We were now down in Westminster. We had turned back to follow her, having encountered her coming towards us; —
现在我们已经来到了威斯敏斯特。我们已经折回跟着她走，因为遇到了她朝我们走来； —

and Westminster Abbey was the point at which she passed from the lights and noise of the leading streets. —
而威斯敏斯特教堂就是她走出熙熙攘攘的主要街道，离开灯光和喧嚣的地方。 —

She proceeded so quickly, when she got free of the two currents of passengers setting towards and from the bridge, that, between this and the advance she had of us when she struck off, we were in the narrow water-side street by Millbank before we came up with her. —
她在摆脱了来往于桥头的两股人流后就加快了步伐，以至于在她转弯时我们追赶过来之前，我们已走到了密尔班克的狭窄河畔街道上。 —

At that moment she crossed the road, as if to avoid the footsteps that she heard so close behind; —
就在那时，她横穿马路，仿佛是想躲避紧跟其后的脚步声； —

and, without looking back, passed on even more rapidly.
而不回头，更快地走了。

A glimpse of the river through a dull gateway, where some waggons were housed for the night, seemed to arrest my feet. —
透过一个晦暗的门道，我看到了一瞥河流，那里停着一些晚上休息的马车，我仿佛被吸引住了脚步。 —

I touched my companion without speaking, and we both forbore to cross after her, and both followed on that opposite side of the way; —
我没说话，轻轻碰了一下我的同伴，我们都克制住不去跟在她后面横穿马路，反而一直保持在马路另外一边； —

keeping as quietly as we could in the shadow of the houses, but keeping very near her.
尽量靠近房子的阴影，但仍然紧跟着她。

There was, and is when I write, at the end of that low-lying street, a dilapidated little wooden building, probably an obsolete old ferry-house. —
在那条低洼的街道尽头，有一座毁坏的小木屋，可能是一个过时的渡船房。 —

Its position is just at that point where the street ceases, and the road begins to lie between a row of houses and the river. —
它的位置正好是街道尽头，马路开始位于一排房屋和河流之间的地方。 —

As soon as she came here, and saw the water, she stopped as if she had come to her destination; —
她一到这里，看到了水，停下来，仿佛到了目的地； —

and presently went slowly along by the brink of the river, looking intently at it.
不久后，她沿着河边缓缓走去，专注地看着河水。

All the way here, I had supposed that she was going to some house; —
在整个路上，我本以为她是要去某座房子； —

indeed, I had vaguely entertained the hope that the house might be in some way associated with the lost girl. —
事实上，我隐约希望那所房子可能与失踪的女孩有某种关联。 —

But that one dark glimpse of the river, through the gateway, had instinctively prepared me for her going no farther.
但是透过门道的那一瞥暗河，本能地让我准备好她不会再往前走了。

The neighbourhood was a dreary one at that time; —
那时的社区是一个阴郁的地方； —

as oppressive, sad, and solitary by night, as any about London. —
在夜晚时弥漫着压抑、悲伤和孤独，就像伦敦周围的任何地方一样。 —

There were neither wharves nor houses on the melancholy waste of road near the great blank Prison. —
在大空荒无人居住的道路附近，既没有码头，也没有房屋。 —

A sluggish ditch deposited its mud at the prison walls. —
一条慢慢流淌的沟渍着泥土，靠近监狱的墙壁。 —

Coarse grass and rank weeds straggled over all the marshy land in the vicinity. —
粗糙的草和茂密的杂草遍布周围所有的沼泽地。 —

In one part, carcases of houses, inauspiciously begun and never finished, rotted away. —
在某个地方，一些开工但从未完工的房屋的残骸正在腐烂。 —

In another, the ground was cumbered with rusty iron monsters of steam-boilers, wheels, cranks, pipes, furnaces, paddles, anchors, diving-bells, windmill-sails, and I know not what strange objects, accumulated by some speculator, and grovelling in the dust, underneath which - having sunk into the soil of their own weight in wet weather - they had the appearance of vainly trying to hide themselves. —
在另一个地方，地面上堆满了生锈的铁制怪物，包括蒸汽锅炉、轮子、曲柄、管道、炉子、桨、锚、潜水钟、风车帆等奇怪的物体，这些物体是某个投机者累积起来的，就像在尘土中匍匐而下，沉入土壤中，在潮湿的天气中因自身重量而看起来无助地试图隐藏自己。 —

The clash and glare of sundry fiery Works upon the river-side, arose by night to disturb everything except the heavy and unbroken smoke that poured out of their chimneys. —
沿着河边，炽烈的光芒在夜晚升腾，扰乱一切，除了密集无间的烟雾从烟囱中喷出来。 —

Slimy gaps and causeways, winding among old wooden piles, with a sickly substance clinging to the latter, like green hair, and the rags of last year’s handbills offering rewards for drowned men fluttering above high-water mark, led down through the ooze and slush to the ebb-tide. —
在旧木桩间蜿蜒而过的黏糊糊的缝隙和人行道，后者上方附着一种像绿色头发一样的病态物质，以及去年寻找溺水者悬赏的布告牌的残留，在高潮线上飘动，引导人们沿着淤泥和泥浆走到退潮处。 —

There was a story that one of the pits dug for the dead in the time of the Great Plague was hereabout; —
当年大瘟疫时挖的一个坟墓据说就在这附近； —

and a blighting influence seemed to have proceeded from it over the whole place. —
似乎有一种毁灭性的影响从那里传出，笼罩整个地方。 —

