What is natural in me, is natural in many other men, I infer, and so I am not afraid to write that I never had loved Steerforth better than when the ties that bound me to him were broken. —
我的天性与许多其他人相同，我推断出，所以我毫不害怕地写道，我从未如此爱过斯蒂福，当与他的纽带被打破时。 —

In the keen distress of the discovery of his unworthiness, I thought more of all that was brilliant in him, I softened more towards all that was good in him, I did more justice to the qualities that might have made him a man of a noble nature and a great name, than ever I had done in the height of my devotion to him. —
在发现他的不值时，我更加思考他的所有杰出之处，对他所有美好之处更加感到宽容，我更公正地对待了可能使他成为一个高贵品性和伟大名望的人的品质，胜过我以往对他的崇拜之情。 —

Deeply as I felt my own unconscious part in his pollution of an honest home, I believed that if I had been brought face to face with him, I could not have uttered one reproach. —
在发现他玷污了一个诚实家庭时，虽然对其无意识部分的感到深深愧疚，但我相信，即使当面对他时，我也不能做出一句指责。 —

I should have loved him so well still - though he fascinated me no longer - I should have held in so much tenderness the memory of my affection for him, that I think I should have been as weak as a spirit-wounded child, in all but the entertainment of a thought that we could ever be re-united. —
我仍然会如此深爱他 - 尽管他再也不迷人 - 我会保持对他的感情记忆如此温柔，以至于我认为我会像一个受伤的孩子一样软弱，除了一个想法：我们永远无法重新团聚。 —

That thought I never had. I felt, as he had felt, that all was at an end between us. —
我从未有过那种想法。我感受到，正如他所感受到的，我们之间一切都已结束。 —

What his remembrances of me were, I have never known - they were light enough, perhaps, and easily dismissed - but mine of him were as the remembrances of a cherished friend, who was dead.
他对我的记忆是什么，我永远不会知道 - 也许他很轻松，容易忽略 - 但我对他的记忆像对一位已逝的挚友一样。

Yes, Steerforth, long removed from the scenes of this poor history! —
是的，斯蒂福尔斯，长久远离这个悲惨历史的场景！ —

My sorrow may bear involuntary witness against you at the judgement Throne; —
我的悲伤可能在审判宝座上无意中作证追究你的罪责； —

but my angry thoughts or my reproaches never will, I know!
但我的愤怒或责备永远不会，我知道！

The news of what had happened soon spread through the town; —
发生的消息很快传遍了镇上； —

insomuch that as I passed along the streets next morning, I overheard the people speaking of it at their doors. —
以至于第二天早晨我走过街道时，听见人们在门口议论这件事。 —

Many were hard upon her, some few were hard upon him, but towards her second father and her lover there was but one sentiment. —
许多人对她很苛刻，有几人则针对他，但对她的继父和她的恋人，众人只有一个情感。 —

Among all kinds of people a respect for them in their distress prevailed, which was full of gentleness and delicacy. —
在所有种类的人中，对他们在困境中的尊重占据主导地位，充满了温柔和细腻。 —

The seafaring men kept apart, when those two were seen early, walking with slow steps on the beach; —
当人们看到那两个人在海滩上慢慢行走时，航海的人们保持距离； —

and stood in knots, talking compassionately among themselves.
并成群结队地在一起，彼此同情地交谈。

It was on the beach, close down by the sea, that I found them. —
它们是在海边的沙滩上，靠近大海，我找到了它们。 —

It would have been easy to perceive that they had not slept all last night, even if Peggotty had failed to tell me of their still sitting just as I left them, when it was broad day. —
就算佩格蒂没有告诉我，他们依然还坐在那里，从他们的样子上很容易看出他们昨晚没有睡觉，那时已经是白天了。 —

They looked worn; and I thought Mr. Peggotty’s head was bowed in one night more than in all the years I had known him. —
他们看起来很疲惫；我觉得皮格蒂先生的头在一夜之间比我认识他所有的年头里都更低了。 —

But they were both as grave and steady as the sea itself, then lying beneath a dark sky, waveless - yet with a heavy roll upon it, as if it breathed in its rest - and touched, on the horizon, with a strip of silvery light from the unseen sun.
但他们像大海本身一样严肃而稳重，躺在乌云下，平静无浪 - 但又有沉重的起伏，仿佛在休息中吐纳着 - 地平线上被不见的太阳的一缕银光映衬。

‘We have had a mort of talk, sir,’ said Mr. Peggotty to me, when we had all three walked a little while in silence, ‘of what we ought and doen’t ought to do. —
‘我们之间聊了不少，先生,’ 皮格蒂先生对我说，当我们三人在沉默中走了一会儿后， ‘我们讨论了我们应该做和不应该做的事情。 —

But we see our course now.’
但我们现在找到了我们的路。’

I happened to glance at Ham, then looking out to sea upon the distant light, and a frightful thought came into my mind - not that his face was angry, for it was not; —
我碰巧瞥了一眼汉姆，他正盯着远处的灯塔望向大海，一种可怕的想法闯入了我的脑海 - 不是因为他的脸上带着愤怒，因为他并没有； —

I recall nothing but an expression of stern determination in it - that if ever he encountered Steerforth, he would kill him.
我只记得他脸上除了一种严肃决绝的表情以外什么都没有 - 如果他遇到了斯提福，他会杀了他。

‘My dooty here, sir,’ said Mr. Peggotty, ‘is done. —
‘我的使命在这里完成了，先生,’ 皮格蒂先生说， ‘我即将去寻找我的 -’ 他停了下来，然后坚定地说： —

I’m a going to seek my -’ he stopped, and went on in a firmer voice: —
‘我将去寻找她。那将是我永远要做的使命。’ —

‘I’m a going to seek her. That’s my dooty evermore.’
当我问他会去哪里找她时，他摇了摇头，然后询问我是否明天要去伦敦？

He shook his head when I asked him where he would seek her, and inquired if I were going to London tomorrow? —
我告诉他我今天没去，担心失去为他提供任何帮助的机会； —

I told him I had not gone today, fearing to lose the chance of being of any service to him; —
但我准备在他愿意的时候去。 —

but that I was ready to go when he would.
‘如果您同意，明天我会跟您一起去，先生,’ 他回答说。

‘I’ll go along with you, sir,’ he rejoined, ‘if you’re agreeable, tomorrow.’
‘I’ll go along with you, sir,’ he rejoined, ‘if you’re agreeable, tomorrow.’

We walked again, for a while, in silence.
我们又走了一会，保持沉默。

‘Ham,‘he presently resumed,‘he’ll hold to his present work, and go and live along with my sister. —
“哈姆，”他随即又开口，“他会继续干他现在的活，然后就和我妹妹一起住。” —

The old boat yonder -’
那边那艘老船-

‘Will you desert the old boat, Mr. Peggotty?’ I gently interposed.
“你会抛弃那艘老船吗，佩格蒂先生？”我轻声插话道。

‘My station, Mas’r Davy,’ he returned, ‘ain’t there no longer; —
“我的位置，戴维先生，”他回答道，“不再在那里； —

and if ever a boat foundered, since there was darkness on the face of the deep, that one’s gone down. —
如果有船自从深渊开始黑暗以来沉没过，那就是那艘。 —

But no, sir, no; I doen’t mean as it should be deserted. Fur from that.’
但不，先生，不；我不是说应该被遗弃。远非如此。”

We walked again for a while, as before, until he explained:
我们又走了一会，如同之前一样，直到他解释：

‘My wishes is, sir, as it shall look, day and night, winter and summer, as it has always looked, since she fust know’d it. —
“我的愿望是，先生，它白天黑夜，冬暖夏凉，永远如当初她第一次认识它的样子。 —

If ever she should come a wandering back, I wouldn’t have the old place seem to cast her off, you understand, but seem to tempt her to draw nigher to ’t, and to peep in, maybe, like a ghost, out of the wind and rain, through the old winder, at the old seat by the fire. —
如果她有一天回来漫游，我不希望这个老地方似乎对她冷避，你明白吗，而是似乎引诱她更靠近它，也许像个鬼一样，从风雨中，透过老窗子，望着老火炉旁的老椅子。 —

Then, maybe, Mas’r Davy, seein’ none but Missis Gummidge there, she might take heart to creep in, trembling; —
然后，也许，戴维先生，只看到古米奇斯夫人一个人在那里，她就可能鼓起勇气悄悄爬进来； —

and might come to be laid down in her old bed, and rest her weary head where it was once so gay.’
可能会走到她曾经那么欢快的床上，让她疲惫的头放下，休息。”

I could not speak to him in reply, though I tried.
我试着回答他，但无法开口。

‘Every night,’ said Mr. Peggotty, ‘as reg’lar as the night comes, the candle must be stood in its old pane of glass, that if ever she should see it, it may seem to say “Come back, my child, come back!” —
“每天晚上，”佩格蒂先生说，“就像夜晚如约而至一样，蜡烛必须放在它的那块旧玻璃上，以便如果她看到了，它似乎在说‘回来吧，我的孩子，回来吧！’ —

If ever there’s a knock, Ham (partic’ler a soft knock), arter dark, at your aunt’s door, doen’t you go nigh it. —
如果在黑暗后你婶婶的门上敲敲（特别是轻轻的敲敲），哈姆，你千万别靠近它。 —

