第八章（第12/13页）

He looked at her curiously.

他望着她，表情古怪。

"T'nuisance on me!" he said briefly, but significantly. She flushed. "Very well!" she said finally. "I won't trouble you. But I don't think I should have minded at all sitting and seeing you look after the birds. I should have liked it. But since you think it interferes with you, I won't disturb you, don't be afraid. You are Sir Clifford's keeper, not mine.” The phrase sounded queer, she didn't know why. But she let it pass.

“俺觉得自己碍事！”他的回答简练，但却意味深长。她的脸泛起红潮。“好吧！”她最后说。“我不会打搅你。但我并不介意坐在这里，看你伺弄野鸡。我反倒喜欢这样。可既然你认为这会干扰到你，我会尽量不妨碍你干活，请不必担心。雇佣你做守林人的，是克利福德爵士，而不是我。”她也不晓得自己为何一反常态，说出这样一番言论。但她已经顾不得多做思考。

"Nay, your Ladyship. It's your Ladyship's own'ut. It's as your Ladyship likes an'pleases, every time. Yer can turn me off at a wik's notice. It wor only...” "Only what?" she asked, baffled.

“别介，夫人。这小屋本就归夫人所有。夫人喜欢何时光临都没问题。恁大可提前一周通知我卷铺盖走人。只不过……”“不过什么？”她不明其意，问道。

He pushed back his hat in an odd comic way.

他把帽子往后推推，动作颇为滑稽。

"On'y as 'appen yo'd like the place ter yersen, when yer did come, an'not me messin'abaht.” "But why?" she said, angry. "Aren't you a civilized human being? Do you think I ought to be afraid of you? Why should I take any notice of you and your being here or not? Why is it important?” He looked at her, all his face glimmering with wicked laughter.

“只不过，恁完全可以要求独占这里，来的时候，也不必忍受俺这个碍眼的家伙。”“可为什么呢？”她气冲冲地问。“难道你是个野人不成？你认为我应该怕你？为什么我要留意你，理会你在或不在？这有什么要紧的吗？”他望着她，脸上闪过狡黠的笑容。

"It's not, your Ladyship. Not in the very least," he said.

“当然没有，夫人。没什么要紧的。”他说。

"Well, why then?" she asked.

“既然如此，原因又是什么呢？”她问。

"Shall I get your Ladyship another key then?" "No thank you! I don't want it.” "Ah'll get it anyhow. We'd best 'ave two keys ter th'place.” "And I consider you are insolent," said Connie, with her colour up, panting a little.

“那我再帮夫人您配把钥匙怎样？”“不用，谢谢！我不想要。”“不管怎地，俺还是得去配把。两把钥匙毕竟方便些。”“依我看，你是个傲慢无礼的家伙。”康妮的脸变得更红，气喘吁吁地说。

"Nay, nay!" he said quickly. "Dunna yer say that! Nay, nay! I niver meant nuthink. Ah on'y thought as if yo'come'ere, Ah s'd ave ter clear out, an'it'd mean a lot of work, settin'up somewheres else. But if your Ladyship isn't going ter take no notice O'me, then...it's Sir Clifford's 'ut, an'everythink is as your Ladyship likes, everythink is as your Ladyship likes an'pleases, barrin'yer take no notice O'me, doin'th'bits of jobs as Ah've got ter do.” Connie went away completely bewildered. She was not sure whether she had been insulted and mortally offended, or not. Perhaps the man really only meant what he said; that he thought she would expect him to keep away. As if she would dream of it! And as if he could possibly be so important, he and his stupid presence.

“别介，别介！”他连忙辩解。“可别那么说!别介，别介！俺从没恶意。俺只是想，如果恁来这里，俺就得拾掇东西，另找地场儿养鸡，那可要费不少事呢。可要是夫人恁不理会我，那么……这毕竟是克利福德爵士的小屋，夫人大可以随心所欲调配一切，只要俺在这里做活的时候，恁不用搭理俺就行。”康妮离开时，感到晕头晕脑。她也搞不清，到底这家伙是否冒犯到自己。或许他只是实话实说，他只是认为她会希望他躲得远远的。好像她做梦都想那样做似的！好像他就真的那么要紧，那个呆头呆脑的家伙。