All this time, I had gone on loving Dora, harder than ever. —
这段时光里，我一直更加努力地爱着多拉。 —

Her idea was my refuge in disappointment and distress, and made some amends to me, even for the loss of my friend. —
她的想法是我失望和困扰中寻求庇护的去处，甚至为我失去朋友做了一些弥补。 —

The more I pitied myself, or pitied others, the more I sought for consolation in the image of Dora. The greater the accumulation of deceit and trouble in the world, the brighter and the purer shone the star of Dora high above the world. —
我越是可怜自己，或同情他人，就越是在多拉的形象中寻找安慰。世界中欺骗和困扰愈积愈多，多拉的星光在世界上方更加明亮纯洁。 —

I don’t think I had any definite idea where Dora came from, or in what degree she was related to a higher order of beings; —
我不认为我对多拉是来自何处，或者她与更高等级生命体的关系程度有多少有着明确的想法； —

but I am quite sure I should have scouted the notion of her being simply human, like any other young lady, with indignation and contempt.
但我非常肯定我会以愤慨和鄙视的态度嘲笑她仅仅是像其他任何年轻女士一样的凡人。

If I may so express it, I was steeped in Dora. I was not merely over head and ears in love with her, but I was saturated through and through. —
如果我可以这样表达，我沉浸在多拉中。我不仅是深深爱着她，而且是彻头彻尾地被她浸润。 —

Enough love might have been wrung out of me, metaphorically speaking, to drown anybody in; —
虚拟说，从我身上可以榨取出足够多的爱，比喻而言，足以淹没任何人； —

and yet there would have remained enough within me, and all over me, to pervade my entire existence.
但是依然会在我内外残留足够的爱，遍布我整个存在。

The first thing I did, on my own account, when I came back, was to take a night-walk to Norwood, and, like the subject of a venerable riddle of my childhood, to go ‘round and round the house, without ever touching the house’, thinking about Dora. I believe the theme of this incomprehensible conundrum was the moon. —
我自己回来后做的第一件事就是夜间散步到诺伍德，像我童年时一个古老谜语的主题一样，在房子周围，永远不接触到房子，想着多拉。我相信这个令人费解的谜题的主题是月亮。 —

No matter what it was, I, the moon-struck slave of Dora, perambulated round and round the house and garden for two hours, looking through crevices in the palings, getting my chin by dint of violent exertion above the rusty nails on the top, blowing kisses at the lights in the windows, and romantically calling on the night, at intervals, to shield my Dora - I don’t exactly know what from, I suppose from fire. —
不管是什么，我，多拉的月光迷，围绕着房子和花园走了两个小时，通过栅栏缝隙，使出全部力气把下巴伸到顶部生锈的钉子之上，朝窗户里的灯吹吻，浪漫地时不时地呼唤夜晚，让它保护我的多拉 - 我不确切知道从什么来，我想是火。 —

Perhaps from mice, to which she had a great objection.
也许是从老鼠，对此她很反感。

My love was so much in my mind and it was so natural to me to confide in Peggotty, when I found her again by my side of an evening with the old set of industrial implements, busily making the tour of my wardrobe, that I imparted to her, in a sufficiently roundabout way, my great secret. —
我的爱情如此弥漫在我的心中，当我再次在傍晚时找到佩格蒂在我身边，拿着一套旧的工业工具，忙着检查我的衣橱时，向她倾吐了我的伟大秘密，这对我来说是那么自然。 —

Peggotty was strongly interested, but I could not get her into my view of the case at all. —
佩格蒂对此很感兴趣，但我完全无法使她理解我的看法。 —

She was audaciously prejudiced in my favour, and quite unable to understand why I should have any misgivings, or be low-spirited about it. —
她对我有非常明显的偏见，根本无法理解为什么我会感到不安或情绪低落。 —

‘The young lady might think herself well off,’ she observed, ‘to have such a beau. —
‘年轻女士可能会觉得自己很幸运，’她观察道，’拥有这样一个情郎。 —

And as to her Pa,’ she said, ‘what did the gentleman expect, for gracious sake!’
“至于她父亲，”她说，“那位绅士到底期望得到什么，天哪！”

I observed, however, that Mr. Spenlow’s proctorial gown and stiff cravat took Peggotty down a little, and inspired her with a greater reverence for the man who was gradually becoming more and more etherealized in my eyes every day, and about whom a reflected radiance seemed to me to beam when he sat erect in Court among his papers, like a little lighthouse in a sea of stationery. —
然而，我注意到斯彭洛夫先生的司法袍和挺直的领带让佩戈蒂稍稍退缩了一下，让她对这位男子产生了更大的敬畏。在我眼中，这位男子每天都在逐渐变得更加超凡脱俗，当他端坐在法庭上，环绕着文件，仿佛在一片文具海洋中照耀着一道反射的光芒。 —

And by the by, it used to be uncommonly strange to me to consider, I remember, as I sat in Court too, how those dim old judges and doctors wouldn’t have cared for Dora, if they had known her; —
顺便提一下，我记得在法庭里坐着的时候，我总觉得那些年迈的法官和医生们如果了解多拉的话，会感到很奇怪； —

how they wouldn’t have gone out of their senses with rapture, if marriage with Dora had been proposed to them; —
如果他们知道要和多拉结婚，他们不会欢欣鼓舞到疯狂； —

how Dora might have sung, and played upon that glorified guitar, until she led me to the verge of madness, yet not have tempted one of those slow-goers an inch out of his road!
多拉也许会弹唱那把被歌颂的吉他，直到把我推向疯狂的边缘，但那些迟钝的人却连一步也不愿离开他们的道路。

I despised them, to a man. Frozen-out old gardeners in the flower-beds of the heart, I took a personal offence against them all. —
我痛恨他们，我一个一个地鄙视他们。我看见这些在心灵花园里被淘汰的老园丁们，我对他们所有人都感到个人的愤怒。 —

The Bench was nothing to me but an insensible blunderer. —
法庭对我来说只是一个麻木的失误者。 —

The Bar had no more tenderness or poetry in it, than the bar of a public-house.
律师事务所里没有比酒吧柜台更具温柔和诗意的地方。

Taking the management of Peggotty’s affairs into my own hands, with no little pride, I proved the will, and came to a settlement with the Legacy Duty-office, and took her to the Bank, and soon got everything into an orderly train. —
我自骄自豪地接管了佩戈蒂的事务管理，并没有费太多力气，我办妥了遗嘱，并和遗产税办公室达成了一项协议，带她去了银行，不久一切都井然有序了。 —

We varied the legal character of these proceedings by going to see some perspiring Wax-work, in Fleet Street (melted, I should hope, these twenty years); —
我们改变了这些程序的法律性质，去Fleet Street看了一些出汗的蜡像（希望已经融化了二十年）； —

and by visiting Miss Linwood’s Exhibition, which I remember as a Mausoleum of needlework, favourable to self-examination and repentance; —
并参观了林伍德小姐的展览，我记得那是一个纺织品的陵墓，有利于自省和忏悔； —

and by inspecting the Tower of London; and going to the top of St. Paul’s. —
并参观了伦敦塔；还去了圣保罗大教堂的顶部。 —

All these wonders afforded Peggotty as much pleasure as she was able to enjoy, under existing circumstances: —
所有这些奇观给佩戈蒂带来的乐趣都不超过她现有情况下所能享受的； —

except, I think, St. Paul’s, which, from her long attachment to her work-box, became a rival of the picture on the lid, and was, in some particulars, vanquished, she considered, by that work of art.
我觉得，除了圣保罗大教堂，对于佩戈蒂来说，由于她长期对自己的手工盒的喜爱，这座教堂成了盒盖上图片的对手，并在某些方面被认为是艺术品的败者。

Peggotty’s business, which was what we used to call ‘common-form business’ in the Commons (and very light and lucrative the common-form business was), being settled, I took her down to the office one morning to pay her bill. —
佩戈蒂的事务已经办妥，这就是我们在下议院所谓的“常规业务”（而常规业务非常轻松和有利可图），我带她一早去了办公室付账。 —

Mr. Spenlow had stepped out, old Tiffey said, to get a gentleman sworn for a marriage licence; —
斯本洛先生已出去了，老蒂菲说，是去为一个结婚许可证要求宣誓的先生； —

but as I knew he would be back directly, our place lying close to the Surrogate’s, and to the Vicar-General’s office too, I told Peggotty to wait.
但我知道他会马上回来，我们的地方靠近代理人办公室，也靠近总领事办公室，所以我告诉佩各蒂等一等；