Let it be her - not you - that sees my fallen child!’
让她——而非你——看到我的倒下的孩子！

He walked a little in front of us, and kept before us for some minutes. —
他比我们走在稍微前面，并在我们前面走了几分钟。 —

During this interval, I glanced at Ham again, and observing the same expression on his face, and his eyes still directed to the distant light, I touched his arm.
在这段时间里，我再次瞥了一眼汉姆，看到他脸上同样的表情，目光仍然朝向远处的光亮，我碰了碰他的胳膊。

Twice I called him by his name, in the tone in which I might have tried to rouse a sleeper, before he heeded me. —
我叫了他两次名字，用我可能呼唤熟睡者的语气，直到他才注意到我。 —

When I at last inquired on what his thoughts were so bent, he replied:
当我最后询问他在想什么时，他回答：

‘On what’s afore me, Mas’r Davy; and over yon.’ —
“梦主戴维，我在想前面的事和那边。” —

‘On the life before you, do you mean?’ He had pointed confusedly out to sea.
“你是指你未来的生活吗？”他指着迷惑地望向大海。

‘Ay, Mas’r Davy. I doen’t rightly know how ‘tis, but from over yon there seemed to me to come - the end of it like,’ looking at me as if he were waking, but with the same determined face.
“是的，梦主戴维。我不太明白怎么回事，但从那边似乎有一种，像是末日一样。”他看着我，看起来像是在醒来，但脸上带着坚定的表情。

‘What end?’ I asked, possessed by my former fear.
“什么末日？”我因为之前的恐惧而问道。

‘I doen’t know,‘he said, thoughtfully; ‘I was calling to mind that the beginning of it all did take place here - and then the end come. —
“我也不知道，”他深思着说，“我在回想着一切的开始都发生在这里——然后结束了。 —

But it’s gone! Mas’r Davy,’ he added; answering, as I think, my look; —
但消失了！梦主戴维，”他补充说；回答我眼神中的意思； —

‘you han’t no call to be afeerd of me: but I’m kiender muddled; —
“你不用害怕我，但我有点头晕； —

I don’t fare to feel no matters,’ - which was as much as to say that he was not himself, and quite confounded.
我就是不觉得什么，” ——这差不多是说他不是自己，很困惑。

Mr. Peggotty stopping for us to join him: we did so, and said no more. —
佩格蒂先生停下等我们加入他：我们也这样做，不再说话。 —

The remembrance of this, in connexion with my former thought, however, haunted me at intervals, even until the inexorable end came at its appointed time.
这段回忆，与我先前的想法联系在一起，时不时地困扰着我，直到无情的结局到来。

We insensibly approached the old boat, and entered. —
我们不知不觉地走近了那艘旧船，并进入其中。 —

Mrs. Gummidge, no longer moping in her especial corner, was busy preparing breakfast. —
格米奇夫人不再闷闷不乐地坐在角落里，正在忙着准备早餐。 —

She took Mr. Peggotty’s hat, and placed his seat for him, and spoke so comfortably and softly, that I hardly knew her.
她拿起了佩戈蒂先生的帽子，为他安排座位，并说话舒适而温柔，我几乎认不出她了。

‘Dan’l, my good man,’ said she, ‘you must eat and drink, and keep up your strength, for without it you’ll do nowt. —
“丹尼尔，好汉啊。”她说道，”你必须吃点东西，喝点水，保持体力，不然你啥也干不成。 —

Try, that’s a dear soul! An if I disturb you with my clicketten,’ she meant her chattering, ‘tell me so, Dan’l, and I won’t.’
试试看，亲爱的！如果我的唠叨让你心烦意乱，告诉我，丹尼尔，我就闭嘴。”

When she had served us all, she withdrew to the window, where she sedulously employed herself in repairing some shirts and other clothes belonging to Mr. Peggotty, and neatly folding and packing them in an old oilskin bag, such as sailors carry. —
服务完我们后，她退到窗前，认真地修补佩戈蒂先生的一些衬衫和其他衣服，并把它们整齐地叠放在一个旧的水手常用的防水外袋里。 —

Meanwhile, she continued talking, in the same quiet manner:
与此同时，她继续用相同安静的方式谈话：

‘All times and seasons, you know, Dan’l,’ said Mrs. Gummidge, ‘I shall be allus here, and everythink will look accordin’ to your wishes. —
“你知道的，丹尼尔，任何时节我都会在这里，一切将按照你的意愿进行。 —

I’m a poor scholar, but I shall write to you, odd times, when you’re away, and send my letters to Mas’r Davy. Maybe you’ll write to me too, Dan’l, odd times, and tell me how you fare to feel upon your lone lorn journies.’
我学识很浅，但我会在你离开时不时地写信给你，并把信送到戴维先生那儿。也许你也会不时给我写信，丹尼尔，告诉我你独自旅行时的感受。”

‘You’ll be a solitary woman heer, I’m afeerd!’ said Mr. Peggotty.
“你会成为一个独居的女人，我担心啊！”佩戈蒂先生说。

‘No, no, Dan’l,’ she returned, ‘I shan’t be that. Doen’t you mind me. —
“不会的，不会的，丹尼尔，”她回答道，”你不要担心。 —

I shall have enough to do to keep a Beein for you’ (Mrs. Gummidge meant a home), ‘again you come back - to keep a Beein here for any that may hap to come back, Dan’l. In the fine time, I shall set outside the door as I used to do. —
我会有足够的事情要为你留个活动的地方（格米奇夫人指的是一个家），直到你回来 - 为任何可能回来的人留个活动的地方，丹尼尔。天气好的时候，我会像以前一样坐在门外。 —

If any should come nigh, they shall see the old widder woman true to ‘em, a long way off.’
如果有人靠近，他们就会看到那个老寡妇远远地忠诚地等着他们。”

What a change in Mrs. Gummidge in a little time! She was another woman. —
格米奇夫人在短时间内发生了多么大的变化啊！她成了另一个人。 —

She was so devoted, she had such a quick perception of what it would be well to say, and what it would be well to leave unsaid; —
她是如此的献身，对该说什么，不该说什么有着敏锐的洞察力； —

she was so forgetful of herself, and so regardful of the sorrow about her, that I held her in a sort of veneration. —
她如此忘我，如此关心身边的悲伤，使我对她怀有某种敬畏之情。 —

The work she did that day! There were many things to be brought up from the beach and stored in the outhouse - as oars, nets, sails, cordage, spars, lobster-pots, bags of ballast, and the like; —
那天她干的活！从海滩上拿上很多东西存放在外屋里——桨、网、帆、索具、桅杆、龙虾笼、装满压舱物的袋子等等； —

and though there was abundance of assistance rendered, there being not a pair of working hands on all that shore but would have laboured hard for Mr. Peggotty, and been well paid in being asked to do it, yet she persisted, all day long, in toiling under weights that she was quite unequal to, and fagging to and fro on all sorts of unnecessary errands. —
虽然有很多人帮忙，因为在所有那片海岸上可不会有一个双手愿意为佩各蒂先生辛勤劳作而不愿意被请到那里工作，但她仍然坚持了整整一天，承受着她无法承受的重担，在各种完全不必要的差事中来回奔波。 —

As to deploring her misfortunes, she appeared to have entirely lost the recollection of ever having had any. —
至于悲叹她的不幸，她似乎已完全忘却自己曾经经历过任何困难。 —

She preserved an equable cheerfulness in the midst of her sympathy, which was not the least astonishing part of the change that had come over her. —
她在同情之中保持着平和的愉快，这是她所经历的变化中最不可思议的部分。 —

Querulousness was out of the question. I did not even observe her voice to falter, or a tear to escape from her eyes, the whole day through, until twilight; —
抱怨已经不可能了。我甚至没有觉察到她的声音有丝毫颤抖，也没有看到她的眼睛在一整天中流过眼泪，直到黄昏时分； —

when she and I and Mr. Peggotty being alone together, and he having fallen asleep in perfect exhaustion, she broke into a half-suppressed fit of sobbing and crying, and taking me to the door, said, ‘Ever bless you, Mas’r Davy, be a friend to him, poor dear!’ —
那时，她和我以及已经精疲力尽进入梦乡的佩各蒂先生，只有我们三人在一起，她突然爆发出半受控制的抽泣和哭泣，并带我走到门口，说，“上帝保佑你，大卫先生，做他的朋友，可怜的亲爱的！” —

Then, she immediately ran out of the house to wash her face, in order that she might sit quietly beside him, and be found at work there, when he should awake. —
然后，她立刻跑出房子去洗脸，以便当他醒来时能安静地坐在他身边，发现她在那里工作。 —

In short I left her, when I went away at night, the prop and staff of Mr. Peggotty’s affliction; —
总之，当我晚上离开时，我把她留给了佩各蒂先生的悲伤支柱； —

and I could not meditate enough upon the lesson that I read in Mrs. Gummidge, and the new experience she unfolded to me.
我对我在古米奇夫人身上所领悟到的教训和她向我展示的新经历思索不已。

It was between nine and ten o’clock when, strolling in a melancholy manner through the town, I stopped at Mr. Omer’s door. —
当我在城里忧郁地漫步时，已是九点到十点之间，我在欧默先生家门口停了下来。 —

Mr. Omer had taken it so much to heart, his daughter told me, that he had been very low and poorly all day, and had gone to bed without his pipe.
据他的女儿告诉我，欧默先生为此伤心欲绝，整天都情绪低落，没有点烟斗就上床睡觉了。

