希爾奶奶驚奇地嚷道:“親愛(ài)的小姐,嘉丁納先生打發(fā)了一個(gè)專差給主人送來(lái)一封信,難道你們不知道嗎?他已經(jīng)來(lái)了半個(gè)鐘頭啦?!?/div>
Away ran the girls, too eager to get in to have time for speech. They ran through the
vestibule into the breakfast room; from
thence to the library; -- their father was in neither; and they were on the point of seeking him up stairs with their mother, when they were met by the
butler, who said, "If you are looking for my master, ma'am, he is walking towards the little
copse."
兩位小姐拔腳就跑,急急忙忙跑回家去,話也來(lái)不及說(shuō)了。她們倆跑進(jìn)大門(mén)口,來(lái)到起坐間,再?gòu)钠鹱g來(lái)到書(shū)房,兩處地方都沒(méi)有見(jiàn)到父親,正要上樓梯到母親那兒去找他,又碰到了廚子,廚子說(shuō):“小姐,你們是在找主人吧,他正往小樹(shù)林里去散步呢?!?/div>
Upon this information, they instantly passed through the hall once more, and ran across the
lawn after their father, who was
deliberately pursuing his way towards a small wood on one side of the
paddock.
她們聽(tīng)到這話,又走過(guò)穿堂,跑過(guò)一片草地,去找父親,只見(jiàn)父親正在從容不迫地向圍場(chǎng)旁邊的一座小樹(shù)林走去。
Jane, who was not so light, nor so much in the habit of running, as Elizabeth, soon
lagged behind, while her sister,
panting for breath, came up with him, and eagerly cried out, "Oh, Papa, what news? what news? Have you heard from my uncle?"
吉英沒(méi)有伊麗莎白那么玲瓏,也沒(méi)有她那么會(huì)跑,因此一下子就落后了,只見(jiàn)妹妹已經(jīng)上氣不接下氣地跑到了父親跟前,迫不及待地嚷道:“爸爸,有了什么消息?你接到舅父的信了嗎?”
"Yes, I have had a letter from him by express."
“是的,他打發(fā)專人送了封信來(lái)?!?/div>
"Well, and what news does it bring? good or bad?"
“唔,信里說(shuō)些什么消息呢──好消息還是壞消息?”
"What is there of good to be expected?" said he, taking the letter from his pocket; "but perhaps you would like to read it."
“哪來(lái)好消息?”他一面說(shuō),一面從口袋里掏出信來(lái)?!耙苍S你倒高興看一看。”
Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand. Jane now came up.
伊麗莎白性急地從他手里接過(guò)信來(lái)。吉英也趕上來(lái)了。
"Read it aloud," said their father, "for I hardly know myself what it is about."
“念出來(lái)吧,”父親說(shuō),“我?guī)缀跻膊恢佬派现v些什么?!?/div>
"Gracechurch-street, Monday, August 2.---MY DEAR BROTHER, At last I am able to send you some
tidings of my niece, and such as, upon the whole, I hope will give you satisfaction. Soon after you left me on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of London they were. The particulars I
reserve till we meet. It is enough to know they are discovered; I have seen them both --"
"親愛(ài)的姐夫:我終于能夠告訴你一些有關(guān)外甥女的消息了,希望這個(gè)消息大體上能叫你滿意??偹銉e幸,你星期六走了以后,我立刻打聽(tīng)出他們倆在倫敦的住址。詳細(xì)情況等到見(jiàn)面時(shí)再告訴你。你只要知道我已經(jīng)找到了他們就夠啦。我已經(jīng)看到了他們倆──
"Then it is as I always hoped," cried Jane; "they are married!"
吉英聽(tīng)到這里,不禁嚷了起來(lái):“那么這一下我可盼望到了!他們結(jié)婚了吧!”