02 Disaster for Gabriel Oak（2）

His feelings were plain to see in his honest face，and his large brown hands were trembling.
　　‘It seems wrong not to accept you when you feel so strongly，’she replied unhappily. ‘I wish I hadn't run after you！But we wouldn't be happy together，Mr Oak. I'm too independent. I need a husband who can keep me in order， and I'm sure you wouldn't be able to do that. ’
　　Gabriel looked hopelessly away and did not reply.
　　‘And，Mr Oak，’she continued in a clear voice，‘I'm so poor that my aunt has to provide a home for me. You're just starting your farming business. It would be much more sensi-ble for you to marry a woman with money. Then you could buy more sheep and improve your farm. ’
　　‘That's just what I'd been thinking！’ answered Gabriel in surprise.
　　What common sense she had，he thought admiringly.
　　‘Well then，why did you ask to marry me？’she said angrily.
　　‘I can't do what I think would be——sensible. I must do what my heart tells me. ’He did not see the trap she had set for him.
　　‘Now you've confessed that marrying me wouldn't be sen－sible， Mr Oak. Do you think I'll marry you after that？’
　　‘Don't mistake my meaning like that，’he cried，‘just because I'm honest enough to tell you the truth！I know you'd be a good wife for me. You speak like a lady，everyone says so，and your uncle at Weatherbury has a large farm，I've heard. May I visit you in the evenings，or will you come for a walk with me on Sundays？You don't have to decide at once. ’
　　‘No，no，I cannot. Don't insist，don't. I don't love you，so it would be foolish, ’she said with a laugh.
　　No man likes to see his feelings laughed at，so Gabriel Oak said，turning away，‘Very well，then I won't ask you again. ’
　　Gabriel did not see Bathsheba again and two days later he heard that she had left the area， and was now in Weatherbury，a village twenty miles away. Her departure did not stop Gabriel from loving her. In fact he loved her even more deeply now that they were apart.
　　The next night，before going to bed，Gabriel called his two dogs to come into the house for the night. His old dog，George，obeyed the call，but the younger one was missing. Gabriel was having difficulty training this young dog，which，although enthusiastic，still did not understand a sheep dog's duties. He did not worry about the dog's absence，but went to bed.
　　Very early in the morning he was woken by the sound of sheep bells，ringing violently. Shepherds know every sound that sheep bells make，and Gabriel immediately realized that his sheep were running fast. He jumped out of bed，threw on his clothes and ran up Norcombe Hill，to his fields near the chalk-pit.
　　There were his fifty sheep with their lambs，all safe，in one field. But in the other field，the two hundred pregnant sheep had completely disappeared. He noticed a broken gate，and felt sure the sheep had gone through it. There was no sign of them in the next field，but ahead of him at the top of the hill he saw the young dog，looking black against the morning sky. It was standing quite still，staring down into the chalk-pit.
　　Gabriel felt sick as he realized the horrible truth. He hurried up the hill to the edge of the chalk-pit，and looked down into it. In the deep pit lay his dead and dying sheep，two hundred of them，which would have produced two hundred more in the next few weeks. The young，untrained dog must have chased them up to the edge of the pit，where they fell to their death.
　　His first feeling was pity for those gentle sheep and their unborn lambs. Then he thought of himself. All his savings，which he had worked so hard for in the last ten years，had been spent on renting the farm. Now his hopes of being an independent farmer were destroyed. He covered his face with his hands.
　　After a while he looked up. ‘Thank God I'm not married to Bathsheba，’he thought. ‘What would she have done，mar－ried to a husband as poor as I shall be！’
　　The young dog was shot the next day. Gabriel sold all his farm tools to pay what he owed for the sheep. He was no longer a farmer，just an ordinary man who owned the clothes he was wearing and nothing more. Now he had to find work where he could，on other men's farms.
