《简·爱》 Chapter 15 第十五章（2）

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I was just beginning to stifle¹ with the fumes² of conservatory³ flowers and sprinkled essences,

我正开始沉醉在暖房花朵的气息和弥漫着的幽幽清香里时，

when I bethought myself to open the window and step out on to the balcony.

蓦地想起去打开窗门，走到阳台上去。

It was moonlight and gaslight besides, and very still and serene⁴.

这时月色朗照，汽灯闪亮，十分静谧。

The balcony was furnished with a chair or two.

阳台上摆着一两把椅子。

I sat down, and took out a cigar.

我坐了下来，取出一支雪茄。

I will take one now, if you will excuse me.

请原谅，现在我要抽一支。

Here ensued a pause, filled up by the producing and lighting⁵ of a cigar.

说到这里他停顿了一下，同时拿出一根雪茄点燃了。

Having placed it to his lips and breathed a trail of Havannah incense⁶ on the freezing and sunless air, he went on.

他把雪茄放到嘴里，把一缕哈瓦那烟云雾喷进寒冷而阴沉的空气里，他继续说：

I liked bonbons⁷ too in those days, Miss Eyre,

在那些日子里我还喜欢夹心糖，爱小姐。

And I was croquant — (overlook the barbarism) — croquant chocolate comfits, and smoking alternately,

而当时我一会儿松脆的”（也顾不得野蛮了）巧克力糖果，一会儿吸烟，

watching meantime the equipages that rolled along the fashionable streets towards the neighbouring opera-house,

同时凝视着经过时髦的街道向邻近歌剧院驶去的马车。这时来了一辆精制的轿式马车，

when in an elegant close carriage drawn⁸ by a beautiful pair of English horses,

由一对漂亮的英国马拉着，在灯火辉煌的城市夜景中，

and distinctly seen in the brilliant city-night, I recognised the 'voiture' I had given Celine.

看得清清楚楚。我认出来正是我赠送给塞莉纳的‘汽车’。

She was returning.

是她回来了。

Of course my heart thumped⁹ with impatience¹⁰ against the iron rails I leant upon.

当然，我那颗倚在铁栏杆上的心急不可耐地跳动着。

The carriage stopped, as I had expected, at the hotel door.

不出我所料，马车在房门口停了下来。

My flame (that is the very word for an opera inamorata) alighted, though muffed in a cloak —

我的情人（这两个字恰好用来形容一个唱歌剧的情人）从车上走下，尽管罩着斗篷 —

an unnecessary encumbrance¹¹, by-the-bye, on so warm a June evening, I knew her instantly by her little foot,

顺便说一句，那么暖和的六月夜晚，这完全是多此一举。她从马车踏步上跳下来时，

seen peeping from the skirt of her dress, as she skipped from the carriage-step.

我从那双露在裙子下的小脚，立刻认出了她来。

Bending over the balcony, I was about to murmur¹² 'Mon ange' — in a tone, of course,

我从阳台上探出身子，正要响响地叫一声‘我的天使’

which should be audible to the ear of love alone —

用的声气光能让情人听见 —

when a figure jumped from the carriage after her; cloaked also;

这时，一个身影在她后面跳下了马车，也披着斗篷。

1 stifle   

vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止

参考例句：

• She tried hard to stifle her laughter.她强忍住笑。
• It was an uninteresting conversation and I had to stifle a yawn.那是一次枯燥无味的交谈，我不得不强忍住自己的呵欠。

2 fumes   

n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体

参考例句：

• The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。

3 conservatory   

n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的

参考例句：

• At the conservatory,he learned how to score a musical composition.在音乐学校里，他学会了怎样谱曲。
• The modern conservatory is not an environment for nurturing plants.这个现代化温室的环境不适合培育植物。

4 serene   

adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的

参考例句：

• He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
• He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。

5 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

6 incense   

v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气

参考例句：

• This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
• In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。

7 bonbons   

n.小糖果( bonbon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• For St. Valentine's Day, Mother received a heart-shaped box of delicious bonbons. 情人节的时候，母亲收到一份心形盒装的美味棒棒糖。 来自互联网
• On the first floor is a pretty café offering take-away bonbons in teeny paper handbags. 博物馆底层是一家漂亮的咖啡厅，提供可以外带的糖果，它们都用精小的纸制手袋包装。 来自互联网

8 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

9 thumped   

v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Dave thumped the table in frustration . 戴夫懊恼得捶打桌子。
• He thumped the table angrily. 他愤怒地用拳捶击桌子。

10 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

11 encumbrance   

n.妨碍物，累赘

参考例句：

• Only by overcoming our weaknesses can we advance without any encumbrance;only by uniting ourselves in our struggle can we be invincible.克服缺点才能轻装前进，团结战斗才能无往不胜。
• Now I should be an encumbrance.现在我成为累赘了。

12 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。