CHAPTER 8 第八章-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《简·爱Jane Eyre》

CHAPTER 8 Have I not described a pleasant site for a dwelling,when I speak of it as bosomed in hill and wood,and rising from the verge of a stream?Assuredly,pleasant enough,but whether healthy or not is another question. That forest del③，where Lowood lay,was the cradle④of fog and fog-bred pestilence;which,quickening with the quickening spring, crept into the Orphan Asylum,breathed typhus through its crowded schoolroom and dormitory,and,ere May arrived,transformed the seminary into a hospital. Semi-starvation and neglected colds had predisposed most of the pupils to receive infection:forty-five out of the eighty girls lay ill at one time.Classes were broken up,rules relaxed.The few who continued well were allowed almost unlimited licence;because the medical attendant insisted on the necessity of frequent exercise to keep them in health:and had it been otherwise,no one had leisure to watch or restrain them.Miss Temple's whole attention was absorbed by the patients:she lived in the sick-room,never quitting it except to snatch a few hours'rest at night.The teachers were fully occupied with packing ·042· 第八章 年4 ①dwelling/dwelin/n住处 ②verge /v3:d3y/n边缘 我不是把它描绘成一个舒适的住处吗？我 在说这个地方掩映在山林之中，坐落在溪流之 边时，的确是够舒适的，但对健康有益与否， 3③dell /del/n.小山谷，幽谷 却是另一回事了。 ④cradle"kreidl/n.摇篮，发 罗沃德所在的林间山谷，是大雾的摇篮和 祥地 5 pestilence /'pestilans/n. 瘟疫的滋生地。瘟疫随着春天的迅速到来而加 疫 ⑥creep into爬进 快了步伐，潜入孤儿院，把斑疹伤寒传进了拥 ⑦yphus'tarfas/m.斑疹伤 挤的教室和寝室，五月未到，就已把整所学校 寒症 ⑧seminary /seminar/n.学 变成了医院。 校 半饥半饱的生活，得了感冒也无人注意， predispose /pri:dis'pouz/v. 使易程患，使偏向于 这注定了大多数学生被感染。八十五个姑娘中 0 infection /n'fck∫bnln.传 染，传染病 一下子就病倒了四十五人。课停了，纪律松 懈。少数没有得病的几乎毫无约束，因为医生 认为她们必须经常参加活动才能保持身体健 康。从相反的角度去想，如果不这样，也没人 顾得上去看管她们。坦普尔小姐的全部注意力 ⑩snatch/snatf/.夺取，侥 幸获得 已被病人占去了：她住在病房里，除了夜间抓 ·043· JaneEyre up and making other necessary preparations for the departure of those girls who were fortunate enough to have friends and relations able and willing to remove them from the seat of contagion.Many,already smitten,went home only to die:some died at the school,and were buried quietly and quickly,the nature of the malady forbidding delay. While disease had thus become an inhabitant of Lowood,and death its frequent visitor;while there was gloom and fear within its walls;while its rooms and passages steamed with hospital smells,the drug and the pastille striving vainly to overcome the effluvia of mortality,that bright May shone unclouded over the bold hills and beautiful woodland out of doors.Its garden,too,glowed with flowers: hollyhocks had sprung up tall as trees,lilies had opened,tulipsand roses were in bloom;the borders of the little beds were gay with pink thrift and crimson double daisies;the sweetbriars gave out,morning and evening,their scent of spice and apples;and these fragrant treasures were all useless for most of the inmates of Lowood,except to furnish now and then a handful of herbs and blossoms to put on a coffin. True,reader,and I knew and felt this;and though I am a defective being,with many faults and few redeeming points,yet I never tired of Helen Burns,nor ever ceased to cherish for her a sentiment of attachment,as strong,tender,and respectful as any that ever animated my heart.How could it be otherwise,when Helen,at all times and under all circumstances,evinced for me a quiet and faithful friendship,which ill-humour never soured nor irritation ever ·044 简·爱 紧时间匆匆休息几小时外，寸步不离病人，教 师们全力以赴，全部身心都投入到为那些幸而 contagion /kon'teid3on/n. 