It was July and very hot．The atmosphere of the flat valley hung like a drug over the dairy people， the cows and the trees．

 

到了7月，天气非常炎热。悬浮在平坦的山谷中的大气就像麻醉剂一般，笼罩着奶场的人们、奶牛和树木。

 

It was Sunday morning after milking．

 

这是挤完奶后的一个星期天的早晨。

 

Tess and the other three girls dressed quickly to go to Mellstock Church，which was three or four miles away from Talbothays．

 

苔丝和另外三个姑娘急匆匆地换上衣服，准备到梅尔斯托克教堂去，那儿距塔尔勃塞有三四英里远。

 

Heavy thunderstorms had poured down the day before，but today the sun shone brightly and the air was warm and clear．

 

前一天刚下过很大的暴雨，今天却阳光明媚，空气温和清新。

 

When the girls reached the lowest part of the road to Mellstock，they found it was flooded．

 

当姑娘们走到通向梅尔斯托克那条路的最低的一段时，发现这一段路被洪水淹没了。

 

In working clothes and boots they would have walked through，but they were wearing Sunday white stockings and thin shoes which they did not want to ruin．

 

平时穿着工作服和靴子，她们走过去就行了。但今天她们穿着做礼拜才穿的白袜子和薄鞋子，她们可不想把它们都毁了。

 

The church bell was calling，still a mile away．

 

还有一英里路，教堂的钟声已经响了。