Or else it looked as if it had gradually decomposed into that nightmare condition, out of the overflowings of the polluted stream.
否则，看起来好像它已经逐渐分解成那种梦魇般的状态，从被污染的河流溢出物中演变而来。

As if she were a part of the refuse it had cast out, and left to corruption and decay, the girl we had followed strayed down to the river’s brink, and stood in the midst of this night-picture, lonely and still, looking at the water.
就好像她是它排出的废料的一部分，被留在腐烂和腐朽中，我们尾随的女孩走到了河边，站在这幅夜晚的画面中，孤独而静谧地望着水面。

There were some boats and barges astrand in the mud, and these enabled us to come within a few yards of her without being seen. —
有些船只和驳船搁浅在泥中，这使我们能够在不被发现的情况下离她只有几码之遥。 —

I then signed to Mr. Peggotty to remain where he was, and emerged from their shade to speak to her. —
我当时示意佩格蒂先生留在原地，从阴影中走出来和她说话。 —

I did not approach her solitary figure without trembling; —
我颤抖着走近她孤独的身影； —

for this gloomy end to her determined walk, and the way in which she stood, almost within the cavernous shadow of the iron bridge, looking at the lights crookedly reflected in the strong tide, inspired a dread within me.
她决绝的步伐走向这个阴暗的尽头，站在铁桥阴影深处，几乎看着光线在湍急的潮水中歪曲反射，引起了我内心的恐惧。

I think she was talking to herself. I am sure, although absorbed in gazing at the water, that her shawl was off her shoulders, and that she was muffling her hands in it, in an unsettled and bewildered way, more like the action of a sleep-walker than a waking person. —
我觉得她在自言自语。虽然沉浸在凝视水面的过程中，她的披肩却从肩上滑落下来，以一种不稳定、困惑的方式裹住双手，更像是一个梦游者而不是清醒的人的行为。 —

I know, and never can forget, that there was that in her wild manner which gave me no assurance but that she would sink before my eyes, until I had her arm within my grasp.
我知道，我永远不能忘记，她狂乱的举动让我无法确定她会不会在我的眼前昏倒，直到我抓住她的胳膊。

At the same moment I said ‘Martha!’
就在同一时刻，我说：’玛莎！’

She uttered a terrified scream, and struggled with me with such strength that I doubt if I could have held her alone. —
她发出一声恐慌的尖叫，并用比我还要强的力气和我挣扎。 —

But a stronger hand than mine was laid upon her; —
但比我更有力量的一只手搭在她身上； —

and when she raised her frightened eyes and saw whose it was, she made but one more effort and dropped down between us. —
当她抬起惊恐的双眼看到是谁的时候，她做出最后的挣扎，然后在我们中间倒下。 —

We carried her away from the water to where there were some dry stones, and there laid her down, crying and moaning. —
我们把她从水边抬到干燥的石头上，然后把她放下，她哭泣着呻吟。 —

In a little while she sat among the stones, holding her wretched head with both her hands.
不久，她坐在石头中间，双手捧着自己悲惨的头。

‘Oh, the river!’ she cried passionately. ‘Oh, the river!’
‘哦，河啊！’她激动地喊道。’哦，河啊！’

‘Hush, hush!’ said I. ‘Calm yourself.’
‘嘘，安静点！’我说。’冷静下来。’

But she still repeated the same words, continually exclaiming, ‘Oh, the river!’ —
但她仍不停地重复着同样的话，不停地哀叹着’哦，河啊！’ —

over and over again.
一遍又一遍。

‘I know it’s like me!’ she exclaimed. ‘I know that I belong to it. —
‘我知道它像我那样！’她喊道。’我知道我属于它。’ —

I know that it’s the natural company of such as I am! —
我知道，这是我这样的人的自然伴侣！ —

It comes from country places, where there was once no harm in it - and it creeps through the dismal streets, defiled and miserable - and it goes away, like my life, to a great sea, that is always troubled - and I feel that I must go with it!’ —
它来自乡村，曾经是没有害处的地方 - 它潜行在阴暗的街道上，肮脏而悲惨 - 它走向大海，总是波涛汹涌 - 我觉得我必须跟着它去！’ —

I have never known what despair was, except in the tone of those words.
我只在那些话语中的语调中才体会到过绝望。

‘I can’t keep away from it. I can’t forget it. It haunts me day and night. —
‘我无法摆脱它。我无法忘记它。它日日夜夜萦绕在我心头。 —

It’s the only thing in all the world that I am fit for, or that’s fit for me. —
这是世界上我唯一适合的事情，也是唯一适合我的事情。 —

Oh, the dreadful river!’
哦，可怕的江河！’

The thought passed through my mind that in the face of my companion, as he looked upon her without speech or motion, I might have read his niece’s history, if I had known nothing of it. —
我脑海中飘过一个念头，如果我对着我的伴侣看她，当时一言不发，我或许已经读懂他侄女的历史，如果我对它一无所知。 —

I never saw, in any painting or reality, horror and compassion so impressively blended. —
我从未在任何绘画或现实中见过，恐惧与怜悯如此混合得令人印象深刻。 —

He shook as if he would have fallen; and his hand - I touched it with my own, for his appearance alarmed me - was deadly cold.
他颤抖得几乎摔倒；他的手 - 我用我的手碰到了他的，因为他的样子让我感到惊恐 - 可怕地冰冷。

