On a frosty morning with a little February sun, Clifford and Connie went for a walk across the park to the wood. That is, Clifford chuffed in his motor-chair, and Connie walked beside him.
二月的某个清晨，阳光并不耀眼，霜冻尚未消融，查泰莱夫妇外出散步，两人穿过花园，走向树林。克利福德驱动着他的巴斯轮椅，康妮则步行相随。
The hard air was still sulphurous, but they were both used to it. Round the near horizon went the haze, opalescent with frost and smoke, and on the top lay the small blue sky; so that it was like being inside an enclosure, always inside. Life always a dream or a frenzy, inside an enclosure.
酷寒的空气中仍是那挥之不去的硫磺味道，不过，两人对此早就习以为常。不远处的地平线为乳白色的浓雾所笼罩，那雾气由霜花和烟尘交织而成，顶上露出片小小的蓝色天空，让人感觉像是身处牢笼，总是挣脱不得。而生活就是牢笼中的一场幻梦，或是一阵狂乱。
The sheep coughed in the rough, sere grass of the park, where frost lay bluish in the sockets of the tufts. Across the park ran a path to the wood-gate, a fine ribbon of pink. Clifford had had it newly gravelled with sifted gravel from the pit-bank. When the rock and refuse of the underworld had burned and given off its sulphur, it turned bright pink, shrimp-coloured on dry days, darker, crab-coloured on wet. Now it was pale shrimp-colour, with a bluish-white hoar of frost. It always pleased Connie, this underfoot of sifted, bright pink. It's an ill wind that brings nobody good.
羊群在杂乱的枯草丛中轻咳，草窝里凝结着蓝色晶莹的霜花。一条小径横穿花园，通向木质的大门，像条上好的粉色缎带。最近，克利福德命仆从用矿坑中筛选出的砾石，将它铺设一新。地底下的岩石和废料燃烧过后褪去硫磺，在干燥的日子里，呈现出鲜亮的粉红色，像是虾的颜色，而遇到潮湿的空气，颜色就会变得更深，跟螃蟹的色泽类似。此刻，它显现出淡粉色，覆着一层蓝白色的霜淞。踩在这条亮粉色碎石小径上，康妮的心情总会愉悦起来。使人人遭殃的风才是恶风——凡事皆有利有弊。
Clifford steered cautiously down the slope of the knoll from the hall, and Connie kept her hand on the chair. In front lay the wood, the hazel thicket nearest, the purplish density of oaks beyond. From the wood's edge rabbits bobbed and nibbled. Rooks suddenly rose in a black train, and went trailing off over the little sky.
克利福德倍加小心地驾着轮椅，从拉格比府坐落的山坡上驶下来，康妮的手则始终没有离开过丈夫的轮椅。树林出现在正前方，近处的是低矮的榛树丛，稍远处则是淡紫色茂密的橡树林。野兔在丛林边缘来回蹦跳，小口啃食着青草。数只乌鸦霍然腾空而起，黑沉沉的一列飞上那片小小的蓝天。
Connie opened the wood-gate, and Clifford puffed slowly through into the broad riding that ran up an incline between the clean-whipped thickets of the hazel. The wood was a remnant of the great forest where Robin Hood hunted, and this riding was an old, old thoroughfare coming across country. But now, of course, it was only a riding through the private wood. The road from Mansfield swerved round to the north.
康妮推开木门，克利福德驱动轮椅，缓缓驶上门外宽阔的马道。这条路向上爬升，形成倾斜的坡面，两侧是系束整齐的榛丛。这树林昔日曾是片广袤无垠的森林，留下过侠盗罗宾汉（注：英国民间传说中劫富济贫的侠盗）游猎的足迹，而这条马道从前也是横穿田野的要衢。但时至今日，它只是私人林地中不起眼的马道而已。从曼斯菲尔德（注：英格兰诺丁汉郡最大的镇）来的道路从此处折向北方。
In the wood everything was motionless, the old leaves on the ground keeping the frost on their underside. A jay called harshly, many little birds fluttered. But there was no game; no pheasants. They had been killed off during the war, and the wood had been left unprotected, till now Clifford had got his game-keeper again.
