The first act of business Miss Murdstone performed when the day of the solemnity was over, and light was freely admitted into the house, was to give Peggotty a month’s warning. —
在这个隆重日子结束，灯光重新照射进屋子里时，默德斯通小姐所做的第一件事情就是通知佩各蒂辞退她，要她在一个月内离职。 —

Much as Peggotty would have disliked such a service, I believe she would have retained it, for my sake, in preference to the best upon earth. —
尽管佩各蒂本来不喜欢这样的服务，但我相信为了我，她宁愿留下来。 —

She told me we must part, and told me why; —
她告诉我我们必须分开，并告诉了我原因； —

and we condoled with one another, in all sincerity.
我们彼此真诚地悲伤着。

As to me or my future, not a word was said, or a step taken. —
对于我或我的未来，没有一句话或一步行动。 —

Happy they would have been, I dare say, if they could have dismissed me at a month’s warning too. —
他们或许会很高兴，如果他们也可以在一个月的通知期内辞退我。 —

I mustered courage once, to ask Miss Murdstone when I was going back to school; —
我鼓起勇气问默德斯通小姐我什么时候回学校； —

and she answered dryly, she believed I was not going back at all. I was told nothing more. —
她干涩地回答说她相信我根本不会回去。我没有听到更多的消息。 —

I was very anxious to know what was going to be done with me, and so was Peggotty; —
我非常想知道他们打算怎么处理我，佩各蒂也是； —

but neither she nor I could pick up any information on the subject.
但是她和我都无法获得关于这个问题的任何信息。

There was one change in my condition, which, while it relieved me of a great deal of present uneasiness, might have made me, if I had been capable of considering it closely, yet more uncomfortable about the future. —
我的状态有一个变化，虽然这减轻了我很多当前的不安，但如果我有能力仔细考虑，也许会让我对未来更不安。 —

It was this. The constraint that had been put upon me, was quite abandoned. —
就是这样，对我的约束完全取消了。 —

I was so far from being required to keep my dull post in the parlour, that on several occasions, when I took my seat there, Miss Murdstone frowned to me to go away. —
我远不需要在客厅里坐着保持沉闷，有好几次，当我坐在那里时，默德斯通小姐向我皱起眉头叫我走开。 —

I was so far from being warned off from Peggotty’s society, that, provided I was not in Mr. Murdstone’s, I was never sought out or inquired for. —
我远不需要避开佩各蒂的社交，只要我不在默德斯通先生的身边，我从来没有被寻找或询问。 —

At first I was in daily dread of his taking my education in hand again, or of Miss Murdstone’s devoting herself to it; —
起初我每天都害怕他再次接手我的教育，或者默德斯通小姐专心于此； —

but I soon began to think that such fears were groundless, and that all I had to anticipate was neglect.
但很快我开始觉得这样的恐惧是毫无根据的，我所要预料的只是被忽视。

I do not conceive that this discovery gave me much pain then. —
我并不觉得那时这个发现带给我太多痛苦。 —

I was still giddy with the shock of my mother’s death, and in a kind of stunned state as to all tributary things. —
我仍然被我母亲去世的冲击所震惊，对所有相关事物都处于一种麻木状态。 —

I can recollect, indeed, to have speculated, at odd times, on the possibility of my not being taught any more, or cared for any more; —
我确实记得有时曾经思考过我可能不会再接受教育，不再受关心； —

and growing up to be a shabby, moody man, lounging an idle life away, about the village; —
并长大成为一个衣衫褴褛、郁闷的人，虚度时光在村庄里； —

as well as on the feasibility of my getting rid of this picture by going away somewhere, like the hero in a story, to seek my fortune: —
以及可能通过像故事里那位英雄般离开去寻找我的财富来摆脱这幅画； —

but these were transient visions, daydreams I sat looking at sometimes, as if they were faintly painted or written on the wall of my room, and which, as they melted away, left the wall blank again.
但这些只是暂时的幻想，白天梦，有时我坐在房间里看着它们，仿佛它们淡淡地画在墙上，然后消失了，墙又变得空白。

‘Peggotty,’ I said in a thoughtful whisper, one evening, when I was warming my hands at the kitchen fire, ‘Mr. Murdstone likes me less than he used to. —
‘佩吉蒂，’一个傍晚我在厨房火炉旁暖手时，我沉思着低声说，’默德斯通先生现在不如以前喜欢我了。 —

He never liked me much, Peggotty; but he would rather not even see me now, if he can help it.’
他本来就不太喜欢我，佩吉蒂；但如果他能避免的话，他现在宁愿连见也不见我了。

‘Perhaps it’s his sorrow,’ said Peggotty, stroking my hair.
‘也许是他的悲伤，’ 佩吉蒂抚摸着我的头发说。

‘I am sure, Peggotty, I am sorry too. If I believed it was his sorrow, I should not think of it at all. —
‘我确定，佩吉蒂，我也很难过。如果我相信是他的悲伤，我就完全不会考虑它。 —

But it’s not that; oh, no, it’s not that.’
但不是那样；哦，不，不是那样的。’

‘How do you know it’s not that?’ said Peggotty, after a silence.
‘你怎么知道不是那样的？’ 佩吉蒂沉默片刻后说。

‘Oh, his sorrow is another and quite a different thing. —
‘哦，他的悲伤是另一回事，完全不同的事情。 —

He is sorry at this moment, sitting by the fireside with Miss Murdstone; —
他此刻坐在炉边与默德斯通小姐在一起， —

but if I was to go in, Peggotty, he would be something besides.’
但如果我要进去的话，佩格蒂，他会不一样的。

‘What would he be?’ said Peggotty.
‘他会是什么样子呢？’ 佩格蒂说道。

‘Angry,’ I answered, with an involuntary imitation of his dark frown. —
‘生气,’ 我不由自主地模仿了他那阴沉的皱眉。 —

‘If he was only sorry, he wouldn’t look at me as he does. —
‘如果他只是感到抱歉，他就不会用那种眼神看着我。 —

I am only sorry, and it makes me feel kinder.’
我只是感到抱歉，这让我感觉更亲切。

Peggotty said nothing for a little while; and I warmed my hands, as silent as she.
佩格蒂沉默了一会儿；我也悄悄地烤着手。

‘Davy,’ she said at length.
‘大卫，’她最终说道。

‘Yes, Peggotty?’ ‘I have tried, my dear, all ways I could think of - all the ways there are, and all the ways there ain’t, in short - to get a suitable service here, in Blunderstone; —
‘是的，佩格蒂？’ ‘我试过了，亲爱的，我能想到的所有方法 - 所有可能的方法和不可能的方法，总之 - 来在布伦德斯通找到一个合适的工作； —

but there’s no such a thing, my love.’
但没有这样的东西，我的宝贝。”

‘And what do you mean to do, Peggotty,’ says I, wistfully. —
‘那你打算怎么办，佩格蒂，’我渴望地问道。 —

‘Do you mean to go and seek your fortune?’
‘你打算去闯一番吗？’

‘I expect I shall be forced to go to Yarmouth,’ replied Peggotty, ‘and live there.’
‘我想我将被迫去雅茅斯，’佩格蒂回答说，‘在那里生活。

‘You might have gone farther off,’ I said, brightening a little, ‘and been as bad as lost. —
‘你本可以去更远的地方，’我略微振奋地说，‘并被认为是失踪。 —

I shall see you sometimes, my dear old Peggotty, there. —
我以后有时会在那里见到你，我亲爱的老佩格蒂。 —

You won’t be quite at the other end of the world, will you?’
你不会完全到世界的另一端去吧？’

‘Contrary ways, please God!’ cried Peggotty, with great animation. —
“求上帝保佑，向相反的方向!”佩各蒂兴奋地喊道。 —

‘As long as you are here, my pet, I shall come over every week of my life to see you. —
“只要你在这里，我的宝贝，我就会每周过来看你一次。 —

One day, every week of my life!’
我一生每周都会来一次!”

I felt a great weight taken off my mind by this promise: —
这个承诺让我感到心中一块大石头落了下来。 —

but even this was not all, for Peggotty went on to say:
“但这还不是全部，佩各蒂接着说道：

‘I’m a-going, Davy, you see, to my brother’s, first, for another fortnight’s visit - just till I have had time to look about me, and get to be something like myself again. —
“看到我兄弟那儿去，第一次探望，再待上两周——等我办完事情，恢复自己的样子。 —

Now, I have been thinking that perhaps, as they don’t want you here at present, you might be let to go along with me.’
“现在我在想，既然目前他们不需要你在这里，也许可以让你跟我一起走。”

If anything, short of being in a different relation to every one about me, Peggotty excepted, could have given me a sense of pleasure at that time, it would have been this project of all others. —
“除了那时候我所能感到的一丝快乐，这个计划远比其他计划让我高兴。 —

The idea of being again surrounded by those honest faces, shining welcome on me; —
“被那些诚实的面孔围绕着，那溢满欢迎之光; —

of renewing the peacefulness of the sweet Sunday morning, when the bells were ringing, the stones dropping in the water, and the shadowy ships breaking through the mist; —
“重温周日早晨的平静，那时钟声响起，石块落入水中，阴暗的船只冲破薄雾； —

of roaming up and down with little Em’ly, telling her my troubles, and finding charms against them in the shells and pebbles on the beach; —
“在海滩上和小艾米一起漫步，将我的烦恼告诉她，在贝壳和卵石中找到它们的消解之法； —

made a calm in my heart. It was ruffled next moment, to be sure, by a doubt of Miss Murdstone’s giving her consent; —
“这一切都让我内心平静下来。当然，不久之后，我开始对莫德斯通小姐是否会同意感到疑虑； —

but even that was set at rest soon, for she came out to take an evening grope in the store-closet while we were yet in conversation, and Peggotty, with a boldness that amazed me, broached the topic on the spot.
“但很快这个疑虑也消失了，因为在我们谈话的时候，她出来去库房搜寻，佩各蒂却大胆地提出了这个话题。

