A young man appeared in the garden.He looked about twenty-four,and was tall and dark,with full red lips and a black moustache curled at the ends.
一个年轻人从花园里走了出来。他看起来有二十四岁左右,高大,黝黑,嘴唇肥厚红润,留着打卷的唇髭。
‘Well,my beauty,what can I do for you?’he said, looking interestedly at her.‘I'm Mr d’Urberville.’
“喂,我的美人儿,我能为你效劳吗?”他说道,一边颇有兴趣地看着她。“我是德伯先生。”
It needed all Tess's courage to reply.‘I came to see your mother,sir.’
苔丝鼓足了所有的勇气,回答道:“我是来看望你母亲的,先生。”
‘I'm afraid you can't see her. She's ill. What do you want to see her about?’
“恐怕你不能见她,她病了。你见她有什么事儿吗?”
‘I…I…it seems so foolish!’
“我……我……这事显得太傻了!”
‘Never mind,’said he kindly.‘I like foolish things.Try again,my dear.’
“不要紧,”他温和地说,“我就爱听傻事儿。说吧,亲爱的。”
‘I came, sir, to tell you we are of the same family as you.’
‘Aha! Poor relations?’
“啊,穷亲戚吧?”
‘Yes.’
“是的。”
‘Stokes?’
“斯托克家的人吗?”
‘No,d’Urbervilles.’
“不是,是德伯家的。”
‘Oh yes,of course,I mean d’Urbervilles.’
“哦,对,当然,我指的是德伯家。”
‘We have several proofs that we are d’Urbervilles.We have an old silver spoon and a seal at home.But mother uses the spoon to stir the soup.
“我们有根据说自己是德伯家的人。我们家有个旧银匙,还有个印章。但我母亲用那个银匙搅汤。
Mother said we ought to tell you, as we are the oldest branch of the family and we've lost our horse in an accident.’
母亲说我们应该来告诉你们,因为我们是这个家族最古老的一房。还有,在一次事故中,我们连马都失去了。”
‘Very kind of your mother,’ said Alec d’Urberville, ‘and I certainly don't regret it.”He looked admiringly at Tess, whose face blushed a deep pink.
“你母亲可真是一片好意。”亚历克·德伯说,“我当然不会为此感到遗憾。”他倾慕地盯着她,这使苔丝的脸变得绯红。
‘And so you've come on a friendly visit?’
“那么你是来做一次友好访问的喽?”
‘I suppose I have,’ murmured Tess, looking uncomfortable.