‘She is in a state of frenzy,’ I whispered to him. ‘She will speak differently in a little time.’
‘她处于狂乱状态，’我对他轻声说道。‘她过一会儿会说话方式不同的。’

I don’t know what he would have said in answer. —
我不知道他会作何回答。 —

He made some motion with his mouth, and seemed to think he had spoken; —
他嘴唇有些动，似乎认为自己已经说了话； —

but he had only pointed to her with his outstretched hand.
但他只是用伸出的手指着她。

A new burst of crying came upon her now, in which she once more hid her face among the stones, and lay before us, a prostrate image of humiliation and ruin. —
她现在又发起了一阵哭泣，再次把脸埋在石头中，躺在我们面前，成了一尊卑微和毁灭的躯体。 —

Knowing that this state must pass, before we could speak to her with any hope, I ventured to restrain him when he would have raised her, and we stood by in silence until she became more tranquil.
知道这个状态必须先过去，我们才能对她抱有希望地说话，当她变得更加平静时，我冒险阻止他把她扶起，我们静静地站在一旁。

‘Martha,’ said I then, leaning down, and helping her to rise - she seemed to want to rise as if with the intention of going away, but she was weak, and leaned against a boat. —
“玛莎，”于是我说，弯下腰，帮助她站起来 - 她似乎想要站起来，仿佛打算离开，但她虚弱，倚在一只小船上。 —

‘Do you know who this is, who is with me?’
“你知道我和我一起的是谁吗？”

She said faintly, ‘Yes.’
她虚弱地说，“知道。”

‘Do you know that we have followed you a long way tonight?’
“你知道我们今晚跟随了你很远吗？”

She shook her head. She looked neither at him nor at me, but stood in a humble attitude, holding her bonnet and shawl in one hand, without appearing conscious of them, and pressing the other, clenched, against her forehead.
她摇了摇头。她既不看他也不看我，却站在一个谦卑的姿态中，一只手拿着帽子和披肩，不显得意识到它们，另一只手握成拳头，捂着额头。

‘Are you composed enough,’ said I, ‘to speak on the subject which so interested you - I hope Heaven may remember it! —
“你已经冷静了吗？”我说，“能谈一下这个让你如此感兴趣的话题吗 - 我希望上天记得 —

• that snowy night?’
  - 那个雪夜？”
  

Her sobs broke out afresh, and she murmured some inarticulate thanks to me for not having driven her away from the door.
她的哭声再次爆发，她喃喃自语感谢我没有把她赶离门前。

‘I want to say nothing for myself,’ she said, after a few moments. ‘I am bad, I am lost. —
“我不想为自己说什么，”她说了几分钟后说。“我很坏，我很迷失。 —

I have no hope at all. But tell him, sir,’ she had shrunk away from him, ‘if you don’t feel too hard to me to do it, that I never was in any way the cause of his misfortune.’ —
我没有任何希望。但告诉他，先生，”她从他身边缩了回去，“如果你对我不要太苛刻，告诉他，我从未在任何方面导致他的不幸。” —

‘It has never been attributed to you,’ I returned, earnestly responding to her earnestness.
“从未归咎于你，”我认真回应她的真诚。

‘It was you, if I don’t deceive myself,’ she said, in a broken voice, ‘that came into the kitchen, the night she took such pity on me; —
“如果我没有自欺欺人的话，应该是你，”她用断断续续的声音说，“进了厨房，那个晚上她对我怜悯； —

was so gentle to me; didn’t shrink away from me like all the rest, and gave me such kind help! Was it you, sir?’
对我那么温柔；没有像所有其他人那样躲开我，给予我如此仁慈的帮助！是你吗，先生？”

‘It was,’ said I.
“是的，”我说。

‘I should have been in the river long ago,’ she said, glancing at it with a terrible expression, ‘if any wrong to her had been upon my mind. —
“我早就应该在河里了，”她用一种可怕的表情瞥了一眼河，“如果我对她有任何不对的想法。” —

I never could have kept out of it a single winter’s night, if I had not been free of any share in that!’
如果我对此毫无参与之辈一夜过去，我永远无法消受那痛苦！

‘The cause of her flight is too well understood,’ I said. —
‘她逃走的原因我们太了解了，’我说。 —

‘You are innocent of any part in it, we thoroughly believe, - we know.’
‘我们完全相信你是清白的，我们知道。

‘Oh, I might have been much the better for her, if I had had a better heart!’ —
‘噢，如果我当初有一颗更善良的心，也许对她会更有益！’ —

exclaimed the girl, with most forlorn regret; ‘for she was always good to me! —
那姑娘叹息着，带着无比悲伤的遗憾说：“因为她总是对我很好！ —

She never spoke a word to me but what was pleasant and right. —
她对我说的每一句话都是令人愉快和正确的。 —

Is it likely I would try to make her what I am myself, knowing what I am myself, so well? —
我知道自己这样，有可能愿意让她变得和我一样吗？我自己都很了解自己。 —

When I lost everything that makes life dear, the worst of all my thoughts was that I was parted for ever from her!’
当我失去一切使生活变得珍贵的东西时，我最糟糕的想法之一就是永远与她分离！’

Mr. Peggotty, standing with one hand on the gunwale of the boat, and his eyes cast down, put his disengaged hand before his face.
佩格提站在船舷端，一只手放在船舷上，眼睛望向下方，另一只手放在脸前。

