《简·爱》 Chapter 14 第十四章（12）

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You seem to doubt me; I don't doubt myself:

你似乎对我表示怀疑，我倒不怀疑自己。

I know what my aim is, what my motives¹ are.

我明白自己的目的是什么，动机是什么。

And at this moment I pass a law, unalterable as that of the Medes and Persians, that both are right.

此刻我要通过一项目的和动机都是正确的法律，它像玛代人和波斯人的法律那样不可更改。

They cannot be, sir, if they require a new statute² to legalize them.

先生，它们需要一个新的法规将它合法化，否则就不能成立。

They are, Miss Eyre, though they absolutely require a new statute: unheard-of combinations of circumstances demand unheard-of rules.

爱小姐，尽管完全需要一个新法规，但它们能成立；没有先例的复杂状况需要没有先例的法则。

That sounds a dangerous maxim³, sir, because one can see at once that it is liable to abuse.

这听起来是个危险的格言，先生，因为一眼就可以看出来，容易造成滥用。

Sententious sage⁴! So it is. But I swear by my household gods not to abuse it.

善用格言的圣人！就是这么回事，但我以家神的名义发誓，决不滥用。

You are human and fallible.

你是凡人，所以难免出错。

I am. So are you — what then?

我是凡人，你也一样 — 那又怎么样？

The human and fallible should not arrogate⁵ a power with which the divine and perfect alone can be safely intrusted.

凡人难免出错，不应当冒用放心地托付给神明和完人的权力。

What power?

什么权力？

That of saying of any strange, unsanctioned line of action, — 'Let it be right.'

对奇怪而未经准许的行动就说，‘算它对吧。’

'Let it be right' — the very words. You have pronounced them.

‘算它对吧’—就是这几个字，你已经说出来了。

"May it be right then," I said, as I rose, deeming it useless to continue a discourse⁶ which was all darkness to me.

那就说‘愿它对吧，’我说着站起来，觉得已没有必要再继续这番自己感到糊里糊涂的谈话。

And, besides, sensible that the character of my interlocutor was beyond my penetration⁷. At least, beyond its present reach.

此外，我也意识到，对方的性格是无法摸透的。至少目前是这样，我还感到没有把握。

And feeling the uncertainty⁸, the vague sense of insecurity, which accompanies a conviction of ignorance.

有一种朦胧的不安全感，同时还确信自己很无知。

Where are you going?

你上哪儿去？

To put Adèle to bed. It is past her bedtime.

阿黛勒睡觉，已经过了她上床的时间了。

You are afraid of me, because I talk like a Sphynx.

你害怕我，因为我交谈起来像斯芬克斯。

Your language is enigmatical, sir.

你的语言不可捉模，先生。

But though I am bewildered, I am certainly not afraid.

不过尽管我迷惑不解，但我根本不怕。

You are afraid — your self-love dreads⁹ a blunder.

你是害怕的 — 你的自爱心理使你害怕出大错。

In that sense I do feel apprehensive¹⁰ — I have no wish to talk nonsense.

要是那样说，我的确有些担忧 — 我不想胡说八道。

If you did, it would be in such a grave, quiet manner, I should mistake it for sense.

你即使胡说八道，也会是一付板着面孔，不动声色的神态，我还会误以为说得很在理呢。

1 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

2 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。

3 maxim   

n.格言，箴言

参考例句：

• Please lay the maxim to your heart.请把此格言记在心里。
• "Waste not,want not" is her favourite maxim.“不浪费则不匮乏”是她喜爱的格言。

4 sage   

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

• I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
• The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。

5 arrogate   

v.冒称具有...权利，霸占

参考例句：

• Don't arrogate evil motives to me.不要栽脏给我。
• Do not arrogate wrong intentions to your friends.不要硬说你的朋友存心不良。

6 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

7 penetration   

n.穿透，穿人，渗透

参考例句：

• He is a man of penetration.他是一个富有洞察力的人。
• Our aim is to achieve greater market penetration.我们的目标是进一步打入市场。

8 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

9 dreads   

n.恐惧，畏惧( dread的名词复数 )；令人恐惧的事物v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The little boy dreads going to bed in the dark. 这孩子不敢在黑暗中睡觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A burnt child dreads the fire. [谚]烧伤过的孩子怕火（惊弓之鸟，格外胆小）。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 apprehensive   

adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的

参考例句：

• She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
• He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。