有亲戚朋友能够并愿意把她们从传染地带走的 传染，蔓延 ②smite/smart/.彻底击败， 人打铺盖和做好动身离开前的其他的必要准 重击 备。很多已经染病的只是回家等死；有些人死 在学校里，被悄悄地草草埋掉，这种病的特性 决定了容不得半点拖延。 疾病就这样在罗沃德安了家，死亡成了这 ③pastille'/paestil/n.锭剂 里的常客；围墙之内笼罩着阴森和恐怖；房间 ④effluvium'flu:viom/n臭 气，恶臭 里和过道上散发着医院的气味，药和香锭徒劳 地要盖过死亡的恶臭，五月的明媚阳光从无云 5 hollyhock /'holth pk/n. 的天空照耀着户外陡峭的小山和美丽的林地。 葵 ⑥tlip/"tju:lp/n郁金香 罗沃德的花园也是花儿盛开，灿烂夺目。蜀葵 拔地而起，长得和树一样高，百合怒放，郁金 香和玫瑰争奇斗艳，粉红色的海石竹和深红的 ⑦crimson /krimzn/a.深红 色的 双瓣雏菊把小小花坛的边缘装扮得十分鲜艳。 香甜的欧石南在早晚都散发着香料和苹果的气 味。但这些香气扑鼻的宝贝，除了偶尔提供一 束香草和鲜花放进棺材外，对罗沃德的人来说 已毫无用处。 。。 真的，读者，我知道并感觉到了这一点。 ⑧redeeming/'di:mnla补 偿的，弥补的 尽管我是一个有缺陷的人，毛病很多，长处很 少，但我决不会嫌弃海伦，也不会不珍惜对她 9 attachment /a'taet [mant/n. 情感的依赖。这种情感与激发我内心的任何感 附属物，依恋 情一样强烈，一样温柔，一样令人敬重。海伦 不论在任何时候、任何条件下，都对我表示出 0 sour /sau/",变酸，变坏 一种平静真诚的友情，心情不好不能损害它， ·045· JaneEyre troubled?But Helen was ill at present:for some weeks she had been removed from my sight to I knew not what room upstairs.She was not, I was told,in the hospital portion of the house with the fever patients, for her complaint was consumption,not typhus;and by consumption I,in my ignorance,understood something mild,which time and care would be sure to alleviate. Close by Miss Temple's bed,and half covered with its white curtains,there stood a little crib.I saw the outline of a form under the clothes,but the face was hid by the hangings;the nurse I had spoken to in the garden sat in an easy-chair,asleep;an unsnuffed candle burnt dimly on the table.Miss Temple was not to be seen:I knew afterwards that she had been called to a delirious patient in the fever-room.I advanced:then paused by the crib side:my hand was on the curtain, but I preferred speaking before I withdrew it.I still recoiled at the dread of seeing a corpse ‘Helen!'I whispered softly;‘are you awake?' She stirred herself,put back the curtain,and I saw her face,pale, wasted,but quite composed;she looked so little changed,that my fear was instantly dissipated 'Can it be you,Jane?'she asked,in her own gentle voice. 'Oh!I thought,'she is not going to die;they are mistaken;she could not speak and look so calmly if she were.' I got on to her crib and kissed her:her forehead was cold,and her cheek both cold and thin,and so were her hand and wrist:but she smiled as of old. ·046· 简·爱 恼怒也不会干扰它。但海伦现在病了。她从我 面前消失好几个星期了，我不知道她住在楼上 哪个房间。听说她不在学校作为病房的部分同 发烧的病人在一起，因为她患的是肺病，不是 斑疹伤寒。由于我的幼稚无知，我误认为肺病 ①alleviate /a'li:vieit/".减 比较和缓，假以时日和悉心照料就一定可以好 轻，使…缓和 起来。 4.4 crib /krib/n小床 紧靠坦普尔小姐的床铺，被白色的帷帐遮 去了一半，有一张小床。我看到了被子底下身 子的轮廓，但脸被帷幔遮住了。那位与我在花 园里讲话的护士坐在安乐椅上熟睡。一支未剪 的蜡烛幽暗地在桌子上燃着。没有看到坦普尔 ③delirious /d'liras/a.神志 昏迷的 小姐。我后来知道，她已被叫到热病病室看望 一个昏迷不醒的病人。我往前走去，随后在小 ④recoil/mkoW.退却，畏缩 床旁边停了下来，我的手伸向帷幔，但我宁愿 ⑤corpse /k:ps//n尸体 在拉动之前开口说句话，我仍然踌躇不前，害 怕看到一具尸体。 “海伦！”我轻声地说，“你醒着吗？” 她动弹了一下，自己拉开帷幔，我看到了 ⑥dissipate"d山srpeit/H使 她的脸，苍白、憔悴，却十分镇静，她看上去 …消散 没有什么变化，我的恐惧顿时消失了。 “是你吗，简？”她以特有的柔和语调问。 “啊！”我想，“她不会死；她们搞错了， 如果她活不了，她的言表不会那么平静。” 我上了她的小床，吻了她一下。她的额头 冰冷，两颊冰冷且消瘦，她的手和手腕也都冰 ·047· JaneEyre 'Why are you come here,Jane?It is past eleven o'clock:I heard it strike some minutes since.' 'I came to see you,Helen:I heard you were very ill,and I could not sleep till I had spoken to you.' 'You came to bid me good-bye,then:you are just in time probably.' 'Are you going somewhere.Helen?Are you going home?' 