《简·爱》 Chapter 37 第三十七章（10）

He replied not: he seemed serious -- abstracted; he sighed; he half-opened his lips as if to speak: he closed them again.

他没有回答，似乎很严肃——散神了。他叹了口气，半张开嘴，仿佛想说话，但又闭上了。

I felt a little embarrassed.

我觉得有点儿窘。

Perhaps I had too rashly over-leaped conventionalities; and he, like St. John, saw impropriety in my inconsiderateness.

也许我提议陪伴他，帮助他是自作多情；也许我太轻率了、超越了习俗。而他像圣·约翰一样。从我的粗疏中看到了我说话不得体。

I had indeed made my proposal from the idea that he wished and would ask me to be his wife:

其实，我的建议是从这样的思想出发的，就是他希望，也会求我做他的妻子。

an expectation, not the less certain because unexpressed, had buoyed¹ me up, that he would claim me at once as his own.

一种虽然并没有说出口，却十分肯定的期待支持着我，认为他会立刻要求我成为他的人。

But no hint to that effect escaping him and his countenance² becoming more overcast³,

但是他并没有吐出这一类暗示、他的面部表情越来越阴沉了。

I suddenly remembered that I might have been all wrong, and was perhaps playing the fool unwittingly;

我猛地想到，也许自己全搞错了，或许无意中充当了傻瓜。

and I began gently to withdraw myself from his arms -- but he eagerly snatched me closer.

我开始轻轻地从他的怀抱中抽出身来——但是他焦急地把我抓得更紧了。

"No -- no -- Jane; you must not go.

“不——不——简。你一定不能走。

No -- I have touched you, heard you, felt the comfort of your presence -- the sweetness of your consolation⁴: I cannot give up these joys.

不——我已触摸到你，听你说活，感受到了你在场对我的安慰——你甜蜜的抚慰。我不能放弃这些快乐，

I have little left in myself -- I must have you.

因为我身上已所剩无多——我得拥有你。

The world may laugh -- may call me absurd, selfish -- but it does not signify.

世人会笑话我——会说我荒唐，自私——但这无伤大雅。

My very soul demands you: it will be satisfied, or it will take deadly vengeance⁵ on its frame."

我的心灵企求你，希望得到满足，不然它会对躯体进行致命的报复。”

"Well, sir, I will stay with you: I have said so."

“好吧，先生，我愿意与你呆在一起、我已经这么说了。”

"Yes -- but you understand one thing by staying with me; and I understand another.

“不错——不过，你理解的同我呆在一起是一回事，我理解的是另一回事。

You, perhaps, could make up your mind to be about my hand and chair -- to wait on me as a kind little nurse

也许你可以下决心呆在我身边和椅子旁——像一个好心的小护士那样侍候我

(for you have an affectionate heart and a generous spirit, which prompt you to make sacrifices for those you pity),

（你有一颗热诚的心，慷慨大度的灵魂，让你能为那些你所怜悯的人作出牺牲），

and that ought to suffice for me no doubt.

对我来说，无疑那应当已经够了。

I suppose I should now entertain none but fatherly feelings for you: do you think so?

我想我现在只能对你怀着父亲般的感情了，你是这么想的吗？

Come -- tell me."

来——告诉我吧。”

1 buoyed   

v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神

参考例句：

• Buoyed by their win yesterday the team feel confident of further success. 在昨天胜利的鼓舞下，该队有信心再次获胜。
• His encouragement buoyed her up during that difficult period. 他的鼓励使她在那段困难时期恢复了乐观的情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

3 overcast   

adj.阴天的，阴暗的，愁闷的；v.遮盖，（使）变暗，包边缝；n.覆盖，阴天

参考例句：

• The overcast and rainy weather found out his arthritis.阴雨天使他的关节炎发作了。
• The sky is overcast with dark clouds.乌云满天。

4 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

5 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。