‘The boy will be idle there,’ said Miss Murdstone, looking into a pickle-jar, ‘and idleness is the root of all evil. —
“‘男孩在那里会变得懒散，’莫德斯通小姐看着一个腌菜罐，‘懒散是万恶之源。 —

But, to be sure, he would be idle here - or anywhere, in my opinion.’
“不过，当然，他在这儿也会懒散—或者无论在哪里，我都这么看。”

Peggotty had an angry answer ready, I could see; —
佩格蒂显然已经准备好了愤怒的回答，我看得出来； —

but she swallowed it for my sake, and remained silent.
但她为了我的缘故把话咽了下去，保持沉默。

‘Humph!’ said Miss Murdstone, still keeping her eye on the pickles; —
‘哼！’莫德斯通小姐说，仍然盯着泡菜； —

‘it is of more importance than anything else - it is of paramount importance - that my brother should not be disturbed or made uncomfortable. —
‘这比任何其他事情都更重要——这是至关重要的——不能打扰或让我的哥哥感到不舒服。 —

I suppose I had better say yes.’
我想我最好说是吧。

I thanked her, without making any demonstration of joy, lest it should induce her to withdraw her assent. —
我感谢她，但没有表现出任何喜悦的迹象，以免她撤回她的同意。 —

Nor could I help thinking this a prudent course, since she looked at me out of the pickle-jar, with as great an access of sourness as if her black eyes had absorbed its contents. —
我不禁想这是明智的做法，因为她用泡菜罐望着我，眼神像是吸收了其中的内容一样酸溜溜的。 —

However, the permission was given, and was never retracted; —
然而，许可是已经给了，也没收回； —

for when the month was out, Peggotty and I were ready to depart.
因为一个月过去了，佩格蒂和我已经准备好离开。

Mr. Barkis came into the house for Peggotty’s boxes. —
巴基斯先生进屋拿佩格蒂的箱子。 —

I had never known him to pass the garden-gate before, but on this occasion he came into the house. —
我以前从未见他经过花园门口，但这次他走进了房子。 —

And he gave me a look as he shouldered the largest box and went out, which I thought had meaning in it, if meaning could ever be said to find its way into Mr. Barkis’s visage.
他肩负着最大的一个箱子走出去时对我投来一瞥，我觉得他的眼神中有意味，就算意味能够进入巴基斯先生的脸上。

Peggotty was naturally in low spirits at leaving what had been her home so many years, and where the two strong attachments of her life - for my mother and myself - had been formed. —
离开了成为她家多年的地方当然让佩格蒂情绪低落，她跟我母亲和我这两个她生命中的重要关系是在这里建立的。 —

She had been walking in the churchyard, too, very early; —
她也很早就去过教堂墓地走了走； —

and she got into the cart, and sat in it with her handkerchief at her eyes.
她上了车，眼睛含着手绢。

So long as she remained in this condition, Mr. Barkis gave no sign of life whatever. —
只要她保持这种状态，巴尔基斯先生就丝毫没有生气。 —

He sat in his usual place and attitude like a great stuffed figure. —
他像一个巨大的填充物一样坐在他通常的位置和姿势上。 —

But when she began to look about her, and to speak to me, he nodded his head and grinned several times. —
当她开始四处看看，并跟我说话时，他点了点头，笑了几次。 —

I have not the least notion at whom, or what he meant by it.
我完全不知道他指的是谁，或者是什么意思。

‘It’s a beautiful day, Mr. Barkis!’ I said, as an act of politeness.
“巴尔基斯先生，今天天气真好！”我说，表示礼貌。

‘It ain’t bad,’ said Mr. Barkis, who generally qualified his speech, and rarely committed himself.
巴尔基斯先生说：“也不错”，他通常会用修饰语来说话，很少表态。

‘Peggotty is quite comfortable now, Mr. Barkis,’ I remarked, for his satisfaction.
“巴尔基斯先生，佩吉蒂现在相当舒服，”我为了让他满意地说。

‘Is she, though?’ said Mr. Barkis.
“是吗？”巴尔基斯先生说。

After reflecting about it, with a sagacious air, Mr. Barkis eyed her, and said:
在深思熟虑之后，巴尔基斯先生看着她，然后说：

‘ARE you pretty comfortable?’
“你舒服吗？”

Peggotty laughed, and answered in the affirmative.
佩吉蒂笑了，肯定地回答道。

‘But really and truly, you know. Are you?’ —
“但真的，你知道吗？你舒服吗？” —

growled Mr. Barkis, sliding nearer to her on the seat, and nudging her with his elbow. ‘Are you? —
巴尔基斯先生咆哮着，在座位上更靠近她，用胳膊推了一下她。“你舒服吗？” —

Really and truly pretty comfortable? Are you? Eh?’
在这些询问的每一个时刻，巴尔基斯先生都更靠近她，再推了她一下；

At each of these inquiries Mr. Barkis shuffled nearer to her, and gave her another nudge; —
真的而确实，你知道吗？你舒服吗？你舒服吗？嗯？ —

so that at last we were all crowded together in the left-hand corner of the cart, and I was so squeezed that I could hardly bear it.
所以最后我们都挤在马车的左手角落，我被挤得几乎受不了。

Peggotty calling his attention to my sufferings, Mr. Barkis gave me a little more room at once, and got away by degrees. —
佩格蒂提醒他注意到我的痛苦后，巴基斯立刻给了我更多空间，并逐渐离开。 —

But I could not help observing that he seemed to think he had hit upon a wonderful expedient for expressing himself in a neat, agreeable, and pointed manner, without the inconvenience of inventing conversation. —
但我观察到他似乎认为自己找到了一个奇妙的方法来用一种整洁、愉快且有力的方式表达自己，而不必费神编造对话。 —

He manifestly chuckled over it for some time. —
他明显为此高兴了一段时间。 —

By and by he turned to Peggotty again, and repeating, ‘Are you pretty comfortable though?’ —
过了一会儿，他再次转向佩格蒂，重复说：“你虽然挺舒适的吧？” —

bore down upon us as before, until the breath was nearly edged out of my body. —
又一次压得我几乎喘不过气来。 —

By and by he made another descent upon us with the same inquiry, and the same result. —
不久他又向我们袭来，并问同样的问题，结果也是一样。 —

At length, I got up whenever I saw him coming, and standing on the foot-board, pretended to look at the prospect; —
最后，每次看到他过来时，我都站起来，踩在车边，假装看风景； —

after which I did very well.
然后我就好多了。

He was so polite as to stop at a public-house, expressly on our account, and entertain us with broiled mutton and beer. —
他很客气地特意在我们的缘故下停在一家酒馆，用烤羊肉和啤酒款待我们。 —

Even when Peggotty was in the act of drinking, he was seized with one of those approaches, and almost choked her. —
甚至当佩格蒂正在喝水的时候，他也突然袭击过来，几乎让她窒息。 —

But as we drew nearer to the end of our journey, he had more to do and less time for gallantry; —
但随着我们旅程临近尾声，他有的事情要做却没那么多时间去献殷勤； —

and when we got on Yarmouth pavement, we were all too much shaken and jolted, I apprehend, to have any leisure for anything else.
当我们走上雅茅斯的路面时，我们都被震动得太多，太颠簸了，我想我们已经没有时间去做其他事情了。

Mr. Peggotty and Ham waited for us at the old place. —
佩格蒂和汉姆在老地方等我们。 —

They received me and Peggotty in an affectionate manner, and shook hands with Mr. Barkis, who, with his hat on the very back of his head, and a shame-faced leer upon his countenance, and pervading his very legs, presented but a vacant appearance, I thought. —
他们以一种充满情感的方式接待我和佩格蒂，和戴着帽子但帽子却斜得很靠后，脸上带着羞怯的傻笑，感觉无所适从的巴基斯握手，我觉得他简直是空洞的。 —

They each took one of Peggotty’s trunks, and we were going away, when Mr. Barkis solemnly made a sign to me with his forefinger to come under an archway.
他们每个人拿了佩戈蒂的一个大衣箱，我们就要离开了，这时巴尔克斯先生用食指庄严地示意我走到一个拱门下。

‘I say,’ growled Mr. Barkis, ‘it was all right.’
‘我说,‘巴尔克斯先生咕哝道，’一切都挺好的。

I looked up into his face, and answered, with an attempt to be very profound: ‘Oh!’
我抬头看着他的脸，试图表现得很深奥地回答道：’哦！

‘It didn’t come to a end there,’ said Mr. Barkis, nodding confidentially. ‘It was all right.’
‘事情并没有就此结束，’巴尔克斯先生自信地点点头。’一切都挺好的。

Again I answered, ‘Oh!’
我再次回应道：’哦！

‘You know who was willin’,’ said my friend. ‘It was Barkis, and Barkis only.’
‘你知道谁情愿，’我的朋友说。’那就是巴尔克斯，只有巴尔克斯。

I nodded assent.
我点头表示同意。

‘It’s all right,’ said Mr. Barkis, shaking hands; —
‘一切都好了，’巴尔克斯先生说着握手； —

‘I’m a friend of your’n. You made it all right, first. It’s all right.’
‘我是你的朋友。你先做到了一切都好。一切都好。

In his attempts to be particularly lucid, Mr. Barkis was so extremely mysterious, that I might have stood looking in his face for an hour, and most assuredly should have got as much information out of it as out of the face of a clock that had stopped, but for Peggotty’s calling me away. —
巴尔克斯先生极力地表达自己的思维，是如此的神秘，我凝视着他的脸可能已经有一个小时了，准是和看一块停了的时钟一样，从中得到的信息和什么都一样少，如果不是佩戈蒂叫我走开。 —

As we were going along, she asked me what he had said; —
在我们走着的时候，她问我他说了什么； —

and I told her he had said it was all right.
我告诉她他说一切都挺好的。

‘Like his impudence,’ said Peggotty, ‘but I don’t mind that! —
‘太放肆了，’佩戈蒂说，’但我不在乎！ —

Davy dear, what should you think if I was to think of being married?’
大维，亲爱的，如果我想要结婚你会怎么想？