We were a little like undertakers, in the Commons, as regarded Probate transactions; —
在普罗贝特交易方面，我们在众议院有点像承办葬礼的人； —

generally making it a rule to look more or less cut up, when we had to deal with clients in mourning. —
通常的做法是在和哀悼的客户打交道时，表现得更或多或少有些沮丧； —

In a similar feeling of delicacy, we were always blithe and light-hearted with the licence clients. —
出于同样的细致体贴，我们总是对持许可证的客户欢快而轻松； —

Therefore I hinted to Peggotty that she would find Mr. Spenlow much recovered from the shock of Mr. Barkis’s decease; —
因此，我暗示佩各蒂，她会发现斯本洛先生从巴基斯先生去世的打击中得到了很好的康复； —

and indeed he came in like a bridegroom.
事实上，他进来的时候就像新郎一样；

But neither Peggotty nor I had eyes for him, when we saw, in company with him, Mr. Murdstone. —
但当我们看到与他一起的是默德斯通先生，佩各蒂和我都没有注意到他； —

He was very little changed. His hair looked as thick, and was certainly as black, as ever; —
他几乎没有变化。他的头发看起来像以前一样浓密，颜色当然也和以前一样黑； —

and his glance was as little to be trusted as of old.
他的目光像从前一样不值得信任；

‘Ah, Copperfield?’ said Mr. Spenlow. ‘You know this gentleman, I believe?’
“啊，科波菲尔德？”斯本洛先生说。“你认识这位先生，我相信？”

I made my gentleman a distant bow, and Peggotty barely recognized him. —
我对这位先生远远行了一个鞠躬，佩各蒂几乎没有认出他； —

He was, at first, somewhat disconcerted to meet us two together; —
一开始，他见到我们两个在一起有些困惑； —

but quickly decided what to do, and came up to me.
但很快就决定该怎么做，并走到了我身边；

‘I hope,’ he said, ‘that you are doing well?’
“我希望，”他说，“你过得好？”

‘It can hardly be interesting to you,’ said I. ‘Yes, if you wish to know.’
“你可能对这不感兴趣，”我说。“如果你想知道的话。”

We looked at each other, and he addressed himself to Peggotty.
我们互相看着，他对佩各蒂说。

‘And you,’ said he. ‘I am sorry to observe that you have lost your husband.’
“还有你，”他说。“我很遗憾地看到你失去了丈夫。”

‘It’s not the first loss I have had in my life, Mr. Murdstone,’ replied Peggotty, trembling from head to foot. —
“这不是我一生中第一次失去，默德斯通先生，”佩各蒂颤抖地回答道。 —

‘I am glad to hope that there is nobody to blame for this one, - nobody to answer for it.’
“我很高兴地希望没有人应该为这一次失去负责，―没有人需为此担责。”

‘Ha!’ said he; ‘that’s a comfortable reflection. You have done your duty?’
“哈！”他说，“这是一个宽慰的反思。你尽到了你的责任吗？”

‘I have not worn anybody’s life away,’ said Peggotty, ‘I am thankful to think! —
“我没有让任何人的生命逝去，”佩各蒂说，“我庆幸想到这一点！” —

No, Mr. Murdstone, I have not worrited and frightened any sweet creetur to an early grave!’
“不，默德斯通先生，我没有折磨和吓唬任何可爱的生灵送入早逝！”

He eyed her gloomily - remorsefully I thought - for an instant; —
他闷闷地审视了她―我觉得是懊悔地―片刻； —

and said, turning his head towards me, but looking at my feet instead of my face:
并且说，把头转向我，但眼睛却盯着我的脚而不是我的脸：

‘We are not likely to encounter soon again; —
“我们不太可能很快再次相遇； —

• a source of satisfaction to us both, no doubt, for such meetings as this can never be agreeable. —
  - 毫无疑问，这对我们双方都是一种满足，因为这样的相遇永远不会令人愉快。 —
  

I do not expect that you, who always rebelled against my just authority, exerted for your benefit and reformation, should owe me any good-will now. —
我不指望你这个总是反抗我公正权威，为了你的利益和改造而施加的人，现在应该对我怀有任何好感。 —

There is an antipathy between us -’
我们之间存在着一种反感―”

‘An old one, I believe?’ said I, interrupting him.
“一个旧反感，我相信？”我打断他说道。

He smiled, and shot as evil a glance at me as could come from his dark eyes.
他微笑着，用他那双黑暗的眼睛向我投射出邪恶的目光。

‘It rankled in your baby breast,’ he said. ‘It embittered the life of your poor mother. —
“这伤害了你幼小的心灵，”他说。“这使你可怜的母亲的生活变得痛苦。 —

You are right. I hope you may do better, yet; —
你是对的。我希望你能做得更好； —

I hope you may correct yourself.’
我希望你能改正自己。

Here he ended the dialogue, which had been carried on in a low voice, in a corner of the outer office, by passing into Mr. Spenlow’s room, and saying aloud, in his smoothest manner:
他以他最温和的口吻说完这段对话，便走进了斯潘洛先生的房间，声音高声道：

‘Gentlemen of Mr. Spenlow’s profession are accustomed to family differences, and know how complicated and difficult they always are!’ —
“斯潘洛先生的同行们习惯于家庭矛盾，他们知道这总是多么复杂和困难！” —

With that, he paid the money for his licence; —
说完，他支付了办理结婚许可证的费用； —

and, receiving it neatly folded from Mr. Spenlow, together with a shake of the hand, and a polite wish for his happiness and the lady’s, went out of the office.
然后，从斯潘洛先生手中接过整洁地折好的许可证，并和一握手、一番礼貌的祝福离开了办公室。

I might have had more difficulty in constraining myself to be silent under his words, if I had had less difficulty in impressing upon Peggotty (who was only angry on my account, good creature! —
如果我没有尽力说服佩各蒂为了我安静下来而保持沉默的话，或许我会更难控制自己，因为她为我的缘故只是愤怒的好人！ —

) that we were not in a place for recrimination, and that I besought her to hold her peace. —
她被这样不同寻常地触动，我很高兴至少能够和解，由于她回想起我们旧时的受伤，而得到了一次充满爱的拥抱，尽量从中获益，好在斯潘洛先生和职员们面前。 —

She was so unusually roused, that I was glad to compound for an affectionate hug, elicited by this revival in her mind of our old injuries, and to make the best I could of it, before Mr. Spenlow and the clerks.
斯潘洛先生似乎并不知道默德斯通先生和我之间的关系；

Mr. Spenlow did not appear to know what the connexion between Mr. Murdstone and myself was; —
这让我很高兴，因为我不能忍受，甚至在自己的内心中也不愿意承认他，记得我对可怜母亲的历史。 —

which I was glad of, for I could not bear to acknowledge him, even in my own breast, remembering what I did of the history of my poor mother. —
斯潘洛先生似乎认为，如果他关心这件事的话，我姑姑是我们家中的国家党领袖，而有另一位人指挥着反抗党 - 至少从他在我们等待蒂菲先生开出佩各蒂的费用清单时说的话中，我得出这个结论。 —

Mr. Spenlow seemed to think, if he thought anything about the matter, that my aunt was the leader of the state party in our family, and that there was a rebel party commanded by somebody else - so I gathered at least from what he said, while we were waiting for Mr. Tiffey to make out Peggotty’s bill of costs.
“特洛特伍德小姐，”他评论说，“无疑是非常坚定的，不太可能对抗议屈服。

‘Miss Trotwood,’ he remarked, ‘is very firm, no doubt, and not likely to give way to opposition. —
他结束了这段对话，我们正在等待蒂菲先生开出佩各蒂的费用清单的过程中。 —

I have an admiration for her character, and I may congratulate you, Copperfield, on being on the right side. —
我钦佩她的性格，我可能要祝贺你，考珀菲尔德，站在正确的一边。 —

Differences between relations are much to be deplored - but they are extremely general - and the great thing is, to be on the right side’: —
关系的差异很遗憾 - 但它们是非常普遍的 - 最重要的是，要站在正确的一边。 —

meaning, I take it, on the side of the moneyed interest.
意思是，我认为，站在有钱人的一边。

‘Rather a good marriage this, I believe?’ said Mr. Spenlow.
‘这是一桩相当美好的婚姻，我相信？’ 斯彭洛先生说。

