Dairyman Crick insisted that all the dairy people should milk different cows every day， not just their favourites．
奶场主克里克坚持让所有奶场的工人每天挤不同的奶牛，而不是只挤他们最喜欢的那几头。
He was worried that a dairymaid might leave the dairy， and then her cows would not like being milked by a stranger．
他担心一旦哪个挤奶女工离开奶场后，她的奶牛会不喜欢被一个陌生人挤奶。
However， Tess began to find that the cows which came to her usually happened to be her favourites．
然而，苔丝渐渐发现，分配给她的奶牛碰巧总是她最喜欢的几头。
This made her milking much easier．
But she soon realized that it was not by chance，
as it was Angel Clare who sent the cows in for milking．
‘Mr Clare，you have sent me my favourite cows！’
she accused him one morning， blushing．
‘Well， it doesn't matter，’ said he．
‘ You will always be here to milk them．’
‘Do you think so？I hope I shall．But I don't know．’Afterwards she was angry with herself．
She had spoken too seriously to him， as if he were involved in her staying or leaving．
说完之后，她对自己有些恼火。她刚才对他说话时太严肃了，好像把他牵扯进了她的去留问题。
In the evening after milking she walked in the garden alone， thinking about it．
傍晚挤完奶后，她独自到园子里漫步，心里还想着这件事。
It was a typical summer evening in June．
The air was delicate and there was a complete， absolute silence．
It was broken by the sound of a harp．
The notes floated in the still air， strong and clear．
Tess listened like a fascinated bird．
She drew near to Clare， who still had not seen her．
She was conscious of neither time nor space．
The tune moved through her mind and body， bringing tears to her eyes．
这旋律流进了她的心田，流遍了她的全身，令她热泪盈眶。
The waves of colour of the wild flowers mixed with the waves of sound．
Angel finished playing， and caught sight of her． She blushed and moved away．
一曲终了，安吉尔看见了她。她脸刷地红了，赶紧走开了。
‘Why are you going， Tess？’he asked．‘Are you afraid？’
‘Oh no， sir， not of outdoor things．’
Being alive is rather serious，don't you think so？’
‘It is， now you put it like that．’
‘All the same， I wouldn't expect a young girl like you to feel that． Why？ Come， tell me．’
“虽然如此，我还是没有料到一个像你这样的年轻姑娘会有这种感觉，为什么？来，跟我说说吧。”
After a moment's hesitation she answered，‘The trees ask questions with their eyes， don't they？
她踌躇了一会儿，回答道：“这些树都长着眼睛，它们用眼睛问问题，是不是？
And you seem to see hundreds of tomorrows all in a line，the first big and clear， the others getting smaller．
你仿佛看见许许多多的明天全都排成一行。最先的这个明天是最大、最清晰的，而后面的那些就变得越来越小了。
But they all look fierce and cruel．
But you can drive away all these ideas with your music， sir！’
不过你可以用你的音乐把所有这些想法都驱散，先生！”
He was surprised to find that this dairymaid had such sad thoughts．
She was expressing in her own words the ache of modern life．
This sadness made her more interesting to him．
He did not know that her experience had given her great strength of feeling．
Tess， on the other hand， could not understand why a man of religious family， good education and financial independence should feel sorry to be alive．
而另一方面，苔丝也不明白为什么像他这样一个出身于宗教家庭、受过良好教育、经济独立的人会对生活感到不幸。
How could this admirable and poetic man have felt， as she did two or three years ago， that he would rather die？
像他这样令人羡慕、才华横溢的人，怎么可能与她在两三年前感觉的一样，情愿死去呢？
It was true that he was not at present living among gentlemen．
But he was studying what he wanted to know， and would become a rich farmer in time．
但是他正在学习他想要了解的知识，而且很快，他就会成为一个有钱的农场主的。
So，as they neither understood each other's secrets， they were both puzzled and waited to find out more．
正因为他们对彼此的内心世界都不了解，他们才都感到迷惑，并期待着进一步了解对方。
At first Tess regarded Angel as an intelligence rather than a man．
起初，苔丝把安吉尔·克莱尔看成是智慧的化身，而不是一个凡人。
She became quite depressed as she realized the distance between her own knowledge and his．
当她发现自己的知识和他的相比存在着如此之大的差距时，她感到非常抑郁。
One day he asked her why she looked so sad．
‘Oh， it's only that I feel I've been wasting my life！
