《简·爱》 Chapter 11 第十一章（7）（在线收听）

Traversing the long and matted gallery, I descended the slippery steps of oak. Then I gained the hall.

我走过铺着地席的长廊，走下打滑的橡树楼梯，来到了大厅。

I halted there a minute.

我站了一会儿。

I looked at some pictures on the walls

看着墙上的几幅画

one, I remember, represented a grim man in a cuirass, and one a lady with powdered hair and a pearl necklace,

记得其中一幅画的是一个穿看护胸铁甲十分威严的男子，另一幅是一个头发上搽了粉戴着珍珠项链的贵妇，

at a bronze lamp pendent from the ceiling,

看着从天花板上垂下来的青铜灯；

at a great clock whose case was of oak curiously carved, and ebon black with time and rubbing.

看着一个大钟，钟壳是由雕刻得稀奇古怪的橡木做的，因为年长月久和不断地擦拭，变得乌黑发亮了。

Everything appeared very stately and imposing to me, but then I was so little accustomed to grandeur.

对我来说一切都显得那样庄严肃穆、富丽堂皇。那时我不大习惯于这种豪华。

The hall-door, which was half of glass, stood open.

一扇镶着玻璃的大厅门敞开着。

I stepped over the threshold.

我越过了门槛。

It was a fine autumn morning.

这是一个晴朗的秋天早晨。

The early sun shone serenely on embrowned groves and still green fields.

朝阳宁静地照耀着透出黄褐色的树丛和宁静的绿色田野。

Advancing on to the lawn, I looked up and surveyed the front of the mansion.

我往前来到了草坪上，抬头细看这大厦的正面。

It was three storeys high, of proportions not vast, though considerable.

这是幢三层楼屋宇，虽然有相当规模，但按比例并不觉得宏大。

A gentleman's manor-house, not a nobleman's seat.

是一座绅士的住宅，而不是贵族的府第。

Battlements round the top gave it a picturesque look.

围绕着顶端的城垛，使整座建筑显得很别致。

Its grey front stood out well from the background of a rookery, whose cawing tenants were now on the wing.

灰色的正面正好被后面一个白嘴鸦的巢穴映衬着，显得很凸出，它的居住者正在边房呱呱叫个不停。

They flew over the lawn and grounds to alight in a great meadow, from which these were separated by a sunk fence,

它们飞越草坪和庭园，落到一块大草地上。一道矮篱把草地和庭园分开。

and where an array of mighty old thorn trees, strong, knotty,

草地上长着一排排巨大的老荆棘树丛，强劲多节，

and broad as oaks, at once explained the etymology of the mansion's designation.

大如橡树，一下子说明屋宇名称字源意义的由来。

Farther off were hills.

更远的地方是小山。

Not so lofty as those round Lowood, nor so craggy, nor so like barriers of separation from the living world.

不像罗沃德四周的山那么高耸，那么峻峭，也不像它们那么是一道与世隔绝的屏障。

But yet quiet and lonely hills enough,

但这些山十分幽静，

and seeming to embrace Thornfield with a seclusion I had not expected to find existent so near the stirring locality of Millcote.

拥抱着桑菲尔德，给它带来了一种我不曾料到在闹闹嚷嚷的米尔科特地区会有的清静。

A little hamlet, whose roofs were blent with trees, straggled up the side of one of these hills.

一个小村庄零零落落地分布在一座小山的一侧，屋顶与树木融为一体。

The church of the district stood nearer Thornfield.

地区教堂坐落在桑菲尔德附近。

Its old tower-top looked over a knoll between the house and gates.

它古老的钟楼俯视着房子与大门之间的土墩。

I was yet enjoying the calm prospect and pleasant fresh air,

我欣赏着这番宁静的景象和诱人的新鲜空气，

yet listening with delight to the cawing of the rooks,

愉快地倾听着白嘴鸦的呱呱叫声，

yet surveying the wide, hoary front of the hall,

细细打量着这所庄园宽阔灰白的正面，

and thinking what a great place it was for one lonely little dame like Mrs. Fairfax to inhabit,

心里琢磨着，偌大一个地方，居然只住着像费尔法犯斯太太这样一位孤单矮小的贵妇人。

when that lady appeared at the door.

就在这时，这位妇人出现在门边了。

"What! out already?" said she. "I see you are an early riser."

“怎么，已经起来了？”她说，“我看你是个喜欢早起的人。”

I went up to her, and was received with an affable kiss and shake of the hand.

我向她走去，她慈祥地吻了吻我，并同我握了下手。

"How do you like Thornfield?" she asked.

“你认为桑菲尔德怎么样？”她问。

I told her I liked it very much.

我告诉她很喜欢。

"Yes," she said, it is a pretty place, but I fear it will be getting out of order,

“是呀，”她说，是个漂亮的地方。但我担心慢慢地会败落，

unless Mr. Rochester should take it into his head to come and reside here permanently,

除非罗切斯特先生想着要来，并永久居住在这儿，

or, at least, visit it rather oftener.

或者至少常来看看。

Great houses and fine grounds require the presence of the proprietor.

大住宅和好庭园需要主人经常光顾才是。

"Mr. Rochester!" I exclaimed. "Who is he?"

“罗切斯特先生！”我嚷道，“他是谁？”

"The owner of Thornfield," she responded quietly. "Did you not know he was called Rochester?"

“桑菲尔德的主人，”她平静地回答，“你不知道他叫罗切斯特吗？”

Of course I did not — I had never heard of him before.

我当然不知道，我以前从来没有听说过他。

But the old lady seemed to regard his existence as a universally understood fact,

但这位老妇人似乎把他的存在，看作尽人皆知的事实，

with which everybody must be acquainted by instinct.

人人都仅凭直感就清楚的。

"I thought," I continued, "Thornfield belonged to you."

“我还以为，”我继续说，“桑菲尔德是你的呢。”

To me? Bless you, child; what an idea! To me! I am only the housekeeper — the manager.

我的？哎哟，我的孩子！多古怪的想法！我的？我不过是个管家 — 管理人。

To be sure I am distantly related to the Rochesters by the mother's side, or at least my husband was.

确实，从母亲份上说，我是罗切斯特家的远亲，或者至少我丈夫是这样。