1、1勃朗特一家的故事简 介天资到底是什么？它从哪儿来？通常人们认为天资是上帝赋予的，只给那些幸运的人。事实上，我们并不清楚究竟那些人是否算得上幸运。天资似乎并不能使人们幸福，相反会使他们远离人群，因为天资是一种不能共享的东西。然而勃朗特一家的情形表明，天资被赋予了一个家庭。因为天资，这个家庭的成员远离尘世；离开了家他们就得不到快乐。而在家中，作为一个家庭，他们的天资却得以成长。是谁教会他们写作的？是他们自己！而且几乎没有人比他们写得更出色。这本书不是他们写的，而是关于他们的故事。这是他们的父亲未曾写，却应该写下的：一个关于他们家庭的故事，虽然他只拥有了那么短时间的家庭。这本书的作者蒂姆维克瑞从事
2、英语教学工作多年，现在约克郡生活和工作。1 Haworth1 霍沃斯There was a cold wind this afternoon，but the sun shone for an hour or twoI walked out on the moors behind the houseThe sheep were hiding from the wind under the stone walls，and there were grey clouds over the hills to the westIt is only November，but I could smell sn
3、ow in the air尽管今天下午刮起一阵寒风，太阳还是出来了一两个小时。我漫步在屋后的荒野上，羊群躲在石墙下避风，乌云笼罩着山顶，向西而去。刚刚才 11 月份，空气中就已经可以嗅到雪的气息了。It will be a cold winter，this year of 1855今年1855 年的冬天将会很冷。the rector of the village of HaworthHaworth is a village of small，grey stone houses on the side of a hill in the north of England，and I live in
4、 a house at the top of the hill，next to the church and the graveyard我叫帕特里克勃朗特，已经 78 岁了。我在霍沃斯做乡村牧师。霍沃斯是英格兰北部一座小山边的一个村子，那儿有一些灰色石头砌成的小房子。我住在山顶的一栋房子里，隔壁是教堂和墓地。I walked through the graveyard to the church this afternoonAll my family except Anne are buried thereThe wind had blown some dead leaves through
5、the door into the church，and I watched them dancing in the sunlight near the graveSoon I shall be in that grave with my wife and children，under the cold grey stone and dancing leaves今天下午，我步行穿过墓地去教堂。除了安妮，我的一家都葬在这里。冷风卷起了一些枯叶，把它们从教堂的大门吹了进来，我注视着它们在墓地旁的阳光中上下飞舞。要不了多久我也会躺在这个墓地中，在这冰冷的灰色石头和纷飞的落叶下，同我的妻子和孩子们长眠
6、在一起。It is dark outside now，and it is very quiet in this houseCharlottes husband，Mr Nicholls，is reading in his room，and our servant is cooking in the kitchenOnly the three of us live here nowIt is very quietI can hear the sounds of the wood burning in the fire，and the big clock on the stairs这时外面黑了下来，
7、整幢房子非常安静。夏洛蒂的丈夫尼科尔斯先生，正在自己的房间里看书，我们的用人正在厨房做饭。这儿只有我们三个人，真是太安静了！我能听见木柴在炉火中燃烧的声音和楼梯上大钟的嘀哒声。There is another sound toothe sound of the wind outsideThe wind has many voicesIt sings and laughs and shouts to itself all night longLast night it cried like a little child，and I got out of 2bed and went to the
8、window to listen还有另一种声音那就是屋外风的吼叫。风有着各种各样的声音，它总是整宿整宿地笑呀，哭呀，喊呀。而昨夜它呜咽得像个孩子。我下了床，走近窗边侧耳细听。There was no child，of courseOnly the wind and the grave-stones，cold in the pale moonlightBut I decided then that I would write the story of my children，today，before it is too lateCharlottes friend，Mrs Gaskell，is w
9、riting a book about her，and perhaps she will want to read my story当然不会有孩子，只有风和苍白月光下冰冷的墓碑。然而我还是决定就在今天，趁还没有太晚，写写我的孩子们的故事。夏洛蒂的朋友盖斯凯尔夫人正在写一部关于夏洛蒂的书，也许她会愿意读读我的故事。It is a fine storyIt began in April 1820，when we came to Haworth for the first time.这是一个很好的故事，它始于 1820 年 4 月，我们第一次来到霍沃斯的时候There was a strong wi