When I see what you know， I feel what a nothing I am！’
当我了解到你所懂的知识，我觉得自己真是太渺小了！”
‘Well， my dear Tess，’ said Angel with some enthusiasm，
‘I shall be only too glad to help you study history， for example…’
‘I don't know． What's the use of learning that I'm one of a long row， and that my past and future are like thousands of other people's？
“我不知道。学习又有什么用呢？我只不过是长长一列队伍中的一员，自己的过去和未来与成千上万个别人没有什么区别。
But there's one thing I'd like to know—why the sun shines on the good and the bad just the same，’ she said， her voice trembling．
但是有一件事我想要弄清楚——为什么太阳一视同仁地照在好人和坏人身上呢？”她说道，声音有些颤抖。
‘Oh，Tess，don't be bitter！’Of course he had wondered this himself in the past．
“哦，苔丝，不要这么愤世嫉俗！”他自己过去对此也困惑不解过。
But as he looked at her innocent lips， he thought this pure child of nature could only have picked up the question from others．
但是当他看到她那天真无邪的嘴唇时，他认为这个大自然的纯洁的孩子只不过从别人那里得到了这个问题。
She could not possibly have any guilt in her past．
在她的过去，是不可能有什么罪孽的。
When he had gone， Tess felt again how stupid she must appear to him．
当他离开以后，苔丝又觉得自己在他面前一定表现得十分愚蠢可笑。
She wondered whether she could gain his respect by telling him of her d’Urberville blood．
她在考虑如果告诉他自己的德伯家血统，是否会赢得他的尊敬。
She first asked the dairyman if Mr Clare was interested in old families who had lost their money and land．
她先到奶场主那儿打听克莱尔先生是否会对一个失去了财富和土地的古老家族有好感。
‘No，’said Mr Crick firmly． ‘He's a rebel， and the one thing he hates is an old family．’
“不，”克里克先生肯定地说，“他是一个叛逆者，他痛恨古老的家族。”
After hearing this not very accurate view of Clare's opinions， poor Tess was glad she had not mentioned her ancestors．
听完这番对克莱尔的观点并不十分准确的见解，苔丝庆幸自己没有提起她的祖先们。
That summer， Tess and Clare unconsciously studied each other， balanced on the edge of a passion， yet just keeping out of it．
那个夏天，苔丝和克莱尔都在无意中探究着对方，在感情的边缘徘徊，并试图避免陷入其中。
But all the time， like two streams in a valley， they were destined to join．
但是在这整段时间里，他们就像山谷中的两条溪流，终究是要汇合在一起的。
Tess had never been so happy as she was now， and perhaps never would be so again．
苔丝从来没有像现在这样快乐过，也许将来也不会再有。
They met continually．They could not help it．
他们频频相会，一天不见面心里就受不了。
They met daily in the half-light， at three o’clock in the morning， just before milking．
每天凌晨3点钟，在开始挤奶之前，天还没有全亮呢，他们就在一起了。
They felt they were the first two up in the whole world， like Adam and Eve．
他们觉得自己是整个世界上起得最早的一对，就如同亚当和夏娃。
Tess seemed like a queen to Clare， perhaps because he knew that she was the most beautiful woman walking about at this time of day．
在克莱尔眼里，苔丝就像一个王后，也许是因为他知道她是一天中在这个时候走动的最美丽的女人。
Lovely women are usually asleep at midsummer sunrise．
漂亮可爱的女人在盛夏太阳初升时，通常还在睡觉。
But Tess was near， and the rest were nowhere．
但是苔丝就在身边，其他人却了无影踪。
In the strange light she was no longer a milkmaid， but a vision of woman， the whole of womanhood in one form．
在这种特别的光线中，她不再是一个挤奶女工，而是一个女人的幻象，她集所有女性气质于一身。
One day just after breakfast they all gathered in the milkhouse．
一天，刚刚吃过早饭，他们都聚集到牛奶贮藏室里。
The milk was turning in the churn， but the butter would not come．Dairyman Crick was worried．
牛奶倒进了黄油制造器，但是黄油却出不来。奶场主克里克很焦急。
‘Maybe someone in the house is in love，’suggestea his wife．
“也许房子里有人恋爱了。”他的妻子提示道，
‘That sometimes causes it． D’you remember that maid years ago， and the butter didn't come…？’
“这种事情有时会导致这种后果的。你还记得多年以前的那个女工吗？那一次黄油就出不来……”
‘Ah yes， but that wasn't being in love，’replied Mr Crick．
“哦，想起来了，但那不是恋爱。”克里克先生回答道。
‘That was damage to the churn．’He turned to Clare to tell the story．
“那是把机器搞坏了。”他转向克莱尔讲起了这个故事。
‘Jack Dollop， one of our milkers， got a girl into trouble．
“我们的一个牛奶工，杰克·多洛，让一个女孩子出了麻烦。
One day her mother came looking for him with a great heavy umbrella in her hand．
一天，姑娘的母亲手里拿着一把又大又重的雨伞找他来了。
Jack hid in the churn，but she found him and turned it round and round．“ Stop，stop！” cried Jack．
