Durbeyfield walked on a few steps in a dream，then sat down with his basket．In a few minutes a boy appeared．Durbeyfield called to him．

德北走了几步，做梦一般。随后，他就挎着篮子坐了下来。过了几分钟，来了一个男孩，德北朝他喊道：

Boy！Take this basket！I want you to go and do something for me．’

“小家伙，拎着我的篮子！我想要你替我办点事儿。”

The boy frowned．‘Who are you，John Durbeyfield，to order me about and call me“boy”？You know my name as well as I know yours！’

男孩皱起眉头：“你是谁哟，约翰·德北，对我这么吆三喝四的，还叫我‘小家伙’？咱们俩谁还不知道谁叫什么呀！”

‘Do you，do you？That's the secret！Well，Fred，I don't mind telling you that the secret is that I'm one of a noble family．’And Durbeyfield lay back comfortably on the grass．‘Sir John d’Urberville，that's who I am．And I've got the family seal to prove it！’

“你知道？你知道我的名字？这可是秘密。嗯，弗雷德，我不妨告诉你吧。这个秘密就是我是贵族人家的一员。”德北美滋滋地在草地上躺下来。“约翰·德伯爵士——那便是我，我有家族的印章可以证明！”

‘Oh？’

“哦？”

‘Now take up the basket，and tell them in the village to send a horse and carriage to me immediately．Here's a shilling for you．’

“现在，你拎上篮子，告诉村里的人立即给我派一辆单马马车来。这是给你的一先令。”

This made a difference to the boy's view of the situation．

有了这钱，小伙子对这事儿的想法就不同了。

‘Yes，Sir John．Thank you，Sir John．’

“遵命，约翰爵士。谢谢您啦，约翰爵士。”

As they spoke，sounds of music came through the evening air from the village．

他们正说着话，一阵音乐声穿过夜空从村头传来。

‘What's that？’said Durbeyfield．‘Have they heard my news already？’

“怎么回事？”德北说，“他们已经得知我的新闻了吗？”

‘It's the women dancing，Sir John．’

“那是妇女舞会，约翰爵士。”

The boy went on his way and Durbeyfield lay waiting in the evening sun．Nobody passed by for a long time，and he could just hear the faint music in the distance．

男孩上路走了，德北躺在夕阳下等着。好长一段时间，没有人路过那儿，他只听到那悠远的音乐。