《简·爱》 Chapter 07 第七章（10）

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Now came a pause of ten minutes,

这时开始了十分钟的停顿。

during which I, by this time in perfect possession of my wits, observed all the female Brocklehursts produce their pocket-handkerchiefs and apply them to their optics,

而此时我己经镇定自若，看到布罗克赫斯特家的三个女人都拿出了手帕，揩了揩眼镜，

while the elderly lady swayed herself to and fro, and the two younger ones whispered, "How shocking!" Mr. Brocklehurst resumed.

年长的一位身子前后摇晃着，年轻的两位耳语着说：“多可怕！” 布罗克赫斯特先生继续说。

This I learned from her benefactress.

我是从她的恩人那儿知道的。

From the pious¹ and charitable lady who adopted her in her orphan² state, reared her as her own daughter, and whose kindness,

一位廉诚慈善的太太，在她成了孤儿的时候，是这位太太收养了她，把她作为亲生女儿来养育。

whose generosity³ the unhappy girl repaid by an ingratitude⁴ so bad, so dreadful,

这位不幸的姑娘竟以忘恩负义来报答她的善良和慷慨。

that at last her excellent patroness was obliged to separate her from her own young ones, fearful lest her vicious example should contaminate their purity.

这种行为那么恶劣，那么可怕，那位出色的恩主终于不得不把她同自己幼小的孩子们分开，生怕她的坏样子会沾污他们的纯洁。

She has sent her here to be healed, even as the Jews of old sent their diseased to the troubled pool of Bethesda;

她被送到这里来治疗，就像古时的犹太人把病人送往毕士大搅动着的池水中一样。

And, teachers, superintendent⁵, I beg of you not to allow the waters to stagnate⁶ round her.

教师们，校长们，我请求你们不要让她周围成为一潭死水。

With this sublime⁷ conclusion, Mr. Brocklehurst adjusted the top button of his surtout, muttered something to his family,

说了这样精彩的结语以后，布罗克赫斯特先生整了一下长大衣最上头的一个钮扣，同他的家属嘀咕了几句，

who rose, bowed to Miss Temple, and then all the great people sailed in state from the room.

后者站起来，向坦普尔小姐鞠了一躬。

Turning at the door, my judge said: "Let her stand half-an-hour longer on that stool, and let no one speak to her during the remainder of the day."

随后所有的大人物都堂而皇之地走出了房间。在门边拐弯时，我的这位法官说：“让她在那条凳子上再站半个小时，在今天的其余时间里，不要同她说话。”

There was I, then, mounted aloft.

于是我就这么高高地站着。

I, who had said I could not bear the shame of standing⁸ on my natural feet in the middle of the room, was now exposed to general view on a pedestal of infamy⁹.

而我曾说过，我不能忍受双脚站立于房间正中的耻辱，但此刻我却站在耻辱台上示众。

1 pious   

adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的

参考例句：

• Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。
• Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 orphan   

n.孤儿；adj.无父母的

参考例句：

• He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大，并且把自己的医术传给了他。
• The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。

3 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

4 ingratitude   

n.忘恩负义

参考例句：

• Tim's parents were rather hurt by his ingratitude.蒂姆的父母对他的忘恩负义很痛心。
• His friends were shocked by his ingratitude to his parents.他对父母不孝，令他的朋友们大为吃惊。

5 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

6 stagnate   

v.停止

参考例句：

• Where the masses are not roused,work will stagnate.哪里不发动群众，哪里的工作就死气沉沉。
• Taiwan's economy is likely to stagnate for a long time to come.台湾经济很可能会停滞很长一段时间。

7 sublime   

adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的

参考例句：

• We should take some time to enjoy the sublime beauty of nature.我们应该花些时间去欣赏大自然的壮丽景象。
• Olympic games play as an important arena to exhibit the sublime idea.奥运会，就是展示此崇高理念的重要舞台。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 infamy   

n.声名狼藉，出丑，恶行

参考例句：

• They may grant you power,honour,and riches but afflict you with servitude,infamy,and poverty.他们可以给你权力、荣誉和财富，但却用奴役、耻辱和贫穷来折磨你。
• Traitors are held in infamy.叛徒为人所不齿。