‘A deceitful, bad-hearted girl,’ said Mrs. Joram. ‘There was no good in her, ever!’
“一个虚伪、心肠坏的女孩，”乔拉姆太太说。“她一直都不是好人！”

‘Don’t say so,’ I returned. ‘You don’t think so.’
“别这么说，”我回答。“你不这样认为。”

‘Yes, I do!’ cried Mrs. Joram, angrily.
“是的，我就是这么认为！”乔拉姆太太生气地说。

‘No, no,’ said I.
“不，不，”我说。

Mrs. Joram tossed her head, endeavouring to be very stern and cross; —
乔拉夫人摇了摇头，试图变得非常严厉和生气； —

but she could not command her softer self, and began to cry. I was young, to be sure; —
但她无法控制她更柔和的一面，开始哭了。我当时还很年轻； —

but I thought much the better of her for this sympathy, and fancied it became her, as a virtuous wife and mother, very well indeed.
但我觉得她的这种同情让我更加看好她，我觉得这样的行为很适合她，作为一个贤良的妻子和母亲。

‘What will she ever do!’ sobbed Minnie. ‘Where will she go! —
“她以后会怎么办！”明妮抽泣着说。“她会去哪里！ —

What will become of her! Oh, how could she be so cruel, to herself and him!’
她将会怎样！哦，她怎么能对自己和他这样残忍！”

I remembered the time when Minnie was a young and pretty girl; —
我记得明妮曾是一个年轻漂亮的女孩时的样子； —

and I was glad she remembered it too, so feelingly.
我很高兴她也记得得那么深刻。

‘My little Minnie,’ said Mrs. Joram, ‘has only just now been got to sleep. —
‘我的小米妮,‘乔拉姆太太说，’刚刚才睡着。 —

Even in her sleep she is sobbing for Em’ly. All day long, little Minnie has cried for her, and asked me, over and over again, whether Em’ly was wicked? —
就连在梦中她也在为艾米莉啜泣。整天，小米妮一直在为她哭泣，一遍又一遍地问我，艾米莉是不是坏人呢？ —

What can I say to her, when Em’ly tied a ribbon off her own neck round little Minnie’s the last night she was here, and laid her head down on the pillow beside her till she was fast asleep! —
艾米莉走的那个晚上，她把自己脖子上的丝带系在小米妮的脖子上，把头放在她旁边的枕头上，等睡着了。 —

The ribbon’s round my little Minnie’s neck now. It ought not to be, perhaps, but what can I do? —
那条丝带现在绕在我小米妮的脖子上。也许不应该，但我能做什么？ —

Em’ly is very bad, but they were fond of one another. —
艾米莉很坏，但她们彼此很喜欢。 —

And the child knows nothing!’
而孩子一无所知！’

Mrs. Joram was so unhappy that her husband came out to take care of her. —
乔拉姆太太是如此不快乐，以至于她丈夫出来照顾她。 —

Leaving them together, I went home to Peggotty’s; —
离开他们两人，我回到了佩戈蒂家； —

more melancholy myself, if possible, than I had been yet.
比以往任何时候都更加忧郁。

That good creature - I mean Peggotty - all untired by her late anxieties and sleepless nights, was at her brother’s, where she meant to stay till morning. —
那个善良的人 - 我指的是佩戈蒂 - 在经历了最近的焦虑和失眠之后，仍然精力充沛，留在了她哥哥家，打算留到早上。 —

An old woman, who had been employed about the house for some weeks past, while Peggotty had been unable to attend to it, was the house’s only other occupant besides myself. —
除了我之外，这座房子里唯一的其他居住者是一位老妇人，她过去几个星期一直在这里工作，当时佩戈蒂无法照顾房子。 —

As I had no occasion for her services, I sent her to bed, by no means against her will, and sat down before the kitchen fire a little while, to think about all this.
由于我不需要她的帮助，她乐意地去睡觉了，我坐在厨房的火炉前，沉思这一切。

I was blending it with the deathbed of the late Mr. Barkis, and was driving out with the tide towards the distance at which Ham had looked so singularly in the morning, when I was recalled from my wanderings by a knock at the door. —
我正在把这一切和已故的巴克斯先生的临终相结合，并随着潮水驶向晨间汉看得那么奇特的地方，当我听到敲门声时，从我的遐想中被唤回现实。 —

There was a knocker upon the door, but it was not that which made the sound. —
门上有一个门环，但发出声音的不是那个。 —

The tap was from a hand, and low down upon the door, as if it were given by a child.
敲门声是从手来的，低低地响在门上，就像是一个孩子打的。

It made me start as much as if it had been the knock of a footman to a person of distinction. —
这让我吓了一跳，就好像是一位服务员敲着高贵人士的门。 —

I opened the door; and at first looked down, to my amazement, on nothing but a great umbrella that appeared to be walking about of itself. —
我打开门；一开始，惊讶地只看见一把自己似乎在四处走动的大伞。 —

But presently I discovered underneath it, Miss Mowcher.
但很快我发现它下面，是莫彻小姐。

I might not have been prepared to give the little creature a very kind reception, if, on her removing the umbrella, which her utmost efforts were unable to shut up, she had shown me the ‘volatile’ expression of face which had made so great an impression on me at our first and last meeting. —
如若莫彻小姐在收拢这把她最大努力都无法合上的伞后展示给我那个在我们第一次和最后一次见面时给我留下深刻印象的“失落”表情，也许我不会准备给这个小家伙一个很友好的接待。 —

But her face, as she turned it up to mine, was so earnest; —
但她把脸转向我时，表情是如此的认真； —

and when I relieved her of the umbrella (which would have been an inconvenient one for the Irish Giant), she wrung her little hands in such an afflicted manner; —
当我帮她收拢了伞（这对于爱尔兰巨人来说会很不方便），她用一种深受折磨的方式用小手抓着； —

that I rather inclined towards her.
这让我有些倾向于她。

‘Miss Mowcher!’ said I, after glancing up and down the empty street, without distinctly knowing what I expected to see besides; —
“莫彻小姐！”我一边上下扫视空荡的街道，却不清楚自己究竟期待看到什么； —

‘how do you come here? What is the matter?’ —
“你怎么来了？出了什么事？” —

She motioned to me with her short right arm, to shut the umbrella for her; —
她用右臂短小的动作示意我把伞为她合上； —

and passing me hurriedly, went into the kitchen. —
然后匆忙地走过我，进了厨房。 —

When I had closed the door, and followed, with the umbrella in my hand, I found her sitting on the corner of the fender - it was a low iron one, with two flat bars at top to stand plates upon - in the shadow of the boiler, swaying herself backwards and forwards, and chafing her hands upon her knees like a person in pain.
当我关上门，拿着伞跟在后面，发现她坐在炉边的拐角处——那是一个低矮的铁制炉架，顶部有两根平板用来放盘子——在锅炉的阴影里，来回摇摆着自己，手放在膝盖上磨擦，犹如一位受伤的人在疼痛中。

Quite alarmed at being the only recipient of this untimely visit, and the only spectator of this portentous behaviour, I exclaimed again, ‘Pray tell me, Miss Mowcher, what is the matter! are you ill?’
完全惊慌于成为这不时之访的唯一接待者，这一令人不安的举动的唯一见证者，我再次惊呼：“请告诉我，莫彻小姐，出了什么事！你不舒服？”

‘My dear young soul,’ returned Miss Mowcher, squeezing her hands upon her heart one over the other. —
“我亲爱的年轻灵魂，”莫彻小姐把手握在胸前，一只手压在另一只手上。 —

‘I am ill here, I am very ill. To think that it should come to this, when I might have known it and perhaps prevented it, if I hadn’t been a thoughtless fool!’
‘我病了，非常病了。想想看，竟然会变成这样，如果我不是个一时糊涂的傻瓜，也许就能预防这个结果了！’

Again her large bonnet (very disproportionate to the figure) went backwards and forwards, in her swaying of her little body to and fro; —
她那顶超大的帽子（和身材相比极不成比例）来回晃动，伴随着她瘦小的身体摇摆不定； —

while a most gigantic bonnet rocked, in unison with it, upon the wall.
与之一起，一顶巨大的宽檐帽也在墙上摇摆不定。

‘I am surprised,’ I began, ‘to see you so distressed and serious’- when she interrupted me.
‘我很吃惊，’我开始说，‘看到你如此烦恼和严肃’- 她打断了我。

‘Yes, it’s always so!’ she said. ‘They are all surprised, these inconsiderate young people, fairly and full grown, to see any natural feeling in a little thing like me! —
‘是的，这总是这样！’她说。‘这些没考虑周到的年轻人们总是吃惊，看到像我这样的小家伙有任何自然的感情！ —

They make a plaything of me, use me for their amusement, throw me away when they are tired, and wonder that I feel more than a toy horse or a wooden soldier! —
他们拿我当玩具，用我来娱乐自己，玩腻了就把我丢掉，然后想知道我怎么会比玩具马或木制士兵有更多感觉！ —

Yes, yes, that’s the way. The old way!’
是的，是的，就是这样。老一套！’

‘It may be, with others,’ I returned, ‘but I do assure you it is not with me. —
‘或许对其他人来说是这样，’我回答道，‘但我向你保证，这与我无关。 —

Perhaps I ought not to be at all surprised to see you as you are now: —
或许看到你现在这样我不应该感到吃惊： —

I know so little of you. I said, without consideration, what I thought.’
我对你了解太少了。’我说的时候没有考虑过。

