A week afterwards she came in one evening from an unavailing search for some light occupation in the immediate neighbourhood. Her idea had been to get together sufficient money during the summer to purchase another horse. Hardly had she crossed the threshold before one of the children danced across the room, 'The gentleman's been here!' saying.
一個(gè)星期里,她都在附近的地方尋找一個(gè)輕松一點(diǎn)兒的工作,但是她沒(méi)有找到。一個(gè)星期過(guò)去了,她在晚上回到家里。她原來(lái)的想法是要在夏季里掙一筆錢,再買一匹馬。她還沒(méi)有跨進(jìn)門,就有一個(gè)孩子從屋里跳著跑出來(lái)說(shuō):“那個(gè)紳士到家里來(lái)過(guò)啦!”

Her mother hastened to explain, smiles breaking from every inch of her person. Mrs d'Urberville's son had called on horseback, having been riding by chance in the direction of Marlott. He had wished to know, finally, in the name of his mother, if Tess could really come to manage the old lady's?fowl?farm or not; the lad who had hitherto superintended the birds having proved untrustworthy. 'Mr d'Urberville says you must be a good girl if you are at all as you appear; he knows you must be worth your weight in gold. He is very much interested in 'ee - truth to tell.' Tess seemed for the moment really pleased to hear that she had won such high opinion from a stranger when, in her own esteem, she had sunk so low.
她母親趕忙向她解釋,渾身上下都透露出笑意來(lái)。德貝維爾夫人的兒子騎馬剛好路過(guò)馬洛特村,就順道來(lái)拜訪他們。他主要是代表他的母親來(lái)的,想問(wèn)一問(wèn)苔絲究竟愿不愿意去為老夫人管理雞場(chǎng);還說(shuō)以前為她管雞的小伙子不可靠?!暗仑惥S爾先生說(shuō),從你的模樣看起來(lái),你肯定是個(gè)好姑娘;他說(shuō)你身價(jià)如金啦。他對(duì)你很感興趣——老實(shí)告訴你?!甭?tīng)說(shuō)自己得到一個(gè)陌生人如此高的評(píng)價(jià),苔絲一時(shí)似乎真的高興起來(lái),因?yàn)槟菚r(shí)候她自己覺(jué)得情緒非常低落。

'It is very good of him to think that,' she murmured; 'and if I was quite sure how it would be living there, I would go any-when.'
“謝謝他這樣想,”苔絲嘟噥著說(shuō);“要是我住在那兒的確感到放心的話,任何時(shí)候我都會(huì)到那兒去?!?/div>

'He is a mighty handsome man!'
“他是一個(gè)聰明漂亮的人啦!”

'I don't think so,' said Tess coldly.
“我可不這樣認(rèn)為,”苔絲冷冷地說(shuō)。

'Well, there's your chance, whether or no; and I'm sure he wears a beautiful diamond ring!'
“好啦,無(wú)論如何,這總是你的一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì);我敢肯定,他戴的是一個(gè)漂亮的鉆石戒指!”

'Yes,' said little Abraham, brightly, from the window bench; 'and I seed it! and it did twinkle when he put his hand up to his mistarshers. Mother, why did our grand relation keep on putting his hand up to his mistarshers?'
“是鉆石戒指,”在窗子下面板凳上坐著的小亞伯拉罕快活地說(shuō);“我也看見(jiàn)啦!他舉手摸胡子的時(shí)候,那枚鉆石戒指光燦燦的。母親,我們那個(gè)闊綽的親戚為什么老是用手摸他的胡須呢?”

'Hark at that child!' cried Mrs Durbeyfield, with parenthetic admiration.
“聽(tīng)聽(tīng)這孩子說(shuō)的吧!”德北菲爾德太太帶著欣賞的神態(tài)大聲說(shuō)。

'Perhaps to show his diamond ring,' murmured Sir John, dreamily, from his chair.
“大概是炫耀他的鉆石戒指吧,”約翰爵士坐在椅子上打瞌睡,嘴里嘟噥著說(shuō)。

'I'll think it over,' said Tess, leaving the room.
“我得想一想這件事,”苔絲說(shuō)完就離開(kāi)了房問(wèn)。