‘And when I heard what had happened before that snowy night, from some belonging to our town,’ cried Martha, ‘the bitterest thought in all my mind was, that the people would remember she once kept company with me, and would say I had corrupted her! —
‘当我从我们镇上亲眼看到那个下雪的夜晚发生的事情时，’玛莎喊道，‘我心里最痛苦的想法是，人们会记得她曾经与我交往，会说我败坏了她！ —

When, Heaven knows, I would have died to have brought back her good name!’
当然，上天知道，我宁愿自己去死，也要挽回她的好名声！’

Long unused to any self-control, the piercing agony of her remorse and grief was terrible.
她很久不曾有过任何自我控制，她的悔恨和悲伤之痛令人难以忍受。

‘To have died, would not have been much - what can I say? - I would have lived!’ she cried. —
‘死去也不算什么，我能说什么呢？我本可以活下去！’她叫道。 —

‘I would have lived to be old, in the wretched streets - and to wander about, avoided, in the dark - and to see the day break on the ghastly line of houses, and remember how the same sun used to shine into my room, and wake me once - I would have done even that, to save her!’
‘我本可以活到年老，在那些悲惨的街道里挣扎，徘徊，被人避而远之，埋身在黑暗之中，看着黎明破晓光照在那些阴森的房屋上，回忆起同一道阳光曾照进我的房间，唤醒我的时刻——我本可以这样活下去，只是为了拯救她！’

Sinking on the stones, she took some in each hand, and clenched them up, as if she would have ground them. —
她跌坐在地上，一手握着石块，仿佛要磨碎它们。 —

She writhed into some new posture constantly: —
她不断地扭动身体，进入一种新的姿势： —

stiffening her arms, twisting them before her face, as though to shut out from her eyes the little light there was, and drooping her head, as if it were heavy with insupportable recollections.
僵硬地伸直双臂，在面前扭曲，仿佛要将那里的微弱光线挡在眼前，并低下头，䕾住满满的不堪回首。

‘What shall I ever do!’ she said, fighting thus with her despair. —
‘我该怎么办！’她说，与绝望作斗争。 —

‘How can I go on as I am, a solitary curse to myself, a living disgrace to everyone I come near!’ —
‘我怎么能继续下去，一个孤独的诅咒，一个活生生的耻辱，每次接近人就是如此！’ —

Suddenly she turned to my companion. ‘Stamp upon me, kill me! —
突然她转向我的伴侣。’踩在我身上，杀了我吧！’ —

When she was your pride, you would have thought I had done her harm if I had brushed against her in the street. —
当她是你的骄傲时，你会认为如果我在街上碰到她，我就已经伤害了她。 —

You can’t believe - why should you? - a syllable that comes out of my lips. —
你无法相信 - 为什么你要相信呢？ - 我嘴唇上流出的每一个音节。 —

It would be a burning shame upon you, even now, if she and I exchanged a word. I don’t complain. —
即使在现在，如果她和我交换了一句话，这对你来说也会是一大羞耻。我并不抱怨。 —

I don’t say she and I are alike - I know there is a long, long way between us. —
我不说她和我一样 - 我知道我们之间有很长很长的距离。 —

I only say, with all my guilt and wretchedness upon my head, that I am grateful to her from my soul, and love her. —
我只是说，尽管我满身罪孽和不幸，但我从心底感激她，并爱她。 —

Oh, don’t think that all the power I had of loving anything is quite worn out! —
哦，不要以为我爱任何事物的力量全都耗尽了！ —

Throw me away, as all the world does. Kill me for being what I am, and having ever known her; —
抛弃我，就像全世界都在做的那样。杀死我，因为我是我，永远了解过她； —

but don’t think that of me!’
但请不要这样想我！

He looked upon her, while she made this supplication, in a wild distracted manner; —
他以一种狂乱的方式看着她，当她做出这样的乞求； —

and, when she was silent, gently raised her.
当她沉默时，他 gentle 地扶起了她。

‘Martha,’ said Mr. Peggotty, ‘God forbid as I should judge you. —
‘玛莎，’佩吉蒂先生说，“愿上帝禁止我去评判你。 —

Forbid as I, of all men, should do that, my girl! —
但愿我这个人中的任何一个都不去做，我的女孩！ —

You doen’t know half the change that’s come, in course of time, upon me, when you think it likely. —
你无法想象随着时间流逝我发生的变化有多大，当你觉得可能有变化发生时。 —

Well!’ he paused a moment, then went on. —
哦！’他停顿了一会儿，然后继续说。 —

‘You doen’t understand how ‘tis that this here gentleman and me has wished to speak to you. —
‘你连这位绅士和我为何想和你谈话都不明白。 —

You doen’t understand what ‘tis we has afore us. Listen now!’
你不明白我们面前的事情是什么。现在听！’

His influence upon her was complete. She stood, shrinkingly, before him, as if she were afraid to meet his eyes; —
他对她的影响力是完全的。她站在他面前，畏缩不前，仿佛害怕见他的眼睛。 —

but her passionate sorrow was quite hushed and mute.
但她的激情悲伤却是沉默而静谧的。

‘If you heerd,’ said Mr. Peggotty, ‘owt of what passed between Mas’r Davy and me, th’ night when it snew so hard, you know as I have been - wheer not - fur to seek my dear niece. —
“如果你听到了，” 佩戈蒂先生说，“在那天晚上下雪得很大的时候，我和戴维先生之间发生了什么，你就知道我一直很努力地寻找我的亲爱侄女。 —

