No need, O Steerforth, to have said, when we last spoke together, in that hour which I so little deemed to be our parting-hour - no need to have said, ‘Think of me at my best!’ —
你不必在我们最后一次交谈时说，“把我记住在最好的时候！” —

I had done that ever; and could I change now, looking on this sight!
我一直都在这样做；现在我能改变吗，看着这一幕！

They brought a hand-bier, and laid him on it, and covered him with a flag, and took him up and bore him on towards the houses. —
他们拿来一把担架，把他放上去，盖上一面旗帜，然后抬起他朝着房屋前进。 —

All the men who carried him had known him, and gone sailing with him, and seen him merry and bold. —
挑担架的人都认识他，曾与他一起航行，见他欢乐而勇敢。 —

They carried him through the wild roar, a hush in the midst of all the tumult; and took him to the cottage where Death was already.
他们穿过嘈杂的喧哗，闹市中安静的一角；把他带到了已经有死神在的小屋前。

But when they set the bier down on the threshold, they looked at one another, and at me, and whispered. —
但当他们把担架放在门槛上时，他们互相看了看，看了看我，然后低声说了些什么。 —

I knew why. They felt as if it were not right to lay him down in the same quiet room.
我知道他们为什么这样，他们感觉好像不该把他放在同一间安静的屋里。

We went into the town, and took our burden to the inn. —
我们进了镇子，把我们的重担带到了旅馆。 —

So soon as I could at all collect my thoughts, I sent for Joram, and begged him to provide me a conveyance in which it could be got to London in the night. —
我能稍微冷静下来时，就派人去找乔拉姆，并请求他为我准备一辆夜间从这里送到伦敦的交通工具。 —

I knew that the care of it, and the hard duty of preparing his mother to receive it, could only rest with me; —
我知道照料及艰难的准备让他的母亲见到它只能靠我； —

and I was anxious to discharge that duty as faithfully as I could.
而我也急于尽可能忠实地履行这份责任。

I chose the night for the journey, that there might be less curiosity when I left the town. —
我选择了夜晚出发，希望离开镇子时能减少好奇。 —

But, although it was nearly midnight when I came out of the yard in a chaise, followed by what I had in charge, there were many people waiting. —
但是，即使我在午夜时分坐在一辆马车中离开庭院，跟随着我的责任物品，还是有许多人在等待。 —

At intervals, along the town, and even a little way out upon the road, I saw more: —
在城镇的间隔及甚至稍微远一点的路上，我看到更多的人： —

but at length only the bleak night and the open country were around me, and the ashes of my youthful friendship.
但最终只有荒凉的夜晚和开阔的乡间包围着我，我年少时友情的残灰。

Upon a mellow autumn day, about noon, when the ground was perfumed by fallen leaves, and many more, in beautiful tints of yellow, red, and brown, yet hung upon the trees, through which the sun was shining, I arrived at Highgate. —
在一个秋日的午后，当地面被落叶香气所弥漫时，还有许多黄色、红色和棕色美丽的叶子挂在树上，阳光透过这些叶子照耀下来，我到达了海盖特。 —

I walked the last mile, thinking as I went along of what I had to do; —
我走着最后一英里的路，一边走一边思考自己要做的事情； —

and left the carriage that had followed me all through the night, awaiting orders to advance.
并留下一辆跟随我整夜的马车，等待命令前进。

The house, when I came up to it, looked just the same. Not a blind was raised; —
当我走近的时候，这座房子看起来依然一样。没有一扇窗帘被拉起； —

no sign of life was in the dull paved court, with its covered way leading to the disused door. —
在沉闷的铺砌庭院里没有任何生机，那里的有顶走廊通向那个废弃的门。 —

The wind had quite gone down, and nothing moved.
风已经完全停了，一片寂静。

I had not, at first, the courage to ring at the gate; —
起初我没有勇气去按门铃； —

and when I did ring, my errand seemed to me to be expressed in the very sound of the bell. —
当我按铃时，我的使命似乎在铃声中得到了表达。 —

