牛津書蟲系列 遠(yuǎn)離塵囂8 芭絲謝芭的羊群遇到了危險(xiǎn)

Chapter 8 Bathsheba's sheep in danger
第八章 芭絲謝芭的羊群遇到了危險(xiǎn)
Because Bathsheba was not at all in love with Farmer Boldwood，she was able to consider his proposal of marriage calmly.
芭絲謝芭一點(diǎn)兒也不愛農(nóng)場主伯德伍德，所以她可以平心靜氣地考慮他的求婚。
It was an offer which many women of good family in the area would have been delighted to accept.
他的求婚是這個地區(qū)許多家境富裕的女人都求之不得的。
He was serious，respectable and rich.
伯德伍德嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)、可敬，而且富有。
If she had wanted a husband，she could not have found a good reason for refusing to marry him.
如果芭絲謝芭要找一個丈夫的話，她找不出理由來拒絕和他結(jié)婚。
But she was still enjoying her new position as mistress of a farm and house，
不過，她現(xiàn)在還相當(dāng)喜歡她的這個農(nóng)場女主人的新位置的。
and although she respected and liked him，
盡管她尊敬他，喜歡他，
she did not want to marry him.
但并不想和他結(jié)婚。
However she was honest enough to feel that，
她誠心誠意地覺得，
as she had begun the courting by sending him the valentine，
既然是由于自己給他寄了情人卡而開始了這場求婚，
she ought not to refuse him now.
所以不應(yīng)該現(xiàn)在拒絕他。
There was only one person whose opinion she trusted more than her own，
只有一個人的意見她比對自己的意見更加信賴，
and that person was Gabriel Oak.
這個人就是蓋伯瑞爾·奧克。
So the next day she decided to ask his advice.
第二天，她決定去問問他的意見。
She found him with Jan Coggan，sharpening the shears which would be used to shear the sheep.
她發(fā)現(xiàn)他和簡·考根在一起磨剪羊毛的剪刀。
'Jan，go and help Joseph with the horses，'she ordered.
"簡，你去幫約瑟夫弄馬去，"她命令說。
'I'll help you，Gabriel. I want to talk to you. '
"我來幫你，蓋伯瑞爾。我想和你談?wù)劇?quot;
The shears were sharpened on a stone which was turned by a wheel，which was itself turned by a handle.
剪刀是在一塊由一個輪子帶著轉(zhuǎn)動的石頭上磨快，輪子上按著一個搖柄。
Bathsheba could not manage the handle，so she held the shears while Gabriel turned the handle.
芭絲謝芭搖不了搖柄，所以她拿著剪刀，蓋伯瑞爾搖搖柄。
'You aren't holding them right，miss，'he told her.
"小姐，你拿剪刀的方法不對，"他對她說。
'Let me show you how.He let go of the handle，and put his large hands round hers，to hold the shears.
"我來教你怎么拿。"他松開搖柄，用他的大手握住她的手，拿著剪刀。
'Like that，'he said，continuing to hold her hands for a peculiarly long time.
"像這樣拿著，"他說，好半天一直握著她的手。
'That's enough，'said Bathsheba.
"行了，"芭絲謝芭說。
'I don't want my hands held!Turn the handle!'
"我不想讓人握著我的手!去搖搖柄!"
They went on sharpening the shears.
他們繼續(xù)磨剪刀。
'Gabriel，what do the men think about me and Mr Boldwood?'
"蓋伯瑞爾，人們怎么看我和伯德伍德先生?"
'They say you'll marry him before the end of the year，miss. '
"小姐，人們說你在年底前會和他結(jié)婚。"
'What a foolish thing to say!I want you to contradict it，Gabriel. '
"這樣說是愚蠢的!蓋伯瑞爾，我要你反駁這種說法。"
'Well，Bathsheba!'said Gabriel，staring at her in surprise.
"怎么回事?芭絲謝芭!"蓋伯瑞爾吃驚地瞪著她說。
'Miss Everdene，you mean，'she said.
"你該稱呼伊芙丁小姐吧，"她說。
'Well，if Mr Boldwood really asked you to marry him，
"如果伯德伍德先生真的要你和他結(jié)婚，
I'm not going to contradict that，just to please you. '
那我并不想為了取悅你而去反駁那種說法。"
'I said I wanted you just to say it wasn't true that I was going to marry him，'she said，less confidently.
"我說我只是想要你說我沒有打算和他結(jié)婚這回事，"她有點(diǎn)心虛地說。
'I can say that，if you wish，Miss Everdene.
