The first objects that assume a distinct presence before me, as I look far back, into the blank of my infancy, are my mother with her pretty hair and youthful shape, and Peggotty with no shape at all, and eyes so dark that they seemed to darken their whole neighbourhood in her face, and cheeks and arms so hard and red that I wondered the birds didn’t peck her in preference to apples.
我回忆起的第一批物体，在我遥远的幼年时光中，凸显出自己独特的存在，是我母亲的漂亮头发和年轻身材，以及没有任何形状的佩格蒂，以及她那双如此深邃的眼睛，看起来把她脸上的整个区域都显得更加黑暗，还有那样坚硬和红润的脸颊和臂膀，让我奇怪鸟儿为什么不偏爱啄她而不是苹果。

I believe I can remember these two at a little distance apart, dwarfed to my sight by stooping down or kneeling on the floor, and I going unsteadily from the one to the other. —
我相信我还记得当时它们相隔不远的距离，通过弯下身或跪在地板上，我走得不稳，从一个人身边到另一个人身边。 —

I have an impression on my mind which I cannot distinguish from actual remembrance, of the touch of Peggotty’s forefinger as she used to hold it out to me, and of its being roughened by needlework, like a pocket nutmeg-grater.
在我的脑海中留下了一种印象，我无法与真实记忆区分开，那就是佩格蒂的前指的触感，就像她过去伸向我的手指一样，我记得那个手指曾经因做针线活变得粗糙，就像一个袋装榛子磨碎器一样。

This may be fancy, though I think the memory of most of us can go farther back into such times than many of us suppose; —
那可能只是一种幻想，尽管我觉得我们中许多人的记忆可以追溯到比我们想象中更久远的年代； —

just as I believe the power of observation in numbers of very young children to be quite wonderful for its closeness and accuracy. —
正如我相信，许多非常年幼的孩子的观察力之强大，对于他们的准确性和密切程度而言是非常惊人的。 —

Indeed, I think that most grown men who are remarkable in this respect, may with greater propriety be said not to have lost the faculty, than to have acquired it; —
实际上，我认为大多数在这方面非常出色的成年男子可能更适合说他们并没有失去这种能力，而不是说他们已经获得了这种能力； —

the rather, as I generally observe such men to retain a certain freshness, and gentleness, and capacity of being pleased, which are also an inheritance they have preserved from their childhood.
更准确地说，因为我通常观察到这样的男子保留了某种新鲜感、温和性和喜悦的能力，这也是他们从童年中保留下来的遗产。

I might have a misgiving that I am ‘meandering’ in stopping to say this, but that it brings me to remark that I build these conclusions, in part upon my own experience of myself; —
我可能会有一点担忧，担心自己此刻“胡言乱语”，但这使我想到，我对于我自己的经历建立这些结论可能是有道理的； —

and if it should appear from anything I may set down in this narrative that I was a child of close observation, or that as a man I have a strong memory of my childhood, I undoubtedly lay claim to both of these characteristics.
如果在这个叙述中有任何事情可以证明我是一个细心观察的孩子，或者作为一个成年人，我对自己儿时的记忆很深刻，毫无疑问，我确实拥有这两个特点。

Looking back, as I was saying, into the blank of my infancy, the first objects I can remember as standing out by themselves from a confusion of things, are my mother and Peggotty. —
回顾我所说的，在我幼年时光的空白里，我能够记得的第一批突出的物体，是我的母亲和佩格蒂。 —

What else do I remember? Let me see.
我还记得什么？让我想想。

There comes out of the cloud, our house - not new to me, but quite familiar, in its earliest remembrance. —
在云端出现的是我们的房子 - 对我来说并不陌生，在我最早的记忆中是很熟悉的。 —

On the ground-floor is Peggotty’s kitchen, opening into a back yard; —
地面上是佩格蒂的厨房，通向后院； —

with a pigeon-house on a pole, in the centre, without any pigeons in it; —
中间有一根柱子上的一只鸽子房，里面没有任何鸽子； —

a great dogkennel in a corner, without any dog; —
角落里有一个大狗窝，没有狗； —

and a quantity of fowls that look terribly tall to me, walking about, in a menacing and ferocious manner. —
我看到了一群看起来对我而言非常高大的禽类，它们走来走去，显得威胁和凶猛。 —

There is one cock who gets upon a post to crow, and seems to take particular notice of me as I look at him through the kitchen window, who makes me shiver, he is so fierce. —
有一只公鸡站在柱子上打鸣，似乎特别留意到了我透过厨房窗户看着它，让我感到毛骨悚然，它如此凶猛。 —

Of the geese outside the side-gate who come waddling after me with their long necks stretched out when I go that way, I dream at night: —
当我走过那边的侧门时，那些鹅会伸长长长的脖子朝我走来，我晚上会梦见它们： —

as a man environed by wild beasts might dream of lions.
就像一个被野兽包围的人可能会梦见狮子。

Here is a long passage - what an enormous perspective I make of it! —
这里有一条长长的走廊 - 我觉得它让人看起来很宽敞！ —

• leading from Peggotty’s kitchen to the front door. —
  - 从佩戈蒂的厨房通向前门。 —
  

A dark store-room opens out of it, and that is a place to be run past at night; —
一个黑暗的储藏室从这里延伸出去，晚上跑过这个地方时会很害怕。 —

for I don’t know what may be among those tubs and jars and old tea-chests, when there is nobody in there with a dimly-burning light, letting a mouldy air come out of the door, in which there is the smell of soap, pickles, pepper, candles, and coffee, all at one whiff. —
因为里面没有人点着微弱的灯，在这些水桶、罐子和旧茶匣中可能隐藏着什么，让一股霉味飘出门外，空气中闻得到肥皂、泡菜、胡椒、蜡烛和咖啡的味道，一股脑儿冲过来。 —

Then there are the two parlours: the parlour in which we sit of an evening, my mother and I and Peggotty - for Peggotty is quite our companion, when her work is done and we are alone - and the best parlour where we sit on a Sunday; —
然后是两间客厅：一个是晚上我们坐着的客厅，我、妈妈和佩戈蒂——佩戈蒂在完成工作后就成为我们的伴侣——主客厅，我们在周日坐着。 —

grandly, but not so comfortably. There is something of a doleful air about that room to me, for Peggotty has told me - I don’t know when, but apparently ages ago - about my father’s funeral, and the company having their black cloaks put on. —
它看起来挺豪华的，但我感到这个房间有一种悲伤的气息，因为佩戈蒂曾经告诉过我——我不知道是何时，但显然是很久以前——关于我父亲的葬礼，以及人们穿上黑斗篷的事情。 —

One Sunday night my mother reads to Peggotty and me in there, how Lazarus was raised up from the dead. —
有一个周日晚上，我妈妈在那里给佩戈蒂和我读书，读到拉撒路被从死亡中复活。 —

And I am so frightened that they are afterwards obliged to take me out of bed, and show me the quiet churchyard out of the bedroom window, with the dead all lying in their graves at rest, below the solemn moon.
我害怕得要命，之后他们不得不把我从床上抱起来，让我看看卧室窗外静静的教堂墓地，在肃穆的月光下，死者都在安息。

There is nothing half so green that I know anywhere, as the grass of that churchyard; —
我所知的任何绿色的事物中，没有什么可以与那教堂墓地的绿草相比； —

nothing half so shady as its trees; nothing half so quiet as its tombstones. —
没有什么可以与它的树荫相提并论； —

