探究中文版《令人难以宽慰的农庄》II

[aqiun]

 第八章

 

内容丰富的一夜

 

 

'while no one so much as breathed a word about introducing her to Aunt Ada Doom. '

 

译：“也没有一个人提起要将她介绍给艾达·杜姆姨妈”

 

评：‘没人流露出一丁点想将她介绍给艾达·杜姆姨妈的迹象’

 

 

'Once she observed to Flora, seeing the latter regarding the empty tray which had come out of Mrs Starkadder’s bedroom:'

 

译：“有一次，她听到芙洛拉正在谈论从老斯塔卡德夫人卧室里端出来的空盘子，便说：”

 

评：observed to 不是observed ：‘有一次，她看到芙洛拉正在观察从老斯塔卡德夫人卧室里端出来的空盘子，便说’

 

 

'‘Yes … we’re a bit off our feed this morning, as you might say.... Still, there’s room for it where it goes, ’eaven knows, and we keep ’ealthy enough on it. '

 

译：“你可能会说，我们今天早上有点吃不饱了。... 不过，上帝知道，这足够让我们保持身体健康了。”

 

评：漏了点：‘你可以说我们今天早上胃口不太好。... 天晓得那么多食物是有足够地方去的，吃那么多也没妨碍到她身体健康。’

 

 

'the type of person who questions servants.'

 

译：“那种会质疑用人的人”

 

评：‘那种会盘问佣人的人’

 

 

'She had been heard to say that at least there was one of ’em at Cold Comfort as knew her own mind, even if she ’ad seen something narsty in the woodshed when she was two. Flora had no idea what this last sentence could possibly mean. Possibly it was a local idiom for going cuckoo.'

 

译：“曾有人听她说，即使她两岁时曾在柴棚里看到了恶心的东西，但令人难以宽慰的农庄里至少还有一个人懂她。芙洛拉不清楚这第一句话可能是什么意思，或许是当地的一句土话吧。”

 

评：‘她曾吐露过至少冷藉农庄里有一个打得定自己的主意的人，即使她两岁时曾在柴棚里看到了恶心的东西。芙洛拉完全想不出后面这句话可能是什么意思，或许是当地的一句土话，指人神经不正常吧。’

 

 

'she would have commanded that Flora be brought into the Presence.'

 

译：“她一定会命令别人把她带到面前的。”

 

评：既然是大写，再夸张点无妨：‘她一定会派遣别人带她去面圣的’

 

 

'begin working on him during the long drive down to the town.'

 

译：“然后在开车前往镇上的漫长路途中对他下手。”

 

评：‘..开始感化他’

 

 

'Accordingly, when Thursday evening came during her second week at the farm, she approached her cousin as he entered the kitchen after tea (for he would never partake of that meal, which he thought finicking) and said resolutely:'

 

译：“于是，在她到达农庄后的第二个星期四晚上，她的表姐夫在喝过茶后走进厨房（因为他认为晚餐很难吃，所以从来不吃）。她朝他走过去，态度坚决地说：”

 

评：‘于是，在她到达农庄后的第二个星期四晚上，她的表姐夫在茶点过后走进厨房的时候（因为他认为下午茶这一餐是过于考究的人吃的，他从来不碰），她迎向他态度坚决地说：’

 

 

'The brittle air, on which the fans of the trees were etched like ageing skeletons, seemed thronged by the bright, invisible ghosts of a million dead summers. The cold beat in glassy waves against the eyelids of anybody who happened to be out in it. High up, a few chalky clouds doubtfully wavered in the pale sky that curved over against the rim of the Downs like a vast inverted pot-dechambre. Huddled in the hollow like an exhausted brute, the frosted roofs of Howling, crisp and purple as broccoli leaves, were like beasts about to spring'

 

译：“稀薄的空气中，扇子状的树林像老化的骨架一样承受着侵蚀，身边似乎环绕着众多明亮而无形的幽灵，它们属于无数逝去的夏天。冷风的波浪好似玻璃，拍打着任何碰巧在室外的人的眼皮。高处，一些白垩色的云在苍白的天空中飘动，天空弯弯曲曲地勾出了唐郡的轮廓，像一个倒置的、巨大的香槟壶。嚎叫村则形似一头精疲力竭的畜生，蜷缩在山谷中，结了霜的屋顶像花椰菜的叶子一般又脆又紫，又如同即将迎接春天的野兽。”

 

评：这里的从句的确很难翻得连贯，主要建议改动个别的词语。前面有lip被翻成“摩克山的唇边”，可能平直一些的‘山坳’即可？ spring这里是动词

 

‘...扇状的树冠被勾勒成老化的骨架 ... 透明的冷风层层拍打着 ... 白垩色的云踌躇不决地飘动在苍白的天空中，天空笼罩着唐郡的轮廓，像一个倒置的、巨大的夜壶... 又脆又紫，又如同即将跃起的野兽’

 

 

'though it was too true that life as she is lived had a way of being curiously different from life as described by novelists.'

 

译：“尽管她所过的生活与小说家们描述的迥然不同，因为这一切都太真实了。”

 

评：‘尽管到现在这一点相当确凿（而奇怪）：她所过的生活与小说家们描述的迥然不同。’

 

 

'(this was used especially for carrying round the chicken-house at night to see if there were any stray cats after the hens: hence the name)'

 

译：“（这个灯笼是特别用来在晚上游逛时携带的，为的是看看是否有流浪猫在追母鸡）”

 

评：‘...在晚上视察鸡窝.. 流浪猫来偷母鸡’ 

 

 

'The great beast, nineteen hands high'

 

译：“这匹被阉割的、身形巨大的马... 有19个4英寸那么高”

 

评：gelding直接‘骟马’就好了啊。 ‘身高足足有十九掌宽’

 

 

'‘Is there a rug?’ she asked, hanging fire.'

 

译：“有小毯子吗？”她一边说，一边靠在炉火边取暖。”

 

评：Flora是有点畏缩了：‘...她有意拖延’

 

 

'But muttering, ‘Ay, let ’un be for a moithering old fool’, Amos struck the horse again and the gig plunged forward.'

 

译：“阿莫斯咕哝着：“是的，老傻瓜。”他又打了一下马，马车突然向前冲去。”

 

评：‘可阿莫斯咕哝着：“哎，别管那个老傻子。”就又打了一下马，马车便向前冲去。’

 

 

'Indeed, none of the Starkadders had any general conversation;'

 

译：“斯塔卡德家就没有一个人曾进行过正常的谈话；”

 

评：‘斯塔卡德全家都不作兴日常聊天；’

 

 

'looks round at all their sinful faces, awaitin’ all eager for to hear me. '

 

译：“环顾他们所有人罪恶的脸庞，等待所有人急切地听我说话。”

 

评：‘环顾他们所有人罪恶的脸庞，看他们急切地等待我的演说。’

 

 

'‘Nay, it worked. But I wouldn’t have it. I reckoned the Lord’s ways is dark and there’d been a mistake, and the spirit that was meant for me had fallen on Deborah. So I just struck her down wi’ the gurt old Bible, to let the devil out of her soul.’'

 

译：“不，它起作用了，但我没得到。我想，耶和华的道路是黑暗的，以致出了差错，本应为我留存的灵却降到了黛博拉身上。所以我就用老《圣经》将她击倒，让魔鬼从她的灵魂里出来。”

 

评：太彪悍了：‘...但我没让它。我断想主的行事深不可测，是哪里出了岔子... 这种情况圣经最靠得住，我拿它把她击倒，把魔鬼从她的灵魂里赶了出来。’

 

 

'asked Flora, endeavouring with some effort to maintain the proper spirit of scientific enquiry.'

 

译：“芙洛拉一边问，一边努力保持着科学探究的精神。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉问道。要保持端正的科学探究的精神这时可要费点功夫。’

 

 

'. ’Tes a fearful torment and a groanin’ to me soul’s marrow,’’'

 

译：“那是可怕的折磨，是在我灵魂深处燃烧的烈火。”

 

评：‘那是可怖的折磨，是我灵魂深处的绝叫。’ 

 

 

'‘I mun till the field nearest my hand before I go into the hedges and by-ways,’ '

 

译：“在去别的地方之前，我要先待在离我最近的土地上。”阿莫斯严肃地反驳道”

 

评：‘在收拾树篱和偏僻小路之前，我得先把手边的土地打理好。’

 

 

'but reflected that religious maniacs always derived considerable comfort from digging into their motives for their actions and discovering discreditable reasons which covered them with good, satisfying sinfulness in which they could wallow to their hearts’ content. '

 

译：“但她同时也意识到，这正是宗教狂热人士们获得安慰的方式：他们一般都会先挖掘自己行为的动机，再从中找到一些有损尊严的理由；这些理由所包含的“罪恶”令他们心满意足。”

 

评：不知为什么想把这句倒过来讲：‘... 宗教狂热人士们总是挖掘自己行为的动机，以求找到一些不堪的理由。找出这样的理由让他们心得意满，使他们可以尽情沉湎于自身的深重罪孽，由此汲取可观的慰藉。’  

 

 

'converted' 'By seeming to be humble'

 

译：“发生变化” “你想看起来谦虚”

 

评：‘回心转意/痛改前非’ ‘你仅仅想做出谦卑的样子’

 

 

'She was proud of herself at the conclusion of this speech. It had, she thought, the proper over-subtle flavour, that air of triumphantly pointing out an undetected and perfectly enormous sin lying slap under the sinner’s nose which distinguishes all speeches intended to lay bare the workings of the religious mind.'

 

译：“能在演讲的最后做出这样的结论，她很自豪。她认为这里蕴含着一种恰到好处的微妙气氛，一种扬扬得意的氛围（它指出了罪人身上虽然），辨别出所有旨在揭露宗教思想运作方式的演讲。”

 

评：‘演讲完毕，她觉得很自豪。和所有旨在揭露宗教思想运作方式的演讲那样，这番言辞蕴含着一种明辨秋毫到吹毛求疵的味道，一种指出罪人眼皮子底下巨大却未被察觉的罪恶时扬扬自得的劲儿。’

 

 

'Anyway, it produced the right effect on Amos.'

 

译：“总之，这对阿莫斯产生了积极的影响”

 

评：‘这话对阿莫斯奏效了’

 

 

'And how can I tell, when I am feelin’ puffed up when I preach, whether I’m sinnin’ in me pride or whether I’m doin’ right by savin’ souls and therefore it woan’t matter if I am puffed up? Aye, and what right have I to puff meself up if I do save them?'

 

译：“在我布道的时候，我如何才能分辨出，我是因自尊心而犯下了罪过，还是因拯救灵魂而做了正确的事？若是后一种情况，那么要我自大一些，也就不足为道了。是的，如果我的确拯救了他们，那么自大一些又有什么不对呢？”

 

评：‘在我布道时感到头脑发胀的时候，我如何才能分辨出，我是在犯下傲慢的罪过，还是因为拯救了灵魂而做得正确，由此自大一些也无伤大雅呢？唉，就算我的确拯救了他们，我又凭什么就此自命不凡呢？’

 

 

'You have a Call, you know. No one should neglect a Call. '

 

译：“你拥有号召力，你知道的。任何人都不应忽视号召力。”

 

评：‘要知道，你是受到上帝的召唤的。任何人受到召唤时都不该置之不理。’

 

 

'Amos left Flora to get down from the trap as best she could.'

 

译：“阿莫斯让芙洛拉赶快从马车上下来。”

 

评：‘阿莫斯一点没有帮助芙洛拉下马车的意思。’

 

 

'he called. ‘We mun hasten and leave the devil’s house,’ glancing back disapprovingly at the warmly-lit windows of the pub, which Flora thought looked rather nice.'

