The year came round to Christmas-time, and I had been at home above two months. —
圣诞节来临了，我已经在家里呆了两个多月。 —

I had seen Agnes frequently. However loud the general voice might be in giving me encouragement, and however fervent the emotions and endeavours to which it roused me, I heard her lightest word of praise as I heard nothing else.
我经常见到了阿格尼丝。不管别人怎么大声地鼓励我，怎么激发我的情感和努力，我听到她一句轻描淡写的称赞，就觉得别的都不重要了。

At least once a week, and sometimes oftener, I rode over there, and passed the evening. —
每周至少一次，有时更频繁，我骑马去那里，然后在那里度过晚上。 —

I usually rode back at night; for the old unhappy sense was always hovering about me now - most sorrowfully when I left her - and I was glad to be up and out, rather than wandering over the past in weary wakefulness or miserable dreams. —
我通常在夜里骑马回去；因为那种老旧而不幸的感觉现在总是萦绕在我周围 - 当我离开她时最为悲伤。我很高兴能够起床外出，而不是在疲惫的清醒或悲伤的梦中漫步回忆过去。 —

I wore away the longest part of many wild sad nights, in those rides; —
我在那些骑行中度过了很多荒凉悲伤的夜晚的最长时光； —

reviving, as I went, the thoughts that had occupied me in my long absence.
在骑行中，我重新唤起了在我长时间离开时曾占据我的思绪。

Or, if I were to say rather that I listened to the echoes of those thoughts, I should better express the truth. —
或者，我应该说我倾听了那些思绪的回音，这样表达会更为准确。 —

They spoke to me from afar off. I had put them at a distance, and accepted my inevitable place. —
它们从远处告诉我。我已经把它们放在了远处，并接受了我无法改变的位置。 —

When I read to Agnes what I wrote; when I saw her listening face; moved her to smiles or tears; —
当我向阿格尼丝朗读我写的东西时，当我看到她倾听的脸庞；使她笑或流泪； —

and heard her cordial voice so earnest on the shadowy events of that imaginative world in which I lived; —
听到她热情的声音在那个我生活的想象世界的阴影事件上如此认真； —

I thought what a fate mine might have been - but only thought so, as I had thought after I was married to Dora, what I could have wished my wife to be.
我想到了我的命运可能会是怎样的 - 但只是想着而已，就像结婚后我曾想过自己希望妻子成为什么一样。

My duty to Agnes, who loved me with a love, which, if I disquieted, I wronged most selfishly and poorly, and could never restore; —
对爱着我，如果让我不安，我就是最自私和可怜的人，而我永远无法赔偿的阿格尼丝的责任； —

my matured assurance that I, who had worked out my own destiny, and won what I had impetuously set my heart on, had no right to murmur, and must bear; —
我成熟的信念，我已经扮演了自己的命运，并赢得了内心热切追求的东西，我没有权利抱怨，必须承受； —

comprised what I felt and what I had learned. But I loved her: —
包括我所感受到的和我所学到的。但我爱她： —

and now it even became some consolation to me, vaguely to conceive a distant day when I might blamelessly avow it; —
现在甚至开始对我有些安慰，隐隐约约地想象着远方的一天，当我可能毫无过错地承认它时； —

when all this should be over; when I could say ‘Agnes, so it was when I came home; —
当这一切应该结束时，我才能说：“阿格尼丝，就是在我回家的时候，是这样的； —

and now I am old, and I never have loved since!’
现在我已经老了，从那时起我再也没有爱过！”

She did not once show me any change in herself. —
她自己从未对我展现过任何改变。 —

What she always had been to me, she still was; wholly unaltered.
她对我的一贯态度，她依然如故；完全没有改变。

Between my aunt and me there had been something, in this connexion, since the night of my return, which I cannot call a restraint, or an avoidance of the subject, so much as an implied understanding that we thought of it together, but did not shape our thoughts into words. —
在我和阿姨之间，在这方面自我认识上，自从我回来的那个夜晚以来，有一种联系，我不能称之为约束，或是避讳该话题，而更像是一个默认的了解，我们一起想到了这一点，但没有用言语表达出来。 —