I explained that I knew nothing about it.
我解释说我一无所知。

‘Indeed!’ he said. ‘Speaking from the few words Mr. Murdstone dropped - as a man frequently does on these occasions - and from what Miss Murdstone let fall, I should say it was rather a good marriage.’
‘确实！’他说。’从穆德斯通先生所提到的几句话 - 常在这种场合说的话 - 以及姆斯穆德斯通小姐所透露的词句来看，我应该说这是一桩相当美好的婚姻。

‘Do you mean that there is money, sir?’ I asked.
‘你是说她有钱，先生吗？’我问道。

‘Yes,’ said Mr. Spenlow, ‘I understand there’s money. Beauty too, I am told.’
‘是的，’斯彭洛先生说，’我听说她有钱。而且，我听说她还很美。

‘Indeed! Is his new wife young?’
‘确实！他的新妻子还年轻吗？

‘Just of age,’ said Mr. Spenlow. ‘So lately, that I should think they had been waiting for that.’
‘刚到法定年龄，’斯彭洛先生说。’这么近，我想他们一直在等待这一刻。

‘Lord deliver her!’ said Peggotty. So very emphatically and unexpectedly, that we were all three discomposed; —
‘愿上帝保佑她！’ 佩戈蒂说。说得如此强调和突然，我们三个都感到不安； —

until Tiffey came in with the bill.
直到蒂菲拿着账单进来。

Old Tiffey soon appeared, however, and handed it to Mr. Spenlow, to look over. —
然而，老蒂菲很快出现，递给斯彭洛先生看。 —

Mr. Spenlow, settling his chin in his cravat and rubbing it softly, went over the items with a deprecatory air - as if it were all Jorkins’s doing - and handed it back to Tiffey with a bland sigh.
斯彭洛先生把下巴安在领带上，轻轻摩擦着，用一种自责的神情仔细查看了单项 - 好像这都是乔金斯的所作所为 - 然后带着和煦的叹息把单子递给了蒂菲。

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘That’s right. Quite right. —
‘是的，’他说。’没错。完全正确。 —

I should have been extremely happy, Copperfield, to have limited these charges to the actual expenditure out of pocket, but it is an irksome incident in my professional life, that I am not at liberty to consult my own wishes. —
我本应该非常高兴，科波菲尔德，将这些费用限制在实际支出的范围内，但在我的职业生涯中，让我感到烦恼的事情是，我没有权利根据自己的意愿行事。 —

I have a partner - Mr. Jorkins.’
我有一个伙伴 - 乔金斯先生。

As he said this with a gentle melancholy, which was the next thing to making no charge at all, I expressed my acknowledgements on Peggotty’s behalf, and paid Tiffey in banknotes. —
当蒂菲轻快地说这番话时，几乎不收任何费用，我代表佩各蒂表达了感激之情，并用纸币付了款。 —

Peggotty then retired to her lodging, and Mr. Spenlow and I went into Court, where we had a divorce-suit coming on, under an ingenious little statute (repealed now, I believe, but in virtue of which I have seen several marriages annulled), of which the merits were these. —
佩各蒂随后退回到她的住所，而斯潘洛先生和我则进入了法庭，在那里我们正在审理一起离婚诉讼，根据一个巧妙的小法规（我相信现在已经废除，但根据这个法规，我曾见过几次婚姻被废除），其优点如下。 —

The husband, whose name was Thomas Benjamin, had taken out his marriage licence as Thomas only; —
丈夫名为托马斯·本杰明，申请结婚许可时只用了托马斯这个名字； —

suppressing the Benjamin, in case he should not find himself as comfortable as he expected. —
省略本杰明，以防他发现自己并不像他期望的那样舒适。 —

NOT finding himself as comfortable as he expected, or being a little fatigued with his wife, poor fellow, he now came forward, by a friend, after being married a year or two, and declared that his name was Thomas Benjamin, and therefore he was not married at all. —
由于并未发现自己如期望的那样舒适，或者因为被妻子折腾得有些疲惫，可怜的家伙，一两年后，他通过一位朋友走出来，宣称自己的名字是托马斯·本杰明，因此他根本没有结过婚。 —

Which the Court confirmed, to his great satisfaction.
法庭确认了这一点，让他欣喜不已。

I must say that I had my doubts about the strict justice of this, and was not even frightened out of them by the bushel of wheat which reconciles all anomalies. —
我必须说，我对此的严格正义性产生了怀疑，即使被一大把小麦安抚了所有异常。 —

But Mr. Spenlow argued the matter with me. —
但斯潘洛先生与我辩论了这个问题。 —

He said, Look at the world, there was good and evil in that; —
他说，看看这个世界，好与坏并存； —

look at the ecclesiastical law, there was good and evil in THAT. It was all part of a system. —
再看看教会法，好与坏并存。这都是系统的一部分。 —

Very good. There you were!
很好。这就是事实！

I had not the hardihood to suggest to Dora’s father that possibly we might even improve the world a little, if we got up early in the morning, and took off our coats to the work; —
我没有勇气向多拉的父亲建议，也许如果我们早上起得早一点，脱下外套去工作，甚至有可能改善一点这个世界； —

but I confessed that I thought we might improve the Commons. —
但我承认我认为我们可以改进下议院。 —

Mr. Spenlow replied that he would particularly advise me to dismiss that idea from my mind, as not being worthy of my gentlemanly character; —
斯潘洛夫先生回答说，他特别建议我把那个想法从我的脑海中排除，因为这不符合我的绅士形象； —

but that he would be glad to hear from me of what improvement I thought the Commons susceptible?
但他很乐意听我认为下议院可以改进的地方是什么？

Taking that part of the Commons which happened to be nearest to us - for our man was unmarried by this time, and we were out of Court, and strolling past the Prerogative Office - I submitted that I thought the Prerogative Office rather a queerly managed institution. —
我们走过普瑞罗加蒂夫办公室前面的一部分下议院时，我提出我觉得普瑞罗加蒂夫办公室管理起来相当奇怪； —

Mr. Spenlow inquired in what respect? I replied, with all due deference to his experience (but with more deference, I am afraid, to his being Dora’s father), that perhaps it was a little nonsensical that the Registry of that Court, containing the original wills of all persons leaving effects within the immense province of Canterbury, for three whole centuries, should be an accidental building, never designed for the purpose, leased by the registrars for their Own private emolument, unsafe, not even ascertained to be fire-proof, choked with the important documents it held, and positively, from the roof to the basement, a mercenary speculation of the registrars, who took great fees from the public, and crammed the public’s wills away anyhow and anywhere, having no other object than to get rid of them cheaply. —
斯潘洛夫先生问，具体是在哪方面？我回答说，虽然我虔诚地尊重他的经验（但更可能是因为他是朵拉的父亲），也许这个法院的登记处有点荒谬：容纳位于坎特伯雷广阔省份内三个世纪所有留有财产遗嘱的人的原始遗嘱的文件室，竟然是一座意外的建筑，从未为此目的设计，由登记员私自租用，安全性得不到确认，连防火都没有确定，文件堆满了这座建筑，从顶到底，是登记员的商业活动，他们向公众收取高额费用，随意且杂乱地存放公众的遗嘱，没有别的目的，只是为了低廉地处理掉它们； —

That, perhaps, it was a little unreasonable that these registrars in the receipt of profits amounting to eight or nine thousand pounds a year (to say nothing of the profits of the deputy registrars, and clerks of seats), should not be obliged to spend a little of that money, in finding a reasonably safe place for the important documents which all classes of people were compelled to hand over to them, whether they would or no. —
也许，这些登记员每年获利八九千镑（更不用说副登记员和位置文员的利润）却不必花费一点钱，为强制要求向他们提交重要文件的各阶层人们寻找一个相对安全的地方； —

That, perhaps, it was a little unjust, that all the great offices in this great office should be magnificent sinecures, while the unfortunate working-clerks in the cold dark room upstairs were the worst rewarded, and the least considered men, doing important services, in London. —
也许，这些伟大办公室内一切办公职位都是奢侈的闲职，而那些不幸在楼上寒冷黑暗房间工作的下属文员是受抚恤最少，最不受重视的人，却在伦敦提供重要服务； —

That perhaps it was a little indecent that the principal registrar of all, whose duty it was to find the public, constantly resorting to this place, all needful accommodation, should be an enormous sinecurist in virtue of that post (and might be, besides, a clergyman, a pluralist, the holder of a staff in a cathedral, and what not), - while the public was put to the inconvenience of which we had a specimen every afternoon when the office was busy, and which we knew to be quite monstrous. —
也许，这个坎特伯雷教区这个主要的登记处的主要登记员，他的任务是为常去这个地方的公众提供一切需要的便利，竟然通过这个职位成了巨额获益者（还可能是牧师，具有多重职位，担任大教堂的神职等等）- 而公众在下午办公繁忙时，我们就有机会看到的方便不当的情况，我们知道这种情况是绝对荒谬的； —

