牛津书虫系列《简爱》Chapter20 附中英双语文本

20 A new home
20 一个新家
I spent a month at Moor House，in an atmosphere of warm friendship．I learned to love what Diana and Mary loved the little old grey house，the wild open moors around it，and the lonely hills and valleys where we walked for hours．I read the books they read，and we discussed them eagerly Diana started teaching me German，and I helped Mary to improve her drawing．We three shared the same interests and opinions，and spent the days and evenings very happily together．
在摩尔屋，我在温暖的友情中度过了一个月。我开始喜欢戴安娜以及玛丽所喜欢的——这个小小的灰色老屋，周围的开阔草地，孤零零的山丘和河谷，我们常去那里散步，一去便是几个钟头。我读她们读的书，然后大家一起热烈地讨论。戴安娜开始教我德文，我则帮助玛丽提高她的素描。我们三人有共同的兴趣和一致的想法，白天晚上都高高兴兴地待在一起。
However，St John hardly ever joined in our activities．He was often away from home，visiting the poor and the sick in Morton．His strong sense of duty made him insist on going，even if the weather was very bad．But despite his hard work I thought he lacked true happiness and peace of mind．He often stopped reading or writing to stare into the distance，dreaming perhaps of some ambitious plan．Once I heard him speak at a church service in Morton，and although he was an excellent speaker，there was a certain bitterness and disappointment in his words．He was clearly not satisfied with his present life．
但是，圣约翰却很少参加我们的活动。他常常出门，去看望莫顿的穷人和病人。他强烈的责任心使他即使在天气恶劣的时候也一定要去。然而尽管他工作很努力，我仍觉得他缺少真正的幸福和安宁的心绪。他常常停止读书或写作，呆呆地盯着远处，可能梦想着什么宏伟的计划。一次我听到他在莫顿的教堂里布道，尽管他很有口才，我却听出他话语中的某种痛苦和失望。他显然不满足于现在的生活。
The holiday was coming to an end．Soon Diana and Mary would leave Moor House to return to the wealthy families in the south，where they were both governesses，and St John would go back to the vicar's house in Morton，with Hannah，his housekeeper．Although，his cold manner made it difficult for me to talk to him，I had to ask him whether he had found any employment for me．
假期要结束了。不久戴安娜和玛丽都要离开摩尔屋，回到南方的富人家，继续做家庭教师。圣约翰要带着管家汉娜回到以莫顿的牧师的身份住的屋里去。尽管他举止冷漠，让我很难与他搭话，我还是得问他是否为我找到了工作。
'I have，'he answered slowly，'but remember I am only a poor country vicar，and can't offer you a job with a high salary，so you may not wish to accept it．There's already a school for boys in Morton，and now I want to open one for girls，so I've rented a building for it it，with a small small cottage for the schoolteacher．Miss Oliver，who lives in the area and is the only daughter of a rich factory-owner，has kindly paid for the furniture．Will you be the schoolteacher？You would live in the cottage rent-free，and receive thirty pounds a year，no more．
“找到了。”他慢慢地说。“但不要忘了我只是个乡下的穷牧师，不可能给你一份薪水高的工作，所以你可能不愿接受。在莫顿已有一所男孩子上的学校，现在我想为女孩子办所学校。因此我已租好了校舍，其中有教师住的小房于。奥利弗小姐住在这一带，是一个富裕的工厂主的女儿，她好心买来了家具。你能做教师吗？你可以免费住在小房子里，每年可得30镑，不会更多。”
I thought about it for a moment．It was not as good as being a governess in an important family，but at least I would have no master．I would be free and independent．
我考虑了一会儿。和在大家庭中做家庭教师相比，这不算好，但至少我没有什么主人了，我是自由和自立的。
'Thank you，Mr Rivers，I accept gladly，'I replied．
“谢谢，李维斯先生，我很乐意接受。”我说。
'But you do understand？'he asked，a little worried．'It will only be a village school．The girls will be poor and uneducated．You'll be teaching reading，writing，counting，sewing，that's all．There'll be no music or languages or painting．'
“但是你明白吗？”他有些担心地问。“这只是一所乡村小学。女孩子们很穷，没有受过教育。你要同时教阅读、写作、算术和缝纫。没有音乐、语言或绘画课。”
'I understand，and I'll be happy to do it，'I answered．