第八章（第6/11页）

"Very well!" she said. "I'll see to it.” "All right, your Ladyship." Their eyes met. His had a cold, ugly look of dislike and contempt, and indifference to what would happen. Hers were hot with rebuff.

“很好！”她说。“我自己想办法。”“悉听尊便，夫人。”四目相对。他的眼神冷漠阴郁，充满厌恶与鄙夷，似乎康妮接下来要怎么做，与他毫无干系。而她的目光则因遭拒而燃起怒火。

But her heart sank, she saw how utterly he disliked her, when she went against him. And she saw him in a sort of desperation.

可她的情绪随即坠入谷底，她亲眼目睹，两人针锋相对时，他是多么厌恶自己。她看见他处于些许绝望之中。

"Good afternoon! "Afternoon, my Lady! He saluted and turned abruptly away. She had wakened the sleeping dogs of old voracious anger in him, anger against the self-willed female. And he was powerless, powerless. He knew it!

“再见！”“回见，夫人！”他行过礼，立即转身离去。他心中沉睡已久的暴怒已被唤醒，眼前这个任性胡为的女人让他气撞顶梁。但他却无计可施，无可奈何。他深知这一点！

And she was angry against the self-willed male. A servant too! She walked sullenly home.

而她也同样因为这个冥顽不灵的男人怒不可遏。不过是个下人而已！她怏怏地往回走。

She found Mrs. Bolton under the great beech-tree on the knoll, looking for her.

山坡上那棵硕大的山毛榉树下，站着的正是博尔顿太太，她正盼着女主人快些归来。

"I just wondered if you'd be coming, my Lady," the woman said brightly.

“我正琢磨着，您差不多该回来了，夫人。”她高兴地说。

"Am I late?" asked Connie.

“我回来晚了吗？”康妮问。

"Oh only Sir Clifford was waiting for his tea." "Why didn't you make it then?” "Oh, I don't think it's hardly my place. I don't think Sir Clifford would like it at all, my Lady.” "I don't see why not," said Connie.

“哦……只是克利福德爵士急着要喝茶。”“你干嘛不给他弄呢？”“噢，我觉得自己没法替您做这些。克利福德爵士也根本不希望由我来做，夫人。”“我真搞不懂他为何不愿意。”康妮说。

She went indoors to Clifford's study, where the old brass kettle was simmering on the tray.

她回到家，径直来到克利福德的书房，那把旧铜壶正在托盘上冒着热气。

"Am I late, Clifford?" she said, putting down the few flowers and taking up the tea-caddy, as she stood before the tray in her hat and scarf. "I'm sorry! Why didn't you let Mrs. Bolton make the tea?” "I didn't think of it," he said ironically. "I don't quite see her presiding at the tea-table.” "Oh, there's nothing sacrosanct about a silver tea-pot," said Connie.

“我回来得有些晚吧，克利福德？”她说着，在托盘前站定，搁下采来的水仙，顺手取过茶叶盒，帽子和围巾都没来得及摘掉。“很抱歉！可你为什么不让博尔顿太太给你泡茶呢？”“我就没这样想过。”他语带讽刺地说。“我觉得茶桌上的事她无法胜任。”“啊，区区银茶壶，也没什么神圣之处。”康妮说。

He glanced up at her curiously.

他诧异地扫了她一眼。

"What did you do all afternoon?" he said.

“你整个下午都做什么去了？”他问。

"Walked and sat in a sheltered place. Do you know there are still berries on the big holly-tree?” She took off her scarf, but not her hat, and sat down to make tea. The toast would certainly be leathery. She put the tea-cosy over the tea-pot, and rose to get a little glass for her violets. The poor flowers hung over, limp on their stalks.

“散步，然后坐在背风处小憩。你知道么？大冬青树还结有果实呢。”她解下围巾，但没摘帽子，坐下来沏茶。烤面包肯定变得硬而不脆了。她给茶壶套上保护套，站起来拿过一个小玻璃瓶，准备用来插紫罗兰。那些可怜的花在花茎上耷拉着脑袋，无精打采。

"They'll revive again!" she said, putting them before him in their glass for him to smell.

“它们会振作起来的！”她边说，边把花瓶端到丈夫跟前让他闻。

"Sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes," he quoted.

“比朱诺的眉眼还要可爱。”他引用莎翁的名句。（注：这句话出自莎士比亚的剧作《冬天的故事》）

"I don't see a bit of connexion with the actual violets," she said. "The Elizabethans are rather upholstered." She poured him his tea.

“我觉得这句诗跟真正的紫罗兰毫不搭界。”她说。“伊丽莎白时期的人都有些华而不实。”她给他斟茶。