9 Godfrey confesses at last
9 戈弗雷终于坦白了
At the Red House Nancy was waiting patiently for God－frey to come home to tea．Suddenly one of the servants ran into the sitting-room，crying excitedly，'Madam，there are lots of people in the street！They're all running the same way，towards the quarry！Perhaps there's been an accident！'
红屋里，南茜正在耐心地等着戈弗雷回家来喝茶，突然一个用人闯进客厅，兴奋地喊：“夫人，街上有好多人！大家全都在向采石场跑！可能出什么事儿了！”
'Jane，don't get so excited，'replied Nancy calmly．'I ex-pect it's nothing serious．Go and get the tea ready．Mr Godfrey will be back soon．'But secretly she was saying to herself，'I hope nothing's happened to Godfrey！'
“简，别那么激动，”南茜平静地说，“我想不会有什么重要的事。去拿茶来，戈弗雷先生快回来了。”可她心里对自己说，“千万别是戈弗雷有什么事儿！”
So when he came into the room，a few minutes later，she was very relieved．'My dear，I'm so thankful you've come，'she said，going towards him．'I was beginning to think—'
几分钟后，当戈弗雷进屋时，她长出了一口气。“亲爱的，谢天谢地，你回来了！”她走上前，“我开始在想……”
She stopped suddenly when she saw Godfrey's shaking hands and white face．She put her hand on his arm，but he did not seem to notice，and threw himself into a chair．
她猛地停了下来。她看到戈弗雷双手发抖，脸色惨白。南茜把手放在他臂上，可他好像没感觉。他跌坐在一把椅子上。
'Sit down—Nancy，'he said with difficulty．'I came back as soon as I could，to prevent anyone telling you except me． It's terrible news for me， but I'm more worried about how you will feel about it．'
“坐下——南茜，”他艰难地说，“我尽可能快地赶回来，我真怕别人来告诉你。这对我是个可怕的消息，可我更担心你会怎么想。”
'It isn't father or Priscilla？'said Nancy，trying to control her trembling lips．
“是爸爸或普丽西拉吗？”南茜努力克制着嘴唇的抖动。
'No，it's nobody living，'said Godfrey．'It's Dunstan，my brother，who left home sixteen years ago and never came back．We've found him…found his body—all that's left of it—in the old quarry．
“不，不关活人的事儿，”戈弗雷说，“是我弟弟邓斯坦，他从16年前离家后一直没有回来。我们找到他了……找到了他的尸体——所有剩下的部分——在采石场里。”
Nancy felt calmer now．That was not terrible news．
南茜平静多了，这并不是太可怕的消息。
'You know the men have been draining our fields near the quarry．Well，as a result， the quarry has suddenly gone dry，and we've found him lying at the bottom． We know it's him be－cause he's wearing his watch and his rings．'
“你知道我让人给我们采石场边上那几块地排水，结果采石场一下子被排干了，我们在坑底发现了他的尸体。我们从手表和戒指认出那是他。”
Godfrey paused．It was not easy to say what came next．
戈弗雷停了下来。要说出后面的事儿很不容易。
'Do you think he drowned himself？'asked Nancy，wonder－ing why her husband was so shaken by the death of a brother he had never loved．
“他是自杀吗？”南茜不明白丈夫为什么会对那个他从来没喜欢过的弟弟的死而这样难过。
'No，he fell in，'replied Godfrey in a low voice．'Dunstan was the man who robbed Silas Marner．The bags of gold were found with his body．'
“不，他失足掉下去的，”戈弗雷低声说，“邓斯坦是那个偷西拉斯钱的人，从他身上找到了钱袋子。”
'Oh Godfrey！I am sorry！'said Nancy．She understood how ashamed her husband must be．The Casses were so proud of their family name．
“噢，戈弗雷！我太难过了！”她知道丈夫一定感到非常耻辱。凯斯家族的荣誉是至高无尚的。
'I had to tell you．I couldn't keep it from you，'Godfrey continued，and then stopped，looking at the ground for two long minutes．Nancy knew that he had something more to say．Finally Godfrey lifted his eyes to her face，and said，'Every－body's secrets are discovered sooner or later，Nancy．I've lived with a secret ever since I married you，but I'm going to confess it now．I don't want you to discover it from someone else，or hear about it when I'm dead，I was weak and hesitating when I was younger—I'm going to be firm with myself now．'
“我得告诉你，我不能向你隐瞒，”戈弗雷停下来，眼睛盯着地板看了两分钟。南茜知道他还有话要说。终于戈弗雷抬起了眼看着南茜的脸，说：“每个人的秘密早晚都会被发现，南茜。我们结婚以后我一直隐藏着一个秘密，现在我要把它向你坦白。我不想让你从别人那里发现它，或是在我死了以后再听到它。年轻的时候我脆弱而且优柔寡断——现在我要坚强起来。”
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