《简·爱》 Chapter 37 第三十七章（19）

"He is untiringly active.

“他十分活跃，不知疲倦，

Great and exalted¹ deeds are what he lives to perform."

他活着就是要成就伟大崇高的事业。”

"But his brain? That is probably rather soft?

“但他的头脑呢？大概比较软弱吧？

He means well: but you shrug² your shoulders to hear him talk?"

他本意很好，但听他谈话你会耸肩。”

"He talks little, sir: what he does say is ever to the point.

“他说话不多，先生。但一开口总是一语中的。

His brain is first-rate, I should think not impressible, but vigorous."

我想他的头脑是一流的，不易打动，却十分活跃。”

"Is he an able man, then?"

“那么他很能干了？”

"Truly able."

“确实很能干。”

"A thoroughly³ educated man?"

“一个受过良好教育的人？”

"St. John is an accomplished⁴ and profound scholar."

“圣·约翰是一个造诣很深、学识渊博的学者。”

"His manners, I think, you said are not to your taste?

“他的风度，我想你说过，不合你的口味？”

-- priggish and parsonic?"

“——一正经，一付牧师腔调。”

"I never mentioned his manners;

“我从来没有提起过他的风度。

but, unless I had a very bad taste, they must suit it; they are polished, calm, and gentlemanlike."

但除非我的口味很差，不然是很合意的。他的风度优雅、沉着，一付绅士派头，”

"His appearance, -- I forget what description you gave of his appearance;

“他的外表——我忘了你是怎么样描述他的外表的了

-- a sort of raw curate, half strangled with his white neckcloth, and stilted⁵ up on his thick-soled high-lows, eh?"

——那种没有经验的副牧师，扎着白领巾，弄得气都透不过来；穿着厚底高帮靴，顶得像踏高跷似的，是吧？”

"St. John dresses well.

“圣·约翰衣冠楚楚，

He is a handsome man: tall, fair, with blue eyes, and a Grecian profile."

是个漂亮的男子，高个子，白皮肤，蓝眼晴，鼻梁笔挺。”

(Aside.) "Damn him!" -- (To me.)

（旁白）“见他的鬼！

"Did you like him, Jane?"

你喜欢他吗，简爱？

"Yes, Mr. Rochester, I liked him: but you asked me that before."

“是的，罗切斯特先生，我喜欢他。不过你以前问过我了。”

I perceived, of course, the drift of my interlocutor.

当然，我觉察出了说话人的用意。

Jealousy⁶ had got hold of him: she stung him;

妒嫉已经攫住了他，刺痛着他。

but the sting was salutary: it gave him respite⁷ from the gnawing⁸ fang⁹ of melancholy¹⁰.

这是有益于身心的，让他暂时免受忧郁的咬啮。

I would not, therefore, immediately charm the snake.

因此我不想立刻降服嫉妒这条毒蛇。

"Perhaps you would rather not sit any longer on my knee, Miss Eyre?"

“也许你不愿意在我膝头上坐下去了，爱小姐？”

was the next somewhat unexpected observation.

接着便是这有些出乎意料的话。

"Why not, Mr. Rochester?"

“为什么不愿意呢，罗切斯特先生，”

1 exalted   

adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的

参考例句：

• Their loveliness and holiness in accordance with their exalted station.他们的美丽和圣洁也与他们的崇高地位相称。
• He received respect because he was a person of exalted rank.他因为是个地位崇高的人而受到尊敬。

2 shrug   

v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)

参考例句：

• With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。
• I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。

3 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

4 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

5 stilted   

adj.虚饰的；夸张的

参考例句：

• All too soon the stilted conversation ran out.很快这种做作的交谈就结束了。
• His delivery was stilted and occasionally stumbling.他的发言很生硬，有时还打结巴。

6 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

7 respite   

n.休息，中止，暂缓

参考例句：

• She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。
• Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。

8 gnawing   

a.痛苦的，折磨人的

参考例句：

• The dog was gnawing a bone. 那狗在啃骨头。
• These doubts had been gnawing at him for some time. 这些疑虑已经折磨他一段时间了。

9 fang   

n.尖牙，犬牙

参考例句：

• Look how the bone sticks out of the flesh like a dog's fang.瞧瞧,这根骨头从肉里露出来，象一只犬牙似的。
• The green fairy's fang thrusting between his lips.绿妖精的尖牙从他的嘴唇里龇出来。

10 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。