The little parlour-maid came out, with the key in her hand; —
小女仆拿着钥匙出来， —

and looking earnestly at me as she unlocked the gate, said:
她打开大门时，认真地看着我，说：

‘I beg your pardon, sir. Are you ill?’
“对不起，先生。您不舒服吗？”

‘I have been much agitated, and am fatigued.’
“我很激动，而且很累了。”

‘Is anything the matter, sir? - Mr. James? -’ ‘Hush!’ —
“有什么事吗，先生？-詹姆斯先生？-” “嘘！” —

said I. ‘Yes, something has happened, that I have to break to Mrs. Steerforth. She is at home?’
我说。”是的，发生了一些事，我得告诉斯迪福夫人。她在家吗？”

The girl anxiously replied that her mistress was very seldom out now, even in a carriage; —
女孩焦虑地回答说，她的主人现在很少出门，甚至不乘马车； —

that she kept her room; that she saw no company, but would see me. —
她呆在房间里；她不招待客人，但会见我。 —

Her mistress was up, she said, and Miss Dartle was with her. —
她说她的主人醒了，达特尔小姐在她那里。 —

What message should she take upstairs?
她应该送什么消息上楼？

Giving her a strict charge to be careful of her manner, and only to carry in my card and say I waited, I sat down in the drawing-room (which we had now reached) until she should come back. —
我严令她小心处理，只带上我的名片，告诉她我在等待，然后坐在客厅里（我们现在到达了）等她回来。 —

Its former pleasant air of occupation was gone, and the shutters were half closed. —
曾经那个愉快的气氛已经消失，百叶窗半关着。 —

The harp had not been used for many and many a day. His picture, as a boy, was there. —
竖琴已经很久没用过了。他小时候的照片还在那里。 —

The cabinet in which his mother had kept his letters was there. —
他母亲保存他信件的橱柜还在那里。 —

I wondered if she ever read them now; if she would ever read them more!
我想知道她是否现在还会读它们；她是否还会读得更多！

The house was so still that I heard the girl’s light step upstairs. —
房子里一片寂静，我听到楼上女孩轻快的脚步声。 —

On her return, she brought a message, to the effect that Mrs. Steerforth was an invalid and could not come down; —
她回来时带来了一条消息，说斯提福斯夫人病了不能下来； —

but that if I would excuse her being in her chamber, she would be glad to see me. —
但如果我能原谅她在房间里，她会很高兴见我。 —

In a few moments I stood before her.
几分钟后我站在了她面前。

She was in his room; not in her own. I felt, of course, that she had taken to occupy it, in remembrance of him; —
她在他的房间里；而不是自己的。我当然知道她是为了纪念他才占据了这个房间； —

and that the many tokens of his old sports and accomplishments, by which she was surrounded, remained there, just as he had left them, for the same reason. —
她周围被他的旧运动和成就的许多标志围绕着，恍如他刚离开那样保留着，出于同样的原因。 —

She murmured, however, even in her reception of me, that she was out of her own chamber because its aspect was unsuited to her infirmity; —
然而，即使在接待我的时候，她低声说她不在自己的房间，因为那里的环境不适合她的病弱； —

and with her stately look repelled the least suspicion of the truth.
她威严的神情却排斥了对真相的最微小怀疑。

At her chair, as usual, was Rosa Dartle. From the first moment of her dark eyes resting on me, I saw she knew I was the bearer of evil tidings. —
和往常一样，坐在她椅子上的是罗莎·达特尔。从她的深邃目光第一次落在我身上，我就看出她知道我是带来不幸消息的人。 —

The scar sprung into view that instant. She withdrew herself a step behind the chair, to keep her own face out of Mrs. Steerforth’s observation; —
伤疤在那一瞬间显露出来。她退到椅子后面一步，避开斯提福斯夫人的视线； —

and scrutinized me with a piercing gaze that never faltered, never shrunk.
并用一种锐利的目光审视着我，从未犹豫，从未退缩。

‘I am sorry to observe you are in mourning, sir,’ said Mrs. Steerforth.
“很抱歉看到你在服丧，先生，”斯提福斯夫人说。