The sheep are feeding there, when I kneel up, early in the morning, in my little bed in a closet within my mother’s room, to look out at it; —
没有什么可以与它的墓碑一样宁静。 —

and I see the red light shining on the sun-dial, and think within myself, ‘Is the sun-dial glad, I wonder, that it can tell the time again?’
羊群在那里吃草，当我早早地在床上坐起来，从妈妈房间内的壁橱里望出去；

Here is our pew in the church. What a high-backed pew! —
看见红光照在日晷上，我心里想着，“我想知道日晷是否高兴，因为它可以再次告诉时间呢？” —

With a window near it, out of which our house can be seen, and IS seen many times during the morning’s service, by Peggotty, who likes to make herself as sure as she can that it’s not being robbed, or is not in flames. —
这是我们在教堂里的座位。多高的一张靠背的座位啊！ —

But though Peggotty’s eye wanders, she is much offended if mine does, and frowns to me, as I stand upon the seat, that I am to look at the clergyman. —
旁边有一个窗户，可以看到我们的房子；早晨的弥撒期间被佩戈蒂看到，并经常看到，因为她喜欢确定房子没有被抢劫，也没有着起火了。 —

But I can’t always look at him - I know him without that white thing on, and I am afraid of his wondering why I stare so, and perhaps stopping the service to inquire - and what am I to do? —
但尽管佩戈蒂的眼睛游移，如果我看其他地方她会很不高兴，对着我皱眉，我站在座位上，特别是盯着牧师看。 —

It’s a dreadful thing to gape, but I must do something. —
但我并不总能盯着他看——没有穿白袍的牧师我也知道是谁，而且我害怕他会想知道我为什么盯着他看，也许还会停止弥撒来询问——我该怎么办呢？ —

I look at my mother, but she pretends not to see me. —
打哈欠真是件可怕的事，但我必须得做点什么。 —

I look at a boy in the aisle, and he makes faces at me. —
我看着走廊上的一个男孩，他对我做鬼脸。 —

I look at the sunlight coming in at the open door through the porch, and there I see a stray sheep - I don’t mean a sinner, but mutton - half making up his mind to come into the church. —
我看着阳光透过门廊射进来，在那里我看到一只走失的羊 - 我不是说一个罪人，而是一只半决定要进教堂的羊。 —

I feel that if I looked at him any longer, I might be tempted to say something out loud; —
我觉得如果再看他一会儿，我可能就会忍不住说出声来； —

and what would become of me then! I look up at the monumental tablets on the wall, and try to think of Mr. Bodgers late of this parish, and what the feelings of Mrs. Bodgers must have been, when affliction sore, long time Mr. Bodgers bore, and physicians were in vain. —
那时候我会怎么样呢！我抬头看着墙上的纪念碑，试着想象这个教区已故的博杰先生，以及博杰夫人在那段艰难时期的感受，已故博杰先生长时间承受着痛苦，医生们却无能为力。 —

I wonder whether they called in Mr. Chillip, and he was in vain; —
我想知道他们是否找过奇立普先生，他是否也无能为力； —

and if so, how he likes to be reminded of it once a week. —
如果是这样，他会不会喜欢每周被提醒这一点。 —

I look from Mr. Chillip, in his Sunday neckcloth, to the pulpit; —
我从周日扎着领结的奇立普先生那里看向讲坛； —

and think what a good place it would be to play in, and what a castle it would make, with another boy coming up the stairs to attack it, and having the velvet cushion with the tassels thrown down on his head. —
我看着我们的院子，它看起来多美好，多适合游戏，多像一个可以建造城堡的地方，另一个男孩走上楼梯要来攻击它，头上被抛下的带着流苏的天鹅绒靠垫。 —

In time my eyes gradually shut up; and, from seeming to hear the clergyman singing a drowsy song in the heat, I hear nothing, until I fall off the seat with a crash, and am taken out, more dead than alive, by Peggotty.
我慢慢闭上眼睛；在炎热中听着牧师唱着催人入睡的歌曲，直到我摔下座位，被佩戈蒂救出，死气沉沉。

And now I see the outside of our house, with the latticed bedroom-windows standing open to let in the sweet-smelling air, and the ragged old rooks’-nests still dangling in the elm-trees at the bottom of the front garden. —
现在我看到我们房子的外面，带着敞开的带有格子窗的卧室窗户，让清新的空气进入，前花园的榆树下仍然悬挂着破旧的乌鸦巢。 —

Now I am in the garden at the back, beyond the yard where the empty pigeon-house and dog-kennel are a very preserve of butterflies, as I remember it, with a high fence, and a gate and padlock; —
现在我在后花园里，院子的那边，空荡的鸽舍和狗窝，一片蝴蝶的庇护所，高高的栅栏，门上挂着挂锁； —

where the fruit clusters on the trees, riper and richer than fruit has ever been since, in any other garden, and where my mother gathers some in a basket, while I stand by, bolting furtive gooseberries, and trying to look unmoved. —
果树上的果实成簇，比任何其他花园里的果实都更加成熟丰盛，母亲在篮子里采摘一些，而我站在旁边，偷偷吞下草莓，试图看起来毫不动容。 —

A great wind rises, and the summer is gone in a moment. —
一阵大风刮起，夏天一瞬间消失了。 —

We are playing in the winter twilight, dancing about the parlour. —
我们在冬季的暮色中玩耍，在客厅里跳舞。 —

When my mother is out of breath and rests herself in an elbow-chair, I watch her winding her bright curls round her fingers, and straitening her waist, and nobody knows better than I do that she likes to look so well, and is proud of being so pretty.
当母亲喘不过气来，坐在扶手椅上休息时，我看着她用手指绕着明亮的卷发，拉直腰部，没有人比我更清楚，她喜欢显得那么漂亮，对自己的美丽自豪。

That is among my very earliest impressions. —
那是我极其早期的印象之一。 —

That, and a sense that we were both a little afraid of Peggotty, and submitted ourselves in most things to her direction, were among the first opinions - if they may be so called - that I ever derived from what I saw.
那，还有一个感觉，我们对佩戈蒂都有些害怕，大部分时候听从她的指示，也是我从所见到的事物中得出的最早的意见 – 如果可以这么说的话。

Peggotty and I were sitting one night by the parlour fire, alone. —
有一天晚上，佩戈蒂和我坐在客厅的火炉旁，独处。 —

I had been reading to Peggotty about crocodiles. —
我刚给佩戈蒂读完关于鳄鱼的事。 —

I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested, for I remember she had a cloudy impression, after I had done, that they were a sort of vegetable. —
我必须读得非常清楚，或者可怜的灵魂可能深深地感兴趣，因为我记得她读完后有一种模糊的印象，认为它们是某种蔬菜。 —

I was tired of reading, and dead sleepy; —
我已经累了，困得直想睡觉； —

but having leave, as a high treat, to sit up until my mother came home from spending the evening at a neighbour’s, I would rather have died upon my post (of course) than have gone to bed. —
但是得到批准，作为一个特别的待遇，可以等到母亲从邻居家度过一个晚上后回家，我宁愿就地去世（当然），也不愿上床睡觉。 —

I had reached that stage of sleepiness when Peggotty seemed to swell and grow immensely large. —
我已经达到了那种困意的阶段，佩吉蒂似乎在膨胀并变得巨大起来。 —

