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When we returned into the drawing-room, Miss Matty unlocked her desk and began to look over her account-books.
当我们回到客厅时，马蒂小姐打开了她的书桌，开始查看账本。
I was so penitent for what I had said in the morning, that I did not choose to take upon myself the presumption to suppose that I could assist her; I rather left her alone, as, with puzzled brow, her eye followed her pen up and down the ruled page.
我对自己早上说的话感到非常懊悔，因此我不敢冒昧地认为自己能够帮助她；我宁愿让她一个人待着，因为她皱着眉头，眼睛随着笔在有格的纸上上下移动。
By-and-by she shut the book, locked the desk, and came and drew a chair to mine, where I sat in moody sorrow over the fire.
不久之后，她合上了书，锁上了书桌，走过来拉了一把椅子坐在我旁边，我正坐在炉火前，心情忧郁，悲伤不已。
I stole my hand into hers; she clasped it, but did not speak a word.
我悄悄地把手伸进她的手里；她紧紧地握住我的手，但没有说一句话。
At last she said, with forced composure in her voice, “If that bank goes wrong, I shall lose one hundred and forty-nine pounds thirteen shillings and fourpence a year; I shall only have thirteen pounds a year left.”
最后她强装镇定地说：“要是那家银行出事了，我每年就会损失149英镑13先令4便士；我每年就只剩下13英镑了。”
I squeezed her hand hard and tight. I did not know what to say.
我紧紧地握住她的手。我不知道该说什么。
Presently (it was too dark to see her face) I felt her fingers work convulsively in my grasp; and I knew she was going to speak again.
这时（天太黑了，看不见她的脸），我感觉到她的手指在我的手掌中痉挛似的动着；我知道她又要说话了。
I heard the sobs in her voice as she said, “I hope it’s not wrong—not wicked—but, oh! I am so glad poor Deborah is spared this.
我听到她声音里的哽咽，她说：“我希望我这样想没有错——也不是坏心——但是，哦！我很高兴可怜的黛博拉逃过了这一劫。
She could not have borne to come down in the world—she had such a noble, lofty spirit.”
她不能忍受家道中落——她有如此高贵、崇高的精神。”
This was all she said about the sister who had insisted upon investing their little property in that unlucky bank.
这就是她对姐姐所说的全部的话，而坚持要把她们的小财产投资到那家倒霉银行里的就是她姐姐。
We were later in lighting the candle than usual that night, and until that light shamed us into speaking, we sat together very silently and sadly.
那天晚上，我们比平时晚了些才点上蜡烛，在烛光让我们不好意思不开口说话之前，我们非常安静而悲伤地坐在一起。
However, we took to our work after tea with a kind of forced cheerfulness (which soon became real as far as it went), talking of that never-ending wonder, Lady Glenmire’s engagement.
然而，我们喝完茶后就开始工作，勉强让心情愉快起来（愉快心情很快就变得真实起来），并谈论那个永远让我们感到不可思议的事：格兰米尔夫人的订婚。
Miss Matty was almost coming round to think it a good thing.
马蒂小姐几乎开始觉得这是件好事了。
“I don’t mean to deny that men are troublesome in a house.
“我并不是否认男人在家里很麻烦。
I don’t judge from my own experience, for my father was neatness itself, and wiped his shoes on coming in as carefully as any woman; but still a man has a sort of knowledge of what should be done in difficulties, that it is very pleasant to have one at hand ready to lean upon.
我不是根据自己的经验来判断的，因为我父亲本身就很整洁，进门时会像任何女人一样仔细地擦鞋；但男人还是在困难时知道应该做什么，有一个可以依靠的人在身边还是很好的。
Now, Lady Glenmire, instead of being tossed about, and wondering where she is to settle, will be certain of a home among pleasant and kind people, such as our good Miss Pole and Mrs Forrester.
现在格兰米尔夫人不必再四处漂泊，也不必再为自己的归宿而烦恼，她确定能在一群和蔼可亲的人中间成一个家了，比如我们善良的波尔小姐和福里斯特夫人都是很好的人。
And Mr Hoggins is really a very personable man; and as for his manners, why, if they are not very polished, I have known people with very good hearts and very clever minds too, who were not what some people reckoned refined, but who were both true and tender.”
霍金斯先生确实是个品貌兼优的人；至于他的举止，可能他不够文雅，但我也认识一些心地善良、头脑聪明的人，他们并不像某些人认为的那样文雅，但他们既真诚又温柔。”
She fell off into a soft reverie about Mr Holbrook, and I did not interrupt her, I was so busy maturing a plan I had had in my mind for some days, but which this threatened failure of the bank had brought to a crisis.
她陷入了对霍尔布鲁克先生的温柔回忆中，我没有打断她，我正忙于完善我心中已经想了好几天的计划，但这次银行破产使这个计划陷入了危机。
That night, after Miss Matty went to bed, I treacherously lighted the candle again, and sat down in the drawing-room to compose a letter to the Aga Jenkyns, a letter which should affect him if he were Peter, and yet seem a mere statement of dry facts if he were a stranger.
那天晚上，马蒂小姐上床睡觉后，我又偷偷地点燃了蜡烛，坐在客厅里给阿迦·詹金斯写了一封信，如果他是彼得，这封信应该会触动他，但如果他是个陌生人，那么这封信看起来就只是一份枯燥的事实陈述。
The church clock pealed out two before I had done.
教堂的钟在我写完之前敲响了两下。
The next morning news came, both official and otherwise, that the Town and County Bank had stopped payment.
第二天早上，传来了官方和非官方的消息，说郡镇银行已经停止付款。
Miss Matty was ruined.
马蒂小姐破产了。
She tried to speak quietly to me; but when she came to the actual fact that she would have but about five shillings a week to live upon, she could not restrain a few tears.
她试着轻声跟我说话；但当她说到实际情况，也就是她每周只有大约五先令的生活费时，她忍不住流下了几滴眼泪。
“I am not crying for myself, dear,” said she, wiping them away; “I believe I am crying for the very silly thought of how my mother would grieve if she could know; she always cared for us so much more than for herself.
“我不是为自己哭，亲爱的，”她边说边擦眼泪，“我想我是为一个挺傻的念头哭，要是我母亲知道了，她会多么伤心啊；她总是爱我们胜过爱自己。
But many a poor person has less, and I am not very extravagant, and, thank God, when the neck of mutton, and Martha’s wages, and the rent are paid, I have not a farthing owing.
但是很多穷人的收入更少，而我生活并不奢侈，而且感谢上帝，把羊颈肉、玛莎的工资和房租都付了之后，我就一分钱也不欠了。
Poor Martha! I think she’ll be sorry to leave me.”
可怜的玛莎！我想她会为离开我而感到难过的。”
Miss Matty smiled at me through her tears, and she would fain have had me see only the smile, not the tears.
马蒂小姐含着泪对我笑了笑，她很想让我只看到她的笑容，而不是眼泪。
