I PASS over all that happened at school, until the anniversary of my birthday came round in March. Except that Steerforth was more to be admired than ever, I remember nothing. —
我跳过了在学校发生的一切，直到三月份我的生日纪念日到来。除了史迪福比以往更令人钦佩之外，我记不起其他事情。 —

He was going away at the end of the half-year, if not sooner, and was more spirited and independent than before in my eyes, and therefore more engaging than before; —
他将在本学期结束之前离开，变得比以前更有活力和独立，因此在我的眼中更吸引人； —

but beyond this I remember nothing. The great remembrance by which that time is marked in my mind, seems to have swallowed up all lesser recollections, and to exist alone.
但除此之外，我什么都记不起来。那段时间最重要的记忆仿佛把所有其他小事都淹没了，孤立存在。

It is even difficult for me to believe that there was a gap of full two months between my return to Salem House and the arrival of that birthday. —
很难让我相信我回到塞勒姆学校和生日到来之间确实有整整两个月的间隔。 —

I can only understand that the fact was so, because I know it must have been so; —
我只能深知事情如此，因为我知道必定如此； —

otherwise I should feel convinced that there was no interval, and that the one occasion trod upon the other’s heels.
否则我会坚信两者之间没有间隔，前者紧随着后者。

How well I recollect the kind of day it was! I smell the fog that hung about the place; —
我记得那天是怎样的天气！我闻到那笼罩在周围的雾气； —

I see the hoar frost, ghostly, through it; I feel my rimy hair fall clammy on my cheek; —
我透过雾气看到霜白，幽灵般地；我感到我头发上的霜冷冰冰地落在脸颊上； —

I look along the dim perspective of the schoolroom, with a sputtering candle here and there to light up the foggy morning, and the breath of the boys wreathing and smoking in the raw cold as they blow upon their fingers, and tap their feet upon the floor. —
我看着教室朦胧的远景，那里点缀着几个吱吱作响的蜡烛，照亮着雾蒙蒙的早晨，孩子们呼出的气在寒冷中交织缭绕，他们在哪里拍打手指，踏着脚在地板上。 —

It was after breakfast, and we had been summoned in from the playground, when Mr. Sharp entered and said:
那是在早餐后，我们被从操场里召回来后，夏普先生走进来说：

‘David Copperfield is to go into the parlour.’
“大卫·科波菲尔德要去客厅。”

I expected a hamper from Peggotty, and brightened at the order. —
我期待着佩格蒂送来的礼篮，听到这个命令我感到开心。 —

Some of the boys about me put in their claim not to be forgotten in the distribution of the good things, as I got out of my seat with great alacrity.
我旁边有些男孩宣称在分发好东西时不要忘了他们，我非常欣然地走出座位。

‘Don’t hurry, David,’ said Mr. Sharp. ‘There’s time enough, my boy, don’t hurry.’
“不用急，大卫，”夏普先生说。“还有足够的时间，孩子，不用急。”

I might have been surprised by the feeling tone in which he spoke, if I had given it a thought; —
如果我注意到他说话的感受调子，也许会感到惊讶； —

but I gave it none until afterwards. I hurried away to the parlour; —
但我一直没有透露出来，直到后来。我匆匆走到客厅； —

and there I found Mr. Creakle, sitting at his breakfast with the cane and a newspaper before him, and Mrs. Creakle with an opened letter in her hand. But no hamper.
在那里我找到了Creakle先生，他正在早餐时用手杖和一份报纸，以及手里拿着打开的信的Creakle夫人。但没有提篮。

‘David Copperfield,’ said Mrs. Creakle, leading me to a sofa, and sitting down beside me. —
“大卫·科波菲尔德，”Creakle夫人说，带着我去沙发上坐下。 —

‘I want to speak to you very particularly. —
“我想和你非常谨慎地谈一谈。 —

I have something to tell you, my child.’
我有件事要告诉你，我的孩子。”

Mr. Creakle, at whom of course I looked, shook his head without looking at me, and stopped up a sigh with a very large piece of buttered toast.
Creakle先生抬起头看了看我，摇头不看我，用一块涂了很多黄油的烤面包堵住了一口叹息。

‘You are too young to know how the world changes every day,’ said Mrs. Creakle, ‘and how the people in it pass away. —
“你还太年轻，不知道世界是如何每天都在变化的，”Creakle夫人说，“人们也会渐行渐远。 —

But we all have to learn it, David; some of us when we are young, some of us when we are old, some of us at all times of our lives.’
但我们都必须学会，大卫；有些人在年轻时学会，有些人在老年时学会，有些人在生命的任何时候都要学会。”

I looked at her earnestly.
我认真地看着她。

‘When you came away from home at the end of the vacation,’ said Mrs. Creakle, after a pause, ‘were they all well?’ —
“当你在假期结束时离家出走时，”Creakle夫人停顿了一下，“他们都还好吗？” —

After another pause, ‘Was your mama well?’
又停顿了一会，“你妈妈还好吗？”

I trembled without distinctly knowing why, and still looked at her earnestly, making no attempt to answer.
我颤抖着，不清楚地知道为什么，依然认真地看着她，没有尝试回答。

‘Because,’ said she, ‘I grieve to tell you that I hear this morning your mama is very ill.’
“因为，”她说，“我很遗憾地告诉你，我今天早上听说你妈妈病得很重。”

A mist rose between Mrs. Creakle and me, and her figure seemed to move in it for an instant. —
一团雾气在Creakle夫人和我之间升起，她的身影似乎在其中移动了一会儿。 —

Then I felt the burning tears run down my face, and it was steady again.
然后，我感觉火辣辣的眼泪顺着脸颊流下来，然后又恢复平静。

‘She is very dangerously ill,’ she added.
“她病得非常危重，”她补充道。

I knew all now.
现在我全都知道了。

‘She is dead.’
“她已经去世了。”