 

译：“芙洛拉不以为然地回头，她看了一眼这家酒馆暖烘烘的窗户，觉得很漂亮。”

 

评：不以为然回头看的是Amos

 

 

'‘’Tes frittenin’ for them to see their preacher among them like any simple soul,’ he whispered, standing somewhat back in the shadows. ‘They fear to have me among them, breathin’ warnin’s o’ hell fire and torment.  '

 

译：“就像所有灵魂一样，他们害怕看到布道者站在他们中间。”他站在阴影里低声说，“他们害怕让我站在他们中间，害怕承受地狱之火的折磨。 ”

 

评：‘“他们害怕看到布道者像普通教友一样站在他们中间。”他站在阴影里低声说，“他们害怕让我站在他们中间，在他们耳边告诫他们地狱之火的折磨。 ”’

 

 

'‘Ay, so I do, but in a grand, glorifyin’ kind of a way. '

 

译：“是的，我想吓唬他们，只是用了宏大和颂扬的方式。”

 

评：‘... 但吓完后他们会感到盛大的荣耀’

 

 

'That audience had run to beards and magenta shirts and original ways of arranging its neckwear; and not content with the ravages produced in its over-excitable nervous system by the remorseless workings of its critical intelligence, it had sat through a film of Japanese life called ‘Yĕs’,'

 

译：“她们观看了一部名为《是》的日本生活电影”

 

评：漏了一大句：‘那些观众中流行蓄胡子、品红色衬衫和别具一格的系领带方式。他们的批判性思维能力平素铁面无情，从不怠工，已经为自己易过兴奋的神经系统带来百般折磨，他们却还不满足，还巴巴跑来，把这部描述日本生活的电影从头看到尾。这部电影名为《是》... ’

 

 

'At tea, Mr Neck and Flora had exchanged views on various films of a frivolous nature which they had seen and enjoyed (for of ‘Yĕs’ they could not yet trust themselves to speak), '

 

译：“喝茶期间，内克先生和芙洛拉就看过、欣赏过的各种电影交换了意见，那些电影本质上都很无聊。”

 

评：又漏了：‘喝茶期间，内克先生和芙洛拉对他们喜欢的一些内容肤浅的电影交换了看法（至于适才的那部《是》，他们尚不信任自己能够对它发表公允意见。）’

 

 

'Lily, who made boring scenes and took up the time and energy which he would much sooner have spent with his wife, but he had to have Lily, because in Beverly Hills, if you did not have a mistress, people thought you were rather queer, and if, on the other hand, '

 

译：“莉莉拍了一些无聊的戏，占用了他即将和妻子在一起所需的时间和精力。但他必须得拥有莉莉，因为在贝弗利山庄，假如你没有情妇，人们就会认为你很古怪；而另一个原因是，”

 

评：‘莉莉相当无聊，老是给他惹事添乱，占用了他许多宁可分给妻子的时间和精力，但他没有莉莉不行，因为在贝弗利山庄，假如你没有情妇，人们就会认为你很古怪；若是反道而行...’

 

 

'She was reminded of Mr Neck, as she stood pensively watching the Brethren going into the chapel, by the spectacle of the Majestic Cinema immediately opposite. '

 

译：“当她站在壮观的电影院对面，出神地看着“弟兄们”的成员走进礼拜堂之时，她想到了内克先生。”

 

评：‘当她出神地看着“弟兄们”步入礼拜堂时，正对面的美琪大影院让她想起了内克先生。’

 

 

'Ay, ’tes a terrible wicked family I’m cursed wi’, and the hand o’ the Lord it lies heavy on Cold Comfort, pressin’ the bitter wine out o’ our souls.'

 

译：“是的，那个家庭既可怕又邪恶，我被诅咒了。上帝的手重重地落在令人难以宽慰的农庄上，把苦酒压进了我们的灵魂。”

 

评：Amos的确有语言天赋：‘唉，是我的不幸，摊上了这么罪大恶极的一家。上帝之手重重地压在冷藉农庄上，从我们的灵魂中榨出苦酒。’ 又，前面‘their eyes drips fatness’ 像是从圣经Psalm 73:7 ‘Their eyes swell out through fatness’化出来的，类似‘脑满肠肥’吧。

 

 

'the organ had begun to play something like a tune.'

 

译：“管风琴开始演奏一种和曲调有点像的声音。”

 

评：‘管风琴弹奏的有点像曲子了。’

 

 

' Flora had not the heart to say that as far as she was concerned, at any rate, this purpose was not achieved.'

 

译：“而芙洛拉则没胆量说，在她看来，这个目标根本没能实现。”

 

评：‘而芙洛拉心太软，没说不管如何，就她而言，这个目的落空了。’

 

 

'The only sound (and it, with the accompanying smell, was quite enough) was the whickering hissing of the gas flares which lit the hall and cast sharp shadows from their noses across the faces of the Brethren.'

 

译：“唯一的声音是煤气灯窃笑般的嘶嘶声（连同随之而来的气味，真够人受的），它照亮了大厅，越过“弟兄们”的脸，从他们的鼻子上投下锋利的阴影。”

 

评：‘唯一的声音是煤气灯邪恶的嘶嘶声，（连同随之而来的气味，真够人受的）。灯光照亮了大厅，越过“弟兄们”的鼻子，在他们脸上投下锋利的阴影。’

 

 

'Second pause, and more Sir Henry stuff.'

 

译：“第二次停顿，加上更多对亨利爵士的模仿。”

 

评：‘第二次停顿，更多的亨利爵士那套。’

 

 

'Not the flicker of a whisper of a bit o’ good.’'

 

译：“一丁点好处都没有。”

 

评：‘一星半点一丝一毫的’

 

 

'Ay, an’ the air’ll be full of the stench of burnt flesh and the screams of your nearest and dearest …'

 

译：“是的，空气中充满了臭气和尖叫，来自烧焦的肉体和你最亲近的人…”

 

评：‘...充满了肉体烤焦后的臭味，充满了与你最最亲近的人的惨叫’

 

 

'Amos’s voice now took on a deceptively mild and conversational note. '

 

译：“阿莫斯的声音现在变得温和而带欺骗性，语调就像在闲聊。”

 

评：‘阿莫斯的声音蛊惑地温和起来，仿佛在闲聊’

 

 

'‘there ’ll be no butter in hell!'

 

译：“地狱里不会有黄油！”

 

评：名场面啊！原文是斜体，这里也应该有特别的表示：‘地-狱-里-不-会-有-黄-油！’

 

 

'The details of Amos’s description, the close atmosphere and the smell of the gas made the inside of the chapel quite near enough to hell, without listening to Amos’s conducted tour of the place thrown in.'

 

译：“阿莫斯描述的细节，那逼真的氛围和气味使这个教堂的内部同地狱的样子相当接近，犹如在他的陪同下进行了一次地狱之旅。”

 

评：‘阿莫斯描述的细节、憋闷的空气和煤气味已经使这个教堂的内部同地狱相当接近，不用阿莫斯再奉送一场专程的陪同导游了。’

 

 

'She could not return to the farm except with Amos in the buggy, '

 

译：“她不能回农庄，除了有阿莫斯的马车可坐，”

 

评：‘她只能靠阿莫斯的马车回农庄’

 

 

'there were cakes in its windows all mixed up with depressing little boxes made of white wood and raffia bags and linen bags embroidered with hollyhocks. '

 

译：“窗户里面有蛋糕，全都与让人扫兴的小盒子混杂在一起，盒子是用白色木料、酒椰叶纤维小包和绣有冬青的亚麻包做的。”

 

评：‘橱窗里陈列的蛋糕和让人丧气的白木盒子、椰纤维织包、以及绣有冬青的亚麻袋混乱地摆放在一道。’

 

 

'He had a clear field, and she could not escape.'

 

译：“他抢占了要地，她逃不出去了。”

 

评：‘他们之间没有任何遮掩，她逃不了了。’

===================================

第九章

 

我对Flora有信心。

 

 

'Surely she had endured enough for one evening without having to listen to intelligent conversation? Here was an occasion, she thought, for indulging in that deliberate rudeness which only persons with habitually good manners have the right to commit;... and hoped for the best …'

 

译：“毫无疑问，她已经听了一个晚上毫无意义的谈话了，她受够了！现在是时候放纵一下，沉浸在那种故意的无礼中了，而只有习惯了礼节的人才有权那么做。”

 

评：‘毫无疑问，今天晚上她已经承受了许多，再要聆听知性发言就太过分了。现在是时候放纵一下，享用惯于彬彬有礼的人的特权了——故意对他人无礼。... 她希望自己走运。’

 

 

'with a bold yet whimsical smile.'

 

译：“脸上露出一种大胆而古怪的笑容”

 

评：一直觉得whimsical 中文里没有很好的对应。‘精灵古怪’？

 

 

'So she replied pleasantly, but from her heart: ‘I am afraid I’m not very interested.’'

 

译：“于是她愉快地回答（但这是发自心底的）:“恐怕我并不太感兴趣。””

 

评：‘于是她和颜悦色（而发自心底）地回答：“恐怕我对此并不太感兴趣。”’

 

 

'Look here, you don’t think this is butting in or anything, do you?'

 

译：“看看，你不觉得这是在打断别人的谈话，对不？”

 

评：‘我这不算打扰你吧？’

 

 

'who came and told him that we were closed.

 

‘I say, that sounds vaguely indelicate,’'

 

译：““我说，这听起来稍微让人有些尴尬。””

 

评：应该是‘不雅’，但为什么他会这么想呢？存疑。

 

 

'She thought it would be best to utilize the information artlessly conveyed to her by Mrs Murther at the Condemn’d Man'

 

译：“她认为最好是运用莫瑟太太在死囚酒吧巧妙传递给她的信息，”

 

评：‘...运用死囚酒吧的莫瑟太太口无遮拦地吐露给她的信息’

 

 

'It’s a psychological study.'

 

译：“这是一本心理学研究之作”

 

评：‘这是一本探索心理幽微的小说’

 

 

'said Flora, who was only too pleased to keep the conversation impersonal.'

 

译：“芙洛拉不带个人色彩地说，能做到这点她很高兴。”

 

评：‘谈话目前不涉及私人领域/不带个人色彩，芙洛拉自然求之不得。’

 

 

'Every scrap of his being is concentrated on finishing “Wuthering Heights”.'

 

译：“他身体的每一个碎片都专注在完成《呼啸山庄》的事情上。”

 

评：‘他为完成《呼啸山庄》悉心竭力呕心沥血。’

 

 

'She was not like the rest of the drab angular women by whom he was surrounded. She symbolized mystery … woman … the eternal unsolvable and unfindable X. It was a perversion, of course, his passion for her, and that made it all the stronger. '

 

译：“她象征着神秘……女人……难以捉摸而不可征服。当然，这是变态的，又使他对她的热情更加强烈。”

 

评：前面drab 感觉更接近‘枯燥无味’而不是“死气沉沉”。‘…难以捉摸而无法解答的永恒。当然，他对她的热情是悖逆不轨的，但这正让这份感情更加强烈’

 

 

'They are little masterpieces of repressed passion.'

 

译：“它们是小小的杰作，是被压抑的激情。”

 

评：‘它们是在压抑的激情驱使下写成的短小的杰作’

 

 

'clear blood in her lips'

 

译：“她的嘴唇里有清澈的血液！”

 

评：前面的raw可作‘粗野’。直译好奇怪，‘红彤彤的嘴唇！’？ 后面Corn Reform 泛指谷物，不单是“玉米”。

 

 

'and had sat on his head in turn while he wrote the three letters, which were afterwards posted at prudently spaced intervals.'

 

译：“当他写这三封信的时候，她们轮流负责拖延进度，谨慎地安排时间间隔，将它们在以后的日子里寄出。”

 

评：‘于是轮流看押着他，直到他写完三封，之后谨慎地安排时间间隔，逐一寄出。’

 

 

'She swallowed a tiny yawn. '

 

译：“她打了个小哈欠。”

 

评：‘她忍下了一个小小的哈欠。’

 

 

'Had not ‘Victorian Vista’, the scathing life of Thomas Carlyle, dropped stone cold last year from the presses because everybody thought it was a boring book of reminiscences, while ‘Odour of Sanctity’'

 

译：“描述批评家托马斯·卡莱尔（Thomas Carlyle）人生的书，去年还不是在媒体上凉得透透的，因为所有人都认为它是一本无聊的回忆录；而《圣人之誉》，”

 

评：‘...内容劲爆，把Carlyle一生批得体无完肤，去年却在媒体上凉得透透的，不正是因为所有人...吗？而《品节的气味》’

 

 

'One of the disadvantages of almost universal education was the fact that all kinds of persons acquired a familiarity with one’s favourite writers.'

 

译：“普及教育的缺点之一，就是不论什么人，都会从他们喜爱的作家身上获得某种“相似性”

 

评：‘...不论什么人都对你最心爱的作家或多或少有一些了解。’

 

 

'And Branwell’s colouring carries out the analogy – that wild reddish-leopard colouring. '

 

译：“而布兰威尔的肤色则很像——野生红豹的肤色。”

 

评：皮肤不能吧？‘而布兰威尔的发色让这个比喻更贴切了——那种接近野豹皮毛的赭色。’

 

 

'But in the end his genius has flamed out, blackest spots on richest gold.'

 

译：“但最后，作为天才的他会在最昂贵的金子上，用火焰烧出最黑的斑点。”

 

评：还是在豹皮上作文章：‘他把自己的天才燃烧殆尽，金光灿灿的底色上最浓重的黑斑。’

 

 

'But Mr Mybug spared her this decision by continuing in the same low voice:'

 

译：“但麦八阁先生仍保持着同样低沉的声音，不让她做出这个决定。”

 

评：‘但麦八阁先生继续低声问的问题省去了她做决定的必要。’

 

 

'I’m – pretty susceptible.’'