When, according to our old custom, we sat before the fire at night, we often fell into this train; —
当我们按照我们的老习惯在夜晚坐在火炉前时，我们经常会陷入这种想法中； —

as naturally, and as consciously to each other, as if we had unreservedly said so. —
就像是自然而又心照不宣地，我们好像已经无保留地这么说了。 —

But we preserved an unbroken silence. I believed that she had read, or partly read, my thoughts that night; —
但我们保持着一种沉默。我相信那晚她读懂了，或者部分读懂了我的想法； —

and that she fully comprehended why I gave mine no more distinct expression.
她完全明白我为什么不再表达更清晰的心意。

This Christmas-time being come, and Agnes having reposed no new confidence in me, a doubt that had several times arisen in my mind - whether she could have that perception of the true state of my breast, which restrained her with the apprehension of giving me pain - began to oppress me heavily. —
圣诞节即将到来，阿格尼丝没有对我表达新的信任，我的脑海里几次浮现一个疑问 - 她是否能摸到我内心真正状态的感应，这种感应让她担心会给我带来痛苦，这疑惑开始沉重地压在我心头。 —

If that were so, my sacrifice was nothing; my plainest obligation to her unfulfilled; —
如果真是那样，我的牺牲就毫无意义；我对她最明显的义务未能履行； —

and every poor action I had shrunk from, I was hourly doing. —
我一直在逃避的每一点微不足道的行动，我每时每刻都在做。 —

I resolved to set this right beyond all doubt; —
我决定消除所有的疑虑； —

• if such a barrier were between us, to break it down at once with a determined hand.
  - 如果我们之间确实有这样一道障碍，我就会一锤定音地将其打破。
  

It was - what lasting reason have I to remember it! - a cold, harsh, winter day. —
这是 - 我有什么持久的理由要记住吗！ - 一个寒冷、刺骨的冬日。 —

There had been snow, some hours before; and it lay, not deep, but hard-frozen on the ground. —
过了一些小时前下了雪，不是很厚，但是地面已经结冰了。 —

Out at sea, beyond my window, the wind blew ruggedly from the north. —
在我的窗外，海上风从北方刮来。 —

I had been thinking of it, sweeping over those mountain wastes of snow in Switzerland, then inaccessible to any human foot; —
我一直在想，这风是如何吹过瑞士那些被积雪覆盖的山野，那时还没有人的踪迹； —

and had been speculating which was the lonelier, those solitary regions, or a deserted ocean.
我在思考，孤独的地区是哪个更寂寞，是那些荒无人烟的高山，还是被抛弃的海洋。

‘Riding today, Trot?’ said my aunt, putting her head in at the door.
‘特洛特，今天骑马去吗？’我阿姨探着头问道。

‘Yes,’ said I, ‘I am going over to Canterbury. It’s a good day for a ride.’
‘是的，’我回答道，’我要去坎特伯雷。今天骑马正合适。’

‘I hope your horse may think so too,’ said my aunt; —
‘希望你的马也这么认为，’我阿姨说， —

‘but at present he is holding down his head and his ears, standing before the door there, as if he thought his stable preferable.’
‘但目前他低头低耳地站在门口，似乎认为马厩更好一些。’

My aunt, I may observe, allowed my horse on the forbidden ground, but had not at all relented towards the donkeys.
我阿姨允许我的马进入禁地，但对驴绝不会心软。

‘He will be fresh enough, presently!’ said I.
‘他很快就会有活力的！’我说。

‘The ride will do his master good, at all events,’ observed my aunt, glancing at the papers on my table. —
‘无论如何，出去骑一骑对他的主人有好处，’我阿姨看了看我桌子上的文件。 —

‘Ah, child, you pass a good many hours here! —
‘啊，孩子，你在这里消磨了很多时间！ —

I never thought, when I used to read books, what work it was to write them.’
我以前读书的时候，从来没有想过写作是多么费力。

‘It’s work enough to read them, sometimes,’ I returned. —
‘有时读书本身也是一项工作，’我回答道。 —

‘As to the writing, it has its own charms, aunt.’
‘至于写作，它也有它自己的魅力，阿姨。’