There was no need to tell me so. I had already broken out into a desolate cry, and felt an orphan in the wide world.
其实无需告诉我。我已经开始绝望地哭泣，感到自己像个孤儿一样在这个广袤的世界里。

She was very kind to me. She kept me there all day, and left me alone sometimes; —
她对我非常友善。她整天都陪在我身边，有时留我一个人; —

and I cried, and wore myself to sleep, and awoke and cried again. —
我哭泣，把自己哭得筋疲力尽，进入梦乡，然后醒来又哭泣。 —

When I could cry no more, I began to think; —
当我的眼泪再也流不出来时，我开始思考; —

and then the oppression on my breast was heaviest, and my grief a dull pain that there was no ease for.
我的胸口压抑感最为沉重，我的悲伤是一种无法减轻的钝痛。

And yet my thoughts were idle; not intent on the calamity that weighed upon my heart, but idly loitering near it. —
然而我的思绪却毫无意义，不是专注于沉重压在心头的不幸，而是漫无目的地徘徊在附近。 —

I thought of our house shut up and hushed. —
我想起了我们家紧闭的门窗和静寂无声。 —

I thought of the little baby, who, Mrs. Creakle said, had been pining away for some time, and who, they believed, would die too. —
我想起了那个小宝宝，克里克尔夫人说，已经憔悴了一段时间，他们相信他也会去世的。 —

I thought of my father’s grave in the churchyard, by our house, and of my mother lying there beneath the tree I knew so well. —
我想起了父亲的坟墓，就在我们家旁边的教堂，以及母亲长眠其中的那颗我如此熟悉的树下。 —

I stood upon a chair when I was left alone, and looked into the glass to see how red my eyes were, and how sorrowful my face. —
留下我独自一人时，我站在椅子上看镜子，看看我的眼睛有多红，我的脸有多悲伤。 —

I considered, after some hours were gone, if my tears were really hard to flow now, as they seemed to be, what, in connexion with my loss, it would affect me most to think of when I drew near home - for I was going home to the funeral. —
数小时过去后，我开始考虑，如果我的眼泪现在真的那么难以流出，似乎我会认为最会影响我当我回家赴葬时要想到的东西是什么——因为我即将回家参加葬礼。 —

I am sensible of having felt that a dignity attached to me among the rest of the boys, and that I was important in my affliction.
我意识到在所有男孩当中，我感到自己有尊严，而在我悲伤中显得很重要。

If ever child were stricken with sincere grief, I was. —
如果每个孩子都被真诚的悲伤所折磨，我当时就是。 —

But I remember that this importance was a kind of satisfaction to me, when I walked in the playground that afternoon while the boys were in school. —
但我记得那时的重要性对我来说是一种满足，那天下午我在操场上走，男孩们都在上学。 —

When I saw them glancing at me out of the windows, as they went up to their classes, I felt distinguished, and looked more melancholy, and walked slower. —
当他们从窗户朝我瞥一眼，上课时，我觉得自己很有特色，看起来更忧郁，走得更慢。 —

When school was over, and they came out and spoke to me, I felt it rather good in myself not to be proud to any of them, and to take exactly the same notice of them all, as before.
放学后，他们走出来和我说话时，我觉得自己觉得很好，没有对他们中任何一个人骄傲，对他们都一视同仁，和以前完全一样。

I was to go home next night; not by the mail, but by the heavy night-coach, which was called the Farmer, and was principally used by country-people travelling short intermediate distances upon the road. —
我要在第二天晚上回家，不是乘坐邮件，而是乘坐被称为“农夫”的重型夜车，主要供乡村人在路上短程中转而使用。 —

We had no story-telling that evening, and Traddles insisted on lending me his pillow. —
那天晚上我们没有讲故事，特拉德尔斯坚持要借给我他的枕头。 —

I don’t know what good he thought it would do me, for I had one of my own: —
我不知道他觉得这会对我有什么好处，因为我有自己的枕头； —

but it was all he had to lend, poor fellow, except a sheet of letter-paper full of skeletons; —
但那是他可以借给我的所有东西，可怜的家伙，除了一张写满骷髅的信纸； —

and that he gave me at parting, as a soother of my sorrows and a contribution to my peace of mind.
他在离别时把它给了我，作为我的悲伤的安慰和我心灵平静的贡献。

I left Salem House upon the morrow afternoon. I little thought then that I left it, never to return. —
我在第二天下午离开塞勒姆学校。那时我一点也没想到，我离开了那里，再也不会回来。 —

We travelled very slowly all night, and did not get into Yarmouth before nine or ten o’clock in the morning. —
我们整晚都走得很慢，直到早上九点或十点才到达亚茅斯。 —

I looked out for Mr. Barkis, but he was not there; —
我寻找巴基斯先生，但他不在那里； —

and instead of him a fat, short-winded, merry-looking, little old man in black, with rusty little bunches of ribbons at the knees of his breeches, black stockings, and a broad-brimmed hat, came puffing up to the coach window, and said:
取而代之的是一个胖胖的、气喘吁吁的、看起来很开心的、穿着黑色衣服的、裤腿膝盖上有锈迹的小花絮、黑袜子和宽边帽的老人，他喘着气走到车窗边，说：

‘Master Copperfield?’
‘柯波菲尔德先生?’