 

译：“我是——很脆弱的。”

 

评：这里他实际的意思是自己容易动心爱上，但Flora故意误解，所以中文最好也双关一些： ‘是很容易被感染的。’

 

 

'Mr Mybug looked as though he would have given much to have brushed this aside with a brutal laugh.'

 

译：“为了将这件事撇开并发出一声冷笑，麦八阁先生似乎付出了不小的努力。”

 

评：‘麦八阁先生看上去极想对此话粗暴地一笑置之。’

 

 

'He was not used to talking to young women who looked as clean as Flora looked. It rather put him off his stroke. '

 

译：“他不习惯和像芙洛拉那样干净的年轻女子谈话。这的确推迟了他的攻势。”

 

评：当然是泡妞的手段：‘他不习惯和像芙洛拉那样清爽的年轻女子谈话。这让他难以施展他平日的手段。’

 

 

'‘Are you with anybody?’ he asked.'

 

译：“你是和别人一起来的吗？”他问。”

 

评：这里应该也是双关：‘你和别人在一起吗？’

 

 

'‘It is seven miles, and I am afraid my shoes are not stout enough,’ '

 

译：“有七英里的路，而且我想，我的鞋子可能不够结实。””

 

评：口气更坚定为好：‘要走七英里呢，况且，恐怕我的鞋子也不够结实。’

 

 

'I’m like a child that’s been rapped over the knuckles till it’s afraid to shake hands – but there’s something there if you cah to dig for it.’'

 

译：“我就像被人用指节敲到不敢握手的孩子——但若你愿意挖掘，里面会大有宝藏。”

 

评：knuckles 是被打到的位置，符合东方习惯的说法是：‘我就像被大人打手心，训得不敢握手的孩子——但若你愿意挖掘，底下必定有收获。’

 

 

'‘No – dash it, Cousin Amos, that wasn’t a stranger'

 

译：“不——该死，阿莫斯表姐夫，那不是陌生人。”

 

评：Flora用词很文雅的，就是生气了也不会直接咒骂。可惜国骂中温和而不带强烈地方特色的找不到什么，弱弱地建议 ‘也太荒谬了’

 

 

'that Flora had missed a good deal by not staying for the quivering.'

 

译：“意思是“弟兄们”被他的讲道深深打动了，而芙洛拉没有留下来“颤抖””

 

评：这里（和前面）最好加注这里的quiver是从Shaker派化出的，教徒们是被感化得心情澎湃，难以自抑，进而颤抖。

 

 

'two facts which were not calculated to raise her spirits.'

 

译：“但这两个事实却不足以振奋她的精神。”

 

评：‘这两项事实都无助于振奋她的精神’ Meyerburg是德国姓，Charlotte St好像有许多德裔居民，所以这里可能暴露Flora对德国的敌意。
 

===================================

第十章

 

这章不知道会有什么惊喜。

 

 

'Fecund dreams stirred in the yearlings.'

 

译：“充满生殖欲望的美梦激发了大量幼崽的诞生。”

 

评：‘一岁多的小兽们情窦初开。’

 

 

'had a good deal of time on their hands in one way and another. '

 

译：“要把大量的时间花在忙这忙那上面。”

 

评：‘出于各种原因都空闲得很。’

 

 

'beasten-housen'

 

译：“比斯滕·豪森”

 

评：这里是散装德语的搞笑说法，‘牲口棚’or 生造个故作文雅的‘六畜舍’?

 

 

'She was mixed up in a good many plots. Only a person with a candid mind, who is usually bored by intrigues, can appreciate the full fun of an intrigue when they begin to manage one for the first time.'

 

译：“她被卷入了好多的密谋计划之中。只有那些通常对秘密谋划事情不感兴趣、为人坦诚的人，才能在第一次面对它的时候，尽情享受到它全部的乐趣。”

 

评：这里该体现Flora的主动：‘她身处许多密谋之中。只有那些为人坦诚、通常对秘密谋划不感兴趣的人，才能在初次掌控密谋时...’

 

 

'had gone sour on her.'

 

译：“已经令她失去信心了。”

 

评：‘就无功而返。’

 

 

'dash it from her hand, '

 

译：“从手上摔下去”

 

评：‘从她手上夺过来一把甩出去’

 

 

'each fibre being distinct and comely...Most taking of all,  '

 

译：“每一根纤维都是独特而秀丽的，... Most taking of all, ”

 

评：‘每一根纤维都亭亭玉立/清爽秀气... 最惹人喜欢的是，’

 

 

'sightless Atlantic pools'

 

译：“缥缈的大西洋海面 ”

 

评：似乎‘混茫/灰蒙蒙’更近

 

 

'‘Nor house nor kine,'

 

译：“不是房子也不是母牛”

 

评：Adam口音太重，但我猜这里kine是kin：‘我们非亲非故’

 

 

'Flora was justifiably irritated, and went crossly out for a walk.'

 

译：“芙洛拉无疑被激怒了，她怒气冲冲地夺门而去，想出去散散步。”

 

评：Flora火气也没有那么大：‘芙洛拉自然觉得很恼火，气鼓鼓地出去散步了。’

 

 

'Her short, informative sentences on two sides of deep blue notepaper brought details in return from Charles about the weather in Hertfordshire and messages from his mother. What little else he wrote about, Flora seemed to find mightily satisfying.'

 

译：“查尔斯同样给芙洛拉的小纸条回了信，提到了赫特福德郡的天气和他母亲的问候。作为对查尔斯的回复，芙洛拉则在深蓝色的笔记纸两面写下了简短而富有信息量的句子。对于他写下的只言片语，芙洛拉似乎觉得很满足。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉通常给查尔斯在深蓝色的笔记纸两面写一些简短而富有信息量的句子，而他作为回报，会带给她赫特福德郡天气的详细情况和他母亲的问候。此外，他对别的事着墨不多，但芙洛拉读了也觉得很对胃口。’

 

 

'the plastic contours of a choir-boy etched by Botticelli'

 

译：“唱诗班男孩的轮廓”

 

评：plastic 可做‘柔韧’or‘灵动’？

 

 

'that young chuck-stubbard'

 

译：“”

 

评：Adam每次出场都有许多生词，这里的又只能靠根据上下文猜了。‘拈花惹草的小年轻’？

 

 

'Something earthy, something dark and rooty as the barran that thrust its tenacious way through the yeasty soil had crept into the old man’s voice with the words. He was moved. Old tides lapped his loins.'

 

译：“一些世俗的东西，一些如焦土般黑暗、根深蒂固的东西，随着这些词语悄悄地钻进了老人的声音。他被感动了。古老的潮水拍打着他的后腰。”

 

评：‘一些有关男女欲望的东西，一些不见天日、如顽强地从沃土中伸延的根系的东西，随着... 他被什么感染了。昔日/遥远的春潮在他的下身涌动。’

 

 

'‘Ay – blast un fer a capsy, set-up yearling of a womanizer.’ '

 

译：““是的——从一两岁起就是个好色之徒。””

 

评：‘是的——就烦他装得人模狗样的，毛没长齐就是个好色之徒’

 

 

'more obscure emotion; a bright-eyed grubbing in the lore of farmyard and bin, a hint of the casual lusts of chicken-house and duck-pond, a racy, yeasty, posty-toasty interest in the sordid drama of man’s eternal blind attack and woman’s inevitable yielding and loss.'

 

译：“”

 

评：其实也没写得很露骨：‘...暗示着传说中发生在农院和谷仓里的兴致勃勃的撕扯牵缠，鸡窝和水塘里的苟且放荡，以及对男女之事低俗而骚动焦渴的兴趣——那些不雅勾当不外乎于男性恒久的盲目攻势和女性无法逃脱的屈从和伤耗。’ posty-toasty 存疑

 

 

'Flora knew her hunting gentry. They were what the Americans, bless them! call dumb. '

 

译：“芙洛拉了解那些她所“狩猎”的绅士阶层人士。他们是被美国人（保佑他们！）称为“哑巴”的那类人。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉了解那些热衷狩猎的绅士阶层。’ dumb这里该是智商有限的意思吧。

 

 

'They liked dogs to be well trained and girls to be well turned out and frosts to be of short duration.'

 

译：“他们喜欢训练有素的狗，喜欢打扮得漂漂亮亮的女孩和持续时间很短的严寒天气”

 

评：强调一下排比效果：‘他们喜欢训练有素的狗，喜欢打扮精致的女孩，喜欢持续时间很短的霜冻天气’

 

 

'Lyceum betrayal '

 

译：“”

 

评：Lyceum 存疑

 

 

'‘So, unless I do something about it,’ thought Flora, ‘she will simply be left on my hands.'

 

译：““所以，除非我做点什么。”芙洛拉心想，“否则她就会在我的眼皮底下成为‘剩女’。”

 

评：‘...她自己是解决不了问题的。’ 剩女这词太刺眼。

 

 

'She must be civilized, '

 

译：“她必须是文明的，”

 

评：‘必须让她成为文明人，’

 

 

'Yet all the wandering waves of desire, passion, jealousy, lust, that throbbed through the house converged, web-like, upon her core-solitude.'

 

译：“然而愿望、激情、嫉妒、贪欲……它们涌动的浪花穿越这座房子，汇聚在作为中心的她的孤独之上，就像是网。”

 

评：‘然而愿望、激情、嫉妒、贪欲……这些如浪潮般游走的情感在这座房子中激荡交织，汇聚在作为中心的她的孤独里。’

 

 

'The weakening winds of spring fawned against the old house. '

 

译：“春天虚弱的风吹向那座老房子。”

 

评：fawn：‘讨好地贴近’

 

 

'Somehow you had never bothered about what it had been like for your husband …'

 

译：“而你从来没有为你丈夫的遭遇烦恼过……”

 

评：‘为你丈夫那边经历了什么操过心’

 

 

'You saw to that. None of your grandchildren might leave the farm. Judith might not leave.  '

 

译：“你要确保你的子孙们都不会离开农庄。茱蒂丝可能不会离开。”

 

评：两句并一起逻辑会跳掉一步。‘你确保了这一点。你的子孙们都不会离开农庄的。’ 后面的might不是可能，是‘不被允许’的过去式：‘茱蒂丝不可以离开。’

 

 

'They were your washpot, and you had cast your shoe out over them.'

 

译：“他们就是你的沐浴盆，你也可以把鞋扔到他们身上。”

 

评：这里应该加注washpot 和cast your shoe out 都来自圣经Psalms 60:8 "Moab is my washpot" ‘他们是任你处置的洗脚盆，是你卑贱的全权所有物。’

 

 

'The winter landscape, breaking under spring’s pressure, beat urgently against the panes.'

 

译：“冬天的乡间风景，在春天的压迫下袭来，急促地拍打着玻璃窗。”

 

评：‘...在春天的压迫下节节败退’

 

 

'You couldn’t have a farm without sheds '

 

译：“你拥有的不可能是一个没有棚屋的农庄... 而但凡有棚屋的地方，”

 

评：‘但凡拥有农庄就不可能不拥有棚屋’

 

 

''

 

译：“此外，从你每两个星期检查一次农庄账簿的这件事就可以看出，”

 

评：‘此外，从你每两个星期检查一次的农庄账簿来看，’

 

 

'And seeing that it was because of that incident that you sat here ruling the roost and having five meals a day brought up to you as regularly as clockwork, it hadn’t been such a bad break for you, that day you saw something nasty in the woodshed.'

 

译：“因为那件事，你坐在这里统领着一切，每天有五顿饭被准时地送到你的面前，这对你来说并不算是坏事，那天你在柴棚里看到了恶心的东西。”

 

评：最后一句好像还是倒过来更符合中文习惯。‘...。那天你在柴棚里看到了恶心的东西，而那对你来说并不算是坏事。’
 

===================================

第十一章

 

 

'Seth leaned moodily on the hoot-piece, watching Reuben, who was slowly but deftly repairing a leak in the midden-rail. '

 

译：“塞思忧郁地倚在蹄片上，注视着鲁本，鲁本正在慢悠悠、娴熟地修补着贝丘（史前废物堆）轨道上的一处缝隙。”

 

评：hoot-piece又是作者自创了。hoot不是hoof，‘锹杖’这种看着可以倚靠的是否好点？贝丘那是考古学说法吧，家常说法就是‘垃圾堆围栏的一处裂缝’

 

 

'the dark feathery faces of the thorns'

 

译：“黑黝黝、软绵绵的荆棘丛”

 

评：这里羽毛状应该强调的是它的形状‘毛茸茸’

 

 

'who coloured dully.'

