🔊 The next day afforded no opportunity for the proposed examination of the mysterious apartments. It was Sunday, and the whole time between morning and afternoon service was required by the general in exercise abroad or eating cold meat at home; and great as was Catherine’s curiosity, her courage was not equal to a wish of exploring them after dinner, either by the fading light of the sky between six and seven o’clock, or by the yet more partial though stronger illumination of a treacherous lamp. The day was unmarked therefore by anything to interest her imagination beyond the sight of a very elegant monument to the memory of Mrs. Tilney, which immediately fronted the family pew. By that her eye was instantly caught and long retained; and the perusal of the highly strained epitaph, in which every virtue was ascribed to her by the inconsolable husband, who must have been in some way or other her destroyer, affected her even to tears.

次日依旧无缘探访那些神秘的房间。适逢礼拜日,将军整个上午和下午礼拜之间的时间,要么用于户外锻炼,要么在家享用冷餐；凯瑟琳的好奇心固然强烈,她的胆量却还不足以让她在晚餐后兴起探索的念头,无论是借着六七点钟天空渐暗的微光,或者借助那盏靠不住的灯发出的、虽更亮却也更偏斜的光线。因此,这一天并未发生任何能激发她想象力的事情,除了看到一座极为精美的纪念碑,用以纪念蒂尔尼太太,它就正对着家族的教堂长椅。她的目光立刻被吸引,久久不能移开；读着那篇极尽渲染的墓志铭,其中那位无法安慰的丈夫将一切美德都归于她,而他必定在某种程度上是她的毁灭者,这让她感动得泪流满面。

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afforded /əˈfɔːdɪd/

v. 提供,给予（机会、时间等）➕

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proposed /prəˈpoʊzd/

adj. 提议的,建议的➕

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mysterious /mɪˈstɪriəs/

adj. 神秘的,难以理解的➕

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elegant /ˈelɪɡənt/

adj. 优雅的,精美的➕

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monument /ˈmɑːnjumənt/

n. 纪念碑,历史遗迹➕

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epitaph /ˈepɪtæf/

n. 墓志铭,碑文➕

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inconsolable /ˌɪnkənˈsoʊləbl/

adj. 无法安慰的,极度悲伤的➕

🔊 That the general, having erected such a monument, should be able to face it, was not perhaps very strange, and yet that he could sit so boldly collected within its view, maintain so elevated an air, look so fearlessly around, nay, that he should even enter the church, seemed wonderful to Catherine. Not, however, that many instances of beings equally hardened in guilt might not be produced. She could remember dozens who had persevered in every possible vice, going on from crime to crime, murdering whomsoever they chose, without any feeling of humanity or remorse; till a violent death or a religious retirement closed their black career. The erection of the monument itself could not in the smallest degree affect her doubts of Mrs. Tilney’s actual decease. Were she even to descend into the family vault where her ashes were supposed to slumber, were she to behold the coffin in which they were said to be enclosed-what could it avail in such a case? Catherine had read too much not to be perfectly aware of the ease with which a waxen figure might be introduced, and a supposititious funeral carried on.

将军既然竖起了这样一座纪念碑,却能坦然面对,或许并不十分奇怪；然而他竟能如此镇定自若地坐在它的视野内,保持如此高昂的姿态,无所畏惧地环顾四周,甚至踏进教堂,这在凯瑟琳看来实在不可思议。不过,要想举出几个同样罪孽深重、心肠冷酷的例子倒也不难。她从书中读到过太多这样的人,他们沉溺于一切可能的恶行,从一桩罪行滑向另一桩,肆意谋杀,毫无恻隐与悔意,直至暴毙身亡或是遁入空门,方才终结那黑暗的一生。竖立纪念碑本身丝毫不能动摇她对蒂尔尼太太实际逝世的怀疑。即便她下到家族的墓穴,那里据说安息着她的骨灰；即便她亲眼看到据称盛放遗体的棺椁--在这种情况下又能证明什么呢？凯瑟琳读书太多,完全清楚蜡像如何轻易被引入,一场虚假的葬礼又如何操办。

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erected /ɪˈrektɪd/

v. 建立,竖立➕

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boldly /ˈboʊldli/

adv. 大胆地,勇敢地➕

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elevated /ˈelɪveɪtɪd/

adj. 崇高的,提高的➕

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hardened /ˈhɑːrdnd/

adj. hardened, 变得冷酷或无情的➕

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persevered /ˌpɜːrsəˈvɪrd/

v. 坚持不懈, persevere 的过去式➕

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remorse /rɪˈmɔːrs/

n. 悔恨,自责➕

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decease /dɪˈsiːs/

n. 死亡（正式用语）➕

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supposititious /səˌpɑːzɪˈtɪʃəs/

adj. 假定的,推测的➕

🔊 The succeeding morning promised something better. The general’s early walk, ill-timed as it was in every other view, was favourable here; and when she knew him to be out of the house, she directly proposed to Miss Tilney the accomplishment of her promise. Eleanor was ready to oblige her; and Catherine reminding her as they went of another promise, their first visit in consequence was to the portrait in her bed-chamber. It represented a very lovely woman, with a mild and pensive countenance, justifying, so far, the expectations of its new observer; but they were not in every respect answered, for Catherine had depended upon meeting with features, hair, complexion, that should be the very counterpart, the very image, if not of Henry’s, of Eleanor’s-the only portraits of which she had been in the habit of thinking, bearing always an equal resemblance of mother and child. A face once taken was taken for generations. But here she was obliged to look and consider and study for a likeness. She contemplated it, however, in spite of this drawback, with much emotion, and, but for a yet stronger interest, would have left it unwillingly.