‘Yes, sir.’
‘是的，先生。’

‘Will you come with me, young sir, if you please,’ he said, opening the door, ‘and I shall have the pleasure of taking you home.’
“年轻先生，请跟我来吧，如果您愿意，”他打开门说道，“我很高兴能把你送回家。”

I put my hand in his, wondering who he was, and we walked away to a shop in a narrow street, on which was written OMER, DRAPER, TAILOR, HABERDASHER, FUNERAL FURNISHER, &c. —
我把手放在他手里，想知道他是谁，我们走到一条窄街上的一家店前，门上写着“OMER，服装匠，裁缝，纺织品商，殡葬用品商”，等等。 —

It was a close and stifling little shop; —
这是一家挤迫且令人窒息的小店； —

full of all sorts of clothing, made and unmade, including one window full of beaver-hats and bonnets. —
里面摆满了各种款式的服装，有做好和未完工的，其中一个橱窗里摆满了海狸毛帽和帽子。 —

We went into a little back-parlour behind the shop, where we found three young women at work on a quantity of black materials, which were heaped upon the table, and little bits and cuttings of which were littered all over the floor. —
在商店后面的一间小客厅里，我们看到三位年轻女子正在忙碌地处理一堆黑色材料，堆在桌上，地板上到处都是小块和剪下来的碎料。 —

There was a good fire in the room, and a breathless smell of warm black crape - I did not know what the smell was then, but I know now.
房间里燃起了堆满暖暖黑色蜡纸的火，一股令人窒息的味道弥漫开来，那时我还不知道这是什么味道，现在我知道了。

The three young women, who appeared to be very industrious and comfortable, raised their heads to look at me, and then went on with their work. —
三位看起来非常勤劳舒适的年轻女子抬起头看了看我，然后继续工作。 —

Stitch, stitch, stitch. At the same time there came from a workshop across a little yard outside the window, a regular sound of hammering that kept a kind of tune: —
缝、缝、缝。同时，从窗外的一间小院子里的一间作坊里传来了一阵规律的锤击声，音律保持不变： —

RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, without any variation.
“咚咚咚”，“咚咚咚”，“咚咚咚”，没有任何变化。

‘Well,’ said my conductor to one of the three young women. ‘How do you get on, Minnie?’
“好了，”我的引导者对其中一位年轻女子说。“明妮，进展如何？”

‘We shall be ready by the trying-on time,’ she replied gaily, without looking up. —
“试穿时我们会准备好的，”她愉快地回答，没抬头。 —

‘Don’t you be afraid, father.’
“别担心，父亲。”

Mr. Omer took off his broad-brimmed hat, and sat down and panted. —
奥默先生取下他宽边礼帽，坐下开始喘息。 —

He was so fat that he was obliged to pant some time before he could say:
他太胖了，以至于在能够说出“好了”之前，他不得不喘息一段时间。

‘That’s right.’
“好的。”

‘Father!’ said Minnie, playfully. ‘What a porpoise you do grow!’
‘父亲！’明妮戏笑地说道。’你长得多像鲸鱼啊！’

‘Well, I don’t know how it is, my dear,’ he replied, considering about it. ‘I am rather so.’
‘嗯，我也不知道为什么，亲爱的，’他考虑着回答道。’我确实有点胖了。’

‘You are such a comfortable man, you see,’ said Minnie. ‘You take things so easy.’
‘你看，你是个这么舒服的人，’明妮说道。’你对事情总是那么放松。’

‘No use taking ‘em otherwise, my dear,’ said Mr. Omer.
‘亲爱的，采取其他态度也没用，’奥默先生说。

‘No, indeed,’ returned his daughter. ‘We are all pretty gay here, thank Heaven! Ain’t we, father?’
‘不，确实不错，’他的女儿回答道。’感谢上帝，我们都很快乐！不是吗，父亲？’

‘I hope so, my dear,’ said Mr. Omer. ‘As I have got my breath now, I think I’ll measure this young scholar. —
‘希望如此，亲爱的，’奥默先生说。’现在我喘过气来了，我想我会给这位年轻学者量一下尺寸了。’ —

Would you walk into the shop, Master Copperfield?’
‘你要进店里去吗，考珀菲尔德先生？’

I preceded Mr. Omer, in compliance with his request; —
我遵照着奥默先生的要求领先他而进入店里； —

and after showing me a roll of cloth which he said was extra super, and too good mourning for anything short of parents, he took my various dimensions, and put them down in a book. —
他给我看了一卷他说是特级的布料，说这是适合亲生父母之丧的，然后他测量了我的各种尺寸，并记在一本书里。 —

While he was recording them he called my attention to his stock in trade, and to certain fashions which he said had ‘just come up’, and to certain other fashions which he said had ‘just gone out’.
在记录时，他指出了他的存货以及他所说的刚流行起来的某些款式，还有他所说的刚刚退出流行的某些款式。

‘And by that sort of thing we very often lose a little mint of money,’ said Mr. Omer. ‘But fashions are like human beings. —
‘而且我们往往因为这种事情少赚了好几笔大钱，’奥默先生说。’但时尚就像人类一样。 —

They come in, nobody knows when, why, or how; and they go out, nobody knows when, why, or how. —
它们进来时，没有人知道是什么时候，为什么，或怎么样进来的；它们退出时，没有人知道是什么时候，为什么，或怎么样退出的。 —

Everything is like life, in my opinion, if you look at it in that point of view.’
我认为，如果你从那个角度来看，一切都像生活一样。’

I was too sorrowful to discuss the question, which would possibly have been beyond me under any circumstances; —
我因为太悲伤，无法讨论这个问题，即便在任何情况下可能都会超出我的能力； —

and Mr. Omer took me back into the parlour, breathing with some difficulty on the way.
奥默先生带着我回到客厅，一路上有些困难地呼吸着。

He then called down a little break-neck range of steps behind a door: —
然后他在门后面叫来一段有些令人心跳加快的台阶: —

‘Bring up that tea and bread-and-butter!’ —
‘拿上茶和面包和黄油!’ —

which, after some time, during which I sat looking about me and thinking, and listening to the stitching in the room and the tune that was being hammered across the yard, appeared on a tray, and turned out to be for me.
过了一会儿，我坐在那里四处看着，思考着，听着房间里的缝纫声和院子里敲打的曲调，一个托盘出现了，原来是给我的。

‘I have been acquainted with you,’ said Mr. Omer, after watching me for some minutes, during which I had not made much impression on the breakfast, for the black things destroyed my appetite, ‘I have been acquainted with you a long time, my young friend.’
‘我认识你，’Omer先生在看了我几分钟后说，这段时间里，我对早餐没有太大兴趣，因为那些黑色的东西破坏了我的食欲，’我认识你很久了，我的年轻朋友。

‘Have you, sir?’
‘是吗，先生?’