‘Why - I suppose you would like me as much then, Peggotty, as you do now?’ —
‘为什么-我想你那时会喜欢我和现在一样，对吧，佩戈蒂？’ —

I returned, after a little consideration.
我重新考虑了一下，又回来了。

Greatly to the astonishment of the passengers in the street, as well as of her relations going on before, the good soul was obliged to stop and embrace me on the spot, with many protestations of her unalterable love.
在街上的乘客以及前面走着的亲属大为惊讶，善良的灵魂被迫停下来，当场拥抱我，表示她对我的不变爱意。

‘Tell me what should you say, darling?’ she asked again, when this was over, and we were walking on.
“告诉我你会说些什么，亲爱的？”这段对话过后，当我们继续走着时，她又问道。

‘If you were thinking of being married - to Mr. Barkis, Peggotty?’
“如果你考虑嫁给巴克斯先生，佩各蒂，你会说什么呢？”

‘Yes,’ said Peggotty.
“会的，”佩各蒂说。

‘I should think it would be a very good thing. —
“我想这应该是一件非常好的事情。 —

For then you know, Peggotty, you would always have the horse and cart to bring you over to see me, and could come for nothing, and be sure of coming.’
“因为你知道，佩各蒂，你就可以随时有马车来接你过来看我，而且不花钱，而且可以肯定地过来。”

‘The sense of the dear!’ cried Peggotty. ‘What I have been thinking of, this month back! —
“宝贝的意思！”佩各蒂喊道。“这已经是我一个月以来一直在考虑的事情了！ —

Yes, my precious; and I think I should be more independent altogether, you see; —
是的，我亲爱的；而且我想我应该更加独立， —

let alone my working with a better heart in my own house, than I could in anybody else’s now. —
你看，放在我自己的房子里，我能更加用心地工作，比我在别人家里做时好。 —

I don’t know what I might be fit for, now, as a servant to a stranger. —
我不知道现在作为一个陌生人的仆人，我可能适合什么。 —

And I shall be always near my pretty’s resting-place,’ said Peggotty, musing, ‘and be able to see it when I like; —
而且我一直会靠近我宝贝的安息之地，”佩各蒂冥想着说，“我可以随时看到它； —

and when I lie down to rest, I may be laid not far off from my darling girl!’
当我躺下休息时，也许我可以被安葬得不远离我的心爱女孩！”

We neither of us said anything for a little while.
我们之间有一小段时间没有说话。

‘But I wouldn’t so much as give it another thought,’ said Peggotty, cheerily ‘if my Davy was anyways against it - not if I had been asked in church thirty times three times over, and was wearing out the ring in my pocket.’
“但是我不会再多想一下。” 佩各蒂高兴地说，“如果我的大卫任何方面有所反对——即使我在教堂里被问及三十次三次，而且我口袋里的戒指都磨损了也不会考虑 - 这点我一个字都不会考虑。”

‘Look at me, Peggotty,’ I replied; ‘and see if I am not really glad, and don’t truly wish it!’ —
“看着我，佩各蒂，”我回答道，“看看我是不是真的高兴，真心希望的！” —

As indeed I did, with all my heart.
我真心实意地这样说。

‘Well, my life,’ said Peggotty, giving me a squeeze, ‘I have thought of it night and day, every way I can, and I hope the right way; —
“好吧，我的生活，”佩各蒂说着，用力拥抱了我，“我已经日夜思考了各种可能性，我希望找到正确的方法； —

but I’ll think of it again, and speak to my brother about it, and in the meantime we’ll keep it to ourselves, Davy, you and me. —
但我会再考虑一下，和我的兄弟商量一下，同时我们仍然保持这个秘密，戴维，你和我。 —

Barkis is a good plain creature,’ said Peggotty, ‘and if I tried to do my duty by him, I think it would be my fault if I wasn’t - if I wasn’t pretty comfortable,’ said Peggotty, laughing heartily. —
“巴基斯是一个好直率的人，”佩各蒂说，“如果我尽了我的职责，我想我会过得相当舒服，如果我不过得舒服的话，那肯定是我的错。” 佩各蒂开心地笑着说。 —

This quotation from Mr. Barkis was so appropriate, and tickled us both so much, that we laughed again and again, and were quite in a pleasant humour when we came within view of Mr. Peggotty’s cottage.
巴基斯先生的这句话如此贴切，逗得我们俩开心不已，笑了又笑，当我们看到佩各蒂先生的小屋时，心情非常愉快。

It looked just the same, except that it may, perhaps, have shrunk a little in my eyes; —
它看起来一样，除了可能在我的眼里有点缩小； —

and Mrs. Gummidge was waiting at the door as if she had stood there ever since. —
而古米奇夫人却像是一直站在那儿等待一样。 —

All within was the same, down to the seaweed in the blue mug in my bedroom. —
屋内一切都一样，从我卧室里蓝色杯子里的海草到处都是。 —

I went into the out-house to look about me; —
我走进了外屋四处张望； —

and the very same lobsters, crabs, and crawfish possessed by the same desire to pinch the world in general, appeared to be in the same state of conglomeration in the
同样的龙虾、螃蟹和龙虾似乎仍怀着一股掐死世界的渴望，依旧聚集在同一个老角落。

same old corner.
但没看到小艾米丽，所以我问佩各蒂她在哪里。

But there was no little Em’ly to be seen, so I asked Mr. Peggotty where she was.
“她在上学，先生，”佩各蒂说着，从额头上擦去搬运佩各蒂箱子带来的热量；

‘She’s at school, sir,’ said Mr. Peggotty, wiping the heat consequent on the porterage of Peggotty’s box from his forehead; —
“她会在”看着荷兰钟，“二十分钟到半小时的时间回家的。 —

‘she’ll be home,’ looking at the Dutch clock, ‘in from twenty minutes to half-an-hour’s time. —
我们呆留之后，回到家中的心情非常愉快。” —

We all on us feel the loss of her, bless ye!’
我们每个人都感受到了她的失去，保佑她！

Mrs. Gummidge moaned.
古米奇夫人呻吟着。

‘Cheer up, Mawther!’ cried Mr. Peggotty.
“振作点，母亲！” 佩格蒂先生喊道。

‘I feel it more than anybody else,’ said Mrs. Gummidge; —
古米奇太太说：”我比任何人都感受得更深。” —

‘I’m a lone lorn creetur’, and she used to be a’most the only thing that didn’t go contrary with me.’
“我是一个孤独的可怜人，她几乎是唯一一个不和我唱反调的东西。”

Mrs. Gummidge, whimpering and shaking her head, applied herself to blowing the fire. —
古米奇太太啜泣着摇着头，专心吹火。 —

Mr. Peggotty, looking round upon us while she was so engaged, said in a low voice, which he shaded with his hand: —
佩格蒂先生在她这样做时看着我们，用手遮住说着低声话：”那个老的！”由此我推测出自我上次访问以来古米奇太太的心情没有好转。 —

‘The old ‘un!’ From this I rightly conjectured that no improvement had taken place since my last visit in the state of Mrs. Gummidge’s spirits.
现在，整个地方本应该是一样宜人的地方，但却没有让我有同样的感觉。我感到有点失望。

Now, the whole place was, or it should have been, quite as delightful a place as ever; —
也许是因为小艾米莉不在家。 —

and yet it did not impress me in the same way. I felt rather disappointed with it. —
我知道她会经过的路，很快发现自己沿着小径漫步去迎接她。 —

Perhaps it was because little Em’ly was not at home. —
不久后，远处出现了一个身影，我很快认出是艾米莉，她虽然长大了，但身材仍然很娇小。 —

I knew the way by which she would come, and presently found myself strolling along the path to meet her.
但当她走近，我看见她那更蓝的蓝眼睛，更明亮的酒窝脸，整个自己更漂亮更开心时，我心里涌现出一种奇怪的感觉，让我假装不认识她，而是像看远处的东西一样走过去。

A figure appeared in the distance before long, and I soon knew it to be Em’ly, who was a little creature still in stature, though she was grown. —
以后在生活中我也做过类似的事情，或者我记错了。 —

But when she drew nearer, and I saw her blue eyes looking bluer, and her dimpled face looking brighter, and her whole self prettier and gayer, a curious feeling came over me that made me pretend not to know her, and pass by as if I were looking at something a long way off. —
我从之后的生活中也做过这样的事，除非我弄错了。 —

I have done such a thing since in later life, or I am mistaken.
我害怕了她那张恶毒的脸。

Little Em’ly didn’t care a bit. She saw me well enough; —
小艾米莉一点也不在意。她很清楚地看到了我； —

but instead of turning round and calling after me, ran away laughing. —
但没有转身喊我，而是开心地跑开了。 —

This obliged me to run after her, and she ran so fast that we were very near the cottage before I caught her.
这迫使我追赶她，她跑得太快了，我们几乎在追到她之前到了小屋。

‘Oh, it’s you, is it?’ said little Em’ly.
“哦，是你啊，是吧？”小艾米莉说。

‘Why, you knew who it was, Em’ly,’ said I.
“你不知道是谁吗，艾米莉？”我说。

‘And didn’t YOU know who it was?’ said Em’ly. I was going to kiss her, but she covered her cherry lips with her hands, and said she wasn’t a baby now, and ran away, laughing more than ever, into the house.
“难道你不知道是谁吗？”艾米莉说。我想亲吻她，但她用手掩盖了她樱桃般的嘴唇，说她不是个宝宝了，然后笑着跑进了屋子。

She seemed to delight in teasing me, which was a change in her I wondered at very much. —
她似乎很喜欢戏弄我，这让我很吃惊。 —

The tea table was ready, and our little locker was put out in its old place, but instead of coming to sit by me, she went and bestowed her company upon that grumbling Mrs. Gummidge: —
茶已经备好，我们的小柜子也放在了原来的位置，但她没有过来坐在我旁边，反而去寻找那个唠叨的古米奇夫人。 —

and on Mr. Peggotty’s inquiring why, rumpled her hair all over her face to hide it, and could do nothing but laugh.
当皮吉蒂先生问原因时，她将头发弄乱以遮掩脸，却只会笑。

