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At the time when I stood in the churchyard, reading the family tombstones, I had just enough learning to be able to spell them out. My construction even of their simple meaning was not very correct, for I read "wife of the Above" as a complimentary reference to my father's exaltation to a better world; and if anyone of my deceased relations had been referred to as "Below, " I have no doubt I should have formed the worst opinions of that member of the family. Neither, were my notions of the theological positions to which my Catechism bound me, at all accurate; for, I have a lively remembrance that I supposed my declaration that I was to "walk in the same all the days of my life, " laid me under an obligation always to go through the village from our house in one particular direction, and never to vary it by turning down by the wheelwright's or up by the mill.
当我站在墓地里读家人墓碑上的字时，我才刚刚学会如何拼写那些字。我甚至对于它们最简单意思的理解也不是非常正确。比如当我读到 “上述者之妻” 时，我以为那是对我父亲上升到一个更好世界的赞美之词。而且如果我已故亲人当中有任何一个人被指为 “之下” 的话，我一定会对这位家庭成员产生最坏的看法。通过《教理问答》我形成了这两个方位在神学上的概念，而我对这两个方位的都是一点也不准确的。因为我清楚地记得，当我宣读 “一生之中，坚守常道” 时，我以为自己有义务在出门之后，总是按照一个特定的方向穿过村子，从不改变，既不会拐到车匠铺那边，也不会拐到磨坊这边。
When I was old enough, I was to be apprenticed to Joe, and until I could assume that dignity I was not to be what Mrs. Joe called "Pomp eyed, " or (as I render it) pampered. Therefore, I was not only odd—boy about the forge, but if any neighbor happened to want an extra boy to frighten birds, or pick up stones, or do any such job, I was favored with the employment. In order, however, that our superior position might not be compromised thereby, a money—box was kept on the kitchen mantel—shelf, in to which it was publicly made known that all my earnings were dropped. I have an impression that they were to be contributed eventually towards the liquidation of the National Debt, but I know I had no hope of any personal participation in the treasure.
当我年龄够大之后，我就会给乔当学徒。在我得到那份尊严之前，我不能成为乔太太所称的 “大派头” 的孩子，我对这个词的理解就是饮食过量的孩子。因此，我不仅仅是铁匠铺里干杂活的小子，要是哪个邻居正好要另外找个孩子去赶鸟、捡石子或者干其他类似的活，他们都喜欢差我去做。然而，为了不损害我们高贵的地位，厨房的壁炉架上就摆放了一个钱盒子，好让大家都知道，我赚的钱都放在这个盒子里了。我觉得这些钱最终会为国家债务的清算做出贡献，因为我知道我是没有希望分得这份财富的。
Mr. Wopsle's great—aunt kept an evening school in the village; that is to say, she was a ridiculous old woman of limited means and unlimited infirmity, who used to go to sleep from six to seven every evening, in the society of youth who paid two pence per week each, for the improving opportunity of seeing her do it. She rented a small cottage, and Mr. Wopsle had the room up—stairs, where we students used to overhear him reading aloud in a most dignified and terrific manner, and occasionally bumping on the ceiling. There was a fiction that Mr. Wopsle "examined" the scholars, once a quarter. What he did on those occasions was to turn up his cuffs, stick up his hair, and give us Mark Antony's oration over the body of Caesar. This was always followed by Collins's Ode on the Passions, wherein I particularly venerated Mr. Wopsle as Revenge, throwing his blood—stained sword in thunder down, and taking the War—denouncing trumpet with a withering look. It was not with me then, as it was in later life, when I fell into the society of the Passions, and compared them with Collins and Wopsle, rather to the disadvantage of both gentlemen.
沃甫赛先生的姑婆是个荒唐的老太婆。这个姑婆在村子里开办了一所夜校。她钱财有限却病痛无数，每天晚上会从六点开始睡到七点。也就是说，一群年轻人每人每周付两便士就是为了有机会亲眼看她在那个时候睡觉。她租了一个小村舍。村舍楼上的房间是属于沃甫赛先生的。我们这些学生在那里经常可以听见他用极庄重、极大声的方式大声朗读，偶尔还有撞击楼板的声音。有传言说沃甫赛先生会 “检查” 学生，每季度一次。每逢这时，他就会挽起衣袖，竖起头发，给我们朗诵马克•安东尼 (注：莎士比亚剧本《裘里斯•凯撒》中的角色) 在凯撒大帝遗体旁的演说。接着他还总是会朗诵柯林斯的《激情颂》。其中我尤其敬佩沃甫赛先生对复仇之神的演绎。他将手中沾满鲜血的利剑一挥，立即划出一道霹雳，面容枯槁地吹响宣战的号角。在我之后的生活当中，随着我跌进感情世界并将这些情感与柯林斯及沃甫赛先生作对比，我才发现这两个人其实并没有那么出色，但在当时我是体会不到这些的。
Mr. Wopsle's great—aunt, besides keeping this Educational Institution, kept—in the same room—a little general shop. She had no idea what stock she had, or what the price of anything in it was; but there was a little greasy memorandum—book kept in a drawer, which served as a Catalogue of Prices, and by this oracle Biddy arranged all the shop transaction. Biddy was Mr. Wopsle's great—aunt's granddaughter; I confess myself quiet unequal to the working out of the problem, what relation she was to Mr. Wopsle. She was an orphan like myself; like me, too, had been brought up by hand. She was most noticeable, I thought, in respect of her extremities; for, her hair always wanted brushing, her hands always wanted washing, and her shoes always wanted mending and pulling up at heel. This description must be received with a week—day limitation. On Sundays, she went to church elaborated.