My dear niece,’ he repeated steadily. ‘Fur she’s more dear to me now, Martha, than she was dear afore.’
“我亲爱的侄女，”他坚定地重复道。“因为现在她对我来说比以前更加珍贵，玛莎。”

She put her hands before her face; but otherwise remained quiet.
她用双手捂住脸，但保持静默。

‘I have heerd her tell,’ said Mr. Peggotty, ‘as you was early left fatherless and motherless, with no friend fur to take, in a rough seafaring-way, their place. —
“我听她说过，” 佩戈蒂先生说，“你很小就失去了父母，无人照顾，以一种艰苦的海员方式生活。 —

Maybe you can guess that if you’d had such a friend, you’d have got into a way of being fond of him in course of time, and that my niece was kiender daughter-like to me.’
也许你能猜到，如果你有这样一个朋友，随着时间推移，你就会变得喜欢他，而我侄女对我来说就像女儿一样。”

As she was silently trembling, he put her shawl carefully about her, taking it up from the ground for that purpose.
她在颤抖的同时保持沉默，他小心翼翼地将披肩披在她身上，为了这个目的从地上捡起来。

‘Whereby,’ said he, ‘I know, both as she would go to the wureld’s furdest end with me, if she could once see me again; —
“因此，”他说，“我知道，只要她能再见到我，她会和我一起去到世界最遥远的地方； —

and that she would fly to the wureld’s furdest end to keep off seeing me. —
而如果有可能，她会飞到世界尽头，以免见到我。 —

For though she ain’t no call to doubt my love, and doen’t - and doen’t,’ he repeated, with a quiet assurance of the truth of what he said, ‘there’s shame steps in, and keeps betwixt us.’
“因为虽然她没理由怀疑我的爱意，而且 - 而且，”他重复说，声音中充满了对所说的真实性的平静保证，“羞耻却介入其中，让我们无法相见。”

I read, in every word of his plain impressive way of delivering himself, new evidence of his having thought of this one topic, in every feature it presented.
我从他清晰而令人印象深刻的措辞中读懂了他对这个话题的深思，每个特征都得到了展示。

‘According to our reckoning,’ he proceeded, ‘Mas’r Davy’s here, and mine, she is like, one day, to make her own poor solitary course to London. —
“根据我们的估算，” 他继续说，“戴维先生和我，我们都认为，她有一天会自己独自前往伦敦。 —

We believe - Mas’r Davy, me, and all of us - that you are as innocent of everything that has befell her, as the unborn child. —
“我们相信 - 戴维先生，我，以及所有人 - 你对发生在她身上的一切都像尚未出生的孩子一样无辜。 —

You’ve spoke of her being pleasant, kind, and gentle to you. Bless her, I knew she was! —
“你说过她对你友善、善良、温柔。保佑她，我知道她是这样的！ —

I knew she always was, to all. You’re thankful to her, and you love her. —
我知道她一直都是这样，对每个人都是如此。你对她心存感激，你爱她。 —

Help us all you can to find her, and may Heaven reward you!’
请尽力帮助我们找到她，愿上天赐福你！

She looked at him hastily, and for the first time, as if she were doubtful of what he had said.
她匆忙地看着他，似乎第一次对他所说的话表示怀疑。

‘Will you trust me?’ she asked, in a low voice of astonishment.
“你会信任我吗？” 她惊讶地低声问道。

‘Full and free!’ said Mr. Peggotty.
“坦荡而自由！” 佩各蒂先生说。

‘To speak to her, if I should ever find her; shelter her, if I have any shelter to divide with her; —
“如果有机会找到她，与她交谈；如果我有地方可与她分享庇护，护送她； —

and then, without her knowledge, come to you, and bring you to her?’ —
而然后，在她不知情的情况下，来找你，并带你去见她？” —

she asked hurriedly.
她匆忙地问道。

We both replied together, ‘Yes!’
我们齐声回答，”是的！”

She lifted up her eyes, and solemnly declared that she would devote herself to this task, fervently and faithfully. —
她抬起目光，庄严宣誓她会全心全意地致力于这个任务。 —

That she would never waver in it, never be diverted from it, never relinquish it, while there was any chance of hope. —
她发誓不会动摇，不会偏离，不会放弃，只要还有一线希望。 —

If she were not true to it, might the object she now had in life, which bound her to something devoid of evil, in its passing away from her, leave her more forlorn and more despairing, if that were possible, than she had been upon the river’s brink that night; —
如果她背弃了誓言，她现在所拥有的目标，使她与邪恶无关联，一旦从她身边消失，将使她比那个夜晚在河边时更加孤苦、更加绝望，如果这还有可能； —

and then might all help, human and Divine, renounce her evermore!
然后一切的帮助，人间的和神圣的，将永远摒弃她！

She did not raise her voice above her breath, or address us, but said this to the night sky; —
她并没有提高声音，或者对我们说，而是对着夜空说着这番话； —

then stood profoundly quiet, looking at the gloomy water.
然后，她深深地静立着，凝视着阴暗的水面。

We judged it expedient, now, to tell her all we knew; which I recounted at length. —
现在我们认为有必要告诉她我们所知道的一切；我详细地叙述了一遍。 —

She listened with great attention, and with a face that often changed, but had the same purpose in all its varying expressions. —
她全神贯注地听着，脸上表情经常变化，但在变幻中都有着相同的目的。 —

