧师的话，就象一只蜜蜂嗡嗡地在我的耳朵里响着。

I didn't know what to do. Should I stop the service and make a scene in the church?

我不知道该怎么办才好。难道我应该打断仪式的进行，在教堂里闹出一场风波来吗？

I glanced at him again, and he seemed to know what I was thinking,

我又瞧了他一眼，他看来好象知道我在想些什么，

for he raised his finger to his lips to tell me to be still.

因为他把手指贴在嘴唇上，示意我不要作声。

Then I saw him scribble² on a piece of paper, and I knew that he was writing me a note.

接着我看到他在一张纸上草草地写了几个字，我明白他是在写一张便条给我。

As I passed his pew on the way out I dropped my bouquet³ over to him,

我在出来的路上经过那排座位时，让花束掉落在他的座位前面，

and he slipped the note into my hand when he returned me the flowers.

当他捡起花束给我时，悄悄把纸条塞在我的手里。

It was only a line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so.

纸条上只有一行字，要我在他向我发出信号时，就跟着他走。

Of course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now to him,

当然，我绝无丝毫怀疑我首要的义务是向他尽责，

and I determined⁴ to do just whatever he might direct."

并且决心完全按照他的要求去做。"

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 scribble   

v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文

参考例句：

• She can't write yet,but she loves to scribble with a pencil.她现在还不会写字，但她喜欢用铅笔乱涂。
• I can't read this scribble.我看不懂这种潦草的字。

3 bouquet   

n.花束，酒香

参考例句：

• This wine has a rich bouquet.这种葡萄酒有浓郁的香气。
• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。