‘All your life,’ said Mr. Omer. ‘I may say before it. I knew your father before you. —
‘你的一生，’Omer先生说。’可以说比你更早。在你之前我就认识你父亲了。 —

He was five foot nine and a half, and he lays in five-and-twen-ty foot of ground.’
他有五英尺九英寸半高，埋在了二十五英尺深的地下。

‘RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat,’ across the yard.
‘RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat,‘穿过院子。

‘He lays in five and twen-ty foot of ground, if he lays in a fraction,’ said Mr. Omer, pleasantly. —
‘他埋在二十五英尺的地下，即使埋得不整齐,’ Omer先生愉快地说道。 —

‘It was either his request or her direction, I forget which.’
‘这要么是他的要求，要么是她的指示，我忘了是哪个了。’

‘Do you know how my little brother is, sir?’ I inquired.
‘您知道我的小弟弟现在怎么样了吗，先生？’我问道。

Mr. Omer shook his head.
Omer先生摇了摇头。

‘RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat.’
‘RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat, RAT - tat-tat.’

‘He is in his mother’s arms,’ said he.
‘他在他母亲的怀里,‘他说。

‘Oh, poor little fellow! Is he dead?’
‘哦，可怜的小家伙！他死了吗？’

‘Don’t mind it more than you can help,’ said Mr. Omer. ‘Yes. The baby’s dead.’
“别想得太多，”奥默先生说。“是的。孩子死了。”

My wounds broke out afresh at this intelligence. —
听到这个消息，我的伤口又开始流血。 —

I left the scarcely-tasted breakfast, and went and rested my head on another table, in a corner of the little room, which Minnie hastily cleared, lest I should spot the mourning that was lying there with my tears. —
我放下几乎未动的早餐，走到另一张桌子边，把头靠在那里，这是明妮匆忙清理出来的，免得我用泪水弄脏那里放着的丧事。 —

She was a pretty, good-natured girl, and put my hair away from my eyes with a soft, kind touch; —
她是个漂亮、善良的女孩，用柔和、温柔的手触摸着我额前的头发； —

but she was very cheerful at having nearly finished her work and being in good time, and was so different from me!
但她很开心地快要完成工作并且及时，和我完全是两种气氛！

Presently the tune left off, and a good-looking young fellow came across the yard into the room. —
曲子停下了，一个相貌俊秀的年轻人走进了房间。 —

He had a hammer in his hand, and his mouth was full of little nails, which he was obliged to take out before he could speak.
他手里拿着一把锤子，嘴里塞满了一些细小的钉子，必须吐出来才能说话。

‘Well, Joram!’ said Mr. Omer. ‘How do you get on?’
“好了，乔拉姆！”奥默先生说。“进展如何？”

‘All right,’ said Joram. ‘Done, sir.’
“没问题，”乔拉姆说。“搞定了，先生。”

Minnie coloured a little, and the other two girls smiled at one another.
明妮微微脸红，另外两个女孩互相微笑。

‘What! you were at it by candle-light last night, when I was at the club, then? —
“什么！你昨晚熬夜点蜡烛，我却在俱乐部的时候？” —

Were you?’ said Mr. Omer, shutting up one eye.
“你是吗？”奥默先生说，闭上一只眼。

‘Yes,’ said Joram. ‘As you said we could make a little trip of it, and go over together, if it was done, Minnie and me - and you.’
“是的，”乔拉姆说。“就像您说的，我们可以一起出去旅行，一起去，如果搞定了，明妮和我-还有你。”

‘Oh! I thought you were going to leave me out altogether,’ said Mr. Omer, laughing till he coughed.
“哦！我还以为你打算把我完全忽略掉，”奥默先生笑得直咳嗽。

’- As you was so good as to say that,’ resumed the young man, ‘why I turned to with a will, you see. —
“-正如你说的那样，”年轻人接着说，“所以我很卖力，你看见了。” —

Will you give me your opinion of it?’
你会告诉我你的看法吗？

‘I will,’ said Mr. Omer, rising. ‘My dear’; —
‘我会的，’奥默先生站起来说。’亲爱的’; —

and he stopped and turned to me: ‘would you like to see your -’
然后他停下来转向我：’你想看看你的 -’

‘No, father,’ Minnie interposed.
‘不，父亲，’米妮插话道。

‘I thought it might be agreeable, my dear,’ said Mr. Omer. ‘But perhaps you’re right.’
‘我以为这样也许会很愉快，亲爱的，’奥默先生说。’但也许你是对的。’

I can’t say how I knew it was my dear, dear mother’s coffin that they went to look at. —
我不知道为什么我知道他们去看的是我亲爱的母亲的棺材。 —

I had never heard one making; I had never seen one that I know of. —
我从来没有听说过制作棺材；我似乎从来没有见过。 —

• but it came into my mind what the noise was, while it was going on; —
  但我心里突然想到了那声音是什么，当它发生的时候； —
  

and when the young man entered, I am sure I knew what he had been doing.
当那个年轻人进来的时候，我确定我知道他刚做了什么。

The work being now finished, the two girls, whose names I had not heard, brushed the shreds and threads from their dresses, and went into the shop to put that to rights, and wait for customers. —
工作现在结束了，那两个女孩，我没听说过她们的名字，从裙子上刷落碎屑和线头，然后进店里整理一下，等待顾客。 —

Minnie stayed behind to fold up what they had made, and pack it in two baskets. —
米妮留下来把他们做的东西叠好，分别装在两个篮子里。 —

