小说翻译批评

小说

Tess wrote a most touching and urgent letter to her mother the very next day and by the end of the week a response to her communication arrived in Joan Durbeyfield's wandering last-century hand.

DEAR TESS,

I write these few lines hoping they will find you well, as they leave me at present, thank God for it. Dear Tess, we are all glad to hear that you are going really to be married soon. But with respect to your question Tess I say between ourselves quite private, but very strong, that on no account do you say a word of your bygone Trouble to him. I did not tell everything to your father, he being so proud on account of his respectability, which perhaps your Intended is the same. Many a woman, some of the Highest in the Land, have had a Trouble in their time; and why should you Trumpet yours when others don't Trumpet theirs? No girl would be such a fool, specially as it is so long ago, and not your Fault at all. I shall answer the same if you ask me Fifty Times. Besides, you must bear in mind that knowing it to be your childish nature to tell all that's in your Heart, so simple, I made you promise me never to let it out by Word or Deed, having your welfare in my mind, and you most solemnly did promise it going from this Door. I have not named either that question or your coming marriage to your father, as he would blab it everywhere, poor Simple Man.

Dear Tess keep up your Spirits, and we mean to send you a Hogshead of Cyder for your wedding knowing there is not much in your parts and thin Sour Stuff what there is. So no more at present and with kind love to your Young Man.

From your affectte. mother

J. Dirbeyfield

“O mother, mother!” murmured Tess.

She was recognizing how light was the touch of events the most oppressive upon Mrs Durbeyfield's elastic spirit.

（节选自Tess of The D’ urberbilles第31章)

紧在第二天，苔丝就写了一封最急迫、最动人的信，寄给了她母亲；那个礼拜的末尾，昭安·德北的亲笔回信就到了，信上你写的字还是前一个世纪里那种长腿长脚的体式。

亲爱的苔丝，

我写这几行字给你的时候，托上帝的福，身体很好，我希望你接到这封信的时候，你也很好。亲爱的苔丝，我们听说你这回真不久就结婚了，大家没有不喜欢的。不过关于你那个问题，苔丝，我嘱咐你一句话：千万不要把你从前的苦恼，对他流露出一丁点来；这个话只好咱们两个人知道，不能对外人说，不过我却一定非要你这么办不可。我从前并没把所有的情况，全都告诉你父亲，因为他那个人，老觉得门第高贵，自命不凡，你的未婚夫也许跟他一样。受过苦恼的女人，世界上可就多着啦，有些还是顶高贵的女人呢；人家有了都不声不响的，你有了为什么就该大吹大擂呢？没有那么傻的人，特别是事情已经过去这些年，又完全不是你自己的错儿，这会子又去翻尸倒骨干什么。你即使问我100遍，我也是这样回答你。我本来就知道你那种脾气，和小孩子一样，心里存不住话，所有你临走的时候，我为你的幸福打算，特为逼着你，要你答应我，不许你在语言里或举动上，露出你从前的苦恼来。你离开这个家门口儿的时候，不是已经郑重地答应了我了吗？你现在千万不要把你答应我的那番话忘记了。你的婚事和你的问题，我都没对你父亲提起，他的头脑那样简单，要一告诉他，他又该到处嚷嚷了。

亲爱的苔丝，你鼓起勇气来好啦。我们知道你们那一带出的酒不多，而且不好，所以打算在你结婚的时候，送你们一大桶苹果露。现在不多写了。你的未婚夫跟前替我问好儿吧。

你这慈爱的母亲，昭安·德北

“哎、妈呀、我的妈呀！”她嘟囔着说。

苔丝从这封信上可以看出他母亲那种万事达观的精神来。一件事，对于别人沉重地压在心头，对于她母亲却一点分量都没有。

（张谷若译）