 

译：“用手肘轻轻推了推脸色苍白的鲁本”

 

评：‘用手肘轻轻推了推鲁本，后者不明显地红了脸’

 

 

'Seth disapproved of the impersonal note which the conversation had taken,'

 

译：“塞思看不惯这段话里那没人情味的音调，”

 

评：‘塞思看不惯这场对话变得这么公事公办’

 

 

' in tones just tinged with polite surprise:'

 

译：“她用既礼貌又惊讶的语调答道：”

 

评：‘略带惊讶而不失礼貌的语气答道’

 

 

'‘Frittenin’ the harmless birds off the bushes, more like'

 

译：“看起来更像是，要把无害的鸟儿赶出树丛。”

 

评：‘...要把无辜的鸟儿吓唬得从树丛掉出来’

 

 

'and his breath came thraw.'

 

译：“他的呼吸也变得沉重。”

 

评：‘呼吸也凝噎起来’

 

 

'(at least, he has none so far as I know, and, of course, I do not listen to what Mrs Beetle says), '

 

译：“（至少，据我所知，他一个也没有）”

 

评：Flora 兼听则明：‘（至少，据我所知他没有，我不信Beetle太太说的）’

 

 

'Pointless and Graceless might put in a claim for it, '

 

译：“‘没意义’和‘没礼貌’可能会为此提出索赔，”

 

评：‘‘没意义’和‘没礼貌’可能会也想分一杯羹/觉得它们也有份，提出诉讼’

 

 

'retire to some village a long way off'

 

译：“在退休前去往某个遥远的小山村”

 

评：这个retire是跑得远远的意思：‘去某个遥远的村子隐居一段时间’

 

 

'could get a good grip of affairs here, and when Cousin Amos did come back at last, he would see that the management of the farm must be left in the hands of that person in order to save all the bother of getting things reorganized. '

 

译：“都能处理好这里的事务，当阿莫斯表姐夫最后归来的时候，他就会明白，农庄的管理权必须交由那个人之手，以便省去一切麻烦，让所有事情重新变得井然有序。”

 

评：这是在教他宫斗啊：‘能把这里的事务都好好攥在自己手里，当阿莫斯表姐夫最后归来的时候，他就会明白，农庄的管理权必须留在那个人之手，省得凡事都要重新组织一番’

 

 

'though they were only too embarrassingly ready to do what was natural.'

 

译：“尽管他们常常会未雨绸缪到令人尴尬的程度，以至于无法做出正常的事。”

 

评：这里的natural显然是贬义： ‘他们惯于的是依顺天性，冲动行事，让外人替他们尴尬。’

 

 

'Flora abandoned diplomacy ... She patiently dropped into Starkadder.'

 

译：“芙洛拉放弃了外交上的策略 ... 她在耐心地同斯塔卡德家打成一片。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉不和他委婉了... 她耐心地改用斯塔卡德家族语言。’

 

 

'Flat and dark, the word lay between them in the indifferent air. '

 

译：“这句话又肥大又阴暗，就这么横贯在他们之间冷漠的空气中。”

 

评：‘这句话直白而阴暗，横亘在他们之间冷漠的空气中。’

 

 

'His face was sodden, sunk in on itself in defensive folds.'

 

译：“他的脸湿透了，陷在了一条条皱纹里，那些皱纹看起来具有很强的防御性。”

 

评：‘他湿漉漉的脸凹陷下来，守在一条条皱褶后面。’

 

 

'‘because Aunt Ada is mad there is no reason why you should not try to persuade Cousin Amos to go on a preaching tour, '

 

译：“既然艾达姨妈疯了，那你就大可以去劝说阿莫斯表姐夫，”

 

评：这句逻辑我按（just）because blah blah理解：‘艾达姨妈发疯不该影响到这事，你没理由不去试试说服阿莫斯表姐夫，’

 

 

'‘that if I was to look after th’ farm while the old devil was away, moitherin’ about hell fire to a lot of frittened birds and cows a long way off, he’d come back '

 

译：“你认为，”鲁本慢慢地说，“如果我趁老魔鬼不在时照管农庄，”

 

评：漏了一点 ‘...如果老魔鬼去远方布道，用地狱之火吓唬那些鸟啊牛啊的，我可以趁他不在时照管农庄， ’

 

 

'and suddenly, even as she watched him, victory was hers!'

 

译：“然后突然间，有事发生了！即使她仍在注视他，但胜利已经属于她了！”

 

评：‘而突然间，她眼看着他回心转意，胜利女神向她微笑了！’

 

 

'‘Ay,’ he said, hoarsely, ‘dang me if I doan’t din into the old devil how he must be off speechifyin’ this very week.’'

 

译：“该死的，如果我不跟老魔鬼说话，他这个星期肯定就不开口了。”

 

评：‘我发誓，我这礼拜内一定不让老魔鬼耳根清净，非鼓动他去外地讲道不可！’

 

 

'She felt like stout Cortez or Sir James Jeans on spotting yet another white dwarf.'

 

译：“她觉得自己就像是科尔特斯或詹姆斯·金斯爵士”

 

评：虽然这个例子政治不太正确，Cortez 这里也最好补充一下：‘打下阿兹特克帝国的科尔特斯’

 

 

'but this morning he had said that he really ought to do some work. Flora did not see why,'

 

译：“但今天早晨她对他说，他真的该去做些工作了。芙洛拉也不知道自己为何这么说，”

 

评：他自己说要工作了。芙洛拉不懂他的工作有何意义。

 

 

'Mr Mybug pointed out to Flora that he and she were walking on seeds which were germinating in the womb of the earth. He said it made him feel as if he were trampling on the body of a great brown woman.'

 

译：“麦八阁先生向芙洛拉指出，他和她正在种子上行走，而它们正在地球的子宫内发芽。他说，这让他觉得，自己就像在践踏一个身材高大、肤色棕黑的女人的身体。”

 

评：‘麦八阁先生向芙洛拉指出，在他俩走过的土地之下，种子们正在大地母亲的子宫内发芽。他说，这让他觉得就像自己正踩踏在一位肤色棕黑的女巨人身上。’

 

 

'Yet there were occasions when he was not reminded of a pair of large breasts by the distant hills.'

 

译：“不过，在面对远处的山丘时，他不联想到一对大乳房的情况却几乎没有。”

 

评：又反了：‘不过还是有几次，远处的山丘并没有让他联想到一对丰乳。’

 

 

'God! those rhododendron buds had a phallic, urgent look!'

 

译：“那些杜鹃花的花苞有一种阳刚的、急迫的表情！”

 

评：‘上帝啊，那些杜鹃花花苞看上去雄性而急迫！’

 

 

'so much pruriency about nakedness'

 

译：“对赤身裸体的行为有如此强烈的好色之心”

 

评：pruriency 是明知不对有禁忌感的：‘对裸体有如此不健康的强烈兴趣/如此暗搓搓地热衷过头’

 

 

'She passed a girl riding on a pony and two young men walking with knapsacks and sticks, but no one else. '

 

译：“除了她自己，没有别人。”

 

评：漏了。‘路上除了一个骑着矮马的女孩和两位年轻的背包客，她没有遇到别人。’

 

 

'He said a woman’s success could only be estimated by the success of her sexual life,'

 

译：“他说，一个女人的成功，只能通过她在性生活方面的成功来估计”

 

评：这里不是sex life，看上下文的话更可能是：‘只能通过她在性繁殖上的成功来衡量’

 

 

'A dryad’s smile played on the curious sullen purity of her mouth, '

 

译：“她那古怪、阴郁、纯洁的嘴唇上流露出一种树精般的微笑，”

 

评：这三个形容词连在一起很不搭，穿凿附会地另组一下：‘她嘴边的微笑奇怪地既阴郁又无邪，宛若树精的笑容。’

 

 

'Her voice had a breathless, broken quality that suggested the fluty sexless timbre of a choir-boy’s notes'

 

译：“她的声音里有着简单而令人心醉的音质和唱诗班男孩的那种性冷淡似的清澈音色”

 

评：‘她的气息短促，断断续续，声音中带有唱诗班男孩的那种雌雄莫辨的清澈音色。’

 

 

'The vague gesture of her outflung arm sketched, in some curious fashion, illimitable horizons. Judith’s gestures had the same barrierless quality; there was not a vase left anywhere in the farm.'

 

译：“她那甩出手臂的随意姿势，在某种奇怪的程度上，几乎将无边的地平线勾画了出来。茱蒂丝的姿势也有着同样绝妙的特点，可以扫除一切障碍；农庄里甚至没有地方能幸存一个花瓶。”

 

评：这句话最后真心好笑：‘不知如何，她只是伸开双臂做了一个模糊的手势，却好像勾画出了无际的地平线。茱蒂丝的举手投足也有同样的无视任何障碍的特质；什么花瓶在农庄哪个角落都无法幸存。’

 

 

'A pure flood of colour ran up under her skin. Her hands, burnt and bone-modelled as a boy’s, were clenched. '

 

译：“埃尔芬突然问。她的皮肤下面涌出一股纯粹的色彩洪流。她的双手紧握着，骨骼的结构使之看起来很像男孩的手。”

 

评：‘埃尔芬突然问，面色一片潮红，双手紧握。她的手晒得黑黑的，骨节分明，像男孩的手。’

 

 

'Flora replied that she had, occasionally, felt something of the sort, but her reply was limited by the fact that she was not quite sure exactly what Elfine meant.'

 

译：“芙洛拉回答说，她偶尔会有这样的感觉，但她的回答并不充分，因为事实上，她并不太清楚埃尔芬究竟是什么意思。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉回答说偶尔，她有点类似这样的感觉。但事实上，她并不太清楚埃尔芬究竟是什么意思，因而她只能回应到那个程度。’

 

 

' We don’t want to spoil things by having anything definite and binding …'

 

译：“但我们不想通过不可更改、有束缚力的东西，把事情都搞砸……”

 

评：‘加入太明确，太有束缚力的东西会伤害我们的关系...’

 

 

'and in your case it would be downright suicidal'

 

译：“而且以你的情况来看，这无异于彻底的自杀”

 

评：‘而且像你这样情况的，这会彻底毁了你自己。’

 

 

'Flora was justly indignant, but concealed her nasty temper. It was at this moment that she resolved to adopt Elfine and rescue her in the teeth of all the Starkadders of Cold Comfort.'

 

译：“芙洛拉勃然大怒，但她掩饰住了自己的坏脾气。就在这时，她下定决心要收养埃尔芬，把她从“令人难以宽慰”的全体斯塔卡德成员的牙缝里解救出来。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉义愤填膺/的正义感使她勃然大怒... 她当下就下定决心，立志把埃尔芬纳入自己的羽翼之下，把她从“令人难以宽慰”的斯塔卡德一家的爪子下解救出来。’

 

 

'‘Well … he said he thought it would be a good idea if we did.’'

 

译：“嗯……他说如果我们这么做，是个好主意。”

 

评：‘嗯……他说假使我们这么做也不赖。’

 

 

'‘And I suppose you care enough for him, my dear, to wish to become his wife?’'

 

译：“而我想，你十分关心他，想要成为他的妻子？”

 

评：这里的care for 不是关心：‘我们可以说你爱他，爱到想要成为他的妻子的程度吗？’

 

 

'It would be difficult enough to win Dick for Elfine as it was'

 

译：“对于埃尔芬来说，想要赢得迪克的心本就够困难了”

 

评：‘要帮助埃尔芬赢得迪克的心本就够困难的了，’

 

 

'but I did rather want to go to this one,'

 

译：“但我宁愿去参加这个”

 

评：‘但这场舞会我倒是挺想参加的’

 

 

'‘Amusing, or diverting … not “rather fun”,’'

 

译：“‘趣味盎然’或‘妙趣横生’……不是‘特别有趣儿’”

 

评：文雅还在其次，主要是要矜持：‘‘颇有意思’或‘不错的消遣’……不是‘特带劲儿’’

 

 

'She would be mad with rage if she thought that I even knew Dick.'

 

译：“如果她认为我曾经与迪克相识，她会气疯的。”

 

评：‘光让她知道我认识迪克就会把她气疯的。’

 

 

'her poor childish affairs'

 

译：“可怜而具孩子气的琐事”

 

评：‘她可怜而稚气的心事’

 

 

'Flora could have rubbed her hands with glee.'

 

译：“那样，芙洛拉会高兴得连连搓手的。”

 

评：是现在就gleeful了：‘芙洛拉打着如意算盘，心中窃喜。’
 

===================================

第十二章

 

舞会

 

 

'Papa was dead, Mamma was a darling old bird whose hobby was the Higher Thought. There was a son who was easy on the eye but slow on the uptake, and a healthy sort of daughter named Joan.'

