《简·爱》 Chapter 13 第十三章（6）（在线收听）

"Don't trouble yourself to give her a character," returned Mr. Rochester.

"别忙着给她作鉴定了，"罗切斯特先生回答说。

Eulogiums will not bias me. I shall judge for myself. She began by felling my horse.

歌功颂德并不能使我偏听偏信，我会自己作出判断。她是以把我的马弄倒在地开始给我产生印象的。

"Sir?" said Mrs. Fairfax.

"先生？"费尔法克斯太太说。

I have to thank her for this sprain.

我得感谢她使我扭伤了脚。

The widow looked bewildered.

这位寡妇一时莫名其妙。

Miss Eyre, have you ever lived in a town?

爱小姐，你在城里住过吗？

No, sir.

没有，先生。

Have you seen much society?

见过很多社交场合吗？

None but the pupils and teachers of Lowood, and now the inmates of Thornfield.

除了罗沃德的学生和教师，什么也没有。如今还有桑菲尔德府里的人。

Have you read much?

你读过很多书吗？

Only such books as came in my way, and they have not been numerous or very learned.

碰到什么就读什么，数量不多，也不高深。

You have lived the life of a nun. No doubt you are well drilled in religious forms.

你过的是修女的生活，毫无疑问，在宗教礼仪方面你是训练有素的。

Brocklehurst, who I understand directs Lowood, is a parson, is he not?

布罗克赫斯特，我知道是他管辖着罗沃德，他是位牧师，是吗？

Yes, sir.

是的，先生。

And you girls probably worshipped him, as a convent full of religieuses would worship their director.

你们姑娘们也许都很崇拜他，就像住满修女的修道院，崇拜她们的院长一样。

Oh, no.

啊，没有。

You are very cool! No! What! a novice not worship her priest! That sounds blasphemous.

你倒很冷静！不！一位见习修女不崇拜她的牧师？那听起来有些亵渎神灵。

I disliked Mr. Brocklehurst, and I was not alone in the feeling.

我不喜欢布罗克赫斯特先生，有这种感觉的不只我一个。

He is a harsh man, at once pompous and meddling.

他是个很严酷的人，既自负而又爱管闲事。

He cut off our hair, and for economy's sake bought us bad needles and thread, with which we could hardly sew.

他剪去了我们的头发，而为节省，给我们买了很差的针线，大家差点都没法儿缝。

"That was very false economy," remarked Mrs. Fairfax, who now again caught the drift of the dialogue.

"那是种很虚假的节省，"费尔法克斯太太议论道，此刻她又听到了我们的一阵交谈。

"And was that the head and front of his offending?" demanded Mr. Rochester.

"而这就是他最大的罪状？"罗切斯特先生问。

He starved us when he had the sole superintendence of the provision department, before the committee was appointed.

他还让我们挨饿，那时他单独掌管供应部，而委员会还没有成立。

And he bored us with long lectures once a week,

他弄得我们很厌烦，一周一次作长篇大论的讲道，

and with evening readings from books of his own inditing, about sudden deaths and judgments, which made us afraid to go to bed.

每晚要我们读他自己编的书，写的是关于暴死呀，报应呀，吓得我们都不敢去睡觉。

What age were you when you went to Lowood?

你去罗沃德的时候几岁？

About ten.

十岁左右。

And you stayed there eight years. You are now, then, eighteen?

你在那里待了八年，那你现在是十八岁罗？

I assented.

我表示同意。

Arithmetic, you see, is useful.

你看，数学还是有用的。

Without its aid, I should hardly have been able to guess your age.

没有它的帮助，我很难猜出你的年纪。

It is a point difficult to fix where the features and countenance are so much at variance as in your case.

像你这样五官与表情相差那么大，要确定你的年纪可不容易。

And now what did you learn at Lowood? Can you play?

好吧，你在罗沃德学了些什么？会弹钢琴吗？

A little.

会一点。

Of course. That is the established answer.

当然，都会这么回答的。

Go into the library — I mean, if you please. — Excuse my tone of command; I am used to say, 'Do this,' and it is done.

到书房去 — 我的意思是请你到书房去 — 请原谅我命令的口气，我已说惯了‘你作这事’，于是他就去作了。

I cannot alter my customary habits for one new inmate.

我无法为一个新来府上的人改变我的老习惯。

Go, then, into the library; take a candle with you; leave the door open; sit down to the piano, and play a tune.

那么，到书房去，带着你的蜡烛，让门开着，坐在钢琴面前，弹一个曲子。