牛津书虫系列《织工马南》Chapter10 附中英双语文本

10 Eppie has to decide
10 埃比需要做出选择
That evening Silas was resting in his chair near the fire，after the excitement of the day．Eppie was sitting close to him，holding both his hands，and on the table was Silas's lost gold．He had put the coins in piles，as he used to．
晚上，一天的忙碌过后，西拉斯坐在炉火旁的椅子上休息，埃比拉着他的手坐在他旁边，西拉斯丢的金子放在桌子上。他像从前一样把金币码成一摞一摞的。
'You see，that's all I ever did in the long evenings before you came to me，'he was telling Eppie，'just count my gold．I was only half alive in those days．What a good thing the money was taken away from me！I was killing myself with working all day，and counting money half the night．It wasn't a healthy life．And when you came，with your yellow curls，I thought you were the gold，And then，when I began to love you，I didn't want my gold any more．'He stopped talking for a moment and looked at the money．'The gold doesn't mean anything to me now．But perhaps，if I ever lost you，Eppie，if you ever went away from me，I'd need my gold again．I'd feel lonely then，and I'd think God had forgotten me，and perhaps I'd go back to my bad old habits．
“你看，你来之前，我每天晚上就是这样做的，”他给埃比讲，“只是数我的金子。那时我只有半条生命。金子被偷走对我来说真是件好事！那时我在用整天工作，整晚上数钱的方法自杀。那是不健康的生活。你来的时候，因为你的金黄的头发，我把你当成了金子。后来，当我开始爱你，我就不再想什么金子了。”他停了一会儿，看着金子，“现在金子对我毫无意义了，可是一旦失去你，埃比，或是你离我而去，我会重新需要金子。那时我会感到孤独，我会觉得自己被上帝抛弃了，可能我会回到以前的样子。”
There were tears in Eppie's beautiful eyes，but she did not have time to answer Silas，as just then there was a knock on the door．When she opened it，Mr and Mrs Godfrey Cass came in．
埃比美丽的眼睛里充满了泪水，可她还没来得及回答西拉斯就响起了敲门声。她打开门，戈弗雷·凯斯先生和太太进到屋里来。
Good evening，my dear，'said Nancy，taking Eppie's hand gently．'We're sorry to come so late． '
“晚上好，亲爱的，”南茜轻轻拉着埃比的手，“抱歉我们这么晚来。”
'Well，Marner，'said Godfrey，as he and Nancy sat down，'I'm glad you've got your money back，and I'm very sorry it was one of my family who stole it from you． Whatever I can do for you，I will，to repay what I owe you—and I owe you a lot， Marner．'silas was always uncomfortable with important people like the young Squire．'You don't owe me anything，sir．You've already been very kind to me. And that money on the table is more than most working people can save in their whole life．Eppie and I don't need very much．'
“你好，马南，”戈弗雷一边说，一边和南茜坐下来，“恭喜你找回你的钱。我很惭愧是我们家里的人偷了你的钱。我会尽一切力量去补偿你，马南，我欠你太多了。”西拉斯一向不擅于和像年轻的乡绅这样重要的人物相处。“你不欠我什么，先生，你一直对我很好，桌上的钱已经比好多人一辈子攒的钱都多了，我和埃比并不需要很多东西。”
Godfrey was impatient to explain why they had come．'Yes，you've done well these last sixteen years，Marner，taking care of Eppie here．She looks pretty and healthy，but not very strong. Don't you think she should be a lady，not a working woman？Now Mrs Cass and I，you know；have no children，and we'd like to adopt a daughter to live with us in our beauti-ful home and enjoy all the good things we're used to．In fact，we'd like to have Eppie．I'm sure you'd be glad to see her be－come a lady，and of course we'd make sure you have every thing you need. And Eppie will come to see you very often，I expect．'
戈弗雷急着向西拉斯解释今天的来意。“是的，马南，你这16年来对埃比照顾得非常好，她又漂亮又健康，只是不太强壮。你难道不觉得她应该成为一个淑女而不是个整天干活的人吗？你知道凯斯太太和我没有孩子，我们想收养个女儿，让她和我们生活在一起，住漂亮的房子，享受所有的好东西。实际上我们想收养埃比，我想你会乐意看到埃比成为一位淑女，而且我保证给你你想要的一切，而且我想埃比也会经常回来看你的。”
Godfrey did not find it easy to say what he felt，and as a re－sult his words were not chosen sensitively．Silas was hurt，and afraid．His whole body trembled as he said quietly to Eppie af－ter a moment，'I won't stand in your way，my child．Thank Mr and Mrs Cass．It's very kind of them．'