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The nights were as hot as the days．
夜晚与白天一样炎热。
Angel Clare could not sleep．
安吉尔·克莱尔无法入睡，
He went out into the darkness to think over what had happened that afternoon．
就来到外面漆黑的夜里，他在思考那天下午发生的事情。
He had come as a student of farming to this dairy，
他是作为一名学习务农的学生来到这个牛奶场的，
thinking he would be here only a short time．
原以为在这儿只待一小段时间。
He thought it would be a quiet place．
他原以为这儿会是一个平静的地方。
From here he could observe the great world outside， before plunging back into it．
在他重新投入到外面那个伟大的世界中之前，他可以在这儿冷眼旁观它。
But the world outside had lost its interest， and the quiet place was now the centre of all feeling．
但是外部的世界已经失去了它的重要性，而这个平静的地方现在却成了他所有喜怒哀乐的中心。
Clare was a thoughtful， honest man．
克莱尔是一个善于思考、诚实正直的人。
He knew Tess was not a toy to play with and throw away when finished with．
他知道苔丝不是一个用来戏耍的玩偶，在玩过之后就可以丢弃。
Her life was as important to her as his was to him．
她的生活对于她与他的生活对于他同等重要。
He knew he must treat her affection for him seriously．
他知道他必须严肃认真地对待她的感情。
But if they went on meeting every day， their relationship must develop：he could not stop himself．
但是如果他们继续保持天天见面，他们的关系势必会继续发展：他无法阻止自己。
As he had not decided what purpose their relationship should have， he decided that for the moment they should meet as little as possible．
因为他还无法断定他们的关系将发展成什么结果，于是他决定在这段时间里，他们应尽量少见面。
But it was not easy to keep to this decision．
但执行这样一个决定绝非易事。
He was driven towards her by the heat in his blood．
他沸腾的热血在驱使着他走近她。
He thought he would go and see his family．
他觉得他应该回去见见他的家人。
In less than five months he would have finished his studies here．
再有不到五个月，他在这儿的学习就要结束了。
After a few more months on other farms， he would be ready to start farming himself．
再到别的农场学习几个月，他就准备开始经营自己的农场了。
Shouldn't a farmer's wife be a woman who understood farming？
一个农场主的妻子难道不该是个懂农务的女人吗？
He rode along the narrow road towards Emminster and his parents’ house．
他骑马沿着一条狭长的道路朝爱敏斯特和他父母的房子走去。
His eyes were looking， not at the road， but at next year．
他的眼睛在展望着什么，不是路面，而是下一个年头。
He loved her： ought he to marry her？
他爱她：他应该娶她吗？
What would his mother and brothers say？
他的母亲和哥哥们会怎么说？
What would he himself say two years after the wedding？
他自己在结婚两年后又会怎么说？
As he rode into the village， he saw a group of young girls waiting outside the church．
当他骑马进村时，他看到一群年轻姑娘正等候在教堂外面。
Walking quickly to join them was Miss Mercy Chant， only daughter of his father's neighbour．
默茜·钱特小姐正快步走去加入她们，她是他父亲家邻居的独生女。
His parents quietly hoped Angel would marry Mercy one day．
他的父母都暗暗地希望有一天安吉尔能和默茜结婚。
She was very good at giving Bible classes，
她对于传授《圣经》知识非常在行，
but in Angel's mind was the face of the pretty milkmaid who hardly ever thought of God．
但安吉尔的心被一张漂亮的面孔占据了，就是那个几乎从没有想起过上帝的挤奶女工的面孔。
His family were delighted，though surprised，to see him．
尽管有些惊讶，他的家人见到他还是很高兴。
Angel was glad to be at home，and yet he did not feel so much part of the family as he used to．
回到家安吉尔也感到很愉快，然而他不再像过去那样觉得自己是这个家庭的重要组成部分了。
His father's religious belief was very strict， but he was a kind， honest man， and fond of his sons．
他父亲恪守宗教信条，非常严格，但他是个和善正直的人，深爱着他的孩子们。
However， he would have been shocked to know of the pagan pleasure in nature and pretty womanhood experienced by Angel．
然而，他若是知道安吉尔从自然界和漂亮女人身上所获得的非基督教的快乐，一定会感到震惊的。
His mother shared his father's religious views and helped in his church work．
他母亲有着同父亲一样的宗教观念，并帮助父亲从事教堂的工作。
His brothers seemed rather unimaginative and narrow-minded， although they were both well educated：
他的哥哥们看起来相当枯燥死板，而且心胸狭窄，尽管他们俩都受过良好的教育，
they felt that anybody outside the Church or university could not be respected．
