《远大前程》第19章 一次婚礼 (3)

Dear Pip，said Biddy quietly to me after supper，have you quite forgotten her？ Tell me，as an old friend．

亲爱的匹普，晚饭后，毕蒂心平气和地对我说，你差不多忘记她了吧？作为一个老朋友，告诉我。

My dear Biddy，I can never forget her． But that was all a dream，which has passed！

我亲爱的毕蒂，我从来不能忘记她，不过，那都是梦想，一切成为过去！

But I was secretly planning to revisit Miss Havisham's old house，alone，as a way of remembering Estella．

但是，我正秘密地计划去单独重访郝薇香小姐的故居，作为想起艾丝黛拉的方法。

I had heard that her husband had been very cruel to her．They had separated，and then he had died two years ago．Perhaps she had remarried by now．

我听说过，她的丈夫对她十分粗野，他们已经离婚。两年前，他已经死了。或许目前她已经再婚了。

The old house had been knocked down，and there was nothing left but piles of stones in the garden．

那座旧住宅已经被拆掉，没有什么东西留下，而在花园里有一堆石头。

In the moonlight I walked sadly around，until suddenly I saw a woman's figure in the shadows．I went closer and then—

在日光下，我伤心地在周围转转，直到我突然朦朦胧胧看见一个女人的身影。我走近一些，这时—

Estella！I cried．

艾丝黛拉！我叫喊起来。

You recognize me？I have changed a lot，she answered．

你认得出我？我变了许多，她回答。

She was older，but still beautiful．I had never before seen such a soft light in those once proud eyes，or felt such a friend-ly touch of her once cold hand．

她是老了一些，但是仍然很漂亮。我以前从来没有在这双曾经傲慢的眼睛上见过这样的温柔明亮，摸到她那曾经冷冰冰的手感觉这样的亲切。

It's strange，Estella！ Afer so many years，we meet by chance，here，where we first met！

真奇怪，艾丝黛拉！这么多年后，我们在这里也是第一次见面的地方偶然相见！

Yes，it's strange．I haven't been here for years，although the land belongs to me．But tell me，you still live abroad？

是的，真奇怪，虽然这块房基地是属于我的，但是，我多年不在这里了。告诉我，你还住在国外吗？

Yes，I still do．I'm doing well in India．

是的，我还在国外，我在印度干得很好。

I've often thought of you．Since-my husband-died，I have given you a place in my heart．

我常想起你，自从我的丈夫死后，我一直给你在心中留着位置。

You have always held your place in my heart，I answered．

你总是在我心中占有位置，我回答。

There was silence for a few moments．

沉默了一会儿。

I didn't think I would say goodbye to you here，she said．

我不想在这儿向你告别。她说。

It's painful saying goodbye，Estella．

告别，那是痛苦的，艾丝黛拉。

But last time you said，God bless you，God forgive you！You could say that to me now，now that I understand how much you loved me，

但是，最后一次你说，上帝保佑你，上帝原谅你！你现在能对我那样说吗。现在，我才明白你是多么的爱我，

now that I have suffered，now that I am a better person．Tell me we are friends．She spoke² more eagerly than I had ever heard her speak before．

现在，我很痛苦，现在，我是个比较好的人。告诉我，我们是朋友。她渴望说的超过以前我听到过她说的话。

We are friends，I said，taking her hand．

我们是朋友，我拉着她的手说。

And will continue being friends，even when we are apart，said Estella．

即使我们分开，也会继续是朋友，艾丝黛拉说。

We walked，hand in hand，out of the old garden．

我们手拉手走出那个旧花园。

As the morning mist³ had risen long ago when I first left the forge¹，

当晨雾老早升起来的时候，我第一次离开了铁匠铺。

so the evening mist was rising now，and in the clear moonlight I saw no shadow of another separation⁴ from her．

那么，现在夜雾正在升起，在这清朗的月光下，我却看不到另外一个影子从她那里分离出来。

1 forge   

v.使形成，与...建立密切联系，伪造，假冒

参考例句：

• Everything new comes from the forge of hard and bitter struggle.一切新东西都是从艰苦斗争中锻炼出来的。
• Difficulties help to forge people into able folk.困难有助于把人们锻炼成能干的人。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 mist   

n.雾，迷蒙，朦胧不清；vt.使...模糊，蒙上雾；vi.使...模糊，下雾

参考例句：

• She saw his face through a mist of tears.她泪眼朦胧地望着他的脸。
• There is a film of mist over the land.大地上笼罩着一层薄雾。

4 separation   

n.分离，分居，缺口

参考例句：

• After a long separation,they held a glad meeting.阔别多年之后，他们举行了一个令人愉快的聚会。
• Separation from his friends made him sad.与朋友们分离使他伤心。