That, perhaps, in short, this Prerogative Office of the diocese of Canterbury was altogether such a pestilent job, and such a pernicious absurdity, that but for its being squeezed away in a corner of St. Paul’s Churchyard, which few people knew, it must have been turned completely inside out, and upside down, long ago.
简而言之，坎特伯雷教区的这个普瑞罗加蒂夫办公室完全是一项败笔和荒谬至极的事情，如果它不是被挤压在圣保罗教堂院子的一个角落里，而且很少有人知道，它早就该被彻底打翻个个面了；

Mr. Spenlow smiled as I became modestly warm on the subject, and then argued this question with me as he had argued the other. —
斯潘洛夫先生在我对这个问题显得稍显热情时微笑，然后像他之前处理其他问题一样与我辩论。 —

He said, what was it after all? It was a question of feeling. —
他说，到底是什么呢？这是一个感觉的问题。 —

If the public felt that their wills were in safe keeping, and took it for granted that the office was not to be made better, who was the worse for it? —
如果公众觉得他们的意愿得到了安全保障，并认为这个办公室不需要改进，那么谁会因此变得更糟呢？ —

Nobody. Who was the better for it? All the Sinecurists. Very well. Then the good predominated. —
没有人。谁会因此变得更好呢？所有的虚职者。很好。那好的一面占了上风。 —

It might not be a perfect system; nothing was perfect; —
这也许不是一个完美的系统；没有什么是完美的； —

but what he objected to, was, the insertion of the wedge. —
但他反对的是，插入楔子。 —

Under the Prerogative Office, the country had been glorious. —
在特权办公室管理下，国家曾经辉煌。 —

Insert the wedge into the Prerogative Office, and the country would cease to be glorious. —
插入楔子到特权办公室，国家将不再辉煌。 —

He considered it the principle of a gentleman to take things as he found them; —
他认为一个绅士的原则是接受事实； —

and he had no doubt the Prerogative Office would last our time. —
我没有怀疑特权办公室会延续我们的时代。 —

I deferred to his opinion, though I had great doubts of it myself. I find he was right, however; —
我顺从了他的意见，尽管我自己对此深感怀疑。然而，我发现他是正确的； —

for it has not only lasted to the present moment, but has done so in the teeth of a great parliamentary report made (not too willingly) eighteen years ago, when all these objections of mine were set forth in detail, and when the existing stowage for wills was described as equal to the accumulation of only two years and a half more. —
因为它不仅延续到了现在，而且在十八年前做出了一份不太情愿的伟大议会报告的情况下延续下来，当时我的所有这些反对意见都被详细列出，当时现有的遗嘱堆场被描述为仅足以再堆积两年半的遗嘱。 —

What they have done with them since; whether they have lost many, or whether they sell any, now and then, to the butter shops; —
他们在那之后做了些什么；他们是否丢失了很多，或者是否偶尔将部分出售给黄油店； —

I don’t know. I am glad mine is not there, and I hope it may not go there, yet awhile.
我不知道。我很高兴我的遗嘱不在那里，也希望它不要再到那里去。

I have set all this down, in my present blissful chapter, because here it comes into its natural place. —
我在这幸福的一章中把这一切记下来，因为它在这里找到了它的自然位置。 —

Mr. Spenlow and I falling into this conversation, prolonged it and our saunter to and fro, until we diverged into general topics. —
斯本洛先生和我陷入到这段对话中，我们边走边谈，直到我们转向了一般话题。 —

And so it came about, in the end, that Mr. Spenlow told me this day week was Dora’s birthday, and he would be glad if I would come down and join a little picnic on the occasion. —
于是最终，斯潘洛先生告诉我，迪拉的生日就在一周后的这一天，他会很高兴如果我能前去参加一个小野餐活动。 —

I went out of my senses immediately; became a mere driveller next day, on receipt of a little lace-edged sheet of note-paper, ‘Favoured by papa. —
收到一张带有蕾丝边的小便笺后，我顿时失去了理智，上一张便笺上写着“爸爸转交”。 —

To remind’; and passed the intervening period in a state of dotage.
以及提醒”，在接下来的这段时间里，我处于神经错乱的状态。

I think I committed every possible absurdity in the way of preparation for this blessed event. —
我认为我在为这个值得期待的事件做准备的过程中犯了所有可能的荒谬行为。 —

I turn hot when I remember the cravat I bought. —
当我想起我购买的领带时，我感到内心发热。 —

My boots might be placed in any collection of instruments of torture. —
我的靴子可能是酷刑工具收藏中的一员。 —

I provided, and sent down by the Norwood coach the night before, a delicate little hamper, amounting in itself, I thought, almost to a declaration. —
在前一天晚上我通过Norwood coach 发送了一个精美的小篮子，我觉得这个小篮子本身就几乎等于一种宣言。 —

There were crackers in it with the tenderest mottoes that could be got for money. —
里面有蜡烛和用金钱买到的最温馨的箴言。 —

At six in the morning, I was in Covent Garden Market, buying a bouquet for Dora. At ten I was on horseback (I hired a gallant grey, for the occasion), with the bouquet in my hat, to keep it fresh, trotting down to Norwood.
在早上六点，我在科文特花园市场购买了一束给迪拉的花束。十点，我骑着马(我为了这个场合租了一匹英勇的灰马)，带着花束戴在帽子上，以保持花束的新鲜，小跑去Norwood。

I suppose that when I saw Dora in the garden and pretended not to see her, and rode past the house pretending to be anxiously looking for it, I committed two small fooleries which other young gentlemen in my circumstances might have committed - because they came so very natural to me. —
我想当我看到迪拉在花园里，假装没看见她，并骑过房子假装焦急地寻找时，我犯了两个小蠢事，其他处于我情况的年轻绅士也许会犯 - 因为这些行为对我来说是那么自然。 —

But oh! when I DID find the house, and DID dismount at the garden-gate, and drag those stony-hearted boots across the lawn to Dora sitting on a garden-seat under a lilac tree, what a spectacle she was, upon that beautiful morning, among the butterflies, in a white chip bonnet and a dress of celestial blue! —
但是啊！当我找到了房子，当我在花园门口下马，穿过草坪将那些冷酷无情的靴子拉到站在紫丁香树下花园长椅上的迪拉身边时，她是多么美丽的景象，在那美丽的清晨，蝴蝶飞舞之间，头顶一顶白色的花边帽子，穿着一条天蓝色的裙子！ —

There was a young lady with her - comparatively stricken in years - almost twenty, I should say. —
那里还有一个年轻女士 - 相对来说年纪更大一些 - 差不多二十岁，我想。 —

Her name was Miss Mills. and Dora called her Julia. She was the bosom friend of Dora. Happy Miss Mills!
她的名字叫米尔斯小姐。 迪拉称她为朱莉娅。她是迪拉的挚友。幸福的米尔斯小姐！

Jip was there, and Jip WOULD bark at me again. —
吉普也在那里，吉普又开始对我吠叫。 —

When I presented my bouquet, he gnashed his teeth with jealousy. Well he might. —
当我呈上我的花束时，他因嫉妒而咬牙切齿。他理所当然会这样做。 —

If he had the least idea how I adored his mistress, well he might!
如果他有丝毫想象到我是多么崇拜他的情妇，那他可能会！

‘Oh, thank you, Mr. Copperfield! What dear flowers!’ said Dora.
‘哦，谢谢你，柯波菲尔德先生！多可爱的花朵！’多拉说道。

I had had an intention of saying (and had been studying the best form of words for three miles) that I thought them beautiful before I saw them so near HER. But I couldn’t manage it. —
我原本打算说（一路上都在琢磨着最佳措辞）在看到她近在眼前之前我就认为这些花很美。但我无法做到。 —

She was too bewildering. To see her lay the flowers against her little dimpled chin, was to lose all presence of mind and power of language in a feeble ecstasy. —
她太令人困惑了。看到她把花放在她那个小酒窝下面，让我在微弱的狂喜中失去了所有的思维和语言能力。 —

I wonder I didn’t say, ‘Kill me, if you have a heart, Miss Mills. Let me die here!’
我惊讶地没有说，‘如果你有一颗心，米尔斯小姐，请杀了我吧。让我在这里死去！’