但他们觉得任何教堂或大学外的人都不应受到尊敬。
As he walked with his brothers， Angel felt that，
当他和哥哥们走在一起时，安吉尔感觉到，
however lucky they were to have a university education， neither of them really saw life as it was lived．
尽管他们俩很幸运地接受了大学教育，但没有一个能实事求是地看待生活。
They thought farming was a poor man's job， not suitable for a gentleman．
他们认为务农是穷人的职业，对一个绅士来说是不合适的。
Angel felt all the more determined to keep to his choice．
安吉尔坚持自己选择的决心更坚定了。
In the evening he spoke to his father alone after prayers．
晚上做完祷告之后，他和父亲单独谈了谈。
Mr Clare told his son he had been saving the money he would have spent on his university education for him．
克莱尔先生告诉儿子，他一直都在积攒那笔该用来给他支付大学教育费用的钱。
This encouraged Angel to ask his father what sort of wife a farmer needed．
这让安吉尔有了勇气，问父亲一个农场主需要什么样的妻子。
‘A really Christian woman． Nothing else matters．For example，my neighbour Dr Chant…’
“一个虔诚的基督教徒，别的什么都不重要。比如说，我的邻居钱特医生……”
‘But isn't the main thing that she should be able to milk cows，churn good butter，
“但是难道这点不重要吗？就是她要会挤牛奶，搅制出上等的黄油，
value animals and direct farm workers？’
珍惜动物，并指导农场工人？”
Mr Clare had clearly never thought of this before．
很明显，克莱尔先生以前从未想过这个方面。
‘Yes，yes， certainly． But I was going to say that you will never find a purer woman than Mercy Chant．
“是的，是的，当然。但我要说的是，你不可能再遇到一位比默茜·钱特更纯洁的姑娘啦。
Your mother and I would be very happy if you…’
你母亲和我会非常高兴的，如果你……”
‘Yes，yes，Mercy is good， I know．
“是的，是的，我知道默茜是个好姑娘。
But，father，don't you think that one who is just as good and pure，
但是，爸爸，难道你不认为一位同样纯洁善良的姑娘，
and who understands farm life as well as the farmer， would be much better？’
像一个农场主一样了解农场生活的姑娘，会更合适吗？”
After much discussion Angel got down to details．
商讨了好一阵之后，安吉尔开始细细阐述。
He explained he had met a woman who was ideally suited to be a farmer's wife，
他解释道，他遇上了一位非常适合做农场主妻子的姑娘，
who went to church reqularly， who was honest， sensitive， intelligent， graceful， pure as snow， and extremely beautiful．
她经常去教堂，她真诚、聪慧、机智、可爱，雪一般地纯洁，而且极其美丽。
‘Is she of a good family， like Mercy？’ asked his surprised mother， who had come in during the conversation．
“她是位大家闺秀吗？像默茜一样？”颇感意外的母亲问道，她是在他们谈话时进来的。
‘She is not what we call a lady，’ said Angel firmly．‘ She is a cottager's daughter．
“她不是一位我们印象中的小姐，”安吉尔毫不退缩地说道，“她是一个农村人家的姑娘。
What's the advantage of good family to me？
大家闺秀能给我带来什么好处呢？
My wife will have to work hard and manage with very little money．’
我的妻子要卖力地工作，还要会安排那点微不足道的收入。”
‘Mercy is educated． That has its charm，’ said his mother，
“默茜受过教育，这是她的迷人之处。
looking at him through her silver glasses．
”他母亲透过她的银边眼镜看着他，说道。
‘I shall help her with her reading．
“我将帮助她读书。
She will learn fast．
她很快就能学会的。
She's full of poetry， real poetry．
她充满了诗意，真正的诗意。
She lives what poets only write．
她充满诗意地生活着，而诗人们只有在笔下流露这些。
And she is a good Christian girl． I'm sure you'll value her for that．’
而且她还是位虔诚的基督教徒，我相信你们会因为这点珍视她的。”
His parents already doubted Angel's religious belief， so they were almost relieved to hear this of his future wife．
他的父母已经怀疑安吉尔的宗教信仰了，因此他关于未来妻子的这一番话，倒让他们觉得宽心了。
They told him not to act in a hurry， but they would like to see her．
他们叫他别草率行事，表示愿意见见她。
Although Angel was free to marry or not as he wished，
尽管安吉尔能够自由地选择结婚或不结婚，
he did not want to hurt his parents， and he accepted their advice．
但他却不愿伤害他的父母。因此，他接受了他们的建议。
As he set off to return to the dairy and Tess， his father rode with him a little way．
当他起身返回奶场和苔丝身边时，他父亲伴他同骑了一段路。
Mr Clare was telling his son about the new d’Urberville family who had taken the ancient name and lived near Trantridge．
克莱尔先生向儿子讲起了那个住在纯瑞脊附近、袭用了这个古老姓氏的新的德伯家庭。
