《简·爱》 Chapter 11 第十一章（16）

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The laugh was repeated in its low, syllabic tone, and terminated in an odd murmur¹.

笑声又响起来了，低沉而很有节奏，然后以古怪的嘟哝声告结束。

"Grace!" exclaimed Mrs. Fairfax.

“格雷斯？”费尔法克斯太太嚷道。

I really did not expect any Grace to answer,

我其实并不盼望哪位格雷斯来回答，

for the laugh was as tragic², as preternatural a laugh as any I ever heard.

因为这笑声同我所听到过的笑声一样悲惨，一样不可思议。

And, but that it was high noon, and that no circumstance of ghostliness accompanied the curious cachinnation;

要不是正值中午，要不是鬼魂的出现从来不与奇怪的狂笑相伴。

But that neither scene nor season favoured fear, I should have been superstitiously³ afraid.

要不是当时的情景和季节并不会激发恐怖情绪，我准会相信迷信，害怕起来呢。

However, the event showed me I was a fool for entertaining a sense even of surprise.

然而，这件事表明我真傻，居然还为笑声感到吃惊。

The door nearest me opened, and a servant came out, a woman of between thirty and forty;

最靠近我的一扇门开了，一个仆人走了出来，一个年龄在三十到四十之间的女人，

a set, square-made figure, red-haired, and with a hard, plain face.

虎背熊腰，一头红发，一张冷酷而长相平庸的脸。

any apparition⁴ less romantic or less ghostly could scarcely be conceived.

实在难以想象还有什么幽灵比她更缺少传奇色彩，更不像鬼魂了。

"Too much noise, Grace," said Mrs. Fairfax. "Remember directions!"

“太闹了，格雷斯，”费尔法克斯太太说。“记住对你的吩咐！”

Grace curtseyed silently and went in.

格雷斯默默地行了个屈膝礼，走了进去。

"She is a person we have to sew and assist Leah in her housemaid's work," continued the widow,

“她是我们雇来做针线活，帮助莉娅干家务活儿的，”寡妇继续说，

"not altogether unobjectionable in some points, but she does well enough.

“在某些方面她并不是无可非议的，不过她干得挺好。

By-the-by, how have you got on with your new pupil this morning?

顺便问一下，早上你跟你的学生相处得怎么样？

The conversation, thus turned on Adèle, continued till we reached the light and cheerful region below.

于是我们的谈话转到了阿黛勒身上，一直谈到我们来到下面敞亮而欢快的地方。

Adèle came running to meet us in the hall, exclaiming:

阿黛勒在大厅里迎着我们跑过来，一面还嚷嚷着：

"Mesdames, vous etes servies!" adding, "J' ai bien faim, moi!"

“先生们女士们，你们的饭好了”她又补充道，“我饿了。”

We found dinner ready, and waiting for us in Mrs. Fairfax's room.

我们发现饭菜已经做好了在费尔法克斯太太的房间里。

1 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 superstitiously   

被邪教所支配

参考例句：

• Superstitiously he refused to travel on Friday the 13th. 他很迷信，拒绝在一个是星期五的13号旅行。
• Simon superstitiously made the sign of the Tree as he looked around. Simon打量四周的时候，迷信地画了一个树的符号。

4 apparition   

n.幽灵，神奇的现象

参考例句：

• He saw the apparition of his dead wife.他看见了他亡妻的幽灵。
• But the terror of this new apparition brought me to a stand.这新出现的幽灵吓得我站在那里一动也不敢动。