名著精讀《飄》第二章 第7節

For two years he had squired her about the County, to balls, fish fries, picnics and court days, never so often as the Tarleton twins or Cade Calvert, never so importunate as the younger Fontaine boys, but, still, never the week went by that Ashley did not come calling at Tara.

兩年以來，都是他陪着她在縣裏各處走動，參加舞會、炸魚宴、野餐，甚至法庭開庭日的聽審，等等，雖然從來不像塔爾頓兄弟那樣紛繁，也不像方丹家的年輕小夥兒那樣糾纏不休，可每星期都要到塔拉農場來拜訪，從未間斷過。
　
True, he never made love to her, nor did the clear gray eyes ever glow with that hot light Scarlett knew so well in other men.

確實，他從來沒有向她求過愛，他那清澈的眼睛也從來沒有流露過像思嘉在其他男人身上熟悉的那種熾熱的光芒。

And yet—and yet—she knew he loved her. She could not be mistaken about it. Instinct stronger than reason and knowledge born of experience told her that he loved her. Too often she had surprised him when his eyes were neither drowsy nor remote, when he looked at her with a yearning and a sadness which puzzled her. She knew he loved her. Why did he not tell her so? That she could not understand. But there were so many things about him that she did not understand.

可是仍然----仍然----思嘉知道他在愛她。在這點上她是不會錯的。直覺比理智更可信賴，而從經驗中產生的認識也告訴她他愛她。她幾乎常常中他吃驚，那時他的眼睛顯得既不朦朧也不疏遠，帶着熱切而悽楚的神情望着她，使她不知所措。她知道他在愛她。他爲什麼不對她說明呢？這一點她無法理解。但是她無法理解他的地方還多着呢。
　
He was courteous always, but aloof, remote. No one could ever tell what he was thinking about, Scarlett least of all. In a neighborhood where everyone said exactly what he thought as soon as he thought it, Ashley’s quality of reserve was exasperating. He was as proficient as any of the other young men in the usual County diversions, hunting, gambling, dancing and politics, and was the best rider of them all; but he differed from all the rest in that these pleasant activities were not the end and aim of life to him. And he stood alone in his interest in books and music and his fondness for writing poetry.
　　
他常常很客氣，但又那麼冷淡、疏遠。誰也不明白他在想些什麼，而思嘉是最不明白的。在那一帶，人人都是一想到什麼就說什麼，因此艾希禮的謹慎性格便更加使人看不慣了。他對縣裏的種種娛樂，如打獵、賭博、跳舞和議論政治等方面，都跟任何別的青年人一樣精通；可是他跟大家有不同之處，那就是這些愉快的活動對於他來說，都不是人生的目的。他僅僅對書本和音樂感興趣，而且很愛寫詩。
　

re vt. 侍從，護衛

rtunate adj. 纏擾不休的，頻頻要索的

sy ['drauzi] adj. 昏昏欲睡的，寂靜的

He thought of home, of drowsy fields and villages bathed by the sun.
他想起了家鄉，想起那沐浴在陽光下的靜靜的田野和村莊。

te adj. 偏僻的，遙遠的，遠程的，(感情等)距離很大

Mail comes to this remote village only once a week.
郵車每週只到這個偏僻的村莊一次。

ning adj. 懷念的，渴望的，嚮往的 n. 嚮往，思慕， 渴望

The trees come up to my window like the yearning voice of the dumb earth.
綠樹長到了我的窗前，彷彿是喑啞的大地發出的渴望的聲音。

teous adj. 有禮貌的，殷勤的

It was courteous of him to help the old lady with her bundles.
他很有禮貌地幫助那個老太太扛包裹。

f adj. 疏遠的，冷淡的 adv. 遠離地

The house stands aloof from the streets.
那所房子遠離街道。

perate vt. 使 ... 惱怒，激怒，使惡化 adj. 被激怒的，表面粗糙的

That child exasperates me.
那孩子真讓我生氣。

rsion n. 轉向，轉移，娛樂活動

Chess is his favorite diversion.
象棋是他最喜歡的娛樂活動。