‘What can I do?’ returned the little woman, standing up, and holding out her arms to show herself. —
‘我能怎么办呢？’ 那个小女人站起来，伸出双臂展示自己。 —

‘See! What I am, my father was; and my sister is; and my brother is. —
‘看！我是什么样，我的父亲也是；我的姐姐也是；我的哥哥也是。 —

I have worked for sister and brother these many years - hard, Mr. Copperfield - all day. —
我这么多年一直为姐姐和哥哥工作 - 辛苦，Copperfield 先生 - 整天。 —

I must live. I do no harm. If there are people so unreflecting or so cruel, as to make a jest of me, what is left for me to do but to make a jest of myself, them, and everything? —
我必须生存。我并无害处。如果有人如此不经思考或残忍，拿我开玩笑，那么我还能做的除了拿自己，他们以及一切开玩笑吗？ —

If I do so, for the time, whose fault is that? Mine?’
如果我这样做了，短时间内，那是谁的错？是我的吗？’

No. Not Miss Mowcher’s, I perceived.
不，我没有察觉到是梅琪小姐的声音。

‘If I had shown myself a sensitive dwarf to your false friend,’ pursued the little woman, shaking her head at me, with reproachful earnestness, ‘how much of his help or good will do you think I should ever have had? —
‘如果我对你那个虚伪的朋友表现出对他的敏感，’小女人继续说，严肃地摇着头看着我，‘你认为我会得到多少帮助或善意呢？ —

If little Mowcher (who had no hand, young gentleman, in the making of herself) addressed herself to him, or the like of him, because of her misfortunes, when do you suppose her small voice would have been heard? —
如果小梅琪（这个在自己的成长过程中毫无作为的小女人）因为自己的不幸而求助于他，或者像他这样的人，你觉得她微弱的声音能被听见吗? —

Little Mowcher would have as much need to live, if she was the bitterest and dullest of pigmies; —
就算小梅琪是最刻薄最愚蠢的侏儒，她也同样需要生存; —

but she couldn’t do it. No. She might whistle for her bread and butter till she died of Air.’
但她做不到。不，她可能吹响她的面包与黄油之歌，直到因饥饿而死去。

Miss Mowcher sat down on the fender again, and took out her handkerchief, and wiped her eyes.
梅琪小姐再次坐回壁炉前，掏出手帕擦了擦眼睛。

‘Be thankful for me, if you have a kind heart, as I think you have,’ she said, ‘that while I know well what I am, I can be cheerful and endure it all. —
‘如果你有一颗仁慈的心，那么请感激我，’她说，‘因为虽然我很清楚自己是什么样的人，我仍然可以保持愉快面对一切。 —

I am thankful for myself, at any rate, that I can find my tiny way through the world, without being beholden to anyone; —
至少我可以感谢自己，我可以在这个世界上找到自己微小的道路，而无需向任何人倾诉； —

and that in return for all that is thrown at me, in folly or vanity, as I go along, I can throw bubbles back. —
对于别人那些出于愚蠢或虚荣而向我挥洒的种种，我也可以回馈气泡。 —

If I don’t brood over all I want, it is the better for me, and not the worse for anyone. —
如果我不沉浸在我所想要的一切之中，对我而言是件好事，对任何人而言都不是坏事。 —

If I am a plaything for you giants, be gentle with me.’
如果我是你们这些巨人的玩物，请对我温柔一点。

Miss Mowcher replaced her handkerchief in her pocket, looking at me with very intent expression all the while, and pursued:
梅琪小姐把手帕放回口袋，一边对着我非常专注地看，一边继续说道：

‘I saw you in the street just now. You may suppose I am not able to walk as fast as you, with my short legs and short breath, and I couldn’t overtake you; —
‘我刚才在街上看到了你。你或许会认为我因为短腿和气喘吁吁走不快，追不上你。 —

but I guessed where you came, and came after you. —
但我猜到了你的去处，所以跟着你过来了。 —

I have been here before, today, but the good woman wasn’t at home.’
我今天已经来过这里一次，但那位善良的女人不在家。

‘Do you know her?’ I demanded.
“你认识她吗？”我要求道。

‘I know of her, and about her,’ she replied, ‘from Omer and Joram. I was there at seven o’clock this morning. —
“我知道她的事，从奥默和乔拉那里听说过。”她回答说，“今天早上七点我在那儿过。” —

Do you remember what Steerforth said to me about this unfortunate girl, that time when I saw you both at the inn?’
“你还记得当时在旅馆看到我们两个时，斯迪福斯对我说过关于这个可怜的女孩的话吗？”

The great bonnet on Miss Mowcher’s head, and the greater bonnet on the wall, began to go backwards and forwards again when she asked this question.
当她问这个问题时，莫彻小姐头上那顶大礼帽和墙上那顶更大的礼帽开始再次前后摆动。

I remembered very well what she referred to, having had it in my thoughts many times that day. I told her so.
我很清楚地记得她指的是什么，当天我很多次想起了这件事。我告诉她我记得。

‘May the Father of all Evil confound him,’ said the little woman, holding up her forefinger between me and her sparkling eyes, ‘and ten times more confound that wicked servant; —
“愿邪恶之父陷他于不义，”小女人举起食指，把我与她闪闪发光的眼睛隔开，“愿那邪恶的仆人更受诅咒； —

but I believed it was YOU who had a boyish passion for her!’
“但我相信是你对她有一种少年的热情！”

‘I?’ I repeated.
“我？”我重复道。

‘Child, child! In the name of blind ill-fortune,’ cried Miss Mowcher, wringing her hands impatiently, as she went to and fro again upon the fender, ‘why did you praise her so, and blush, and look disturbed? ‘
“孩子，孩子！真是个不幸的名字，”莫彻小姐不耐烦地扭动着手，一边在壁炉边来回走着，“为什么你那么赞扬她，脸红，看起来心烦意乱？”

I could not conceal from myself that I had done this, though for a reason very different from her supposition.
我无法掩饰我这样做的事实，尽管原因与她的猜测大不相同。

‘What did I know?’ said Miss Mowcher, taking out her handkerchief again, and giving one little stamp on the ground whenever, at short intervals, she applied it to her eyes with both hands at once. —
“我知道什么？”莫彻小姐再次掏出手绢，每隔一会就双手捧在眼睛前敲地一下。 —

‘He was crossing you and wheedling you, I saw; and you were soft wax in his hands, I saw. —
“我看到他欺骗你、哄骗你；我看到你是他手中的软蜡。” —

Had I left the room a minute, when his man told me that “Young Innocence” (so he called you, and you may call him “Old Guilt” all the days of your life) had set his heart upon her, and she was giddy and liked him, but his master was resolved that no harm should come of it - more for your sake than for hers - and that that was their business here? —
“我刚离开房间一分钟，他的人便告诉我说’年轻的无辜’（他这样称呼你，而你可以一辈子称他为’老罪行’）对她动了心，她轻浮并喜欢他，但他的主人决定不让事情变得糟糕-更多是为了你而不是为了她-而这就是他们在这里的事情吗？” —

How could I BUT believe him? I saw Steerforth soothe and please you by his praise of her! —
“我怎么能不相信他呢？我看到斯迪福斯通过赞美她来安慰和取悦你！ —

You were the first to mention her name. You owned to an old admiration of her. —
“你提到她的名字，你承认曾经崇拜过她。” —

You were hot and cold, and red and white, all at once when I spoke to you of her. —
当我向你提到她时，你一会儿热情，一会儿冷淡，红白交织。 —

What could I think - what DID I think - but that you were a young libertine in everything but experience, and had fallen into hands that had experience enough, and could manage you (having the fancy) for your own good? —
我能想到什么 - 我也确实怀疑到了什么 - 难道不是你是一个年轻的放荡者，只是缺乏经验，然后陷入有丰富经验的人的手中，而这些人（看中了你的幻想）才是为了你好？ —

Oh! oh! oh! They were afraid of my finding out the truth,’ exclaimed Miss Mowcher, getting off the fender, and trotting up and down the kitchen with her two short arms distressfully lifted up, ‘because I am a sharp little thing - I need be, to get through the world at all! —
“哦！哦！哦！他们害怕我发现真相”，梅奇小姐又惊又急地站起身，蹦蹦跳跳地在厨房里走来走去，用两只短胳膊慌张地举起，“因为我是个聪明的小东西 - 在这个世界上，如果不够聪明是行不通的！ —

• and they deceived me altogether, and I gave the poor unfortunate girl a letter, which I fully believe was the beginning of her ever speaking to Littimer, who was left behind on purpose!’
  - 他们完全欺骗了我，我把那可怜的女孩交给了一封信，我完全相信那是她与留下的李狄默说话的开始!
  