I propped my eyelids open with my two forefingers, and looked perseveringly at her as she sat at work; —
我用两根食指撑着眼皮，坚定地看着她在工作; —

at the little bit of wax-candle she kept for her thread - how old it looked, being so wrinkled in all directions! —
她用来裹线的小块蜡烛 - 看起来多么旧，因为在各个方向上都皱巴巴的样子! —

• at the little house with a thatched roof, where the yard-measure lived; —
  - 在那个茅草屋顶的小房屋里，那是码头妈妈住的地方; —
  

at her work-box with a sliding lid, with a view of St. Paul’s Cathedral (with a pink dome) painted on the top; —
看着她的工具盒，带有一个可滑动盖子，盖子上面画着圣保罗大教堂的视图(带有粉红色圆顶); —

at the brass thimble on her finger; at herself, whom I thought lovely. —
看着她手指上的黄铜顶针; 看着她自己，我认为她很美丽。 —

I felt so sleepy, that I knew if I lost sight of anything for a moment, I was gone.
我感到如此困倦，以至于我知道如果我一时之间失去了任何东西的视线，我就会睡着。

‘Peggotty,’ says I, suddenly, ‘were you ever married?’
‘佩吉蒂，’我突然说，’你结过婚吗?’

‘Lord, Master Davy,’ replied Peggotty. ‘What’s put marriage in your head?’
‘天啊，戴维先生，’佩吉蒂回答道。’是什么让你想到结婚的?’

She answered with such a start, that it quite awoke me. —
她回答得如此惊慌，以至于把我完全弄醒了。 —

And then she stopped in her work, and looked at me, with her needle drawn out to its thread’s length.
然后她停止了手中的工作，用放长线的针看着我。

‘But WERE you ever married, Peggotty?’ says I. ‘You are a very handsome woman, an’t you?’
‘但是你曾经结过婚吗，佩吉蒂?‘我说。 ‘你是一个很漂亮的女人，对吧?’

I thought her in a different style from my mother, certainly; —
我认为她和我母亲的风格是不同的; —

but of another school of beauty, I considered her a perfect example. —
但在另一种美的学派里，我认为她是一个完美的典范。 —

There was a red velvet footstool in the best parlour, on which my mother had painted a nosegay. —
我妈妈在最好的客厅里有一个红丝绒的脚凳，上面画了一束花。 —

The ground-work of that stool, and Peggotty’s complexion appeared to me to be one and the same thing. —
那凳子的地基和佩格蒂的肤色在我看来是一回事。 —

The stool was smooth, and Peggotty was rough, but that made no difference.
凳子很光滑，佩格蒂很粗糙，但这并没有关系。

‘Me handsome, Davy!’ said Peggotty. ‘Lawk, no, my dear! But what put marriage in your head?’
‘我漂亮，戴维！’佩格蒂说，’天啊，不，亲爱的！但是你怎么会突然谈到结婚呢？’

‘I don’t know! - You mustn’t marry more than one person at a time, may you, Peggotty?’
‘我不知道！-你不能同时娶多个人，对吗，佩格蒂？’

‘Certainly not,’ says Peggotty, with the promptest decision.
‘当然不能，’佩格蒂立刻答道。

‘But if you marry a person, and the person dies, why then you may marry another person, mayn’t you, Peggotty?’
‘但是如果你娶了一个人，那个人死了，那么你可以娶另一个人，对吧，佩格蒂？’

‘YOU MAY,’ says Peggotty, ‘if you choose, my dear. That’s a matter of opinion.’
‘你可以，’佩格蒂说，’如果你愿意，亲爱的。这是个意见问题。

‘But what is your opinion, Peggotty?’ said I.
‘但你怎么想，佩格蒂？’我问道。

I asked her, and looked curiously at her, because she looked so curiously at me.
我问她，并对她感到好奇，因为她也对我感到好奇。

‘My opinion is,’ said Peggotty, taking her eyes from me, after a little indecision and going on with her work, ‘that I never was married myself, Master Davy, and that I don’t expect to be. —
‘我的意见是，’佩格蒂说，’我自己从未结过婚，戴维先生，也不指望结婚。 —

That’s all I know about the subject.’
这就是我对这个问题的看法了。

‘You an’t cross, I suppose, Peggotty, are you?’ said I, after sitting quiet for a minute.
‘我猜你没生气，是吧，佩格蒂？’坐了一会儿后，我说道。

I really thought she was, she had been so short with me; but I was quite mistaken: —
我真的以为她生气了，因为她对我很生硬；但我错了： —

for she laid aside her work (which was a stocking of her own), and opening her arms wide, took my curly head within them, and gave it a good squeeze. —
因为她放下了手中的工作（是她自己的一只袜子），张开双臂，把我的卷发头环抱在怀里，用力地擠了一下。 —

I know it was a good squeeze, because, being very plump, whenever she made any little exertion after she was dressed, some of the buttons on the back of her gown flew off. —
我知道她是用力擠了一下，因为由于她身材饱满，每当她穿好衣服后稍微用力，后背上的一些钮扣就会脱落。 —

And I recollect two bursting to the opposite side of the parlour, while she was hugging me.
我记得有两只爆裂到客厅的对面，就在她拥抱我的时候。

‘Now let me hear some more about the Crorkindills,’ said Peggotty, who was not quite right in the name yet, ‘for I an’t heard half enough.’
‘现在让我听听更多有关克罗金迪尔家族的事情，’ 佩格蒂说道，虽然名字还没有搞清楚， ‘我还没有听够呢。’

I couldn’t quite understand why Peggotty looked so queer, or why she was so ready to go back to the crocodiles. —
我有些弄不明白为什么佩格蒂看起来如此古怪，或者为什么她这么愿意回到鳄鱼那儿。 —

However, we returned to those monsters, with fresh wakefulness on my part, and we left their eggs in the sand for the sun to hatch; —
无论如何，我们回到那些怪物身边，我感到更加清醒，把它们的蛋留在沙漠中，让太阳孵化； —

and we ran away from them, and baffled them by constantly turning, which they were unable to do quickly, on account of their unwieldy make; —
我们逃离它们，并通过不断转弯来使它们困惑，它们无法快速转弯，因为它们笨重的身体构造； —

and we went into the water after them, as natives, and put sharp pieces of timber down their throats; —
我们像土著一样跳进水里追逐它们，把尖锐的木块塞进它们的喉咙里； —

and in short we ran the whole crocodile gauntlet. I did, at least; —
总之，我们进行了整场鳄鱼弯道赛。至少是我做到了； —

but I had my doubts of Peggotty, who was thoughtfully sticking her needle into various parts of her face and arms, all the time.
但我对佩格蒂还是有所疑虑，她则一直把针刺入面部和手臂的各个部位，全然不顾。

We had exhausted the crocodiles, and begun with the alligators, when the garden-bell rang. —
当我们耗尽了鳄鱼，开始对付短吻鳄时，花园里的门铃响了。 —

We went out to the door; and there was my mother, looking unusually pretty, I thought, and with her a gentleman with beautiful black hair and whiskers, who had walked home with us from church last Sunday.
我们走出门口；我母亲站在那里，我觉得她异常漂亮，跟着有一位拥有美丽黑色头发和胡须的绅士，他上个星期日从教堂跟我们一起走回家。

As my mother stooped down on the threshold to take me in her arms and kiss me, the gentleman said I was a more highly privileged little fellow than a monarch - or something like that; —
当我妈妈弯下腰将我抱在怀里亲吻我的时候，那位绅士说我是一个比国王更有幸福的小家伙 - 或者类似的话； —

for my later understanding comes, I am sensible, to my aid here.
因为我晚些时候的理解也在这里帮助我。