"伊芙丁小姐，如果你希望，我可以去說。
I could also give my opinion of the way you've behaved. '
我還可以對你的所作所為談?wù)勎业目捶ā?quot;
He continued with his work.
他繼續(xù)干他的活。
Bathsheba knew that he would always give his honest opinion，even if she asked him whether she should marry another man，
芭絲謝芭知道既使她問他自己是否應(yīng)該和另一個男人結(jié)婚，他也總是會實(shí)實(shí)在在地說出他的看法的。
and there was nobody else she could trust.
沒有誰比蓋伯瑞爾更使她信任了。
'Well，what is your opinion of my behaviour?'she asked.
"那你怎么看我做的那件事?"她問。
'No good，respectable woman would behave like that，'he replied.
"不怎么樣，體面的女人不會那樣做的，"他回答說。
'You should never have sent him that valentine. '
"你決不該送他那張情人卡。"
Bathsheba blushed angrily.
芭絲謝芭氣紅了臉。
'Luckily I don't care about your opinion!
"幸好我不在乎你說的!
Why do you think I'm not good or respectable，I wonder?
我不知道你怎么會覺得我不好，不體面!
Because I didn't agree to marry you，perhaps!'
也許是因?yàn)槲也煌夂湍憬Y(jié)婚!"
'Not at all. 'said Gabriel quietly.
"根本不是，"蓋伯瑞爾平靜地說。
'I've long ago stopped thinking about that. '
"很久以前我就不想那件事了。"
'Or wishing it，I suppose，'she said，expecting him to protest that he still loved her.
"我猜想也不抱希望了?"她說，希望他會抗議說他仍愛著她。
'Or wishing It，'repeated Gabriel calmly.
"不抱希望了，"蓋伯瑞爾平靜地重復(fù)。
Bathsheba would not have minded being spoken to angrily by Gabriel for her thoughtlessness，if only he had told her he loved her.
若是蓋伯瑞爾告訴芭絲謝芭他愛她的話，芭絲謝芭并不會在意他由于她欠考慮而斥責(zé)她。
But his cold words of blame annoyed her greatly.
但是他責(zé)備時冷漠的言詞卻使她很惱火。
'I cannot allow any man to accuse me of bad behaviour!' she cried.
"我不能允許任何人指責(zé)我行為不檢點(diǎn)!"她大聲說。
'So you will leave the farm at the end of the week!'
"你這個周末走吧!"
'All right，I will，'said Gabriel calmly. 'In fact I would rather go at once. '
"行，我會走的，"蓋伯瑞爾平靜地說。"實(shí)際上我更愿意現(xiàn)在就走。"
'Go at once then!'she replied angrily. 'Don't let me see your face any more. '
"那現(xiàn)在就走吧!"她生氣地說。"別再讓我看見你。"
'Very well，Miss Everdene. 'And so he took his shears and walked quietly away.
"很好，伊芙丁小姐。"他拿起剪刀，默默地走了。
It was only twenty-four hours after Gabriel had left the farm that three men came running to report a disaster to Bathsheba.
就在蓋伯瑞爾剛離開農(nóng)場一天，三個人跑來向芭絲謝芭報(bào)告一起災(zāi)難。
'Sixty of your sheep-'said Joseph Poorgrass，breathless.
"你的60只羊--"約瑟夫·普格拉斯上氣不接下氣地說。
'Have broken through throgh the gate said Billy，also breathless.
"沖壞了大門--"比利也上氣不接下氣地說。
'And got into a field of young clover!'said Laban Tall.
"到了一片長著嫩三葉草的地里!"拉班·托爾說。
'They're eating the clover，and they're all swollen up!'
"羊正在吃三葉草，肚子都脹起來了!"
'They'll all die if someone doesn't do something!'
"要是不想辦法，他們會死的!"
'Oh you fools!'cried Bathsheba.
"哼，你們這幫蠢才!"芭絲謝芭嚷道。
'Go straight to the field and get them out!'
"快去地里，把羊弄出來!"
She rushed towards the clover field，followed by the men.
她朝長著三葉草的地里跑去，后面跟著那幾個人。
Her sheep were all lying down，their stomachs badly swollen.
她的羊肚子脹得鼓鼓的，全都躺著。
Joseph，Billy and Laban carried the sheep back into their own field，
約瑟夫、比利和拉班把羊扛回它們自己的地里，
where the poor creatures lay helplessly without moving.
那些可憐的羊一動也不動地躺在那里。
'Oh，what can I do，what can I do?'cried Bathsheba.
"哎呀，我該怎么辦，我該怎么辦?"芭絲謝芭大聲地說著。
'There's only one way of saving them，'said Laban.