接下来的那个清晨,总算让人看到了一丝希望。将军的晨间散步,尽管在其他方面时机不当,在此却正中下怀；当她得知他不在宅中时,便直接向蒂尔尼小姐提议履行诺言。埃莉诺乐于从命；凯瑟琳边走边提醒她另一个承诺,于是她们首先去拜访了她卧室中的肖像。画中是一位非常可爱的女子,面容温和而忧郁,在一定程度上印证了这位新观察者的期待；但并非所有方面都符合预期,因为凯瑟琳原本指望看到与亨利或埃莉诺一模一样的五官、发色和肤色--她习惯想到的肖像总是母子相像,代代相传。但在这里,她不得不端详、思索、寻找相似之处。尽管如此,她仍满怀情感地凝视着它,若非有更强烈的兴趣驱使,她几乎不愿离开。

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pensive /ˈpensɪv/

adj. 沉思的,忧郁的➕

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countenance /ˈkaʊntənəns/

n. 面容,表情➕

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resemblance /rɪˈzembləns/

n. 相似, resemblance➕

🔊 Her agitation as they entered the great gallery was too much for any endeavour at discourse; she could only look at her companion. Eleanor’s countenance was dejected, yet sedate; and its composure spoke her inured to all the gloomy objects to which they were advancing. Again she passed through the folding-doors, again her hand was upon the important lock, and Catherine, hardly able to breathe, was turning to close the former with fearful caution, when the figure, the dreaded figure of the general himself at the further end of the gallery, stood before her! The name of 'Eleanor' at the same moment, in his loudest tone, resounded through the building, giving to his daughter the first intimation of his presence, and to Catherine terror upon terror. An attempt at concealment had been her first instinctive movement on perceiving him, yet she could scarcely hope to have escaped his eye; and when her friend, who with an apologizing look darted hastily by her, had joined and disappeared with him, she ran for safety to her own room, and, locking herself in, believed that she should never have courage to go down again.

她们走进大画廊时,她的激动使她无法开口交谈；她只能看着同伴。埃莉诺的面容沮丧却沉静；那种镇定表明她已习惯她们正走向的所有阴森景象。她再次穿过折门,手再次放在那重要的锁上,而凯瑟琳几乎屏住呼吸,正小心翼翼地转身去关门,就在这时,将军本人那可怕的身影出现在画廊远端,矗立在她面前！与此同时,“埃莉诺”这个名字以他最洪亮的声音响彻整栋建筑,让女儿首次意识到他的存在,却令凯瑟琳陷入一层深似一层的恐惧之中。一看到他,她本能的第一反应是试图躲藏,但她几乎不指望能逃过他的眼睛；当她的朋友带着歉意的神情迅速从她身边闪过,与他汇合并一同消失后,她逃向自己的房间以求安全,锁上门,相信自己再也不会有勇气下楼了。

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agitation /ˌædʒɪˈteɪʃn/

n. 激动,不安➕

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endeavour /ɪnˈdevər/

n. 努力, attempt➕

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dejected /dɪˈdʒektɪd/

adj. 沮丧的,失望的➕

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sedate /sɪˈdeɪt/

adj. 安静的,稳重的➕

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composure /kəmˈpoʊʒər/

n. 镇静,沉着➕

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inured /ɪˈnjʊrd/

adj. 习惯于,适应于（尤指不利条件）➕

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gloomy /ˈɡluːmi/

adj. 阴暗的,忧郁的➕

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intimation /ˌɪntɪˈmeɪʃn/

n. 暗示,通知➕

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concealment /kənˈsiːlmənt/

n. 隐藏, concealment➕

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instinctive /ɪnˈstɪŋktɪv/

adj. 本能的,直觉的➕

🔊 She was at least secure from any further interruption from him. The day passed away without her seeing him again; and though the evening brought an apology from Eleanor for their sudden departure, and an invitation to tea with her the next day, it brought no relief to Catherine’s spirits. The general had certainly been displeased by her sudden retreat; she feared she had offended him; and though he had sent a message by Eleanor that he should be glad to see her at tea, she could not think of going without terror. The evening was spent by her in the sincere effort of reconciling her courage to the necessity of encountering him; but the morning made no change in her fearful wishes, and she could not command resolution enough for going down before the general’s usual hour. Her appearance therefore was not expected; and at the usual time of his leaving the house, she had the satisfaction of seeing him walk past the window with his accustomed pace. His departure gave her immediate ease; and she was then able to attend to Eleanor’s note, which had preceded it by half an hour, and to consider her own conduct with some composure.

她至少免于他进一步的打扰。一天过去,她再未见到他；尽管晚上埃莉诺为她们的突然离去道了歉,并邀请她次日共饮下午茶,但这并未让凯瑟琳紧绷的心神有丝毫放松。将军显然对她仓促退避感到不悦；她担心自己冒犯了他；尽管他通过埃莉诺传话说乐意在茶会上见她,但她一想到要去就恐惧不已。整个晚上,她真诚地努力鼓足勇气去面对与他相遇的必要；但清晨并未改变她胆怯的意愿,她无法下定决心在将军惯常的时间之前下楼。因此,她的出现未被期待；在他通常离家的时刻,她欣慰地看到他以惯常的步伐走过窗前。他的离去立刻让她轻松下来；于是她才能去留意埃莉诺半小时前送来的便条,并以些许镇定思量自己的行为。

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secure /sɪˈkjʊr/

adj. 安全的,稳固的➕

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interruption /ˌɪntəˈrʌpʃn/

n. 打断,中断➕

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reconciling /ˈrekənsaɪlɪŋ/

v. 调和,调解, reconcile 的现在分词➕

Chapter eighteen (第十八章)

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