‘What does that mean?’ I asked him, over her shoulder.
‘那是什么意思？’ 我趴在她肩膀上问道。

He patted me on the head; but somehow, I didn’t like him or his deep voice, and I was jealous that his hand should touch my mother’s in touching me - which it did. —
他拍了拍我的头；但不知怎地，我不喜欢他或他深沉的声音，我嫉妒他的手在触摸我时也会触碰到我妈妈 - 这就发生了。 —

I put it away, as well as I could.
我尽量把它推开。

‘Oh, Davy!’ remonstrated my mother.
“哦，戴维！”母亲责备道。

‘Dear boy!’ said the gentleman. ‘I cannot wonder at his devotion!’
“亲爱的孩子！”那位绅士说道。“他的专情让我不禁感到惊讶！”

I never saw such a beautiful colour on my mother’s face before. She gently chid me for being rude; —
我从未见过母亲脸上有如此美丽的颜色。她温和地责备我失礼； —

and, keeping me close to her shawl, turned to thank the gentleman for taking so much trouble as to bring her home. —
并将我拉近她的披肩，转身感谢那位绅士为了把她送回家而花费了这么多心思。 —

She put out her hand to him as she spoke, and, as he met it with his own, she glanced, I thought, at me.
她说话的同时伸出手去，而当他伸出自己的手时，我觉得她瞟了我一眼。

‘Let us say “good night”, my fine boy,’ said the gentleman, when he had bent his head - I saw him! —
“让我们说声晚安，小伙子，”那绅士弯下身来说—我看见了！ —

• over my mother’s little glove.
  —越过我母亲手上的小手套。
  

‘Good night!’ said I.
“晚安！”我说。

‘Come! Let us be the best friends in the world!’ said the gentleman, laughing. ‘Shake hands!’
“来吧！让我们成为世界上最好的朋友！”那绅士笑着说。“握手！”

My right hand was in my mother’s left, so I gave him the other.
我的右手正握着母亲的左手，所以我伸出另一只手给了他。

‘Why, that’s the Wrong hand, Davy!’ laughed the gentleman.
“噢，那是错手，戴维！”那绅士笑道。

MY mother drew my right hand forward, but I was resolved, for my former reason, not to give it him, and I did not. —
母亲拉着我的右手向前，但出于我之前的理由，我决定不给他右手，于是我没给。 —

I gave him the other, and he shook it heartily, and said I was a brave fellow, and went away.
我给了他另一只手，他热情地握了握，称赞我是一个勇敢的小伙子，然后离开了。

At this minute I see him turn round in the garden, and give us a last look with his ill-omened black eyes, before the door was shut.
就在这时，我看见他在花园里转身，用他那双凶兆般的黑眼睛最后看了我们一眼，然后门被关上了。

Peggotty, who had not said a word or moved a finger, secured the fastenings instantly, and we all went into the parlour. —
佩吉蒂没有说一句话，也没动一根手指，立刻把门锁好，我们都走进了客厅。 —

My mother, contrary to her usual habit, instead of coming to the elbow-chair by the fire, remained at the other end of the room, and sat singing to herself.
我母亲，与平时的习惯相反，没有走到靠近火炉的扶手椅旁，而是留在房间的另一头，坐在那里自己唱歌。

• ‘Hope you have had a pleasant evening, ma’am,’ said Peggotty, standing as stiff as a barrel in the centre of the room, with a candlestick in her hand.
  ‘希望您度过了愉快的晚上，夫人，’佩戈蒂说着，站在房间中央一动不动，手里拿着一个烛台。
  

‘Much obliged to you, Peggotty,’ returned my mother, in a cheerful toice, ‘I have had a VERY pleasant evening.’
‘非常感谢你，佩戈蒂，’我母亲用愉快的语气回答，‘我度过了一个非常愉快的晚上。’

‘A stranger or so makes an agreeable change,’ suggested Peggotty.
‘多么愉快的变化，’佩戈蒂建议说。

‘A very agreeable change, indeed,’ returned my mother.
‘确实是一个非常愉快的变化，’我母亲回答道。

Peggotty continuing to stand motionless in the middle of the room, and my mother resuming her singing, I fell asleep, though I was not so sound asleep but that I could hear voices, without hearing what they said. —
佩戈蒂仍然站在房间中央一动不动，我母亲又开始唱歌，我渐渐睡着了，尽管我并不是那么熟睡，但我仍然能听到声音，尽管听不到内容。 —

When I half awoke from this uncomfortable doze, I found Peggotty and my mother both in tears, and both talking.
当我从这种不舒服的昏昏欲睡状态中半醒来时，我发现佩戈蒂和我母亲都哭了，同时说着话。

‘Not such a one as this, Mr. Copperfield wouldn’t have liked,’ said Peggotty. —
‘像这样的一个，科波菲尔先生不会喜欢的，’佩戈蒂说。 —

‘That I say, and that I swear!’
‘我说的就是这个，我敢发誓！’

‘Good Heavens!’ cried my mother, ‘you’ll drive me mad! —
‘天哪！’我母亲喊道，’你会把我逼疯的！ —

Was ever any poor girl so ill-used by her servants as I am! —
哪个可怜的女孩被佣人们这样对待过！ —

Why do I do myself the injustice of calling myself a girl? —
我为什么要做出蔑视自己的行为呢？ —

Have I never been married, Peggotty?’
佩戈蒂，我从未结过婚吗？’

‘God knows you have, ma’am,’ returned Peggotty. —
‘天晓得您结过，夫人，’佩戈蒂回答。 —

‘Then, how can you dare,’ said my mother - ‘you know I don’t mean how can you dare, Peggotty, but how can you have the heart - to make me so uncomfortable and say such bitter things to me, when you are well aware that I haven’t, out of this place, a single friend to turn to?’
‘那么，你怎么敢，’我母亲说 - ‘你知道我并不是指你怎么敢，佩戈蒂，而是指你怎么有心情 - 让我这么难受，对我说这么刻薄的话，当你心知肚明在这个地方之外，我没有一个可以求助的朋友？’

‘The more’s the reason,’ returned Peggotty, ‘for saying that it won’t do. No! That it won’t do. No! —
‘更多的理由，’ 佩吉蒂回答道，’也是为了说这行不通。不！绝对行不通。不！ —

No price could make it do. No!’ - I thought Peggotty would have thrown the candlestick away, she was so emphatic with it.
任何价格都行不通。不！’ - 我觉得佩吉蒂会把烛台扔掉，她说得如此坚决。

‘How can you be so aggravating,’ said my mother, shedding more tears than before, ‘as to talk in such an unjust manner! —
‘你怎么能这么气人，’比之前还要多流泪的我妈妈说，’说话如此不公道！ —

How can you go on as if it was all settled and arranged, Peggotty, when I tell you over and over again, you cruel thing, that beyond the commonest civilities nothing has passed! —
你怎么可以装得好像一切都已经决定好了，佩吉蒂，当我一遍又一遍地告诉你，你这个残忍的家伙，除了最普通的礼貌，没有其他的事情发生过！ —

You talk of admiration. What am I to do? —
你说什么赞美。我该怎么办？ —

If people are so silly as to indulge the sentiment, is it my fault? What am I to do, I ask you? —
如果人们如此愚蠢地陶醉于这种情感，这难道是我的错吗？我该怎么做，我问你？ —