This she did upon her knees, humming a lively little tune the while. —
她跪在地上这么做，一边哼着欢快的小曲。 —

Joram, who I had no doubt was her lover, came in and stole a kiss from her while she was busy (he didn’t appear to mind me, at all), and said her father was gone for the chaise, and he must make haste and get himself ready. —
我毫不怀疑乔拉姆是她的恋人，他进来趁她忙的时候偷了个吻（他看起来根本不在意我），说她父亲已经去叫马车，他必须快点准备好自己。 —

Then he went out again; and then she put her thimble and scissors in her pocket, and stuck a needle threaded with black thread neatly in the bosom of her gown, and put on her outer clothing smartly, at a little glass behind the door, in which I saw the reflection of her pleased face.
然后他再次出去；然后她把顶针和剪刀放进口袋里，把一根穿着黑线的针放整洁地衣服前胸，然后在门后的一个小镜子前，看到她高兴的脸庞的倒影。

All this I observed, sitting at the table in the corner with my head leaning on my hand, and my thoughts running on very different things. —
这一切我都在桌边观察着，用手撑着脑袋，我的思绪却在完全不同的事情上纷飞。 —

The chaise soon came round to the front of the shop, and the baskets being put in first, I was put in next, and those three followed. —
马车很快就开到了店前，篮筐被放进去之后，我被安置在里面，接着他们三个跟着上了车。 —

I remember it as a kind of half chaise-cart, half pianoforte-van, painted of a sombre colour, and drawn by a black horse with a long tail. —
我记得那辆马车有点像是半辆马车，半辆钢琴运输车，漆成沉闷的颜色，由一匹黑马拖着，尾巴很长。 —

There was plenty of room for us all.
我们所有人都有足够的空间。

I do not think I have ever experienced so strange a feeling in my life (I am wiser now, perhaps) as that of being with them, remembering how they had been employed, and seeing them enjoy the ride. —
我想我从未在生活中经历过如此奇怪的感觉（也许我现在更明智了），和他们在一起，记得他们之前做过的事情，看着他们享受这次骑行。 —

I was not angry with them; I was more afraid of them, as if I were cast away among creatures with whom I had no community of nature. —
我不生他们的气；我更害怕他们，仿佛我被遗落在一个与我毫无共同特性的生物群中。 —

They were very cheerful. The old man sat in front to drive, and the two young people sat behind him, and whenever he spoke to them leaned forward, the one on one side of his chubby face and the other on the other, and made a great deal of him. —
他们非常开心。老人坐在前面驾驶，两个年轻人坐在他后面，每当他对他们说话时，他们都会向前倾身，一个紧靠着他的丰满脸颊，另一个则贴在另一边，对他的重视有增无减。 —

They would have talked to me too, but I held back, and moped in my corner; —
他们也想和我说话，但我退缩到角落里，郁郁寡欢； —

scared by their love-making and hilarity, though it was far from boisterous, and almost wondering that no judgement came upon them for their hardness of heart.
对他们的爱情和欢乐感到害怕，虽然并不嘈杂，几乎想不到有审判会降临到他们身上，因为他们的良心已经变得如此冷酷。

So, when they stopped to bait the horse, and ate and drank and enjoyed themselves, I could touch nothing that they touched, but kept my fast unbroken. —
所以，当他们停下来喂马，吃喝，享受时，我什么也不敢碰，保持着禁食。 —

So, when we reached home, I dropped out of the chaise behind, as quickly as possible, that I might not be in their company before those solemn windows, looking blindly on me like closed eyes once bright. —
因此，当我们回到家时，我迅速从车厢后边下车，以免在那些庄严的窗棂面前和他们在一起，那些窗棂像闭上的明亮眼睛一样望着我。 —

And oh, how little need I had had to think what would move me to tears when I came back - seeing the window of my mother’s room, and next it that which, in the better time, was mine!
哦，当我回来时，我根本没有必要考虑会有什么事让我流泪 - 看到我母亲房间的窗户，隔壁是曾经属于我的那扇窗户！

I was in Peggotty’s arms before I got to the door, and she took me into the house. —
我还没到门口，Peggotty就抱住了我，把我带进了屋子。 —

Her grief burst out when she first saw me; —
当她第一次看到我的时候，她的悲伤爆发了； —

but she controlled it soon, and spoke in whispers, and walked softly, as if the dead could be disturbed. —
但很快她控制住了情绪，低声细语地说话，轻手轻脚地走着，仿佛死者会被打扰一样。 —

She had not been in bed, I found, for a long time. She sat up at night still, and watched. —
我发现她很久没能睡个好觉了。她夜里仍然坐着，守夜。 —

As long as her poor dear pretty was above the ground, she said, she would never desert her.
只要她可怜的天使还在世，她说，她就永远不会抛弃她。

Mr. Murdstone took no heed of me when I went into the parlour where he was, but sat by the fireside, weeping silently, and pondering in his elbow-chair. —
当我走进他所在的客厅时，莫德斯通先生没有理睬我，而是坐在炉边默默地哭泣，陷入沉思之中。 —

Miss Murdstone, who was busy at her writing-desk, which was covered with letters and papers, gave me her cold finger-nails, and asked me, in an iron whisper, if I had been measured for my mourning.
莫德斯通小姐正忙着在书桌上写字，那张桌子上铺满了信件和文件，她用冰冷的指甲碰了碰我，用铁青的声音问我是否已经为丧服量好了尺寸。

I said: ‘Yes.’
我说：“是的。”

‘And your shirts,’ said Miss Murdstone; ‘have you brought ‘em home?’
“你的衬衫呢？”莫德斯通小姐问道，“你把它们带回家了吗？”

‘Yes, ma’am. I have brought home all my clothes.’
“是的，夫人。我把我的衣服都带回家了。”

This was all the consolation that her firmness administered to me. —
这是她的坚定给予我的全部慰藉。 —

