牛津书虫系列《苔丝》Chapter12 附中英双语文本

“我有一个非常实际的问题要问你，”他温柔地说，“我打算不久就结婚。作为一个农场主，我需要一位对农场事务样样通晓的妻子。苔丝，你愿意做这样一位妻子吗？”
She looked quite worried．She had accepted that she could not help loving him， but she had not expected this result．With bitter pain she replied as she had promised herself she would．
“啊，克莱尔先生——我不能成为你的妻子——我不能！”说出这些话时，她的心都要碎了。
‘Oh Mr Clare—I cannot be your wife… I cannot be！’The sound of these words seemed to break her very heart．
“可是，苔丝！”他叫道。对她的回答他大感惊诧，更紧地抱住了她。
‘But Tess！’he said， amazed at her answer and holding her still closer．‘Surely you love me？’
“想必你是爱我的吧？”
‘Oh yes， yes！ And I would rather be yours than anybody's in the whole world！ But I cannot marry you！’cried the sweet and honest voice miserably．
“嗯，是的，爱你！比起世界上任何人来，我都更愿做你的妻子，但是我不能嫁给你！”她难过地用甜蜜而诚实的声音说。
‘Tess， have， you agreed to marry someone else？’
“苔丝，是不是你已经同意嫁给别人了？”
‘No， no！’
“不，不是的！”
‘Then why do you refuse me？’
“那么你为什么拒绝我呢？”
‘Your father is a parson， and your mother will want you to marry a lady，’said poor Tess， desperately trying to find an excuse．
“你父亲是位牧师，你母亲会要你娶一位小姐的。”可怜的苔丝说道，迫切地想找一个借口。
‘No， certainly not， that's why I went home， to talk to them both．’
“不，当然不会，这次我回家的原因，就是要跟他们俩都谈谈。”
‘I feel I cannot—never， never！’
“我觉得自己不能——永远不能，永远不能！”
‘Is it too sudden， my pretty？ I'll give you time． I won't mention it again for a while．’
“是不是太突然了，我的美人儿？我会给你时间的。这会儿，我不再提这件事啦。”
She tried to skim again， but her tears fell so that she could not do it． She could never explain her sadness， even to this her best friend． Clare began to talk more generally， to calm her．He talked about his father's religious views， and the good work he did． He mentioned the insults his father had received from a young man near Trantridge who had a blind mother．
她想接着干活，但是她的眼泪滴落下来，让她无法继续下去。她永远无法解释她的悲伤，哪怕是对这样一个她最亲密的朋友。克莱尔开始用更一般的口气跟她谈话，好让她平静下来。他谈起了他父亲的宗教观念，以及他做的善事。他提起了一个住在纯瑞脊附近的青年辱骂他父亲的事，他有个双目失明的母亲。
Tess now looked hard and worn，and her mouth was tragic．Clare did not notice． They finished skimming and he said to her softly：
现在苔丝的脸变得严峻和焦虑起来，她的嘴显露出了不幸。克莱尔没有注意到。他们撇完牛奶后，他柔声向她问道：
‘And my question， Tessy？’
“苔丝，我的问题怎么样了？”
‘Oh no—no！’ she replied， hopelessly， thinking bitterly of Alec d’Urberville．‘ It can't be！’
“哦，不——不行！”她绝望地回答道，痛苦地想起了亚历克·德伯。“这绝不可能！”
She went out with the other milkmaids to the cows in the fields． Angel watched her moving freely in the air like a swimmer on a wave．He knew he was right to choose a wife from nature， not from civilization．
她和其他挤奶女工一起，朝牧场的牛群走去。安吉尔看着她在户外的空气中自由地移动着步伐，就像水波中的游泳者。他知道他是正确的，他要选择一位来自自然而不是来自文明社会的妻子。