Would you wish me to shave my head and black my face, or disfigure myself with a burn, or a scald, or something of that sort? —
你希望我剃光头、涂黑脸，或者用伤口或烫伤之类的方式毁容吗？ —

I dare say you would, Peggotty. I dare say you’d quite enjoy it.’
我敢说你会这么想，佩吉蒂。我敢说你一定很喜欢这样。

Peggotty seemed to take this aspersion very much to heart, I thought.
我觉得佩吉蒂对这种指责非常在意。

‘And my dear boy,’ cried my mother, coming to the elbow-chair in which I was, and caressing me, ‘my own little Davy! —
‘亲爱的孩子，’我妈妈喊道，走到我坐着的扶手椅旁，抚摸着我，’我自己的小戴维！ —

Is it to be hinted to me that I am wanting in affection for my precious treasure, the dearest little fellow that ever was!’
这是要暗示我对我最珍贵的宝贝缺乏爱心吗，无情的主！’

‘Nobody never went and hinted no such a thing,’ said Peggotty.
‘从来没有人暗示过这样的事情，’ 佩吉蒂说道。

‘You did, Peggotty!’ returned my mother. ‘You know you did. —
‘你暗示了，佩吉蒂！’我妈妈回答道，’你知道你暗示了的。 —

What else was it possible to infer from what you said, you unkind creature, when you know as well as I do, that on his account only last quarter I wouldn’t buy myself a new parasol, though that old green one is frayed the whole way up, and the fringe is perfectly mangy? —
从你的话里能推断出其他什么呢，你这个不好的家伙，你知道和我一样，上个季度正是为了他的缘故，我才没有给自己买新遮阳伞，尽管那把旧的绿色遮阳伞整个磨损了，流苏完全脏兮兮的。 —

You know it is, Peggotty. You can’t deny it.’ —
你知道的，佩吉蒂。你不能否认。’ —

Then, turning affectionately to me, with her cheek against mine, ‘Am I a naughty mama to you, Davy? —
然后，亲昵地转向我，脸贴着我的脸，’我对你来说是一个调皮的妈妈吗，戴维？ —

Am I a nasty, cruel, selfish, bad mama? Say I am, my child; —
我是一个讨厌、残忍、自私、坏的妈妈吗？说我是，我的孩子； —

say “yes”, dear boy, and Peggotty will love you; —
说“是”，亲爱的孩子，佩吉蒂会爱你的； —

and Peggotty’s love is a great deal better than mine, Davy. I don’t love you at all, do I?’
佩吉蒂的爱比我的好得多，戴维。我根本不爱你，对不对？

At this, we all fell a-crying together. I think I was the loudest of the party, but I am sure we were all sincere about it. —
听到这些，我们全都哭了。我想我是哭声最大的一个，但我肯定我们都是发自内心的。 —

I was quite heart-broken myself, and am afraid that in the first transports of wounded tenderness I called Peggotty a ‘Beast’. —
我自己也伤心欲绝，恐怕在受伤感情的初次迸发中，我称佩吉蒂为“野兽”。 —

That honest creature was in deep affliction, I remember, and must have become quite buttonless on the occasion; —
我记得那位诚实的人正在深受悲伤，而且很可能在那个场合变得毫无光泽； —

for a little volley of those explosives went off, when, after having made it up with my mother, she kneeled down by the elbow-chair, and made it up with me.
因为在与我母亲和好之后，她跪在扶手椅旁，与我和好时，发出一小连串爆炸声。

We went to bed greatly dejected. My sobs kept waking me, for a long time; —
我们心情都很沮丧地上床。我的啜泣声让我醒来，惊天动地； —

and when one very strong sob quite hoisted me up in bed, I found my mother sitting on the coverlet, and leaning over me. —
当一声非常强烈的抽泣声将我从床上掀了起来时，我发现我妈妈坐在被子上，俯身看着我。 —

I fell asleep in her arms, after that, and slept soundly.
在那之后，我抱着母亲入睡，睡得很沉。

Whether it was the following Sunday when I saw the gentleman again, or whether there was any greater lapse of time before he reappeared, I cannot recall. —
关于接下来的星期天我再次见到那位绅士，或者他再次露面之前是否有更长时间的间隔，我记不起了。 —

I don’t profess to be clear about dates. —
我不敢说日期方面很清楚。 —

But there he was, in church, and he walked home with us afterwards. —
但他在教堂里，之后和我们一起回家。 —

He came in, too, to look at a famous geranium we had, in the parlour-window. —
他还走进来，看了看我们客厅窗台上的一株著名的天竺葵。 —

It did not appear to me that he took much notice of it, but before he went he asked my mother to give him a bit of the blossom. —
我觉得他好像没太在意那朵花，但在离开之前，他让我妈妈给他摘一点花朵。 —

She begged him to choose it for himself, but he refused to do that - I could not understand why - so she plucked it for him, and gave it into his hand. —
她请求他自己挑选，但他拒绝了——我不明白为什么——所以她为他摘了一朵，递到他手里。 —

He said he would never, never part with it any more; —
他说他再也不会舍弃这朵花了； —

and I thought he must be quite a fool not to know that it would fall to pieces in a day or two.
我觉得他一定是傻瓜，不知道它过几天就会凋谢。

Peggotty began to be less with us, of an evening, than she had always been. —
佩格蒂开始晚上不太和我们在一起了。 —

My mother deferred to her very much - more than usual, it occurred to me - and we were all three excellent friends; —
我妈妈对她非常尊重——比平时更多，我觉得——我们三个人都成了很好的朋友； —

still we were different from what we used to be, and were not so comfortable among ourselves. —
但我们变得与以前不同了，自己之间也不那么舒适。 —

Sometimes I fancied that Peggotty perhaps objected to my mother’s wearing all the pretty dresses she had in her drawers, or to her going so often to visit at that neighbour’s; —
有时我想也许佩格蒂对我妈妈穿她抽屉里所有漂亮的衣服有意见，或者对她经常去邻居家拜访有意见； —

but I couldn’t, to my satisfaction, make out how it was.
但我不能完全了解是怎么回事。

Gradually, I became used to seeing the gentleman with the black whiskers. —
我慢慢地习惯了看到那个留着黑髭的绅士。 —

I liked him no better than at first, and had the same uneasy jealousy of him; —
我对他的喜爱并没有增加，依然对他感到不安； —

but if I had any reason for it beyond a child’s instinctive dislike, and a general idea that Peggotty and I could make much of my mother without any help, it certainly was not THE reason that I might have found if I had been older. —
但如果除了孩子的直觉和一种对他的不满以外，还有其他原因，我当时确实找不到了那个可能的原因，如果我当时更大一点可能会意识到。 —

No such thing came into my mind, or near it. I could observe, in little pieces, as it were; —
我只能逐渐观察； —

but as to making a net of a number of these pieces, and catching anybody in it, that was, as yet, beyond me.
但是将这些片段织成一张网，陷害任何人，对我来说还太过困难。

One autumn morning I was with my mother in the front garden, when Mr. Murdstone - I knew him by that name now - came by, on horseback. —
一个秋天的早晨，我和我妈妈在前花园，穆德斯通先生——我现在知道他的名字了——骑着马经过。 —