林中鸦雀无声，地上的枯叶掩住冰霜。松鸦的嘶鸣惊起许多小鸟。但这里早已没有可供猎取的飞禽走兽，连只野鸡的踪影也见不到。战争期间，它们早被斩尽诛绝，树林也多年无人照管，直到最近，克利福德才又雇来一位守林人。
Clifford loved the wood; he loved the old oak-trees. He felt they were his own through generations. He wanted to protect them. He wanted this place inviolate, shut off from the world.
克利福德深爱这片树林，深爱那一株株古老的橡树。他觉得它们世世代代都归他所有。他希望保护它们免受损害。他希望使这片净土不受侵扰，成为与世隔绝的桃源。
The chair chuffed slowly up the incline, rocking and jolting on the frozen clods. And suddenly, on the left, came a clearing where there was nothing but a ravel of dead bracken, a thin and spindly sapling leaning here and there, big sawn stumps, showing their tops and their grasping roots, lifeless. And patches of blackness where the woodmen had burned the brushwood and rubbish.
轮椅缓慢地攀爬着斜坡，在冰冻的土块上摇摆颠簸。陡然间，左侧现出一片空地，只有几棵枯萎的蕨草缠绕其间，几株纤细的树苗东倒西歪，几根被锯断的粗大树桩袒露着顶部以及盘曲的根系，感受不到半点生气。还有几块黑漆漆的地方，那是樵夫焚烧断枝杂草和废物时留下的痕迹。
This was one of the places that Sir Geoffrey had cut during the war for trench timber. The whole knoll, which rose softly on the right of the riding, was denuded and strangely forlorn. On the crown of the knoll where the oaks had stood, now was bareness; and from there you could look out over the trees to the colliery railway, and the new works at Stacks Gate. Connie had stood and looked, it was a breach in the pure seclusion of the wood. It let in the world. But she didn't tell Clifford.
杰弗里爵士战时支援前线堑壕修筑的木料，有部分就出自这里。马道右侧矗立着的小丘线条柔和，但却寸草不生，一片诡异的凄凉景象。小丘之上也曾橡树成荫，如今却是满目荒凉，从那里透过树梢极目远望，运煤的铁道和斯塔克斯门的新厂房便映入眼帘。康妮曾经站在那里向外张望，若说这片树林是远离尘嚣的世外桃源，小丘的顶端便是唯一的缺口。那里与凡尘俗世相连接。然而，她却从未与克利福德提及此事。
This denuded place always made Clifford curiously angry. He had been through the war, had seen what it meant. But he didn't get really angry till he saw this bare hill. He was having it replanted. But it made him hate Sir Geoffrey.
这块不毛之地总让克利福德无名火起。他曾亲历大战烽火，深知战争的意义何在。但只有亲眼目睹这里的荒凉景象，才会不由得怒从心头起。他已调动人手，在这里重新栽种树木。但这仍使他对亡父平添几分怨恨。
Clifford sat with a fixed face as the chair slowly mounted. When they came to the top of the rise he stopped; he would not risk the long and very jolty down-slope. He sat looking at the greenish sweep of the riding downwards, a clear way through the bracken and oaks. It swerved at the bottom of the hill and disappeared; but it had such a lovely easy curve, of knights riding and ladies on palfreys.
轮椅继续缓慢地向上爬升，克利福德脸上没有任何表情。两人在坡顶停住脚步，克利福德不愿冒险尝试那漫长而又崎岖的下坡旅程。他呆坐在原地，眼望着绿色坡地向下延伸，从蕨草和橡树间穿过。最后在山脚下转个弯，便从视线中消失不见。然而它的蜿蜒曲折是那样的优雅从容，让人不禁想起旧日策马徐行的骑士和贵妇。
"I consider this is really the heart of England," said Clifford to Connie, as he sat there in the dim February sunshine.
“我认为这里才是英格兰的中心。”克利福德对康妮说，沐浴在二月朦胧的阳光中。
"Do you?" she said, seating herself in her blue knitted dress, on a stump by the path.