Her eyes occasionally filled with tears, but those she repressed. —
她的眼睛间或会泛滥泪水，但她强忍着。 —

It seemed as if her spirit were quite altered, and she could not be too quiet.
她的精神似乎完全改变了，变得异常安静。

She asked, when all was told, where we were to be communicated with, if occasion should arise. —
当一切都讲述完毕，她问我们如果需要联系时该去哪里。 —

Under a dull lamp in the road, I wrote our two addresses on a leaf of my pocket-book, which I tore out and gave to her, and which she put in her poor bosom. —
在路边昏暗的灯光下，我在口袋本上写下了我们两个的地址，撕下来递给她，她将它放在自己贫瘠的胸前。 —

I asked her where she lived herself. She said, after a pause, in no place long. —
我问她住在哪里。她停顿片刻后说，自己没有固定住处。 —

It were better not to know.
最好不知道。

Mr. Peggotty suggesting to me, in a whisper, what had already occurred to myself, I took out my purse; —
佩吉迪先生在耳语中向我建议，这已经出现在我的脑海里，我掏出钱包； —

but I could not prevail upon her to accept any money, nor could I exact any promise from her that she would do so at another time. —
但我无法说服她接受任何钱，也无法得到她许诺下次会接受。 —

I represented to her that Mr. Peggotty could not be called, for one in his condition, poor; —
我告诉她佩吉迪先生并不应该被称为穷人； —

and that the idea of her engaging in this search, while depending on her own resources, shocked us both. —
而在自己的资源下进行这样的搜寻，这个想法让我们都感到震惊。 —

She continued steadfast. In this particular, his influence upon her was equally powerless with mine. —
她坚定不移。在这一点上，他对她的影响与我的一样无力。 —

She gratefully thanked him but remained inexorable.
她感激地谢过他，但仍然不可动摇。

‘There may be work to be got,’ she said. ‘I’ll try.’
“或许有些工作可以找到，”她说。“我会试试的。”

‘At least take some assistance,’ I returned, ‘until you have tried.’
“至少接受一些帮助，”我回答，“直到你尝试过为止。”

‘I could not do what I have promised, for money,’ she replied. —
‘为了钱，我不能做我答应的事情，’她回答道。 —

‘I could not take it, if I was starving. —
‘如果我快饿死了，我也不能接受。 —

To give me money would be to take away your trust, to take away the object that you have given me, to take away the only certain thing that saves me from the river.’
给我钱就是夺走你的信任，夺走你给我的那个东西，夺走唯一能救我脱离河水的确定东西。

‘In the name of the great judge,’ said I, ‘before whom you and all of us must stand at His dread time, dismiss that terrible idea! —
‘我说，’以那位伟大的法官的名义，在祂可怕的时刻，摒弃那可怕的念头！ —

We can all do some good, if we will.’
我们都能做一些善事，只要我们愿意。

She trembled, and her lip shook, and her face was paler, as she answered:
她颤抖着，嘴唇颤抖着，脸色苍白，回答道:

‘It has been put into your hearts, perhaps, to save a wretched creature for repentance. —
‘也许是上帝让你们心存怜悯，来拯救一个可怜的人让她忏悔。 —

I am afraid to think so; it seems too bold. If any good should come of me, I might begin to hope; —
我害怕这么想；这似乎太大胆了。如果我有所改变，我或许会开始寄望； —

for nothing but harm has ever come of my deeds yet. —
因为我所做的事情从来没有带来好处。 —

I am to be trusted, for the first time in a long while, with my miserable life, on account of what you have given me to try for. —
由于你们给了我一个尝试的机会，因此我第一次在很长一段时间内值得信任。 —

I know no more, and I can say no more.’
我知道的也只有这么多，我也只能这么说。

Again she repressed the tears that had begun to flow; —
她又抑制住了已经开始流下来的泪水； —

and, putting out her trembling hand, and touching Mr. Peggotty, as if there was some healing virtue in him, went away along the desolate road. —
然后，颤抖着伸出手，摸了摸彭格蒂先生，好像他身上有一种治愈的力量，就沿着荒凉的道路走了开去。 —

She had been ill, probably for a long time. —
她可能已经病了很久了。 —

I observed, upon that closer opportunity of observation, that she was worn and haggard, and that her sunken eyes expressed privation and endurance.
我在那次更接近的观察机会中观察到，她又瘦又憔悴，她的凹陷的眼睛流露出匮乏和承受。

We followed her at a short distance, our way lying in the same direction, until we came back into the lighted and populous streets. —
我们跟着她保持一段距离，我们的路线是一样的，直到我们回到了明亮繁华的街道。 —

I had such implicit confidence in her declaration, that I then put it to Mr. Peggotty, whether it would not seem, in the onset, like distrusting her, to follow her any farther. —
我对她的声明有着绝对的信心，于是我把这件事告诉佩戈蒂先生，是否在一开始跟着她会不会显得不信任她。 —

He being of the same mind, and equally reliant on her, we suffered her to take her own road, and took ours, which was towards Highgate. —
他也是这样想的，并且同样信任她，所以我们让她走她自己的路，我们自己向海格特去。 —

He accompanied me a good part of the way; —
他陪我走了一大段路； —

and when we parted, with a prayer for the success of this fresh effort, there was a new and thoughtful compassion in him that I was at no loss to interpret.
当我们分开时，他为这次新的尝试的成功祈祷，他的眼中带着新的思慮和怜悯，对此我毫不费解。

