38.The Bend in the Road峰回路转-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《绿山墙的安妮Anne of Green Gables》下

Chapter XXXVIII The Bend in the Road Marilla went to town the next day and returned in the evening. Anne had gone over to Orchard Slope with Diana and came back to find Marilla in the kitchen, sitting by the table with her head leaning on her hand. "Are you very tired, Marilla?" "Yes-no-I don't know," said Marilla wearily, looking up."I suppose I am tired but I haven't thought about it. It's not that." "Did you see the oculist? What did he say?" asked Anne anxiously. "Yes, I saw him. He examined my eyes. He says that if I give up all reading and sewing entirely and any kind of work that strains the eyes, and if I'm careful not to cry, and if I wear the glasses he's given me he thinks my eyes may not get any worse and my headaches will be cured. But if I don't he says I'll certainly be stone-blind in six months Blind! Anne, just think of it!" For a minute Anne was silent. Then she said bravely, but with a catch①} in her voice: "Marilla, DON'T think of it. You know he has given you hope. If you are careful you won't lose your sight altogether; .400. 第三十八章 峰回路转 玛丽拉第二天进了城,晚上才回来。安呢和 戴安娜去了果园坡,回来时发现玛丽拉在厨房 里,她坐在桌旁,头支在手上。 “玛丽拉,您很累吧?” “啊--不-我不知道,”玛丽拉有气无力 地说,她抬起头来,“我看我是累了,不过我还 没有想到累不累。不是因为这个。” “您看了眼科大夫了吗?他说什么了?”安娓 焦急地问。 “哦,我见到他了。他检查了我的眼睛。他 说如果我一点儿不读书,不做针线或者任何累服 睛的活儿,并且注意不哭,戴上他给我配的眼镜, 他认为我的眼睛就可能不会再恶化,头疼也能治 好。但是如果我做不到,他说我肯定会在六个月内 失明。失明!安呢,想想看吧!” 安呢沉默了片刻。接着她勇敢地开了口,但 是声音有一点儿硬咽:“玛丽拉,别想这件事 ① catch /kaetf/n.(瞬咙的)硬 了。您知道他给了您希望。如果您注意,就不会 塞,抽嘻 完全丧失视力,如果他配的眼镜治好了您的头 ·401· Anne of Green Gabfes and if his glasses cure your headaches it will be a great thing." "I don't call it much hope," said Marilla bitterly. "What am I to live for if I can't read or sew or do anything like that? I might as wel be blind-or dead. And as for crying, I can't help that when I get lonesome." When Marilla had eaten her lunch Anne persuaded her to go to bed Then Anne went herself to the east gable and sat down by her window in the darkness alone with her tears and her heaviness of heart One afternoon a few days later Marilla came slowly in from the front yard where she had been talking to Sadler from Carmody. Anne wondered what he could have been saying to bring that look to Marilla's face. “What did Mr. Sadler want, Marilla?" Marilla sat down by the window and looked at Anne. There were tears in her eyes in defiance{ of the oculist's prohibition and her voice broke as she said: "He heard that I was going to sell Green Gables and he wants to buy it." "Buy it! Buy Green Gables?" Anne wondered if she had heard aright. "Anne, I don't know what else is to be done." Marilla broke down and wept bitterly. "You mustn't sell Green Gables," said Anne resolutely. “Oh, Anne, I wish I didn't have to. But you can see for yourself. I can't stay here alone. I'd go crazy with trouble and loneliness. And my sight would go-I know it would." "You won't have to stay here alone, Marilla. I'll be with you. I'm not going to Redmond." "Not going to Redmond!" Marilla lifted her worn face from her .402. 绿山墙的安妃 疼,这可是一件大好事。” “我看不出有多大希望,”玛丽拉痛苦地说。 “若是我既不能看书,也不能做针线或干任何类 似的活儿,活着还有什么意思呢?还不如瞎 了--或者死了算了。至于哭,我一感到孤单寂 寞,就禁不住流泪。” 玛丽拉吃过饭后,安婉说服她上床睡觉,然 后自己回到了东侧房,一个人摸黑在窗旁坐了下 来,她泪水连浒,心情沉重。 几天后的一个下午,玛丽拉慢慢地从院子里 走回屋,她刚才一直在院子里和卡莫迪的约翰 萨德勒谈话。安婉感到奇怪,他说了些什么使玛 丽拉的脸色变成这个样子了? “玛丽拉,萨德勒先生想做什么?” 玛丽拉坐在窗户旁边看着安婉。她不顾医生 ① defiance /dr'faions n. 蔑视 的劝阻,两眼又饱含了泪水,声音嘶哑地说 违抗 “他听说我要卖掉绿山墙,他想买它。” “卖它!卖绿山墙?”安娓怀疑她是不是听错 了。 “安妃,我不知道还有什么办法。” 玛丽拉说罢忍不住号啕大哭起来。 “你不能卖绿山墙!”安呢坚决地说 “安呢,我也不想卖呀。可情况就是这样, 你自己也看到了。我不能一个人住在这里。烦恼 和孤独会把我逼疯的。而且我会失明的一-我知 道会的。” “你不必独自一人待在这儿的,玛丽拉。有 我陪着你呢。我不准备去雷德蒙了。” “不去雷德蒙!”玛丽拉双手从憔悴的脸上放 下,抬起头望着安婉,“你在说什么?” .403· Anne of Green Gabfes hands and looked at Anne, "Why, what do you mean?" “Just what I say. I'm not going to take the scholarship. I can have the Carmody school. I can board home and drive myself over to Carmody and back, in the warm weather at least. And even in winter I can come home Fridays. And I'll read to you and keep you cheered up. You shan't{be dull or lonesome. And we'll be real cozy and happy here together, you and I." Marilla had listened like a woman in a dream “Oh, Anne, I could get on real well if you were here, I know. But I can't let you sacrifice yourself so for me. It would be terrible." "Nonsense!" Anne laughed merrily. "There is no sacrifice. My mind is quite made up, Marilla." "But your ambitions-and-" "I'm just as ambitious as ever. Only, I've changed the object of my ambitions. I'm going to be a good teacher-and I'm going to save your eyesight. Besides, I mean to study at home here and take a little college course all by myself." "I don't feel as if I ought to let you give it up,"said Marilla, referring to the scholarship. “But you can't prevent me," laughed Anne. "Oh, Marilla, I'm heart glad over the very thought of staying at dear Green Gables. Nobody could love it as you and I do-so we must keep it." "You blessed girl!"said Marilla, yielding."I feel as if you'd given me new life." When it became noised abroad in Avonlea that Anne Shirley had given up the idea of going to college and intended to stay home and teach there was a good deal of discussion over it. Most of the good folks, not knowing about Marilla's eyes, thought she was foolish. Mrs. Allan did not. Neither did good Mrs. Lynde .404. 绿山墙的安妃 “我说得很明白了。那份奖学金我不要了。我 可以去卡莫迪的学校。至少在天气暖和的时候 我可以住在家里,坐车往返学校。即使在冬天, 我也可以在周五回家。到时候我可以给你念念书 让你心情愉快,这样你就不会孤单寂寞了。你和 ① shan't /fa:nt/ abbr. 将不 我,我们在一起会过得非常舒心幸福的。” (-shall not) 玛丽拉倾听着,仿佛是在做梦。 “哦,安呢,如果你在这儿,我会过得很快 活的,我知道。但是我不能让你为了我而牺牲你 自己。这可糟糕透了。” “瞎说!”安妃快活地笑了,“没有什么牺牲 不牺牲的。玛丽拉,我的主意已经定了。” “可是你的抱负--和-” “我完全像过去一样雄心勃勃。我只是改变 了奋斗目标。我要当一位好老师一我要保住您 的眼睛。另外,我打算在家里学习,自学一点儿 大学课程。” “我觉得我好像不应该让你放弃它。”玛丽拉 说,她是在说奖学金。 “可是您阻止不了我,”安娓笑了,“噢,玛 丽拉,留在亲爱的绿山墙,一想起来我就打心眼 儿里高兴。没人能像我和您一样爱它--因此我 们必须留住它。” “你这个鬼丫头!”玛丽拉说,她让步了。 “我觉得好像你给了我新的生命。” 安呢·雪利放弃了上大学的想法,打算留在 家里教书的消息沸沸扬扬地在埃文利传开了,人 们对此议论纷纷。大多数好心人不知道玛丽拉得 了眼病,认为安娓是冒傻气。阿伦太太不这样 想。可敬的林德太太也没说她傻 .405· Anne of Green Gabfes Mrs. Rachel deposited her substantial^{①} person upon the stone bench by the door. “Well, Anne, I hear you've given up your notion of going to college. I was real glad to hear it. You've got as much education now as a woman can be comfortable with. I don't believe in girls going to college with the men and cramming their heads full of Latin and Greek and all that nonsense." “But I'm going to study Latin and Greek just the same, Mrs. Lynde," said Anne laughing. "I'm going to take my Arts course right here at Green Gables, and study everything that I would at college." Mrs.Lynde lifted her hands in holy②horror. "Anne Shirley, you'll kill yourself." "Not a bit of it. I shall thrive{③} on it. I'm going to teach over at Carmody,you know." "I don't know it. I guess you're going to teach right here in Avonlea. The trustees④ have decided to give you the school." "Mrs. Lynde!" cried Anne, springing to her feet in her surprise. "Why, I thought they had promised it to Gilbert Blythe!" “So they did. But as soon as Gilbert heard that you had applied for