02 Disaster for Gabriel Oak（1）

2 Disaster for Gabriel Oak
　　Young Farmer Oak was in love. He waited for the girl's regular visits to the sick cow just as impatiently as his dog waited to be fed. He discovered that her name was Bathsheba Everdene，and that she lived with her aunt，Mrs Hurst. His head was so full of her that he could think of nothing else.
　　‘I'll make her my wife，’he declared to himself，‘or I'll never be able to concentrate on work again！’
　　When she stopped coming to feed the sick cow，he had to find a reason for visiting her. So he took a young lamb，whose mother had died，and carried it in a basket across the fields to Mrs Hurst's house.
　　‘I've brought a lamb for Miss Everdene，’he told Bathshe－ba's aunt. ‘Girls usually like looking after lambs. ’
　　‘Thank you，Mr Oak，’replied Mrs Hurst，‘but Bathsheba is only a visitor here. I don't know if she'll keep it. ’
　　‘To tell you the truth，Mrs Hurst，the lamb isn't my real reason for coming. I want to ask Miss Everdene if she'd like to be married. ’
　　‘Really？’asked Mrs Hurst，looking closely at him.
　　‘Yes Because if she would，I'd like to marry her. Do you know if she has any other young men courting her at the moment？’
　　‘Oh yes，a lot of young men，’said Mrs Hurst. ‘You see，Farmer Oak，she's so handsome，and so well-educated too. Of course,I haven't actually seen any of her young men，but she must have at least ten or twelve！’
　　‘That's unfortunate，’said Farmer Oak，staring sadly at the floor. ‘I'm just a very ordinary man，and my only chance was being the first to ask to marry her. Well，that was all I came for. I'd better go home now， Mrs Hurst. ’
　　He had gone halfway across the first field when he heard a cry behind him. He turned，and saw a girl running after him. It was Bathsheba. Gabriel blushed.
　　‘Farmer Oak，’she called breathlessly，‘I want to say——my aunt made a mistake when she told you I had a lot of young men courting me. In fact，I haven't got any，and I've never had any. ’
　　‘I am glad to hear that！’said Gabriel，with a wide smile，holding out his hand to take hers. But she pulled her hand away quickly. ‘I have a nice comfortable little farm，’he added，a little less confidently. ‘And when we are married，I'm sure I can work twice as hard as I do now，and earn more. ’
　　He stretched out his arm towards her. Bathsheba moved rapidly behind a tree to avoid him. ‘But，Farmer Oak，’she said in surprise，‘I never said I was going to marry you. ’
　　‘Well！’said Gabriel，disappointed. ‘To run after me like this， and then say you don't want me！’
　　‘I only wanted to explain that my aunt was wrong，’she answered eagerly. ‘Anyway，I had to run to catch up with you，so I didn't have time to decide whether l wanted to marry or not. ’
　　‘Just think for a minute or two，’replied Gabriel hopefully. ‘I'll wait a while， Miss Everdene. Will you marry me？ Do，Bathsheba. I love you very much！’
　　‘I'll try to think，’she answered. ‘Give me time，’and she looked away from him at the distant hills.
　　‘I can make you happy，’he said to the back of her head ‘You shall have a piano，and I'll practise the flute to play with you in the evenings. ’
　　‘Yes，I'd like that. ’
　　‘And at home by the fire，whenever you look up，there I'll be，and whenever I look up， there you'll be. ’
　　‘Wait，let me think！’She was silent for a while，and then turned to him. ‘No，’she said，‘I don't want to marry you. It'd be nice to have a wedding，but having a husband——well，he'd always be there. As you say，whenever I looked up，there he'd be. ’
　　‘Of course he would——it would be me. ’
　　‘that's the problem. I wouldn't mind being a bride，if I could be one without having a husband. But as a woman can't be a bride alone，I won't marry，at least not yet. ’
　　‘What a silly thing for a girl to say！’ cried Gabriel. And then he said softly，‘But darling，think again！’He moved round the tree to reach her. ‘Why won't you have me？’
　　‘Because I don't love you，’she replied， moving away.