I do not doubt that she had a choice pleasure in exhibiting what she called her self-command, and her firmness, and her strength of mind, and her common sense, and the whole diabolical catalogue of her unamiable qualities, on such an occasion. —
我不怀疑，她在这种情况下展示她所谓的自制力、坚定不移、坚强的心智、常识，以及她一整套不讨人喜欢的品质时，一定很愉快。 —

She was particularly proud of her turn for business; —
她特别自豪于她擅长处理业务； —

and she showed it now in reducing everything to pen and ink, and being moved by nothing. —
并且现在，在一切都化为笔墨的情况下，展现出来了，什么也不能动摇她。 —

All the rest of that day, and from morning to night afterwards, she sat at that desk, scratching composedly with a hard pen, speaking in the same imperturbable whisper to everybody; —
从那一天开始直到随后整天，她一直坐在那张桌子前，用硬笔沉着地划着，用同样不可动摇的耳语同每个人讲话； —

never relaxing a muscle of her face, or softening a tone of her voice, or appearing with an atom of her dress astray.
从不放松面部的表情，也不软化声音的语调，或让衣着有丝毫不整齐。

Her brother took a book sometimes, but never read it that I saw. —
她的哥哥有时拿起一本书，但我没看见他翻过一页。 —

He would open it and look at it as if he were reading, but would remain for a whole hour without turning the leaf, and then put it down and walk to and fro in the room. —
他会打开并看着书，像是在阅读，但整整一个小时他都不会翻页，然后放下书来在房间里来回走动。 —

I used to sit with folded hands watching him, and counting his footsteps, hour after hour. —
我曾经双手交叠地坐着看着他，数着他的脚步声，数了一个又一个小时。 —

He very seldom spoke to her, and never to me. —
他很少和她说话，对我更是从未开口。 —

He seemed to be the only restless thing, except the clocks, in the whole motionless house.
除了时钟之外，他似乎是整个静止的房子里唯一不安宁的东西。

In these days before the funeral, I saw but little of Peggotty, except that, in passing up or down stairs, I always found her close to the room where my mother and her baby lay, and except that she came to me every night, and sat by my bed’s head while I went to sleep. —
葬礼之前的这些日子里，除了上下楼梯时总是看到佩戈蒂靠近我母亲和她的宝宝所在的房间之外，每晚她都会来到我身边，坐在床头等我入睡，我很少见到她。 —

A day or two before the burial - I think it was a day or two before, but I am conscious of confusion in my mind about that heavy time, with nothing to mark its progress - she took me into the room. —
葬礼前一两天 - 我想是葬礼前一两天，但我意识到我对那段沉重时光的进展感到困惑 - 她领我进了房间。 —

I only recollect that underneath some white covering on the bed, with a beautiful cleanliness and freshness all around it, there seemed to me to lie embodied the solemn stillness that was in the house; —
我只记得，在床上的一层白色覆盖物下，周围一片美丽的清洁和新鲜，我觉得房子里那股庄重的寂静仿佛凝聚在那里； —

and that when she would have turned the cover gently back, I cried: —
当她轻轻想把盖子掀开时，我哭了： —

‘Oh no! oh no!’ and held her hand.
‘不要！不要！’并握住了她的手。

If the funeral had been yesterday, I could not recollect it better. —
如果葬礼是昨天，我也记不清楚了。 —

The very air of the best parlour, when I went in at the door, the bright condition of the fire, the shining of the wine in the decanters, the patterns of the glasses and plates, the faint sweet smell of cake, the odour of Miss Murdstone’s dress, and our black clothes. —
当我走进最好的客厅时，明亮的火炉、酒瓶里的酒、玻璃杯和盘子上的图案、蛋糕淡淡的香味，还有玛德斯通小姐的衣服和我们穿的黑衣服的气味。 —

Mr. Chillip is in the room, and comes to speak to me.
切利普先生在房间里，过来和我说话。

‘And how is Master David?’ he says, kindly.
‘大卫先生怎样了？’ 他友好地说。

I cannot tell him very well. I give him my hand, which he holds in his.
我说不清楚。我伸出手，他握住了。

‘Dear me!’ says Mr. Chillip, meekly smiling, with something shining in his eye. —
‘天哪！’切利普先生谦和地笑着，眼里闪烁着某种光芒。 —

‘Our little friends grow up around us. They grow out of our knowledge, ma’am?’ —
‘我们周围的小朋友在我们身边长大。他们超出我们的认知，夫人？’ —

This is to Miss Murdstone, who makes no reply.
这是对玛德斯通小姐说的，她没有回答。

‘There is a great improvement here, ma’am?’ says Mr. Chillip.
这里有了很大的改善，夫人，’奇利普先生说。

Miss Murdstone merely answers with a frown and a formal bend: —
莫德斯通小姐只是皱着眉头正式地点了点头。 —

Mr. Chillip, discomfited, goes into a corner, keeping me with him, and opens his mouth no more.
被难堪的奇利普先生退到一边，带着我走了，再也不开口了。

I remark this, because I remark everything that happens, not because I care about myself, or have done since I came home. —
我注意到了这一点，因为我注意到所有发生的事情，不是因为我关心自己，也不是自从我回家以来。 —

And now the bell begins to sound, and Mr. Omer and another come to make us ready. —
现在铃声开始响起，奥默先生和另一个人来准备我们。 —

As Peggotty was wont to tell me, long ago, the followers of my father to the same grave were made ready in the same room.
正如佩戈蒂过去常告诉我的，我父亲的追随者也曾在同一个房间准备去同一个坟墓。

There are Mr. Murdstone, our neighbour Mr. Grayper, Mr. Chillip, and I. When we go out to the door, the Bearers and their load are in the garden; —
有莫德斯通先生，我们的邻居格雷培尔先生，奇利普先生和我。当我们走到门口，抬棺者和他们的负担在花园里； —

and they move before us down the path, and past the elms, and through the gate, and into the churchyard, where I have so often heard the birds sing on a summer morning.
他们在我们面前沿着小径前行，经过榆树，穿过大门，进入教堂墓地，我曾在那里听到过无数次夏日清晨鸟鸣。