I stood amazed at the revelation of all this perfidy, looking at Miss Mowcher as she walked up and down the kitchen until she was out of breath: —
我惊讶地看着这一切背叛的揭露，看着梅奇小姐来回在厨房里走动，直到喘不过气来： —

when she sat upon the fender again, and, drying her face with her handkerchief, shook her head for a long time, without otherwise moving, and without breaking silence.
当她再次坐回炉架上，用手绢擦干脸，抖了很长一段时间，既不换位置，也没有打破沉默。

‘My country rounds,’ she added at length, ‘brought me to Norwich, Mr. Copperfield, the night before last. —
“我前天晚上到诺里奇去过。”她终于补充道，“我的乡间巡回足迹，导致我怀疑他们不按照你的意愿鬼鬼祟祟地进出。” —

What I happened to find there, about their secret way of coming and going, without you - which was strange - led to my suspecting something wrong. —
昨晚当从伦敦来诺里奇的马车经过时，我上了车，今天早上就来到这里了。 —

I got into the coach from London last night, as it came through Norwich, and was here this morning. —
“哦，哦，哦！为时已晚了！” —

Oh, oh, oh! too late!’
可怜的小梅奇因所有的哭泣和烦躁而变得又冷又冷，她转身坐在炉架上，把湿漉漉的小脚放在灰烬里温暖，像一把大玩偶坐着看火。

Poor little Mowcher turned so chilly after all her crying and fretting, that she turned round on the fender, putting her poor little wet feet in among the ashes to warm them, and sat looking at the fire, like a large doll. —
我坐在炉边的椅子上，陷入不快的沉思，也看着火，有时看着她。 —

I sat in a chair on the other side of the hearth, lost in unhappy reflections, and looking at the fire too, and sometimes at her.
最终，她说：“我必须走了。”说着起身，同时问我，“你不会不信任我吧？”

‘I must go,’ she said at last, rising as she spoke. ‘It’s late. You don’t mistrust me?’
当她接受我伸出的手（帮她越过炉架）并向我仰望时说道：“来吧！你知道如果我是个身材魁梧的女人，你肯定不会不信任我！”

Meeting her sharp glance, which was as sharp as ever when she asked me, I could not on that short challenge answer no, quite frankly.
在我被她挑战性的目光吸引时，我不能不坦率地回答“不”，当时她问我时。

‘Come!’ said she, accepting the offer of my hand to help her over the fender, and looking wistfully up into my face, ‘you know you wouldn’t mistrust me, if I was a full-sized woman!’
她接受了我的帮助，从炉架过来，又怀疑地看着我的脸，然后说：“来吧！” 最后，“你知道，如果我是个全尺寸的女人，你绝对不会不信任我！”

I felt that there was much truth in this; and I felt rather ashamed of myself.
我觉得这句话很有道理；我感到有点羞愧。

‘You are a young man,’ she said, nodding. ‘Take a word of advice, even from three foot nothing. —
“你是个年轻人，”她点点头说。“接受一句忠告，甚至从一个三尺高的人那里。” —

Try not to associate bodily defects with mental, my good friend, except for a solid reason.’
朋友啊，不要无端将身体缺陷与思维联系起来，除非有充分的理由。

She had got over the fender now, and I had got over my suspicion. —
她已经跨过壁炉边，而我已经克服了自己的怀疑。 —

I told her that I believed she had given me a faithful account of herself, and that we had both been hapless instruments in designing hands. —
我告诉她，我相信她给我了一个忠实的账户，我们都成为了设计者手中不幸的工具。 —

She thanked me, and said I was a good fellow.
她感谢我，说我是个好人。

‘Now, mind!’ she exclaimed, turning back on her way to the door, and looking shrewdly at me, with her forefinger up again. —
“现在，记住！”她转身朝门口走去时大声说道，再次狡黠地看着我，手指指着。 —

• ‘I have some reason to suspect, from what I have heard - my ears are always open; —
  - “我有一些理由怀疑，从我听到的情况来看-我的耳朵总是张着的； —
  

I can’t afford to spare what powers I have - that they are gone abroad. —
我不能浪费我所拥有的任何能力 - 他们似乎已经泄漏出去了。 —

But if ever they return, if ever any one of them returns, while I am alive, I am more likely than another, going about as I do, to find it out soon. —
但如果他们中的任何一个回来了，只要我还活着，我比别人更有可能发现得更早。 —

Whatever I know, you shall know. If ever I can do anything to serve the poor betrayed girl, I will do it faithfully, please Heaven! —
我知道的，你也会知道。只要我能为那个可怜被背叛的女孩做些什么，我会忠实地去做，上天保佑！ —

And Littimer had better have a bloodhound at his back, than little Mowcher!’
比起小莫奇我更宜有一只猎犬跟在背后！’

I placed implicit faith in this last statement, when I marked the look with which it was accompanied.
当我看到它所伴随的眼神时，我对这最后一句话深信不疑。

‘Trust me no more, but trust me no less, than you would trust a full-sized woman,’ said the little creature, touching me appealingly on the wrist. —
“不要对我有过多的信任，但也不要有过少的信任，就像对待一个全尺寸的女人一样，”这个小家伙感动地触碰了我的手腕。 —

‘If ever you see me again, unlike what I am now, and like what I was when you first saw me, observe what company I am in. —
“如果你将来再见到我，不像现在这样，而是像你第一次见到我的时候，留意我身边的伴侣。” —

Call to mind that I am a very helpless and defenceless little thing. —
行健时记住，我是一个非常无助和毫无防御能力的小东西。 —

Think of me at home with my brother like myself and sister like myself, when my day’s work is done. —
想象一下，当我完成了一天的工作，和我一样的弟弟在家里和我一样的姐姐在一起。 —

Perhaps you won’t, then, be very hard upon me, or surprised if I can be distressed and serious. Good night!’
也许你不会对我太苛刻，或者对我有所惊讶，如果我感到困扰和认真。晚安！

I gave Miss Mowcher my hand, with a very different opinion of her from that which I had hitherto entertained, and opened the door to let her out. —
我向莫切小姐伸出手，对她的看法已经大为改变，我打开门让她走了出去。 —

It was not a trifling business to get the great umbrella up, and properly balanced in her grasp; —
将那把大伞撑开，平衡好在她手中，这不是一件微不足道的事情； —

but at last I successfully accomplished this, and saw it go bobbing down the street through the rain, without the least appearance of having anybody underneath it, except when a heavier fall than usual from some over-charged water-spout sent it toppling over, on one side, and discovered Miss Mowcher struggling violently to get it right. —
但最后我成功地完成了这件事，看着它在雨中在街上上下摇摆，似乎似乎没有人在伞下，只有当从某个装满水的水管上下倾泻的雨比平时更大时，它才向一侧倾斜，发现莫切小姐在剧烈挣扎。 —

After making one or two sallies to her relief, which were rendered futile by the umbrella’s hopping on again, like an immense bird, before I could reach it, I came in, went to bed, and slept till morning.
在我几次试图帮她，但被伞跳跃而再次无功而返后，我回到房间，上床睡觉，直到早上。

In the morning I was joined by Mr. Peggotty and by my old nurse, and we went at an early hour to the coach office, where Mrs. Gummidge and Ham were waiting to take leave of us.
早上，我和佩格蒂先生以及我的老保姆会合，一大早去了长途车站，格米奇太太和哈姆正在等着我们告别。

‘Mas’r Davy,’ Ham whispered, drawing me aside, while Mr. Peggotty was stowing his bag among the luggage, ‘his life is quite broke up. —
“戴维先生，”哈姆低声对我说，把我拉到一边，当佩格蒂先生在行李中收拾他的袋子时，“他的生活已经彻底崩溃。 —

He doen’t know wheer he’s going; he doen’t know -what’s afore him; —
他不知道自己要去哪里；他不知道——在他面前有什么； —

he’s bound upon a voyage that’ll last, on and off, all the rest of his days, take my wured for ’t, unless he finds what he’s a seeking of. —
他正在踏上一场旅程，这将持续，时好时坏，余下的日子里，相信我的话，除非他找到他所寻找的。 —

I am sure you’ll be a friend to him, Mas’r Davy?’
我敢肯定您会成为他的朋友，戴维先生？”

‘Trust me, I will indeed,’ said I, shaking hands with Ham earnestly.
“信任我，我确实会的，”我诚恳地握着哈姆的手。

‘Thankee. Thankee, very kind, sir. One thing furder. —
“谢谢。非常感谢，先生。再说一件事。 —

I’m in good employ, you know, Mas’r Davy, and I han’t no way now of spending what I gets. —
我有好工作，您知道，戴维先生，我已经找不到花掉挣来的钱的办法了。” —

Money’s of no use to me no more, except to live. —
钱对我已经没有用处了，只是用来生活。 —

If you can lay it out for him, I shall do my work with a better art. —
如果你能为他安排好一切，我将更好地进行我的工作。 —

Though as to that, sir,’ and he spoke very steadily and mildly, ‘you’re not to think but I shall work at all times, like a man, and act the best that lays in my power!’
虽然如此，先生，’他说得很坚定和温和，’你不要认为我不会像个男人一样，努力工作，尽我所能！

I told him I was well convinced of it; and I hinted that I hoped the time might even come, when he would cease to lead the lonely life he naturally contemplated now.
我告诉他我深信这一点；我暗示希望有一天他会停止过着他自然现在所设想的孤寂生活。

‘No, sir,’ he said, shaking his head, ‘all that’s past and over with me, sir. —
‘不，先生，’他摇摇头说，’那些都已经过去了，先生。 —

No one can never fill the place that’s empty. —
没有人能填补那个空缺的位置。 —

But you’ll bear in mind about the money, as theer’s at all times some laying by for him?’
但你会记得对于钱的事，随时有一些留给他吗？

Reminding him of the fact, that Mr. Peggotty derived a steady, though certainly a very moderate income from the bequest of his late brother-in-law, I promised to do so. —
提醒他，彼格蒂先生确实从他已故的姐夫的遗赠中获得了稳定的，尽管是非常有限的收入，我答应会这样做。 —