‘I am unhappily a widower,’ said I.
“我不幸是个鳏夫，”我说。

‘You are very young to know so great a loss,’ she returned. —
“你年纪很轻就遭受如此巨大的损失，”她回答。 —

‘I am grieved to hear it. I am grieved to hear it. —
‘听到这个消息我感到悲伤。我感到悲伤。’ —

I hope Time will be good to you.’
‘希望时间对你有益。’

‘I hope Time,’ said I, looking at her, ‘will be good to all of us. —
‘我希望时间，’我看着她说，’对我们每个人都有益。 —

Dear Mrs. Steerforth, we must all trust to that, in our heaviest misfortunes.’
‘亲爱的史迪福夫人，我们在最重大的不幸中都必须相信时间.’

The earnestness of my manner, and the tears in my eyes, alarmed her. —
我的态度认真，眼泪夺眶而出，让她感到惊恐。 —

The whole course of her thoughts appeared to stop, and change.
她整个思绪似乎停止了，改变了方向。

I tried to command my voice in gently saying his name, but it trembled. —
我尝试控制声音，在轻声说出他的名字时，声音微微颤抖。 —

She repeated it to herself, two or three times, in a low tone. —
她低声自言自语地重复了两三次。 —

Then, addressing me, she said, with enforced calmness:
然后，她强装镇定地对我说：

‘My son is ill.’
‘我儿子病了。’

‘Very ill.’
‘非常病了。’

‘You have seen him?’
‘你见过他?’

‘I have.’
‘我见过。’

‘Are you reconciled?’
‘你们和好了吗?’

I could not say Yes, I could not say No. She slightly turned her head towards the spot where Rosa Dartle had been standing at her elbow, and in that moment I said, by the motion of my lips, to Rosa, ‘Dead!’
我无法说是，也无法说不是。她微微转头看向罗莎·达特尔一直站在她身边的地方，就在那一刻我用我的嘴唇动作对罗莎说，’去世了!’

That Mrs. Steerforth might not be induced to look behind her, and read, plainly written, what she was not yet prepared to know, I met her look quickly; —
为了不让斯蒂福斯夫人转身看到并清楚地读到她尚未准备好知晓的事实，我迅速遇到了她的目光； —

but I had seen Rosa Dartle throw her hands up in the air with vehemence of despair and horror, and then clasp them on her face.
但我看到罗莎·达特勒用绝望和恐惧的激烈手势扔起了手，然后捂住了脸。

The handsome lady - so like, oh so like! - regarded me with a fixed look, and put her hand to her forehead. —
那位漂亮的女士 - 如此相似，哦如此相似！-用一种坚定的目光看着我，并把手放在额头上。 —

I besought her to be calm, and prepare herself to bear what I had to tell; —
我请求她保持冷静，并准备好接受我要告诉她的消息； —

but I should rather have entreated her to weep, for she sat like a stone figure.
但我宁愿请求她哭泣，因为她坐得像一尊石头般的雕像。

‘When I was last here,’ I faltered, ‘Miss Dartle told me he was sailing here and there. —
‘上次我在这里时,‘我结结巴巴地说,‘达特勒小姐告诉我他在这里那里航行。’ —

The night before last was a dreadful one at sea. —
前天晚上海上的情况很糟糕。 —

If he were at sea that night, and near a dangerous coast, as it is said he was; —
如果那天晚上他在海上，并且靠近一个危险的海岸，就像人们所说的那样； —

and if the vessel that was seen should really be the ship which -’
如果那艘被看到的船真的就是那艘 -’

‘Rosa!’ said Mrs. Steerforth, ‘come to me!’
“罗莎！”斯蒂福斯夫人说，“过来！”

She came, but with no sympathy or gentleness. —
她走过来，但没有任何同情或柔和。 —

Her eyes gleamed like fire as she confronted his mother, and broke into a frightful laugh.
当她面对他的母亲，眼睛像火一样闪闪发光，她突然爆发出可怕的笑声。

‘Now,’ she said, ‘is your pride appeased, you madwoman? —
‘现在，’她说，’你的骄傲得到了平息，你这个疯女人？ —