He reined up his horse to salute my mother, and said he was going to Lowestoft to see some friends who were there with a yacht, and merrily proposed to take me on the saddle before him if I would like the ride.
他勒住马儿向我母亲致意，说他要去洛文斯托夫看一些和他们一起带着游艇的朋友，欢快地提议说如果我愿意的话可以坐在马鞍上一起乘坐。

The air was so clear and pleasant, and the horse seemed to like the idea of the ride so much himself, as he stood snorting and pawing at the garden-gate, that I had a great desire to go. —
空气是那么清新宜人，马儿似乎也很喜欢这个主意，站在花园门口打着喷鼻息，我很想去。 —

So I was sent upstairs to Peggotty to be made spruce; —
于是我被送到佩各蒂那里打扮整洁； —

and in the meantime Mr. Murdstone dismounted, and, with his horse’s bridle drawn over his arm, walked slowly up and down on the outer side of the sweetbriar fence, while my mother walked slowly up and down on the inner to keep him company. —
与此同时，莫德斯通先生下马了，把马的缰绳系在胳膊上，慢慢地在花茈篱笆外边来回走着，而我母亲在里面边走边陪着他。 —

I recollect Peggotty and I peeping out at them from my little window; —
我记得佩各蒂和我从窗户小窥他们； —

I recollect how closely they seemed to be examining the sweetbriar between them, as they strolled along; —
我记得他们似乎在认真地一起检查那株茈，沿着边走着； —

and how, from being in a perfectly angelic temper, Peggotty turned cross in a moment, and brushed my hair the wrong way, excessively hard.
当时佩各蒂情绪完全天使般的时候，突然转为暴躁，生气地把我的头发用力地往反了梳。

Mr. Murdstone and I were soon off, and trotting along on the green turf by the side of the road. —
莫德斯通先生和我很快就上路了，沿着路边的绿草小跑着。 —

He held me quite easily with one arm, and I don’t think I was restless usually; —
他用一只手很轻松地把我抱住，我平时都不坐静不下来； —

but I could not make up my mind to sit in front of him without turning my head sometimes, and looking up in his face. —
但我又不断地转着头，有时抬起头看着他的脸。 —

He had that kind of shallow black eye - I want a better word to express an eye that has no depth in it to be looked into - which, when it is abstracted, seems from some peculiarity of light to be disfigured, for a moment at a time, by a cast. —
他那种浅黑的眼睛，没有深度让人深挚沉思的眼，那种眼睛在走神时，光线的某种特殊性质会使其在瞬间显得有一种偏斜之感。 —

Several times when I glanced at him, I observed that appearance with a sort of awe, and wondered what he was thinking about so closely. —
几次我看着他时，惊奇地发现那种样子，感到一种畏惧，并想知道他在细细思考些什么。 —

His hair and whiskers were blacker and thicker, looked at so near, than even I had given them credit for being. —
他的头发和胡须在这么近的距离看上去更黑、更浓，比我原来想象的还要浓密。 —

A squareness about the lower part of his face, and the dotted indication of the strong black beard he shaved close every day, reminded me of the wax-work that had travelled into our neighbourhood some half-a-year before. —
他下巴的下部有一种方正感，还有浓密的黑色胡须每日晨晚剃得干净，让我联想到半年前来到我们附近的那些蜡像。 —

This, his regular eyebrows, and the rich white, and black, and brown, of his complexion confound his complexion, and his memory! —
他那规整的眉毛，丰富的白、黑和棕色，混淆了他的肤色，也混淆了他的记忆！ —

• made me think him, in spite of my misgivings, a very handsome man. —
  - 尽管我心存疑虑，但他让我觉得他是一个非常英俊的男人。 —
  

I have no doubt that my poor dear mother thought him so too.
我毫无疑问，我可怜的母亲也这样认为。

We went to an hotel by the sea, where two gentlemen were smoking cigars in a room by themselves. —
我们去了一个海边的旅馆，那里有两位绅士在一个房间里抽雪茄。 —

Each of them was lying on at least four chairs, and had a large rough jacket on. —
他们每个人至少躺在四把椅子上，身上还穿着一件又大又粗糙的夹克。 —

In a corner was a heap of coats and boat-cloaks, and a flag, all bundled up together.
角落里堆满了外套和船袍，还有一面旗帜，全部捆在一起。

They both rolled on to their feet in an untidy sort of manner, when we came in, and said, ‘Halloa, Murdstone! —
我们进来的时候，他们都有些不整洁地翻滚着站了起来，说道：“喂，莫德斯通！我们以为你已经死了！” —

We thought you were dead!’
“还没呢，”莫德斯通先生说。

‘Not yet,’ said Mr. Murdstone.
“这是谁？”其中一位绅士抓着我问道。

‘And who’s this shaver?’ said one of the gentlemen, taking hold of me.
“这是戴维，”莫德斯通先生回答说。

‘That’s Davy,’ returned Mr. Murdstone.
“戴维谁？”绅士问道，“琼斯？”

‘Davy who?’ said the gentleman. ‘Jones?’
“考珀菲尔德，”莫德斯通先生说。

‘Copperfield,’ said Mr. Murdstone.
“什么！漂亮的小寡妇考珀菲尔德的拖沓？”那位绅士叫道。

‘What! Bewitching Mrs. Copperfield’s encumbrance?’ cried the gentleman. ‘The pretty little widow?’
“奎宁，”莫德斯通先生说，“请注意一下。”

‘Quinion,’ said Mr. Murdstone, ‘take care, if you please. Somebody’s sharp.’
“谁？”那位绅士笑着问。

‘Who is?’ asked the gentleman, laughing.
“谁尖酸刻薄？”【标记】

I looked up, quickly; being curious to know.
我抬头看了看，迫不及待地想知道。

‘Only Brooks of Sheffield,’ said Mr. Murdstone.
“是谢菲尔德的布鲁克斯，”默德斯通先生说。

I was quite relieved to find that it was only Brooks of Sheffield; —
我很放心地发现只是来访的是谢菲尔德的布鲁克斯； —

for, at first, I really thought it was I.
起初，我真的以为是我。

There seemed to be something very comical in the reputation of Mr. Brooks of Sheffield, for both the gentlemen laughed heartily when he was mentioned, and Mr. Murdstone was a good deal amused also. —
当提到谢菲尔德的布鲁克斯时，两位绅士都哈哈大笑，默德斯通先生也颇感兴趣。 —

After some laughing, the gentleman whom he had called Quinion, said:
绅士齐尼安笑着说：

‘And what is the opinion of Brooks of Sheffield, in reference to the projected business?’
“布鲁克斯对即将进行的业务有什么看法？”

‘Why, I don’t know that Brooks understands much about it at present,’ replied Mr. Murdstone; —
“噢，我不知道布鲁克斯目前对此了解多少，”默德斯通回答说； —

‘but he is not generally favourable, I believe.’
“但我相信他一般不赞同。”

There was more laughter at this, and Mr. Quinion said he would ring the bell for some sherry in which to drink to Brooks. —
这引起了更多的笑声，齐尼安先生说他要按铃来要些雪利酒，以向布鲁克斯敬酒。 —

This he did; and when the wine came, he made me have a little, with a biscuit, and, before I drank it, stand up and say, ‘Confusion to Brooks of Sheffield!’ —
他这样做了；酒上桌时，他让我喝了点，吃了块饼干，然后让我站起来说：“让谢菲尔德的布鲁克斯一筹莫展！” —

The toast was received with great applause, and such hearty laughter that it made me laugh too; at which they laughed the more. —
这个祝酒词赢得了热烈的掌声和大笑声，让我也笑了；他们因此笑得更欢。 —