除了经营这个教育机构之外，沃甫赛先生的姑婆还在同一间屋子里开了一家小杂货店。她不知道她有哪些存货，也不知道任何一种货物的价格。但是抽屉里有一本油乎乎的小备忘簿，用来作为价格目录。正是靠着这部宝典，比迪安排了商店的所有交易。比迪是沃甫赛先生姑婆的孙女。坦白地讲，我自己也搞不清楚她跟沃甫赛先生是什么关系。她和我一样是个孤儿，而且和我一样，是被别人 “一手” 养大的。我觉得由于她粗大的四肢，她总是非常引人注目。因为她的头发总是乱的，需要梳理；她的手总是脏的，需要清洗；她总是趿拉着鞋。但这种描述只适用于工作日内。星期天的时候，她会精心打扮一番，然后去教堂。
Much of my unassisted self, and more by the help of Biddy than of Mr. Wopsle's great—aunt, I struggled through the alphabet as if it had been a bramble—bush; getting considerably worried and scratched by every letter. After that, I fell among those thieves, the nine figures, who seemed every evening to do something new to disguise them and baffle recognition. But, at last I began, in a purblind groping way, to read, write, and cipher, on the very smallest scale.
主要依靠我自身的努力，加上比迪的帮助，我总算费力地学会了字母表。而沃甫赛先生的姑婆对我的帮助还不及比迪。学习字母表时我就像行走在黑莓灌木丛当中，每一个字母都让我非常苦恼、伤痕累累。之后，我又跌进九个数字这个贼窝里。它们似乎每晚都搞出一点新把戏来伪装自己，让我分辨不出来。但是，犹如在黑暗中摸索，最终我开始进行最基础的读、写和计算。
One night, I was sitting in the chimney—corner with my slate, expending great efforts on the production of a letter to Joe. I think it must have been a fully year after our hunt upon the marshes, for it was a long time after, and it was winter and a hard frost. With an alphabet on the hearth at my feet for reference, I contrived in an hour or two to print and smear this epistle:
一天晚上，我坐在壁炉旁，手里拿着石板，绞尽脑汁地想要给乔写封信。我寻思着，此时离我们到沼泽地追捕逃犯那天肯定已经整整有一年的时间了，因为眼下又到了冬天，到了严霜季节。我把字母表放在脚边的壁炉前做参考，然后花了一两个小时又写又涂，最后终于完成了这封信。
"MI DEER JO I OPE U R KR WITE WELL I OPE I SHAL SON B HABELL 4 2TEEDGE U JO AN THEN WE SHORL B SO GLODD A WEN I M PRENGTD 2 U JOWOT LARX A BLEVE ME INF XN PIP.”
“我青爱的乔，我息望你生体见康，我息望不酒能交你写，乔，那会有多高心啊，等我当了你的土弟，我会有多高心啊，乔，请相辛我。皮普。”
There was no indispensable necessity for my communicating with Joe by letter, inasmuch as he sat beside me and we were alone. But, I delivered this written communication (slate and all) with my own hand, and Joe received it as a miracle of erudition.
我根本就没有必要通过写信来和乔交流，因为他就坐在我旁边，而且只有我们两个人。但我还是把这封写在石板上的交流信双手交给了乔，乔就像接受一个学术奇迹一样接过了它。
"I say, Pip, old chap! " cried Joe, opening his blue eyes wide, "what a scholar you are! Can't you? "
“我说，皮普，老弟！” 乔把他那蓝色的眼睛睁得大大地喊道， “你真成了个大学问家了！是不是？”
"I should like to be, " said I, glancing at the slate as he held it: with a misgiving that the writing was rather hilly.
“我也想当个大学问家。” 我说道，同时看了一眼乔手中拿着的石板，担心我写的字太不整齐了。
"Why, here's a J, " said Joe, "and a O equal to any think! Here's a J and an O, Pip, and a J—O, Joe.”
“这是个J，” 乔说道， “这是个O，写得真好！一个J和一个O，皮普，就是J—O，即乔。”
I had never heard Joe read aloud to any greater extent than this monosyllable, and I had observed at church last Sunday when I accidentally held our Prayer—Book upside down, that it seemed to suit his convenience quite as well as if it had been all right. Wishing to embrace the present occasion of finding out whether in teaching Joe, I should have to begin quite at the beginning, I said, "Ah! But read the rest, Jo. "
除了这个单音节词之外，我从没有听到乔更大声地朗读过。上个星期日在教堂的时候，我不小心把祈祷书拿倒了，但我发现那丝毫没有给乔带来任何麻烦，仿佛那本来就是对的。我想利用这个机会弄清楚，我是否要从最基础开始教乔读写，所以我说道： “哦！把剩下的都读完，乔。”
"The rest, eh, Pip? " said Joe, looking at it with a slowly searching eye, "One, two, three. Why, here's three Js, and three Os, and three J—O, Joes in it, Pip!”