“是么？”康妮说，她身着蓝色毛织连衣裙，坐在道旁的树墩上。
"I do! this is the old England, the heart of it; and I intend to keep it intact." "Oh yes!" said Connie. But, as she said it she heard the eleven-o'clock hooters at Stacks Gate colliery. Clifford was too used to the sound to notice.
“当然！这里才是古老的英格兰，是其核心所在，我要将它完好无损地保存下去。”“哦，没错！”康妮应道。刚一开口，耳边便传来斯塔克斯门煤矿11点钟的汽笛声。而对此司空见惯的克利福德根本没有注意到。
"I want this wood perfect...untouched. I want nobody to trespass in it," said Clifford.
“我希望这树林完美无缺……毫发无伤。不愿意看到任何人擅入其中。”克利福德接着说。
There was a certain pathos. The wood still had some of the mystery of wild, old England; but Sir Geoffrey's cuttings during the war had given it a blow. How still the trees were, with their crinkly, innumerable twigs against the sky, and their grey, obstinate trunks rising from the brown bracken! How safely the birds flitted among them! And once there had been deer, and archers, and monks padding along on asses. The place remembered, still remembered.
他的话语中透出几分悲凉的意味。这片树林依然保有古老英伦那份原始的神秘感，但战时杰弗里爵士的砍伐却使它遭受重创。其间的树木是多么地静谧，无数虬曲的枝条伸向天空，灰白的树干倔强地从棕色蕨草丛中挺直腰身！盘旋飞舞的鸟儿在这里不会受到半点威胁！曾几何时，这里还曾经有鹿出没，还见得到弓箭手，甚至是端坐驴背、四海为家的游方僧人。这片净土记得过往的一切，半点不曾遗忘。
Clifford sat in the pale sun, with the light on his smooth, rather blond hair, his reddish full face inscrutable.
克利福德依然安坐着，暗淡的阳光照耀着他那柔顺的金发，那难以捉摸的绯红脸庞。
"I mind more, not having a son, when I come here, than any other time," he said.
“身处此地，我比任何时候都感到没有子嗣的缺憾。”他感慨道。
"But the wood is older than your family," said Connie gently.
“但这树林比查泰莱家族更加古老。”康妮柔声说。
"Quite!" said Clifford. "But we've preserved it. Except for us it would go...it would be gone already, like the rest of the forest. One must preserve some of the old England!” "Must one?" said Connie. "If it has to be preserved, and preserved against the new England? It's sad, I know.” "If some of the old England isn't preserved, there'll be no England at all," said Clifford. "And we who have this kind of property, and the feeling for it, must preserve it." There was a sad pause. "Yes, for a little while," said Connie.
“说的没错！”克利福德说。“然而却是我们把它保存下来。假若没有我们，它早已灰飞烟灭……消失得无踪无影，就像森林的其他部分。必须为保护英格兰古老的精髓而努力！”“必须这样做么？”康妮提出疑问。“即使保护它意味着与新英格兰背道而驰？我明白，这实在令人难过。”“如果对古老的留存不管不顾，那么英格兰将无从寻觅踪迹了。”克利福德说。“因此，既然我们拥有此类产业，且对其怀有深情，就必须为保存它尽心竭力。”两人双双陷入沉默，只剩空气中飘荡的哀伤气氛。“话虽如此，但也只能保存相当短的时间。”康妮说。
"For a little while! It's all we can do. We can only do our bit. I feel every man of my family has done his bit here, since we've had the place. One may go against convention, but one must keep up tradition.” Again there was a pause.
“相当短的时间！这已经是我们所能做的一切。我们只能做好自己的分内的事。我觉得自从拥有这片土地，查泰莱家族的每名成员都尽到了自己的本分。反对陋俗固然可行，但保留传统更加必要。”沉默再度降临。
"What tradition?" asked Connie.
“什么传统？”康妮问。
"The tradition of England! of this!" "Yes," she said slowly.
“英格兰的传统！拉格比的传统！”“是的。”她慢吞吞地应道。
"That's why having a son helps; one is only a link in a chain," he said.
