《远大前程》第8章 拜访文米克先生和贾格斯先生(2)

Why？ I asked．Is there something strange about her？

为什么？我问，她有奇怪的地方吗？

She's like a wild animal．But Mr Jaggers has trained her！Oh yes！

她像一只野兽。但是，贾格斯先生已经训练了她！噢，是的！

He's stronger，and cleverer， and more complicated¹ than anyone else in London．

在伦敦他比其他任何人强壮、聪明、更精细。

And you know，another strange thing about him， he never locks his doors or windows at night．

你知道，另一件奇怪的事情，晚上，他从不锁门窗。

Isn't he ever robbed³？I asked in surprise．

他从来没被盗过？我惊奇地问。

All the thieves in London know where he lives，but none of them would dare⁴ to rob² him．

伦敦的小偷都知道他住的地方，可是，他们没有一个敢去偷他的东西，

They are all afraid of him， you see．They know he wouldn't rest until he had seen them hanged．

都害怕他，你明白。他们知道，直到他看着他们被绞死，才会休息。

He's a great man， Mr Pip．

他是一个了不起的人物，匹普先生。

Wemmick's house at Walworth was a tiny wooden house in the middle of a garden．

在沃尔鄂斯，文米克的房子是一座小木房，周围是花园，

On top of the roof was a small gun．

屋顶上有一把小猎枪。

We fire the gun at nine oclock every evening，said Wemmick proudly．

我们每天晚上9点开枪，文米克自豪地说，

And behind the house－I call it the Castle－I keep animals，and grow my own vegetables．

在房子后面—我叫它城堡—我养家畜和自己种疏菜。

So，in case of enemy attack， we can always eat our own food．What do you think of it？

因此，万一敌人袭击，我们总能吃上自己的食物，你认为如何？

I congratulated him on his home． He was clearly delighted to show a visitor all his ideas and improvements⁵．

在他家里，我向他祝贺。很显然，他乐意向来访者表白他的主意和进步。

I do everything myself，you know， he said．It helps me forget the office for a while．

每件事情都是我自己做，你知道，他说，它能帮助我暂时忘掉那个事务所。

Would you mind being introduced to the Aged⁶ now？ He would like it very much．

现在向老人介绍你不反对吧？他会十分喜欢的。

So we entered the Castle， where we found a cheerful⁷ old man sitting by the fire．

因此，我们进了这座城堡，发现一位快乐的老人正坐着烤火。

well，aged parent， said Wemmick，how are you？

喂，老父亲，文米克说，你好吗？

Very well， John， replied the old man，nodding happily．

很好，约翰，老人高兴地点点头说。

1 complicated   

adj.错综复杂的，麻烦的，结构复杂的

参考例句：

• The poem is so complicated that I cannot make out its meaning.这首诗太复杂，我理解不了它的意思。
• This is the most complicated case I have ever handled.这是我所处理过的最为复杂的案子。

2 rob   

v.抢劫；vi.抢劫，盗窃；vt.非法剥夺，使丧失，抢劫

参考例句：

• Two men formed a plot to rob the bank.两人制定了抢劫那家银行的秘密计划。
• They were scheming to rob the bank.他们在密谋抢劫银行。

3 robbed   

v.抢夺( rob的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫；掠夺；使丧失

参考例句：

• Would you be able to identify the man who robbed you? 你能够认出那个抢你东西的人吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They stood looking on while the man was robbed. 正当那个人被抢劫时，他们却站在那儿袖手旁观。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 dare   

n.敢，挑战；aux.敢；vi.敢；vt.敢于，勇于面对

参考例句：

• He didn't dare to look at her in the face.他不敢正眼看她。
• How dare you?Take your hand off me at once.放肆！马上把你的手挪开。

5 improvements   

增加或修改( improvement的名词复数 )； 改进； 改善； 改良

参考例句：

• improvements in efficiency at the factory 工厂效率的提高
• They've spent a lot of money on home improvements. 他们花了很多钱装修家居。

6 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

7 cheerful   

adj.快活的，高兴的，兴高采烈

参考例句：

• Yellow is a cheerful colour.黄色是令人高兴的颜色。
• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。