“剩下的，嗯，皮普？” 乔用慢慢搜寻的目光看着它说道， “一，二，三。喏，这里有三个J，三个O，三个J—O，三个乔，皮普！”
I leaned over Joe, and, with the aid of my forefinger, read him the whole letter.
我斜靠在乔身上，用食指指着，把整封信念给他听。
"Astonishing! " said Joe, when I had finished. "You are a scholar. "
“太了不起了！” 我读完之后，乔说道， “你真是个大学问家。”
"How do you spell Gregory, Joe? " I asked him, with a modest patronage.
“你是怎么拼写 ‘格雷戈里’ 的，乔？” 我带着些许施恩的口气问道。
"I don't spell it at all, " said Joe.
“我根本就不会拼。” 乔说道。
"But supposing you did? "
“但是假设你会呢？”
"It can't be supposed, " said Joe. "Though I 'm on common fond of reading, too. "
“这可不能假设。” 乔说， “尽管我也跟其他人一样喜欢读书。”
"Are you, Joe? "
“你喜欢读书，乔？”
"On—common. Give me, " said Joe, "a good book, or a good newspaper, and sit me down afore a good fire, and I ask no better. Lord! " he continued, after rubbing his knees a little, "when you do come to a J and a O, and says you, " Here, at last, is a J—O, Joe, "how interesting reading is!”
“一般来讲，是的。” 乔说道， “能让我捧着一本好书，或拿着一张好报，坐在烧得正旺的炉火前，我就别无所求了。天啊！” 他挠了几下膝盖接着说道， “当你看到一个J和一个O，你就会说 ‘看，J和O连起来就是乔’ ，读书多有意思啊！”
I derived from this last, that Joe's education, like Steam, was yet in its infancy.
从乔的话当中，我得出的结论是，乔受到的教育跟蒸汽动力一样还处在初级阶段。
Pursuing the subject, I inquired: "Didn't you ever go to school, Joe, when you were as little as me? "
顺着这个话题，我问道： “乔，你像我这么大的时候没有上过学吗？”
"No, Pip. "
“没有，皮普。”
"Why didn't you ever go to school, Joe, when you were as little as me? "
“你像我这么大的时候为什么不去上学呢，乔？”
"Well, Pip, " said Joe, taking up the poker, and settling himself to his usual occupation when he was thoughtful, of slowly raking the fire between the lower bars: "I'll tell you. My father, Pip, he were given to drink, and when he were overtook with drink, he hammered away at my mother, most on merciful. It were a 'most the only hammering he did, indeed, ' xcepting at myself. And he hammered at me with a wigor only to be equaled by the wigor with which he didn't hammer at his anvil. — You're a—listening and understanding, Pip?”
“这个嘛，皮普，” 乔拿起拨火棍，像他平常沉思时一样慢慢地拨弄着靠下边的炉条之间的火， “我告诉你吧。我父亲，皮普，他经常喝酒。一旦喝醉了，他就把拳头挥向我最仁慈的母亲。除了捶打我之外，他就只捶打我母亲一个人了。他用我们打铁时的力气捶打我，而他从不把这力气用在他的铁砧上——你在听我讲吗，听明白了吗，皮普？”
"Yes, Joe. "
“是的，乔。”
"Consequence, my mother and me we ran away from my father, several times; and then my mother she'd go out to work, and she'd say, 'Joe, ' she'd say, 'now, please God, you shall have some schooling, child, ' and she'd put me to school. But my father was that good in his hart that he couldn't a bear to be without us. So, he'd come with a most tremendous crowd and make such a row at the doors of the houses where we was, that they used to be obligated to have no more to do with us and to give us up to him. And then he took us home and hammered us. Which, you see, Pip, " said Joe, pausing in his meditative raking of the fire, and looking at me, "were a drawback on my learning. "
“结果，我和我母亲有几次从我父亲身边逃走了，然后我母亲就得出去工作。 ‘乔，’ 她总是说， ‘现在，上帝保佑，你应该去上学，孩子。’ 然后她就把我送去上学。可是我父亲又那么好心，没有我们就受不了。于是，他就找来一大群人，聚集在我们借住的房子门前。这样房主只得必须和我们划清界线，把我们交给了父亲。然后父亲把我们带回家，把我们捶打了一顿。这样的话，你知道，皮普，” 此时正若有所思地拨弄炉火的乔停了下来说道， “就成了我学习上的不利条件。”
"Certainly, poor Joe! "
“那是肯定的，可怜的乔！”
"Though mind you, Pip, " said Joe, with a judicial touch or two of the poker on the top bar, "rendering unto all their do, and maintaining equal justice betwixt man and man, my father were that good in his hart, don't you see? "
“但是我要提醒你，皮普，” 乔用拨火棍拨弄了两下上层的炉条，带着审判的口气说道， “评价人要看他们的所有言行，并且要一视同仁。这样的话，我父亲内心也有好的一面，你觉得呢？”
I didn't see; but I didn't say so.