“因此，有个儿子才能作数；每个人都不过是链条中的一环而已。”他解释道。
Connie was not keen on chains, but she said nothing. She was thinking of the curious impersonality of his desire for a son.
康妮有些反感关于链条的话题，但却并没有表露出来。她在想，丈夫求子的愿望实在有些难以理解，又不切实际。
"I'm sorry we can't have a son," she said.
“很遗憾我们没法拥有自己的儿子。”她说。
He looked at her steadily, with his full, pale-blue eyes.
他那淡蓝色的双眸目不转睛地注视着她。
"It would almost be a good thing if you had a child by another man, he said. "If we brought it up at Wragby, it would belong to us and to the place. I don't believe very intensely in fatherhood. If we had the child to rear, it would be our own, and it would carry on. Don't you think it's worth considering?” Connie looked up at him at last. The child, her child, was just an "it" to him. It...it...it! "But what about the other man?" she asked.
“如果你和其他男人生个孩子，也算是个不错的主意。”他说。“只要我们在拉格比将它养育成人，它就会属于我们，属于这片土地。我对血脉传承不太感冒。只要我们将它养大，它就是我们的孩子，让查泰莱的姓氏得以延续。难道你不认为这值得考虑么？”康妮终于抬起头，望着眼前这个男人。孩子，她的孩子，对于他而言，只是“它”而已，跟没有生命的东西无异。它……只不过是件工具……延续香火的工具！“可那个男人怎么办？”她问。
"Does it matter very much? Do these things really affect us very deeply?... You had that lover in Germany...what is it now? Nothing almost. It seems to me that it isn't these little acts and little connexions we make in our lives that matter so very much. They pass away, and where are they? Where… Where are the snows of yesteryear?... It's what endures through one's life that matters; my own life matters to me, in its long continuance and development. But what do the occasional connexions matter? And the occasional sexual connexions especially! If people don't exaggerate them ridiculously, they pass like the mating of birds. And so they should. What does it matter? It's the life-long companionship that matters. It's the living together from day to day, not the sleeping together once or twice. You and I are married, no matter what happens to us. We have the habit of each other. And habit, to my thinking, is more vital than any occasional excitement. The long, slow, enduring thing...that's what we live by...not the occasional spasm of any sort. Little by little, living together, two people fall into a sort of unison, they vibrate so intricately to one another. That's the real secret of marriage, not sex; at least not the simple function of sex. You and I are interwoven in a marriage. If we stick to that we ought to be able to arrange this sex thing, as we arrange going to the dentist; since fate has given us a checkmate physically there.” Connie sat and listened in a sort of wonder, and a sort of fear. She did not know if he was right or not. There was Michaelis, whom she loved; so she said to herself. But her love was somehow only an excursion from her marriage with Clifford; the long, slow habit of intimacy, formed through years of suffering and patience. Perhaps the human soul needs excursions, and must not be denied them. But the point of an excursion is that you come home again.
“这何足挂齿？这样的小事怎会对你我的感情产生影响？……你在德国就曾有过情人……如今重演旧事又何妨？根本算不得什么。在我看来，生命中的那些小情事、小暧昧，统统无足轻重。它们消逝后便踪影不见，又有谁知道它们去了哪里？去了哪里呢……去年的积雪如今在何处？……一生中能够持久存续的东西才至关重要；对我来说，自己的生命最紧关截要，自己生命的绵延与发展尤其如此。那些露水情缘算得了什么？那些偶然的鱼水之欢更是微不足道！如果人们不可笑地添油加醋，乱加渲染，其本身跟鸟类交尾没什么区别。也应该就是如此。这又有什么大不了的？终生相守、相濡以沫才算弥足珍贵。重要的是白头偕老而非一夜销魂。你我已缔结连理，就算世事变迁，这一点也不会改变。我们已经培养出共同的习惯。依我看，长久的习惯比任何短暂的欢愉重要得多。恒久绵长、历经岁月考验的东西，才是我们赖以为生的基础，绝非那些转瞬即逝的激情时刻。夫妻双方朝夕相处，累积生活中的点点滴滴，直至情深意笃，琴瑟和鸣。这才是婚姻的真谛，性并非关键所在，至少不是单纯的官能刺激。你我因婚姻而彼此结合。如果我们守住底线，那么就可以像去看牙医一样，实施借种的计划，既然由于命运的阻挠，我们已经无法在肉体上完成结合。”康妮坐在旁边静静听着，心里又惊又惧。她也拿不准丈夫的话正确与否。米凯利斯是个不错的选项，那是她爱着的男人，康妮在心底默默对自己说。但在与克利福德漫漫的婚姻长路上，她的爱情不过是段偏离方向的短暂行程，去逃离经年累月的痛苦和忍耐衍生出的长久迟缓的亲密习惯。或许出轨本就源自人类灵魂的需要，而且这样的偏离往往无法抗拒。但经历这短暂行程之后，还是要再度回归家庭生活。
"And wouldn't you mind what man's child I had?" she asked.