‘Ah! I see!’ said my aunt. ‘Ambition, love of approbation, sympathy, and much more, I suppose? —
“啊！我明白了！”我姑姑说。“野心，对称誉的爱，同情心，还有很多，我想？ —

Well: go along with you!’
“好吧：你继续！

‘Do you know anything more,’ said I, standing composedly before her - she had patted me on the shoulder, and sat down in my chair - ‘of that attachment of Agnes?’
“你知道关于阿格尼丝的那份感情还有什么吗？”我站在她面前，平静地说-她拍了拍我的肩膀，坐在我的椅子上。

She looked up in my face a little while, before replying:
她抬起头看了我一会儿，才回答道：

‘I think I do, Trot.’
“我想我知道，特洛特。

‘Are you confirmed in your impression?’ I inquired.
“你对自己的印象有信心吗？”我问。

‘I think I am, Trot.’
“我想我有，特洛特。

She looked so steadfastly at me: with a kind of doubt, or pity, or suspense in her affection: —
她如此坚定地看着我：带着一种怀疑、怜悯或悬念的感情： —

that I summoned the stronger determination to show her a perfectly cheerful face.
让我下定决心展现出完全快乐的表情。

‘And what is more, Trot -’ said my aunt.
“而且更重要的是，特洛特-“我姑姑说。

‘Yes!’
“是的！

‘I think Agnes is going to be married.’
“我想阿格尼丝要结婚了。

‘God bless her!’ said I, cheerfully.
“上帝保佑她！”我愉快地说。

‘God bless her!’ said my aunt, ‘and her husband too!’
“上帝保佑她！”我姑姑说，“还有她的丈夫！”

I echoed it, parted from my aunt, and went lightly downstairs, mounted, and rode away. —
我重复着这句话，离开了姑姑，轻快地走下楼梯，骑上马，然后骑走。 —

There was greater reason than before to do what I had resolved to do.
比以往更有理由去做我已下定决心要做的事情。

How well I recollect the wintry ride! The frozen particles of ice, brushed from the blades of grass by the wind, and borne across my face; —
我记得那次冬天的骑行是多么清晰！冰冻的颗粒被风刮落自草叶上，划过我的脸； —

the hard clatter of the horse’s hoofs, beating a tune upon the ground; the stiff-tilled soil; —
马蹄的响声清脆，在地面上敲出一曲；土地被耙得坚硬； —

the snowdrift, lightly eddying in the chalk-pit as the breeze ruffled it; —
风吹动粉碎的冰雪在白垩坑中轻轻打旋； —

the smoking team with the waggon of old hay, stopping to breathe on the hill-top, and shaking their bells musically; —
那匹载着旧干草的马车队冒着雾气停在山顶上换气，摇晃着优美的铃铛； —

the whitened slopes and sweeps of Down-land lying against the dark sky, as if they were drawn on a huge slate!
一片白雪覆盖的山坡在黑暗的天空下展现，仿佛被画在巨大的黑板上！

I found Agnes alone. The little girls had gone to their own homes now, and she was alone by the fire, reading. —
我发现艾格尼丝独自一人。小女孩们现在都回到了各自的家中，她独自一人在火炉旁看书。 —

She put down her book on seeing me come in; —
看到我进来，她放下书； —

and having welcomed me as usual, took her work-basket and sat in one of the old-fashioned windows.
在像往常一样欢迎了我之后，拿起了她的针线篮，坐在一扇老式窗边。

I sat beside her on the window-seat, and we talked of what I was doing, and when it would be done, and of the progress I had made since my last visit. —
我坐在窗座旁边，我们谈论我正在做的事情，以及何时能完成，以及自上次来访以来我取得的进展。 —

Agnes was very cheerful; and laughingly predicted that I should soon become too famous to be talked to, on such subjects.
艾格尼丝非常开心；笑着预言我很快会变得太有名而无法再和她聊这些话题。

‘So I make the most of the present time, you see,’ said Agnes, ‘and talk to you while I may.’
‘所以我珍惜现在的时间，你看，’ 艾格尼丝说：’和我一起聊聊天。’

As I looked at her beautiful face, observant of her work, she raised her mild clear eyes, and saw that I was looking at her.
在看她工作时，我看着她美丽的面庞，她抬起了温和而清澈的眼睛，看到我在看她。

