牛津書蟲系列 遠離塵囂5 芭絲謝芭寄出一張情人卡

Chapter 5 Bathsheba sends a valentine
第五章 芭絲謝芭寄出一張情人卡
When Bathsheba first appeared at the weekly Caster-bridge market，where farmers bought and sold their wheat and animals，she caused a sensation.
在每周一次的卡斯特橋集市上，農(nóng)場主們買賣著自己的麥子和牲畜。芭絲謝芭第一次出現(xiàn)在集市上就引起了一陣轟動。
Men's heads turned to look at her，the only woman there.
男人們的頭都扭過去看她，因為她是集市上唯一的女人。
Like any woman，she was happy to be admired，
像所有的女人一樣，受到別人的贊揚，她很高興。
but she was also determined to sell her wheat at a good price，and to do business with the other farmers like a man.
過，她也決心要把她的麥子賣個好價錢，像男人一樣地和其他農(nóng)場主做買賣。
There was one farmer， however，who did not seem to notice her，
不只有一個農(nóng)場主似乎沒注意到她，這使她有點不高興。
and this annoyed her a little. It was Mr Boldwood.
這人就是伯德伍德先生。
One Sunday afternoon，on the thirteenth of February，
2月13日，這個星期日的下午，
Bathsheba and Liddy were in the sitting-room together.
芭絲謝芭和利蒂都在起居室。
It was a dull，cold day，and they were both very bored.
天氣陰沉、寒冷，她們兩人都覺得很無聊。
'Have you ever tried to discover who you're going to marry，miss，'asked Liddy，'with a Bible and a key?'
"小姐，你試沒試過用一本圣經(jīng)或是一把鑰匙算出你將與誰結(jié)婚?"利蒂問。
'I don't believe in such foolish games，Liddy. '
"利蒂，我不相信這種愚蠢的游戲。"
'Well，some people believe it works. '
"可是有人覺得它很靈驗。"
'All right，let's try it，'said Bathsheba suddenly，jumping up from her seat.
"好吧，那我們試試，"芭絲謝芭一邊從座位上跳起來，一邊突然說。
Together they opened the big family Bible and put a key on a page.
她們一起打開一本大的家里用的圣經(jīng)，把一把鑰匙放在一頁上。
'Now you think of someone you could marry，miss，'said Liddy，
"小姐，現(xiàn)在你想一個你可能與之結(jié)婚的人，"利蒂說，
'then read aloud the words on that page，and if the Bible moves，perhaps you'll marry him. '
"然后朗讀那頁上的話，如果圣經(jīng)動了，也許你就會和他結(jié)婚。"
Bathsheba read the words，holding the Bible.
芭絲謝芭拿著圣經(jīng)，讀上面的話。
As they watched，the Bible turned in her hands，and Bathsheba blushed.
她們盯著看時，圣經(jīng)在她手中動了一下，芭絲謝芭紅了臉。
'Who were you thinking of?'asked Liddy curiously.
"你剛才想的是誰?"利蒂好奇地問。
'I'm not going to tell you，'answered her mistress.
"我不告訴你，"她的女主人說。
'By the way，did you notice Mr Boldwood in church this morning?'asked Liddy，making it very clear who she was thinking of.
"哎，今天早晨在教堂你注意伯德伍德先生了嗎?"利蒂問，指明她想的是誰。
'He didn't turn his head once to look at you!'
"他一次也沒有回頭看你!"
'Why should he?'replied Bathsheba，annoyed.
"他干嗎要回頭看我?"芭絲謝芭不高興地說。
'I didn't ask him to look at me. '
"我并沒有要求他看我。"
'Oh no. But everybody else in church was looking at you. '
"噢，不。我是說教堂里的其他人都在看你。"
Bathsheba did not reply to this.
芭絲謝芭沒有吭聲。
After a few minutes she said，'Oh，I nearly forgot the valentine card I bought yesterday!'
過了一會兒，她說，"哎呀，我差點忘了昨天買的情人卡!"
'A valentine!Who's it for，miss?Farmer Boldwood?'
"情人卡!給誰的，小姐?給農(nóng)場主伯德伍德?"
'No，of course not. It's for one of the village children，that sweet little boy of Jan Coggan's.
"不，當(dāng)然不是。是給村里的一個孩子的，就是簡·考根家那個可愛的男孩。
I'll write the address on the envelope now，and we'll post it today. '
我現(xiàn)在就把地址寫在信封上，我們今天就把它發(fā)出去。"
'What fun it would be to send it to that silly old Boldwood!'laughed Liddy.
"要是把它送給那個傻乎乎的老伯德伍德該多有意思!"利蒂大笑著說。
Bathsheba paused to consider.
芭絲謝芭不再說話，若有所思。
It was certainly a little depressing that the wealthiest and most important man in the area did not seem to admire her，as all the other men did.