我不这么觉得，但我没有说出口。
"Well! " Joe pursued, "somebody must keep the pot a billing, Pip, or the pot won't bile, don't you know? "
“哎！” 乔继续说道， “必须要有人给锅烧火，皮普，否则食物是煮不熟的，你知道吗？”
I saw that, and said so.
我明白这个道理，也这样告诉了他。
"Consequence, my father didn't make objections to my going to work; so I went to work to work at my present calling, which were his too, if he would have followed it, and I worked tolerable hard, I assure you, Pip. In time I was able to keep him, and I kept him till he went off in a purple leptic fit. And it were my intentions to have had put upon his tombstone that Whatsoever the failings on his part, Remember reader he were that good in his hart. "
“后来，我父亲不反对我出去干活。于是我就开始干我现在这个营生。这也是他之前干的营生，不过他没坚持做下去。我干得还是很努力的，我保证，皮普。在那之后不久，我就能够养活他了，一直养活到他中风去世。而且我打算在他墓碑上这样写：不管他身上有什么缺点，请记住他内心善良的一面。”
Joe recited this couplet with such manifest pride and careful perspicuity, that I asked him if he had made it himself.
乔带着满脸自豪的神情，仔细清晰地背诵这两句诗，所以我问他这是不是他自己写的。
"I made it, " said Joe, "my own self. I made it in a moment. It was like striking out a horseshoe complete, in a single blow. I never was so much surprised in all my life—couldn't credit my own ed—to tell you the truth, hardly believed it were my own ed. As I was saying, Pip, it were my intentions to have had it cut over him; but poetry costs money, cut it how you will, small or large, and it were not done. Not to mention bearers, all the money that could be spared was wanted for my mother. She was in poor elth, and quite broke. She weren't long of following, poor soul, and her share of peace comes round at last. "
“我写的，” 乔说道， “我自己写的。我一下子就写出来了。就像一锤子挥下去，一块马蹄铁就完全打好了一样。我一辈子都没有这样惊讶过——不相信是我自己写的——实话告诉你，我几乎不相信这是我自己写的。就像我说的那样，皮普，我本来打算把它刻在他的墓碑上。但不管你想怎么刻，刻大字还是刻小字，都是要花钱的，所以最后没有刻成。更不用说还要付钱给抬棺木的人，所有能省下来的钱都要留给我母亲。她身体很差而且受了很大的打击。她没能坚持多久，可怜的人，最终也平静地去世了。”
Joe's blue eyes turned a little watery; he rubbed, first one of them, and then the other, in a most uncongenial and uncomfortable manner, with the round knob on the top of the poker.
乔的蓝眼睛有点湿润了，他用拨火棍顶部的圆把手揉了揉一只眼，又揉了揉另一只眼，这种方式让人觉得很不愉快，很不舒服。
"It were but lonesome then, " said Joe, "living here alone, and I got acquainted with your sister. Now, Pip; " Joe looked firmly at me, as if he knew I was not going to agree with him; "your sister is a fine figure of a woman. "
乔说： “那时候我一个人住在这里很孤独，然后我就认识了你姐姐。嘿，皮普，” 乔坚定地看着我说，仿佛他知道我一定会不同意他的说法， “你姐姐是个漂亮的女人。”
I could not help looking at the fire, in an obvious state of doubt.
我情不自禁地盯着炉火，露出明显怀疑的表情。
"Whatever family opinions, or whatever the world's opinions, on that subject may be, Pip, your sister is, " Joe tapped the top bar with the poker after every word following, "a—fine—figure—of—a—woman!”
“在这个问题上，不管家人怎么看，不管世人怎么看，皮普，你姐姐就是，” 乔用拨火棍敲打着上层的炉条，一字一顿地说道， “一个——漂亮——的——女人！”
I could think of nothing better to say than "I am glad you think so, Joe. "
我只能说： “乔，你能这么想我很高兴。” 除此之外，我想不出其他更好的话来。
"So am I, " returned Joe, catching me up. "I am glad I think so, Pip. A little redness or a little matter of Bone, here or there, what does it signify to Me? "
“我也是。” 乔接着我的话回答道， “我能这么想我也很高兴，皮普。这里红一点，那里骨架突出一点，这对我来说有什么意义呢？”
I sagaciously observed, if it didn't signify to him, to whom did it signify?