‘You are thoughtful today, Trotwood!’
‘特勒伍德，你今天有点心事吗？’

‘Agnes, shall I tell you what about? I came to tell you.’
‘艾格尼丝，我要告诉你是关于什么的吗？我来告诉你。’

She put aside her work, as she was used to do when we were seriously discussing anything; —
她放下手中的工作，这是我们认真讨论任何事情时她习惯做的事情； —

and gave me her whole attention.
并把她的全部注意力放在了我身上。

‘My dear Agnes, do you doubt my being true to you?’
“亲爱的艾格尼丝，你怀疑我对你不忠吗？”

‘No!’ she answered, with a look of astonishment.
“不！”她惊讶地回答道。

‘Do you doubt my being what I always have been to you?’
“你怀疑我对你始终如一吗？”

‘No!’ she answered, as before.
“不！”她像之前一样回答道。

‘Do you remember that I tried to tell you, when I came home, what a debt of gratitude I owed you, dearest Agnes, and how fervently I felt towards you?’
“你记得我回家后试图告诉你，我有多么感激你吗，最亲爱的艾格尼丝，以及我对你多么热切的感情吗？”

‘I remember it,’ she said, gently, ‘very well.’
“我记得，”她轻声说道，“非常清楚。”

‘You have a secret,’ said I. ‘Let me share it, Agnes.’
“你有一个秘密，”我说，“让我分享吧，艾格尼丝。”

She cast down her eyes, and trembled.
她垂下眼睛，颤抖着。

‘I could hardly fail to know, even if I had not heard - but from other lips than yours, Agnes, which seems strange - that there is someone upon whom you have bestowed the treasure of your love. —
“我几乎不可能不知道，即使我没有听到过——不过不是从你的口中，艾格尼丝，这似乎有些奇怪——有人得到了你爱的宝藏。 —

Do not shut me out of what concerns your happiness so nearly! —
不要让我在如此关系到你幸福的事情中被排除在外！ —

If you can trust me, as you say you can, and as I know you may, let me be your friend, your brother, in this matter, of all others!’
如果你可以像你说的那样信任我，我知道你可以，让我成为你在这件事中的朋友，你的兄弟！”

With an appealing, almost a reproachful, glance, she rose from the window; —
她带着一种恳求的，几乎是责备的目光，从窗前站起来； —

and hurrying across the room as if without knowing where, put her hands before her face, and burst into such tears as smote me to the heart.
匆匆穿过房间，似乎不知该往哪里去，捂住脸，泪如泉涌，深深刺痛了我的心。

And yet they awakened something in me, bringing promise to my heart. —
然而他们唤醒了我内心的某种东西，给我带来了希望。 —

Without my knowing why, these tears allied themselves with the quietly sad smile which was so fixed in my remembrance, and shook me more with hope than fear or sorrow.
我不知道为何，这些眼泪与我记忆中那个悲伤的微笑结合在一起，比起恐惧或悲伤更让我感到希望。

‘Agnes! Sister! Dearest! What have I done?’
‘阿格尼丝！姐姐！最亲爱的！我做了什么？’

‘Let me go away, Trotwood. I am not well. I am not myself. —
‘让我离开，特罗特伍德。我不舒服。我不是我自己。 —

I will speak to you by and by - another time. —
我会和你说话的 - 以后再说。 —

I will write to you. Don’t speak to me now. Don’t! don’t!’
我会写信给你的。现在不要和我说话。不要！不要！’

I sought to recollect what she had said, when I had spoken to her on that former night, of her affection needing no return. —
我试图回忆她曾对我说过的话，当我在那个以前的晚上和她对话时，她说她的爱不需要回报。 —

It seemed a very world that I must search through in a moment. —
在一瞬间，我似乎要搜索一个非常广阔的世界。 —

‘Agnes, I cannot bear to see you so, and think that I have been the cause. —
‘阿格尼丝，我不能忍受看到你这样，想到我是原因。 —

My dearest girl, dearer to me than anything in life, if you are unhappy, let me share your unhappiness. —
我最亲爱的女孩，比生命中的任何事物都更珍贵，如果你不快乐，让我分享你的不快乐。 —