"要救這些羊只有一個辦法，"拉班說。
'Soemeone must make a hole in the sheep's side，'explained Billy，'with a special tool.
"用一種特殊的工具在羊身體的一側(cè)鉆一個洞，"比利解釋說，
Then the air comes out，and the sheep will survive. '
"肚子里的氣出來，羊就有救了。"
'Can you do it?Can I do it?'she asked wildly.
'你會干嗎?我會干嗎?"她氣急敗壞地問。
'No，ma'am If it isn't done very carefully，the sheep will die.Most shepherds can't even do it. '
"不會，小姐。如果操作不當(dāng)，羊會死的。大多數(shù)牧羊人也都干不了。"
'Only one man in the area can do it，'said Joseph.
"這個地方只有一個人能干這個事，"約瑟夫說。
'Who is he?Let's get him!'said his mistress.
"是誰?我們?nèi)フ宜?"女主人說。
'It's Gabriel Oak. Ah，he's a clever man!'replied Joseph.
"蓋伯瑞爾·奧克。他是個聰明的人!"約瑟夫回答說。
'That's right，he certainly is，'agreed the other two.
"對，他是很聰明，"另外兩人附和著說。
'How dare you say his name to me!'she said angrily.
"你們怎敢在我面前提他的名字!"她生氣地說。
'What about Farmer Boldwood?Perhaps he can do it?'
"農(nóng)場主伯德伍德怎么樣?也許他會?"
'No，ma'am，'answered Laban.
"不行，小姐，"拉班答道。
'When his sheep ate some clover the other day，and were swollen just like these，
"那天他的羊吃了三葉草，肚子鼓得也像這樣，
he sent for Cabriel at once，and Gabriel saved their lives. '
他立刻派人去請蓋伯瑞爾，蓋伯瑞爾把羊救活了。"
'I don't care!Don't just stand there!Go and find someone!'cried Bathsheba.
"我不管這些!別站在那兒!去找個人來!"芭絲謝芭大聲說。
The men ran off，without any clear idea where they were going，
那幾個人走了，并不知道該往哪里去。
and Bathsheba was left alone with her dying sheep.
只剩下芭絲謝芭和她快死的羊。
'Never will I send for him，never!'she promised herself.
"我決不去請他，決不!"她暗自下決心。
One of the sheep jumped high in the air，fell heavily and did not move.
一只羊跳了起來，重重地落在地上，不動了。
It was dead.
羊死了。
Bathsheba knew she must swallow her pride，and called to Laban，who was waiting at the gate.
芭絲謝芭明白她必須收起她的自尊，她招呼等在大門口的拉班。
'Take a horse，and go and find Gabriel，'she ordered.
"牽一匹馬，去把蓋伯瑞爾找來，"她命令說。
'Give him a message from me，that he must return at once. '
"告訴他我說了他必須立刻回來。"
Bathsheba and her men waited miserably in the field.
芭絲謝芭和她的雇工在地里苦苦地等著。
Several more sheep jumped wildly into the air，their stomachs horribly swollen and their muscles stiff，then died.
又有幾只羊抽瘋似地跳了起來，它們的肚子鼓得可怕，肌肉僵硬，然后死了。
At last a rider could be seen across the fields.
終于，看到一個人騎著馬穿過了田地。
But it was not Gabriel，it was Laban.
但卻不是蓋伯瑞爾，而是拉班。
'He says he won't come unless you ask him politely，'Laban reported to Bathsheba.
"他說除非你客氣地請他，否則他不回來，"拉班向芭絲謝芭報(bào)告說。
'What!'said the young woman，opening her eyes wide.
"什么!"這年輕女人說，眼睛瞪得大大的。
Joseph Poorgrass hid behind a tree in case she became violent.
約瑟夫·普格拉斯藏到了樹后，害怕她會發(fā)作。
'How dare he answer me like that!'Another sheep fell dead.
"他怎么敢這樣答復(fù)我!"又有一只羊落在地上死了。
The men looked very serious，and did not offer their opinion.
人們表情嚴(yán)肅，不發(fā)表意見。
Bathsheba's eyes filled with tears，
芭絲謝芭的眼里滿是淚水。
and she did not try to hide her anger and her injured pride.
她并不想隱藏她的憤怒和受傷的自尊心。
'Don't cry about it，miss，'suggested Billy sympathetically.
"別哭，小姐，"比利同情地建議說
'Why not ask Gabriel in a gentler way?I'm sure he'll come then. '
"干嗎不用更客氣的方式去請蓋伯瑞爾呢?我敢保證他會來的。"
'Oh，he's cruel to me!'said Bathsheba，drying her eyes.