我机灵地说道，要是这对他来说没有意义，那么对谁有意义呢？
"Certainly! " assented Joe. "That's it. You're right, old chap! When I got acquainted with your sister, it was the talk how she was bringing you up by hand. Very kind of her too, all the folks said, and I said, along with all the folks. As to you, " Joe pursued with a countenance expressive of seeing something very nasty indeed: "if you could have been aware how small and flabby and mean you was, dear me, you'd have formed the most contemptible opinion of yourself! "
“确实！” 乔表示赞同， “的确是。你说得对，老弟！当我认识你姐姐的时候，人们都在谈论她是如何一手把你带大的。所有人都觉得她很善良，和大家一样，我也这么认为。至于你，” 乔接着说道，脸上露出一副看到什么极其肮脏的东西的表情， “你要是看到自己那时候有多瘦小、体弱，长得有多难看的话，天啊，你也一定会非常鄙视自己的！”
Not exactly relishing this, I said, "Never mind me, Joe. "
我不太喜欢听这些话，于是我说： “乔，你不用惦记着我。”
"But I did mind you, Pip, " he returned with tender simplicity. "When I offered to your sister to keep company, and to be asked in church at such times as she was willing and ready to come to the forge, I said to her, 'And bring the poor little child. God bless the poor little child, ' I said to your sister, 't here's room for him at the forge! '"
“但我总是惦记着你，皮普，” 乔温柔、淳朴地答道， “我向你姐姐提出要和她结为伴侣并到教堂举行仪式，她也愿意而且准备好搬到铁匠铺里来。那时我对她说： ‘把那个可怜的小孩带来吧。上帝保佑那个可怜的小孩。铁匠铺里有他住的地方！’”
I broke out crying and begging pardon, and hugged Joe round the neck: who dropped the poker to hug me, and to say, "Ever the best of friends; can't us, Pip? Don't cry, old chap! "
听到这些，我不禁大哭起来。我一边请求他原谅我，一边双手抱住他的脖子。乔也放下了拨火棍抱住了我，他说： “我们永远都是最好的朋友，是不是，皮普？别哭了，老弟！”
When this little interruption was over, Joe resumed:
当这段小插曲结束之后，乔又接着说道：
"Well, you see, Pip, and here we are! That's about where it lights; here we are! Now, when you take me in hand in my learning, Pip (and I tell you beforehand I am awful dull, most awful dull), Mrs. Joe mustn't see too much of what we're up to. It must be done, as I may say, on the sly. And why on the sly? I'll tell you why, Pip. "
“噢，你看，皮普，我们俩就这样走到了一起！那就是值得我们庆幸的地方，我们俩走到了一起！现在，你要手把手地教我读书了，而且我得提前告诉你，我很笨的，非常笨。你教我读书这件事一定不能让乔太太知道。所以我说，我们必须暗地里干。为什么要暗地里干呢？我来告诉你为什么，皮普。”
He had taken up the poker again; without which, I doubt if he could have proceeded in his demonstration.
他又拿起了拨火棍，我怀疑要是没有这根拨火棍，他还能不能继续说下去。
"Your sister is given to government. "
“你姐姐喜欢官。”
"Given to government, Joe? " I was startled, for I had some shadowy idea (and I am afraid I must add, hope) that Joe had divorced her in a favor of the Lords of the Admiralty, or Treasury.
“喜欢官，乔？” 我吃了一惊，因为我隐约中产生了一种想法（而且不得不说的是，我其实希望这种想法实现），那就是乔已经因为她喜欢上了海军大臣或财政大臣而跟她离了婚。
"Given to government, " said Joe. "Which I meander say the government of you and myself. "
“喜欢官。” 乔说道， “我的意思是她喜欢管你和我。”
"Oh! "
“哦！”
"And she can't over partial to having scholars on the premises, " Joe continued, "and in par tickler would not be over partial to my being a scholar, for fear as I might rise. Like a sort or rebel, don't you see? "
“而且她不喜欢家里有个学问家。” 乔继续说道， “尤其是不喜欢我成为一个学问家，因为她害怕我会反抗。就像那种造反的人，你明白吗？”
I was going to retort with an inquiry, and had got as far as "Why—” when Joe stopped me.
我本来打算用一个问题来反驳他，可我刚说出个 “为什么——” 乔就打断了我。
"Stay a bit. I know what you're a—going to say, Pip; stay a bit! I don't deny that your sister comes the Mogull over us, now and again. I don't deny that she do throw us back—falls, and that she do drop down upon us heavy. At such times as when your sister is on the Ram—page, Pip, " Joe sank his voice to a whisper and glanced at the door, "can dour compel fur to admit that she is a Buster. "
“等一下。我知道你要说什么，皮普，等一下！我不否认你姐姐总是骑在我们头上。我不否认她不仅把我们打倒在地，而且还会狠狠地再踹我们几脚。当你姐姐大发雷霆的时候，皮普，” 乔压低声音小声说道，同时瞟了一眼门口， “我都不得不承认她是一个怪物。”
Joe pronounced this word, as if it began with at least twelve capitals Bs.
乔念着这个词，仿佛它的开头至少有十二个重重的 “怪” 字。
"Why don't I rise? That was your observation when I broke it off, Pip? "
“我为什么不反抗呢？我打断你说话时你就正想问这个吧，皮普？”
"Yes, Joe. "
“是的，乔。”
"Well, " said Joe, passing the poker into his left hand, that he might feel his whisker; and I had no hope of him whenever he took to that placid occupation; "your sister's a master—mind. A master—mind.”