Now has he made atonement to you - with his life! —
现在他已经以他的生命来赎罪给你！ —

Do you hear? - His life!’
你听到了吗？-他的生命！”

Mrs. Steerforth, fallen back stiffly in her chair, and making no sound but a moan, cast her eyes upon her with a wide stare.
斯蒂尔福夫人僵硬地倒在椅子上，只发出呻吟声，睁大眼睛瞪着她。

‘Aye!’ cried Rosa, smiting herself passionately on the breast, ‘look at me! —
“是啊！”罗莎情绪激动地击打着胸膛，“看着我！ —

Moan, and groan, and look at me! Look here!’ —
呻吟，哀叹，看着我！看这里！” —

striking the scar, ‘at your dead child’s handiwork!’
她敲击着伤疤，“看看你死去孩子的作为！”

The moan the mother uttered, from time to time, went to My heart. Always the same. —
母亲不时发出的哀叹深深触动了我的心。总是一样。 —

Always inarticulate and stifled. Always accompanied with an incapable motion of the head, but with no change of face. —
总是无法言喻和压抑。总是伴随着头部无法的微动，但脸上却没有变化。 —

Always proceeding from a rigid mouth and closed teeth, as if the jaw were locked and the face frozen up in pain.
总是从僵硬的嘴巴和合上的牙齿发出，仿佛下巴被锁住，脸部被疼痛冻结。

‘Do you remember when he did this?’ she proceeded. —
“你记得他什么时候做了这个吗？”她继续说。 —

‘Do you remember when, in his inheritance of your nature, and in your pampering of his pride and passion, he did this, and disfigured me for life? —
“你还记得吗，当他继承了你的本性，你纵容他的自尊和激情，他做了这个，永远毁了我的容貌？ —

Look at me, marked until I die with his high displeasure; —
看着我，被他的愤怒标记直到我死去； —

and moan and groan for what you made him!’
为你对他的培养呻吟，为你的败坏呻吟，为你失去他而呻吟，为我的而呻吟！”

‘Miss Dartle,’ I entreated her. ‘For Heaven’s sake -’
“达特尔小姐，求求你。”我恳求她。“愿上帝保佑——”

‘I WILL speak!’ she said, turning on me with her lightning eyes. ‘Be silent, you! —
“我要说话！”她闪烁着闪电般的眼睛转向我。“你闭嘴！ —

Look at me, I say, proud mother of a proud, false son! —
看着我，我说，一个骄傲儿子的骄傲的母亲！ —

Moan for your nurture of him, moan for your corruption of him, moan for your loss of him, moan for mine!’
为你对他的培育而呻吟，为你对他的败坏而呻吟，为你失去他而呻吟，为我的而呻吟！”

She clenched her hand, and trembled through her spare, worn figure, as if her passion were killing her by inches.
她握紧了手，肌肉因激动而颤抖，仿佛激情正在逐渐消磨她。

‘You, resent his self-will!’ she exclaimed. ‘You, injured by his haughty temper! —
‘你，对他的固执自我感到愤恨！’她喊道。’你，受到他傲慢脾气的伤害！ —

You, who opposed to both, when your hair was grey, the qualities which made both when you gave him birth! —
在你年老时，当他出生时赋予他的那些品质，现在你却反对他！ —

YOU, who from his cradle reared him to be what he was, and stunted what he should have been! —
你，从他还是个婴儿时就抚养他成为他现在的样子，却限制了他本应该成为的样子！ —

Are you rewarded, now, for your years of trouble?’
你为你多年的辛劳得到了什么回报呢？

‘Oh, Miss Dartle, shame! Oh cruel!’
‘哦，达特尔小姐，太可耻了！太残忍了！’

‘I tell you,’ she returned, ‘I WILL speak to her. —
‘我告诉你，’她回答道，’我一定会跟她说。 —

No power on earth should stop me, while I was standing here! —
在我站在这里的时候，地上没有任何力量可以阻止我！ —

Have I been silent all these years, and shall I not speak now? —
这么多年来我沉默无言，现在难道不能开口吗？ —

I loved him better than you ever loved him!’ turning on her fiercely. —
我比你更爱他！’她转身猛烈地对她说。 —