We then took leave of each other. I cannot leave him even now, without remembering with a pang, at once his modest fortitude and his great sorrow.
然后我们告别了彼此。我现在甚至不能离开他，不去想起他的谦虚毅力和巨大悲伤。

As to Mrs. Gummidge, if I were to endeavour to describe how she ran down the street by the side of the coach, seeing nothing but Mr. Peggotty on the roof, through the tears she tried to repress, and dashing herself against the people who were coming in the opposite direction, I should enter on a task of some difficulty. —
至于古密奇夫人，如果我设法描述她是怎样在马车旁边沿着街道奔跑的，眼中只见到彼格蒂先生在车顶上，眼泪试图忍住，撞在从对面走来的人身上，我将面临一项相当困难的任务。 —

Therefore I had better leave her sitting on a baker’s door-step, out of breath, with no shape at all remaining in her bonnet, and one of her shoes off, lying on the pavement at a considerable distance.
因此，我最好让她坐在一个面包师的门阶上，上气不接下气，帽子上不再留有任何形状，脱掉一只鞋，远远地扔在人行道上。

When we got to our journey’s end, our first pursuit was to look about for a little lodging for Peggotty, where her brother could have a bed. —
当我们到达目的地时，我们首先要找一个小住所给彼格蒂，让他的兄弟可以有一个床位。 —

We were so fortunate as to find one, of a very clean and cheap description, over a chandler’s shop, only two streets removed from me. —
我们很幸运找到了一个非常干净和便宜的住所，在一个离我只有两条街远的杂货店的楼上。 —

When we had engaged this domicile, I bought some cold meat at an eating-house, and took my fellow-travellers home to tea; —
当我们租下这个住所后，我在一家餐馆买了一些冷肉，把我的同伴们带回家吃茶； —

a proceeding, I regret to state, which did not meet with Mrs. Crupp’s approval, but quite the contrary. —
很遗憾地我要声明，这个行动并没有得到克鲁普夫人的赞同，恰恰相反。 —

I ought to observe, however, in explanation of that lady’s state of mind, that she was much offended by Peggotty’s tucking up her widow’s gown before she had been ten minutes in the place, and setting to work to dust my bedroom. —
然而，我应该说明一下那位女士的心情状态，当Peggotty在那里不到十分钟就把她的丧服挽起来，开始打扫我的卧室时，她感到很生气。 —

This Mrs. Crupp regarded in the light of a liberty, and a liberty, she said, was a thing she never allowed.
这让克鲁普太太感到受到了侵犯，她说，侵犯是她绝不允许的事情。

Mr. Peggotty had made a communication to me on the way to London for which I was not unprepared. —
Peggotty先生在去伦敦的路上向我透露了一件事，我对此并不是毫无准备。 —

It was, that he purposed first seeing Mrs. Steerforth. —
那就是，他打算先去见斯迪福夫人。 —

As I felt bound to assist him in this, and also to mediate between them; —
由于我觉得有义务帮助他，并且在他们之间进行调解； —

with the view of sparing the mother’s feelings as much as possible, I wrote to her that night. —
为了尽可能地保护母亲的感受，我当晚给她写信。 —

I told her as mildly as I could what his wrong was, and what my own share in his injury. —
我尽量委婉地告诉她他的错误，以及我在其中的责任。 —

I said he was a man in very common life, but of a most gentle and upright character; —
我说他是一个生活很平凡的人，但性格非常温和正直； —

and that I ventured to express a hope that she would not refuse to see him in his heavy trouble. —
并且我希望她不会拒绝在他身处困境时去见他。 —

I mentioned two o’clock in the afternoon as the hour of our coming, and I sent the letter myself by the first coach in the morning.
我提到下午两点是我们到来的时间，早上第一趟马车我亲自送去了信。

At the appointed time, we stood at the door - the door of that house where I had been, a few days since, so happy: —
在约好的时间，我们站在门口 - 我几天前还曾在那栋房子里如此快乐过： —

where my youthful confidence and warmth of heart had been yielded up so freely: —
我过去那种年轻的自信和热情心情曾是如此坦然： —

which was closed against me henceforth: which was now a waste, a ruin.
那如今对我关闭了大门：如今已是一片荒废，一片废墟。

No Littimer appeared. The pleasanter face which had replaced his, on the occasion of my last visit, answered to our summons, and went before us to the drawing-room. —
没有出现利蒂默。在我上次访问时替代他的那张更为愉快的脸对我们的召唤作出回应，并引领我们去客厅。 —

Mrs. Steerforth was sitting there. Rosa Dartle glided, as we went in, from another part of the room and stood behind her chair.
斯迪福夫人就坐在那里。当我们进去时，罗莎·达特尔从房间另一头滑过来站在她椅子后面。

I saw, directly, in his mother’s face, that she knew from himself what he had done. —
我直接在他母亲的脸上看到，她从他自己那里知道了他做了什么。 —

It was very pale; and bore the traces of deeper emotion than my letter alone, weakened by the doubts her fondness would have raised upon it, would have been likely to create. —
她的脸色很苍白；深深的情感痕迹在她脸上比起我的信件本身更深刻，而我的信件又因她的爱意而存在怀疑。 —

I thought her more like him than ever I had thought her; —
我觉得她比以往任何时候更像他； —

and I felt, rather than saw, that the resemblance was not lost on my companion.
我感觉到，而不是看到，我的伴侣也注意到了这个相似之处。

She sat upright in her arm-chair, with a stately, immovable, passionless air, that it seemed as if nothing could disturb. —
她端坐在扶手椅上，带着一种庄严、不可动摇、无情感的神态，仿佛没有任何事物可以打扰到她。 —

She looked very steadfastly at Mr. Peggotty when he stood before her; —
当 Mr. Peggotty 站在她面前时，她目不转睛地看着他； —

and he looked quite as steadfastly at her. —
而他也同样目不转睛地看着她。 —

Rosa Dartle’s keen glance comprehended all of us. —
罗莎·达特尔敏锐的目光包含了我们所有人。 —

For some moments not a word was spoken.
有一段时间没有说一句话。

She motioned to Mr. Peggotty to be seated. —
她示意佩戈蒂先生坐下。 —

He said, in a low voice, ‘I shouldn’t feel it nat’ral, ma’am, to sit down in this house. —
他低声说道：“坐在这个屋子里，我觉得不自然，夫人。 —

I’d sooner stand.’ And this was succeeded by another silence, which she broke thus:
我宁愿站着。”接着是另一段沉默，她这样打破了沉默:

‘I know, with deep regret, what has brought you here. —
“我深感遗憾，你来这里的原因。 —

What do you want of me? What do you ask me to do?’
你想要什么？你要我做什么？”

He put his hat under his arm, and feeling in his breast for Emily’s letter, took it out, unfolded it, and gave it to her. —
他将帽子放在胳膊下，伸手在胸前找到了艾米丽的信，拿出来，展开给了她。 —

‘Please to read that, ma’am. That’s my niece’s hand!’
‘请看看那个，夫人。那是我侄女的字！’

She read it, in the same stately and impassive way, - untouched by its contents, as far as I could see, - and returned it to him.
她以同样庄严冷漠的方式读了起来，- 根据我看到的，似乎对信的内容毫无感触，- 然后还给了他。

’“Unless he brings me back a lady,”’ said Mr. Peggotty, tracing out that part with his finger. —
‘“如果他带回一个女士的话,”’ 说佩格蒂先生，用手指指着那部分。 —

‘I come to know, ma’am, whether he will keep his wured?’
‘我来问一下，夫人，他会信守承诺吗？’

‘No,’ she returned.
‘不，’ 她回答。

‘Why not?’ said Mr. Peggotty.
‘为什么不？’ 佩格蒂先生说。

‘It is impossible. He would disgrace himself. You cannot fail to know that she is far below him.’
‘那是不可能的。他会丢尽面子。你不可能不知道她对他来说远远不够资格。’

‘Raise her up!’ said Mr. Peggotty.
‘提升她吧！’ 佩格蒂先生说。

‘She is uneducated and ignorant.’
‘她没有受过教育，无知愚昧。’

‘Maybe she’s not; maybe she is,’ said Mr. Peggotty. ‘I think not, ma’am; —
‘也许她并不是；也许她是，’ 佩格蒂先生说。’ 我认为不是，夫人； —

but I’m no judge of them things. Teach her better!’
但我不擅长评判这些事情。好好教育她！’

‘Since you oblige me to speak more plainly, which I am very unwilling to do, her humble connexions would render such a thing impossible, if nothing else did.’
‘既然你逼得我不得不更直接些，尽管我很不愿意，她卑微的背景将使得这种事情不可能，如果别无他因的话。’

‘Hark to this, ma’am,’ he returned, slowly and quietly. ‘You know what it is to love your child. —
‘听着，夫人，’ 他缓慢而平静地回答。’ 你知道爱自己的孩子是什么感觉。 —

So do I. If she was a hundred times my child, I couldn’t love her more. —
我也知道。如果她是我的孩子一百倍，我也无法更爱她。’ —

You doen’t know what it is to lose your child. I do. —
你不知道失去孩子是什么感受。我知道。 —

All the heaps of riches in the wureld would be nowt to me (if they was mine) to buy her back! —
世界上所有的财富对我来说都无所谓(如果它们是我的)，只为了把她买回来！ —