 

译：“爸爸去世了，妈妈像一只可爱的老鸟，爱好是阅读《高级思想》。他们有一个儿子，他看起来赏心悦目，只是反应有点迟钝；另有一个健康的女儿，名字叫琼。”

 

评：bird是俚语，女人的轻佻称谓；Higher Thought 可能指的是又称为The New Thought：‘老爸没了，老妈是个甜心，热衷什么新式教义。这家的儿子皮相悦目脑筋不灵，女儿看着嘛体格不错... ’

 

 

'Would it not be rather a tiresome affair? '

 

译：“这当然是件烦人的事，”

 

评：‘舞会很可能相当无聊哦。’

 

 

' (for she thought she would answer his letter by telephone, as she was in a hurry to get the affair arranged),'

 

译：“（因为她觉得，在她急于将此事安排妥当的前提下，她会通过电话给他回信的）”

 

评：‘（她急于将此事办妥，收信后就打电话回复了）’

 

 

'You know how dreadful intelligent people are when you take them to dances.'

 

译：“带聪明人去跳舞，你知道他们会有多可怕。”

 

评：‘你知道带聪明人去舞会的问题——他们会很败兴的。’

 

 

'Elfine would have to be transformed, inside and out, before Mrs Hawk-Monitor could consider her suitable;'

 

译：“在霍克-莫尼特夫人觉得合适之前，埃尔芬不得不经历由内到外的彻底改造；”

 

评：‘不对埃尔芬进行由内到外的彻底改造，霍克-莫尼特夫人是不会认为她是儿子合适的伴侣的。’

 

 

' to kick up one hell of a shine.'

 

译：“一定会“大放异彩”的。”

 

评：其实是slang ‘会大闹一场，生出不知多少事端’

 

 

'enjoyed quietly pitting her cool will against opposition. It amused her; and when she was defeated, she withdrew in good order and lost interest in the campaign.'

 

译：“喜欢用她冷酷的意志同反对意见进行平静的对抗，这让她觉得有趣；而当她被打败的时候，她就会秩序井然地撤退，丧失战斗的兴趣。”

 

评：‘喜欢以从容镇定的意志同对手进行安静的对抗，这让她觉得有趣；若是她被打败了，她会心平气和地离场，并不恋战。’

 

 

'would have felt most bitter towards a girl who planted an Elfine into the midst of a quiet county family.'

 

译：“对于一个女孩将埃尔芬“种”进一个安静的乡村家庭的行为，她也会感到无比痛苦的。”

 

评：‘要是有人把埃尔芬这样的女孩贸然安插在这个安静的乡村家庭，她也会对主使人耿耿于怀的。’

 

 

'She must learn to be serious about horses. She must learn to laugh when a book or a string quartet was mentioned, and to confess that she was not brainy. She must learn to be long-limbed and clear-eyed and inhibited.'

 

译：“她必须学会认真对待马匹。在提到一本书或一曲弦乐四重奏时，她必须学会笑，并且承认自己并不是那么聪明。她必须学会做个四肢修长、双眼明亮，并且能够克制情绪的人。她已经具备了前两种品质，”

 

评：当年英伦好嫁人风：‘她必须学会把马视为要紧的话题。当人们提到一本书或一曲弦乐四重奏时，她必须学会先笑起来，再承认自己智力平平。...并且拘谨自抑 ’

 

 

'She was very properly not looking at him when something in his appearance seemed familiar to her; '

 

译：“当她发现他的外貌上有着某种令她熟悉的东西时，她做出了正确的举动——没去看他”

 

评：时间顺序倒了：‘她拘于礼节不望回去，但忽然意识到他的外貌有点眼熟’

 

 

'(there were so many of them that one of her minor worries was a fear of not recognizing one when she met him in the street). Sure enough, it was Harkaway. '

 

译：“（他们的人数实在太多了，以至于她有点担忧，很怕在街上遇上谁却不认识他）。无疑，这个人就是哈卡韦。”

 

评：‘...以至于在街上遇上谁却认不出来，是她担心的事情当中比较次要但排得上号的一项。）果然..’

 

 

'he jerked his head towards that large and disagreeable beast, which Flora now observed anchored to the buggy a little way farther on.'

 

译：“他猛地把头转向那头又大又讨厌的牲畜，芙洛拉注意到，这让那头牲畜离得远了些。”

 

评：‘他往那头烂脾气的牲畜偏了偏头，让芙洛拉注意到这只庞然大物正站在不远处，和一辆轻便马车拴在一起。’

 

 

'He softly jangled some coins in his pocket. '

 

译：“他轻轻地从口袋里摸出一些硬币。”

 

评：‘他轻轻地抖了抖口袋里的一些硬币’

 

 

'he suggested, as Flora had meant him to do. '

 

译：“他建议道，就像是芙洛拉在请求他一样。”

 

评：‘他建议道，正中芙洛拉下怀。’

 

 

'She wondered what was his particular nastiness? She could hardly distinguish him from Urk and Caraway, Ezra, Luke and Mark. Never mind, probably she would get them sorted out in time.'

 

译：“他有没有特别讨厌的东西？她几乎没法把他同乌尔克、卡拉韦、埃兹拉、卢克和马克区分开。不过没关系，也许到时候她就会把他们安排妥当的。”

 

评：‘不知道他有什么特殊的恶劣之处。... 很可能以后她会把他们搞清楚的。’

 

 

'Laugh! We fair lay on th’ ground.'

 

译：“哈哈！我们是公平竞争，两不相帮。”

 

评：‘哈哈！我们笑得都快瘫在地上了。’

 

 

'There’s some at Cold Comfort would do better for a few bricks thrown at their heads. '

 

译：“对于令人难以宽慰的农庄里的某些人来说，拿砖头砸到他们头上会好得多。”

 

评：‘哼，如果有砖头砸到农场里的某些人的头上，他们可能会长进一点。’

 

 

'said Flora, hastily. ‘Such a comfort, I always feel, don’t you?'

 

译：“芙洛拉急忙说，“我一直觉得这是一种自我安慰，你觉得呢？”

 

评：‘芙洛拉匆匆说，“我一直觉得这是一种慰藉，你觉得呢？’

 

 

'Harkaway laughed shortly, rather to Flora’s dismay; she feared he was going to make a farmyard joke. '

 

译：“哈卡韦立刻笑了，这让芙洛拉很失望。她担心他会开一个具有“农庄特色”的玩笑，”

 

评：‘哈卡韦短促地笑了一声，让芙洛拉颇为沮丧。... 一个取材于农场的带色笑话。’

 

 

'But th’ old lady, she mun niver see our women-folk,... keeps themselves to themselves.'

 

译：“但这位老太太，她很可能没见过我们的女人，...自己过自己的日子”

 

评：是主动不去见：‘但这位老太太一点见不得我们的女眷... 都不太抛头露面。’

 

 

'‘What is the matter with her?’ enquired Flora, rather tartly. She was exceedingly dismayed at the news that there was a whole horde of female Starkadders whom she had not seen. '

 

译：“她怎么了？”芙洛拉尖刻地问。有一大群斯塔卡德的女人是她从来没见过的，这个消息令她颇为沮丧。”

 

评：‘“她又是怎么回事？”芙洛拉的口气不太客气。得知居然有一大群她尚未谋面的斯塔卡德女性亲戚，这令她沮丧透顶。’

 

 

'She were disappointed o’ Mark Dolour, ten years ago. '

 

译：“十年前，她对马克·多勒失望了。”

 

评：‘十年前她和马克·多勒的婚事崩了。’

 

 

'’Tes Nature, you may say, turned sour in her veins.'

 

译：“你可以这么说，这是因为大自然在进入她的血管后出了岔子。”

 

评：‘换句话说的话，是她的天性变质了。’

 

 

'Dash it, the women must take their chance. '

 

译：“可恶！女人们必须抓住自己的机会。”

 

评：‘那帮女的还是自求多福吧。’

 

 

'These habits were innocent, but that was not enough to keep the Starkadders from trying to stop them. Nay, their very innocency was more likely to set the grand, rugged Starkadder machinery in motion.'

 

译：“这些习惯都是清白无害的，但斯塔卡德一家却并不会为此就善罢甘休。不对，正是她们的清白无害，才更可能使这台庞大而坚固的斯塔卡德机器运转起来。”

 

评：‘...但那不足以成为斯塔卡德一家不来阻挠的理由。相反，她们的清白无害更可能触发这家人，让这台庞大而坚固的机器运作起来。’

 

 

'For it is a peculiarity of persons who (as the saying is) live intensely and with a wild poetry, that they read all kinds of meanings into comparatively simple actions, especially the actions of other people, who do not live intensely and with a wild poetry.'

 

译：“那些（如俗话所说）过着带劲儿的生活并热爱狂野的诗歌的人都有一种怪癖，他们会将所有的意义相对简单地解释为某种行为造成的影响，特别是其他那些并没有过着带劲儿的生活，也不热爱狂野的诗歌的人所造成的影响。”

 

评：action/meaning 颠倒了：‘那些所谓活得狂野热烈、把生命活成一首诗的人都有一种怪癖。他们往往从相当简单的行为里解读出各种各样的意义，尤其对活得并不狂野热烈、没把生命活成一首诗的人的行为。’

 

 

'On this occasion she had found Judith lying face downwards in the furrows of Ticklepenny’s Corner, weeping. '

 

译：“每到这种场合，茱蒂丝都会一边脸朝下地躺在蒂克尔便士角的陇上，一边哭哭啼啼。”

 

评：‘买果酱那次，她是在蒂克尔便士角找到茱蒂丝的——那时她正脸朝下地躺在陇上，恸然大哭。’

 

 

'Flora took this generous statement to mean that she might pay for the jam.'

 

译：“芙洛拉接受了这份慷慨的声明，表示她或许可以为果酱付账。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉把这句慷慨的话理解为果酱的钱她可以自己付。’

 

 

'For three weeks she forced Elfine, as a gardener skilfully forces a flower in a hothouse.'

 

译：“她一直在强行栽培埃尔芬，就像一位强行在温室里栽花的园丁。”

 

评：‘她一直对埃尔芬进行催花作业，就像一名技巧精湛的园丁里在温室里那样催花。’

 

 

'For Elfine’s peculiarities of dress, outlook and behaviour were due only to her own youthful tastes. They had not been ground into her, for years, by older people. '

 

译：“因为埃尔芬在衣着、外貌和行为上的怪癖，本来只不过是源于她那孩子气的自身品位；多年来，长辈们也并未将这种品位强行灌入她的头脑，”

 

评：‘...自身品位，不是长辈们长年强行灌输的成果。’

 

 

'She kept the Blue Bird’s Cage down in Howling for a month or two last summer. '

 

译：“她把青鸟的笼子在嚎叫村放了一两个月。”

 

评：‘去年夏天她在嚎叫村开了一家叫青鸟笼的茶室，开张了一两个月吧。’

 

 

'And I’ll bet she wore her hair in shells round her ears and a pendant made of hammered silver with a bit of blue enamel in the middle.'

 

译：“而且我敢打赌，她把头发盘成贝壳状，绕在耳边，用的是锻过的银制成的饰坠，中间还有一点蓝色的珐琅。”

 

评：‘而且我敢打赌，她把头发盘成贝壳状绕在耳边，戴的挂坠则是手工锤打的银子，中间嵌一点蓝色的珐琅。’

 

 

'Brother Wind and Sister Sun'

 

译：“《风哥哥》《雨姐姐》”

 

评：《弟兄风姐妹水》是著名的圣方济各所作的颂歌

 

 

'She then showed how the same delicacy might be found in the style of Jane Austen, or a painting by Marie Laurencin.'

 

译：“随后，她又向埃尔芬展示了有可能在简·奥斯汀的作品和玛丽·罗兰珊的画作中发现的相同精妙之处。”

 

评：delicacy 这里一定要精确表达，‘精妙’反而是泛泛而谈：‘...同样的简约细巧也可以在简·奥斯汀的作品，或玛丽·罗兰珊的画作中找到。’

 

 

'Nor must you talk about Marie Laurencin to people who hunt. '

 

译：“你也不必和猎人们谈论玛丽·罗兰珊的事，”

 

评：不是职业！‘你也不必和爱打猎的那群人谈论玛丽·罗兰珊’

 

 

'marry into the county'

 

译：“如果她想嫁到郡里，”

 

评：‘如果她想嫁入乡绅阶层’

 

 

'But as she grew at home in them'

 

译：“但随着它在她的心中生根发芽，”

 

评：‘但随着她适从了这个新世界’

 

 

'even Flora’s confident spirit faltered before the thought of what a weltering ruin, what a desert, must ensue if those hopes were never achieved!'

