第十二章

Connie went to the wood directly after lunch. It was really a lovely day, the first dandelions making suns, the first daisies so white. The hazel thicket was a lace-work, of half-open leaves, and the last dusty perpendicular of the catkins. Yellow celandines now were in crowds, flat open, pressed back in urgency, and the yellow glitter of themselves. It was the yellow, the powerful yellow of early summer. And primroses were broad, and full of pale abandon, thick-clustered primroses no longer shy. The lush, dark green of hyacinths was a sea, with buds rising like pale corn, while in the riding the forget-me-nots were fluffing up, and columbines were unfolding their ink-purple ruches, and there were bits of blue bird's eggshell under a bush. Everywhere the bud-knots and the leap of life!

用罢午饭，康妮即刻赶往树林。风和日丽，初放的蒲公英花如阳光般明艳，乍开的雏菊洁白如玉。榛树那半开半合的叶片上，垂着浅灰色的柔荑花，好似蕾丝缎带。黄色的燕子草汇聚成簇，漫山遍野，争先恐后，闪耀着黄光。这黄色展现出初夏的勃勃生机。樱草花比比皆是，激情四溢，不见半点羞赧。葱郁墨绿的风信子宛若海洋，成串的蓓蕾如同浅色的玉米棒。马道上，勿忘我随处可见，耧斗菜展开深紫色的褶带，灌木丛下，偶尔可见知更鸟的蛋壳。到处是成簇的蓓蕾，到处是跃然的生机！

The keeper was not at the hut. Everything was serene, brown chickens running lustily. Connie walked on towards the cottage, because she wanted to find him.

守林人没在小屋。四周寂静无声，褐色的小鸡欢快地奔跑着。康妮继续向农舍进发，因为她要找到他。

The cottage stood in the sun, off the wood's edge. In the little garden the double daffodils rose in tufts, near the wide-open door, and red double daisies made a border to the path. There was the bark of a dog, and Flossie came running.

农舍位于树林的边缘，沐浴在午后的阳光里。小巧玲珑的花园中，多瓣水仙簇生着，靠近敞开着的园门，艳红的重瓣雏菊排列在小径两厢。犬吠声传入耳朵，弗洛西跑上前来。

The wide-open door! So he was at home. And the sunlight falling on the red-brick floor! As she went up the path, she saw him through the window, sitting at the table in his shirt-sleeves, eating. The dog wuffed softly, slowly wagging her tail.

门敞开着！意味着他在家。阳光洒落在红砖铺就的地面上。当她踏上小径，透过窗户，看到他身着衬衣，正坐在桌旁吃饭。猎犬低声轻吠，缓缓摇动着尾巴。

He rose, and came to the door, wiping his mouth with a red handkerchief still chewing.

他站起身，走到门口，用条红手帕擦着嘴，仍在咀嚼着。

"May I come in?" she said.

“我可以进来吗？”她问。

"Come in!" The sun shone into the bare room, which still smelled of a mutton chop, done in a dutch oven before the fire, because the dutch oven still stood on the fender, with the black potato-saucepan on a piece of paper, beside it on the white hearth. The fire was red, rather low, the bar dropped, the kettle singing.

“请进！”阳光射进这间几无陈设的农舍，羊排的香味仍未消散，炖肉铁锅还搁在火炉围栏上，黑色的土豆炖锅下面垫着张纸，放在白色的壁炉旁。炉火通红，但并不太旺，炉门合着，水壶吱吱吟唱着。

On the table was his plate, with potatoes and the remains of the chop; also bread in a basket, salt, and a blue mug with beer. The table-cloth was white oil-cloth, he stood in the shade.

桌上摆着餐盘，里面盛着土豆和吃剩的羊排，篮子里有面包、盐巴以及一个盛着啤酒的蓝色杯子。桌上铺着白色漆布，他站的位置太阳照不到。

"You are very late," she said. "Do go on eating!" She sat down on a wooden chair, in the sunlight by the door.