In short, we quite enjoyed ourselves.
总之，我们玩得很开心。

We walked about on the cliff after that, and sat on the grass, and looked at things through a telescope - I could make out nothing myself when it was put to my eye, but I pretended I could - and then we came back to the hotel to an early dinner. —
之后我们在悬崖上走走，坐在草地上，用望远镜看东西——我自己拿过来看时什么也看不清，但我假装能看得见——然后我们回到旅馆吃早餐。 —

All the time we were out, the two gentlemen smoked incessantly - which, I thought, if I might judge from the smell of their rough coats, they must have been doing, ever since the coats had first come home from the tailor’s. —
我们外出的时候，两位绅士不停地抽烟——我想，根据他们粗糙外套上的气味来看，他们大概从裁缝那里把外套带回家后就一直在这么做。 —

I must not forget that we went on board the yacht, where they all three descended into the cabin, and were busy with some papers. —
我不能忘记我们登上游艇，他们三个都下到船舱里忙着看文件。 —

I saw them quite hard at work, when I looked down through the open skylight. —
当我透过敞开的顶灯往下看时，看到他们在努力工作。 —

They left me, during this time, with a very nice man with a very large head of red hair and a very small shiny hat upon it, who had got a cross-barred shirt or waistcoat on, with ‘Skylark’ in capital letters across the chest. —
在此期间，他们将我留给了一个头发浓密的非常和善的男士，他戴着一顶非常小的发亮的帽子，身穿一件横条纹衬衫或马甲，胸前用大写字母写着’Skylark’。 —

I thought it was his name; and that as he lived on board ship and hadn’t a street door to put his name on, he put it there instead; —
我以为那是他的名字；因为他住在船上，没有门牌号码可以标着自己的名字，所以他就在那里写上了。 —

but when I called him Mr. Skylark, he said it meant the vessel.
但是当我称他为斯凯拉克先生时，他说那意味着船只的名字。

I observed all day that Mr. Murdstone was graver and steadier than the two gentlemen. —
我观察到整天下来，莫德斯通先生比另外两位绅士更加严肃和稳重。 —

They were very gay and careless. They joked freely with one another, but seldom with him. —
他们很开心随意。他们之间彼此开玩笑，但很少跟他如此。 —

It appeared to me that he was more clever and cold than they were, and that they regarded him with something of my own feeling. —
在我看来，他比他们更聪明，更冷静，而他们则对他有着类似于我自己的感受。 —

I remarked that, once or twice when Mr. Quinion was talking, he looked at Mr. Murdstone sideways, as if to make sure of his not being displeased; —
我注意到Quinion先生说话时，一两次斜眼瞥了莫德斯通先生，好像是为了确保他不会生气； —

and that once when Mr. Passnidge (the other gentleman) was in high spirits, he trod upon his foot, and gave him a secret caution with his eyes, to observe Mr. Murdstone, who was sitting stern and silent. —
有一次，当帕斯尼奇先生情绪高昂时，他踩了他的脚，眼睛里给了他一个秘密的警告，让他留意坐在一旁那个严肃又沉默的莫德斯通先生。 —

Nor do I recollect that Mr. Murdstone laughed at all that day, except at the Sheffield joke - and that, by the by, was his own.
当天莫德斯通先生似乎没有笑过，除了那个谢菲尔德的笑话 - 顺便说一句，那是他自己的笑话。

We went home early in the evening. It was a very fine evening, and my mother and he had another stroll by the sweetbriar, while I was sent in to get my tea. —
我们早早回家。那是一个非常美好的夜晚，当时我妈妈和他在花香扑鼻的地方散步，而我则被派去准备晚餐。 —

When he was gone, my mother asked me all about the day I had had, and what they had said and done. —
他走后，我妈妈问我那天的经历，问他们说了什么做了什么。 —

I mentioned what they had said about her, and she laughed, and told me they were impudent fellows who talked nonsense - but I knew it pleased her. —
我提到他们说她的话，她笑了，告诉我他们是些无礼的家伙说胡话 - 但我知道那样让她高兴。 —

I knew it quite as well as I know it now. —
我很清楚，就像现在一样。 —

I took the opportunity of asking if she was at all acquainted with Mr. Brooks of Sheffield, but she answered No, only she supposed he must be a manufacturer in the knife and fork way.
我趁机问她是否认识谢菲尔德的布鲁克斯先生，但她回答说没有，只是她猜他一定是制作刀叉的制造商。

Can I say of her face - altered as I have reason to remember it, perished as I know it is - that it is gone, when here it comes before me at this instant, as distinct as any face that I may choose to look on in a crowded street? —
我可以说她的脸 - 尽管我有理由记得它发生了变化，知道它已经消失了 - 当它此刻出现在我面前时，它和我在拥挤的街道上看到的任何脸一样清晰吗？ —

Can I say of her innocent and girlish beauty, that it faded, and was no more, when its breath falls on my cheek now, as it fell that night? —
我能说她那无辜、少女般的美丽消逝了，不再存在吗? 当它的气息现在落在我的脸颊上时，像那个晚上一样？ —

Can I say she ever changed, when my remembrance brings her back to life, thus only; —
我能说她曾经改变过吗，当我的记忆把她带回到那个时候，仅仅这样； —

and, truer to its loving youth than I have been, or man ever is, still holds fast what it cherished then?
并且，比我更真实地保持着它曾经珍爱的东西？

I write of her just as she was when I had gone to bed after this talk, and she came to bid me good night. —
我写到她正如她在我们谈话之后去床上睡觉时的样子，并且她来跟我说晚安。 —

She kneeled down playfully by the side of the bed, and laying her chin upon her hands, and laughing, said:
她顽皮地跪在床边，把下巴搁在手上笑着说:

‘What was it they said, Davy? Tell me again. I can’t believe it.’
‘他们说了什么，戴维？告诉我一遍。我不敢相信。’

’“Bewitching -”’ I began.
‘“迷人的 -”’我开始说話。

My mother put her hands upon my lips to stop me.
我母亲用手按住我的嘴制止我。

‘It was never bewitching,’ she said, laughing. —
‘它从来不是迷人的，’她笑着说。 —

‘It never could have been bewitching, Davy. Now I know it wasn’t!’
‘它绝对不可能是迷人的，戴维。现在我知道它不是！’

‘Yes, it was. “Bewitching Mrs. Copperfield”,’ I repeated stoutly. ‘And, “pretty.”’
‘是的，是的。 “迷人的考柏菲尔德夫人”，’我坚定地重复说。‘还有，“漂亮的”。’

‘No, no, it was never pretty. Not pretty,’ interposed my mother, laying her fingers on my lips again.
‘不，不，它从来不曾漂亮。不漂亮，’我母亲再次用手指按住我的嘴。

‘Yes it was. “Pretty little widow.”’
‘是的，它曾经漂亮。“漂亮的小寡妇。”’

‘What foolish, impudent creatures!’ cried my mother, laughing and covering her face. —
‘我妈妈笑着说：“这些愚蠢、厚颜无耻的家伙！”她还掩着脸。 —

‘What ridiculous men! An’t they? Davy dear -’
“这些可笑的男人！是吧，亲爱的戴维—”

‘Well, Ma.’
“是的，妈妈。”