If you are in need of help or counsel, let me try to give it to you. —
如果你需要帮助或建议，让我尝试给你。 —

If you have indeed a burden on your heart, let me try to lighten it. —
如果你心中确实有负担，让我尝试减轻它。 —

For whom do I live now, Agnes, if it is not for you!’
如果现在不是为了你，我还为谁活着，阿格尼丝！’

‘Oh, spare me! I am not myself! Another time!’ was all I could distinguish.
‘哦，饶了我吧！我不是我自己！以后再说！’ 这是我能理解到的所有内容。

Was it a selfish error that was leading me away? —
我在被带走的时候犯了一个自私的错误吗？ —

Or, having once a clue to hope, was there something opening to me that I had not dared to think of?
或者，一旦对希望有了线索，是否有一些未曾 dared to think of 的东西为我展开呢？

‘I must say more. I cannot let you leave me so! —
‘我必须说得更清楚。不能让你就这样离开我！ —

For Heaven’s sake, Agnes, let us not mistake each other after all these years, and all that has come and gone with them! —
拜托，阿格尼丝，这么多年过去了，发生了那么多事情，让我们不要彼此误会！ —

I must speak plainly. If you have any lingering thought that I could envy the happiness you will confer; —
我必须直言不讳。如果你还有任何遗留的想法，认为我会嫉妒你将带来的幸福； —

that I could not resign you to a dearer protector, of your own choosing; —
认为我不能放手将你交给一个更亲爱的保护者，由你自己选择； —

that I could not, from my removed place, be a contented witness of your joy; —
认为我在我遥远的位置上，不能成为你快乐的见证； —

dismiss it, for I don’t deserve it! I have not suffered quite in vain. —
请放弃吧，我不配！我受过的苦不算白受。 —

You have not taught me quite in vain. There is no alloy of self in what I feel for you.’
我对你的感情中没有一点自私。

She was quiet now. In a little time, she turned her pale face towards me, and said in a low voice, broken here and there, but very clear:
她现在安静了。过了一会儿，她把苍白的脸转向我，用低沉、断断续续但非常清晰的声音说：

‘I owe it to your pure friendship for me, Trotwood - which, indeed, I do not doubt - to tell you, you are mistaken. —
‘我对你纯洁的友谊感激不尽，特罗特伍德 - 我确实毫不怀疑 - 但必须告诉你，你错了。 —

I can do no more. If I have sometimes, in the course of years, wanted help and counsel, they have come to me. —
我无能为力。如果多年来有时需要帮助和忠告，它们已经来到我这里。 —

If I have sometimes been unhappy, the feeling has passed away. —
如果我有时不快乐，那种感觉已经消失了。 —

If I have ever had a burden on my heart, it has been lightened for me. —
如果我曾心中有负担，它已为我减轻。 —

If I have any secret, it is - no new one; and is - not what you suppose. —
如果我有什么秘密，那是 - 不是新的秘密；而且 - 并不是你所设想的那样。 —

I cannot reveal it, or divide it. It has long been mine, and must remain mine.’
我无法揭示它，或分享它。它早就属于我，必须保留归我所有。’

‘Agnes! Stay! A moment!’
‘阿格尼丝！等一等！’

She was going away, but I detained her. I clasped my arm about her waist. ‘In the course of years!’ —
她原想离开，但我拦住了她。我搂住她的腰。“几年来！” —

‘It is not a new one!’ New thoughts and hopes were whirling through my mind, and all the colours of my life were changing.
“这并不是一种新的感觉！”新的想法和希望在我的脑海中翻腾，我的生活的色彩都在改变。

‘Dearest Agnes! Whom I so respect and honour - whom I so devotedly love! —
“最亲爱的阿格尼丝！我如此尊重和敬爱你 - 我如此深深地爱着你！” —

When I came here today, I thought that nothing could have wrested this confession from me. —
我来到这里的时候，我以为什么力量都无法让我做出这样的坦白。 —

I thought I could have kept it in my bosom all our lives, till we were old. —
我本以为我能够把它藏在心底，直到我们白发苍苍。 —

