《简·爱》 Chapter 16 第十六章（8）

搜索

复制

I fancied sometimes I heard Mr. Rochester's own tread,

有时还在恍惚中听到罗切斯特先生自己的脚步声，

and I turned to the door, expecting it to open and admit him.

便赶紧把脸转向门口，期待着门一开，他走了进来。

The door remained shut.

但门依然紧闭着。

Darkness only came in through the window.

唯有夜色透进了窗户。

Still it was not late.

不过现在还不算太晚。

He often sent for me at seven and eight o' clock, and it was yet but six.

他常常到七、八点钟才派人来叫我，而此刻才六点。

Surely I should not be wholly disappointed to-night, when I had so many things to say to him!

当然今晚我不应该完全失望，因为我有那么多的话要同他说。

I wanted again to introduce the subject of Grace Poole, and to hear what he would answer.

我要再次提起格雷斯·普尔这个话题，听听他会怎么回答。

I wanted to ask him plainly if he really believed it was she who had made last night's hideous¹ attempt.

我要爽爽气气地问他，是否真的相信是她昨夜动了恶念。

And if so, why he kept her wickedness a secret.

要是相信，那他为什么要替她的恶行保守秘密。

It little mattered whether my curiosity irritated him.

我的好奇心会不会激怒他关系不大，反正我知道一会儿惹他生气。

I knew the pleasure of vexing² and soothing³ him by turns.

一会儿抚慰他的乐趣，这是一件我很乐意干的事。

It was one I chiefly delighted in, and a sure instinct always prevented me from going too far.

一种很有把握的直觉常常使我不至于做过头。

Beyond the verge⁴ of provocation⁵ I never ventured.

我从来没有冒险越出使他动怒的界线。

On the extreme brink⁶ I liked well to try my skill.

但在正边缘上我很喜欢一试身手。

Retaining every minute form of respect, every propriety⁷ of my station,

我可以既保持细微的自尊，保持我的身份所需的一应礼节，

I could still meet him in argument without fear or uneasy restraint.

而又可以无忧无虑、无拘无束地同他争论。

This suited both him and me.

这样对我们两人都合适。

1 hideous   

adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的

参考例句：

• The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
• They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。

2 vexing   

adj.使人烦恼的，使人恼火的v.使烦恼( vex的现在分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• It is vexing to have to wait a long time for him. 长时间地等他真使人厌烦。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Lately a vexing problem had grown infuriatingly worse. 最近发生了一个讨厌的问题，而且严重到令人发指的地步。 来自辞典例句

3 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

4 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

5 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

6 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

7 propriety   

n.正当行为；正当；适当

参考例句：

• We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。
• The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。