牛津书虫系列《苔丝》Chapter1 附中英双语文本

The Maiden 1
处 女 1
One evening at the end of May a middle-aged man was walking home from Shaston to the village of Marlott in the Vale of Blackmoor．His legs were thin and weak，and he could not walk in a straight line．He had an empty egg-basket on his arm， and his hat was old and worn．After a while he passed an elderly parson riding a grey horse．
5月末的一天傍晚，有个中年汉子正从夏斯顿回家到黑荒野山谷的马勒特村去。他双腿瘦弱，一路东倒西歪。他手挽一个盛鸡蛋用的空篮子，帽子又旧又破。走了一会儿，他遇见了一位骑匹灰马的老牧师。
‘Good night，’said the man with the basket．
“晚安。”挽着篮子的人说。
‘Good night，Sir John，’said the parson．
“晚安，约翰爵士，”牧师说道。
After another step or two the man stopped and turned round to speak to the parson．
刚走出一两步，这人停了下来，转过身对牧师说：
‘Now，sir，last market-day we met on this road at the same time，and I said “Good night”and you answered“Good night，Sir John，”as you did just now．’
“嗯，先生，上次赶集那天，大约也是这个时候，我们在这条路上碰到过的。当时我向您道声‘晚安’，您也和刚才一样回答说‘晚安，约翰爵士’。”
‘I did，’said the parson．
“我是那么说的，”牧师说道。
‘And once before that，almost a month ago．’
“而且更早以前还曾有过一回——将近一个月以前吧。”
‘I may have．’
“我也许是说过的。”
‘So why do you call me Sir John，when I am only John Durbeyfield？’
“那么您为什么要称呼我‘约翰爵士’呢？我只不过是约翰·德北呀。”
The parson rode nearer，and after a moment's hesitation，explained：‘It was because I've discovered something of historical interest．I am Parson Tringham，the historian．Do you really not know，Durbeyfield，that you are a direct descendant of the ancient and noble family of the d’Urbervilles？They descended from Sir Pagan d’Urberville，who came from Normandy with William the Conqueror in 1066．’
牧师拍马走近，略一犹豫，便解释道：“那是因为最近我发现了一些史实。我是特林厄姆牧师，历史学家。德北呀，难道你真的不知道自己是那古老而高贵的德伯家族的一支直系后裔吗？这个家族起始于培根·德伯爵士，他是在1066年随同征服者威廉国王从诺曼底来到英格兰的。”
‘Never heard that before，sir！’
“这事我以前可从没听说过，先生！”
‘Well，it's true．Let me see your face．Yes， you have the d’Urberville nose and chin．D’Urbervilles have owned land and served their King for hundreds of years．There have been many Sir Johns，and you could have been Sir John yourself．’
“哟，这可是千真万确的。让我看看你的脸。没错，你有德伯家的鼻子和下巴。德伯家族拥有大片土地，而且数百年来效忠于国王。哦，对啦，你们家族中有过好多个约翰爵士呐，而你自己就可能是一个。”
‘Well！’exclaimed the man．‘And how long has this news about me been known，Parson Tringham？’
“哦！”这人惊呼道，“特林厄姆先生，有关我的事情，被发现有多久了？”
‘Nobody knows about it at all，’said the parson．‘I just happened to discover it last spring，when I was trying to find out more about the d’Urbervilles and noticed your name in the village．’
“根本没有人知道，”牧师说，“我是去年春天碰巧发现的，那时我正在努力发掘有关德伯家族的更多情况，于是在村子里注意到了你的姓氏。”
‘I've got an old silver spoon，and an old seal too at home，’said the man，wondering．‘So where do we d”Urbervilles live now，Parson？’
“我家里倒是有一把银匙和一枚旧樱”这人思忖道，“那么你说，我们德伯家族的人现在住在哪儿呢？”
‘You don't live anywhere．You have died，as a noble family．’
“你们家族的人哪儿都没有了。你们这个豪门望族，算是已经完结了。”
‘That's bad．So where do we lie？’
“真可悲呀。那么，我们家族埋在哪儿？”
‘In the churchyard at Kingsbere-sub-Greenhill．’
“绿山底王陴那儿的教堂墓地。”
‘And where are our family lands？’
“我们家族的田地又在哪儿呢？”
‘You haven't any．’
“你们什么也没有了。”
John Durbeyfield paused．‘And what should I do about it，sir？’
过了一会儿，约翰·德北又问：“那这事我该怎么办呢，先生？”
‘Oh，nothing．It's a fact of historical interest，nothing more．Good night．’
“唉，毫无办法。这只是有关历史的一桩事实，别无他意。告辞了。”
‘But you'll come and have some beer with me，Parson Tringham？’
“特林厄姆牧师，您愿意来同我一起喝杯啤酒吗？”