【场景再现】
上帝面前我们是平等的
家庭教师Jane相貌平平的,自幼失去双亲;Rochester先生则身处上层社会。她知道,她是爱他的,他也是爱她的,可出于骄傲与自尊她不愿承认。在最近的一次晚宴上,Blanch小姐的不可一世和客人们的傲慢无礼刺痛了Jane,她痛心地说出,“只是因为我没有财富、没有美貌就认定我没有感情么?”
Jane: Why do you confide in me like this? What are you and she to me? You think that because I'm poor and plain, I have no feelings? I promise you, if God had gifted me with wealth and beauty, I would make it as hard for you to leave me now as it is for me to leave you. But He did not. But my spirit can address yours, as if both have passed through the grave and stood before heaven equal. Let me go, sir.
Rochester: I love you. I love you!
Jane: No, don't make me foolish.
Rochester: Foolish? I need you. What's Blanch to me? I know what I am to her, money to manure her father's land with. Marry me, Jane,say you marry me.
Jane: You mean it?
Rochester: You torture me with your doubts. Say yes, say yes. God forgive me. And let no men meddle with me. She is mine, mine.
【重点讲解】
Rochester跑来安慰她,Jane倔强地反问,何必要和她说这些,Rochester和他的客人和她有什么关系,就因为她普通、贫穷就该受嘲弄?她说,若上帝赐予她美貌与财富,她一样可以随心所欲。confide in表示相信、信任;信赖地倾诉。
Jane相信,当最终走向坟墓、走向死亡,人在上帝面前是平等的。她爱着Rochester,但坚持着自己的原则,即便Rochester向她解释,Blanch只是为了他的财产,他的心里只有Jane。Manure原意是给……施肥,这里指使土地、财产增加。address用到的意思是向……致辞、演说,Jane是说,灵魂不分尊卑,同样可以对话。
Rochester要Jane嫁给他,Jane又是不相信地问“你真的要这样做?”mean这里的意思是想要。You mean it? 就等Do you really want to do that?
Rochester回答多少有些咬文嚼字。他说,Jane的怀疑是对他的折磨。Torture本意是拷打,就引申为折磨、使难受。Meddle with作为一个词组,意思是乱动(他人之物),这里表达的是不与他人分享。