艾玛·汤普森 | 朗读《螺丝在拧紧》

The flash of this knowledge — for it was knowledge in the midst of dread — produced in me the most extraordinary effect, started as I stood there, a sudden vibration of duty and courage. I say courage because I was beyond all doubt already far gone.

在极度的恐惧之中，我的脑海里闪过一个念头，这个念头使我突然涌出了一种责任感和勇气。我之所以称之为勇气，是因为在那个时候我必然是极为恐惧的。

I bounded straight out of the door again, reached that of the house, got, in an instant, upon the drive, and, passing along the terrace as fast as I could rush, turned a corner and came full in sight.

于是，我立刻向房间外跑去，一直跑出了房子的大门，跑过了车道，快速穿过平台，拐过墙角，向着餐厅的窗外跑去。

But it was in sight of nothing now — my visitor had vanished. I stopped, I almost dropped, with the real relief of this; but I took in the whole scene — I gave him time to reappear. I call it time, but how long was it?

我以为我可以看清那个人了，可是那位不速之客却消失得无影无踪。我站在那里，心里突然感到一阵轻松，整个人也随着这种轻松瘫软了下去。我观察着四周，等着他再次出现。

I can’t speak to the purpose today of the duration of these things. That kind of measure must have left me: they couldn’t have lasted as they actually appeared to me to last.The terrace and the whole place, the lawn and the garden beyond it, all I could see of the park, were empty with a great emptiness.

我想，我在那个时候应该没有时间的概念了，直到现在我也不知道究竟在那里待了多久。我向周围看去，平台、草地，以及草地边上的花园，这一切都是空荡荡的。

There were shrubberies and big trees, but I remember the clear assurance I felt that none of them concealed him. He was there or was not there: not there if I didn’t see him. I got hold of this; then, instinctively, instead of returning as I had come, went to the window.

虽然那里有一些树，但我确信，他没有躲在任何一棵树的后面。而且，不管他是不是真的在那里，只要我没有看到他，我就觉得他根本不在那里。想到这一点，我没有回去，而是向着窗户走了过去。

It was confusedly present to me that I ought to place myself where he had stood. I did so; I applied my face to the pane and looked, as he had looked, into the room. As if, at this moment, to show me exactly what his range had been, Mrs. Grose, as I had done for himself just before, came in from the hall.

我恍恍惚惚地觉得，我应该到那个人站过的地方去，于是就那样走了过去。我就像他那样将自己的脸贴在窗玻璃上，朝屋子里看去。就在这个时候，格罗斯太太正好从大厅走进这个房间，看到了我。

With this I had the full image of a repetition of what had already occurred. She saw me as I had seen my own visitant; she pulled up short as I had done; I gave her something of the shock that I had received.

于是，刚才的那一幕又重演了。她突然看到我，就如同我突然看到那个男人一样。她也像我那样停住了脚步，显然是被吓了一跳，就像我刚才被吓到一样。

She turned white, and this made me ask myself if I had blanched as much. She stared, in short, and retreated on just MY lines, and I knew she had then passed out and come round to me and that I should presently meet her.

她的脸色煞白煞白的，我不禁想到，自己刚才应该也是那个样子的。她瞪着眼睛，愣了一下，然后转身离开了。

I remained where I was, and while I waited I thought of more things than one. But there’s only one I take space to mention. I wondered why SHE should be scared.

我知道她会像我一样绕过来。于是，我就待在原地，心里很奇怪，为什么她也如此害怕。