But, save her from this disgrace, and she shall never be disgraced by us. —
但是，挽救她免于这种耻辱，她永远不会被我们耻辱。 —

Not one of us that she’s growed up among, not one of us that’s lived along with her and had her for their all in all, these many year, will ever look upon her pritty face again. —
我们中她一直生活在其中的任何人，她的一切多年以来的所有人，永远不会再看她漂亮的脸。 —

We’ll be content to let her be; we’ll be content to think of her, far off, as if she was underneath another sun and sky; —
我们愿意让她，我们愿意把她远远地想象，好像她在另一个太阳和天空之下； —

we’ll be content to trust her to her husband, - to her little children, p’raps, - and bide the time when all of us shall be alike in quality afore our God!’
我们愿意信任她的丈夫，可能是她的孩子们，- 并等待我们所有人在上帝面前同等品质的时间！

The rugged eloquence with which he spoke, was not devoid of all effect. —
他说话时坚毅的雄辩并非毫无效果。 —

She still preserved her proud manner, but there was a touch of softness in her voice, as she answered:
她仍保持着傲慢的态度，但回答时声音中带着一丝柔软：

‘I justify nothing. I make no counter-accusations. But I am sorry to repeat, it is impossible. —
‘我不辩解任何事。我不提出反指控。但我很抱歉地重复，这是不可能的。 —

Such a marriage would irretrievably blight my son’s career, and ruin his prospects. —
这样的婚姻将无法挽救我儿子的未来，毁掉他的前途。 —

Nothing is more certain than that it never can take place, and never will. —
比什么都更加确定的是，它永远不会发生，也永远不会。 —

If there is any other compensation -’
如果有其他补偿方案 -’

‘I am looking at the likeness of the face,’ interrupted Mr. Peggotty, with a steady but a kindling eye, ‘that has looked at me, in my home, at my fireside, in my boat - wheer not? —
‘我在看着这张面孔的相似之处，’ 皮格蒂先生打断道，眼神坚定但燃烧着火一般，’在我的家里，在我的壁炉边，在我的小船上看着我的那个面孔-信不信? —

• smiling and friendly, when it was so treacherous, that I go half wild when I think of it. —
  当它看起来是那么的狡诈时-微笑和友好时，我一想到就变得半疯。 —
  

If the likeness of that face don’t turn to burning fire, at the thought of offering money to me for my child’s blight and ruin, it’s as bad. —
如果那张脸的相似之处对我为了我的孩子的破灭和毁灭而提供金钱的想法没有变成熊熊烈火，那就太糟糕了。 —

I doen’t know, being a lady’s, but what it’s worse.’
我不知道，作为一个女士，但这有多糟糕。

She changed now, in a moment. An angry flush overspread her features; —
她突然变了，一股愤怒的潮红扑面而来。 —

and she said, in an intolerant manner, grasping the arm-chair tightly with her hands:
她以不可容忍的态度说着，紧紧地抓住扶手椅的扶手。

‘What compensation can you make to ME for opening such a pit between me and my son? —
“你能为我做出什么补偿来填补我和儿子之间的鸿沟？ —

What is your love to mine? What is your separation to ours?’
你的爱跟我的爱有什么可比？你们的分离跟我们之间的有什么关系？”

Miss Dartle softly touched her, and bent down her head to whisper, but she would not hear a word.
达特尔小姐轻轻地碰了碰她，低头轻声细语，但她根本不愿听。

‘No, Rosa, not a word! Let the man listen to what I say! —
“不，罗莎，一句话都不要！让这个男人听我说的话！” —

My son, who has been the object of my life, to whom its every thought has been devoted, whom I have gratified from a child in every wish, from whom I have had no separate existence since his birth, - to take up in a moment with a miserable girl, and avoid me! —
“我的儿子，他是我生命的中心，我一生中的每一个思维都在关注他，我从小就满足他的每一个愿望，自他出生以来，我就没有自己的生活，就为了他。突然间，他却跟一个可怜的女孩在一起，远离我！ —

To repay my confidence with systematic deception, for her sake, and quit me for her! —
凭借着对我的信任，为了她，对我撒了一谎又一谎，为了她抛弃我！ —

To set this wretched fancy, against his mother’s claims upon his duty, love, respect, gratitude - claims that every day and hour of his life should have strengthened into ties that nothing could be proof against! —
以这种可怜的幻想来对抗他母亲对他的责任、爱、尊重、感激——这些责任，每一天每一时刻都应该巩固成为无法抗拒的羁绊！ —

Is this no injury?’
这难道不是一种伤害吗？”

Again Rosa Dartle tried to soothe her; again ineffectually.
再次，罗莎·达特尔试图安慰她，但依旧无济于事。

‘I say, Rosa, not a word! If he can stake his all upon the lightest object, I can stake my all upon a greater purpose. —
“我说，罗莎，一句话都不要！如果他能把全部赌注押在微不足道的东西上，我也可以把全部押在更重要的目标上。 —

Let him go where he will, with the means that my love has secured to him! —
让他去任何他想去的地方，并带上我爱给他的一切方式！ —

Does he think to reduce me by long absence? He knows his mother very little if he does. —
他以为长时间离去就能消弱我吗？如果他这样认为，他对他的母亲了解得太少了。 —

Let him put away his whim now, and he is welcome back. —
让他现在放下他的任性，他就可以回来了。 —

Let him not put her away now, and he never shall come near me, living or dying, while I can raise my hand to make a sign against it, unless, being rid of her for ever, he comes humbly to me and begs for my forgiveness. —
让他现在不离开她，他永远也不能靠近我，无论是活着还是死了，只要我能举手示意反对，除非他永远摆脱她后，谦卑地来找我请求原谅。 —

This is my right. This is the acknowledgement I WILL HAVE. This is the separation that there is between us! —
这是我的权利。这是我要求的承认。这就是我们之间的分隔！ —

And is this,’ she added, looking at her visitor with the proud intolerant air with which she had begun, ‘no injury?’
她加上看着来访者的傲慢无法忍受的神情说：”难道这不是一种伤害吗？”

While I heard and saw the mother as she said these words, I seemed to hear and see the son, defying them. —
当我听到并看到母亲说这些话时，我似乎听到并看到了儿子对它们进行反抗。 —

All that I had ever seen in him of an unyielding, wilful spirit, I saw in her. —
在他身上我曾经看到的所有不屈不挠、执拗的精神，我现在也看见在她身上。 —

All the understanding that I had now of his misdirected energy, became an understanding of her character too, and a perception that it was, in its strongest springs, the same.
我对他错误引导的能量现在所具有的一切理解，也成为对她性格的理解，并且察觉到在它最强大的支撑力量中，它是相同的。

She now observed to me, aloud, resuming her former restraint, that it was useless to hear more, or to say more, and that she begged to put an end to the interview. —
她现在大声对我说，重新恢复以前的克制力，说再听下去或说下去都毫无意义，她请求结束这次谈话。 —

She rose with an air of dignity to leave the room, when Mr. Peggotty signified that it was needless.
当佩格蒂先生表示不必要时，她站起来准备离开房间。

‘Doen’t fear me being any hindrance to you, I have no more to say, ma’am,’ he remarked, as he moved towards the door. —
“不必担心我会成为你的任何阻碍，我没有更多要说的，夫人，”他朝门口走去时说。 —

‘I come beer with no hope, and I take away no hope. —
“我以没有希望而来，也不抱任何希望而去。 —

I have done what I thowt should be done, but I never looked fur any good to come of my stan’ning where I do. —
我做了我认为应该做的事，但我从来没有指望我所站的地方会有任何好事发生。 —

This has been too evil a house fur me and mine, fur me to be in my right senses and expect it.’
这里对我和我的人来说一直是个邪恶的地方，我根本无法保持清醒，期望什么好事发生。”

With this, we departed; leaving her standing by her elbow-chair, a picture of a noble presence and a handsome face.
我们离开时，她仍站在她的扶手椅旁，展示着高贵的风采和英俊的容颜。

We had, on our way out, to cross a paved hall, with glass sides and roof, over which a vine was trained. —
在出去的路上，我们不得不穿过一条铺满石头的大厅，玻璃做成的侧壁和顶部，上面爬满了藤蔓。 —

Its leaves and shoots were green then, and the day being sunny, a pair of glass doors leading to the garden were thrown open. —
那时树叶和嫩枝都是翠绿的，天气晴朗，通向花园的一对玻璃门敞开着。 —

Rosa Dartle, entering this way with a noiseless step, when we were close to them, addressed herself to me:
当我们走近时，罗莎·达特尔静悄悄地从这边进来，对我说道：

‘You do well,’ she said, ‘indeed, to bring this fellow here!’
‘你做得很好，’她说，’确实很好，把这个家伙带到这里！’

Such a concentration of rage and scorn as darkened her face, and flashed in her jet-black eyes, I could not have thought compressible even into that face. —
她脸上浓重的愤怒和轻蔑之情使面容阴沉，墨黑的眼睛里闪烁着充满狠毒。 —

The scar made by the hammer was, as usual in this excited state of her features, strongly marked. —
锤击留下的伤痕，在她这种激动状态下的面部特别明显。 —

When the throbbing I had seen before, came into it as I looked at her, she absolutely lifted up her hand, and struck it.
当我看着她时，刚才见过的悸动再次涌现，她竟然抬手打了下去。

