03 The fire（2）

In the darkness Gabriel could only see the shape of a woman sitting on a horse. He walked over to her. Although his face was black from the smoke and his clothes were burnt by the fire，he remembered to lift his hat politely，and asked, looking up at her，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am？’She let her cloak fall back from her head in surprise. Gabriel and his cold-hearted darling，Bathsheba Everdene，stared at each other. She did not speak. He only repeated sadly，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am？’
　　Bathsheba turned away into the shadows to consider. She was a little sorry for him， but also glad that she had improved her position since they last met. She realized she had almost forgotten his offer of marriage on Norcombe Hill.
　　‘Yes，’she answered quietly，blushing a little，‘I do want a shepherd. But—’
　　‘He's just the right man，ma'am，’said one of the villagers.
　　‘That's right！’said a second，and a third.
　　‘Then will you men tell him to speak to the farm manager？’said Bathsheba in a businesslike way，as she rode off.
　　Gabriel soon arranged the details of his employment with Bathsheba's farm manager，Benjy Pennyways，and walked on to the village to find a place to live. As he walked，he thought of Bathsheba. How quickly the young girl he remembered had become the capable mistress of a farm！
　　When he passed the churchyard，and the ancient trees around it，he noticed that someone was standing behind one of the trees.
　　‘Is this the right way to Weatherbury？’asked Gabriel.
　　‘Oh yes，straight on，’said a girl's voice，low and sweet. After a pause she added，‘You're not a Weatherbury man？’
　　‘No，I'm the new shepherd，just arrived. ’
　　‘Only a shepherd！You seem almost like a farmer to me. ’
　　‘Only a shepherd，’repeated Gabriel in a dull voice，think－ing of the disaster that had destroyed his hopes of being a farmer.
　　‘Please don't tell anyone in the village that you've seen me，’begged the girl. ‘I'm rather poor，and I don't want anyone to know about me. ’ Her thin arms trembled in the cold.
　　‘I won't tell anyone，’said Gabriel，‘but you ought to be wearing a cloak on a night like this. ’
　　‘Oh，it doesn't matter. Please go on and leave me. ’
　　He hesitated ‘Perhaps you'd accept this. It's not much，but it's all I have to spare. ’He put a coin into her small hand，and as he touched her wrist he noticed how quickly the blood was beating. It was the same quick，hard beat that he felt in his lambs when they were close to death.
　　‘What's the matter？Can't I help you？’he asked. He felt a deep sadness in this thin，weak creature.
　　‘No，no！Don't tell anyone you've seen me！Good night！’She stayed in the shadows，and Gabriel went on to Weather-bury.
黑暗中盖伯瑞尔只能看见马上一个女人的轮廓。他向她走去。尽管他的脸被烟熏黑了，衣服也被火烧坏了，但他并没有忘记有礼貌地举举帽子。他抬头看着她问道，“小姐，你需要牧羊人吗？”她吃了一惊，斗篷从头上滑落下来，盖伯瑞尔与他冷酷的心上人，芭丝谢芭•伊芙丁，对视着。她没有说话。他沮丧地又问了一句，“你需要牧羊人吗，小姐？”
　　芭丝谢芭把头扭向阴影里考虑着。她有点为他难过，但又很高兴自从他们上次见面后自己的地位已今非昔比了。她意识到她差不多都不记得他在诺科姆山上曾向她求婚。
　　“需要，”她平静地回答，脸有点红，“我的确需要一个牧羊人。只是——”
　　“小姐，他很合适.”一个村民说。
　　“一点不错！”第二个村民、第三个村民说。
　　“那你们告诉他去和农场经理说一声，好吗？”芭丝谢芭一边骑马离开，一边以一种公事公办的口气说。
　　盖伯瑞尔很快就与芭丝谢芭的农场经理宾尼威斯安排妥了有关他受雇的一些具体事宜，然后向村里走去，去找一个住的地方。他一边走，一边想芭丝谢芭。他认识的那个年轻姑娘才几天就成了一个农场的女主人！
　　在经过教堂及教堂周围的古树时，他注意到有个人站在一棵树后。
　　“这是去威瑟伯里的路吗？”他问。
　　“噢，是的，一直往前走，”一个姑娘的声音，声音虽然低但甜美。停了一下她又说，“你不是威瑟伯里人？”
　　“不是，我是新来的牧羊人，刚到这里。”
　　“不过是个牧羊人！我觉得你差不多像个农场主。”
　　“不过是个牧羊人，”盖伯瑞尔闷声闷气地重复着，想到了那场灾难，那场灾难破灭了他想成为农场主的希望。
　　“请你千万别对村里的任何人说看见了我，”姑娘哀求说。“我很穷，我不想让人们知道我的事。”她的瘦弱的胳膊由于天冷而颤抖着。
　　“我谁也不告诉，”盖伯瑞尔说，“你在这样的晚上应该穿一件斗篷。”
　　“噢，没关系。请你继续赶路吧，你走吧。”
　　他犹豫着。“也许你会接受这个。虽然不多，我就这点富余。”他把一枚硬币放进她的小手里，触到她的手腕时，他察觉到她的脉搏跳动得异常快。他的羊羔临近死亡时，他也曾在它们身上感到了同样迅速、剧烈的跳动。
　　“出了什么事？我不能帮你吗？”他问道。他感到这瘦弱可怜的人儿怀有一种深深的悲哀。
　　“不，不！别告诉任何人你见过我！再见！”她呆在黑暗中，盖伯瑞尔继续向威瑟伯里走去。