 

译：“而就算是芙洛拉，一想到有些希望将永远无法实现，她的自信精神也会受到动摇。希望落空的世界，将是多么凌乱的废墟、多么荒芜的沙漠啊！”

 

评：这里指的是Elfine想嫁给Dick的希望，不能泛指：‘而就算是自信的芙洛拉也不太敢设想这些希望落空的后果——接踵而来的定会是一座芜杂的废墟，一片荒凉的沙漠’

 

 

'Flora wrote as much to her ally, Claud Hart-Harris. '

 

译：“芙洛拉给她的盟友克劳德·哈特·哈里斯写了很多信。”

 

评：as much: ‘信里直言不讳地说清了她的目的。’

 

 

'she would need all her powers of concentration to see herself and Elfine safely through the evening; and if Charles came to partner her she would be conscious of a certain interest in their own personal relationship, a current of unsaid speeches, '

 

译：“她需要一整晚都全神贯注地留心自己和埃尔芬；而如果让查尔斯当她的舞伴，她就会对他们的私人关系产生某种兴趣，思考着一连串说不出口的言语”

 

评：这么含蓄的感情线：‘埃尔芬和她自己要顺利渡过这个晚上的话，她至始至终都得全神贯注；而如果让查尔斯当她的舞伴，她会着意于他俩的私人关系、为涌动在他们之间的未曾吐露的话语分神’

 

 

'‘Ni smornin’,’ screamed Mrs Beetle, adding that we could do with a bit of it.'

 

译：““早丧（上）好！”比特尔夫人尖叫着，又补充说我们需要一点茶。”

 

评：根据前文的话更可能是：‘天这么好的早晨多些就好了。’

 

 

'And you don’t let ’im out, miss, not if I stand ’ere till midnight.'

 

译：“小姐，你别让它出来，不然我会在这里一直站到午夜。”

 

评：我的理解：‘就算我在这里一直站到午夜，它也不会被放出来的。’

 

 

'who was utterly terrified of bulls, and cows too, for that matter.'

 

译：“但她其实很害怕公牛，母牛也一样。”

 

评：语气有停顿的：‘但她其实很害怕公牛——哦，也怕母牛。’

 

 

'‘Yes, miss. I’ll go up to your bedroom window,’ '

 

译：“我会到你的卧室窗户那里。”

 

评：‘我到你卧室去，从窗口喊吧。’

 

 

'pushed open the gate leading into the big field facing the farm, fastening it back. '

 

译：“又把它锁好”

 

评：前面刚刚推开——‘把它卡在敞开的位置’

 

 

'with the speed of a newspaper proprietor explaining his candidate’s failure at a by-election'

 

译：“堪比一位报社老板，着急地想要解释自己的候选人在补缺选举中失败的原因”

 

评：这里可以更清楚一些：‘自己支持的候选人’

 

 

'The rabbit-festooned Starkadder'

 

译：“浑身装饰着兔子的斯塔卡德人”

 

评：‘把兔子披挂一身的’

 

 

'‘Ter-morrer’s, too, for all I know, and the day after’s. Give me cold storage, any day.’'

 

译：“据我所知，明天也是这样，后天还是。马上就得放进冷藏柜。”

 

评：‘要我猜的话，那也是明天的晚餐，还可能是后天的。要是有冷藏柜该多好。’

 

 

'with deplorable pertness'

 

译：“态度傲慢得糟糕，”

 

评：这里其实很可爱：‘回答得没轻没重/颇为唐突’？

 

 

' I put a cross in water-vole’s blood on her feedin’-bottle'

 

译：“我把一枚浸过水田鼠血的戒指放到了她的奶瓶上”

 

评：‘我在她的奶瓶上用水田鼠血画了一个十字’

 

 

'Playin’ at horses in a red coat, like his daddy afore him.'

 

译：“就像还待在他老爸面前一样，穿着红色的外套玩马？”

 

评：因为骑装很多是红的，倾向于是爱骑马——‘和他老爸以前那样，成天穿着红外套粘在马背上。’

 

 

'I doan’t mind her bein’ a bit above me’ (here his voice thickened in a manner which caused Mrs Beetle to make a sound resembling ‘t-t-t-t-’), ‘’cause a man likes his piece to be a bit dainty. '

 

译：“我不介意她比我高那么一点点（这时他的嗓音变粗了一些，以至于让比特尔夫人发出了一些类似‘呃-呃-呃-呃’的声音），因为男人喜欢让他的作品稍微讲究一点”

 

评：‘我不介意她比我出身高那么一点点...因为男人喜欢他的娘们稍微细巧一点’

 

 

'‘—and God help the man or woman who tries to take her from me. '

 

译：“但上帝却帮助那些想把她从我身边带走的人。 ”

 

评：这是一句威胁：‘那些想把她从我身边带走的人，不管男女，都会有他们的好看的’

 

 

'‘Well I never,’ said Mrs Beetle, loudly; ‘there’s a narsty temper for you.’'

 

译：“嗯，我也从来没有见过，”比特尔夫人大声说，“你的脾气真暴躁。”

 

评：这说的是Urk的脾气：‘‘我今天可真开了眼了... 瞧这恶劣的脾气！’’

 

 

PC版的微信读书没有显示后面这些，先自译了才发现iPad版有。 

 

Seth was hanging over the fence round the great field, looking sullenly at Big Business, who was cantering round and round, bellowing.

 

‘Someone’s let the bull out,’ said Seth, pointing.

 

‘I know. I did. And quite time, too,’ said Flora. ‘But never mind that now. Seth, will you drive Elfine and me down to Beershorn, to catch the ten fifty-nine?

 

Her request was made in a cool, pleasant voice. Yet the softly-burning, perpetual ruby flame of romance in Seth responded to some tremor of urgency in her tones. Besides, he wanted to go to the Hawk-Monitor’s dance, and see if it was at all like the hunt ball scene in ‘Silver Hoofs’, the stupendous drama of English country life which Intro-Pan-National had made a year or two ago, and he guessed that Flora was taking Elfine up to London to buy her dress. He did not want anything to interfere with the preparations for the ball.

 

He said ‘Ay’, he would, and lounged away with his curious animal grace to get out the buggy.

 

Adam appeared at the door of the cowshed, where he had been milking Graceless, Pointless, Feckless, Aimless and Fury. His old body was bent like a thorn against a sharp dazzle of sticky buds bursting from the boughs of a chestnut-tree which hung over into the yard.

 

‘Eh, eh – someone’s let the bull out,’ he said. ‘’Tes terrible … I – I mun soothe our Feckless. She’m not herself. Who let ’un out?’

 

‘I did,’ said Flora, buckling the belt of her coat.

 

And distant shouts came from the back of the farm, where Micah and Ezra were busy setting up the hitten-piece which supported the bucket above the well.

 

‘Th’ bull’s out!’

 

‘Who let out Big Business?’

 

‘Who let ’un loose?’

 

‘Ay, ’tes terrible!’

 

Flora had been writing on a leaf from her pocket-diary, which she now gave to Adam, and instructed him to pin it on the door of the kitchen where it could be seen by everyone as they came hurrying into the yard. It said:

 

‘I did. F. Poste.’

 

The buggy came out into the yard with Viper in the shafts and Seth holding the reins, just as Elfine, wearing a deplorable blue cape, appeared at the kitchen door.

 

‘Jump up, my dear. We have no time to waste,’ cried Flora, mounting the step of the buggy.

 

‘Who let th’ bull out?’ thundered Reuben, starting from the pig-pen, where he had been delivering a sow who was experienced enough, heaven knows, to deliver herself, but who enjoyed being fussed over.

 

Flora pointed silently to the note pinned upon the kitchen door. Seth signed to Adam to open the gate of the yard, which Adam did.

 

‘Who let th’ bull out?’ screamed Judith, putting her head out from an upper window. The question was repeated by Amos, who burst from the chicken-run where he had been collecting eggs.

 

Flora hoped that they would all see the note and have their curiosity satisfied, or else they would all go blaming each other, and when she came home there would be a shocking atmosphere of rows and uncomfortableness.

 

But now they were off. Seth struck Viper on the flanks, and they shot forward. Flora repressed an inclination to raise her hat and bow from side to side as they passed through the gate. She felt that someone should have shouted loyally: ‘God bless the young squire!’

 

自译：

 

 

赛思此时正身体搭在大草地周围的栅栏上，阴郁地看着‘大生意’。这头公牛一圈又一圈地慢跑着，时时发出嗥叫。

 

“有人把公牛放出来了，”赛思指着它说。

 

“我知道。是我干的。早该这么做了。”芙洛拉说。“但现在先别管这个了。塞思，你能开车送我和埃尔芬去贝尔斯霍恩，赶十点五十九分的火车吗？

 

她的请求说得镇静而和气。然而，她的语调中些许微颤的紧迫感，被塞思心中那团柔和地燃烧不熄、红宝石般的浪漫之火回应了。再说，他的确想去见识一下Hawk-Monitor家办的舞会，看看它和《银蹄》中的那场狩猎舞会是否有任何相似之处。这部电影一两年前由泛英电影厂制作，是取材于英国乡村生活的鸿篇巨制。他本已猜出芙洛拉要带埃尔芬去伦敦买舞裙，不想有任何事干扰为舞会的准备。

 

他说嗯，他会的，然后懒洋洋地去取马车，步态中莫名带有猫科动物的优雅。

 

亚当原在牛棚里给没礼貌、没意思、没长性、没方向、大怒气几个挤奶。他现在来到牛棚门口，苍老的身体像荆棘一样弯曲。他身后，院子里一棵栗子树的树枝上迸发出无数粘稠的细芽，鲜亮眩目。

 

“呃，呃——有人把公牛放了出来，”他说。 “太可怕了……我——我一定要去安抚我们的没长性，她魂都丢了。牛是谁放的啊？”

 

“是我，”芙洛拉一边说，一边扣上外套的腰带。

 

农场后方远远地传来喊叫声，那是正忙着架设支撑井轱辘的米迦和埃兹拉。

 

“公牛跑出来啦！”

 

“谁把大生意放出来的啊？”

 

“是谁放的？”

 

“这可糟了！”

 

芙洛拉撕下她袖珍日记的一页，写了些字，把它交给了亚当，并指示他把它钉在厨房的门上。这样，每个跑进院子的人都可以看到它。纸上写着：

 

“是我干的。 F. 波斯特。”

 

赛斯握着‘毒蛇’的缰绳把马车驶进院子，同时，艾尔芬穿着一件难看得一言难尽的蓝斗篷出现在厨房门口。

 

“跳上来，亲爱的。我们没有时间可浪费了！”弗洛拉一边踩着马车踏板，一边喊道。

 

“谁把公牛放出来了？”鲁本从猪圈里怒吼道。他正在那里为一头母猪接生。天晓得，这头母猪身经百战，其实完全能自己生，但它喜欢被人当公主一样捧在手心里。

 

芙洛拉默默地指着贴在厨房门上的纸条。赛斯示意让亚当打开院子的大门，亚当照做了。

 

“谁把牛放出来了？”朱迪丝尖叫着，从楼上的窗户探出头来。原先在鸡棚捡蛋的阿莫斯冲出来，又重复了这个问题。

 

芙洛拉希望他们都能看到这张能够满足他们好奇心的纸条，否则他们定会互相指责，等她回来时，家里将口角纷争鸡飞狗跳，充斥着各种别扭情绪。

 

但现在他们成功出发了。塞斯击打毒蛇身侧，让马车一股劲往前冲。他们穿过大门时，芙洛拉抑制住了举起帽子、向两旁鞠躬的冲动。她觉得此刻该有忠心耿耿的观众大声喊出：“上帝保佑年轻的乡绅！”
 

===================================

第十三章

 

在伦敦春游一日。

 

'They passed a pleasant day in London.'

 

译：“他们在伦敦度过了愉快的一天。”

 

评：‘她们在伦敦度过了美美的一天。’ 因为此章写的是Elfine麻雀变凤凰，很难抗拒这么应景的双关。

 

 

'dressed it in a careless, simple, fiendishly expensive way that showed the tips of her ears.'

 

译：“威尔先生亲自为埃尔芬剪头发，然后用一种随意、简单却极其华丽的方式打理好发型，露出了她的耳朵尖。”

 

评：‘...打理出来的发型露出了她的耳朵尖，看起来随意、简单、一望可知它昂贵得惊世骇俗/惨无人道。’

 

 

'Maison Solide... did not despise her as much as he despised most of the women whom he dressed.'

 

译：“迈森·索里达家... 而且他并没有像瞧不起大多数由他打造衣着的女人那样瞧不起她。”

 

评：Maison是法语‘xx之家’：‘索里达工作室... 索里达先生鄙视他所服务的绝大多数女客，幸而芙洛拉被他瞧不起的程度轻一些。’

 

 

'he groped blindly towards a roll of snow-coloured satin which a well-trained assistant put into his arms.'

 

译：“然后不假思索地摸索了一阵，指了指，一个训练有素的助手便将它放进了他的怀里。”

 

评：‘他盲目地把手伸向一卷雪白的绸缎，几度落空，直到一位训练有素的助手将它放进他怀里。’

 

 

'ripping the scissors across the satin. ‘It is to wear white that God, once in a hundred years, makes such a young girl.’'