Then Dora held my flowers to Jip to smell. Then Jip growled, and wouldn’t smell them. —
然后多拉把我的花递给吉普闻。然后吉普咆哮，不肯闻。 —

Then Dora laughed, and held them a little closer to Jip, to make him. —
接着多拉笑了，把花再靠近吉普一点，逼他闻。 —

Then Jip laid hold of a bit of geranium with his teeth, and worried imaginary cats in it. —
然后吉普用牙齿咬住一小块天竺葵，他幻想中在那里虐待着猫。 —

Then Dora beat him, and pouted, and said, ‘My poor beautiful flowers!’ —
接着多拉打他，并噘起嘴，说，‘我可怜的美丽花儿！’ —

as compassionately, I thought, as if Jip had laid hold of me. I wished he had!
我想到，她说得就像吉普咬住了我一样，那种怜悯。我希望他真的可以！

‘You’ll be so glad to hear, Mr. Copperfield,’ said Dora, ‘that that cross Miss Murdstone is not here. She has gone to her brother’s marriage, and will be away at least three weeks. —
‘你将会很高兴听到，柯波菲尔德先生，’多拉说，‘那个刁蛮的默德斯通小姐不在这里。她去参加她兄弟的婚礼了，至少会离开三个星期。 —

Isn’t that delightful?’
这不是很令人愉快吗？’

I said I was sure it must be delightful to her, and all that was delightful to her was delightful to me. —
我说我确信这对她来说肯定是很愉快的，对她愉快的事情对我来说也是愉快的。 —

Miss Mills, with an air of superior wisdom and benevolence, smiled upon us.
米尔斯小姐，带着一副高深莫测的智慧和善意的神情望着我们微笑。

‘She is the most disagreeable thing I ever saw,’ said Dora. ‘You can’t believe how ill-tempered and shocking she is, Julia.’
‘她是我见过的最讨厌的东西，’多拉说。‘你无法相信她多么坏脾气、可怕，朱丽亚。’

‘Yes, I can, my dear!’ said Julia.
“是的，亲爱的，我可以！”朱莉娅说道。

‘YOU can, perhaps, love,’ returned Dora, with her hand on julia’s. —
“或许是你可以，亲爱的，” 多拉回答道，一手放在朱莉娅的手上。 —

‘Forgive my not excepting you, my dear, at first.’
“请原谅我一开始没有接纳你，亲爱的。”

I learnt, from this, that Miss Mills had had her trials in the course of a chequered existence; —
我从中得知，米尔斯小姐在经历了坎坷的一生中曾受过磨难； —

and that to these, perhaps, I might refer that wise benignity of manner which I had already noticed. i found, in the course of the day, that this was the case: —
也许正是由于这些经历，我注意到了她那种智慎的温和风度。我发现这点是事实： —

Miss Mills having been unhappy in a misplaced affection, and being understood to have retired from the world on her awful stock of experience, but still to take a calm interest in the unblighted hopes and loves of youth.
米尔斯小姐曾在一场不幸的爱情中受了伤，据说她因此从世界上消失了，但仍然在那份灿烂的青春经验中保持着一种平静的兴趣和慈祥。

But now Mr. Spenlow came out of the house, and Dora went to him, saying, ‘Look, papa, what beautiful flowers!’ —
这时斯彭洛先生走出房子，多拉走向他，说：“瞧，爸爸，多美的鲜花！” —

And Miss Mills smiled thoughtfully, as who should say, ‘Ye Mayflies, enjoy your brief existence in the bright morning of life!’ —
此时米尔斯小姐微微一笑，仿佛在说：“飞蛾，好好享受你们在生命的早晨所拥有的短暂存在吧！” —

And we all walked from the lawn towards the carriage, which was getting ready.
我们都从草坪走向正在准备好的马车。

I shall never have such a ride again. I have never had such another. —
我永远不会再有这样的骑行了。我从未经历过另一次。 —

There were only those three, their hamper, my hamper, and the guitar-case, in the phaeton; —
菲顿车里只有他们三个人、他们的食篮、我的食篮和吉他盒； —

and, of course, the phaeton was open; and I rode behind it, and Dora sat with her back to the horses, looking towards me. —
当然，菲顿车是敞篷的，我骑在它后面，多拉则背对着马，看着我。 —

She kept the bouquet close to her on the cushion, and wouldn’t allow Jip to sit on that side of her at all, for fear he should crush it. —
她把花束放在靠垫上，一点都不让基普坐在她那边，唯恐它会压坏花束。 —

She often carried it in her hand, often refreshed herself with its fragrance. —
她经常手握花束，不时呼吸它的芬芳。 —

Our eyes at those times often met; and my great astonishment is that I didn’t go over the head of my gallant grey into the carriage.
那些时刻我们的眼睛经常相遇；我最惊讶的是我竟没有从我那忠实的灰色的马背上摔下来。

There was dust, I believe. There was a good deal of dust, I believe. —
我相信有灰尘。我相信有很多灰尘。 —

I have a faint impression that Mr. Spenlow remonstrated with me for riding in it; —
我有一点模糊的印象是Spenlow先生责备我坐车; —

but I knew of none. I was sensible of a mist of love and beauty about Dora, but of nothing else. —
但我没理会。我只感受到多拉的爱和美的烟雾，但其他什么也没感受到。 —

He stood up sometimes, and asked me what I thought of the prospect. —
他有时站起来问我觉得景色如何。 —

I said it was delightful, and I dare say it was; but it was all Dora to me. —
我说很美，我敢说它确实很美；但在我眼中都是多拉。 —

The sun shone Dora, and the birds sang Dora. The south wind blew Dora, and the wild flowers in the hedges were all Doras, to a bud. —
太阳闪耀着多拉，鸟儿歌唱着多拉。南风吹拂着多拉，篱笆上的野花都是多拉。 —

My comfort is, Miss Mills understood me. —
我的安慰是，米尔斯小姐理解了我。 —

Miss Mills alone could enter into my feelings thoroughly.
密斯米尔斯是唯一能完全理解我的感受的人。

I don’t know how long we were going, and to this hour I know as little where we went. —
我不知道我们走了多久，直到现在我仍然不知道我们去了哪里。 —

Perhaps it was near Guildford. Perhaps some Arabian-night magician, opened up the place for the day, and shut it up for ever when we came away. —
也许那里靠近吉尔福德。也许是某个阿拉伯夜的魔术师在我们离开后关闭了这个地方。 —

It was a green spot, on a hill, carpeted with soft turf. —
这是一个绿色的地方，坐落在一个绿草茵茵的小山上。 —

There were shady trees, and heather, and, as far as the eye could see, a rich landscape.
遍地是树荫、石楠，视野所及尽是丰美的景色。

It was a trying thing to find people here, waiting for us; —
有人在这里等着我们，我感到受到了考验； —

and my jealousy, even of the ladies, knew no bounds. —
即使对女士们，我的嫉妒也无法克制。 —

But all of my own sex - especially one impostor, three or four years my elder, with a red whisker, on which he established an amount of presumption not to be endured - were my mortal foes.
但所有同性别的人，尤其是一个比我大三四岁、留着红胡子的冒充者，摆出一副极其傲慢的样子，令人无法容忍，都成了我的死敌。

We all unpacked our baskets, and employed ourselves in getting dinner ready. —
我们都打开了篮子，开始准备晚餐。 —

Red Whisker pretended he could make a salad (which I don’t believe), and obtruded himself on public notice. —
红胡子假装他会做沙拉（我不相信），自告奋勇地表现出来。 —

Some of the young ladies washed the lettuces for him, and sliced them under his directions. —
有些年轻女士帮他洗生菜，并按照他的指示切土豆。 —

Dora was among these. I felt that fate had pitted me against this man, and one of us must fall.
多拉也在其中。我感到命运将我与这个人对立起来，我们其中一个必将失败。

Red Whisker made his salad (I wondered how they could eat it. —
红胡子做好了他的沙拉（我不知道他们怎么吃得下）。 —

Nothing should have induced ME to touch it! —
任何东西都不能让我碰那个！ —

) and voted himself into the charge of the wine-cellar, which he constructed, being an ingenious beast, in the hollow trunk of a tree. —
）并当选自己负责葡萄酒储藏室，他是一个聪明的家伙，将酒窖建在一棵树的空洞干干净净的里面。 —

By and by, I saw him, with the majority of a lobster on his plate, eating his dinner at the feet of Dora!
见他端着一大半龙虾吃饭，坐在朵拉的脚边，我渐渐明白。