“哎，” 乔说着将拨火棍换到了左手，这样他就能用右手捋他的连鬓胡子了，每次他一摆出这种温顺的姿态，我就对他不抱希望了。 “你姐姐是个决策者。一个决策者。”
"What's that? " I asked, in some hope of bringing him to a stand. But, Joe was readier with his definition than I had expected, and completely stopped me by arguing circularly, and answering with affixed looks, "Her. "
“什么叫决策者？” 我问道，希望借此为难他一下。但是出乎我的意料，乔在这个词的定义上做了更充分的准备。他直勾勾地看着我回答说： “决策者就是她。” 他的循环论证让我完全无话可说。
"And I can't a master—mind, " Joe resumed, when he had unfixed his look, and got back to his whisker. "And last of all, Pip—and this I want to say very serious to you, old chap—I see so much in my poor mother, of a woman drudging and slaving and breaking her honest hart and never getting no peace in her mortal days, that I 'm dead faired of going wrong in the way of not doing what's right by a woman, and I'd fur rather of the two go wrong the totter way, and be a little ill—convenience myself. I wish it was only me that got put out, Pip; I wish there wasn't no Tickler for you, old chap; I wish I could take it all on myself; but this is the up—and—down—and—straight on it, Pip, and I hope you'll overlook shortcomings. "
“我不能成为决策者。” 乔接着说道。他将目光从我身上移走，又开始捋他的连鬓胡子。 “最后，皮普——我很认真地跟你说，老弟——我在我可怜的母亲身上看得太多了。她受苦受累，当牛做马，一颗诚实的心不断地被蹂躏，一辈子没有得到过一丝的平静。所以我最怕做错事亏待了女人，我宁愿亏待我自己也不能亏待她。我希望我一个人为这事费心就行了，皮普。我希望你不用挨挠痒棍的打，老弟。要挨打我也希望都由我来挨，但事情就是这样曲曲折折的、不顺利，我希望你能忽略这些缺点。”
Young as I was, I believe that I dated a new admiration of Joe from that night. We were equals afterwards, as we had been before; but, afterwards at quiet times when I sat looking at Joe and thinking about him, I had a new sensation of feeling conscious that I was looking up to Joe in my heart.
尽管那时我还小，但我相信，从那天晚上开始，我对乔又增添了一份崇敬之情。在那之后，我们仍像之前一样平等地对待彼此。但是，在那之后，每当我静静地坐着，看着乔，想着乔，一种新的感觉就会油然而生。这种感觉让我意识到，我从心眼里敬佩乔。
"However, " said Joe, rising to replenish the fire; "here's the Dutch—clock a working himself up to being equal to strike Eight of 'em, and she's not come home yet! I hope Uncle Pumblechook's merman's have set a fore—foot on a piece o' ice, and gone down. "
“可是，” 乔说着起身又添满了火， “这座荷兰钟都快要敲八点了，她还没有回来！但愿彭波契克舅舅的那匹母马没有前蹄踩到冰面而摔倒。”
Mrs. Joe made occasional trips with Uncle Pumblechook on market—days, to assist him in buying such household stuffs and goods as required a woman's judgment; Uncle Pumblechook being a bachelor and reposing no confidences in his domestic servant. This was market—day, and Mrs. Joe was out on one of these expeditions.
乔太太有时和彭波契克舅舅一起去赶集，帮他买些需要参考女人意见的家居用品和生活用品。彭波契克舅舅是个单身汉，而且一点都不信任他家的仆人。今天是个赶集日，乔太太又陪他去赶集了。
Joe made the fire and swept the hearth, and then we went to the door to listen for the chaise—cart. It was a dry cold night, and the wind blew keenly, and the frost was white and hard. A man would die to—night of lying out on the marshes, I thought. And then I looked at the stars, and considered how awful if would be for a man to turn his face up to them as he froze to death, and see no help or pity in all the glittering multitude.
乔生好火，把火炉周围打扫干净。然后我们走到门口，听听有没有轻便马车的声音。那天晚上又干又冷，大风猛吹，地上的寒霜又白又厚。我寻思着，要是今晚有人躺在沼泽地里的话，一定会被冻死。然后我看着星星，不禁想到，一个人在快被冻死的时候仰望星空，他该有多难过啊。群星闪耀，他却看不到一丝帮助，一丝同情。
"Here comes the mare, " said Joe, "ringing like a peal of bells! "
“那匹母马回来了，” 乔说道， “声音就像铃铛响！”
The sound of her iron shoes upon the hard road was quite musical, as she came along at a much brisker trot than usual. We got a chair out, ready for Mrs. Joe's alighting, and stirred up the fire that they might see a bright window, and took a final survey of the kitchen that nothing might be out of its place. When we had completed these preparations, they drove up, wrapped to the eyes. Mrs. Joe was soon landed, and Uncle Pumblechook was soon down too, covering the mare with a cloth, and we were soon all in the kitchen, carrying so much cold air in with us that it seemed to drive all the heat out of the fire.