杰克就藏到黄油机里去了，但她发现了，就一圈一圈地转机器。‘停下，停下！’杰克哭叫道。
“If you promise to marry my daughter！”shouted the mother．And so he did．’
‘如果你答应跟我女儿结婚的话！’母亲喊道。于是他跟她女儿结婚了。”
Tess， very pale， had gone to the door for some fresh air．
苔丝面色惨白地走到了门口，她需要一些新鲜空气。
Fortunately the butter suddenly came．
幸好，黄油突然出来了。
But Tess remained depressed all afternoon．
但是，那一下午苔丝都郁郁寡欢。
To the others the story wasfunny．
对其他人来说，故事只是好笑而已，
She alone could see the sorrow in it， and it reminded her of her experience．
而她却独自体会到了其中的悲伤，这让她重新想起了她的遭遇。
Tess was first in bed that night， and was half asleep as the other girls undressed．
那晚，苔丝第一个上床睡觉了。当别的姑娘们在脱衣服时，她已经快要睡着了。
She saw them standing at the window looking at someone in the garden with greatinterest．
她发现她们站在窗前，兴致勃勃地看着园子里的某个人。
‘It's no use you being in love with him any more than me，Retty Priddle，’ said Marian， the eldest．
“蕾蒂·普里德尔，你爱上他也没有用，这一点跟我一样，”年龄最大的玛丽安说道。
‘There he is again！’cried lzz Huett， a pale girl with dark hair．‘ I would just marry him tomorrow if he asked me，’said Marian， blushing．
“他又来啦！”伊茨·休爱特叫道，她是一个皮肤白、头发黑的姑娘。
‘So would I， and more，’murmured Izz．
“如果他向我求婚的话，我愿意明天就嫁给他。”玛丽安红着脸说道。
‘And I too，’whispered Retty shyly．
“我也是，而且更愿意。”伊茨轻轻说道。
‘We can't all marry him，’said Izz．
“我也愿意，”蕾蒂羞涩地细声说。
‘We can't anyway，’said Marian．‘He likes Tess Durbeyfield best． I've watched him every day and found it out．’
“我们不能都嫁给他。”伊茨说。“我们都不可能，”玛丽安说道，“他喜欢苔丝·德北。我一直天天观察他，我看出来的。”
There was a thoughtful silence．
大家都默不作声地想着什么。
‘How silly this all is！’said Izz impatiently．
“这一切都太可笑了！”伊茨忍不住说道，
‘He's a gentleman's son． He won't marry any of us or Tess either！’They all sighed， and crept into their beds， and fell asleep．
“他是个绅士的儿子，他是不会娶我们中间任何一个的，包括苔丝在内！”一阵叹息之后，她们都爬上床，睡着了。
But Tess， with her deeper feelings， could not sleep．
但是苔丝，怀着更深的感情，却无法入睡了。
She knew Angel Clare preferred her to the others．
她知道，安吉尔·克莱尔喜欢她胜过其他姑娘。
She was more attractive， better educated and more womanly．
她更富有魅力，更有教养也更有女人味儿。
She could keep his affection for her． But should she？
她可以让他继续对她怀有爱慕之情。但是，她应该吗？
Perhaps the others should have a chance of attracting his attention， and even of marrying him．
也许其他人也应该有机会吸引他的注意，甚至与他结婚。
She had heard from Mrs Crick that Mr Clare had spoken of marrying a country girl to help him farm， milk cows and reap corn．
她曾从克里克夫人那儿听说，克莱尔先生说起过要娶一个乡下姑娘帮他经营农场，挤牛奶、割庄稼什么的。
Tess had promised herself she would never marry and would never be tempted to do so．
苔丝曾向自己保证过，永远不结婚，也永远不被人引诱结婚。
She ought to leave the field open for the other girls.
她应该敞开这块天地，把机会留给别的姑娘们。
Next morning Dairyman Crick sent all the dairy people out into a field to search for garlic plants．
第二天早上，奶场主克里克派全奶场的人到地里寻找大蒜类的植物。
One bite by one cow was enough to make the whole day's butter taste of garlic．
只要有一头牛咬了一口这种东西，就足以使一天的黄油都带上一股蒜味。
It was not by accident that Clare walked next to Tess．
克莱尔走在苔丝的旁边，这绝非偶然。
‘Don't they look pretty？’she said to him．
“她们看起来很漂亮，不是吗？”苔丝对他说。
‘Who？’
“谁？”
‘Izzy Huett and Retty．’She had decided that either would make a good farmer's wife．
“伊茨·休爱特和蕾蒂。”她觉得她们无论哪一个都能成为一名称职的农场主夫人。
‘Pretty？ Well， yes， I have often thought so．
“你说漂亮？噢，是的，我一直这么觉得。”
‘They are excellent dairywomen．
“她们是很出色的挤奶女工。”
‘Yes，though not better than you．’Clare observed them．
“是啊，尽管没有你出色。”克莱尔观察着她们。
‘She is blushing，’continued Tess bravely，‘because you are looking at her．’
“她脸红了。”苔丝鼓足了勇气继续说道，“因为你在看着她。”
She could hardly say‘Marry one of them if you really don't want a fine lady！ Don't think of marrying me！’
她差点要说：“跟她们中的一个结婚吧，如果你真地不想娶一个高贵小姐的话！不要考虑跟我结婚！”
From now on she tried to avoid spending time with Angel．
从现在起，她就尽力避免和安吉尔在一起。
She gave the other three every chance．
她把每一个机会都留给了另外三个姑娘。
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