I have but an indistinct idea of what happened for some time after this baleful object presented itself to my view. —
对于这个可怕的景象出现后发生了什么事，我只有一个模糊的概念。 —

I was very merry, I know; but it was hollow merriment. —
我当时很开心，但那种开心是空洞的。 —

I attached myself to a young creature in pink, with little eyes, and flirted with her desperately. —
我和一个穿粉色衣服的年轻女子走得很近，拼命地调情。 —

She received my attentions with favour; but whether on my account solely, or because she had any designs on Red Whisker, I can’t say. —
她接受了我的关注，但我不确定她是完全因为我，还是因为她对红胡子有什么打算。 —

Dora’s health was drunk. When I drank it, I affected to interrupt my conversation for that purpose, and to resume it immediately afterwards. —
为了敬酒达拉的健康，我假装中途打断谈话，然后立即重新开口。 —

I caught Dora’s eye as I bowed to her, and I thought it looked appealing. —
和她酒桌间对视时，我觉得她那眼神很恳求。 —

But it looked at me over the head of Red Whisker, and I was adamant.
但这眼神是放在红胡子的头顶上看我的，我坚不可摧。

The young creature in pink had a mother in green; —
那个穿粉色衣服的年轻女子旁边有个穿绿色衣服的母亲； —

and I rather think the latter separated us from motives of policy. —
我想她断然出于某种策略把我们隔开了。 —

Howbeit, there was a general breaking up of the party, while the remnants of the dinner were being put away; —
宴会渐渐散场，餐后残羹剩饭被收拾，此时我独自在树林间漫步，心情激动又懊悔。 —

and I strolled off by myself among the trees, in a raging and remorseful state. —
我在犹豫是否要假装身体不适，骑着我那骏马飞奔，去一个我不知道的地方，突然遇见了朵拉和米尔斯小姐。 —

I was debating whether I should pretend that I was not well, and fly - I don’t know where - upon my gallant grey, when Dora and Miss Mills met me.
‘柯波菲尔先生，’米尔斯小姐说，’你看起来很无聊。’

‘Mr. Copperfield,’ said Miss Mills, ‘you are dull.’
我向她道歉，一点也不。

I begged her pardon. Not at all.
我当时悠闲地漫步，没有任何忧虑。

‘And Dora,’ said Miss Mills, ‘YOU are dull.’
“朵拉，”米尔斯小姐说，“你真是迟钝。”

Oh dear no! Not in the least.
哦，亲爱的，一点都不。

‘Mr. Copperfield and Dora,’ said Miss Mills, with an almost venerable air. ‘Enough of this. —
“富迪哥和朵拉，”米尔斯小姐说，带着一种几乎庄严的神态。“够了。” —

Do not allow a trivial misunderstanding to wither the blossoms of spring, which, once put forth and blighted, cannot be renewed. —
不要让一点小误会扼杀春天的花朵，一旦凋零就再也无法复苏。 —

I speak,’ said Miss Mills, ‘from experience of the past - the remote, irrevocable past. —
我讲话，”米尔斯小姐说，“来自过去——遥远、无法挽回的过去。 —

The gushing fountains which sparkle in the sun, must not be stopped in mere caprice; —
漫流的泉水在阳光下闪闪发光，不应该因一时的任性而被堵塞； —

the oasis in the desert of Sahara must not be plucked up idly.’
撒哈拉沙漠中的绿洲不应被轻率摧毁。

I hardly knew what I did, I was burning all over to that extraordinary extent; —
我几乎不知道我在做什么，我火辣辣的全身都在燃烧； —

but I took Dora’s little hand and kissed it - and she let me! I kissed Miss Mills’s hand; —
但我握住了朵拉的小手并吻了一下——她竟然同意了！我也吻了米尔斯小姐的手； —

and we all seemed, to my thinking, to go straight up to the seventh heaven. —
在我看来，我们似乎直接飞到了第七层天堂。 —

We did not come down again. We stayed up there all the evening. —
我们再也没有从那里下来。整个晚上我们都待在那里。 —

At first we strayed to and fro among the trees: I with Dora’s shy arm drawn through mine: —
起初，我们在树丛间闲逛：我和朵拉害羞的胳膊挽在一起； —

and Heaven knows, folly as it all was, it would have been a happy fate to have been struck immortal with those foolish feelings, and have stayed among the trees for ever!
天知道，尽管这一切都是愚蠢的，但要是被那些傻傻的感情永生不朽地打动并永远待在树丛中，这将是一种幸福的命运！

But, much too soon, we heard the others laughing and talking, and calling ‘where’s Dora?’ —
但很快，我们听到其他人在笑声和谈话中，喊着‘朵拉在哪？’ —

So we went back, and they wanted Dora to sing. —
于是我们就回去了，他们想让朵拉唱歌。 —

Red Whisker would have got the guitar-case out of the carriage, but Dora told him nobody knew where it was, but I. So Red Whisker was done for in a moment; —
红胡子本来想把吉他盒从马车里拿出来，但朵拉告诉他除了我，谁也不知道它在哪，所以红胡子立刻就完蛋了； —

and I got it, and I unlocked it, and I took the guitar out, and I sat by her, and I held her handkerchief and gloves, and I drank in every note of her dear voice, and she sang to ME who loved her, and all the others might applaud as much as they liked, but they had nothing to do with it!
我拿到了吉他盒，我打开了它，我拿出吉他，我坐在她身旁，我拿着她的手帕和手套，我倾听她亲爱的声音的每一个音符，她为爱她的我唱歌，其他人可以尽情鼓掌，但他们与此无关！

I was intoxicated with joy. I was afraid it was too happy to be real, and that I should wake in Buckingham Street presently, and hear Mrs. Crupp clinking the teacups in getting breakfast ready. —
我被喜悦沉醉了。我害怕这太幸福而不真实，担心我马上就会在白金汉街醒来，听到克鲁普太太在忙着准备早餐，叮叮当当敲杯子声声。 —

But Dora sang, and others sang, and Miss Mills sang - about the slumbering echoes in the caverns of Memory; —
但朵拉唱歌了，其他人也唱了，米尔斯小姐也唱了 - 谈论关于记忆洞穴中沉睡的回声； —

as if she were a hundred years old - and the evening came on; —
仿佛她已经一百岁了 - 夜幕降临； —

and we had tea, with the kettle boiling gipsy-fashion; —
我们喝茶，水壶跟流浪汉似的开着； —

and I was still as happy as ever.
我依旧快乐无比。

I was happier than ever when the party broke up, and the other people, defeated Red Whisker and all, went their several ways, and we went ours through the still evening and the dying light, with sweet scents rising up around us. —
派对结束，其他人，包括被打败的红胡子，各奔东西，我们则在静谧的夜色中穿行，伴着甜美的气味升起。 —

Mr. Spenlow being a little drowsy after the champagne - honour to the soil that grew the grape, to the grape that made the wine, to the sun that ripened it, and to the merchant who adulterated it! —
斯彭洛先生喝了点香槟有点犯困 - 向生长葡萄的土地致敬，向酿制美酒的葡萄致敬，向成熟葡萄的太阳致敬，向把酒掺水的商人致敬！ —

• and being fast asleep in a corner of the carriage, I rode by the side and talked to Dora. She admired my horse and patted him - oh, what a dear little hand it looked upon a horse! —
  - 斯彭洛先生在马车一隅进入梦乡，我则在旁边和朵拉聊天。她赞美我的马，轻拍着他 - 哎呀，她的小手在马上看起来多么可爱！ —

• and her shawl would not keep right, and now and then I drew it round her with my arm; —
  - 她的披肩总是不好好，我时不时用胳膊把它重新披在她身上； —

and I even fancied that Jip began to see how it was, and to understand that he must make up his mind to be friends with me.
我甚至觉得Jip开始明白事情的真相，明白他必须接受和我成为朋友。

That sagacious Miss Mills, too; that amiable, though quite used up, recluse; —
那位睿智的米尔斯小姐，那位和蔼可亲，但又彻底用尽的隐士； —

that little patriarch of something less than twenty, who had done with the world, and mustn’t on any account have the slumbering echoes in the caverns of Memory awakened; —
那位不到二十岁就已跟世界告别，绝不容许记忆洞穴中沉睡的回声被唤醒的小家伙； —

what a kind thing she did!
她做的事多好啊！

‘Mr. Copperfield,’ said Miss Mills, ‘come to this side of the carriage a moment - if you can spare a moment. —
‘卡柏菲尔德先生，’米尔斯小姐说，’请来车厢这边一会儿 - 如果你有空。 —