'Yes;to my long home-my last home.' No,no,Helen!'I stopped distressed.While I tried to devourmy tears,a fit of coughing seized Helen;it did not,however,wake the nurse.When it was over,she lay some minutes exhausted;then she whispered- 'Jane,your little feet are bare;lie down and cover yourself with my quilt.' I did so:she put her arm over me,and I nestled close to her. After a long silence,she resumed,still whispering 'I am very happy,Jane;and when you hear that I am dead,you must be sure and not grieve:there is nothing to grieve about.We all must die one day,and the illness which is removing me is not painful; it is gentle and gradual;my mind is at rest.I leave no one to regret me much:I have only a father,and he is lately married,and will not miss me.By dying young,I shall escape great sufferings.I had not qualities or talents to make my way very well in the world:I should have been continually at fault.' 'And shall I see you again,Helen,when I die?' 'You will come to the same region of happiness:be received by the ·048· 简·爱1 凉，只有微笑依旧。 “你为什么到这儿来，简？已经过了十一 点啦，几分钟前我听见钟敲响过。” “我来看你，海伦。我听说你病得很重， 我要是不同你说句话就睡不着。” ①bid /brd/.命令，吩附 “那你是来同我告别的了，也许你来得正 是时候。” “你要走了，海伦？你要回家吗？” ②devour/d'vaun/u.吞食 “是的，回到我永久一最后的家。” “不，不，海伦，”我难过得停住。正当我 竭力咽下眼泪时，海伦一阵咳嗽，不过没有吵 醒护士。咳完以后，她精疲力尽地躺了几分 钟，随后轻声说一 “简，你光着脚呢，躺下来吧，盖上我的被 子。” ③nestle /nesl/.挨靠 我照她的话做了。她用胳膊搂住我，我紧 ④resume/r'zju:m/.再继 续，重新开始 偎着她。沉默了很久，她继续低声耳语— “我很愉快，简，你听到我已经死了的时 候，你可千万不要悲伤。没有什么可悲伤的。 总有一天我们都得死去。现在正夺去我生命的 疾病并不痛苦，它温和而又缓慢，我的心灵已 经安息。我不会让任何人感到太悲痛，我只有 一个父亲，他新近刚结婚，不会思念我。年纪 轻轻死去，我可以逃离苦海。我没有使自己在 这个世上创出一番事业的品质和才能。如果我 活着，我会不断做错事的。” “海伦，我死掉后，还能再见到你吗？” “你也会来这个幸福之城，被同一个伟大、 ·049· JaneEyre same mighty universal Parent,no doubt,dear,Jane.' Again I questioned;but this time only in thought.'Where is that region?Does it exist?'And I clasped my arms closer round Helen;she seemed dearer to me than ever;I felt as if I could not let her go;I lay with my face hidden on her neck.Presently she said in the sweetest tone 'How comfortable I am!The last fit of coughing has tired me a little;I feel as if I could sleep;but don't leave me,Jane;I like to have you near me.' 'I'll stay with you,dear Helen:no one shall take me away.' 'Are you warm,darling?' ‘Yes.' ‘Good-night,Jane.' ‘Good-night,.Helen.' She kissed me,and I her,and we both soon slumbered. When I awoke it was day:an unusual movement roused me;I looked up;I was in somebody's arms;the nurse held me;she was carrying me through the passage back to the dormitory.I was not reprimanded for leaving my bed;people had something else to think about;no explanation was afforded then to my many questions;but a day or two afterwards I learned that Miss Temple,on returning to her own room at dawn,had found me laid in a little crib;my face against Helen Burns's shoulder,my arms round her neck.I was asleep,and Helen was-dead. ·050· 简·爱 万能的天父接纳，毫无疑问，亲爱的简。” 我又再问，不过这回只是自己想想。“那 个地方在哪儿？它存在吗？”我用胳膊把海伦 楼得更紧了。她对我似乎比以前更宝贵，我仿 佛觉得我不能让她走，我躺着把脸埋在她的脖 子里。她立刻用最甜蜜的嗓音说— “我多么舒服啊！刚才那一阵子咳嗽弄得 我有点儿累了，我好像是能睡着了，可是别离 开我，简，我喜欢你在我身边。” “我会同你一起的，亲爱的海伦。谁也不 能把我们分开。” “你暖和吗，亲爱的？” “是的。” “晚安，简。” “晚安，海伦。” ①slumber/'slAmba/.熟睡 她吻了我，我吻了她，两人很快睡熟了。 我醒来的时候已经是白天了，一阵异样的 震动把我弄醒了。我拾起头来，自己正躺在别 人的怀抱里，那位护士抱着我，正穿过过道把 我送回宿舍，我没有因为离开床位而受到责 2reprimand /reprima:nd/v. 备，人们还有别的事儿要考虑，没有人回答我 责难 提出的很多问题。但一两天后我才知道，坦普 尔小姐在拂晓回房时，发现我躺在小床上，我 的脸蛋紧贴着海伦·彭斯的肩膀，我的胳膊搂 着她的脖子，我睡着了，而海伦死了。 ·051·