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【经典名著阅读】《德伯家的苔丝》第三十四章(中)

托马斯·哈代 2011-12-30 10:00
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Tess looked a little flustered as she took it.
苔丝接过包裹的时候,脸色有一点儿慌乱。

'I think I would rather have you open it, dearest,' said she, turning over the parcel. 'I don't like to break those great seals; they look so serious. Please open it for me!'
“我想还是由你打开的好,最亲爱的,”她把包裹翻过来说。“我不敢打开那些火漆印,它们看上去太严肃了。请你为我打开它吧!”

He undid the parcel. Inside was a case of morocco leather, on the top of which lay a note and a key.
他打开包裹。包裹里面是一个用摩洛哥皮做的皮匣子,上面放有一封信和一把打开箱子的钥匙。

The note was for Clare, in the following words:
信是写给克莱尔的,内容如下:

My DEAR SON, - Possibly you have forgotten that on the death of your godmother, Mrs Pitney, when you were a lad, she - vain kind woman that she was - left to me a portion of the contents of her jewel-case in trust for your wife, if you should ever have one, as a mark of her affection for you and whomsoever you should choose. This trust I have fulfilled, and the diamonds have been locked up at my banker's ever since. Though I feel it to be a somewhat incongruous act in the circumstances, I am, as you will see, bound to hand over the articles to the woman to whom the use of them for her lifetime will now rightly belong, and they are therefore promptly sent. They become, I believe, heirlooms, strictly speaking, according to the terms of your godmother's will. The precise words of the clause that refers to this matter are enclosed.
我亲爱的儿子,——你可能已经忘了,你的教母皮特尼夫人临终的时候,那时你还是一个孩子,她是一个虚荣心很强的女人,死时把她的一部分珠宝交给我,委托我在你结婚的时候交给你的妻子,无论你娶的妻子是谁,以表示她对你的情爱。我已经完成了她的嘱托,自她去世以来,这副珠宝一直保管在银行里。虽然我觉得在这种情形里把珠宝送给你妻子有点儿不太合适,但是你要明白,我一定要把这些东西送给那个女人,让她终身使用,因此我就立即派人送了来。严格说来,根据你教母的遗嘱的条款,我相信这些珠宝已经变成了传家宝物。有关这件事的准确条文,也一并抄录附寄。

'I do remember,' said Clare; 'but I had quite forgotten.'
“我现在想起来了,”克莱尔说,“可是我全忘了。”

Unlocking the case, they found it to contain a necklace, with pendant, bracelets, and ear-rings; and also some other small ornaments.
匣子被打开了,他们发现里面装着一条项链,还有坠子,手镯,耳环;也还有一些其它的装饰品。

Tess seemed afraid to touch them at first, but her eyes sparkled for a moment as much as the stones when Clare spread out the set.
苔丝起初不敢动它们,但是当克莱尔把全副的首饰摆开的时候,一时间她的眼睛放射出光来,就像那些钻石闪光一样。

'Are they mine?' she asked incredulously.
“它们是我的吗?”她有些不敢相信地问。

'They are, certainly,' said he.
“是的,肯定是的!”他说。

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