‘A little puss, it is!’ said Mr. Peggotty, patting her with his great hand.
“小猫咪，就是这样！”皮吉蒂先生拍着她说。

‘So sh’ is! so sh’ is!’ cried Ham. ‘Mas’r Davy bor’, so sh’ is!’ —
“是的是的！”汉姆喊道，”戴维少爷，就是这样！” —

and he sat and chuckled at her for some time, in a state of mingled admiration and delight, that made his face a burning red.
他沉浸在赞美和快乐中，笑得脸通红。

Little Em’ly was spoiled by them all, in fact; —
事实上，小艾米莉被大家宠坏了； —

and by no one more than Mr. Peggotty himself, whom she could have coaxed into anything, by only going and laying her cheek against his rough whisker. —
而特别是皮吉蒂先生，她只需靠在他粗糙的胡须上，就能说服他做任何事。 —

That was my opinion, at least, when I saw her do it; —
这就是我所见到的，至少是我的看法； —

and I held Mr. Peggotty to be thoroughly in the right. —
而且我认为佩格蒂先生完全是对的。 —

But she was so affectionate and sweet-natured, and had such a pleasant manner of being both sly and shy at once, that she captivated me more than ever.
但她是如此慈爱和性情温和，有一种既狡猾又害羞的愉快方式，使我比以往更加着迷。

She was tender-hearted, too; for when, as we sat round the fire after tea, an allusion was made by Mr. Peggotty over his pipe to the loss I had sustained, the tears stood in her eyes, and she looked at me so kindly across the table, that I felt quite thankful to her.
她也很心软；因为在茶后我们围坐在火炉旁时，佩格蒂先生提到我所遭受的损失，她眼泪盈眶，温柔地望着我，让我感到非常感激。

‘Ah!’ said Mr. Peggotty, taking up her curls, and running them over his hand like water, ‘here’s another orphan, you see, sir. —
“啊！”佩格蒂先生说着，拿起她的卷发，像水一样在手上摩擦，“你看，这是另一个孤儿，先生。 —

And here,’ said Mr. Peggotty, giving Ham a backhanded knock in the chest, ‘is another of ‘em, though he don’t look much like it.’
还有，”佩格蒂先生说着，用手在汉姆的胸口轻轻一拍，“这又是另一个，尽管他看起来一点也不像。

‘If I had you for my guardian, Mr. Peggotty,’ said I, shaking my head, ‘I don’t think I should FEEL much like it.’
“如果你做我的监护人，佩格蒂先生，”我摇着头说，“我想我不会觉得自己像个孤儿。”

‘Well said, Mas’r Davy bor’!’ cried Ham, in an ecstasy. ‘Hoorah! Well said! Nor more you wouldn’t! —
“说得好，大卫少爷！”汉兴奋地叫道。“万岁！说得好！你肯定不会觉得！ —

Hor! Hor!’ - Here he returned Mr. Peggotty’s back-hander, and little Em’ly got up and kissed Mr. Peggotty. —
万岁！万岁！”——说完他回了佩格蒂先生的背手拳，小艾米莉站起来亲了佩格蒂先生。 —

‘And how’s your friend, sir?’ said Mr. Peggotty to me.
“先生，你的朋友怎么样？”佩格蒂先生对我说。

‘Steerforth?’ said I.
“斯迪福？”我说。

‘That’s the name!’ cried Mr. Peggotty, turning to Ham. ‘I knowed it was something in our way.’
“那就是名字！”佩格蒂先生转向汉说。“我就知道是我们行头的东西。”

‘You said it was Rudderford,’ observed Ham, laughing.
“你说过是鲁德福德，”汉笑着说道。

‘Well!’ retorted Mr. Peggotty. ‘And ye steer with a rudder, don’t ye? —
“嗯！”佩格蒂先生反驳道。“而且你用舵舵船，对不对？就不远了。他好吗，先生？” —

It ain’t fur off. How is he, sir?’
“我离开时他非常好，佩格蒂先生。”

‘He was very well indeed when I came away, Mr. Peggotty.’
“他非常好。”

‘There’s a friend!’ said Mr. Peggotty, stretching out his pipe. —
‘看，朋友来了！’ 皮格迪先生伸出烟斗说道。 —

‘There’s a friend, if you talk of friends! —
‘如果你说朋友，那他就是朋友！ —

Why, Lord love my heart alive, if it ain’t a treat to look at him!’
哎呀，天啊，看到他真是一大享受！’

‘He is very handsome, is he not?’ said I, my heart warming with this praise.
‘他很英俊，对吧？’ 我说，心里感到温暖被夸奖。

‘Handsome!’ cried Mr. Peggotty. ‘He stands up to you like - like a - why I don’t know what he don’t stand up to you like. He’s so bold!’
‘英俊！’ 皮格迪先生大叫道。’他对你就像…我不知道他到底怎样对付你。他是如此大胆！’

‘Yes! That’s just his character,’ said I. ‘He’s as brave as a lion, and you can’t think how frank he is, Mr. Peggotty.’
‘是的！这就是他的性格，’我说。’他像狮子一样勇敢，你无法想象他有多坦率，皮格迪先生。’

‘And I do suppose, now,’ said Mr. Peggotty, looking at me through the smoke of his pipe, ‘that in the way of book-larning he’d take the wind out of a’most anything.’
‘我想，’ 皮格迪先生透过烟斗的烟雾看着我说，’他的学问方面几乎能胜过大多数人。’

‘Yes,’ said I, delighted; ‘he knows everything. He is astonishingly clever.’
‘是的，’我高兴地说；’他什么都知道。他惊人地聪明。’

‘There’s a friend!’ murmured Mr. Peggotty, with a grave toss of his head.
‘真是个朋友！’ 皮格迪先生低声说，摇了摇头。

‘Nothing seems to cost him any trouble,’ said I. ‘He knows a task if he only looks at it. —
‘似乎没有什么能让他费力，’ 我说。’他只要看一眼任务就知道怎么办。 —

He is the best cricketer you ever saw. He will give you almost as many men as you like at draughts, and beat you easily.’
他是你见过最好的板球手。他会用跳棋让你几乎自由挑选棋子，然后轻松击败你。’

Mr. Peggotty gave his head another toss, as much as to say: ‘Of course he will.’
皮格迪先生再次摇了摇头，仿佛在说：’当然会。’

‘He is such a speaker,’ I pursued, ‘that he can win anybody over; —
‘他是如此出色的演说家，’ 我继续说，’他可以说服任何人； —

and I don’t know what you’d say if you were to hear him sing, Mr. Peggotty.’
如果你听到他唱歌，皮格迪先生，我不知道你会说些什么。’

Mr. Peggotty gave his head another toss, as much as to say: ‘I have no doubt of it.’
皮格迪先生再次摇了摇头，仿佛在说：’我毫不怀疑。’

‘Then, he’s such a generous, fine, noble fellow,’ said I, quite carried away by my favourite theme, ‘that it’s hardly possible to give him as much praise as he deserves. —
‘那么，他是一个慷慨、优秀、高尚的人,‘我说着，完全被我最喜欢的话题所感染，’几乎不可能用足够的赞美来称颂他。 —

I am sure I can never feel thankful enough for the generosity with which he has protected me, so much younger and lower in the school than himself.’
‘他以及保护我，一个比他年轻和低一辈的学生，给予我的慷慨，让我感激不尽。’

I was running on, very fast indeed, when my eyes rested on little Em’ly’s face, which was bent forward over the table, listening with the deepest attention, her breath held, her blue eyes sparkling like jewels, and the colour mantling in her cheeks. —
我说得风趣极了，回过头去时，看到小艾米莉的脸正倾斜在桌上，认真地听着，屏住呼吸，她那蓝宝石般闪亮的眼睛显得如此吸引人，脸上泛起红晕。 —

She looked so extraordinarily earnest and pretty, that I stopped in a sort of wonder; —
她看起来异常认真和漂亮，我停下来有点惊讶； —

and they all observed her at the same time, for as I stopped, they laughed and looked at her.
他们同时也看到了，因为我停下来时，他们笑了，然后看向她。

‘Em’ly is like me,’ said Peggotty, ‘and would like to see him.’
‘艾米莉和我很像,‘佩戈蒂说，’她想见他。

Em’ly was confused by our all observing her, and hung down her head, and her face was covered with blushes. —
艾米莉被我们所有人盯着看，感到困扰，低下头，脸上泛起鲜红。 —

Glancing up presently through her stray curls, and seeing that we were all looking at her still (I am sure I, for one, could have looked at her for hours), she ran away, and kept away till it was nearly bedtime.
她迷茫地看着我们的目光，然后发现我们还在看着她（我敢肯定，至少我会看着她好几个小时），于是她跑开了，一直躲开，直到天色将晚。

I lay down in the old little bed in the stern of the boat, and the wind came moaning on across the flat as it had done before. —
我躺在船尾的旧小床上，风像以前一样呼啸而过。 —

But I could not help fancying, now, that it moaned of those who were gone; —
但我不禁想象，现在，它在哀号着那些已经离去的人； —

and instead of thinking that the sea might rise in the night and float the boat away, I thought of the sea that had risen, since I last heard those sounds, and drowned my happy home. —
与其担心夜间海水可能上涨，把小船漂走，我更多地回想起，听到那些声音的时候，海水已经上涨，淹没了我幸福的家园。 —

I recollect, as the wind and water began to sound fainter in my ears, putting a short clause into my prayers, petitioning that I might grow up to marry little Em’ly, and so dropping lovingly asleep.
我记得，当风声和海水在我的耳边渐渐消退时，我在祷告中加入一小段内容，祈求长大后能娶小艾米莉，便爱意满满地入眠。

The days passed pretty much as they had passed before, except - it was a great exception- that little Em’ly and I seldom wandered on the beach now. —
日子和以前差不多，除了 - 这是一个重大的例外 - 现在小艾米莉和我很少在海滩上漫步。 —