It was midnight when I arrived at home. I had reached my own gate, and was standing listening for the deep bell of St. Paul’s, the sound of which I thought had been borne towards me among the multitude of striking clocks, when I was rather surprised to see that the door of my aunt’s cottage was open, and that a faint light in the entry was shining out across the road.
我回到家已经是午夜了。我走到自己的门前，听着圣保罗大教堂的低沉钟声，我觉得钟声被其他众多敲钟声掩盖了，我就在那里站着，有点惊讶地看见我姨妈的小屋门敞开着，入口处有一点微弱的灯光照在马路上。

Thinking that my aunt might have relapsed into one of her old alarms, and might be watching the progress of some imaginary conflagration in the distance, I went to speak to her. —
我想也许我姨妈又陷入了以前的恐慌之一，也许在注视着远处某处想象中的大火蔓延，我就想去和她交谈。 —

It was with very great surprise that I saw a man standing in her little garden.
看见一个男人站在她的小花园里，让我感到非常惊讶。

He had a glass and bottle in his hand, and was in the act of drinking. —
他手里拿着玻璃杯和瓶子，正在喝。 —

I stopped short, among the thick foliage outside, for the moon was up now, though obscured; —
我停在外面浓密的树叶间，因为此刻月亮已经升起，虽然被云遮挡； —

and I recognized the man whom I had once supposed to be a delusion of Mr. Dick’s, and had once encountered with my aunt in the streets of the city.
我认出他是我曾认为是迪克先生幻觉的那个人，也是我曾在城市街头遇见过的人。

He was eating as well as drinking, and seemed to eat with a hungry appetite. —
他不仅在喝酒，还在吃东西，看上去很饥饿。 —

He seemed curious regarding the cottage, too, as if it were the first time he had seen it. —
他似乎也对小屋很好奇，好像这是他第一次见到它一样。 —

After stooping to put the bottle on the ground, he looked up at the windows, and looked about; —
在弯下身放瓶子到地上后，他抬头看了看窗户，四处看了看； —

though with a covert and impatient air, as if he was anxious to be gone.
尽管带着一种隐秘而急切的神情，好像急于离开。

The light in the passage was obscured for a moment, and my aunt came out. —
通道里的光芒被遮挡了一会儿，我的阿姨出来了。 —

She was agitated, and told some money into his hand. I heard it chink.
她很不安，把一些钱递给了他。我听到了叮当声。

‘What’s the use of this?’ he demanded.
“这有什么用？”他要求道。

‘I can spare no more,’ returned my aunt.
“我再也不能给更多了，”我阿姨回答说。

‘Then I can’t go,’ said he. ‘Here! You may take it back!’
“那我就走不了，”他说。“拿回去吧！”

‘You bad man,’ returned my aunt, with great emotion; ‘how can you use me so? But why do I ask? —
“你这坏蛋，”我的阿姨带着激动说，“你怎么能这样对待我？但我为什么会问呢？ —

It is because you know how weak I am! What have I to do, to free myself for ever of your visits, but to abandon you to your deserts?’
因为你知道我多么软弱！我除了抛弃你不管你自生自灭，还能做什么，才能永远摆脱你的访问？”

‘And why don’t you abandon me to my deserts?’ said he.
“那你为什么不抛弃我自生自灭？”他说。

‘You ask me why!’ returned my aunt. ‘What a heart you must have!’
“你问我为什么！”我的阿姨回答说，“你真是个无情的人！”

He stood moodily rattling the money, and shaking his head, until at length he said:
他郁闷地把钱抖动，摇了摇头，最终说道：

‘Is this all you mean to give me, then?’
“那么你意思是说这些就是你打算给我的吗？”

‘It is all I CAN give you,’ said my aunt. —
“这是我能给的全部，”我的阿姨说。 —

‘You know I have had losses, and am poorer than I used to be. I have told you so. —
“你知道我有过损失，比以前穷了。我告诉过你了。” —

Having got it, why do you give me the pain of looking at you for another moment, and seeing what you have become?’
“既然得到了，为什么要让我再忍受看着你一会儿，看看你变成了什么样子？”他说。

‘I have become shabby enough, if you mean that,’ he said. ‘I lead the life of an owl.’
“如果你是说我变得衣衫褴褛了，那我是够破烂的了，”他说。“我过着猫头鹰般的生活。”

‘You stripped me of the greater part of all I ever had,’ said my aunt. —
‘你剥夺了我曾拥有的大部分,‘我阿姨说。 —

‘You closed my heart against the whole world, years and years. —
‘你让我心向整个世界关闭了多年。 —

You treated me falsely, ungratefully, and cruelly. Go, and repent of it. —
你对待我虚伪、不感激和残忍。去忏悔吧。 —

Don’t add new injuries to the long, long list of injuries you have done me!’
不要在你给我的伤害清单上再添新的伤害!’

‘Aye!’ he returned. ‘It’s all very fine - Well! —
‘是的!‘他回答道。’这都很好 - 好吧! —

I must do the best I can, for the present, I suppose.’
我想我现在只能尽力而为.’