‘I could have loved him, and asked no return. —
‘我本可以爱他，无需回报。 —

If I had been his wife, I could have been the slave of his caprices for a word of love a year. —
如果我是他的妻子，我本可以为了一句爱的话，每年甘心成为他任意摆布的奴隶。 —

I should have been. Who knows it better than I? You were exacting, proud, punctilious, selfish. —
我本可以。谁比我更清楚？你要求严格，骄傲自私。 —

My love would have been devoted - would have trod your paltry whimpering under foot!’
我的爱将是忠诚的，会踩碎你那些微不足道的耍性子！’

With flashing eyes, she stamped upon the ground as if she actually did it.
她瞪大眼睛，仿佛真的在地上踩踏着。

‘Look here!’ she said, striking the scar again, with a relentless hand. —
“‘看这里！’她说，毫不留情地再次抚摸着那道伤疤。 —

‘When he grew into the better understanding of what he had done, he saw it, and repented of it! —
“当他开始更清楚地了解自己做了什么时，他看到了，并为此感到后悔！ —

I could sing to him, and talk to him, and show the ardour that I felt in all he did, and attain with labour to such knowledge as most interested him; —
“我可以为他唱歌，和他谈话，表现出我在他所做的一切中所感受到的热情，并通过努力获得他最感兴趣的知识； —

and I attracted him. When he was freshest and truest, he loved me. Yes, he did! —
“我吸引了他。当他最为真挚，最为真实时，他爱过我。是的，他爱过！ —

Many a time, when you were put off with a slight word, he has taken Me to his heart!’
“很多时候，在你因为一句轻浮的话而生气的时候，他把我放在心里！

She said it with a taunting pride in the midst of her frenzy - for it was little less - yet with an eager remembrance of it, in which the smouldering embers of a gentler feeling kindled for the moment.
“她在疯狂的情绪中说着这句话，带着一种挑衅的自豪感 - 实际上大有些疯狂 - 然而在回忆之中充满了急切，那是一种对更温柔感觉重新燃起的火焰。

‘I descended - as I might have known I should, but that he fascinated me with his boyish courtship - into a doll, a trifle for the occupation of an idle hour, to be dropped, and taken up, and trifled with, as the inconstant humour took him. —
“我沉沦了 - 如同我本该知道我会，但他用他那少年的追求吸引了我 - 成了一个玩偶，一件消遣空闲时光的小物件，被拿起，被放下，被随心所欲地摆弄。 —

When he grew weary, I grew weary. As his fancy died out, I would no more have tried to strengthen any power I had, than I would have married him on his being forced to take me for his wife. —
“当他开始感到厌倦，我也开始感到厌倦了。随着他的幻想褪去，我绝不会试图增强我拥有的任何力量，就像我根本不会因为被迫与他结婚而嫁给他一样。 —

We fell away from one another without a word. Perhaps you saw it, and were not sorry. —
“我们毫无交流地疏远了。也许你看到了，并不觉得难过。 —

Since then, I have been a mere disfigured piece of furniture between you both; —
“自那时起，我只是你们两个之间一件丑陋的家具； —

having no eyes, no ears, no feelings, no remembrances. Moan? Moan for what you made him; —
“没有眼睛，没有耳朵，没有感觉，没有回忆。哭泣？哭泣是因为你们让他变成了那样； —

not for your love. I tell you that the time was, when I loved him better than you ever did!’
“不是因为你们的爱。我告诉你，曾经有一段时间，我比你更爱他！

She stood with her bright angry eyes confronting the wide stare, and the set face; —
“她站在那里，她明亮而愤怒的双眼直勾勾地对着那张茫然的脸和僵硬的表情； —

and softened no more, when the moaning was repeated, than if the face had been a picture.
“当那声哀鸣再次响起时，她并没有软化，就像面前是一幅画作一样。

‘Miss Dartle,’ said I, ‘if you can be so obdurate as not to feel for this afflicted mother -’
“‘达特尔小姐，’我说，‘如果你可以如此冷酷无情，连这个受苦的母亲都不为之感到同情 -’”

