《简·爱》 Chapter 08 第八章（8）（在线收听）

About a week subsequently to the incidents above narrated, Miss Temple, who had written to Mr. Lloyd, received his answer.

上述事件发生后大约一周，坦普尔小姐写给劳埃德先生的信有了回音。

it appeared that what he said went to corroborate my account.

他在信中所说的，进一步证实了我的自述。

Miss Temple, having assembled the whole school, announced that inquiry had been made into the charges alleged against Jane Eyre,

坦普尔小姐把全校师生召集起来，当众宣布，对简.爱所受的指责己经作了调查，

and that she was most happy to be able to pronounce her completely cleared from every imputation.

而且很高兴地声明对简.爱的诋毁己彻底澄清。

The teachers then shook hands with me and kissed me, and a murmur of pleasure ran through the ranks of my companions.

教师们随后同我握了手，吻了我，一阵欢悦的低语，迥荡在我同伴的队伍之中。

Thus relieved of a grievous load, I from that hour set to work afresh, resolved to pioneer my way through every difficulty.

这样我便卸下了一个沉重的包袱。我打算从头努力，决心排除万难披荆斩棘地前进。

I toiled hard, and my success was proportionate to my efforts.

我拼命苦干，付出几分努力，便获得几分成功。

My memory, not naturally tenacious, improved with practice.

我的记忆力虽然不是生来很强，但经过实干有了改进。

Exercise sharpened my wits.

而反复练习使我的头脑更为机敏。

In a few weeks I was promoted to a higher class.

几周之后，我被升到了高班。

In less than two months I was allowed to commence French and drawing.

不到两个月我被允许学习法文和绘画。

I learned the first two tenses of the verb ETRE, and sketched my first cottage,

我学了动词“进入”的最基本的两个时态；同一天我作了第一幅茅屋素描

whose walls, by-the-bye, outrivalled in slope those of the leaning tower of Pisa, on the same day.

顺便说一句，屋子墙壁的倾斜度可与比萨斜塔相媲美。

That night, on going to bed, I forgot to prepare in imagination the Barmecide supper of hot roast potatoes, or white bread and new milk,

那天夜里上床时，我忘了在遐想中准备有热的烤土豆或白面包与新鲜牛奶的巴米赛德晚餐了，

with which I was wont to amuse my inward cravings.

往常我是以此来解馋的。

I feasted instead on the spectacle of ideal drawings, which I saw in the dark.

而现在，我在黑暗中所见到的理想画面成了我的盛宴。

All the work of my own hands: freely pencilled houses and trees, picturesque rocks and ruins, Cuyp-like groups of cattle,

所有的画作都是出自我的手笔，潇洒自如的房屋、树木铅笔画，别致的岩石和废墟，克伊普式的牛群，以及各种可爱的画：

sweet paintings of butterflies hovering over unblown roses, of birds picking at ripe cherries,

有蝴蝶在含苞的玫瑰上翩翩起舞；有鸟儿啄着成熟的樱桃；

of wren's nests enclosing pearl-like eggs, wreathed about with young ivy sprays.

有藏着珍珠般鸟蛋的鹪鹩巢穴，四周还绕着一圈嫩绿的长春藤。

I examined, too, in thought, the possibility of my ever being able to translate currently a certain little French story which Madame Pierrot had that day shown me.

我还在脑子里掂量了一下，有没有可能把那天皮埃罗太太给我看的薄薄的法文故事书，流利地翻译出来。

Nor was that problem solved to my satisfaction ere I fell sweetly asleep.

这个问题还没有满意解决，我便甜甜地睡着了。

Well has Solomon said: "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred there with."

所罗门说得好：“吃素菜，彼此相爱，强如吃肥牛，彼此相恨。”

I would not now have exchanged Lowood with all its privations for Gateshead and its daily luxuries.

现在，我决不会拿贫困的罗沃德去换取终日奢华的盖茨黑德。