‘Don’t tell Peggotty; she might be angry with them. —
“不要告诉佩各蒂；她可能会生他们的气。 —

I am dreadfully angry with them myself; but I would rather Peggotty didn’t know.’
我自己对他们非常生气；但我宁愿佩各蒂不知道。”

I promised, of course; and we kissed one another over and over again, and I soon fell fast asleep.
我当然答应了；我们互相亲吻了很多次，然后我很快就睡着了。

It seems to me, at this distance of time, as if it were the next day when Peggotty broached the striking and adventurous proposition I am about to mention; —
现在，时间过去这么久了，感觉好像是第二天佩各蒂提出了我即将提到的引人注目且充满冒险的提议； —

but it was probably about two months afterwards.
但实际上可能是大约两个月之后。

We were sitting as before, one evening (when my mother was out as before), in company with the stocking and the yard-measure, and the bit of wax, and the box with St. Paul’s on the lid, and the crocodile book, when Peggotty, after looking at me several times, and opening her mouth as if she were going to speak, without doing it - which I thought was merely gaping, or I should have been rather alarmed - said coaxingly:
我们当时像以前一样坐在一起，一个晚上（母亲和以前一样不在家），与袜子、码尺、一块蜡、盖着圣保罗像的盒子、鳄鱼书一起，佩各蒂几次看着我，张开嘴好像要说话，但没有说出来——我以为她只是张大嘴巴，否则我可能会有些担心——温和地说：

‘Master Davy, how should you like to go along with me and spend a fortnight at my brother’s at Yarmouth? —
“戴维小主，你愿意跟我一起去，在雅茅斯待上两个星期吗？ —

Wouldn’t that be a treat?’
那会很愉快吧？”

‘Is your brother an agreeable man, Peggotty?’ I inquired, provisionally.
“佩各蒂，你哥哥是个讨人喜欢的人吗？”我试探性地问道。

‘Oh, what an agreeable man he is!’ cried Peggotty, holding up her hands. ‘Then there’s the sea; —
“哦，他是多么讨人喜欢啊！”佩各蒂叫道，举起双手。“还有大海； —

and the boats and ships; and the fishermen; —
还有船只和船只；还有渔民； —

and the beach; and Am to play with -’
还有海滩；还有可以一起玩的安姆—”

Peggotty meant her nephew Ham, mentioned in my first chapter; —
Peggotty指的是我第一章提到过的她侄子汉姆； —

but she spoke of him as a morsel of English Grammar.
但她却把他说成了一块英语语法的片段。

I was flushed by her summary of delights, and replied that it would indeed be a treat, but what would my mother say?
她概述了一系列快乐，让我感到兴奋，回答说这确实会是一次美事，但是我妈妈会怎么说呢？

‘Why then I’ll as good as bet a guinea,’ said Peggotty, intent upon my face, ‘that she’ll let us go. —
“那我可以打赌一金币了，” Peggotty说，专心地看着我的脸，“她一定会让我们去的。 —

I’ll ask her, if you like, as soon as ever she comes home. There now!’
“我可以马上问她，如果你愿意。现在就去吧！”

‘But what’s she to do while we’re away?’ said I, putting my small elbows on the table to argue the point. —
“但是我们外出时她该怎么办？”我把小胳膊肘放在桌子上，辩论这一点。 —

‘She can’t live by herself.’
“她可不能独自生活。”

If Peggotty were looking for a hole, all of a sudden, in the heel of that stocking, it must have been a very little one indeed, and not worth darning.
如果Peggotty当时真想找个借口，就在那只袜子的脚跟上，那个洞肯定非常小，根本不值得缝补。

‘I say! Peggotty! She can’t live by herself, you know.’
“我说！ Peggotty！她可不能独自生活，你知道。”

‘Oh, bless you!’ said Peggotty, looking at me again at last. ‘Don’t you know? —
“哦，天哪！” Peggotty最后再次看着我说，“你不知道吗？ —

She’s going to stay for a fortnight with Mrs. Grayper. —
她要和格雷珀夫人住上两个星期。 —

Mrs. Grayper’s going to have a lot of company.’
格雷珀夫人会有很多客人。”

Oh! If that was it, I was quite ready to go. —
哦！如果是这样的话，我完全可以去。 —

I waited, in the utmost impatience, until my mother came home from Mrs. Grayper’s (for it was that identical neighbour), to ascertain if we could get leave to carry out this great idea. —
我焦急地等待着，直到我妈妈从格雷珀夫人家回来（因为她就是那个邻居），以确定我们是否能获得去实现这个伟大想法的许可。 —

Without being nearly so much surprised as I had expected, my mother entered into it readily; —
毫不意外地，我妈妈很乐意接受这个提议； —

and it was all arranged that night, and my board and lodging during the visit were to be paid for.
一切都在那个晚上安排好了，我的住宿费和膳食在访问期间都会有人支付。

The day soon came for our going. It was such an early day that it came soon, even to me, who was in a fever of expectation, and half afraid that an earthquake or a fiery mountain, or some other great convulsion of nature, might interpose to stop the expedition. —
那天我们就要出发了。那是一个非常早的日子，甚至对我来说也来得很快，我满心期待，同时又有些担心地震、火山喷发或其他自然灾害会阻止这次远行。 —

We were to go in a carrier’s cart, which departed in the morning after breakfast. —
我们要乘坐一辆托运商的马车，在早饭后启程。 —

I would have given any money to have been allowed to wrap myself up over-night, and sleep in my hat and boots.
我多想能提前裹紧自己，穿着大衣和靴子睡觉。

It touches me nearly now, although I tell it lightly, to recollect how eager I was to leave my happy home; —
现在想起来，离开我幸福的家园时我是多么急切； —

to think how little I suspected what I did leave for ever.
想想我对永远离开的事物竟一无所知。

I am glad to recollect that when the carrier’s cart was at the gate, and my mother stood there kissing me, a grateful fondness for her and for the old place I had never turned my back upon before, made me cry. —
现在想起当托运商的马车在大门口时，母亲在那亲吻我，我感到多么感恩她，感恩我从未背过的故乡。 —

I am glad to know that my mother cried too, and that I felt her heart beat against mine.
现在想起母亲也哭了，我感受到她的心跳。

I am glad to recollect that when the carrier began to move, my mother ran out at the gate, and called to him to stop, that she might kiss me once more. —
现在想起车夫开始启动时，母亲跑到大门口，要他停下，再来一次亲吻。 —

I am glad to dwell upon the earnestness and love with which she lifted up her face to mine, and did so.
现在想起她抬起脸对我痴心地亲吻。

As we left her standing in the road, Mr. Murdstone came up to where she was, and seemed to expostulate with her for being so moved. —
当我们离开时，穆德斯通先生走到她面前，似乎在责备她为什么如此激动。 —

I was looking back round the awning of the cart, and wondered what business it was of his. —
我朝马车篷的后方看去，不明白他有何事。 —

Peggotty, who was also looking back on the other side, seemed anything but satisfied; —
佩各蒂也在另一侧往后看，看上去似乎不太满意； —

as the face she brought back in the cart denoted.
因为她在马车上回来时的表情显示出来。

I sat looking at Peggotty for some time, in a reverie on this supposititious case: —
我盯着佩各蒂看了一段时间，陷入对这个假设情景的沉思： —

whether, if she were employed to lose me like the boy in the fairy tale, I should be able to track my way home again by the buttons she would shed.
如果她被雇来像童话中的男孩那样把我丢下，我是否能通过她掉的纽扣找到回家的路。