We stand around the grave. The day seems different to me from every other day, and the light not of the same colour - of a sadder colour. —
我们围绕在坟前。这一天对我来说似乎不同于其他的每一天，光线也不是同样的颜色 - 是一种更忧郁的颜色。 —

Now there is a solemn hush, which we have brought from home with what is resting in the mould; —
现在有了一种庄严的寂静，我们从家里带着这种寂静，与那安息于土壤中的东西一同。 —

and while we stand bareheaded, I hear the voice of the clergyman, sounding remote in the open air, and yet distinct and plain, saying: —
当我们光着头站着时，我听到牧师的声音，在户外听起来遥远，但清晰明了，说着：’我是复活，我是生命，主说！’ —

‘I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord!’ Then I hear sobs; —
然后我听到了啜泣声； —

and, standing apart among the lookers-on, I see that good and faithful servant, whom of all the people upon earth I love the best, and unto whom my childish heart is certain that the Lord will one day say: ‘Well done.’
而站在旁边观望的人群中，我看到了那位好而忠诚的仆人，他是我在这世上最爱的人，我那幼稚的心灵肯定有一天主会对他说：’干得好。’

There are many faces that I know, among the little crowd; —
在人群中有很多我认识的脸； —

faces that I knew in church, when mine was always wondering there; —
脸，我在教堂里认识的，当时我的眼睛总是在那里想着。 —

faces that first saw my mother, when she came to the village in her youthful bloom. —
在村庄里第一次看到我母亲时，她正值青春盛开之时。 —

I do not mind them - I mind nothing but my grief - and yet I see and know them all; —
我并不在意它们 - 我只关心我的悲伤 - 但我仍看到并了解它们。 —

and even in the background, far away, see Minnie looking on, and her eye glancing on her sweetheart, who is near me.
即使在远处的背景中，我也能看到明妮注视着我，她的目光落在我附近的心上人身上。

It is over, and the earth is filled in, and we turn to come away. —
一切都结束了，土地已填平，我们转身离开。 —

Before us stands our house, so pretty and unchanged, so linked in my mind with the young idea of what is gone, that all my sorrow has been nothing to the sorrow it calls forth. —
我们的家就在眼前，如此美丽与不变，与我心中的年轻记忆紧密相连，我的所有悲伤都无法及它唤起的悲伤。 —

But they take me on; and Mr. Chillip talks to me; and when we get home, puts some water to my lips; —
他们带着我走；Chillip先生和我交谈；当我们回家时，他端来一些水给我喝； —

and when I ask his leave to go up to my room, dismisses me with the gentleness of a woman.
当我请求他允许我上楼去时，他像一位女士般温柔地让我离开。

All this, I say, is yesterday’s event. Events of later date have floated from me to the shore where all forgotten things will reappear, but this stands like a high rock in the ocean.
我说的这一切，都是昨天发生的事情。之后发生的事件已经从我身边飘到了那个所有被遗忘的事物重新出现的海滩，但这件事就像大海中的一块高大的岩石一样坚固。

I knew that Peggotty would come to me in my room. —
我知道佩各蒂会来到我的房间里。 —

The Sabbath stillness of the time (the day was so like Sunday! —
那个时候的安静氛围（那天确实很像星期天！ —

I have forgotten that) was suited to us both. She sat down by my side upon my little bed; —
我忘了）非常适合我们。她坐在我小床边的旁边； —

and holding my hand, and sometimes putting it to her lips, and sometimes smoothing it with hers, as she might have comforted my little brother, told me, in her way, all that she had to tell concerning what had happened.
紧握着我的手，有时候把我的手放在她的嘴唇上，有时候用她的手轻轻抚摸，就像她安慰我的小弟弟一样，用她的方式告诉我所有关于发生的事情。

‘She was never well,’ said Peggotty, ‘for a long time. She was uncertain in her mind, and not happy. —
‘她一直都不太好，’ 佩各蒂说， ‘很长一段时间。她心情犹豫不定，不开心。 —

When her baby was born, I thought at first she would get better, but she was more delicate, and sunk a little every day. —
当她的孩子出生时，我起初以为她会康复，但她更虚弱了，每天都在逐渐消瘦。 —

She used to like to sit alone before her baby came, and then she cried; —
她以前喜欢坐在独处，直到她的宝宝出生，然后她哭了； —

but afterwards she used to sing to it - so soft, that I once thought, when I heard her, it was like a voice up in the air, that was rising away.
但后来她习惯对着宝宝唱歌 - 那声音轻柔得我有时候以为是空中的声音，渐渐远去；

‘I think she got to be more timid, and more frightened-like, of late; —
“我觉得她最近变得更胆怯，更害怕，”； —

and that a hard word was like a blow to her. But she was always the same to me. —
“而且对她来说，一句严厉的话就像是一击。但对我来说，她一直都一样。 —

She never changed to her foolish Peggotty, didn’t my sweet girl.’
“我的乖女儿从来没变过对她这个傻瓜佩格蒂！”；

Here Peggotty stopped, and softly beat upon my hand a little while.
皮吉蒂停了下来，轻轻地拍了一会我的手。

‘The last time that I saw her like her own old self, was the night when you came home, my dear. —
“我看到她像她自己往日的模样最后一次，就是你回家的那个晚上，我亲爱的。 —

The day you went away, she said to me, “I never shall see my pretty darling again. —
“你走的那天，她对我说，“我再也见不到我的漂亮宝贝了。 —

Something tells me so, that tells the truth, I know.”
“有种预感告诉我，那是真的，我知道。”

