牛津书虫系列《织工马南》Chapter1 附中英双语文本

1 Silas Marner，past and present
1 马南的过去和现在
In the early years of the nineteenth century，Strange-looking little men were often seen on the country roads，usually with a heavy bag on their shoulders．They were linen－weavers，taking the linen they had woven to the women in the villages．Unlike the strong，healthy country people，they were small and thin，with tired white faces，bent backs and round shoulders．They were often shortsighted too，because they had to look so closely at their work．To the villagers the weavers looked almost foreign，and quite frightening．Where did they come from？Was it the devil who sent them？Who were their parents？How could you trust a man if you didn't know his father or mother？Country people used to be very suspicious of all strangers and travellers．They were also suspi-cious of clever people，people who could do something they themselves had not learnt to do．That is why the linen－weavers，who often moved from towns to live and work in the country，were considered strangers all their lives by their neighbours，and were sometimes very lonely as a result.
在19世纪初的英国，人们经常在乡村小路上看到一些小个子男人，扛着沉沉的大袋子，样子很古怪。他们是织布匠，在把织好的亚麻布送给乡下妇女。和健壮的乡下人不同，织工们身材瘦小而且脸色苍白，神情疲惫，曲背弯腰。由于用眼过度，他们中许多人眼睛都有些近视。在乡下人眼里，这些织布匠几乎算得上怪异，而且很吓人。乡下人疑惑不解：这些人是从哪里来的？是魔鬼派他们来的吗？他们的父母是谁呢？一个你不了解他父母的人，你怎么能信任呢？乡下人常常怀疑所有的陌生人和旅客。他们也怀疑那些聪明的人，那些会干一些乡下人自己不会做的事的人。因为这个原因，这些从城市搬到乡下干活、居住的织工终生都会被邻居认为是怪人．并因而感到很孤独。
Silas Marner was one of these weavers．He lived in a small cottage near the village of Raveloe．Every day he worked at his loom in the cottage．The small boys of Raveloe had never heard the sound of a loom before，and sometimes they used to run up to his house to look quickly in at the window．If Silas noticed them，he lifted his shortsighted eyes from the loom to stare at the boys．There was something terrible about his stare，which made the boys run away at once，screaming with fear．The vil－lagers believed that Silas had an almost devilish power，which he could use to harm them if he wanted，and so they were all afraid of him．Raveloe was an important－looking village with a fine old church and a number of large farms．But it was at least an hour away from any other village，and very few strangers visited it，which explains why the villagers'opinions were so out of date．
西拉斯就是这些织工中的一个。他住在靠近瑞福洛村的一间小草屋里，每天在小屋里的织布机上干活。瑞福洛村的孩子们以前从没有听到过织布机的声音，所以经常到他的小屋来扒窗户偷看。如果西拉斯发觉了，就会把近视眼从织布机上抬起来盯着孩子们。他的眼光中似乎有什么可怕的东西，孩子们马上惊叫着四散跑开。村里人有些怕他，因为大家相信西拉斯有着近乎魔鬼的力量，如果愿意他可以用来伤害他们。瑞福洛是一个很气派的村庄，有着很好的老式教堂和大片的农田。但由于离最近的邻村也有一个小时的路程，很少有陌生人来，所以村里人的思想非常落后。
Silas Marner had first come to Raveloe fifteen years before，as a young man．He and his way of life seemed very strange to the villagers．He worked long hours at his loom，and had no friends or visitors from the village or anywhere else．He never talked to his neighbours unless it was necessary for his work，and he never looked at any of the Raveloe girls．'Who would want to marry him anyway？'the girls laughed to each other．'Marry a dead man come to life again，with that unhealthy white skin and those insect－like eyes of his？Certainly not！'
西拉斯·马南是15年前到瑞福洛来的，那时他还是一个小伙子。他和他的生活方式对瑞福洛的村民来说是那么神秘。他长时间在织布机上工作，没有朋友和客人。除非为了工作的事，他从不和邻居说话，也从不看一眼瑞福洛村的女孩子们。“有谁愿意嫁给他？”姑娘们互相开玩笑，“有谁愿意嫁给这个苍白得吓人，长着一双虫子一样眼睛的人？好像死人刚活过来一样！谁也不会愿意！”
One of the villagers had had a strange experience with Silas．One evening he had discovered the weaver resting on a field gate，his eyes open but unseeing，and his body cold and hard，like a dead man's．After a few moments Silas appeared to wake up，said'Good night'，and walked away．