She had tasks to learn, and needle-work to do; and was absent during a great part of each day. —
她有任务要学习，还有针线活要做；一天中有很大一部分时间都不在家。 —

But I felt that we should not have had those old wanderings, even if it had been otherwise. —
但我感觉到，即使情况不同，我们也不会再有那些过去的漫步了。 —

Wild and full of childish whims as Em’ly was, she was more of a little woman than I had supposed. —
发现艾米丽虽然天真任性，但比我想象中更像一个小女人。 —

She seemed to have got a great distance away from me, in little more than a year. —
在短短一年多的时间里，她似乎离我越来越远。 —

She liked me, but she laughed at me, and tormented me; —
她喜欢我，但总是取笑我，捉弄我； —

and when I went to meet her, stole home another way, and was laughing at the door when I came back, disappointed. —
每次我去迎接她，她总是绕道回家，当我失望地回来时，她就站在门口笑个不停。 —

The best times were when she sat quietly at work in the doorway, and I sat on the wooden step at her feet, reading to her. —
最美好的时光是当她安静地坐在门口工作，我坐在她脚下的木梯上，给她读书。 —

It seems to me, at this hour, that I have never seen such sunlight as on those bright April afternoons; —
在这个时刻，我觉得我从未见过像那些明媚的四月下午那样的阳光； —

that I have never seen such a sunny little figure as I used to see, sitting in the doorway of the old boat; —
我从未见过像从前看到的那位歪着头坐在旧船的门口的阳光妙龄女子； —

that I have never beheld such sky, such water, such glorified ships sailing away into golden air.
我从未见过像那样的天空、水面、那些进入金色云霞中航行的船只。

On the very first evening after our arrival, Mr. Barkis appeared in an exceedingly vacant and awkward condition, and with a bundle of oranges tied up in a handkerchief. —
在我们到达的第一个晚上，巴基斯显得异常茫然和笨拙，手帕里捆着一捆橙子。 —

As he made no allusion of any kind to this property, he was supposed to have left it behind him by accident when he went away; —
他对这个物品毫不提及，所以大家都认为他是离开时无意忘了带走它； —

until Ham, running after him to restore it, came back with the information that it was intended for Peggotty. —
直到汉姆跑着追上他归还，才带回了这个信息，原来是给佩格蒂准备的。 —

After that occasion he appeared every evening at exactly the same hour, and always with a little bundle, to which he never alluded, and which he regularly put behind the door and left there. —
从那次起，他每天晚上都准时出现，总是带着一小捆物品，从来不提及，并且总是把它放在门后离开。 —

These offerings of affection were of a most various and eccentric description. —
这些情意的奉献各式各样，非常古怪离奇。 —

Among them I remember a double set of pigs’ trotters, a huge pin-cushion, half a bushel or so of apples, a pair of jet earrings, some Spanish onions, a box of dominoes, a canary bird and cage, and a leg of pickled pork.
其中我记得有一双猪蹄、一个巨大的针插、大概半蒲式苹果、一双黑耳环、一些西班牙洋葱、一盒多米诺骨牌、一只金丝雀和笼子，还有一条泡制过的猪肉腿。

Mr. Barkis’s wooing, as I remember it, was altogether of a peculiar kind. —
我记得巴基斯的示爱方式是非常独特的。 —

He very seldom said anything; but would sit by the fire in much the same attitude as he sat in his cart, and stare heavily at Peggotty, who was opposite. —
他很少说话；但会坐在火炉旁， 和坐在车上时的姿势几乎一样，沉重地盯着对面的佩格蒂。 —

One night, being, as I suppose, inspired by love, he made a dart at the bit of wax-candle she kept for her thread, and put it in his waistcoat-pocket and carried it off. —
有一天晚上，大概是被爱激发了吧，他突然冲过去，把佩格蒂用来线线的小块蜡烛抢走，塞进他的背心口袋里，然后带走了。 —

After that, his great delight was to produce it when it was wanted, sticking to the lining of his pocket, in a partially melted state, and pocket it again when it was done with. —
之后，他最大的乐趣就是在需要时拿出来，粘在口袋的内衬上，部分融化了，用完后再塞回口袋里。 —

He seemed to enjoy himself very much, and not to feel at all called upon to talk. —
他似乎非常享受，并觉得并不需要说话。 —

Even when he took Peggotty out for a walk on the flats, he had no uneasiness on that head, I believe; —
即使带佩格蒂在海滩上散步时，他也并不担心这件事，我相信； —

contenting himself with now and then asking her if she was pretty comfortable; —
仅仅偶尔会问她是否感到相当舒服； —

and I remember that sometimes, after he was gone, Peggotty would throw her apron over her face, and laugh for half-an-hour. —
我记得有时候他走后，佩格蒂会把围裙蒙在脸上，笑个半小时。 —

Indeed, we were all more or less amused, except that miserable Mrs. Gummidge, whose courtship would appear to have been of an exactly parallel nature, she was so continually reminded by these transactions of the old one.
实际上，我们都或多或少被逗乐了，只有那可怜的古米奇夫人除外，这些事务不断地让她想起老事情。

At length, when the term of my visit was nearly expired, it was given out that Peggotty and Mr. Barkis were going to make a day’s holiday together, and that little Em’ly and I were to accompany them. —
最终，在我访问即将结束时，传出消息说佩格蒂和巴克斯先生要一起度过一个休假日，而小艾米丽和我要和他们一起去。 —

I had but a broken sleep the night before, in anticipation of the pleasure of a whole day with Em’ly. We were all astir betimes in the morning; —
在与艾米丽一整天的快乐的期待中，我前一晚睡得很不踏实。早晨我们都很早就起床； —

and while we were yet at breakfast, Mr. Barkis appeared in the distance, driving a chaise-cart towards the object of his affections.
就在我们吃早饭的时候，巴克斯先生出现在远处，驾驶着马车，朝着他心爱的对象驶来。

Peggotty was dressed as usual, in her neat and quiet mourning; —
佩格蒂照常穿着整洁安静的丧服； —

but Mr. Barkis bloomed in a new blue coat, of which the tailor had given him such good measure, that the cuffs would have rendered gloves unnecessary in the coldest weather, while the collar was so high that it pushed his hair up on end on the top of his head. —
而巴克斯先生则穿着一件崭新的蓝色外套，裁缝给他的尺寸如此合适，袖子在最寒冷的天气里都可以不需要手套，衣领太高，把他头顶的头发顶得乱七八糟。 —

His bright buttons, too, were of the largest size. —
他的明亮钮扣也尺寸最大。 —

Rendered complete by drab pantaloons and a buff waistcoat, I thought Mr. Barkis a phenomenon of respectability.
加上浅褐色的裤子和浅黄色的背心，我觉得巴克斯先生是端庄可敬的典范。

When we were all in a bustle outside the door, I found that Mr. Peggotty was prepared with an old shoe, which was to be thrown after us for luck, and which he offered to Mrs. Gummidge for that purpose.
当我们都在门外忙乱的时候，我发现Peggotty先生准备好了一只旧鞋，打算扔给我们，希望能带来好运，并且他提议让Gummidge夫人来扔。

‘No. It had better be done by somebody else, Dan’l,’ said Mrs. Gummidge. —
“不，最好由别人来做，丹尼尔，”Gummidge夫人说道。 —

‘I’m a lone lorn creetur’ myself, and everythink that reminds me of creetur’s that ain’t lone and lorn, goes contrary with me.’
“我自己是一个孤独的可怜人，任何让我想起那些不孤独不可怜的家伙的东西，都让我反感。”

‘Come, old gal!’ cried Mr. Peggotty. ‘Take and heave it.’
“来呀，老姑娘！”Peggotty先生喊道，“拿着扔掉。”

‘No, Dan’l,’ returned Mrs. Gummidge, whimpering and shaking her head. —
“不，丹尼尔，”Gummidge夫人边抽泣边摇着头。 —

‘If I felt less, I could do more. You don’t feel like me, Dan’l; —
“如果我的感受更少些，我能做更多。你不像我，丹尼尔； —

thinks don’t go contrary with you, nor you with them; —
你不会和别人意见不合； —

you had better do it yourself.’
你最好自己做。”

But here Peggotty, who had been going about from one to another in a hurried way, kissing everybody, called out from the cart, in which we all were by this time (Em’ly and I on two little chairs, side by side), that Mrs. Gummidge must do it. —
但是Peggotty在车厢里来回走动，匆忙地亲吻每个人，然后从车厢里大声说道，Gummidge夫人必须扔。 —

So Mrs. Gummidge did it; and, I am sorry to relate, cast a damp upon the festive character of our departure, by immediately bursting into tears, and sinking subdued into the arms of Ham, with the declaration that she knowed she was a burden, and had better be carried to the House at once. —
于是Gummidge夫人扔了，可我很抱歉地讲，她立即泪如雨下，抑制不住地扑进了Ham的怀里，说她知道自己是个累赘，最好立刻被送去那座房子。 —

Which I really thought was a sensible idea, that Ham might have acted on.
我真的觉得那是个明智的主意，Ham本来该采纳的。

Away we went, however, on our holiday excursion; —
不过我们途中继续前行； —

and the first thing we did was to stop at a church, where Mr. Barkis tied the horse to some rails, and went in with Peggotty, leaving little Em’ly and me alone in the chaise. —
我们首先停在一座教堂前，Barkis先生把马栓在一些栏杆上，然后和Peggotty一起进去了，留下小Em’ly和我独自坐在马车里。 —

I took that occasion to put my arm round Em’ly’s waist, and propose that as I was going away so very soon now, we should determine to be very affectionate to one another, and very happy, all day. —
我抓住这个机会把胳膊搂在Em’ly的腰间，建议由于我现在很快就要离开了，我们应该决定今天要互相关照，要快乐。 —

Little Em’ly consenting, and allowing me to kiss her, I became desperate; —
小Em’ly同意了，并且让我亲了她，我变得绝望； —

informing her, I recollect, that I never could love another, and that I was prepared to shed the blood of anybody who should aspire to her affections.
我告诉她，我记得，我从未能够爱上别人，并且我愿意为了她的爱情而流血。