‘She tried to hold up after that; and many a time, when they told her she was thoughtless and light-hearted, made believe to be so; —
“之后她试图振作起来；有很多次，当有人说她轻率和轻浮时，她假装是这样的； —

but it was all a bygone then. She never told her husband what she had told me - she was afraid of saying it to anybody else - till one night, a little more than a week before it happened, when she said to him: —
“但那都是过去的事了。她从没告诉她丈夫她告诉过我的那件事 - 她害怕告诉其他人 - 直到一天晚上，就在事情发生的前一个多星期，她对他说： —

“My dear, I think I am dying.”
‘“亲爱的，我觉得我快要死了。”

’“It’s off my mind now, Peggotty,” she told me, when I laid her in her bed that night. —
“她告诉我，“皮吉蒂，现在我心头上的大石终于落地了，”当我把她放在床上那晚。 —

“He will believe it more and more, poor fellow, every day for a few days to come; —
“他会越来越相信这个，可怜的家伙，接下来的几天； —

and then it will be past. I am very tired. If this is sleep, sit by me while I sleep: —
“然后一切都会过去。我很累。如果这就是睡眠，请坐在我睡觉的时候和我在一起： —

don’t leave me. God bless both my children! —
不要离开我。愿上帝保佑我的两个孩子！ —

God protect and keep my fatherless boy!”
愿上帝保佑并看顾我这个没有父亲的男孩！

‘I never left her afterwards,’ said Peggotty. —
‘后来我再也没有离开她,’ 佩吉蒂说道。 —

‘She often talked to them two downstairs - for she loved them; —
‘她经常和他们两个在楼下谈话 - 因为她爱他们； —

she couldn’t bear not to love anyone who was about her - but when they went away from her bed-side, she always turned to me, as if there was rest where Peggotty was, and never fell asleep in any other way.
她无法不爱身边的任何人 - 但当他们离开她的床边，她总是转向我，仿佛只有佩吉蒂身边才有安宁，从来没有以其他方式进入梦乡。

‘On the last night, in the evening, she kissed me, and said: —
‘在最后一晚，傍晚时分，她吻了我，说道： —

“If my baby should die too, Peggotty, please let them lay him in my arms, and bury us together.” —
“如果我的宝宝也去世了，佩吉蒂，麻烦把他放在我怀里，和我一起埋葬。” —

(It was done; for the poor lamb lived but a day beyond her. —
(就这样做了；因为这只可怜的小羔羊只比她多活了一天。 —

) “Let my dearest boy go with us to our resting-place,” she said, “and tell him that his mother, when she lay here, blessed him not once, but a thousand times.”’
) “让我最亲爱的男孩跟我们一起去安息之地，”她说，”告诉他，他的母亲，当她躺在这里时，不止一次给他祝福，而是千百次。”’

Another silence followed this, and another gentle beating on my hand.
这之后又是一阵沉默，我手上轻轻拍打。

‘It was pretty far in the night,’ said Peggotty, ‘when she asked me for some drink; —
‘很晚了，’ 佩吉蒂说，’她要我给她一些水喝； —

and when she had taken it, gave me such a patient smile, the dear! - so beautiful!
当她喝完后，她给了我一个如此耐心的微笑，亲爱的！ - 如此美丽！

‘Daybreak had come, and the sun was rising, when she said to me, how kind and considerate Mr. Copperfield had always been to her, and how he had borne with her, and told her, when she doubted herself, that a loving heart was better and stronger than wisdom, and that he was a happy man in hers. —
‘黎明来临，太阳升起时，她对我说，柯波菲尔先生对她一直多么善良体贴，如何容忍她，并告诉她，当她怀疑自己时，一个充满爱心的心比智慧更好更强大，并且他在她身边是一个快乐的人。 —

“Peggotty, my dear,” she said then, “put me nearer to you,” for she was very weak. —
“亲爱的佩吉蒂，” 她当时说，”把我拉到你近一点，” 因为她已经非常虚弱。 —

“Lay your good arm underneath my neck,” she said, “and turn me to you, for your face is going far off, and I want it to be near.” —
“把你好的手臂放在我脖子下面，” 她说，”把我转过来，因为你的脸要远去了，我希望它离我更近一些。” —

I put it as she asked; and oh Davy! the time had come when my first parting words to you were true - when she was glad to lay her poor head on her stupid cross old Peggotty’s arm - and she died like a child that had gone to sleep!’
我照她的要求做了，哦，大卫！那时候我对你说的第一句离别的话成了现实——当她高兴地把她可怜的头靠在愚蠢的老佩格蒂的胳膊上——她像一个入睡的孩子一样去世了！

Thus ended Peggotty’s narration. From the moment of my knowing of the death of my mother, the idea of her as she had been of late had vanished from me. —
佩格蒂结束了叙述。自从我得知母亲去世，我脑海中关于她最近的样子的想法已经消失了。 —

I remembered her, from that instant, only as the young mother of my earliest impressions, who had been used to wind her bright curls round and round her finger, and to dance with me at twilight in the parlour. —
从那一刻起，我只记得她，就像我最早的记忆中所记得的那位年轻母亲，她曾经习惯用她明亮的发卷着手指，黄昏时在客厅里和我共舞。 —

What Peggotty had told me now, was so far from bringing me back to the later period, that it rooted the earlier image in my mind. —
佩格蒂现在告诉我的，并没有把我带回到后来的时期，反而根植在我的脑海中了先前的形象。 —

It may be curious, but it is true. In her death she winged her way back to her calm untroubled youth, and cancelled all the rest.
这可能很奇怪，但是却是真实的。在她去世的时候，她已经回到了她宁静无忧的年轻时代，并抹去了所有的其他人。

The mother who lay in the grave, was the mother of my infancy; —
躺在坟墓里的母亲，是我婴儿时期的母亲； —

the little creature in her arms, was myself, as I had once been, hushed for ever on her bosom.
她怀里的小生命，是我曾经在她怀中永远安静的自己。