“难道你不在乎我怀的是谁的孩子么？”她问。
"Why, Connie, I should trust your natural instinct of decency and selection. You just wouldn't let the wrong sort of fellow touch you.” She thought of Michaelis! He was absolutely Clifford's idea of the wrong sort of fellow.
“为何要在乎呢？康妮，对你端庄的本性以及选人的眼光，我应该有足够的信心。你绝不会准许那些下流胚碰自己。”米凯利斯的身影浮现在她的脑海！在克利福德眼中，自己的情郎可是不折不扣的下流胚。
"But men and women may have different feelings about the wrong sort of fellow," she said.
“但对于品性的判断，男人和女人有着不同的标准。”她说。
"No," he replied. "You care for me. I don't believe you would ever care for a man who was purely antipathetic to me. Your rhythm wouldn't let you.” She was silent. Logic might be unanswerable because it was so absolutely wrong.
“我不这样认为，”他回应道，“你在乎我的感受。相信你不会选择一个让我深恶痛绝的男人。你的直觉也会阻止你这么做。”她沉默半晌。这种逻辑关系简直是错得离谱，因此或许根本无法回答。
"And should you expect me to tell you?" she asked, glancing up at him almost furtively.
“假若有这样的事，你希望我告知实情么？”她边说，边偷偷地瞥了丈夫一眼。
"Not at all, I'd better not know… But you do agree with me, don't you, that the casual sex thing is nothing, compared to the long life lived together? Don't you think one can just subordinate the sex thing to the necessities of a long life? Just use it, since that's what we're driven to? After all, do these temporary excitements matter? Isn't the whole problem of life the slow building up of an integral personality, through the years? living an integrated life? There's no point in a disintegrated life. If lack of sex is going to disintegrate you, then go out and have a love-affair. If lack of a child is going to disintegrate you, then have a child if you possibly can. But only do these things so that you have an integrated life, that makes a long harmonious thing. And you and I can do that together…don't you think?... If we adapt ourselves to the necessities, and at the same time weave the adaptation together into a piece with our steadily-lived life. Don't you agree?” Connie was a little overwhelmed by his words. She knew he was right theoretically. But when she actually touched her steadily-lived life with him she...hesitated. Was it actually her destiny to go on weaving herself into his life all the rest of her life? Nothing else? Was it just that? She was to be content to weave a steady life with him, all one fabric, but perhaps brocaded with the occasional flower of an adventure. But how could she know what she would feel next year? How could one ever know? How could one say Yes? for years and years? The little yes, gone on a breath! Why should one be pinned down by that butterfly word? Of course it had to flutter away and be gone, to be followed by other yes's and no's! Like the straying of butterflies. "I think you're right, Clifford. And as far as I can see I agree with you. Only life may turn quite a new face on it all.” "But until life turns a new face on it all, you do agree?" "Oh yes! I think I do, really." She was watching a brown spaniel that had run out of a side-path, and was looking towards them with lifted nose, making a soft, fluffy bark. A man with a gun strode swiftly, softly out after the dog, facing their way as if about to attack them; then stopped instead, saluted, and was turning downhill. It was only the new game-keeper, but he had frightened Connie, he seemed to emerge with such a swift menace. That was how she had seen him, like the sudden rush of a threat out of nowhere.