But, Agnes, if I have indeed any new-born hope that I may ever call you something more than Sister, widely different from Sister! -’
但是，阿格尼丝，如果我确实还有一线希望，可以让你更多地成为我生命中的一部分，这将大大不同于姐妹！

Her tears fell fast; but they were not like those she had lately shed, and I saw my hope brighten in them.
她的眼泪如雨般落下，但这不同于她最近流泪的样子，我看到了希望在其中闪耀。

‘Agnes! Ever my guide, and best support! If you had been more mindful of yourself, and less of me, when we grew up here together, I think my heedless fancy never would have wandered from you. —
“阿格尼丝！你一直是我的向导和最可靠的支柱！如果你曾经更留心自己，少关心我，当我们在这里一起长大时，我想我那无心之想可能永远不会偏离你。 —

But you were so much better than I, so necessary to me in every boyish hope and disappointment, that to have you to confide in, and rely upon in everything, became a second nature, supplanting for the time the first and greater one of loving you as I do!’
但你总是比我好得多，对我每一个少年时期的希望和失望都是那么重要，以至于在我一切事情上都依赖你，这成为了第二性情，暂时取代了我如此爱你的第一个更大的性情！”

Still weeping, but not sadly - joyfully! And clasped in my arms as she had never been, as I had thought she never was to be!
她依然哭泣，但这次不再悲伤，而是充满喜悦！她被我搂在怀里，就像从未有过的那样，就像我曾以为她永远不会被搂在怀里一样！

‘When I loved Dora - fondly, Agnes, as you know -’
“当我爱多拉的时候 - 如你所知，我深深爱着她 -”

‘Yes!’ she cried, earnestly. ‘I am glad to know it!’
“是的！”她热切地喊道。“知道这点我感到很高兴！”

‘When I loved her - even then, my love would have been incomplete, without your sympathy. —
“当我爱她的时候 - 即便如此，如果没有你的同情，我的爱会是残缺的。 —

I had it, and it was perfected. And when I lost her, Agnes, what should I have been without you, still!’
我得到了你的同情，我的爱得到了完美。当我失去她时，阿格尼丝，如果没有你，我会是什么样子！”

Closer in my arms, nearer to my heart, her trembling hand upon my shoulder, her sweet eyes shining through her tears, on mine!
在我怀中更近，靠近我心脏，她颤抖的手搭在我的肩上，她甜美的眼睛透过泪光，凝视着我的眼睛！

‘I went away, dear Agnes, loving you. I stayed away, loving you. I returned home, loving you!’
“亲爱的艾格尼丝，我离开时爱着你。我远行时仍爱着你。我归来时，仍然爱你！”

And now, I tried to tell her of the struggle I had had, and the conclusion I had come to. —
现在，我试图告诉她我所经历的挣扎，以及我得出的结论。 —

I tried to lay my mind before her, truly, and entirely. —
我试图真诚地、完全地将我的想法摆在她面前。 —

I tried to show her how I had hoped I had come into the better knowledge of myself and of her; —
我试图告诉她我如何希望我已经更好地认识了自己和她； —

how I had resigned myself to what that better knowledge brought; —
我如何接受了这种更好的认识带来的东西； —

and how I had come there, even that day, in my fidelity to this. —
以及即使在今天，我也依然忠实于这一点。 —

If she did so love me (I said) that she could take me for her husband, she could do so, on no deserving of mine, except upon the truth of my love for her, and the trouble in which it had ripened to be what it was; —
如果她如此爱我（我说），以至于可以嫁给我，那就是基于我对她的真爱，以及我的真诚，而非我任何应得之处； —

and hence it was that I revealed it. And O, Agnes, even out of thy true eyes, in that same time, the spirit of my child-wife looked upon me, saying it was well; —
因此我才揭露了这一切。哦，艾格尼丝，甚至在你那双真实的眼睛里，在那同一时间，我的孩子妻子的精神注视着我，说这样是好的； —

and winning me, through thee, to tenderest recollections of the Blossom that had withered in its bloom!
并且通过你，带领我回忆起那已凋谢的花朵！