母马的马蹄铁敲打着坚实的路面，声音非常有乐感。她一路轻快地跑来，速度比平时快得多。我们搬出一张椅子，好让乔太太踩着它下马车。我们拨旺了炉火，这样他们就能看到明亮的窗户。我们又最后一次检查了厨房，保证一切都整整齐齐的。我们刚完成了这些准备工作，他们就到了，身上的衣服裹得严严实实的，只露出眼睛。很快乔太太下了车，随后彭波契克舅舅也下了车。他给母马盖上一块布之后，我们就很快地来到了厨房。我们带进来的寒气太多，仿佛一下子就把炉火的热气都赶跑了。
"Now, " said Mrs. Joe, unwrapping herself with haste and excitement, and throwing her bonnet back on her shoulders where it hung by the strings: "if this boy can't grateful this night, he never will be! "
“听着，” 乔太太一边说着，一边匆忙而兴奋地解开外套，把帽子推到肩后，帽绳还系在脖子上， “要是这小子今晚还不知道感恩的话，那他永远都不会了！”
I looked as grateful as any boy possibly could, who was wholly uninformed why he ought to assume that expression.
我尽可能地做出一副感恩的样子，但却全然不知我为什么要做出这样的表情。
"It's only to be hoped, " said my sister, "that he won't be Pomp—eyed. But I have my fears.”
“我仅仅是希望，” 我姐姐说， “他不会被宠坏了。但我还是担心。”
"She can't in that line, Mum, " said Mr. Pumblechook. "She knows better. "
“她不会那样做的，夫人。” 彭波契克舅舅说道， “她知道该怎么做。”
She? I looked at Joe, making the motion with my lips and eyebrows, "She? " Joe looked at me, making the motion with his lips and eyebrows, "She? " My sister catching him in the act, he drew the back of his hand across his nose with his usual conciliatory air on such occasions, and looked at her.
她？我看着乔，朝他努了努嘴，挤了挤眉， “她？” 乔也看着我，朝我努了努嘴，挤了挤眉， “她？” 他的这个动作被我姐姐看到了，他马上抬起手背揉了揉鼻子，做出在类似情况下他那种一贯的妥协姿态，看着她。
"Well? " said my sister, in her snappish way. "What are you staring at? Is the house a—fire?”
“怎么了？” 我姐姐恶狠狠地说， “你瞪什么？房子着火了？”
“—Which some individual, "Joe politely hinted, " mentioned—she.”
“——是一个人，” 乔礼貌地暗示道， “刚刚提到的——她。”
"And she is a she, I suppose? " said my sister. "Unless you call Miss Havisham a he. And I doubt if even you'll go so far as that. "
“我看, 她就是她啊。” 我姐姐说， “难道你要把郝维仙小姐称为 ‘他’ 吗？我想你不会糊涂到那种地步吧。”
"Miss Havisham, up town? " said Joe.
“住在镇上的那个郝维仙小姐吗？” 乔说道。
"Is there any Miss Havisham down town? " returned my sister.
“乡下还有哪个郝维仙小姐吗？” 我姐姐回答道，
"She wants this boy to go and play there. And of course he's going. And he had better play there, " said my sister, shaking her head at me as an encouragement to be extremely light and sportive, "or I'll work him. "
“她想要这个小子过去玩。当然，他会去的。而且他最好去那里玩，” 我姐姐说着对我摇了摇头，以此来鼓励我要表现得非常活泼好动， “否则我会修理他的。”
I had heard of Miss Havisham up town—everybody for miles round, had heard of Miss Havisham up town—as an immensely rich and grim lady who lived in a large and dismal house barricaded against robbers, and who led a life of seclusion.
我之前听说过这位住在镇上的郝维仙小姐——方圆几英里之内的每一个人都听说过镇上的郝维仙小姐——她非常有钱，为人冷酷、威严，在一所阴森的大房子里过着离群索居的生活。整个房子为了防范窃贼设置了重重障碍。
"Well to be sure! " said Joe, astounded. "I wonder how she come to know Pip! "
“哦，真没想到！” 乔吃惊地说， “我纳闷的是, 她怎么知道皮普的！”
"Noodle! " cried my sister. "Who said she knew him? "
“一根筋！” 我姐姐喊道， “谁说她知道皮普？”
“—Which some individual, "Joe again politely hinted, " mentioned that she wanted him to go and play there. "
“——有人，” 乔又礼貌地暗示道， “刚提到说，她想让他去那里玩。”
"And couldn't she ask Uncle Pumblechook if he knew of a boy to go and play there? Isn't it just barely possible that Uncle Pumblechook may be a tenant of hers, and that he may sometimes—we won't say quarterly or half—yearly, for that would be requiring too much of you—but sometimes—go there to pay his rent? And couldn't she then asks Uncle Pumblechook if he knew of a boy to go and play there? And couldn't Uncle Pumblechook, being always considerate and thoughtful for us—though you may not think it, Joseph, " in a tone of the deepest reproach, as if he were the most callous of nephews, "then mention this boy, standing Prancing here" —which I solemnly declare I was not doing— "that I have for ever been a willing slave to? "