“完全没有必要，我最好被蒙在鼓里……不过，你确实跟我持同样的观点，认为较之天长地久的夫妻情感，昙花一现的鱼水之欢实在不值一提？难道你不赞同性爱应该以长期生活的需要为前提？只是对其加以利用，因为我们只是不得已而为之？话说回来，片刻的欢愉怎谈得上重要？生命的全部课题不就是经过岁月的磨砺，潜移默化出完整的人格么？不就是过完备的生活么？不完备的生活根本毫无意义。如果性欲得不到满足，让你觉得有缺憾，那么大可去外面寻找新的恋情。如果没有子嗣，让你感到不够完美，那么只要你愿意，跟其他男人生个也无妨。可做所有这些都是以拥有完备的生活为根本目标，只有这样，一切才会变得持久而又和谐。你我可以携手去实现这一目标……难道你不是这样想么？……只要我们适应这种需要，并将它与我们按部就班的生活融为一体。难道你不这样认为么？”这席话让康妮感到有些不知所措。她清楚，从理论上讲，丈夫的话无可指摘。但想到自己真的要和眼前的男人过按部就班的生活……她就不禁踌躇起来。难道自己的余生真的注定和他纠缠在一起？再无别的出路？仅此而已么？她只能满足于和他安安稳稳地过日子，像块平常的布料，或许偶尔能够编织出几朵冒险之花。但她如何能知道明年的想法呢？人怎样能够知道呢？谁能够轻而易举地点头称是？并保证此承诺长期有效呢？简简单单的一个“是”字，脱口便可说出！人为何会被这个轻如蝴蝶的字眼缚住手脚？它准会振翅飞远，消失不见，被其他的“是”与“不是”所取代！就像是零乱的蝶群。“我想你是对的，克利福德。在可以预见的范围内，我赞同你的想法。只不过，生活难免不会有沧海桑田的变化。”“但在此种剧变发生之前，你确实同意我的观点？”“没错！我想我同意，绝无虚言。”她看到一只褐色西班牙猎犬从岔路冲出来，扬起头盯着他们，低声吼叫着。紧随其后的是个陌生男人，他手持猎枪，脚步轻快地走上前来，似乎作势要向他们开火；然而却停住脚步，弯腰行礼，转身向山下走去。原来只是那个新来的守林人，但他着实把康妮吓得够呛，他陡然现身，犹如凶神恶煞。在康妮眼中，这家伙简直就是从天而降的混世魔王。
He was a man in dark green velveteens and gaiters...the old style, with a red face and red moustache and distant eyes. He was going quickly downhill.
他身穿深绿色棉绒长裤，系着绑腿……打扮老派，面色红润，生着红色的髭须，目光冷峻。此刻他正快步向山下奔去。
"Mellors!" called Clifford.
“梅勒斯！”克利福德喊道。
The man faced lightly round, and saluted with a quick little gesture, a soldier! "Will you turn the chair round and get it started? That makes it easier," said Clifford. The man at once slung his gun over his shoulder, and came forward with the same curious swift, yet soft movements, as if keeping invisible. He was moderately tall and lean, and was silent. He did not look at Connie at all, only at the chair.
那男子稍稍扭过头来，动作利落地敬了个礼，他显然当过兵。“你把我的轮椅掉过来，然后推它一把。这样驱动起来会更容易些。”克利福德说。那男人立刻把枪扛到肩头，以先前那种迅捷的速度走上前来，他的步伐如此之轻，好像不愿让人发觉似的。他中等身高，没有半点赘肉，沉默寡言。他看都不看康妮，目光全部集中在轮椅上。
"Connie, this is the new game-keeper, Mellors. You haven't spoken to her ladyship yet, Mellors?” "No, Sir!" came the ready, neutral words.