‘I am so blest, Trotwood - my heart is so overcharged - but there is one thing I must say.’
“我是如此幸福，特罗特伍德——我的心是如此沉溺——但有一件事我必须说。”

‘Dearest, what?’
“最亲爱的，是什么？”

She laid her gentle hands upon my shoulders, and looked calmly in my face.
她温柔地搭在我的肩上，平静地看着我的脸。

‘Do you know, yet, what it is?’
“你现在明白了吗，是什么事吗？”

‘I am afraid to speculate on what it is. Tell me, my dear.’
“我不敢去推测它是什么。告诉我，我的亲爱。”

‘I have loved you all my life!’
我一生都爱着你！

O, we were happy, we were happy! Our tears were not for the trials (hers so much the greater) through which we had come to be thus, but for the rapture of being thus, never to be divided more!
噢，我们曾经很幸福，我们的眼泪并不是为了我们所经历的考验（尤其是她所经历的更大的考验），而是为了我们成为此刻这般的喜悦，再也不会被分开！

We walked, that winter evening, in the fields together; —
那个冬天的傍晚，我们在田野里一同散步； —

and the blessed calm within us seemed to be partaken by the frosty air. —
我们在一起的那种幸福的宁静似乎也融入了寒冷的空气中。 —

The early stars began to shine while we were lingering on, and looking up to them, we thanked our GOD for having guided us to this tranquillity.
当我们仍在逗留间望着初升的星星时，我们感谢上帝引领我们来到这种宁静。

We stood together in the same old-fashioned window at night, when the moon was shining; —
当月亮照耀时，我们站在同一个老式窗前； —

Agnes with her quiet eyes raised up to it; I following her glance. —
Agnes安静地仰望着它，我跟着她的目光。 —

Long miles of road then opened out before my mind; —
我的脑海里随即展开了漫长的道路； —

and, toiling on, I saw a ragged way-worn boy, forsaken and neglected, who should come to call even the heart now beating against mine, his own.
在这条道路上辛苦求索，我看见一个破旧、疲惫的男孩，被遗弃而被忽视，他将会走来，将那颗此刻正与我的心齐跳的心，视为自己的。

It was nearly dinner-time next day when we appeared before my aunt. —
第二天我们几乎是在午餐时间出现在我阿姨面前。 —

She was up in my study, Peggotty said: which it was her pride to keep in readiness and order for me. —
佩戈蒂说，她在我的书房里，这是她的自豪之处，她为我保持整洁和准备好。 —

We found her, in her spectacles, sitting by the fire.
我们看见她戴着眼镜，坐在火炉旁。

‘Goodness me!’ said my aunt, peering through the dusk, ‘who’s this you’re bringing home?’
‘天哪！’我阿姨透过昏暗说，’你们带回来的是谁？’

‘Agnes,’ said I.
‘是Agnes，’我说。

As we had arranged to say nothing at first, my aunt was not a little discomfited. —
我们之前商定先不说任何话，我阿姨感到不少困扰。 —

She darted a hopeful glance at me, when I said ‘Agnes’; —
她对我投以满怀希望的一瞥，当我说‘Agnes’时； —

but seeing that I looked as usual, she took off her spectacles in despair, and rubbed her nose with them.
但看到我看起来和往常一样，她绝望地摘下眼镜，用它们擦了擦鼻子。

She greeted Agnes heartily, nevertheless; —
尽管如此，她还是热情地和Agnes打招呼； —

and we were soon in the lighted parlour downstairs, at dinner. —
我们很快就在楼下的明亮客厅里吃晚饭了。 —

My aunt put on her spectacles twice or thrice, to take another look at me, but as often took them off again, disappointed, and rubbed her nose with them. —
我姑姑戴了两三次眼镜，再次审视了我一番，但每次都失望地摘下来，又用它们擦了擦鼻子。 —

Much to the discomfiture of Mr. Dick, who knew this to be a bad symptom.
这让Mr. Dick感到很不安。

‘By the by, aunt,’ said I, after dinner; ‘I have been speaking to Agnes about what you told me.’
‘顺便说一下，姑妈，’我在晚饭后说；‘我已经和Agnes谈到了你告诉我的事情。’