How merry little Em’ly made herself about it! —
小艾米莉对此玩闹得多么开心啊！ —

With what a demure assumption of being immensely older and wiser than I, the fairy little woman said I was ‘a silly boy’; —
那位仙女般的小女人一脸正经地说我是个“傻男孩”，好像比我大得多、聪明得多一样。 —

and then laughed so charmingly that I forgot the pain of being called by that disparaging name, in the pleasure of looking at her.
然后她笑得多么迷人，让我忘记了被称作贬低的名字带来的伤痛，只享受看着她的快乐。

Mr. Barkis and Peggotty were a good while in the church, but came out at last, and then we drove away into the country. —
巴克斯先生和佩格蒂在教堂里呆了好一会儿，最后出来了，然后我们驱车去了乡村。 —

As we were going along, Mr. Barkis turned to me, and said, with a wink, - by the by, I should hardly have thought, before, that he could wink:
在我们走着的时候，巴克斯先生转向我，眨了一下眼——顺便说一句，我以前几乎不会想到他会眨眼：

‘What name was it as I wrote up in the cart?’
“我在车上写的是什么名字？”

‘Clara Peggotty,’ I answered.
“克拉拉·佩各蒂，”我回答道。

‘What name would it be as I should write up now, if there was a tilt here?’
“如果这里有个大倾斜，而我要再写个名字呢？”

‘Clara Peggotty, again?’ I suggested.
“再写克拉拉·佩各蒂？”我建议道。

‘Clara Peggotty BARKIS!’ he returned, and burst into a roar of laughter that shook the chaise.
“克拉拉·佩各蒂·巴克斯！”他回答，然后爆发出撼动马车的大笑声。

In a word, they were married, and had gone into the church for no other purpose. —
换句话说，他们结了婚，只是为了走进教堂而已。 —

Peggotty was resolved that it should be quietly done; —
佩各蒂坚决要安静地办婚礼； —

and the clerk had given her away, and there had been no witnesses of the ceremony. —
原本认证他们结婚的是教堂的礼拜员，而这场仪式并没有任何见证人。 —

She was a little confused when Mr. Barkis made this abrupt announcement of their union, and could not hug me enough in token of her unimpaired affection; —
当巴克斯先生突然宣布他们结合时，佩各蒂有点困惑，无法以拥抱我来充分表达她未受影响的爱。 —

but she soon became herself again, and said she was very glad it was over.
但她很快又恢复了自己，并说她很高兴这一切结束了。

We drove to a little inn in a by-road, where we were expected, and where we had a very comfortable dinner, and passed the day with great satisfaction. —
我们开车去了一个偏僻的小客栈，他们已经在那里等着我们，我们吃了一顿非常舒适的晚餐，度过了一天非常满意的时光。 —

If Peggotty had been married every day for the last ten years, she could hardly have been more at her ease about it; —
如果佩戈蒂在过去十年里每天都结婚，她可能都不会对此感到更自在； —

it made no sort of difference in her: she was just the same as ever, and went out for a stroll with little Em’ly and me before tea, while Mr. Barkis philosophically smoked his pipe, and enjoyed himself, I suppose, with the contemplation of his happiness. —
这对她没有任何影响：她还是和以往一样，并在茶前和小艾米丽和我一起出去散步，而巴尔克斯先生则淡定地抽着烟斗，我想他在享受着自己的幸福。 —

If so, it sharpened his appetite; for I distinctly call to mind that, although he had eaten a good deal of pork and greens at dinner, and had finished off with a fowl or two, he was obliged to have cold boiled bacon for tea, and disposed of a large quantity without any emotion.
如果是这样，那么这大大加剧了他的食欲；因为我清楚地记得，尽管他在晚饭时吃了相当多的猪肉和青菜，还吃了几只鸡，但他晚茶时必须吃冷熟腌猪肉，而且毫无感觉地消灭了大量食物。

I have often thought, since, what an odd, innocent, out-of-the-way kind of wedding it must have been! We got into the chaise again soon after dark, and drove cosily back, looking up at the stars, and talking about them. —
我后来常常想，这一定是一场多么奇怪、无害，遥远的婚礼！天黑后我们再次坐上马车，舒服地回去，仰望着星星，谈论着它们。 —

I was their chief exponent, and opened Mr. Barkis’s mind to an amazing extent. —
我是他们的主要解说人，向巴尔克斯先生展开了令人惊讶的思维。 —

I told him all I knew, but he would have believed anything I might have taken it into my head to impart to him; —
我告诉他我所知道的一切，但他会相信我所说的任何事情； —

for he had a profound veneration for my abilities, and informed his wife in my hearing, on that very occasion, that I was ‘a young Roeshus’ - by which I think he meant prodigy.
因为他非常崇拜我的才能，并在那个时候当着我妻子的面对我表示，我是一个“年轻的罗什斯”——我想他是指神童。

When we had exhausted the subject of the stars, or rather when I had exhausted the mental faculties of Mr. Barkis, little Em’ly and I made a cloak of an old wrapper, and sat under it for the rest of the journey. —
当我们谈论了星星这个话题，或者说是当我消耗了巴尔克斯先生的思维能力之后，小艾米丽和我用一件旧外套做了一件披风，剩下的行程我们就坐在下面了。 —

Ah, how I loved her! What happiness (I thought) if we were married, and were going away anywhere to live among the trees and in the fields, never growing older, never growing wiser, children ever, rambling hand in hand through sunshine and among flowery meadows, laying down our heads on moss at night, in a sweet sleep of purity and peace, and buried by the birds when we were dead! —
啊，我是多么爱她啊！如果我们结婚，去任何地方住在树林和田野间，永远不会变老，永远不会变聪明，永远都是孩子，手拉手地在阳光下和在盛开的草地中漫步，晚上枕着苔藓甜美纯洁的睡眠，死后被鸟儿掩埋！ —

Some such picture, with no real world in it, bright with the light of our innocence, and vague as the stars afar off, was in my mind all the way. —
这样的画面，在其中没有真实的世界，闪烁着我们的纯真之光，朦胧如远处的星星，在我心中一直存在着。 —

I am glad to think there were two such guileless hearts at Peggotty’s marriage as little Em’ly’s and mine. —
我很高兴在佩戈蒂的婚礼上有两颗如此天真的心，小艾米丽和我的。 —

I am glad to think the Loves and Graces took such airy forms in its homely procession.
我很高兴在它朴素的过程中，爱神和优美之神化作如此飘逸的形象。

Well, we came to the old boat again in good time at night; —
好吧，我们及时在晚上回到了那艘老船； —

and there Mr. and Mrs. Barkis bade us good-bye, and drove away snugly to their own home. —
那时，巴克斯夫人先生向我们道别，然后舒适地驾车回了自己的家。 —

I felt then, for the first time, that I had lost Peggotty. —
那一刻，我第一次感到失去了佩戈蒂。 —

I should have gone to bed with a sore heart indeed under any other roof but that which sheltered little Em’ly’s head.
如果不是小艾米莉的头上盖着的屋顶，我真的很难在其他任何地方入睡。

Mr. Peggotty and Ham knew what was in my thoughts as well as I did, and were ready with some supper and their hospitable faces to drive it away. —
佩戈蒂先生和汉姆知道我的心思，他们准备好一些晚餐和热情的笑容来驱散它。 —

Little Em’ly came and sat beside me on the locker for the only time in all that visit; and it was altogether a wonderful close to a wonderful day.
艾米莉坐到我身旁的储藏柜上，那是在那次访问中唯一的一次；这是一个奇妙的结局，也是一个奇妙的一天。

It was a night tide; and soon after we went to bed, Mr. Peggotty and Ham went out to fish. —
那是夜潮；我们上床后不久，佩戈蒂先生和汉姆出去捕鱼了。 —

I felt very brave at being left alone in the solitary house, the protector of Em’ly and Mrs. Gummidge, and only wished that a lion or a serpent, or any ill-disposed monster, would make an attack upon us, that I might destroy him, and cover myself with glory. —
独自一人留在荒凉的房子里时，我感到非常勇敢，我成了艾米莉和古米奇太太的保护者，我只希望一只狮子、一条蛇，或者任何恶意的怪物来攻击我们，这样我就可以消灭它，让自己荣耀无比。 —

But as nothing of the sort happened to be walking about on Yarmouth flats that night, I provided the best substitute I could by dreaming of dragons until morning.
但是在那个晚上在雅茅斯的沙滩上，并没有发生任何这样的事情，我只能用梦想龙的方式来替代。

With morning came Peggotty; who called to me, as usual, under my window as if Mr. Barkis the carrier had been from first to last a dream too. —
早晨来临，佩戈蒂叫我，就像往常一样，在窗户下叫我，就好像巴克斯运输员从一开始到最后都是一个梦一样。 —

After breakfast she took me to her own home, and a beautiful little home it was. —
早餐后，她带我去了她自己的家，一个美丽的小屋。 —

Of all the moveables in it, I must have been impressed by a certain old bureau of some dark wood in the parlour (the tile-floored kitchen was the general sitting-room), with a retreating top which opened, let down, and became a desk, within which was a large quarto edition of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. —
在屋子里所有的可移动物品中，我一定会被客厅里某个深色木制的旧书桌所打动（铺有瓷砖地板的厨房是通用客厅），它有一个可以打开、放下的缩回式顶部，成为一个书桌，里面装着一本大四开的《殉道者之书》。 —

This precious volume, of which I do not recollect one word, I immediately discovered and immediately applied myself to; —
这本珍贵的书，我一句话也记不起来，我立刻发现并立即投入其中； —

and I never visited the house afterwards, but I kneeled on a chair, opened the casket where this gem was enshrined, spread my arms over the desk, and fell to devouring the book afresh. —
从此之后，我再也没有进过这所房子，但每次我都会跪在椅子上，打开这个珍宝所在的匣子，双臂伸向书桌，又开始痴迷地阅读这本书。 —