‘This is a fellow,’ she said, ‘to champion and bring here, is he not? You are a true man!’
‘这个家伙，’她说，’是来为了捍卫和带到这里的吗？你是个真男人！’

‘Miss Dartle,’ I returned, ‘you are surely not so unjust as to condemn ME!’
‘达特尔小姐，’我回答道，’您肯定不会那么不公正地谴责我吧！’

‘Why do you bring division between these two mad creatures?’ she returned. —
‘你为什么在这两个疯子之间制造分歧呢？’她回答。 —

‘Don’t you know that they are both mad with their own self-will and pride?’
‘难道你不知道他们都是被自己的任性和骄傲搞疯了吗？’

‘Is it my doing?’ I returned.
‘这事是我干的吗？’我回答。

‘Is it your doing!’ she retorted. ‘Why do you bring this man here?’
‘难道是你干的！’她反驳说。’你为什么把这个人带到这里？’

‘He is a deeply-injured man, Miss Dartle,’ I replied. ‘You may not know it.’
‘达特尔小姐，’我回答说，’他是一个受重伤的人。也许你不知道。’

‘I know that James Steerforth,’ she said, with her hand on her bosom, as if to prevent the storm that was raging there, from being loud, ‘has a false, corrupt heart, and is a traitor. —
‘我知道詹姆斯·斯蒂福有着虚伪腐化的内心，是个叛徒。’她说着用手按住胸口，好像在哗然汹涌的风暴中，让声音不至于太响。 —

But what need I know or care about this fellow, and his common niece?’
‘但我为什么要了解或在乎这个家伙和他那个普通的侄女？’

‘Miss Dartle,’ I returned, ‘you deepen the injury. It is sufficient already. —
“达特尔小姐，你越加深了伤害。已经够了。” —

I will only say, at parting, that you do him a great wrong.’
“我只想说一句，在离别之际，你对他大不公平。”

‘I do him no wrong,’ she returned. ‘They are a depraved, worthless set. I would have her whipped!’
“我没有冤枉他，”她回答道。“他们都是堕落的、毫无价值的人。我会让她挨打！”

Mr. Peggotty passed on, without a word, and went out at the door.
佩格蒂先生默默地走过去，走出了门。

‘Oh, shame, Miss Dartle! shame!’ I said indignantly. —
“哦，真不要脸，达特尔小姐！真不要脸！”我气愤地说。 —

‘How can you bear to trample on his undeserved affliction!’
“你怎么忍心践踏他所受的不该有的苦难！”

‘I would trample on them all,’ she answered. ‘I would have his house pulled down. —
“我会践踏他们所有人，”她回答。“我会拆掉他的房子。 —

I would have her branded on the face, dressed in rags, and cast out in the streets to starve. —
我会让她脸上烙印，穿着破烂的衣服，赶出去在街上被饿死。 —

If I had the power to sit in judgement on her, I would see it done. See it done? I would do it! —
如果我有权审判她，我会亲自看着这一切实现。看着实现？我亲自去做！ —

I detest her. If I ever could reproach her with her infamous condition, I would go anywhere to do so. —
我痛恨她。如果有机会指责她的卑鄙身世，我愿意赴任何地方去做。 —

If I could hunt her to her grave, I would. —
如果我能追捕她到坟墓，我会去的。 —

If there was any word of comfort that would be a solace to her in her dying hour, and only I possessed it, I wouldn’t part with it for Life itself.’
如果有任何安慰的话语能在她临终之际给她一点安慰，而只有我知道，我绝不会为了生命本身而泄露。

The mere vehemence of her words can convey, I am sensible, but a weak impression of the passion by which she was possessed, and which made itself articulate in her whole figure, though her voice, instead of being raised, was lower than usual. —
她言语的强烈之情，我意识到，只能微弱地表达她所沉浸其中的激情。这激情在她的整个身体中得到了表达，尽管她的声音并没有提高，反而比平时还低了。 —

No description I could give of her would do justice to my recollection of her, or to her entire deliverance of herself to her anger. —
我无法用任何描述来对她进行公正，也无法将她整个投入于怒火中的形象完全铭记。 —

I have seen passion in many forms, but I have never seen it in such a form as that.
我见过各种形式的激情，但从未见过像那样的形式。

When I joined Mr. Peggotty, he was walking slowly and thoughtfully down the hill. —
当我加入佩奇蒂先生时，他正沉思着缓步下坡。 —

He told me, as soon as I came up with him, that having now discharged his mind of what he had purposed doing in London, he meant ‘to set out on his travels’, that night. —
他告诉我，他在伦敦已经完成了他打算做的事情后，打算那个晚上”踏上旅程”。 —

I asked him where he meant to go? He only answered, ‘I’m a going, sir, to seek my niece.’
我问他打算去哪里？他只回答说，”我去找我的侄女，先生。”

We went back to the little lodging over the chandler’s shop, and there I found an opportunity of repeating to Peggotty what he had said to me. —
我们回到了小旅馆，那间店铺上面，我找到了机会，重复对佩奇蒂说的话。 —

She informed me, in return, that he had said the same to her that morning. —
她回报给我，他早上对她说了同样的话。 —

She knew no more than I did, where he was going, but she thought he had some project shaped out in his mind.
她和我一样不知道他要去哪里，但她认为他在心里已经构想出了一些计划。

I did not like to leave him, under such circumstances, and we all three dined together off a beefsteak pie - which was one of the many good things for which Peggotty was famous - and which was curiously flavoured on this occasion, I recollect well, by a miscellaneous taste of tea, coffee, butter, bacon, cheese, new loaves, firewood, candles, and walnut ketchup, continually ascending from the shop. —
在这种情况下，我不愿离开他，我们三个人一起用一份烘肉饼午餐—这是佩奇蒂闻名的一种美味——这次的肉饼尝起来有茶、咖啡、黄油、培根、奶酪、新面包、柴火、蜡烛和核桃酱的混合口味，我还记得很清楚。 —

After dinner we sat for an hour or so near the window, without talking much; —
午餐后，我们就这样靠窗坐了一个小时左右，没有说太多话； —

and then Mr. Peggotty got up, and brought his oilskin bag and his stout stick, and laid them on the table.
然后佩奇蒂先生站起来，拿来他的油布袋和粗木棍，放在桌子上。

He accepted, from his sister’s stock of ready money, a small sum on account of his legacy; —
他从姐姐的现金储备中接受了一小笔遗产款预付款； —

barely enough, I should have thought, to keep him for a month. —
我想，勉强够他存活一个月。 —

He promised to communicate with me, when anything befell him; —
他答应有消息时与我联系； —

and he slung his bag about him, took his hat and stick, and bade us both ‘Good-bye!’
他挂上包，戴上帽子拿起手杖，向我们两个告别，拥抱佩奇蒂说，”亲爱的老女人，愿一切都如你所愿，大卫先生，你也一样！”握着我的手说，”我要去一路寻找她。

‘All good attend you, dear old woman,’ he said, embracing Peggotty, ‘and you too, Mas’r Davy!’ —
愿一切都如你所愿，亲爱的老女人，”他拥抱佩奇蒂说，”还有你，大卫先生！”跟我握手说。 “我要四处寻找她。 —

shaking hands with me. ‘I’m a-going to seek her, fur and wide. —
“愿一切祥和相伴，亲爱的老女人，”他拥抱着佩奇蒂说，”你也是，戴维先生！”与我握手，他说，”我要四处寻找她。”. —

If she should come home while I’m away - but ah, that ain’t like to be! —
如果她在我不在家的时候回来——但啊，那似乎不太可能发生！ —

• or if I should bring her back, my meaning is, that she and me shall live and die where no one can’t reproach her. —
  ——或者如果我把她带回来，我的意思是，她和我应该生活和死在没有人能责备她的地方。 —
  

If any hurt should come to me, remember that the last words I left for her was, “My unchanged love is with my darling child, and I forgive her!”’
如果我受伤了，记住我留给她的最后一句话是：“我永远爱着我的宝贝孩子，我原谅她！”

He said this solemnly, bare-headed; then, putting on his hat, he went down the stairs, and away. —
他郑重地说着，光着头；然后戴上帽子，走下了楼，离开了。 —

We followed to the door. It was a warm, dusty evening, just the time when, in the great main thoroughfare out of which that by-way turned, there was a temporary lull in the eternal tread of feet upon the pavement, and a strong red sunshine. —
我们跟着到门口。那是一个温暖、尘土飞扬的傍晚，正是在那条小巷转出的主干道上，人们的脚踩声暂时停止的时刻，一缕浓烈的红日光。 —

He turned, alone, at the corner of our shady street, into a glow of light, in which we lost him.
他独自转过了街角回头，走进一片光芒中，我们就失去了他。

Rarely did that hour of the evening come, rarely did I wake at night, rarely did I look up at the moon, or stars, or watch the falling rain, or hear the wind, but I thought of his solitary figure toiling on, poor pilgrim, and recalled the words:
很少有那样的傍晚时刻，我很少在夜里醒来，很少抬头看月亮，星星，或者听雨声，感受风声，但我常常想起他那个独自劳苦追寻的身影，可怜的朝圣者，心里时刻忆起那些话：

‘I’m a going to seek her, fur and wide. If any hurt should come to me, remember that the last words I left for her was, “My unchanged love is with my darling child, and I forgive her!”’
‘我要去寻找她，无论多远。如果我受伤，记住我为她留下的最后一句话是:“我永远爱着我的宝贝孩子，我原谅她！”’