从他诚实的脸上可以明白无误地看出他的感情，他黝黑的大手在颤抖。
　　“在你感情这么强烈时，不接受你似乎是不合适的，”她闷闷不乐地说。“我真希望刚才没有追你！不过，奥克先生，咱们在一起不会幸福的。我个性很要强。我需要一个能管得了我的丈夫，我肯定你做不到。”
　　盖伯瑞尔失望地把目光移开，默不作声。
　　“奥克先生，”她用清晰的声音继续说，“我很穷，都得要我的姑妈给我提供住处。你的农场刚刚起步，找一个有钱的女人对你来说更明智。那样你就可以买更多的羊发展你的农场。”
　　“这正是我一直在考虑的！”盖伯瑞尔惊讶地回答。她多明白事理啊，他不无称赞地想。
　　“既然如此，你为什么还要我和你结婚？”她生气地说。
　　“我理智上觉得明智的事，我做不到。我只能做我的心要我去做的事情。”他没有看出她给他设的圈套。
　　“奥克先生，既然你已承认和我结婚是不明智的，你认为我得知这个以后还会与你结婚吗？”
　　“别误会我的意思，”他喊道，“因为我诚实地告诉了你实情！我知道对我来说你会是个好妻子。你说起话来像一个淑女，人们都这么说，我听说过你的叔叔在威瑟伯里有一个大农场。我可以在晚上拜访你吗？要么星期天你出来和我一起散步？你不必立刻决定。”
　　“不、不，不行。别坚持了，千万别了。我不爱你，所以与你接触是愚蠢的，”她大笑着说。
　　没有哪个人愿意看到自己的感情被嘲笑，所以盖伯瑞尔边转身准备走边说道，“好吧，既然如此，我再不会向你提起此事。”
　　盖伯瑞尔没有再见到芭丝谢芭，两天后，他听说她已离开了这个地方。她去了威瑟伯里，距这里20英里的一个村庄。她的离去并没有使盖伯瑞尔停止爱她。事实上，由于他们分开了，他对她爱得更深了。
　　第二天夜里，睡觉前，盖伯瑞尔把两条狗唤到屋里过夜。那条年龄大的狗，乔治，听从呼唤，而那条年龄小的则不见了踪影。盖伯瑞尔一直未能把这条小狗训练出来。它很有热情，但不懂得一个牧羊犬的职责。狗虽然不在，但他并没有多想，就上床睡觉了。
　　一大早，他就被剧烈的羊铃声惊醒了。牧羊人懂得羊铃所发出的每一声声响，盖伯瑞尔立刻意识到他的羊群在飞快地奔跑。他从床上跳起来，匆忙穿上衣眼，向诺科姆山上白垩矿场旁自己的田地跑去。
　　50只母羊和它们的小羊羔都安全地在一块地里。另一块地里，两百只怀孕的羊却踪影全无。他注意到一个被弄坏的门，断定羊是从那里跑走的。旁边的一块地里也没有羊的影子，在他面前的山顶上，他看到了那只年龄小的狗，在晨光的映衬下像一个黑影子。它一动不动地站着，俯视着白垩矿场。
　　盖伯瑞尔意识到了可怕的事实，他感到一阵揪心。他跑到山上的白垩矿场旁，向下面望去。两百只羊，死了的和快要死的，都躺在矿场底部。这两百只羊再过几个星期本来就可以生产两百多只羊羔。一定是那只年幼的，不驯顺的狗把它们追赶到矿场边，它们从那里掉下去丧了命。
　　他首先是为那些温顺的羊和它们尚未出世的羊羔感到惋惜。接着他又想到了自己。过去十年中他辛苦劳动积攒的积蓄都被用来租农场。现在他想要成为一个独立的农场主的希望完全破灭了。他用双手捂住了脸。
　　过了一会儿，他抬起头来。“谢天谢地，我没有和芭丝谢芭结婚，”他想。“嫁给一个像我这样一贫如洗的丈夫，她该如何是好呢！”
　　第二天，那只年幼的狗被杀死了。盖伯瑞尔卖掉了他所有的农具，为的是付他买羊所欠的钱。他不再是个农场主了，只是一个普通人。他拥有的只有身上穿的衣服，除此，别无所有。现在他得去别人的农场去找工作。