10、nd blowing that day too，out of a dark，cloudy skyWe could see snow on the moorsThe road to Haworth goes up a hill，and there was ice on the stones of the road. Maria，my wife，was afraid to ride up the hill in the carts那天，昏暗多云的天空一整天都刮着强劲的风。我们能看到旷野上覆盖的雪。去霍沃斯的路沿着山坡向上而去，一路上的石头都结了冰。玛丽亚，我的妻子怕坐马车上山。Well walk，
11、children，she saidIf one of those horses falls down，therell be a terrible accidentCome on，lets go and see our new house“我们走上去吧，孩子们， ”她说。 “要是那些马有一匹滚下去，都会是一场可怕的灾难。走吧，让我们走着去看我们的新房子。 ”She was a small woman，my wife，and not very strongBut she carried the baby，Anne，up the hill in her armsI carried Emilyshe
12、was one and a half years old thenThe others walkedMy twoyear old son，Patrick Branwell，walked with me，and Charlotte，who was nearly four，walked with her motherThe two oldest childrenElizabeth and Mariaran on in frontThey were very excited，and laughed and talked all the way我的妻子个子不高，身体也不好，可她还是抱着小女儿安妮往山上
13、爬。我抱着一岁半的爱米丽，其他人都步行。两岁的儿子帕特里克布兰韦尔和我走在一起；快四岁的夏洛蒂跟着妈妈；两个最大的孩子，伊丽莎白和小玛丽亚跑在前面。她们非常兴奋，一路上又说又笑。The people of Haworth came out to watch usSome of them helped，but most of them just stood in their doorways and watchedThey are very poor people，in this villageI was their new rector霍沃斯的人们出来看我们，有的上来帮忙，但大多数人只是站在门
14、前观望。这个村子里的人都很穷。我是他们的新牧师。We had seven carts to carry our furniture up that icy hill，but it was hard work for the horses When were ached our house，the wind was blowing had in our facesMy wife hurried inside，and began to light fires7 辆马车帮我们把家具拉上冰冻的山顶。对马来说这不是件容易的事。我们到家时，冷风猛吹着脸颊。我妻子急忙跑进屋里生起火。Do you like
15、it，my dear？I asked her that night，when the children were in bedShe looked pale and tiredI thought it was because of the long journey，and the childrenPerhaps it was“你喜欢这房子吗，亲爱的？” 孩子们都入睡后我问她。她看上去脸色苍白，非常疲倦，我想是长途跋涉和孩子们拖累的缘故。也许是吧。She held out her hands to the fire，and said：Of course，PatrickIts a fine hou
16、seI do hope it will be a good home for you，and the children她把手伸到炉边烤着，说：“当然喜欢，帕特里克。这是幢好房子。我真希望它是你和孩3子们的一个好家。 ”I was a little surprised by thatAnd for you，Maria ，I saidDont forget yourselfYou are the most important person in the world，to me她的话让我觉得有点惊讶。 “这也是你的家呀，玛丽亚。 ”我说， “别忘了你自己。对我来说，你是这个世界上最重要的人。 ”Sh
17、e smiled thena lovely smileThank you，Patrick ，she saidShe was a very small woman，and she was often tired because of the childrenBut when she smiled at me like that，I thought she was the most beautiful woman in England她听后笑了多么可爱的微笑。 “谢谢你，帕特里克。 ”她说。她是一个很瘦小的女人，孩子们时常令她疲倦不堪。但是每当她那样对我微笑时，我会觉得她是全英国最美的女人。A y
18、ear and a half later，she was dead一年半以后，她死了。She did not die quicklyShe was in bed for seven long months，in awful painThe doctor came often，and her sister Elizabeth came too，to helpThe children were ill，as wellIt was a terrible time她去得并不快。在极度的痛苦中她在病榻上捱了 7 个月之久。医生常来看她，她姐姐伊丽莎白也来帮忙。孩子们也病了。那真是段可怕的日子。My wi
19、fe Maria died in September，1821She was thirty-eightIt was my job to bury her in the churchOur six young children stood and watched quietly我妻子玛丽亚死于 1821 年，享年 38 岁，是我为她在教堂主持的葬礼，我们的 6 个孩子站在一旁默默地看着。Afterwards，we went back to the houseI called them into this room and spoke to them然后我们回家了。我把他们叫进房间谈话。I sai