I want to speak to you.’
我想和你说话。’

Behold me, on my gallant grey, bending at the side of Miss Mills, with my hand upon the carriage door!
看哪，我骑在我那骑着灰色的骏马身边，手搭在车门上，弯身在米尔斯小姐旁边！

‘Dora is coming to stay with me. She is coming home with me the day after tomorrow. —
‘多拉要和我一起住了。她后天要和我一起回家。 —

If you would like to call, I am sure papa would be happy to see you.’ —
如果你想来拜访，我肯定爸爸会很高兴见到你。’ —

What could I do but invoke a silent blessing on Miss Mills’s head, and store Miss Mills’s address in the securest corner of my memory! —
我能做的只有默默地在米尔斯小姐头上祝福，并将米尔斯小姐的地址记在我记忆最安全的角落！ —

What could I do but tell Miss Mills, with grateful looks and fervent words, how much I appreciated her good offices, and what an inestimable value I set upon her friendship!
我能做的只有用感激的目光和热诚的话语告诉米尔斯小姐，我多么感激她的帮助，以及我对她的友谊有多珍视！

Then Miss Mills benignantly dismissed me, saying, ‘Go back to Dora!’ and I went; —
然后米尔斯小姐慈祥地告别了我，说：’回去找多拉！’我就走了； —

and Dora leaned out of the carriage to talk to me, and we talked all the rest of the way; —
多拉探出车厢和我谈话，我们一路都在说话； —

and I rode my gallant grey so close to the wheel that I grazed his near fore leg against it, and ‘took the bark off’, as his owner told me, ‘to the tune of three pun’ sivin’ - which I paid, and thought extremely cheap for so much joy. —
我骑着我那骑着灰色的骏马离车轮很近，使他的前腿擦到车轮，并且“刮掉了皮”，正如他的主人告诉我的，“3镑7便士的调子”- 我付了款，觉得这么多的欢乐便宜极了。 —

What time Miss Mills sat looking at the moon, murmuring verses- and recalling, I suppose, the ancient days when she and earth had anything in common.
当米尔斯小姐坐着看月亮，低声念诗句 - 我猜想，她在回想她和大地还有共同点的古老时光。

Norwood was many miles too near, and we reached it many hours too soon; —
诺伍德太近了很多英里，我们提前了很多个小时到达那里； —

but Mr. Spenlow came to himself a little short of it, and said, ‘You must come in, Copperfield, and rest!’ —
但斯彭洛先生在那之前有点清醒过来，并说，’卡柏菲尔德，你必须进来休息！’ —

and I consenting, we had sandwiches and wine-and-water. —
我同意了，我们吃了三明治和葡萄酒与水。 —

In the light room, Dora blushing looked so lovely, that I could not tear myself away, but sat there staring, in a dream, until the snoring of Mr. Spenlow inspired me with sufficient consciousness to take my leave. —
在明亮的房间里，多拉脸红得看起来如此可爱，以至于我无法离开，只是坐在那里盯着，如同在梦中一般，直到斯彭洛先生的打呼声唤醒我一定程度意识，我才告辞离开。 —

So we parted; I riding all the way to London with the farewell touch of Dora’s hand still light on mine, recalling every incident and word ten thousand times; —
所以我们分别了；我一路骑马到伦敦，道别时多拉的手还轻轻地握着我的手，回忆着每一个情节和每一句话十万遍； —

lying down in my own bed at last, as enraptured a young noodle as ever was carried out of his five wits by love.
最终躺在自己的床上，像一个被爱冲昏了头脑的年轻傻瓜一样陶醉；

When I awoke next morning, I was resolute to declare my passion to Dora, and know my fate. —
第二天早上醒来，我决心向多拉表白，知道我的命运； —

Happiness or misery was now the question. —
幸福还是悲惨现在成了问题； —

There was no other question that I knew of in the world, and only Dora could give the answer to it. —
在我知道的世界中，没有其他问题，唯有多拉才能给出答案； —

I passed three days in a luxury of wretchedness, torturing myself by putting every conceivable variety of discouraging construction on all that ever had taken place between Dora and me. —
我在一种极度痛苦的奢侈中度过了三天，通过对我和多拉之间所发生的一切进行所有可能的沮丧解读来折磨自己； —

At last, arrayed for the purpose at a vast expense, I went to Miss Mills’s, fraught with a declaration.
最后，花费巨大准备好宣言，我去了米尔斯小姐家，怀着表白的决心；

How many times I went up and down the street, and round the square - painfully aware of being a much better answer to the old riddle than the original one - before I could persuade myself to go up the steps and knock, is no matter now. —
我走过这条街，转过这个广场多少次，痛苦地意识到自己比这个谜底更加合适，才使自己说服自己攀上楼梯，敲门，这已经不重要； —

Even when, at last, I had knocked, and was waiting at the door, I had some flurried thought of asking if that were Mr. Blackboy’s (in imitation of poor Barkis), begging pardon, and retreating. —
甚至当我敲门，站在门口等待时，我也有些慌乱，想要问这是否是布莱克伯伊先生的房子（效仿可怜的巴克斯），道歉并退回去； —

But I kept my ground.
但我坚守立场；

Mr. Mills was not at home. I did not expect he would be. —
米尔斯先生不在家。我并没有指望他会在； —

Nobody wanted HIM. Miss Mills was at home. —
没有人需要他。米尔斯小姐在家； —

Miss Mills would do.
米尔斯小姐可以。

I was shown into a room upstairs, where Miss Mills and Dora were. Jip was there. —
我被领进了楼上的一间屋子，那里有米尔斯小姐和多拉。吉普也在那里； —

Miss Mills was copying music (I recollect, it was a new song, called ‘Affection’s Dirge’), and Dora was painting flowers. —
米尔斯小姐在抄写音乐（我记得，那是一首新歌，名叫“爱的挽歌”），多拉在画花。 —

What were my feelings, when I recognized my own flowers; —
当我认出了我自己的花时，我是什么感觉; —

the identical Covent Garden Market purchase! —
相同的科文特花市购买！ —

I cannot say that they were very like, or that they particularly resembled any flowers that have ever come under my observation; —
我不能说它们非常相似，或者特别类似我曾见过的任何花; —

but I knew from the paper round them which was accurately copied, what the composition was.
但我从周围的纸张知道了它们的组成，这个纸张被准确地复制了。

Miss Mills was very glad to see me, and very sorry her papa was not at home: —
米尔斯小姐见到我很高兴，很抱歉她爸爸不在家： —

though I thought we all bore that with fortitude. —
尽管我觉得我们都能坚决地面对这一点。 —

Miss Mills was conversational for a few minutes, and then, laying down her pen upon ‘Affection’s Dirge’, got up, and left the room.
米尔斯小姐谈了几分钟话，然后，把笔放在“感情挽歌”上，站起来，离开了房间。

I began to think I would put it off till tomorrow.
我开始想明天再推迟。

‘I hope your poor horse was not tired, when he got home at night,’ said Dora, lifting up her beautiful eyes. —
“我希望你家可怜的马晚上回到家时没有感到累，”朵拉抬起美丽的眼睛说。 —

‘It was a long way for him.’
“对他来说路程很远。”

I began to think I would do it today.
我开始想今天就去办。

‘It was a long way for him,’ said I, ‘for he had nothing to uphold him on the journey.’
“对他来说路程很远，”我说，“因为在旅途中没有东西支撑着他。”

‘Wasn’t he fed, poor thing?’ asked Dora.
“那可怜的家伙没被喂食吗？”朵拉问。

I began to think I would put it off till tomorrow.
我开始想明天再推迟。

‘Ye-yes,’ I said, ‘he was well taken care of. —
“是-是的，”我说，“他被很好地照顾了。” —

I mean he had not the unutterable happiness that I had in being so near you.’
我的意思是，他没有我那种难以言喻的幸福感，因为我如此靠近你。

Dora bent her head over her drawing and said, after a little while - I had sat, in the interval, in a burning fever, and with my legs in a very rigid state -
朵拉低下头埋在她的画作上，过了一会儿说。这段时间我忧心忡忡地坐着，腿部僵硬不已。

‘You didn’t seem to be sensible of that happiness yourself, at one time of the day.’
你之前似乎并没有感受到那种幸福。

I saw now that I was in for it, and it must be done on the spot.
我现在看到，我必须面对这一切，并且必须立刻做出决定。

