05-04-远离尘嚣 [46]
’
‘You look a little different，sir. ’
‘No，you're wrong，Oak. I'm just the same. Nothing hurts me. But you look tired. ’
‘I've been working all night to get our ricks covered. Never worked so hard in my life！Yours are safe of course，sir？’
‘Oh yes. ’Boldwood added after a silence，‘What did you ask？’
‘Your ricks are all covered？’
‘No，none of them. I forgot to tell the men to thatch them. I expect most of my wheat will be destroyed in this rain. ’
‘Forgot，’repeated Gabriel to himself. It was difficult to believe that the most careful farmer in the area would lose all his harvest because of a moment's forgetfulness. This would never have happened before Boldwood fell in love with Bathsheba.
Boldwood clearly wanted to talk，although it was still raining heavily. ‘Oak，you knew I wanted to get married. ’
‘I thought my mistress was going to marry you，’said Gabriel sympathetically. ‘However，nothing that we expect ever happens. ’
He spoke with the calmness of a man used to disaster.
‘Perhaps the villagers laugh at me，’said Boldwood with a pretended lightness.
‘Oh no，I don't think so. ’
‘But the truth is that we were never engaged，so she never broke off the engagement，you see. ’But Boldwood could not remain calm. ‘Oh Gabriel，’he said wildly，‘I'm weak and foolish，and I feel it's better to die than to live！’After a silence，he continued more normally. ‘I've accepted the fact of her refusal now. I'm sorry，of course，but no woman has ever controlled my life. Well，good morning. ’
■ 13 风暴
每当所有的干草和麦子全都收割完毕，农场主总会请在农场干活的人们吃一次丰收晚餐。托伊中士代表他的妻子决定于八月底的一个晚上在大谷仓举办晚宴。那晚，天气很热，使人颇感不适。盖伯瑞尔走在路上，停下来查看那八个麦垛。如果像他想的那样有风暴，那么，这些完全没有覆盖着的麦垛将会惨遭毁坏。
他向前走，到了谷仓，干活的人们已经吃完，开始跳起舞来。盖伯瑞尔只得等托伊中士同芭丝谢芭跳完舞，然后才提醒他麦垛可能会遭受的损失。可是，托伊兴致正浓，盖伯瑞尔的话哪里听得进去。
“朋友们，”他说，“我为你们大家订了白兰地，大家可以尽情庆祝我的婚礼！”
“弗兰克，不行啊，别给他们喝白兰地，”芭丝谢芭央求道。“这对他们没好处！”
“你别犯傻！”托伊说，“朋友们，咱们把女人们送回家，留下咱们男人喝个痛快，喝个痛快！“芭丝谢芭生气地走了，后边跟着其他的妇女们。
盖伯瑞尔随后也很快离开了。后来，他又去查看芭丝谢芭的羊，注意到那些羊显得很惊恐。它们在角落里挤成一团，尾巴翘向同一个方向。牧羊人一看就明白，这表明羊群知道暴风雨即将来临。他又去查看麦垛。这是农场的全部收成，至少也值750镑，能让它因为一个女人的软弱便毁之一旦吗？不能，我得设法保护！盖伯瑞尔想。
他返回谷仓，想请其他人们帮他把麦垛盖上。但是，谷仓里传来的声音只有人们大声而有节奏的呼吸，他进去发现人们都睡着了，包括托伊。人们出于礼貌而无法拒绝的白兰地很快就把他们醉倒了，因为他们并不习惯喝比啤酒劲大的酒。想叫醒他们是不行了。
盖伯瑞尔离开谷仓，回到麦垛边，用农场上的遮盖布把其中两垛盖上。若想把其他六垛也盖起来，唯一的办法便是用稻草盖，可一个人单独干，既费时又费力。
月亮消失了，轻风缓缓刮起，仿佛垂死的人的呼吸。这时，盖伯瑞尔爬上梯子，开始在第三垛上盖稻草。天上开始闪电，雷声大作。闪电的一刹那，盖伯瑞尔看到了四周的每一棵
‘You look a little different，sir. ’
‘No，you're wrong，Oak. I'm just the same. Nothing hurts me. But you look tired. ’
‘I've been working all night to get our ricks covered. Never worked so hard in my life！Yours are safe of course，sir？’
‘Oh yes. ’Boldwood added after a silence，‘What did you ask？’
‘Your ricks are all covered？’
‘No，none of them. I forgot to tell the men to thatch them. I expect most of my wheat will be destroyed in this rain. ’
‘Forgot，’repeated Gabriel to himself. It was difficult to believe that the most careful farmer in the area would lose all his harvest because of a moment's forgetfulness. This would never have happened before Boldwood fell in love with Bathsheba.
