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Traversing the long and matted gallery, I descended the slippery steps of oak. Then I gained the hall.
我走過鋪著地席的長廊，走下打滑的橡樹樓梯，來到了大廳。
I halted there a minute.
我站了一會兒。
I looked at some pictures on the walls
看著墻上的幾幅畫
one, I remember, represented a grim man in a cuirass, and one a lady with powdered hair and a pearl necklace,
記得其中一幅畫的是一個穿看護胸鐵甲十分威嚴的男子，另一幅是一個頭發上搽了粉戴著珍珠項鏈的貴婦，
at a bronze lamp pendent from the ceiling,
看著從天花板上垂下來的青銅燈；
at a great clock whose case was of oak curiously carved, and ebon black with time and rubbing.
看著一個大鐘，鐘殼是由雕刻得稀奇古怪的橡木做的，因為年長月久和不斷地擦拭，變得烏黑發亮了。
Everything appeared very stately and imposing to me, but then I was so little accustomed to grandeur.
對我來說一切都顯得那樣莊嚴肅穆、富麗堂皇。那時我不大習慣于這種豪華。
The hall-door, which was half of glass, stood open.
一扇鑲著玻璃的大廳門敞開著。
I stepped over the threshold.
我越過了門檻。
It was a fine autumn morning.
這是一個晴朗的秋天早晨。
The early sun shone serenely on embrowned groves and still green fields.
朝陽寧靜地照耀著透出黃褐色的樹叢和寧靜的綠色田野。
Advancing on to the lawn, I looked up and surveyed the front of the mansion.
我往前來到了草坪上，抬頭細看這大廈的正面。
It was three storeys high, of proportions not vast, though considerable.
這是幢三層樓屋宇，雖然有相當規模，但按比例并不覺得宏大。
A gentleman's manor-house, not a nobleman's seat.
是一座紳士的住宅，而不是貴族的府第。
Battlements round the top gave it a picturesque look.
圍繞著頂端的城垛，使整座建筑顯得很別致。
Its grey front stood out well from the background of a rookery, whose cawing tenants were now on the wing.
灰色的正面正好被后面一個白嘴鴉的巢穴映襯著，顯得很凸出，它的居住者正在邊房呱呱叫個不停。
They flew over the lawn and grounds to alight in a great meadow, from which these were separated by a sunk fence,
它們飛越草坪和庭園，落到一塊大草地上。一道矮籬把草地和庭園分開。
and where an array of mighty old thorn trees, strong, knotty,
草地上長著一排排巨大的老荊棘樹叢，強勁多節，
and broad as oaks, at once explained the etymology of the mansion's designation.
大如橡樹，一下子說明屋宇名稱字源意義的由來。
Farther off were hills.
更遠的地方是小山。
Not so lofty as those round Lowood, nor so craggy, nor so like barriers of separation from the living world.
不像羅沃德四周的山那么高聳，那么峻峭，也不像它們那么是一道與世隔絕的屏障。
But yet quiet and lonely hills enough,
但這些山十分幽靜，
and seeming to embrace Thornfield with a seclusion I had not expected to find existent so near the stirring locality of Millcote.
擁抱著桑菲爾德，給它帶來了一種我不曾料到在鬧鬧嚷嚷的米爾科特地區會有的清靜。
A little hamlet, whose roofs were blent with trees, straggled up the side of one of these hills.
一個小村莊零零落落地分布在一座小山的一側，屋頂與樹木融為一體。
The church of the district stood nearer Thornfield.
地區教堂坐落在桑菲爾德附近。
Its old tower-top looked over a knoll between the house and gates.
它古老的鐘樓俯視著房子與大門之間的土墩。
I was yet enjoying the calm prospect and pleasant fresh air,
我欣賞著這番寧靜的景象和誘人的新鮮空氣，
yet listening with delight to the cawing of the rooks,
愉快地傾聽著白嘴鴉的呱呱叫聲，
yet surveying the wide, hoary front of the hall,
細細打量著這所莊園寬闊灰白的正面，
and thinking what a great place it was for one lonely little dame like Mrs. Fairfax to inhabit,
心里琢磨著，偌大一個地方，居然只住著像費爾法犯斯太太這樣一位孤單矮小的貴婦人。
when that lady appeared at the door.
就在這時，這位婦人出現在門邊了。
"What! out already?" said she. "I see you are an early riser."
“怎么，已經起來了？”她說，“我看你是個喜歡早起的人。”
I went up to her, and was received with an affable kiss and shake of the hand.
我向她走去，她慈祥地吻了吻我，并同我握了下手。
"How do you like Thornfield?" she asked.
“你認為桑菲爾德怎么樣？”她問。
I told her I liked it very much.
我告訴她很喜歡。
"Yes," she said, it is a pretty place, but I fear it will be getting out of order,
“是呀，”她說，是個漂亮的地方。但我擔心慢慢地會敗落，
unless Mr. Rochester should take it into his head to come and reside here permanently,
除非羅切斯特先生想著要來，并永久居住在這兒，
or, at least, visit it rather oftener.
或者至少常來看看。
Great houses and fine grounds require the presence of the proprietor.
大住宅和好庭園需要主人經常光顧才是。
"Mr. Rochester!" I exclaimed. "Who is he?"
“羅切斯特先生！”我嚷道，“他是誰？”
"The owner of Thornfield," she responded quietly. "Did you not know he was called Rochester?"
“桑菲爾德的主人，”她平靜地回答，“你不知道他叫羅切斯特嗎？”
Of course I did not — I had never heard of him before.
我當然不知道，我以前從來沒有聽說過他。
But the old lady seemed to regard his existence as a universally understood fact,
但這位老婦人似乎把他的存在，看作盡人皆知的事實，
with which everybody must be acquainted by instinct.
人人都僅憑直感就清楚的。
"I thought," I continued, "Thornfield belonged to you."
“我還以為，”我繼續說，“桑菲爾德是你的呢。”
To me? Bless you, child; what an idea! To me! I am only the housekeeper — the manager.
我的？哎喲，我的孩子！多古怪的想法！我的？我不過是個管家 — 管理人。
To be sure I am distantly related to the Rochesters by the mother's side, or at least my husband was.
確實，從母親份上說，我是羅切斯特家的遠親，或者至少我丈夫是這樣。
