《简·爱》 Chapter 10 第十章（1）

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Hitherto I have recorded in detail the events of my insignificant¹ existence.

到目前为止，我已细述了自己微不足道的身世。

To the first ten years of my life I have given almost as many chapters.

我一生的最初十年，差不多花了十章来描写。

But this is not to be a regular autobiography².

但这不是一部正正规规的自传。

I am only bound to invoke³ Memory where I know her responses will possess some degree of interest.

我不过是要勾起自知会使读者感兴趣的记忆。

therefore I now pass a space of eight years almost in silence.

因此我现在要几乎只字不提跳过八年的生活。

A few lines only are necessary to keep up the links of connection.

只需用几行笔墨来保持连贯性。

When the typhus fever had fulfilled its mission of devastation⁴ at Lowood, it gradually disappeared from thence.

斑疹伤寒热在罗沃德完成了它摧毁件的使命以后，便渐渐地从那里销声匿迹了。

But not till its virulence⁵ and the number of its victims had drawn⁶ public attention on the school.

但是其病毒和牺牲者的数字，引起了公众对学校的注意。

Inquiry⁷ was made into the origin of the scourge⁸, and by degrees various facts came out which excited public indignation in a high degree.

于是人们对这场灾祸的根源作了调查，而逐步披露的事实大大激怒了公众。

The unhealthy nature of the site;

学校的地点不利于健康。

The quantity and quality of the children's food;

孩子们的伙食量少质差。

The brackish⁹, fetid water used in its preparation;

做饭用的水臭得使人恶心。

The pupils' wretched clothing and accommodations — all these things were discovered, and the discovery produced a result mortifying¹⁰ to Mr. Brocklehurst, but beneficial to the institution.

学生们的衣着和居住条件很糟，一切都暴露无遗，曝光的结果使布罗克赫斯特大夫失脸面，使学校大受得益。

Several wealthy and benevolent¹¹ individuals in the county subscribed¹² largely for the erection of a more convenient building in a better situation.

那里的一些富家善人慷慨解囊，在一个更好的地点建造了一座更合适的大楼。

New regulations were made; improvements in diet and clothing introduced;

校规重新作了制订，伙食和衣着有所改善。

The funds of the school were intrusted to the management of a committee.

学校的经费委托给一个委员会管理。

Mr. Brocklehurst, who, from his wealth and family connections, could not be overlooked, still retained the post of treasurer¹³.

布罗克赫斯特先生，有钱又有势，自然不能忽视，所以仍担任司库一职。

But he was aided in the discharge of his duties by gentlemen of rather more enlarged and sympathising minds.

但在履行职务时得到了更为慷慨和富有同情心的绅士们的协助。

His office of inspector¹⁴, too, was shared by those who knew how to combine reason with strictness, comfort with economy, compassion¹⁵ with uprightness.

他作为督导的职能，也由他人一起来承担，他们知道该怎样把理智与严格、舒适与经济、怜悯与正直结合起来。

The school, thus improved, became in time a truly useful and noble institution.

学校因此大有改进，到时候成了一个真正有用的高尚学府。

I remained an inmate¹⁶ of its walls, after its regeneration, for eight years.

学校获得新生之后，我在它的围墙之内生活了八年。

Six as pupil, and two as teacher, and in both capacities I bear my testimony¹⁷ to its value and importance.

当了六年的学生，二年的教师，在双重身份上成了它价值和重要性的见证人。

During these eight years my life was uniform, but not unhappy, because it was not inactive.

在这八年中，我的生活十分单一，但并无不快，因为日子没有成为一潭死水。

I had the means of an excellent education placed within my reach;

这里具备接受良好教育的条件。

A fondness for some of my studies, and a desire to excel in all, together with a great delight in pleasing my teachers, especially such as I loved, urged me on.

我喜爱某些课程；我希望超过所有人；我很乐意使教师尤其是我所爱的教师高兴，这一切都激励我奋进。

I availed myself fully¹⁸ of the advantages offered me.

我充分利用所提供的有利条件。

In time I rose to be the first girl of the first class.

终于一跃而成为第一班的第一名。

Then I was invested with the office of teacher; which I discharged with zeal¹⁹ for two years, but at the end of that time I altered.

后来又被授予教师职务，满腔热情地干了两年，但两年之后我改变了主意。

1 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

2 autobiography   

n.自传

参考例句：

• He published his autobiography last autumn.他去年秋天出版了自己的自传。
• His life story is recounted in two fascinating volumes of autobiography.这两卷引人入胜的自传小说详述了他的生平。

3 invoke   

v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求

参考例句：

• Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
• I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。

4 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 virulence   

n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力

参考例句：

• The virulence of the café owner's anger had appalled her.咖啡店老板怒气冲天，充满敌意，把她吓坏了。
• Medical authorities were baffled,both as to its causes and its virulence.医疗当局对其病因及有多致命都还不甚了解。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

8 scourge   

n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏

参考例句：

• Smallpox was once the scourge of the world.天花曾是世界的大患。
• The new boss was the scourge of the inefficient.新老板来了以后，不称职的人就遭殃了。

9 brackish   

adj.混有盐的；咸的

参考例句：

• Brackish waters generally support only a small range of faunas.咸水水域通常只能存活为数不多的几种动物。
• The factory has several shallow pools of brackish water.工厂有几个浅的咸水池。

10 mortifying   

adj.抑制的，苦修的v.使受辱( mortify的现在分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等）

参考例句：

• I've said I did not love her, and rather relished mortifying her vanity now and then. 我已经说过我不爱她，而且时时以伤害她的虚荣心为乐。 来自辞典例句
• It was mortifying to know he had heard every word. 知道他听到了每一句话后真是尴尬。 来自互联网

11 benevolent   

adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的

参考例句：

• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
• He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。

12 subscribed   

v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意

参考例句：

• It is not a theory that is commonly subscribed to. 一般人并不赞成这个理论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I subscribed my name to the document. 我在文件上签了字。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 treasurer   

n.司库，财务主管

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith was succeeded by Mrs.Jones as treasurer.琼斯夫人继史密斯先生任会计。
• The treasurer was arrested for trying to manipulate the company's financial records.财务主管由于试图窜改公司财政帐目而被拘留。

14 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

15 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

16 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

17 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

18 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

19 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。