Boldwood clearly wanted to talk，although it was still raining heavily. ‘Oak，you knew I wanted to get married. ’
‘I thought my mistress was going to marry you，’said Gabriel sympathetically. ‘However，nothing that we expect ever happens. ’
He spoke with the calmness of a man used to disaster.
‘Perhaps the villagers laugh at me，’said Boldwood with a pretended lightness.
‘Oh no，I don't think so. ’
‘But the truth is that we were never engaged，so she never broke off the engagement，you see. ’But Boldwood could not remain calm. ‘Oh Gabriel，’he said wildly，‘I'm weak and foolish，and I feel it's better to die than to live！’After a silence，he continued more normally. ‘I've accepted the fact of her refusal now. I'm sorry，of course，but no woman has ever controlled my life. Well，good morning. ’
■ 13 风暴
每当所有的干草和麦子全都收割完毕，农场主总会请在农场干活的人们吃一次丰收晚餐。托伊中士代表他的妻子决定于八月底的一个晚上在大谷仓举办晚宴。那晚，天气很热，使人颇感不适。盖伯瑞尔走在路上，停下来查看那八个麦垛。如果像他想的那样有风暴，那么，这些完全没有覆盖着的麦垛将会惨遭毁坏。
他向前走，到了谷仓，干活的人们已经吃完，开始跳起舞来。盖伯瑞尔只得等托伊中士同芭丝谢芭跳完舞，然后才提醒他麦垛可能会遭受的损失。可是，托伊兴致正浓，盖伯瑞尔的话哪里听得进去。
“朋友们，”他说，“我为你们大家订了白兰地，大家可以尽情庆祝我的婚礼！”
“弗兰克，不行啊，别给他们喝白兰地，”芭丝谢芭央求道。“这对他们没好处！”
“你别犯傻！”托伊说，“朋友们，咱们把女人们送回家，留下咱们男人喝个痛快，喝个痛快！“芭丝谢芭生气地走了，后边跟着其他的妇女们。
盖伯瑞尔随后也很快离开了。后来，他又去查看芭丝谢芭的羊，注意到那些羊显得很惊恐。它们在角落里挤成一团，尾巴翘向同一个方向。牧羊人一看就明白，这表明羊群知道暴风雨即将来临。他又去查看麦垛。这是农场的全部收成，至少也值750镑，能让它因为一个女人的软弱便毁之一旦吗？不能，我得设法保护！盖伯瑞尔想。
他返回谷仓，想请其他人们帮他把麦垛盖上。但是，谷仓里传来的声音只有人们大声而有节奏的呼吸，他进去发现人们都睡着了，包括托伊。人们出于礼貌而无法拒绝的白兰地很快就把他们醉倒了，因为他们并不习惯喝比啤酒劲大的酒。想叫醒他们是不行了。
盖伯瑞尔离开谷仓，回到麦垛边，用农场上的遮盖布把其中两垛盖上。若想把其他六垛也盖起来，唯一的办法便是用稻草盖，可一个人单独干，既费时又费力。
月亮消失了，轻风缓缓刮起，仿佛垂死的人的呼吸。这时，盖伯瑞尔爬上梯子，开始在第三垛上盖稻草。天上开始闪电，雷声大作。闪电的一刹那，盖伯瑞尔看到了四周的每一棵