《简·爱》 Chapter 16 第十六章（10）

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The ladies are very fond of him,

女士们都很喜欢他，

though you would not think his appearance calculated to recommend him particularly in their eyes.

尽管你会认为，在她们眼里他的外貌并没有特别值得赞许的地方。

But I suppose his acquirements and abilities,

不过我猜想，他的学识、能力，

perhaps his wealth and good blood, make amends¹ for any little fault of look.

也许还有他的财富和血统，弥补了他外貌上的小小缺陷。

Are there ladies at the Leas?

里斯地方有贵妇、小姐吗？

There are Mrs. Eshton and her three daughters — very elegant young ladies indeed.

有伊希顿太太和她的三个女儿 — 真还都是举止文雅的年轻小姐。

And there are the Honourable² Blanche and Mary Ingram, most beautiful women, I suppose.

还有可尊敬的布兰奇和玛丽·英格拉姆，我想都是非常漂亮的女人。

Indeed I have seen Blanche, six or seven years since, when she was a girl of eighteen.

说实在我是六七年前见到布兰奇的，当时她才十八岁。

She came here to a Christmas ball and party Mr. Rochester gave.

她来这里参加罗切斯特先生举办的圣诞舞会和聚会。

You should have seen the dining-room that day — how richly it was decorated, how brilliantly lit up!

你真该看一看那一天的餐室 — 布置得那么豪华，点得又那么灯火辉煌！

I should think there were fifty ladies and gentlemen present — all of the first county families.

我想有五十位女士和先生在场 — 都是出身于郡里的上等人家。

And Miss Ingram was considered the belle³ of the evening.

英格拉姆小姐是那天晚上公认的美女。

You saw her, you say, Mrs. Fairfax. What was she like?

你说你见到了她，费尔法克斯太太。她长得怎么个模样？

Yes, I saw her. The dining-room doors were thrown open.

是呀、我看到她了，餐室的门敞开着。

And, as it was Christmas-time,

而且因为圣诞期间，

the servants were allowed to assemble in the hall, to hear some of the ladies sing and play.

允许佣人们聚在大厅里，听一些女士们演唱和弹奏。

Mr. Rochester would have me to come in, and I sat down in a quiet corner and watched them.

罗切斯特先生要我进去，我就在一个安静的角落里坐下来看她们。

I never saw a more splendid scene.

我从来没有见过这么光彩夺目的景象。

The ladies were magnificently dressed;

女士们穿戴得富丽堂皇。

Most of them — at least most of the younger ones — looked handsome, but Miss Ingram was certainly the queen.

大多数 — 至少是大多数年轻女子，长得很标致，而英格拉姆小姐当然是女皇了。

And what was she like?

她什么模样？

Tall, fine bust⁴, sloping shoulders, long, graceful⁵ neck, olive complexion⁶, dark and clear, noble features,

高高的个子，漂亮的胸部，斜肩膀，典雅硕长的脖子，黝黑而洁净的橄榄色皮肤，高贵的五官，

eyes rather like Mr. Rochester's, large and black, and as brilliant as her jewels.

有些像罗切斯特先生那样的眼睛，又大又黑，像她的珠宝那样大放光彩。

1 amends   

n. 赔偿

参考例句：

• He made amends for his rudeness by giving her some flowers. 他送给她一些花，为他自己的鲁莽赔罪。
• This country refuses stubbornly to make amends for its past war crimes. 该国顽固地拒绝为其过去的战争罪行赔罪。

2 honourable   

adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的

参考例句：

• I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。
• I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

3 belle   

n.靓女

参考例句：

• She was the belle of her Sunday School class.在主日学校她是她们班的班花。
• She was the belle of the ball.她是那个舞会中的美女。

4 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

5 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

6 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。