it, he went to them and told them that he withdrew his application, and suggested that they accept yours. So the trustees decided to take you." "I don't feel that I ought to take it,"murmured Anne. "I mean-I don't think I ought to let Gilbert make such a sacrifice for-for me." "I guess you can't prevent him now. He's signed papers with the White Sands trustees. So it wouldn't do him any good now if you were to refuse.” Anne went to the little Avonlea graveyard the next evening to put fresh flowers on Matthew's grave and water the Scotch rosebush "Dear old world," she murmured, "you are very lovely, and I am .406. 绿山墙的安妃 ① substantial /sab'staenfal 门旁有条石凳,蕾切尔夫人重重地坐到凳子 a.结实的.实在的 上。 “哎,安呢,我听说你不打算上大学了。我 真高兴听到这个消息。你现在受的教育已经够多 了,对一个女人来说正合适。我认为姑娘们和男 人一起上大学,脑子里塞满了拉丁文、希腊文和 各种乱七八糟的东西没有好处。” “但是我还是要学拉工文和希腊文呢,林德 太太,”安呢笑着说,“我要在这儿,就在绿山 墙,自修文科课程,学习大学里能学到的各种知 识。” ②holy/haul/a 神圣的,圣 林德夫人惊恐万状地举起了双手。 洁的 “安婉;雪利,你会把自已累死的。’ ③ thrive/raiwv. 健壮成长 “一点儿也不会累。我会长得壮壮实实的。 您知道,我要到卡莫迪去教书。” “我不知道这件事。我以为你要在这儿教书 ④ trustee /trAs'ti:/ n. 受托人. 就在埃文利。校董们已经决定接受你了。” 理事 “林德太太!”安呢惊讶地跳起来叫道, “哎 呀,我还以为他们已经答应接受吉尔伯特·布菜 思了呢!” “他们是答应了,但是吉尔伯特一听说你提 了申请,就去找他们了,他对他们说他撤销申 请,建议他们接受你的电请。就这样校董决定要 你了。” “我觉得我不应当接受这个工作,”安呢低声 说,“我是说--我认为我不应当让吉尔伯特 为-为我做出这么大的牺牲。” “我想现在你不能阻止他了。他已经同白沙 滩校董签了约。因此,如果你现在拒绝的话,对 他也不会有任何好处。” 第二天晚上安妃去了小小的埃文利墓地,在 ·407· Anne of Green Gabfes glad to be alive in you." Halfway down the hill a tall lad came whistling out of a gate before the Blythe homestead{}. It was Gilbert, and the whistle died on his lips as he recognized Anne "Gilbert," she said, with scarlet cheeks. "I want to thank you for giving up the school for me. It was very good of you-and I want you to know that I appreciate it." Gilbert took the offered hand eagerly. "It wasn't particularly good of me at all, Anne. I was pleased to be able to do you some small service. Are we going to be friends after this? Have you really forgiven me my old fault?" Anne laughed and tried unsuccessfully to withdraw her hand "I forgave you that day by the pond landing, although I didn't know it. What a stubborn little goose I was. I've been-I may as well make a complete confession-I've been sorry ever since." “We are going to be the best of friends," said Gilbert, jubilantly②. "We were born to be good friends, Anne. You've thwarted③ destiny enough. I know we can help each other in many ways. You are going to keep up your studies, aren't you? So am I. Come, I'm going to walk home with you." Marilla looked curiously at Anne when the latter entered the kitchen "Who was that came up the lane with you, Anne?" "Gilbert Blythe," answered Anne, vexed to find herself blushing."I met him on Barry's hill." "I didn't think you and Gilbert Blythe were such good friends that you'd stand for half an hour at the gate talking to him," said Marilla with a dry smile "We haven't been-we've been good enemies. But we have decided .408. 绿山墙的安妃 马修墓上摆放了鲜花,还给苏格兰玫瑰从浇了水。 “亲爱古老的世界啊,”她嘲自语,“你真 ① homestead /haumsted/ n. 家 可爱呀,我真高兴生活在你的怀抱里。” 园,田产 半山腰,一个高个儿小伙子吹着口哨出现在 布菜思家门前。是吉尔伯特,他认出是安婉,口 哨在嘴唇上停住了。 “吉尔伯特,”她说,两颊涨得通红,“我要 感谢你为我放弃了在这儿教书。你真好-我想 让你知道我很感激你。” 吉尔伯特热情地握住了那只伸过来的手。 “我根本算不上特别好,安呢。我很高兴能 够为你做一些小事。从今以后我们会成为好朋友 吧?你已经真的原谅我的过错了吧?” 安婉笑了,想抽回她的手却没有成功。 “你把我从池塘救上岸那一天我就原谅你了 尽管我当时没有意识到。我是一个多么固执的小 ② iubilantly /iutbalantly/ od 傻瓜呀。我一直--我还是彻底坦白吧--我一 欢欣地,喜气洋洋地 直很后悔。” ③thwart /0wo:t/v. 反对.阻碍 “我们要成为最好的朋友,”吉尔伯特喜气洋 洋地说,“我们命中注定是好朋友,安婉。你已 经和命运抗争了很长时间了,我知道我们在许多 方面可以互相帮助。你要继续坚持学习,是吗 我也是。来,我陪你回家。” 安呢走进厨房的时候,玛丽拉好奇地打量着 她。 “安婉,和你一起从小路上走过来的人是谁 呀?” “吉尔伯特·布莱思,”安娓回答说,她恼火 地发现自已的脸红了,“我在巴里家的山坡上碰 到了他。” ·409·