05-04-远离尘嚣 [61]
她的和气使可怜的伯德伍德幻想起他们二人将来结婚的事。突然间他不能自制，说道，“托伊夫人，你会再婚吗？”
“你忘了吧，我丈夫的死从未得到证实，所以，我可能还不是寡妇呢，”她迷茫地说。“我有一种感觉，他还活着。所以我还没有考虑嫁给任何人。”
“你知道，芭丝谢芭，依据法律，假定你的丈夫已死，那么七年之后你便可以再婚，也就是说从现在起六年以后。能不能——答应到时候嫁给我？”
“我不知道，六年的时间太长了。我十分后悔那样愚蠢地对待你，可是——我可以保证只要你还想让我做你的妻子，我就决不嫁给他人，可是——”
“你可以用保证六年以后做我的妻子来改正你所犯的错误！”他的双眼里显现出急切的希望。
“唉，我怎么办呢？我又不爱你，不过如果我保证一下就能让你幸福，那我愿意——考虑——尽快对你作出保证。到圣诞节前，怎样？”
“你要在圣诞节作出保证，好吧，那我就不再说什么了。”
随着圣诞节临近，芭丝谢芭更加忧虑起来，于是有一天，她向盖伯瑞尔坦露了她的难处。
“我接受他求婚，最让我伤心的原因就是，”她说，“如果我不接受，那他就有可能发疯。他的感情太过狂热。我这样说并不是因为我自负，而是因为，这个人的未来掌握在我的手中。盖伯瑞尔，这事可真让人揪心哪！”
“那你为什么不答应他呢，太太？我想人们不会觉得这有什么错的。我觉得这件事情唯一不合适的一点就是你并不爱他。”
“这是对我的惩罚，盖伯瑞尔，因为我在情人节跟他开了那种愚蠢的玩笑。”盖伯瑞尔给了她一个合情合理的回答，她知道也会如此。但是，他这种冷静的忠告令她感到恼火。他不只一次地对她谈及他的爱，还说过他也可以等她。当然她也会拒绝他的，不过，至少那样会表明他仍然爱慕她。
■ 18 Mr Boldwood's Christmas party
For months Weatherbury people had been discussing the party that Mr Boldwood was going to give just before Christmas，and now the day had finally arrived. Bathsheba was getting ready for it.
‘I'm upset，Liddy，it's foolish of me，I know，’she said. ‘I wish I didn't have to go to the party. I haven't spoken to Mr Boldwood since the autumn，when I promised to see him at Christmas，so I'll have to go. My black silk dress，please. ’
‘Surely you don't need to wear black tonight，ma'am？You've been a widow for fourteen months now. That's a long time. ’
‘No，if I wear a bright dress，people will say I'm encouraging Mr Boldwood. How do I look，Liddy？’
‘I've hardly ever seen you look so lovely，ma'am. ’
‘I rish offending him if I don't go. Oh，I wish I could have continued as I've been for the last year or so，with no hopes or fears，and no pleasures and no sadness. ’
‘If Mr Boldwood asked you to run away with him，what would you say，ma'am？’said Liddy with a smile.
‘Now，Liddy，no joking. This is far too serious. I won't marry anyone for a long time. Get my cloak. It's time to go. ’
At the same time，in his farmhouse，Boldwood was also dressing He was trying on a new coat which had just been delivered. Tonight he wanted to look his best.
Just then Gabriel entered，to report on farm business.
‘Oh，Oak，’said Boldwood. ‘You're invited to the party tonight，of course. ’
‘I'll try to come，if I'm not too busy，’said Gabriel quietly. ‘I'm glad to see you looking happier，sir. ’
‘Yes，I confess I'm cheerful tonight. But my happiness depends on a hope. Oak，my hands are shaking. Could you help me with the buttons on this coat？’And as Gabriel came forward to help，he went on feverishly，‘Oak，does
“你忘了吧，我丈夫的死从未得到证实，所以，我可能还不是寡妇呢，”她迷茫地说。“我有一种感觉，他还活着。所以我还没有考虑嫁给任何人。”
“你知道，芭丝谢芭，依据法律，假定你的丈夫已死，那么七年之后你便可以再婚，也就是说从现在起六年以后。能不能——答应到时候嫁给我？”
“我不知道，六年的时间太长了。我十分后悔那样愚蠢地对待你，可是——我可以保证只要你还想让我做你的妻子，我就决不嫁给他人，可是——”
“你可以用保证六年以后做我的妻子来改正你所犯的错误！”他的双眼里显现出急切的希望。
“唉，我怎么办呢？我又不爱你，不过如果我保证一下就能让你幸福，那我愿意——考虑——尽快对你作出保证。到圣诞节前，怎样？”
“你要在圣诞节作出保证，好吧，那我就不再说什么了。”
随着圣诞节临近，芭丝谢芭更加忧虑起来，于是有一天，她向盖伯瑞尔坦露了她的难处。
“我接受他求婚，最让我伤心的原因就是，”她说，“如果我不接受，那他就有可能发疯。他的感情太过狂热。我这样说并不是因为我自负，而是因为，这个人的未来掌握在我的手中。盖伯瑞尔，这事可真让人揪心哪！”
“那你为什么不答应他呢，太太？我想人们不会觉得这有什么错的。我觉得这件事情唯一不合适的一点就是你并不爱他。”
“这是对我的惩罚，盖伯瑞尔，因为我在情人节跟他开了那种愚蠢的玩笑。”盖伯瑞尔给了她一个合情合理的回答，她知道也会如此。但是，他这种冷静的忠告令她感到恼火。他不只一次地对她谈及他的爱，还说过他也可以等她。当然她也会拒绝他的，不过，至少那样会表明他仍然爱慕她。
■ 18 Mr Boldwood's Christmas party
For months Weatherbury people had been discussing the party that Mr Boldwood was going to give just before Christmas，and now the day had finally arrived. Bathsheba was getting ready for it.
‘I'm upset，Liddy，it's foolish of me，I know，’she said. ‘I wish I didn't have to go to the party. I haven't spoken to Mr Boldwood since the autumn，when I promised to see him at Christmas，so I'll have to go. My black silk dress，please. ’
‘Surely you don't need to wear black tonight，ma'am？You've been a widow for fourteen months now. That's a long time. ’
‘No，if I wear a bright dress，people will say I'm encouraging Mr Boldwood. How do I look，Liddy？’
‘I've hardly ever seen you look so lovely，ma'am. ’
‘I rish offending him if I don't go. Oh，I wish I could have continued as I've been for the last year or so，with no hopes or fears，and no pleasures and no sadness. ’
‘If Mr Boldwood asked you to run away with him，what would you say，ma'am？’said Liddy with a smile.
‘Now，Liddy，no joking. This is far too serious. I won't marry anyone for a long time. Get my cloak. It's time to go. ’
At the same time，in his farmhouse，Boldwood was also dressing He was trying on a new coat which had just been delivered. Tonight he wanted to look his best.
Just then Gabriel entered，to report on farm business.
‘Oh，Oak，’said Boldwood. ‘You're invited to the party tonight，of course. ’
‘I'll try to come，if I'm not too busy，’said Gabriel quietly. ‘I'm glad to see you looking happier，sir. ’
‘Yes，I confess I'm cheerful tonight. But my happiness depends on a hope. Oak，my hands are shaking. Could you help me with the buttons on this coat？’And as Gabriel came forward to help，he went on feverishly，‘Oak，does