‘But I love you——and I'm happy to be liked，if that's all you feel for me. ’He spoke more seriously than he had ever spoken before. ‘Only one thing is certain in this life——I shall love you，and want you，and keep on wanting you until I die. ’


 2 盖伯瑞尔•奥克遭遇灾难
　　年轻的农夫奥克陷入了爱河。他急切地等待着那个姑娘定期地去看病牛，就像他的狗等着喂食一样。他发现她叫芭丝谢芭•伊芙丁，她与她的姑妈赫思特太太住在一起。他满脑子想的都是她，别的什么也不想。
　　“我要让她做我的妻子，”他心想，“否则我将再也无法集中精力工作！”
　　当她不再来喂病牛时，他只好找个理由去拜访她。他带了一只失去妈妈的小羊羔，把小羊羔装在筐里，穿过田地来到赫思特太太的家。
　　“我给伊芙丁小姐带来一只小羊羔，”他对芭丝谢芭的姑妈说，“姑娘们一般都喜欢照料羊羔。”
　　“谢谢你，奥克先生，”赫思特太太回答说，“可是芭丝谢芭在这儿只是个客人。我不知道她是否会留着这只羊羔。”
　　“不瞒您说，赫思特太太，这只羊羔并非我来这儿的真正原因。我想问问伊芙丁小姐她是否愿意结婚。”
　　“是吗？”赫思特太太问，认真地看着他。
　　“是的。如果她愿意，我想和她结婚。您知不知道目前是否有其他的年轻人在追求她？”
　　“噢，有，有许多年轻人，”赫思特太太说。”你知道，农夫奥克，她长得那么漂亮，又受过良好的教育。当然，追求她的年轻人我实际上一个也没见过，不过，她至少有十多个追求者。”
　　“那可太糟糕了，”农夫奥克说，沮丧地盯着地板。“我只是一个很普通的人，我唯一的机会在于是第一个向她求婚的人。好吧，这就是我来的目的。现在我该回家了，赫思特太太。”
　　他在第一块地里刚走了一半的路就听到身后有人喊了一声。他转身看到一个姑娘向他跑来。正是芭丝谢芭。盖伯瑞尔红了脸。
　　“农夫奥克，”她上气不接下气地喊，”我姑妈说有许多年轻人在追求我，我想说她搞错了。事实上，我一个也没有，从来也没有过。”
　　“很高兴听到你这样说！”盖伯瑞尔说，开心地笑着，伸出手去握住她的手。但她很快就抽回了她的手。“我有一个收益不薄的小农场，”他补充说，显得有点不自信。“咱们结婚后，我一定会加倍工作，挣更多的钱。”
　　他向她伸出胳膊。芭丝谢芭跑到树后躲避他。“可是，农夫奥克，”她吃惊地说，“我可从没说要与你结婚。”
　　“算了！”盖伯瑞尔失望地说。“这么在后边追我，然后又说你不需要我！”
　　“我只是想解释我姑妈搞错了，”她迫不及待地回答。“我得跑着追你，所以我没有时间决定是否要与你结婚。”
　　“那就考虑几分钟，”盖伯瑞尔满怀希望地回答。“我可以等一会儿，伊芙丁小姐。你愿意和我结婚吗？和我结婚吧，芭丝谢芭。我非常爱你！”
　　“我会认真考虑的，”她回答说。“给我时间，”她把目光从他身上移向远处的山峦。
　　“我会使你幸福的，”他冲着她的后脑勺说。“你将会有一架钢琴，我吹笛子，晚上可以与你一起演奏。”
　　“是啊，能那样我很高兴。”
　　“在家中的炉火旁，无论你什么时候抬起头，我都会在跟前，无论我什么时候抬起头，你就在跟前。”
　　“等等，让我想想！”她沉默了一会儿，然后转向他。“不，”她说，“我不想和你结婚。举行婚礼固然不错，但有一个丈夫——唉，他总在你的眼前。就如同你说的，无论什么时候我抬起头来，他就在跟前。”
　　“当然他会在你的跟前——那就是我呀。”
　　“问题就在这儿。如果能做新娘又不必有一个丈夫，我倒是不介意做新娘。但是既然一个女人独自不可能成为新娘，我就不愿意结婚，至少现在还不愿意。”
　　“一个姑娘这样说多傻呀！”盖伯瑞尔大声说。接着他柔声说道，“亲爱的，再想一想！”他绕到树后去够她。“你为什么不要我？”
　　“因为我不爱你，”她回答，躲开了。
　　“可是我爱你——不过有人喜欢我，我也非常幸福，当然假如你喜欢我的话。”他比以往任何时候都更加严肃地说。“在我的一生中只有一件事是确定无疑的——我会爱你，需要你，终生需要你直到我死的那一天。”