評論
打印
Those are the questions that I should like, had I time, to ask you. And indeed, if I have laid stress upon these professional experiences of mine, it is because I believe that they are, though in different forms, yours also. Even when the path is nominally open—when there is nothing to prevent a woman from being a doctor, a lawyer, a civil servant—there are many phantoms and obstacles, as I believe, looming in her way. To discuss and define them is, I think, of great value and importance; for thus only can the labour be shared, the difficulties be solved.
如果還有時間，這些就是我向大家提出的問題。我之所以強調我自己的這些職業經驗是因為我認為它們在不同的形式上和你們的問題是一樣的。即使這條道路在表面上暢通無阻，沒有什么能阻止女人成為醫生、律師和公務員，但是正如我想的，在這條路上還是會有很多鬼影和障礙擋道。我認為討論和界定這些障礙是十分重要的，因為只有如此我們才能共同努力并克服困難。
But besides this, it is necessary also to discuss the ends and the aims for which we are fighting, for which we are doing battle with these formidable obstacles. Those aims cannot be taken for granted; they must be perpetually questioned and examined. The whole position, as I see it—here in this hall surrounded by women practising for the first time in history I know not how many different professions—is one of extraordinary interest and importance. You have won rooms of your own in the house hitherto exclusively owned by men. You are able, though not without great labour and effort, to pay the rent. You are earning your five hundred pounds a year. But this freedom is only a beginning; the room is your own, but it is still bare. It has to be furnished; it has to be decorated; it has to be shared. How are you going to furnish it, how are you going to decorate it? With whom are you going to share it, and upon what terms?
除此之外，我們還必須討論我們為之奮斗而必須克服巨大障礙的目的。那些目的是什么，對這個問題我們不能想當然地認為已經解決了，而要不斷地提出疑問和進行審視。在有史以來首次由追求多種職業的婦女參加的聚會大廳里，我認為，我們的立場是我們特別感興趣和重要的內容之一。在這個一直由男人控制的房子里，你們已經贏得了自己的房間。雖然不得不付出艱辛的勞動和努力，但是你們已經能夠自付房租，你們已經能夠每年賺出自己的五百英鎊。但是，這個自由只是個開端，現在屋子是你自己的了，但它依然是空的，它需要裝修和裝飾，需要與人分享。你準備置辦什么樣的家具，準備進行什么樣的裝飾，準備和誰一起分享，有什么條件？
These, I think are questions of the utmost importance and interest. For the first time in history you are able to ask them; for the first time you are able to decide for yourselves what the answers should be. Willingly would I stay and discuss those questions and answers—but not tonight. My time is up; and I must cease.
我認為這些都是最為重要的目標所在。有史以來你們第一次提出這些問題，第一次能夠自己回答這些問題。我非常愿意留下來和大家一起討論這些問題和答案，但今晚不行，時間到了，就講到這里吧。
