第十九章（第11/16页）

“我得跟你告辞了，博尔顿太太，原因你很清楚。但我相信你不会告诉任何人。”“噢，您尽可以相信我，夫人，虽然这会让大家都很难过。但我希望您和那位绅士能够得到幸福。”“那位绅士！他就是梅勒斯先生，我深爱着他。克利福德爵士早就知情。但不要跟任何人提起。要是有朝一日，你发觉克利福德爵士想通了，愿意跟我离婚，请务必告诉我，好吗？我希望堂堂正正地嫁给心爱的人。”“我保证您会如愿以偿，夫人。噢，您可以信任我。我会忠于克利福德爵士，也会忠于您，因为我理解你们的决定，虽然目的不同，但各有各的道理。”“谢谢！你瞧！我希望你能接受我的谢礼——好吗？”于是，康妮再度告别拉格比，与希尔达奔赴苏格兰。梅勒斯去了乡下，在农场找到工作。两人的打算是，无论康妮能否办妥离婚，他都要了结与库茨的关系。他要先做六个月农活，最终，他和康妮或许将拥有属于自己的小农场，这样一来，他的干劲就派得上用场了。因为他必须工作，即使是体力活；虽然康妮会出资帮他开个好头，但他必须要自力更生。

So they would have to wait till spring was in, till the baby was born, till the early summer came round again.

于是，他们静静等待着春天的降临，等待着孩子的出世，等待着初夏悄然而至。

The Grange Farm Old Heanor 29 September I got on here with a bit of contriving, because I knew Richards, the company engineer, in the army. It is a farm belonging to Butler and Smitham Colliery Company, they use it for raising hay and oats for the pitponies; not a private concern. But they've got cows and pigs and all the rest of it, and I get thirty shillings a week as labourer. Rowley, the farmer, puts me on to as many jobs as he can, so that I can learn as much as possible between now and next Easter. I've not heard a thing about Bertha. I've no idea why she didn't show up at the divorce, nor where she is nor what she's up to. But if I keep quiet till March I suppose I shall be free. And don't you bother about Sir Clifford. He'll want to get rid of you one of these days. If he leaves you alone, it's a lot.

格兰奇农场，奥尔德希诺，9月29日经过努力，我总算在这里安定下来，这得益于老战友理查兹，目前他在这家公司做工程师。这座农场并非个人拥有，而是属于巴特勒和史密斯煤矿公司，用于种植牧草及燕麦，以饲养矿场里劳作的小马。除此之外，这里还养着猪、牛等其他家畜，我在这里做工人，每周的工资是30先令。农场经理罗利派给我尽可能多的工作，这样一来，我就能利用复活节前的时间，学到尽可能多的东西。至于贝莎的消息，我从未听闻。我不晓得，她为何不在离婚案中露面，更不晓得她躲在哪里，在搞什么鬼把戏。但只要我能清静到三月份，就能重获自由了。而你也不必为克利福德的事烦恼。终有一天，他会主动跟你分手。如果他不再纠缠不休，就已经谢天谢地。

I've got lodging in a bit of an old cottage in Engine Row very decent. The man is enginedriver at High Park, tall, with a beard, and very chapel. The woman is a birdy bit of a thing who loves anything superior. King's English and allow me! all the time. But they lost their only son in the war, and it's sort of knocked a hole in them. There's a long gawky lass of a daughter training for a schoolteacher, and I help her with her lessons sometimes, so we're quite the family. But they're very decent people, and only too kind to me. I expect I'm more coddled than you are.

我寄宿在一座不赖的老式农舍，位于机车路。房东是海帕克的火车司机，身材高大，蓄须，是位虔诚的教徒。其妻如鸟儿般活泼好动，热衷于所有高品位的东西。满嘴说的都是标准英语，口头禅是请允许我！但两人唯一的儿子在战争中殒命，这简直像剜去他们的心肝。好在他们还有个女儿，身材细高，个性腼腆，正在参加培训，希望成为教员。我有时会帮她补习功课，跟他们处得好像一家人。他们都是正派人，对我更是无微不至。我猜此刻的自己确实比你幸运得多。