20、d： You must not cry too much，my dearsYour mother is with God nowShe is happyOne day you will all die，and if you are good，you will go to God too我说：“ 你们不必太悲伤，亲爱的孩子们。你们的妈妈现在和上帝在一起。她很快乐，有一天你们也都会死，如果你们是好人，也会去上帝那儿的。 ”But why？Maria askedWhy did she die now，father ？We need her“可是为什么？ ”小玛丽亚问道， “为什么她现在就死了？爸爸，
21、我们需要她呀！”This world is a hard place，children ，and we cannot understand everything that God doesBut God loves us，never forget thatYour mother loved you，and perhaps she can see you nowWe must all try to work hard， learn as much as possible，and be kind to each otherWill you do that？“这个世界是个苦难的地方，孩子们，我们无法
22、理解上帝所作的每一件事。但是上帝爱我们，永远不要忘记这一点。你们的妈妈爱你们，也许她现在还可以看见你们。我们大家都应努力工作，努力学习更多的知识，并且彼此友爱。你们能做到吗？”Yes，father“是的，爸爸。 ”They all looked so sad，I remember，and they listened so carefullyLittle Emily said：Who will be our mother now？我记得他们看上去非常难过，却都那么仔细地听着。小爱米丽说：“现在谁当妈妈呢？”Maria is the oldest，so she will help me You m
23、ust all listen to her，and do what she saysAnd your Aunt Elizabeth is here，tooPerhaps she will stay for a while“玛丽亚最大，她将协助我。你们都得听她的，按她说的去做。你们的伊丽莎白姨妈也在这儿。也许她会住一阵子。 ”Elizabeth did stayShe was older than my wife，and she wasnt marriedWe called her Aunt BranwellShe came from Penzance in Cornwall，a warm，su
24、nny place by the sea in the south4west of EnglandIt is often cold on the moors behind Haworth，and the winds blow all winterAunt Branwell hated Haworth，but she stayed here all her life，to help me with her sisters childrenShe was a good，kind woman伊丽莎白真的住下了。她比我妻子年长，一直未婚。我们叫她布兰韦尔姨妈。她来自英格兰西南部康沃尔的一个叫潘赞斯的靠
25、海的地方，那里温暖而且充满阳光。但霍沃斯后面的荒野经常很冷，整个冬天都刮着寒风。布兰韦尔姨妈讨厌霍沃斯，但她后来一直住在这儿，帮我照料她妹妹的孩子们。她真是个心地善良的女人。I was very proud of my little MariaShe was only eight years old，but she worked all day like an adultShe helped the little ones to get washed and dressed；she helped them to play and draw and read She was like a lit
26、tle mother to them我为我的小玛丽亚非常自豪。她只有 8 岁，但她像个大人那样整天忙着。她帮弟弟妹妹洗澡、穿衣服；她带他们玩耍、画画、读书。她就是他们的小妈妈。She could read very well herselfWe always had books and newspapers in the house，and I talked to the children about them every dayI talked to them about adult things：the Duke of Wellington，and the important things
27、 that he was doing in LondonThe children listened carefully，and tried hard to understandMaria often read to the others from the newspaper，and asked me questions about itShe understood it better than most men她自己能读书而且读得很好。我们家里总是有书和报纸，而我每天和孩子们谈论这些书报。我给他们讲大人的事情：惠灵顿公爵及他在伦敦所做的重大事情。孩子们仔细倾听并试着去理解。玛丽亚经常给别人念报
28、纸，还问我些问题。她理解得比大多数成年人还好。I was sure my children were very cleverBut I did not have time to talk to them all day；I had my work to doSo，in1824，I sent them to school我知道我的孩子们非常聪明。但我常常整天都没有时间和她们谈话，我有自己的工作要做。于是在 1824 年，我把他们送进了学校。2 Cowan Bridge School2 考恩桥学校I was born in a small house in IrelandThere were on