其他人都很欣賞她，而這一帶最富有、最重要的人卻好像對她不在乎，這的確有點令人沮喪。
'We'll throw a coin to decide，'she said lightly.
"我們來扔硬幣決定，"她隨意地說。
'No，we shouldn't play with money on a Sunday.
"不，星期天我們不該玩錢。
I know，we'll throw this book.
我們來扔這本書。
If it comes down open，I'll send the valentine to Jan's son.
如果它開著掉下來，我就把情人卡送給簡的兒子。
If it comes down shut，I'll send it to Boldwood. '
如果合著掉下來，就送給伯德伍德。"
The little book went up in the air and came down shut.
那本小書被拋向空中，合著掉了下來。
Bathsheba immediately picked up her pen and wrote Boldwood's address on the envelope.
芭絲謝芭立刻拿起筆，在信封上寫了伯德伍德的地址。
'Now we need a seal，'she said. 'Look for an interesting one，Liddy.
"我們需要一個封蠟，"她說，"利蒂，找一個有意思的。
Ah，let's use this one. I can't remember what it says，but I know it's funny. '
噢，我們用這個。我不記得上面是什么字了，可我知道很有意思。"
When she had sealed the envelope，Bathsheba looked closely at the words left by the seal：'MARRY ME'.
把信封封上后，芭絲謝芭仔細地看著封蠟留下的字： "和我結(jié)婚吧。"
'Just right!'she cried. 'That would make even a vicar laugh!'
"就要這個!"她喊道。"這把牧師也會逗笑的!"
And so the valentine was sent，not for love，but as a joke.
就這樣，情人卡被發(fā)出去了，不是為了愛情，而是做為玩笑。
Bathsheba had no idea of the effect it would have.
芭絲謝芭根本不知道它會引起的后果。
It arrived at Mr Boldwood's house on the morning of St Valentine's Day，14th February.He was puzzled，
情人卡在2月14日，情人節(jié)的這天早晨到了伯德伍德家里。他很困惑，從前他從沒有收到過情人卡，他一整天都在想這件事。
but strangely excited by it He had never received one before，and all day he thought about it.
但也有一種莫名的激動。從前他從沒有收到過情人卡，他一整天都在想這件事。
Who could the woman be who admired him so much that she sent him a valentine?
這個女人會是誰呢，這樣的喜歡他，還送他情人卡?
He kept on looking at it，until the words on the large red seal danced in front of his tired eyes，and he could no longer read them.
他一直盯著這張情人卡，直到那大紅封蠟上的字在他疲憊的眼前跳動了起來。他無法看清這幾個字，
But he knew what they said：
但他知道是什么：
'MARRY ME'. The valentine had destroyed the peaceful routine of Boldwood's life.
"和我結(jié)婚吧。"這張情人卡打破了伯德伍德平靜的生活程序。
That night he dreamed of the unknown woman，and when he woke up very early，
那天夜里，他夢見了一個素不相識的女人。他醒得很早，
the first thing he saw was the valentine，with its message in red，on the table by his bed.
一眼就看到床邊桌子上那張情人卡，和紅色封蠟上面的字。
'Marry me，'he repeated to himself.
"和我結(jié)婚吧，"他默默地重復(fù)著。
He was too restless to sleep any more so he went out for a walk.
他煩燥不安無法成眠，所以出去散步。
He watched the sun rise over the snowy fields，and on his way home he met the postman，who handed him a letter.
他看著太陽在白雪覆蓋的田野上升起。在回家的路上，他碰見了郵遞員，郵遞員給了他一封信。
Boldwood took it quickly and opened it，thinking it could be from the sender of the valentine.
他立刻接住并打開了信，以為是寄情人卡的人寫來的信。
'I don't think it's for you，sir，'said the postman.
"先生，我想信不是寄給你的，"郵遞員說，
'I think it's for your shepherd. '
"是給你的牧羊人的。"
Boldwood looked at the address on the envelope：
伯德伍德看著信封上的地址：
To the new shepherd，
給新來的牧羊人，
Weatherbury Farm，
威瑟伯里農(nóng)場，
Near Casterbridge.
卡斯特橋附近。
'Oh，what a mistake!It isn't mine，or my shepherd's.
"哎，錯了!不是我的，也不是給我的牧羊人的。
It must be for Miss Everdene's shepherd. His name is Gabriel Oak. '
一定是給伊芙丁小姐的牧羊人的。他叫蓋伯瑞爾·奧克。"
At that moment he noticed a figure in a distant field.
這時，他注意到遠處有一個人影。
'Ah，there he is now，'Boldwood added.
"歐，他就在那兒，"伯德伍德接著說。
'I'll take the letter to him myself. '
"我自己給他把信送去。"
The shepherd started walking towards the malthouse，and Boldwood followed him，holding the letter.
牧羊人向著酒店走去，伯德伍德手里拿著信，追他去了。