 

译：“一边将 “剪刀手”从绸缎上拿了下来，“上帝用一百年才创造出这么一个年轻的姑娘，就应该穿白色的衣服。””

 

评：‘一边迅捷地剪开绸缎。“上帝每一百年才创造出这样一个少女，就是为了让她穿白色/白色就她配穿！’ 

 

 

'and peered down the length of her body, as though down a snow slope, to watch the assistants like busy black ants pinning and rearranging the hem a thousand feet below.'

 

译：“如同站在覆满白雪的山坡上俯视般端详着她身体的长度，注视着助手们像忙碌的黑蚂蚁一样，在一千英尺以下的地方不断固定和重新整改衣裙的褶边。”

 

评：这个比喻真妙：‘俯视自己的全身，仿佛那是覆满白雪的山坡，而那些忙着固定和重新整改下摆的助手们，就好似千尺以下的山脚下一群劳碌的黑蚂蚁。’

 

 

'Flora opened a new romance, and became absorbed in it, '

 

译：“芙洛拉就此开创了一种全新的浪漫氛围，并沉浸在其中不能自拔；”

 

评：‘芙洛拉打开了一本新的言情小说，很快沉浸于其中；’

 

 

'A thousand evils might befall it on the way.  But, secretly, she wished to protect the dress from Urk. '

 

译：“路上可能会有上千种罪行降临的。 但她想在暗地里保护这件裙子不受到乌尔克的伤害。”

 

评：‘运输途中可能发生的灾祸多得不胜枚举。 但暗地里，她是在提防着乌尔克。’

 

 

'This feeling was increased by the pleasure she felt in the casual yet delicate appointments of the New River Club.'

 

译：“她从新河俱乐部那些轻松却精致的派对中得到的愉悦，使这种感觉被进一步加深了。这是伦敦最为傲慢的俱乐部。”

 

评：‘新河俱乐部雅致而不刻意的装潢给她带来愉悦，使这种感觉被进一步加深了。这是伦敦最高不可攀的俱乐部。’

 

 

'The club combined the austerities of a monastic order with the tender peace of a home.'

 

译：“这个俱乐部将修道院的苦行规则与家庭的温柔宁静结合在了一起。”

 

评：order这里不是规矩：‘修道院的肃穆简朴’

 

 

'a family with sixteen quarterings.'

 

译：“一个拥有十六处房产的家庭提名”

 

评：quartering是纹章盾上四等分，融合联姻的两族纹章的做法：‘一个家族必须历史悠久到家族纹章盾上经历过十六次四等分，’

 

 

'a Neo-Expressionist attempt to give dramatic form to the mental reactions of a man employed as a waiter in a restaurant who dreams that he is the double of another man who is employed as a steward on a liner, and who, on awakening and realizing that he is still a waiter employed in a restaurant and not a steward employed on a liner, goes mad and shoots his reflection in a mirror and dies. '

 

译：“这部剧描述的是，一个新表现主义者试图将一位餐厅服务生的心理反应赋予戏剧化的形式，这个服务生梦见自己是另一个游轮上的服务生，当他醒来，意识到自己仍然是餐厅服务生而不是游轮服务生的时候，他发疯了；他照了照镜子，而后便去世了。”

 

评：‘这部新表现主义戏剧试图将一位餐厅服务生梦到他的镜像人后的心理反应具象到戏台上。这个服务生梦见... 他向镜中的自己开了枪，死掉了。’

 

 

'if they went to see Mr Dan Langham in ‘On Your Toes!’ at the New Hippodrome, '

 

译：“如果她们去“新竞技场”上演的《脚尖着地！》里见见丹·兰厄姆先生，”

 

评：‘如果她们去“新竞技场”看丹·兰厄姆先生主演的《踮起脚！/预备起！》’

 

 

'In that entranced pause when the lights of the theatre fade, and upon the crimson of the yet unraised curtain the footlights throw up their soft glow, Flora glanced at Elfine'

 

译：“当剧院的灯光渐渐暗下来，在那令人着迷的停顿中，在被柔和的灯光照耀、尚未升起的深红色大幕下，芙洛拉悄悄地瞥了...”

 

评：不如把从句断开：‘剧院的灯光渐渐暗下来，尚未升起的深红色帷幕被脚灯柔和地点亮了。在这令人凝神屏息的片刻静止中，芙洛拉悄悄地瞥了’

 

 

'The light wings of gold hair blew back from either cheek towards the ears; this gave the head a classic look like that of a Greek charioteer pressing his team forward to victory in the face of a strong wind.'

 

译：“温柔的金色鬓发，被风从两颊吹向耳朵，这使头部拥有了经典的外观，如同一位希腊战车手的头颅，而他正迎着强风，迫使他的队伍前进以取得胜利。”

 

评：team 这里不是队伍：‘松软的金色鬓发从两颊拢向耳后，这古典的头型轮廓让人联想到一位古希腊战车手迎着强风，策励马队奔向胜利的样子。’

 

 

'yet had preserved in her personality a suggestion of cool, smoothly-blowing winds and of pine-trees and the smell of wild flowers. She had conceived just such a change, and M. Viol and M. Solide, her instruments, had carried it out.'

 

译：“但却保留了她性格中那清凉的痕迹、平静吹拂的风、松鼠和野花的气息。这样的变化已经在她的帮手威尔先生和索里达先生的协助下实现了。”

 

评：松鼠这个笔误好玩：‘但却保留了她性格中暗示平静吹拂的清风、松树和野花的气息的部分。她构想中对埃尔芬的改造正该如此，而她的左膀右臂，威尔先生和索里达先生，帮她实现了。’

 

 

'(By this time Elfine was quite devoted to her, and divided the time between devising schemes for Flora’s comfort and looking with delight at the picture of her own altered head in the shop windows which they passed.)'

 

译：“（此时，埃尔芬已经深深地喜欢上芙洛拉，她把自己的时间分成了两部分，一部分是设计行动方案，让芙洛拉感到舒适；一部分是在她们经过商店橱窗时，开心地欣赏自己的新发型。）”

 

评：‘（事到如今，埃尔芬死心塌地地爱戴着芙洛拉。她一半时间忙于设法让芙洛拉更舒适，一半时间满心欢喜地从路边商店橱窗的倒影里欣赏自己的新发型。’

 

 

'I don’t mind takin’ a girl out if she will let me be, but many’s the girl I’ve niver seen again because she worrited me in the middle of a talkie. '

 

译：“如果有个女孩同意让我去，我并不介意带她一起。但有很多女孩都让我再也不想见到她们，因为在看有声电影的时候，她们总是让我很焦虑。”

 

评：let me be 有误：‘如果哪个女孩乖乖的不来烦我，我并不介意约她一起出去，但好多女孩子就爱在看电影的时候和我絮聒，我就再也不和她们来往了’

 

 

' the vision of dabbings and chillinesses and inadequacies thus conjured had so repelled Flora that she had pursued her enquiries no further.'

 

译：“那一幅嬉水、寒冷、设施不完善的景象，如同变戏法一般浮现在芙洛拉眼前，她感到极为恶心，也就不再追问了。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉轻易想象得出哆哆嗦嗦一点一点擦净身体的窘迫勉强，顿时不寒而栗避之不及，再也不愿追问下去了。’

 

 

'What with the bull getting out, and Meriam, the hired girl, having so far got through the spring without entering upon her annual interesting condition, '

 

译：“公牛被放出来了，女佣梅里亚姆还没有陷入她一年一度的有趣状况中，”

 

评：‘在这个多事之春，公牛被放出来了，女佣梅里亚姆还没有陷入她一年一度的特殊状况中... ’

 

 

'Flora said that she hoped it kept fine for her.'

 

译：“她希望老太太会一切安好”

 

评：keep fine 好像是特别词组，存疑

===================================

第十四章

 

会是灰姑娘重现吗？

 

 

'Perhaps something, some pregnant quality, in the mildly restless air of the spring evening, had infused itself into the room'

 

译：“或许是因为某种东西，某种有着怀孕性质的东西，在春夜轻微躁动的空气里注入了这个房间”

 

评：pregnant 肯定不能翻成怀孕啊：‘或许春夜轻微躁动的空气为这间屋子带来了某种暗示’

 

 

'The dying light lay quietly upon its walls, and the sound of the blackbird’s song came into the still, empty rooms. Aunt Ada’s thoughts spun like Catherine wheels as she laboriously dressed herself.'

 

译：“垂死的灯光静静地躺在墙壁上，乌鸫的歌声穿透寂静而空阔的房间。艾达姨妈吃力地穿好衣服，脑海里的思绪就像凯瑟琳车轮一样快速地转个不停。”

 

评：灯光->阳光，穿透->传进。Catherine wheels 是一种飞旋着火花四溢的烟花，这里最好多解释一点：‘脑海里的思绪就像那种叫凯瑟琳轮的烟火，飞旋中火花四溢。’

 

 

'But to herself she was thinking, ... ‘Condole with the Ugly Duckling’s mother. She has fathomed the pit of amazement.’'

 

译：“她心想，... 向丑小鸭的妈妈表示慰问。她已然掉入了惊奇的深渊。”

 

评：这句话好可爱，‘但’不能省，是和前面的平静回答做对比的： ‘但她心里想的是，... 同情丑小鸭的妈妈吧。她触及了惊异的最底层’

 

 

'He must speak! She conjured the god of love by the spring evening, by the blackbird’s song, by the triumphant beauty of Elfine.'

 

译：“他必须说！在春日的夜色中，在乌鸫的歌声中，在埃尔芬的绝世美丽中，她要将爱神召唤出来。”

 

评：‘by’ ：‘他必须开口！凭借春夜、凭借乌鸫的歌声，凭借埃尔芬昂扬的美丽，她会将爱神召唤出来。’

 

 

'a fumbling, urgent voice in the larder... Now your first petticoat.)'

 

译：“储藏室里跌跌撞撞、急促的声音。... 现在，你要先穿衬裙。”

 

评：fumbling 似乎暗示男女之间的苟且行为 ‘笨拙急促的声音’。first是因为衬裙不止一层：‘现在，要穿上第一层衬裙’

 

 

'Flora noted how her eyes became dark blue when she was moved. It was a good line.'

 

译：省

 

评：这里的good line好像和上下文没什么联系？存疑

 

 

'The crenellated line of the roof thrust blind ledges against a sky into which the infusion of the darkness was already beginning to seep. The livid silver tongues of the early stars leaped between the shapes of the chimney-pots, backwards and forwards, '

 

译：“屋顶有着参差不齐的锯齿形线条，将百叶窗的窗台推向天空，黑暗的浸液已经开始渗入其中。原始的恒星吐出愤怒的银色舌头，在烟囱罩模糊的影子下来回跳动，”

 

评：这里的blind应该是形容词吧，要不然很难想象这房子是怎么样的。ledge 应该就是伸出的部分，不是窗台。livid 偏向理解成颜色：‘早早出现的星子吐出银中泛青的光焰，在烟囱罩的黑影间来回跳动’

 

 

'But the light, strangely naked and innocent, burned waveringly on in the deepening gloom.'

 

译：“只有光芒是赤裸裸的，显得异常无辜，在不断加深的黑暗中摇摆不停地闪烁。”

 

评：‘唯有那团光芒不知遮拦/裸露在外，莫名清白，在不断加深的黑暗中摇曳闪烁。’

 

 

'this excursion into the hinterland of Sussex should afford him a pleasant change from the excessive urbanity of those circles in which he habitually moved,'

 

译：“这次深入苏萨克斯的远足活动，一定能让他离开那些他习惯了栖居、过度城市化的圈子，获得一次令人愉快的改变。”

 

评：‘他常年呆在在温文尔雅的都市圈子里，这次深入苏萨克斯腹地的远足一定会让他耳目一新。’

 

 

'He actually found a site in a narrow cul-de-sac just round a turning close to the Rooms where he parked their car.'

 

译：“他在一条狭窄的死胡同里找到了一个位置，就在靠近集会厅的转角处，于是把车停在了那里。”

 

评：‘就在靠近集会厅的转角处，他在一条狭窄的死胡同里找到了停车位。’

 

 

'they moved slowly off through the crowd to the Rooms.'