‘You didn’t care for that happiness in the least,’ said Dora, slightly raising her eyebrows, and shaking her head, ‘when you were sitting by Miss Kitt.’
你在和基特小姐坐在一起的时候，完全不在乎这种幸福，朵拉微微挑起眉毛，摇着头说。

Kitt, I should observe, was the name of the creature in pink, with the little eyes.
我应该指出，基特就是穿粉红色衣服、眼睛很小的那只。

‘Though certainly I don’t know why you should,’ said Dora, or why you should call it a happiness at all. —
尽管我不知道你为什么要这样，朵拉，或者为什么你将其称为幸福。 —

But of course you don’t mean what you say. —
但是你肯定不是认真的。 —

And I am sure no one doubts your being at liberty to do whatever you like. —
我相信没有人怀疑你可以做任何你想做的事情。 —

Jip, you naughty boy, come here!’
吉普，你这个淘气鬼，过来！

I don’t know how I did it. I did it in a moment. I intercepted Jip. I had Dora in my arms. —
我不知道我是如何做到的。我一瞬间就做到了。我阻止了吉普。我把朵拉拥入怀中。 —

I was full of eloquence. I never stopped for a word. I told her how I loved her. —
我口若悬河。我从未停下来说话。我告诉她我是多么爱她。 —

I told her I should die without her. I told her that I idolized and worshipped her. —
我告诉她没有她我会死。我告诉她我崇拜她。 —

Jip barked madly all the time.
吉普不停地狂吠。

When Dora hung her head and cried, and trembled, my eloquence increased so much the more. —
当朵拉低下头哭泣、颤抖时，我的口才愈发激情澎湃。 —

If she would like me to die for her, she had but to say the word, and I was ready. —
如果她想让我为她去世，只要说出口，我随时愿意。 —

Life without Dora’s love was not a thing to have on any terms. I couldn’t bear it, and I wouldn’t. —
没有多拉的爱的生活根本不是什么可接受的事情。我无法承受，也不会接受。 —

I had loved her every minute, day and night, since I first saw her. —
自从第一次见到她开始，我每分每秒都爱着她。 —

I loved her at that minute to distraction. I should always love her, every minute, to distraction. —
那时我爱她爱得发狂。我将永远爱她，每一分钟，发狂地爱。 —

Lovers had loved before, and lovers would love again; —
恋人之前曾经相爱，恋人之后也会再相爱； —

but no lover had loved, might, could, would, or should ever love, as I loved Dora. The more I raved, the more Jip barked. —
但没有任何恋人曾经相爱过，能够、应该、或者愿意像我爱着多拉一样。我越狂乱，吉普就越狂吠。 —

Each of us, in his own way, got more mad every moment.
我们每个人，都以自己的方式，变得越来越疯狂。

Well, well! Dora and I were sitting on the sofa by and by, quiet enough, and Jip was lying in her lap, winking peacefully at me. —
好吧，好吧！后来，多拉和我坐在沙发上，够安静了，吉普躺在她腿上，平静地朝我眨眼。 —

It was off my mind. I was in a state of perfect rapture. —
我欣喜若狂。我处于完美的陶醉状态。 —

Dora and I were engaged.
多拉和我订婚了。

I suppose we had some notion that this was to end in marriage. —
我想我们当时是这样想的，这段关系会以结婚为终点。 —

We must have had some, because Dora stipulated that we were never to be married without her papa’s consent. —
我们可能拥有一些这样的想法，因为多拉规定，未经她爸爸同意，我们永远不得结婚。 —

But, in our youthful ecstasy, I don’t think that we really looked before us or behind us; —
但在我们年轻的狂喜中，我觉得我们并没有真正思虑过未来或过去； —

or had any aspiration beyond the ignorant present. We were to keep our secret from Mr. Spenlow; —
或者有任何超越无知现在的愿望。我们不会告诉斯潘洛先生我们的秘密； —

but I am sure the idea never entered my head, then, that there was anything dishonourable in that.
但我相信那时候我脑子里从来没有想过这样做有什么不光彩的地方。

Miss Mills was more than usually pensive when Dora, going to find her, brought her back; —
寻找多拉的时候，米尔斯小姐显得比平时更加沉思。 —

• I apprehend, because there was a tendency in what had passed to awaken the slumbering echoes in the caverns of Memory. —
  因为过去的事情似乎唤起了记忆深处沉睡的回声。 —
  

But she gave us her blessing, and the assurance of her lasting friendship, and spoke to us, generally, as became a Voice from the Cloister.
她给了我们祝福，保证了她永远的友谊，并像一个来自修道院的声音一般对我们说话。

What an idle time it was! What an insubstantial, happy, foolish time it was!
那是多么虚度光阴的时光啊！那是多么虚无、快乐、愚蠢的时光啊！

When I measured Dora’s finger for a ring that was to be made of Forget-me-nots, and when the jeweller, to whom I took the measure, found me out, and laughed over his order-book, and charged me anything he liked for the pretty little toy, with its blue stones - so associated in my remembrance with Dora’s hand, that yesterday, when I saw such another, by chance, on the finger of my own daughter, there was a momentary stirring in my heart, like pain!
当我为多拉的手指测量戒指的尺寸，打算用忘情花制作戒指，当我将尺寸带给珠宝商时，他认出了我，笑着看了一下他的订单薄，然后就给我收任何他想要的价格，为那个带有蓝宝石的漂亮玩意 - 在我记忆中与多拉的手紧紧联系在一起，以至于昨天，当我意外看到我的女儿手指上戴着同款的戒指时，我心中顿时有一丝痛楚！

When I walked about, exalted with my secret, and full of my own interest, and felt the dignity of loving Dora, and of being beloved, so much, that if I had walked the air, I could not have been more above the people not so situated, who were creeping on the earth!
当我走来走去，沉浸在我的秘密和自我兴趣中，感受着爱多拉的尊严和被爱的满足，感觉高人一等，以至于我似乎足不沾地地行走，远高于那些在地上匍匐的人们！

When we had those meetings in the garden of the square, and sat within the dingy summer-house, so happy, that I love the London sparrows to this hour, for nothing else, and see the plumage of the tropics in their smoky feathers! —
当我们在广场花园里举行那些会议，在破旧的夏室里坐着那么幸福，以至于我至今仍热爱伦敦的麻雀，唯独出于这个原因，并在它们烟熏般的羽毛中看到热带的装饰！ —

When we had our first great quarrel (within a week of our betrothal), and when Dora sent me back the ring, enclosed in a despairing cocked-hat note, wherein she used the terrible expression that ‘our love had begun in folly, and ended in madness!’ —
当我们初次大吵一架（在订婚的一个星期内），多拉向我退还了戒指，并附上一封绝望的军帽形状的便条，在便条中使用了让人震惊的措辞，说‘我们的爱情始于愚蠢，终于疯狂！’ —

which dreadful words occasioned me to tear my hair, and cry that all was over!
这些可怕的话让我狂乱地扯自己的头发，大声呼喊一切都结束了！

When, under cover of the night, I flew to Miss Mills, whom I saw by stealth in a back kitchen where there was a mangle, and implored Miss Mills to interpose between us and avert insanity. —
当夜幕降临，我飞奔到米尔斯小姐那儿，在一个有挤布机的后厨，从暗处看见米尔斯小姐，请求她介入我们之间，避免疯狂。 —

When Miss Mills undertook the office and returned with Dora, exhorting us, from the pulpit of her own bitter youth, to mutual concession, and the avoidance of the Desert of Sahara!
当米尔斯小姐接受了这个任务，带着多拉回来，用她自己年少痛苦时期的讲坛对我们进行劝告，寻求彼此妥协，避免像撒哈拉沙漠那样荒无人烟！

When we cried, and made it up, and were so blest again, that the back kitchen, mangle and all, changed to Love’s own temple, where we arranged a plan of correspondence through Miss Mills, always to comprehend at least one letter on each side every day!
当我们哭泣和解，再次幸福如初，那个后厨、挤布机和一切，都变成了爱的神殿，我们通过米尔斯小姐安排了通信计划，每天至少互发一封信！

What an idle time! What an insubstantial, happy, foolish time! —
多么虚度光阴！多么虚无、快乐、愚蠢的时光啊！ —

Of all the times of mine that Time has in his grip, there is none that in one retrospect I can smile at half so much, and think of half so tenderly.
在我生命的所有时光中，时间抓住了其中的哪一段，没有一段让我回想起来如此欢乐，如此温馨地对待。