Afterwards she insisted on my taking off my bonnet and having some tea, for she said I looked pale and tired.
随后她硬要我脱掉帽子,用些茶点,说我显得既苍白又疲惫。
I was glad to accept her hospitality,
我很乐意接受她的殷勤招待,
and I submitted to be relieved of my travelling garb just as passively as I used to let her undress me when a child.
顺从地任她脱去了行装,就像儿时任她脱掉衣服一样。
Old times crowded fast back on me as I watched her bustling about
我瞧着她忙乎着,
setting out the tea-tray with her best china, cutting bread and butter, toasting a tea-cake,
摆好茶盘,拿出最好的瓷器,切好面包和奶油,
and, between whiles, giving little Robert or Jane an occasional tap or push, just as she used to give me in former days.
烤好茶点吐司,不时还轻轻地拍一拍,推一推罗伯特或简,就象小时候对待我一样;于是旧时的记忆又立刻浮上心头。
Bessie had retained her quick temper as well as her light foot and good looks.
贝茜的性子依然那么急,手脚依然那么轻,容貌依然那么姣好。
Tea ready, I was going to approach the table.
茶点备好以后,我正要走近桌子。
But she desired me to sit still, quite in her old peremptory tones.
她却要我坐着别动,用的还是过去那种专断的口气。
I must be served at the fireside, she said.
她说得让我坐着,在火炉旁招待我。
And she placed before me a little round stand with my cup and a plate of toast,
她把一个园园的架子放在我面前,架子上摆了杯子和一盘吐司,
absolutely as she used to accommodate me with some privately purloined dainty on a nursery chair.
完全就像她过去一样,把我安顿在育儿室的椅子上,让我吃一些暗地里偷来的精美食品。
And I smiled and obeyed her as in bygone days.
我像往昔一样微笑着依了她。
She wanted to know if I was happy at Thornfield Hall, and what sort of a person the mistress was.
她想知道我在桑菲尔德府是不是愉快,女主人是怎样一个人。
And when I told her there was only a master, whether he was a nice gentleman, and if I liked him.
当我告诉她只有一个男主人时,她问我那位先生好不好,我是不是喜欢。
I told her he was rather an ugly man, but quite a gentleman, and that he treated me kindly, and I was content.
我告诉她这人长得比较难看,却很有教养,待我很好,我很满意。
Then I went on to describe to her the gay company that had lately been staying at the house.
随后我继续给她描绘那批最近呆在府上寻欢作乐的客人。
And to these details Bessie listened with interest: they were precisely of the kind she relished.
贝茜对这些细节听得津津有味,她恰巧就爱听这些东西。
In such conversation an hour was soon gone.
谈着谈着一小时很快就过去了。