“康妮，这就是新来的守林人，梅勒斯。你还没跟夫人说过话吧，梅勒斯？”“没有，爵爷！”他的回答脱口而出，不带有任何感情。
The man lifted his hat as he stood, showing his thick, almost fair hair. He stared straight into Connie's eyes, with a perfect, fearless, impersonal look, as if he wanted to see what she was like. He made her feel shy. She bent her head to him shyly, and he changed his hat to his left hand and made her a slight bow, like a gentleman; but he said nothing at all. He remained for a moment still, with his hat in his hand.
那男人站在那里举举帽子，露出一头浓密的近乎金色的头发。他毫不避讳地直视着康妮的眼睛，炯炯的目光异常平静，毫无惧意，好像要将康妮看穿似的。康妮觉得脸上有些发烧。她羞怯地向他点点头，他把帽子交到左手，绅士般地轻鞠一躬，但却只字不言。他手拿帽子，站在原地动也不动。
"But you've been here some time, haven't you?" Connie said to him.
“你来这里有段日子了吧？”康妮问他。
"Eight months, Madam...your Ladyship!" he corrected himself calmly.
“八个月了，女士……夫人！”他纠正了自己的错误，没有半点慌乱。
"And do you like it?" She looked him in the eyes. His eyes narrowed a little, with irony, perhaps with impudence.
“喜欢这儿么？”她凝视着他的眼睛。他的双目微微眯起，眼神中满是嘲讽，又或是傲慢。
"Why, yes, thank you, your Ladyship! I was reared here..." He gave another slight bow, turned, put his hat on, and strode to take hold of the chair. His voice on the last words had fallen into the heavy broad drag of the dialect...perhaps also in mockery, because there had been no trace of dialect before. He might almost be a gentleman. Anyhow, he was a curious, quick, separate fellow, alone, but sure of himself.
“哦，喜欢，谢谢您的关心，夫人！我在这儿长大……”他再次轻鞠一躬，转过身，戴上帽子，跨步向前抓住轮椅。他的话最后几个字带有明显的拖腔，本地的方言就是如此……但或许又是有意取笑，因为他之前说话时根本不带口音。他几乎称得上是位绅士。然而，也是个身手敏捷、独来独往的怪家伙，孑然一身，但却自信满满。
Clifford started the little engine, the man carefully turned the chair, and set it nose-forwards to the incline that curved gently to the dark hazel thicket.
克利福德发动微型引擎，梅勒斯小心翼翼地调转轮椅，前端对着弯弯曲曲的下坡路，通向幽暗的榛丛。
"Is that all then, Sir Clifford?" asked the man.
“还有什么吩咐，克利福德爵士？”他问。
"No, you'd better come along in case she sticks. The engine isn't really strong enough for the uphill work.” The man glanced round for his dog...a thoughtful glance. The spaniel looked at him and faintly moved its tail. A little smile, mocking or teasing her, yet gentle, came into his eyes for a moment, then faded away, and his face was expressionless. They went fairly quickly down the slope, the man with his hand on the rail of the chair, steadying it. He looked like a free soldier rather than a servant. And something about him reminded Connie of Tommy Dukes.
“嗯，你还是与我们同行的好，万一轮椅又被卡住。上坡的时候，这台引擎确实有点马力不足。”那男人瞥了一眼自己的狗……眼神中充满关切。那猎犬望着主人，轻轻摇动着尾巴。他面露浅笑，柔和的目光中闪过一丝嘲讽或是戏谑，停留片刻便消失不见，又换上那张全无表情的脸孔。下坡时行进的速度相当快，那男人用手扶住轮椅，力求让它走得稳些。他看上去并不像仆从，反倒有自由战士的风范。他身上的某些气质让康妮想起出身行伍的汤米·杜克斯。
When they came to the hazel grove, Connie suddenly ran forward, and opened the gate into the park. As she stood holding it, the two men looked at her in passing, Clifford critically, the other man with a curious, cool wonder; impersonally wanting to see what she looked like. And she saw in his blue, impersonal eyes a look of suffering and detachment, yet a certain warmth. But why was he so aloof, apart? Clifford stopped the chair, once through the gate, and the man came quickly, courteously, to close it.