 

译：“缓步走进了集会厅的人群之中。”

 

评：因为下文还没有走到：‘缓步穿过人群走向集会厅’

 

 

'Just as Flora’s party was mounting the first steps amid a murmur of admiration from the crowd,... whom she judged to be one of his intellectual peers'

 

译：“正当芙洛拉一行人准备迈上第一级台阶时，人群中传来了一片低低的赞美声，她觉得自己听到有人在叫她的名字... 据她判断，应该是他那些聪明的同龄人之一”

 

评：‘趋近第一级台阶的芙洛拉一行人从人群里引起一片低低的赞美声。... 应该是他结交的那些有识之士之一’ —— peer这里不是指年龄，是智力上

 

 

'he was rather fat and his clothes were not very good, and when she compared his personal appearance with that of Charles, who was always so neat except when a lock of his black hair descended over his forehead while he was playing tennis or otherwise agitated, she felt that Mr Mybug was one of our more desolate figures, '

 

译：“因为他很胖，穿的衣服也不太优良。而一将他的仪表与查尔斯进行比较后就会发现，除了在打网球或焦虑不安的情况下，偶尔会有一缕黑发从前额垂下，其他时候的查尔斯永远都是那么整洁，这越发让她觉得麦八阁先生是这群人中较为凄凉的一个了”

 

评：‘因为他身材臃肿，衣着也乏善可陈。她想到查尔斯，除了打网球或其它运动激烈的场合会让一缕黑发从前额垂下，其他时候的他仪表永远那么整洁。相比之下，她越发觉得麦八阁先生形容凄凉。’

 

 

'she would have called pleasantly to Mr Mybug across the heads of the crowd:

 

‘How do you do?… How amusing to see you here! Are you copy-hunting?’'

 

译：“愉快地隔空给麦八阁先生打个电话：“你好吗？……在这里见到你真有趣！你是在寻找作弊机会吗？”

 

评：这里怎么会是电话：‘打招呼... 你是在寻找报道素材吗？’

 

 

'her own conduct must be carefully regulated so as not to give rise to a breath of adverse comment. She contented herself, therefore, with bowing very pleasantly to Mr Mybug,'

 

译：“她必须对自己的个人言行更加谨慎一些，以免引发大范围的不良评论。于是她自作多情地朝麦八阁先生鞠了个躬。”

 

评：‘她必须谨言慎行，以免引发哪怕一点点不良评论。由此，她仅仅和善地朝麦八阁先生鞠了一躬。’

 

 

'He had constructed another flight leading down into the large ball-room, which was built slightly below the level of the street.'

 

译：“他又建造了通往大舞厅的另一段台阶，高度略微低于街道。”

 

评：‘那里还有一段往下通往大舞厅的台阶，因为舞厅的高度略低于街道。’

 

 

'‘Lost is that man who sees a beautiful woman descending a noble staircase’... What else but a staircase could so perfectly set off the jewel she had made of Elfine?'

 

译：“所谓迷失，即看到漂亮女人走下高贵楼梯的男人。”... 除了一段楼梯，还有什么能如此完美地衬托出她创造出的“埃尔芬珍宝”呢？”

 

评：很不习惯译文里双引号的用法... ‘看丽人走下堂皇/宏大的台阶，注定让男人无法抵挡溃不成军。... 有什么能比楼梯更完美地衬托出她精心打磨出的埃尔芬，让她大放异彩的呢？’

 

 

'in a cruel shade of electric blue,'

 

译：“穿着铁蓝色的衣服”

 

评：啰嗦点：‘礼裙的亮蓝色对穿它的人非常狠毒’

 

 

'and the fine flower of the county of Sussex was circling to the strains'

 

译：“萨塞克斯郡这朵美丽的鲜花翩然旋转”

 

评：就是当地的‘beautiful people’： ‘萨塞克斯郡最美丽的花朵们翩然旋转’

 

 

'Her candid beauty, set off by the snowy-silver folds of her simple dress'

 

译：“她那坦率的美丽，被她朴素的礼裙上雪白的银光所映衬”

 

评：‘率真... 简约’

 

 

'Without seeming to take so obvious an interest in the movements of Elfine and her partner that her gaze became ill-bred, she observed their every action.'

 

译：“芙洛拉对埃尔芬和她的舞伴表现出了极其浓厚的兴趣，以至于她的目光都有些不礼貌了，她在仔细地观察他们的每一个举动。”

 

评：反了：‘芙洛拉观察埃尔芬和她的舞伴的每一个举动，但小心不把她的兴趣暴露得过于明显而以致无礼。’

 

 

'Wonder, too, was in his expression. He held Elfine preciously'

 

译：“惊奇，他的表情中还有惊奇。他紧紧地抱着埃尔芬，”

 

评：这里wonder之重蛮难表达的，宁可表达得夸张一点：‘他的表情如遇神迹。他珍而重之地抱着埃尔芬，’

 

 

'She felt that the anxiety of waiting to know whether her diplomacy had succeeded might impair the pleasure of the evening for her, but resolved to bear the trial with calmness.'

 

译：“她觉得，等着知道她的策略是否成功的这一过程，或许会破坏她今天晚上的欢乐，但她还是决定平静地忍受审判。”

 

评：‘她觉得心悬着不知她的策略成功与否，或许会破坏她今天晚上的欢乐，但她还是决心平静地承受这考验。’

 

 

'the sober richness of the appointments'

 

译：“派对的严肃性和丰富性”

 

评：‘派对装饰的大气华美’

 

 

'She let Elfine’s serious beauty do its own work, and very well it did it.'

 

译：“她只是任由埃尔芬的美貌自然地展露，这一点做得很好。”

 

评：‘她只是任由埃尔芬矜持/庄严的美貌为自己代言，而它再胜任不过了。’ 啰嗦？

 

 

''Flora overheard two or three of the young women telling each other that their dears, he was too creditable and merely body-thrilling, 

 

译：“芙洛拉偶然听到有两三个年轻女人在同彼此说，她们的宝贝儿真是太可爱了，让人兴奋；”

 

评：我的理解是那些女孩子在吹毛求疵，以示她们见多识广：‘芙洛拉偷听到有两三个年轻女人在同彼此说，亲爱的，他这样子只算是尚可，给人带来的仅仅是感官上的快感，’

 

 

'He had been giving the flunkeys a hand.'

 

译：“他刚刚一直在给那两个男仆帮忙。”

 

评：‘他刚刚助了那两个男仆一臂之力。’

 

 

'Flora felt rather distressed. She sat down at the little table which Claud had reserved for them, which was charmingly wreathed with spring leaves and flowers, with a sober expression on her face.'

 

译：“芙洛拉觉得很难过。她坐在克劳德为他们预定的小桌子旁，那张桌子上摆满了春天的花枝和树叶，看起来十分迷人。她的表情很严肃。”

 

评：‘芙洛拉为此怏怏不乐。克劳德为他们预定的小桌子上环绕着新叶和春天的花朵，看起来十分迷人，但在桌边坐下的她神情严肃。’

 

 

'‘It is a good thing that everybody who hasn’t got invitations for things doesn’t have to try and gate-crash,’'

 

译：“所有没有收到邀请函的人并没有必要硬闯进来，那才是一件好事。”克劳德说。”

 

评：这句话里的否定是有点多：‘还好不是所有没收到邀请函的人都觉得该硬闯进来。’

 

 

'But, my dear, he would. '

 

译：“但是亲爱的，他不会怎样的。”

 

评：鉴于上文是‘但他却认为那是因为我在压抑自己。’，这句我的理解是：‘亲爱的，可他这种人就是会这么认为。’ （i.e. 不反思的普信男）

 

 

'He had seen his friends die in anguish in the wars. For him, the whole of the rest of his life was an amusing game which no man of taste and intelligence could permit himself to take seriously.'

 

评：只是想点出尽管这是轻盈的喜剧，这笔来自正剧的闲笔让明暗层次更丰富了。

 

 

'Mrs Smiling, looking vague in a white gown; the handsome Julia; Charles in the severe tail-coat of darkest blue which so well became his height and gravity.'

 

译：“斯麦林夫人，身着一袭长袍，看上去影影绰绰；俊俏的茱莉亚；查尔斯，穿着一件厚厚的深蓝色燕尾服，那么高大，那么庄重。”

 

评：‘斯麦林夫人，身着白袍，表情若即若离... 查尔斯，剪裁严峻的燕尾服是极深的蓝色，映托出他的高大持重。 ’

 

 

'Gay voices rose every second above the roar of the general conversation like individual trills of water from the rush of a stream in spate.'

 

译：“每时每秒，欢乐的声音都从人们谈话的轰轰声中飞出，就像从喷溅的小溪中飞起的细流；”

 

评：‘每一秒钟，个别欢乐的声音都会从人们谈话的嗡嗡声中脱颖而出，就像湍急的小溪中飞溅出的股股细流。’

 

 

'They came towards her, threading their way between the laughing groups, who looked up from their talk to smile at Dick and to look curiously at Elfine;'

 

译：“他们朝芙洛拉走来，一路穿过大笑的人群。芙洛拉和克劳德停下谈话，抬起头，朝迪克微笑，好奇地看着埃尔芬；”

 

评：主语错了：‘他们穿过大笑的人群朝芙洛拉走来，一路上的人们暂止对话，抬头冲迪克微笑，也好奇地打量埃尔芬。’

 

 

'I say, this is jolly, isn’t it? Marvellous idea of the mater’s, having the orgy here instead of in the family, what?'

 

译：“妈妈的想法实在绝妙，让大家在这里肆无忌惮地狂欢，而不是在家族的火葬场里。”

 

评：jolly/mater/what 这种用词可以Bertie Wooster冠名为Bertie体，可惜中文没有很好的对应的讲话风格：‘...避开了我家那座殡仪馆，对吧。’

 

 

'I mean, it’s made all the difference in the world. We’re engaged, as a matter of fact.’'

 

译：“我的意思是，这让世界上的一切都全然不同了。事实上，我们订婚了。”

 

评：‘我是说，她的到场意义重大’

 

 

'said that the occasion might have been made for the announcement of the event. '

 

译：“一边嘴上说着，宣布这件事的绝佳时机已经到了。”

 

评：‘一边嘴上说现在的确是宣布这件事的绝佳时机。’
 

===================================

第十五章

 

很短的一章。农场那边不知有没有后手。

 

 

'into a jolly tune to which the ‘Lancers’ could be danced,'

 

译：“立刻奏出一支欢快的乐曲，这让“枪骑兵”们都跳起舞来，”

 

评：Lancer是四队方阵舞的一种：‘正好让大家跳方阵舞’ 很奇怪后文明明是翻对了的

 

 

'Claud was as light on his feet as the harlequin he somewhat resembled, and while Flora was springing round the room, just guided by the cool touch of his hands, '

 

译：“克劳德的脚步就像传统戏剧中身着斑斓衣衫的丑角一样轻盈，而当芙洛拉被他冰凉的双手所指引，在房间里蹦蹦跳跳的时候”

 

评：‘克劳德的脚步就像彩衣丑角一样轻盈，...微凉... 腾跃飞舞’

 

 

'She felt as though she had shaken her fist in the face of Aunt Ada Doom. '

 

译：“她感觉自己仿佛是照着艾达·杜姆姨妈的脸挥出了一记拳头。”

 

评：‘她感觉这是冲艾达·杜姆姨妈的一记挥拳示威。’

 

 

'her life would be one of exquisite, sunny natural content. '

 

译：“从今往后，她的生活将充满了精致、阳光、自然的内容。”

 

评：content这里是‘满足’之意吧：‘将阳光明媚，洋溢着细致入微而自然而然的完满。’

 

 

'But never without a pang of exquisite pain in his heart,'

 

译：“但他的内心却始终与极度痛苦的感觉相随，”

 

评：我的理解是每次有喜就有悲：‘但每次内心就会随之一阵绞痛’

 

 

'that shade of blue would do anything to anybody’s face,’ '

 

译：“那种（衣服）蓝色的阴影对任何人的脸都难免会造成影响。”

 

评：这儿的shade是某个色号：‘那种蓝对任何人的脸造成任何影响都不稀奇’

 

 

'the whole course of affairs had already been so irregular that anything Flora could do to give a colouring of convention to the situation would count in Elfine’s favour.'

 

译：“何况整个事件的过程已经如此不同寻常了，任何芙洛拉力所能及的、可以为这种情况增添一点“传统色彩”的事，都将对埃尔芬有利。”

 

评：‘...已经如此不合常规了...可以为这种情况敷上一层遵守社交礼节的表象的事’

 

 

'Things at the farm are sure to be very unpleasant for Elfine '

 

译：“农庄里的事情一定会让她很不愉快”

 

评：‘她在农庄的日子不会很好过’

 

 

'So Flora went off in comparatively high spirits.'

 

译：“于是芙洛拉兴高采烈地离开了。”

 

评：‘由此芙洛拉离开时兴致还挺高昂的。’

 

 

'and suffering from a reaction after the evening’s excitements'

 

译：“她正遭受着某种生理反应的折磨”

 

评：‘她正遭受着某种生理上的反弹’

 

 

' the windows of the farm were ablaze with light!'

 

译：“农庄的窗户已被灯光照得烁亮”

 

评：‘农庄此时灯火通明！’

=============================
《冷》III