In spite of himself, he appeared abashed by my aunt’s indignant tears, and came slouching out of the garden. —
尽管他本来装作若无其事，但似乎还是被我阿姨愤怒的眼泪所羞辱，颓废地走出了花园。 —

Taking two or three quick steps, as if I had just come up, I met him at the gate, and went in as he came out. —
快速地迈开几步，仿佛我刚走来，我在门口遇见了他，他正走出来。 —

We eyed one another narrowly in passing, and with no favour.
我们在路过时互相狭隘地打量着，毫无好感。

‘Aunt,’ said I, hurriedly. ‘This man alarming you again! Let me speak to him. Who is he?’
‘阿姨,‘我匆忙地说。’这个人再次让你惊扰了!让我去和他谈谈。他是谁?’

‘Child,’ returned my aunt, taking my arm, ‘come in, and don’t speak to me for ten minutes.’
‘孩子,‘我阿姨说，拉着我的胳膊。’进来，十分钟内别跟我说话.’

We sat down in her little parlour. My aunt retired behind the round green fan of former days, which was screwed on the back of a chair, and occasionally wiped her eyes, for about a quarter of an hour. —
我们坐在她的小客厅里。我阿姨在昔日那把固定在椅子背上的绿色圆扇后退，不时擦拭着眼睛，大约一个钟头。 —

Then she came out, and took a seat beside me.
然后她出来，坐在我旁边。

‘Trot,’ said my aunt, calmly, ‘it’s my husband.’
‘特洛特,‘我阿姨平静地说。’他是我丈夫。’

‘Your husband, aunt? I thought he had been dead!’
‘你的丈夫，阿姨？我以为他已经去世了！’

‘Dead to me,’ returned my aunt, ‘but living.’
“对我来说，他已经死了，”我的姑姑回答道，“但还活着。”

I sat in silent amazement.
我静静地坐在那里，惊讶不已。

‘Betsey Trotwood don’t look a likely subject for the tender passion,’ said my aunt, composedly, ‘but the time was, Trot, when she believed in that man most entirely. —
“贝茜·特洛伍德看起来不像是一个易于动情的对象，”我姑姑平静地说道，“但有一段时间，特洛特，她是那么全心全意地相信那个男人。 —

When she loved him, Trot, right well. When there was no proof of attachment and affection that she would not have given him. —
当她爱他的时候，特洛特，是真心地爱他。没有证据显示出她愿意不付出的忠诚与爱情。 —

He repaid her by breaking her fortune, and nearly breaking her heart. —
他却用背叛她的财产，几乎背叛了她的心。 —

So she put all that sort of sentiment, once and for ever, in a grave, and filled it up, and flattened it down.’
所以她将所有那种感情，一劳永逸地埋在坟墓里，填平，压平。”

‘My dear, good aunt!’
“我亲爱的好姨妈！”

‘I left him,’ my aunt proceeded, laying her hand as usual on the back of mine, ‘generously. —
“我离开了他，”我的姑姑继续说，照例把手放在我的背上，“慷慨地。 —

I may say at this distance of time, Trot, that I left him generously. —
我可以说，回想起这段时间，特洛特，我当时慷慨地离开了他。 —

He had been so cruel to me, that I might have effected a separation on easy terms for myself; —
他对我如此残忍，我本可以为了自己轻易地实现分离； —

but I did not. He soon made ducks and drakes of what I gave him, sank lower and lower, married another woman, I believe, became an adventurer, a gambler, and a cheat. —
但我没有。他很快把我给他的一切花光，日渐堕落，娶了另一个女人，我相信，成为了一个冒险家、赌徒和骗子。 —

What he is now, you see. But he was a fine-looking man when I married him,’ said my aunt, with an echo of her old pride and admiration in her tone; —
你看到他现在的样子。但当我嫁给他的时候，他是个英俊的男人，”我姑姑说，语气中还带有她旧时的骄傲和钦佩； —

‘and I believed him - I was a fool! - to be the soul of honour!’
“我相信他 - 我真是个傻瓜！ - 是个光荣正直的人！”

She gave my hand a squeeze, and shook her head.
她握着我的手，摇了摇头。

‘He is nothing to me now, Trot- less than nothing. —
“现在他对我来说什么都不是，特洛特—不，还不如什么都不是。” —

But, sooner than have him punished for his offences (as he would be if he prowled about in this country), I give him more money than I can afford, at intervals when he reappears, to go away. —
但是，我宁愿让他逍遥法外，也不愿因其罪行而受惩罚（如果他在这个国家四处游荡的话），每当他再次出现时，我会给他比我负担得起的更多钱，让他离开。 —

I was a fool when I married him; and I am so far an incurable fool on that subject, that, for the sake of what I once believed him to be, I wouldn’t have even this shadow of my idle fancy hardly dealt with. —
我在嫁给他时很傻，对这件事情我如此执着，以至于为了我曾经认为他是的那个人，我也不愿看到这个我虚构的幻影受到严厉对待。 —

For I was in earnest, Trot, if ever a woman was.’
特洛特，如果有女人是认真的话，那我就是认真的。

MY aunt dismissed the matter with a heavy sigh, and smoothed her dress.
我姨妈用沉重的叹息摒弃了这件事，整理了一下衣服。

‘There, my dear!’ she said. ‘Now you know the beginning, middle, and end, and all about it. —
“好了，亲爱的！”她说。“现在你知道了始末，了解了一切。” —

We won’t mention the subject to one another any more; —
我们不会再彼此提起这个话题； —

neither, of course, will you mention it to anybody else. —
当然，你也不会把这事告诉别人。 —

This is my grumpy, frumpy story, and we’ll keep it to ourselves, Trot!’
这是我的愤闷沮丧的故事，我们对外保密，特洛特！