"唉，他對我很冷酷!"芭絲謝芭擦干眼淚說。
'But I'll beg him，yes，I'll have to!'
"我會懇求他，當(dāng)然，我只能懇求他!"
She wrote a few words quickly on a piece of paper，and at the last moment added at the bottom：
她在一張紙上很快地寫了幾個字，最后又在下邊加了一句：
Gabriel，do not desert me!
蓋伯瑞爾，別拋棄我!
She blushed a little as she wrote this，and gave the letter to Laban，who rode off again to find Gabriel.
寫這個時，她臉紅了。她把信給了拉班，拉班又騎馬去找蓋伯瑞爾去了。
When Gabriel arrived，Bathsheba knew from his expression which words in her note had made him come.
蓋伯瑞爾來了，芭絲謝芭從他的表情得知是字條上的話促使他來的。
He went straight to work on the swollen sheep，and managed to save almost all of them.
他立即著手給那些肚子鼓脹的羊治病，差不多把所有的羊都救活了。
When he had finished，Bathsheba came to speak to him.
他干完時，芭絲謝芭走過來跟他說話。
'Gabriel，will you stay on with me?'she asked，smiling.
"蓋伯瑞爾，你愿意繼續(xù)留在我這兒嗎?"她笑著問。
'I will，'said Gabriel. And she smiled at him again.
"愿意，"蓋伯瑞爾說。她又沖他笑笑。
A few days later the sheep-shearing began.
幾天后，開始剪羊毛了。
The sheep were shorn every year at the beginning of June，and their wool was sold.
每年六月初剪羊毛，然后把羊毛賣掉。
The shearing was always done in the great barn，which had stood on the farm for four centuries.
剪羊毛總是在巨大的倉房進(jìn)行，這個倉房在農(nóng)場已有四百年了。
Today the sunshine poured in on the shearers.
這一天，陽光照在剪羊毛的人的身上。
Bathsheba was watching them carefully to make sure that the sheep were not injured，
芭絲謝芭仔細(xì)地看著他們，她要確保羊沒有被傷著，
and that all the wool was cut off.
而且羊毛也剪干凈了。
Gabriel was the most experienced shearer.
蓋伯瑞爾剪得最熟練。
He loved being watched by Bathsheba，and felt warm with pride when she congratulated him on his speed.
他很愿意讓芭絲謝芭看著，當(dāng)她祝賀他剪得快時，他感到無比自豪。
But he was not happy for long.
不過，他沒高興多久。
Farmer Boldwood arrived at the door of the barn，and spoke to Bathsheba.
農(nóng)場主伯德伍德來到了倉房門口，和芭絲謝芭說話。
They stepped outside into the bright sunlight to carry on their conversation.
他們走出去，在燦爛的陽光下繼續(xù)著他們的談話。
Gabriel could not hear what they were saying，but noticed that Bathsheba was blushing.
蓋伯瑞爾聽不到他們在說什么，但他注意到芭絲謝芭臉紅了。
He continued shearing，feeling suddenly very sad.
他繼續(xù)剪著羊毛，突然感到很沮喪。
Bathsheba went back to the house，and returned a short while later in her new green riding dress.
芭絲謝芭回到屋里，片刻又返身出來，穿著嶄新的綠色騎馬服。
She and Boldwood were obviously going for a ride together.
她顯然要與伯德伍德一起去騎馬。
As Gabriel's concentration was broken for a moment，his shears cut the sheep's skin.
由于蓋伯瑞爾注意力不集中，他的剪子剪到了羊的皮肉。
Bathsheba，at the door of the barn，noticed the animal jump，and saw the blood.
在倉房門口的芭絲謝芭注意到那只牲畜跳了一下，也看到了血。
'Oh Gabriel!'she said. 'Be more careful!'
"喂，蓋伯瑞爾!"她說。"當(dāng)心點(diǎn)!"
Gabriel knew she was aware that she herself had indirectly caused the poor sheep's wound.
蓋伯瑞爾知道芭絲謝芭意識到她自己是這只可憐的羊受傷的間接原因。
But he bravely hid his hurt feelings，and watched Boldwood and Bathsheba ride away，
蓋伯瑞爾堅(jiān)強(qiáng)地藏起自己受傷的感情，看著伯德伍德和芭絲謝芭一同騎馬走了，
feeling as sure as the other workers that the couple would soon be married.
像其他雇工一樣確信這一對很快就會結(jié)婚。