"My mother's name was Eyre; she had two brothers; one a clergyman, who married Miss Jane Reed, of Gateshead;
“我母亲的名字叫爱,她有两个兄弟,一个是位牧师,他娶了盖茨黑德的简·里德小姐;
the other, John Eyre, Esq., merchant, late of Funchal, Madeira.
另一个叫约翰·爱先生,生前在马德拉群岛的沙韦尔经商。
Mr. Briggs, being Mr. Eyre's solicitor, wrote to us last August to inform us of our uncle's death,
布里格斯先生是爱先生的律师,去年八月写信通知我们舅父已经去世,
and to say that he had left his property to his brother the clergyman's orphan daughter, overlooking us,
说是已把他的财产留给那个当牧师的兄弟的孤女。
in consequence of a quarrel, never forgiven, between him and my father.
由于我父亲同他之间一次永远无法宽恕的争吵,他忽视了我们。
He wrote again a few weeks since, to intimate that the heiress was lost, and asking if we knew anything of her.
几周前,布里格斯又写信来,说是那位女继承人失踪了,问我是否知道她的情况。
A name casually written on a slip of paper has enabled me to find her out.
一个随意写在纸条上的名字使我把她找到了。
You know the rest."
其余的你都知道了。”
Again he was going, but I set my back against the door.
他又要走,我将背顶住门。
"Do let me speak," I said;
“请务必让我也说一说,”我说,
"let me have one moment to draw breath and reflect."
“让我喘口气,好好想一想。”
I paused -- he stood before me, hat in hand, looking composed enough.
我停住了——他站在我面前,手里拿着帽子,看上去够镇静的。
I resumed --
我接着说:
"Your mother was my father's sister?"
“你的母亲是我父亲的姐妹?”
"Yes."
“是的。”
"My aunt, consequently?"
“那么是我的姑妈了?”
He bowed.
他点了点头。
"My uncle John was your uncle John?
“我的约翰叔父是你的约翰舅舅了?
You, Diana, and Mary are his sister's children, as I am his brother's child?"
你,黛安娜和玛丽是他姐妹的孩子,而我是他兄弟的孩子了?”
"Undeniably."
“没有错。”
"You three, then, are my cousins; half our blood on each side flows from the same source?"
“你们三位是我的表兄表姐了。我们身上一半的血都流自同一个源泉?”
"We are cousins; yes."
“我们是表兄妹,不错。”