I was chiefly edified, I am afraid, by the pictures, which were numerous, and represented all kinds of dismal horrors; —
我害怕我主要受益于书中的图片，这些图片种类繁多，代表着各种可怕的恐怖； —

but the Martyrs and Peggotty’s house have been inseparable in my mind ever since, and are now.
但是从那时起，殉道者和佩戈蒂的家在我的心中永远维系着，至今如此。

I took leave of Mr. Peggotty, and Ham, and Mrs. Gummidge, and little Em’ly, that day; —
我当天告别了佩格蒂先生、哈姆、古米奇太太和小艾米莉； —

and passed the night at Peggotty’s, in a little room in the roof (with the Crocodile Book on a shelf by the bed’s head) which was to be always mine, Peggotty said, and should always be kept for me in exactly the same state.
并在佩格蒂家度过了一夜，睡在屋顶的一间小房间里（床头架上放着《鳄鱼书》），佩格蒂说这间房子永远属于我，应该永远保持我离开时的状态；

‘Young or old, Davy dear, as long as I am alive and have this house over my head,’ said Peggotty, ‘you shall find it as if I expected you here directly minute. —
”无论你多年轻或年老，亲爱的戴维，只要我活着还有这座房子，” 佩格蒂说道，”你随时都可以发现它看起来就像我等你回来一样。 —

I shall keep it every day, as I used to keep your old little room, my darling; —
我会每天都保持它，就像从前保持你老旧的小房间我的宝贝； —

and if you was to go to China, you might think of it as being kept just the same, all the time you were away.’
如果你去了中国，你也许会想到它始终保持着完全相同的状态，在你离开期间。”

I felt the truth and constancy of my dear old nurse, with all my heart, and thanked her as well as I could. —
我全心感受到我亲爱的老护士的真诚和恒心，无尽地感谢她。 —

That was not very well, for she spoke to me thus, with her arms round my neck, in the morning, and I was going home in the morning, and I went home in the morning, with herself and Mr. Barkis in the cart. —
那时清晨她将胳膊环在我的颈上这样对我说，而我早晨要回家，我也确实在早晨回家，在她和巴克斯先生的车上。 —

They left me at the gate, not easily or lightly; —
他们并非轻易或轻松地把我留在大门口； —

and it was a strange sight to me to see the cart go on, taking Peggotty away, and leaving me under the old elm-trees looking at the house, in which there was no face to look on mine with love or liking any more.
对我来说是一段奇怪的景象，看着车走了，带走了佩格蒂，而我却留在旧榆树下望着那栋房子，而那里再也没有人脸来用爱或喜欢的目光看我。

And now I fell into a state of neglect, which I cannot look back upon without compassion. —
现在我陷入了一种我自己都无法无悔地回想的疏忽状态。 —

I fell at once into a solitary condition, - apart from all friendly notice, apart from the society of all other boys of my own age, apart from all companionship but my own spiritless thoughts, - which seems to cast its gloom upon this paper as I write.
我一下子陷入了一种孤独的境地——与所有友好的注意隔绝，与与我同龄的所有其他男孩的社交隔离，与除了我自己没精打采的思绪之外的一切伙伴无关——当我写这些文字时，这些伙伴似乎也蒙上了一层阴影。

What would I have given, to have been sent to the hardest school that ever was kept! —
我会愿意去上史上最艰难的学校，不惜一切！ —

• to have been taught something, anyhow, anywhere! No such hope dawned upon me. They disliked me; —
  只要能教点东西，不管在哪里！但我再也没有这种希望，他们讨厌我； —
  

and they sullenly, sternly, steadily, overlooked me. —
而他们冷淡地、严厉地、坚定地忽略我。 —

I think Mr. Murdstone’s means were straitened at about this time; but it is little to the purpose. —
我觉得穆德斯通先生的经济状况在这段时间有些困难，但这并不重要。 —

He could not bear me; and in putting me from him he tried, as I believe, to put away the notion that I had any claim upon him - and succeeded.
他无法忍受我;在把我推开时，他试图，我相信，想摆脱我对他的任何索赔 - 而且成功了。

I was not actively ill-used. I was not beaten, or starved; —
我没有受到积极的虐待。我没有被打，也没有被饿死； —

but the wrong that was done to me had no intervals of relenting, and was done in a systematic, passionless manner. —
但对我的伤害没有减轻的时刻，以一种系统化、冷漠的方式进行。 —

Day after day, week after week, month after month, I was coldly neglected. —
日复一日，周复一周，月复一月，我被冷漠地忽略。 —

I wonder sometimes, when I think of it, what they would have done if I had been taken with an illness; —
有时候我在想，如果我得了病，他们会怎么办； —

whether I should have lain down in my lonely room, and languished through it in my usual solitary way, or whether anybody would have helped me out.
我是否应该在我的孤独房间里躺下，像往常一样无助地虚弱，或者是否有人会帮助我度过难关。

When Mr. and Miss Murdstone were at home, I took my meals with them; —
当莫德斯通先生和莫德斯通小姐在家时，我和他们一起吃饭； —

in their absence, I ate and drank by myself. —
他们不在的时候，我一个人吃喝。 —

At all times I lounged about the house and neighbourhood quite disregarded, except that they were jealous of my making any friends: —
我总是在房子和周围闲逛，完全被忽视，除非他们心存疑忌我交友： —

thinking, perhaps, that if I did, I might complain to someone. —
也许他们认为，如果我交了朋友，我就可能向别人抱怨。 —

For this reason, though Mr. Chillip often asked me to go and see him (he was a widower, having, some years before that, lost a little small light-haired wife, whom I can just remember connecting in my own thoughts with a pale tortoise-shell cat), it was but seldom that I enjoyed the happiness of passing an afternoon in his closet of a surgery; —
出于这个原因，虽然契利普先生经常邀请我去看他（他是个鳏夫，几年前失去了一位小小的浅金发妻子，我只能勉强记得，将她和一只淡淡的乌龟壳花猫联系在一起），但我很少有幸在他的小手术室里度过一个下午； —

reading some book that was new to me, with the smell of the whole Pharmacopoeia coming up my nose, or pounding something in a mortar under his mild directions.
阅读一些对我来说新鲜的书，闻到整个药典的气味钻进鼻子，或者在他温和指引下在研钵里捣东西。

For the same reason, added no doubt to the old dislike of her, I was seldom allowed to visit Peggotty. —
出于对她的古怪蔑视感情的缘故，我也很少被允许去拜访佩戈蒂。 —

Faithful to her promise, she either came to see me, or met me somewhere near, once every week, and never empty-handed; —
她信守诺言，每星期要么来看我，要么在附近见我一次，从不空手而归； —

but many and bitter were the disappointments I had, in being refused permission to pay a visit to her at her house. —
但我却遭受了许多痛苦的失望，无法获准去她家拜访。 —

Some few times, however, at long intervals, I was allowed to go there; —
有几次，时隔很久，我被允许去那儿； —

and then I found out that Mr. Barkis was something of a miser, or as Peggotty dutifully expressed it, was ‘a little near’, and kept a heap of money in a box under his bed, which he pretended was only full of coats and trousers. —
然后我发现巴基斯先生有点吝啬，或者像佩戈蒂尽职所表达的那样，他是“有点小气”，在床底下的一个箱子里存了一大堆钱，他假装里面只装满了外套和裤子。 —

In this coffer, his riches hid themselves with such a tenacious modesty, that the smallest instalments could only be tempted out by artifice; —
在这个箱子里，他的财富隐藏得非常谨慎，只有用诡计才能引出一点点； —

so that Peggotty had to prepare a long and elaborate scheme, a very Gunpowder Plot, for every Saturday’s expenses.
所以佩戈蒂每个星期六都得准备一个又长又精心的计划，就像策划一个火药阴谋。

All this time I was so conscious of the waste of any promise I had given, and of my being utterly neglected, that I should have been perfectly miserable, I have no doubt, but for the old books. —
在这段时间里，我对自己做出的任何承诺都感到非常后悔，感到自己被彻底忽视，如果不是那些旧书，我想我肯定会非常不幸。 —

They were my only comfort; and I was as true to them as they were to me, and read them over and over I don’t know how many times more.
它们是我的唯一慰藉；我对它们像它们对我一样忠诚，把它们读来读去，不知道读了多少遍。

I now approach a period of my life, which I can never lose the remembrance of, while I remember anything: —
现在我要谈及一段我一生中永远不会忘记的时期，只要我还记得任何事情： —

and the recollection of which has often, without my invocation, come before me like a ghost, and haunted happier times.
这段时期的回忆时常在没有我召唤的情况下，如同一只幽灵般出现在我脑海中，继而缠绕在那些更快乐的时光上。

I had been out, one day, loitering somewhere, in the listless, meditative manner that my way of life engendered, when, turning the corner of a lane near our house, I came upon Mr. Murdstone walking with a gentleman. —
有一天，我到外面闲逛，以我生活方式造就的那种懒散、沉思的方式，无意间转过我们家附近的一个巷口时，遇见了莫德斯通先生和一个绅士一起散步。 —

I was confused, and was going by them, when the gentleman cried:
我感到困惑，正要从他们身边走过，这时那位绅士说道：

‘What! Brooks!’
“什么！布鲁克斯！”

‘No, sir, David Copperfield,’ I said.
“不，先生，我是大卫·科波菲尔德，”我说。

‘Don’t tell me. You are Brooks,’ said the gentleman. —
“别跟我扯。你就是布鲁克斯，”那位绅士说。 —

‘You are Brooks of Sheffield. That’s your name.’
“你就是来自谢菲尔德的布鲁克斯。那就是你的名字。”

At these words, I observed the gentleman more attentively. —
听到这些话，我更加认真地观察了那位绅士。 —

His laugh coming to my remembrance too, I knew him to be Mr. Quinion, whom I had gone over to Lowestoft with Mr. Murdstone to see, before - it is no matter - I need not recall when.
他的笑声也浮现在我的记忆中，我认出他是昆恩先生，我曾和默德斯通先生一起去洛斯托夫见过他，这无关紧要，我不必再细说了。