“难道她不能问问彭波契克舅舅，是不是知道哪个男孩能过去玩吗？难道没有一点点可能是因为彭波契克舅舅是她的房客，他有时候——我们不会告诉你是三个月一次还是半年一次，说了你也搞不清楚——但就是有些时候——要去那里向她付房租吗？难道她就不能问问彭波契克舅舅，他知不知道哪个男孩能过去玩吗？难道一向对我们细心周到的彭波契克舅舅——尽管你可能不这么认为，约瑟夫，” 我姐姐用最严厉的谴责口吻说道，仿佛他是天底下最无情的外甥， “就不能提到这个神气活现地站在这里的小子” ——关于这一点我郑重声明，当时我并没有神气活现—— “这个我一直都给他当牛做马的小子吗？”
"Good again! " cried Uncle Pumblechook. "Well put! Prettily pointed! Good indeed! Now Joseph, you know the case. "
“说得好！” 彭波契克舅舅喊道， “说得好！一语中的！实在是好啊！约瑟夫，这下你明白了吧。”
"No, Joseph, " said my sister, still in a reproachful manner, while Joe apologetically drew the back of his hand across and across his nose, "you do not yet—though you may not think it—know the case. You may consider that you do, but you do not, Joseph. For you do not know that Uncle Pumblechook, being sensible that for anything we can tell, this boy's fortune may be made by his going to Miss Havisham's, has offered to take him into town to—night in his own chaise—cart, and to keep him to—night, and to take him with his own hands to Miss Havisham's tomorrow morning. And Lor—a—mussy me! " cried my sister, casting off her bonnet in sudden desperation, "here I stand talking to mere Mooncalves, with Uncle Pumblechook waiting, and the mare catching cold at the door, and the boy grimed with crock and dirt from the hair of his head to the sole of his foot! "
“不，约瑟夫，” 我姐姐仍然用责备的口气说道，而乔则满怀歉意地用手背揉搓着他的鼻子， “你还没有明白，尽管你可能还没有意识到这一点。你可能觉得你懂了，但你还没懂，约瑟夫。因为你不知道彭波契克舅舅多么通情达理。他知道这小子可能因为到郝维仙小姐那里而从此交上了好运，所以他主动提出，今晚用他自己的轻便马车把这孩子带到镇里，晚上留他住一夜，明天早上亲自把他送到郝维仙小姐那里。上帝饶恕我！” 我姐姐喊道，并且猛地一把扯下她的帽子， “我净顾站着和傻瓜说话了，让彭波契克舅舅等了这么久，门口的母马也要被冻感冒了。而且这小子从发梢到脚跟都是泥土灰尘，看起来糟透了！”
With that, she pounced upon me, like an eagle on a lamb, and my face was squeezed into wooden bowls in sinks, and my head was put under taps of water—butts, and I was soaped, and kneaded, and toweled, and thumped, and harrowed, and rasped, until I really was quite beside myself. (I may here remark that I suppose myself to be better acquainted than any living authority, with the ridge effect of a wedding—ring, passing unsympathetically over the human countenance. )
说完这些，她一下子过来抓住了我，就像老鹰扑向一只小羊羔一样。接着我的脸就被摁进水池里的木盆当中，我的头被放在大水桶的龙头下面。然后给我打肥皂，揉啊，搓啊，擦啊，拍啊，挠啊，刮啊，一直到我都快受不了了。（这里我要说明的是，与当今任何一位权威相比，我觉得我更了解用一枚结婚戒指在人的脸上划来划去会产生什么样的效果，结果就是留下一道道隆起的痕迹。）
When my ablutions were completed, I was put into clean linen of the stiffest character, like a young penitent into sackcloth, and was trussed up in my tightest and fear fullest suit. I was then delivered over to Mr. Pumblechook, who formally received me as if he were the Sheriff, and who let off upon me the speech that I knew he had been dying to make all along: "Boy, be for ever grateful to all friends, but especially unto them which brought you up by hand! "
当我的洗浴结束之后，她给我穿上干净却非常僵硬、直挺的亚麻布衣服，就像给少年犯穿上麻袋布衣服一样。然后又给我捆绑了一件非常紧的外套，勒得我非常难受。然后我就被交给了彭波契克舅舅。他犹如郡长一般正式地接纳了我，而且对我发表了他的演讲。我知道这些话他早就想对我说了： “孩子，要永远感谢所有的朋友，尤其要感谢那些亲手把你带大的人！”
"Good—bye, Joe!”
“再见，乔！”
"God bless you, Pip, old chap! "
“上帝保佑你，皮普，我的老弟！”
I had never parted from him before, and what with my feelings and what with soap—suds, I could at first see no stars from the chaise—cart. But they twinkled out one by one, without throwing any light on the questions why on earth I was going to play at Miss Havisham's, and what on earth I was expected to play at.
在这之前我从来没有和乔分开过。怀着复杂的心情，眼睛里还留着肥皂水，我坐在了轻便马车里。刚坐下的时候我看不到星星。随后它们又一颗一颗地闪现出来，但却无法回答我的问题：我究竟为什么要到郝维仙小姐家去玩？它们究竟要让我玩什么呢？