‘Who feels for me?’ she sharply retorted. ‘She has sown this. —
“谁为我感到难过？”她尖锐地反驳道。“她种下了这个。” —

Let her moan for the harvest that she reaps today!’
“让她为今天收获的果实哀叹吧！”

‘And if his faults -’ I began.
“如果他的过错-”我开始说。

‘Faults!’ she cried, bursting into passionate tears. ‘Who dares malign him? —
“过错！”她喊道，激动地泣不成声。“谁敢诋毁他？ —

He had a soul worth millions of the friends to whom he stooped!’
他的灵魂值得比他屈尊之友们百万倍！”我回答道。

‘No one can have loved him better, no one can hold him in dearer remembrance than I,’ I replied. —
“没有人能比我更爱他，没有人能比我更珍惜他的记忆”，我回答道。 —

‘I meant to say, if you have no compassion for his mother; —
“我是想说，如果你对他的母亲没有同情心； —

or if his faults - you have been bitter on them -’
或者如果他的过错-你对他们很苛刻-”

‘It’s false,’ she cried, tearing her black hair; ‘I loved him!’
“那是假的，”她喊道，撕扯着她的黑发；“我爱过他！”

’- if his faults cannot,’ I went on, ‘be banished from your remembrance, in such an hour; —
“-如果他的过错不能从你的记忆中消除，在这样一个时刻； —

look at that figure, even as one you have never seen before, and render it some help!’
看着那个身影，就像你从未见过的一个人，并给予一些帮助！”

All this time, the figure was unchanged, and looked unchangeable. Motionless, rigid, staring; —
所有这段时间，那个身影没有变化，看上去不可改变。静止，僵硬，凝视着； —

moaning in the same dumb way from time to time, with the same helpless motion of the head; —
时不时用同样无助的头部运动，以同样无助的方式呻吟。达特尔小姐突然跪在它面前，开始解开衣服。 —

but giving no other sign of life. Miss Dartle suddenly kneeled down before it, and began to loosen the dress.
“诅咒你！”她看着我周围，带着愤怒和悲伤的混合表情说。

‘A curse upon you!’ she said, looking round at me, with a mingled expression of rage and grief. —
“或者如果他的过错-你对他们很苛刻-” —

‘It was in an evil hour that you ever came here! A curse upon you! Go!’
‘你来这里真是个不吉利的时刻！诅咒你！走吧！’

After passing out of the room, I hurried back to ring the bell, the sooner to alarm the servants. —
离开房间后，我赶紧回去按铃，尽快警告仆人。 —

She had then taken the impassive figure in her arms, and, still upon her knees, was weeping over it, kissing it, calling to it, rocking it to and fro upon her bosom like a child, and trying every tender means to rouse the dormant senses. —
她接着抱起那个毫无生气的身体，仍跪在地上，抱着它哭泣，亲吻它，呼唤它，像对待一个孩子一样在怀里摇晃着，试图用各种温柔手段唤醒它沉睡的感官。 —

No longer afraid of leaving her, I noiselessly turned back again; —
我再也不怕离开她，无声地又转身回去了。 —

and alarmed the house as I went out.
并在离开时警报了整个房子。

Later in the day, I returned, and we laid him in his mother’s room. —
当天晚些时候，我回来了，我们把他放在了他母亲的房间。 —

She was just the same, they told me; Miss Dartle never left her; —
他们告诉我她还是那个样子；达特尔小姐从未离开过她；医生们一直在照料，尝试了很多方法； —

doctors were in attendance, many things had been tried; —
但她整天除了偶尔发出低低声音外，像雕像一样躺着。 —

but she lay like a statue, except for the low sound now and then.
我走过这个阴郁的房子，把窗户都遮住了。

I went through the dreary house, and darkened the windows. —
他躺着的那间房间的窗户，是我最后遮住的。 —

The windows of the chamber where he lay, I darkened last. —
我把那沉重的手抬起来，放在心口； —

I lifted up the leaden hand, and held it to my heart; —
此时整个世界似乎只有死寂，被他母亲的呻吟打破。 —

and all the world seemed death and silence, broken only by his mother’s moaning.
我谨小心地出了门。