‘And how do you get on, and where are you being educated, Brooks?’ said Mr. Quinion.
“布鲁克斯，你现在过得如何，你在哪里接受教育？”昆恩先生说。

He had put his hand upon my shoulder, and turned me about, to walk with them. —
他把手搭在我的肩膀上，转身让我跟着他们。 —

I did not know what to reply, and glanced dubiously at Mr. Murdstone.
我不知道怎么回答，犹豫地望了一眼默德斯通先生。

‘He is at home at present,’ said the latter. ‘He is not being educated anywhere. —
“他现在在家，”后者说，“他没有在任何地方接受教育。 —

I don’t know what to do with him. He is a difficult subject.’
我不知道该怎么处理他。他是一个难缠的对象。”

That old, double look was on me for a moment; —
那种双重的目光在我身上停留了一会； —

and then his eyes darkened with a frown, as it turned, in its aversion, elsewhere.
然后他的眼睛因为不满而皱起了眉，把目光移向别处。

‘Humph!’ said Mr. Quinion, looking at us both, I thought. ‘Fine weather!’
“哼！天气不错！”昆恩先生看看我们俩，我想。

Silence ensued, and I was considering how I could best disengage my shoulder from his hand, and go away, when he said:
沉默降临，我想着如何最好地挣脱他的手，离开，然后他说：

‘I suppose you are a pretty sharp fellow still? Eh, Brooks?’
“我想你仍然是个相当聪明的家伙？布鲁克斯？”

‘Aye! He is sharp enough,’ said Mr. Murdstone, impatiently. —
“啊！他足够聪明了，”默德斯通先生不耐烦地说。 —

‘You had better let him go. He will not thank you for troubling him.’
“你最好让他走。他不会感谢你来烦他的。”

On this hint, Mr. Quinion released me, and I made the best of my way home. —
在得到这个暗示后，昆恩先生松开了我，我尽快回家。 —

Looking back as I turned into the front garden, I saw Mr. Murdstone leaning against the wicket of the churchyard, and Mr. Quinion talking to him. —
当我转入前花园时回头一看，我看见默德斯通先生靠在教堂围栏上，昆恩先生正在和他交谈。 —

They were both looking after me, and I felt that they were speaking of me.
他们俩都在照顾我，我感觉他们在讨论我。

Mr. Quinion lay at our house that night. After breakfast, the next morning, I had put my chair away, and was going out of the room, when Mr. Murdstone called me back. —
昆恩先生那晚住在我们家。第二天早餐后，我把椅子收了起来，正要走出房间时，默德斯通先生叫我回来。 —

He then gravely repaired to another table, where his sister sat herself at her desk. —
然后他庄重地走到另一张桌子，他姐姐坐在那里的桌子前写字。 —

Mr. Quinion, with his hands in his pockets, stood looking out of window; —
昆恩先生双手插兜，站在窗前看着外面； —

and I stood looking at them all.
而我则站在那里看着他们所有人。

‘David,’ said Mr. Murdstone, ‘to the young this is a world for action; —
‘大卫，’默德斯通先生说，’对年轻人来说，这是一个行动的世界； —

not for moping and droning in.’
不是一个愁闷和叨叨的地方。’

• ‘As you do,’ added his sister.
  -‘就像你这样，’他的姐姐补充道。
  

‘Jane Murdstone, leave it to me, if you please. —
‘简·默德斯通，拜托你，让我来。 —

I say, David, to the young this is a world for action, and not for moping and droning in. —
我说，大卫，对年轻人来说，这是一个行动的世界，不是一个愁闷和叨叨的地方。 —

It is especially so for a young boy of your disposition, which requires a great deal of correcting; —
对于你这种性格的年轻男孩来说，尤其如此，它需要大量的纠正； —

and to which no greater service can be done than to force it to conform to the ways of the working world, and to bend it and break it.’
对它来说，最大的帮助就是迫使它适应工作世界的方式，弯曲它，打磨它。’

‘For stubbornness won’t do here,’ said his sister ‘What it wants is, to be crushed. —
‘在这里顽固是行不通的，’他姐姐说，’它需要的是被压制。 —

And crushed it must be. Shall be, too!’
它必须被压制。也会被压制！’

He gave her a look, half in remonstrance, half in approval, and went on:
他向她投去了一种半是抗议半是赞同的眼神，然后继续说道：

‘I suppose you know, David, that I am not rich. At any rate, you know it now. —
“我想你知道，大卫，我并不富裕。至少，你现在知道了。 —

You have received some considerable education already. Education is costly; —
你已经接受了相当多的教育。教育是昂贵的； —

and even if it were not, and I could afford it, I am of opinion that it would not be at all advantageous to you to be kept at school. —
即使不是这样，即使我可以负担得起，我认为让你在学校呆着也不会有任何好处。 —

What is before you, is a fight with the world; —
你面对的是与世界作斗争； —

and the sooner you begin it, the better.’
你越早开始，就越好。”

I think it occurred to me that I had already begun it, in my poor way: —
我想我已经以我可怜的方式开始了，现在我想到了这一点，不管你是否同意。 —

but it occurs to me now, whether or no.
“有时你听说过‘办公室’的事情，”默德斯通先生说。

‘You have heard the “counting-house” mentioned sometimes,’ said Mr. Murdstone.
“办公室，先生？”我重复道。“莫德斯通和格林比的，从事酒类贸易，”他回答。

‘The counting-house, sir?’ I repeated. ‘Of Murdstone and Grinby, in the wine trade,’ he replied.
我想我看起来有些困惑，因为他匆匆继续说道：

I suppose I looked uncertain, for he went on hastily:
“你有听说过‘办公室’，或者业务，或者酒窖，或者码头，或者其他什么。”

‘You have heard the “counting-house” mentioned, or the business, or the cellars, or the wharf, or something about it.’
“我想我听说过这个生意，先生，”我说，回想起我对他和他姐姐资源的模糊了解。

‘I think I have heard the business mentioned, sir,’ I said, remembering what I vaguely knew of his and his sister’s resources. —
“但我不知道是什么时候。” —

‘But I don’t know when.’
“时间并不重要，”他回答道。“奎宁先生管理着那家企业。”

‘It does not matter when,’ he returned. ‘Mr. Quinion manages that business.’
当他站在窗前眺望时，我尊敬地看了他一眼。

I glanced at the latter deferentially as he stood looking out of window.
我翻起后朝窗外看着。

‘Mr. Quinion suggests that it gives employment to some other boys, and that he sees no reason why it shouldn’t, on the same terms, give employment to you.’
“昆恩先生建议说，这给了一些其他男孩就业的机会，他认为在同样的条件下，也可以给你一个就业机会。”

‘He having,’ Mr. Quinion observed in a low voice, and half turning round, ‘no other prospect, Murdstone.’
“他，”昆恩先生低声说着，半转身，“没别的前景，默德斯通。”

Mr. Murdstone, with an impatient, even an angry gesture, resumed, without noticing what he had said:
厄斯顿先生不耐烦地、甚至生气地做出手势，重新开始说话，没有注意到自己说了什么：

‘Those terms are, that you will earn enough for yourself to provide for your eating and drinking, and pocket-money. —
“这些条件是，你必须靠自己赚到足够养活自己吃喝和零花钱的钱。” —

Your lodging (which I have arranged for) will be paid by me. —
“你的住宿费用（我已经安排好了）我会支付。” —

So will your washing -’
“你的洗衣费用也会由我支付。”

’- Which will be kept down to my estimate,’ said his sister.
“- 会按照我的估算来控制，”他的妹妹说。

‘Your clothes will be looked after for you, too,’ said Mr. Murdstone; —
“你的衣服也会由别人照料着，”默德斯通先生说； —

‘as you will not be able, yet awhile, to get them for yourself. —
“因为在一段时间内，你还无法自己买到它们。 —

So you are now going to London, David, with Mr. Quinion, to begin the world on your own account.’
所以，大卫，你现在要和昆恩先生一起去伦敦，开始独立生活了。”

‘In short, you are provided for,’ observed his sister; ‘and will please to do your duty.’
“简而言之，你已经被安排好了，”他的妹妹说，“请你尽到你的责任。”

Though I quite understood that the purpose of this announcement was to get rid of me, I have no distinct remembrance whether it pleased or frightened me. —
即使我很明白这一宣布的目的是摆脱我，但我对此感到高兴还是害怕没有清晰的记忆。 —

My impression is, that I was in a state of confusion about it, and, oscillating between the two points, touched neither. —
我的印象是，我对此感到困惑，徘徊在两个端点之间，始终无法取得进展。 —

Nor had I much time for the clearing of my thoughts, as Mr. Quinion was to go upon the morrow.
由于昆恩先生第二天就要动身，我没有多少时间整理自己的思绪。

Behold me, on the morrow, in a much-worn little white hat, with a black crape round it for my mother, a black jacket, and a pair of hard, stiff corduroy trousers - which Miss Murdstone considered the best armour for the legs in that fight with the world which was now to come off. —
第二天看见我头戴一顶破旧的、配有黑色丝带的小白帽，身穿黑色夹克和一条硬而僵硬的灰色绒布裤子——这被默德斯通小姐认为是这场与世界的战斗中双腿的最佳盔甲。 —

behold me so attired, and with my little worldly all before me in a small trunk, sitting, a lone lorn child (as Mrs. Gummidge might have said), in the post-chaise that was carrying Mr. Quinion to the London coach at Yarmouth! —
瞧，我身着这身衣裳，小小的一切世俗财物就放在身前的一只小箱子里，在将我带往伦敦的驿车上，我独自一个人坐在车厢里（就像甘米奇夫人可能会说的那样）！ —

See, how our house and church are lessening in the distance; —
看，我们的房子和教堂在远处渐行渐远； —

how the grave beneath the tree is blotted out by intervening objects; —
树下的坟墓被前方的物体遮挡得看不见了； —

how the spire points upwards from my old playground no more, and the sky is empty!
教堂尖塔不再指向我曾经的游乐场上方，天空变得空荡荡！