‘Then, Trot,’ said my aunt, turning scarlet, ‘you did wrong, and broke your promise.’
‘那么，Trot，’我姑姑红了脸说，‘你做错了，违背了承诺。’

‘You are not angry, aunt, I trust? I am sure you won’t be, when you learn that Agnes is not unhappy in any attachment.’
‘姑妈，你不会生气的，相信我吧？当你知道Agnes对任何感情都不感到不快乐时，你一定不会生气的。’

‘Stuff and nonsense!’ said my aunt.
‘废话，胡说八道！’我姑姑说。

As my aunt appeared to be annoyed, I thought the best way was to cut her annoyance short. —
由于我姑姑似乎有些烦恼，我认为最好的办法是尽快解决她的烦恼。 —

I took Agnes in my arm to the back of her chair, and we both leaned over her. —
我搂着Agnes站到她椅子的背后，我们俩都俯身靠在她身上。 —

My aunt, with one clap of her hands, and one look through her spectacles, immediately went into hysterics, for the first and only time in all my knowledge of her.
我姑姑立刻一拍手，一瞥眼镜，立刻陷入了歇斯底里，这在我对她的所有了解中是头一遭。

The hysterics called up Peggotty. The moment my aunt was restored, she flew at Peggotty, and calling her a silly old creature, hugged her with all her might. —
歇斯底里导致Peggotty赶了过来。我姑姑恢复过来后，她冲向Peggotty，称她是个傻老头，紧紧地拥抱了她。 —

After that, she hugged Mr. Dick (who was highly honoured, but a good deal surprised); —
之后，她又亲了亲Mr.Dick（他备受尊敬，但也很吃惊）。 —

and after that, told them why. Then, we were all happy together.
然后，我告诉他们原因。接着，我们一起欢乐地度过了时光。

I could not discover whether my aunt, in her last short conversation with me, had fallen on a pious fraud, or had really mistaken the state of my mind. —
我无法确定我姑姑在最后与我短暂的交谈中是在虔诚的欺骗，还是真的误解了我的心境。 —

It was quite enough, she said, that she had told me Agnes was going to be married; and that I now knew better than anyone how true it was.
她说，告诉我阿格尼丝要结婚，已经足够了，而且我比任何人都更清楚这是多么真实。

We were married within a fortnight. Traddles and Sophy, and Doctor and Mrs. Strong, were the only guests at our quiet wedding. —
我们两周内结婚了。特拉德尔斯和索菲，还有斯壮医生和夫人，是我们安静婚礼的唯一嘉宾。 —

We left them full of joy; and drove away together. —
我们充满喜悦地离开了，一起驱车远行。 —

Clasped in my embrace, I held the source of every worthy aspiration I had ever had; —
我怀抱着每一个值得的愿望源泉； —

the centre of myself, the circle of my life, my own, my wife; —
我自己的中心，我生活的圆圈，我自己，我的妻子； —

my love of whom was founded on a rock!
我对她的爱建立在坚如磐石的基础之上！

‘Dearest husband!’ said Agnes. ‘Now that I may call you by that name, I have one thing more to tell you.’
‘亲爱的丈夫！’ 阿格尼丝说。’现在我可以称呼你这个名字了，我还有一件事要告诉你。’

‘Let me hear it, love.’
‘告诉我吧，亲爱的。’

‘It grows out of the night when Dora died. She sent you for me.’
‘这件事发生在多拉去世的那个夜晚。她让你来找我。’

‘She did.’
‘是的，她让我来找你。’

‘She told me that she left me something. Can you think what it was?’
‘她告诉我她留给我一些东西。你能想到那是什么吗？’

I believed I could. I drew the wife who had so long loved me, closer to my side.
我相信我能。我把这位长久爱着我的妻子拉近了我的身边。

‘She told me that she made a last request to me, and left me a last charge.’
‘她告诉我她向我提出了最后一个请求，并留下了最后一个任务。’

‘And it was -’
‘而那时 -’

‘That only I would occupy this vacant place.’
‘只有我会占据这个空位。’

And Agnes laid her head upon my breast, and wept; and I wept with her, though we were so happy.
阿格尼丝把头靠在我的胸前哭泣，我们虽然很幸福，但我也和她一起哭了。