29、ly two rooms in our house，and I had nine brothers and sistersMy parents were very poorWe had no money，and only a small farmBut we did have a church near us，and that church had a school我生于爱尔兰的一座小房子里。家里只有两个房间，我有 9 个兄弟姐妹。父亲很穷，我们没有钱，只有一个小农场。附近有个教堂，那个教堂有一所学校。That school gave me my one chance of successI
30、worked very hard there，and when I was sixteen，I became a teacherThen I went to St Johns College，Cambridge，to study some moreI became a curateWhen I married，I was able to get a good job and a house for my familyI got all that because I worked so hard at school这所学校赋予了我一个成功的机会。我非常努力，16 岁时，我成了一名教师，后来我去剑
31、桥的圣约翰学院深造。我成了副牧师。等到我成家的时候，我得到了一份好工作和一座房子。这一切得益于我在学校的努力。I wanted my children to go to the best school that I could findCowan Bridge School was a school for the daughters of churchmenIt belonged to a churchmanMr WilsonHe was a good man，I thoughtI liked the school，and it was not too expensiveSo，in July
32、 1824，I took Maria and Elizabeth thereIn September，I took Charlotte and，in November，Emily as wellEmily was just six then，and Charlotte was eight我要我的孩子上我能找到的最好的学校。考恩桥学校是专为牧师的女儿们开办的。它属于5一个牧师威尔逊先生。我认为他是个好人。我喜欢这所学校，而且它也不太贵。在 1842年 7 月，我把玛丽亚和伊丽莎白送到了那里。9 月份，我又把夏洛蒂送到那儿。11 月份又送去了爱米丽。爱米丽当时只有 6 岁，夏洛蒂 8 岁。I re
33、member how quiet the house was that autumnIn the evenings I taught my son，Branwell，and my wifes sister looked after the youngest child，Anne I often thought about the girlsMy eldest，Maria，was a good，clever girlI thought she must be the best pupil in the schoolI waited for her letters，and wondered wha
34、t new things she was learning我记得那年秋天，家里变得非常安静。晚上我教儿子布兰韦尔念书；我妻子的姐姐照料最小的孩子安妮。我时常惦记我的女儿们。我的大女儿玛丽亚是个善良聪明的女孩，我相信她一定是学校中最好的学生。我等着她的来信，猜想着她又学到了什么新的东西。She did tell me some things in her letters，but not enoughShe told me she liked the schoolwork， and I was pleasedBut she did not tell me about the food，or the
35、 cold，or the unkind teachersCharlotte told me those things，much laterI know Maria did not tell me that the food was often burnt and uneatable，or that they could not sleep because the beds were too coldShe did not tell me that the poor hungry children had to wash with ice in the morning，and walk thro
36、ugh wet snow to sit for two hours with icy feet in a cold church on SundaysShe did not tell me that many of the children at the school were ill在信中她的确给我讲了一些事，但还不够多。她只告诉我她喜欢学校的功课，我很高兴。但她没讲起学校的饮食、寒冷和严厉的教师。夏洛蒂后来告诉我了，但那已是很久以后的事了。我知道玛丽亚没有告诉我食物经常烧焦，难以下咽；床铺冰冷得令人无法入睡。她没有告诉我可怜的孩子们经常一大早饿着肚子，却不得不用冰水漱洗，然后踏着积雪去教堂
37、，星期天在冰冷的教堂里坐上两个钟头，双脚冻得冰凉。她也没有告诉我学校有许多孩子都生病了。You didnt tell me that，did you，Maria？Did you？Or did you try to write something，and stop because you were afraid of the teachers？You were a good，brave child，and I was so proud of you，so pleased because you were at schoolI wanted you to learn everything；I di
38、dnt want you to be poor like my sistersGod help me，I thought you were happy at Cowan Bridge School！玛丽亚，你没有告诉我这些，是吗？或许你试着写可又停了笔，因为你害怕老师知道。你是个善良聪明的孩子，我那么地以你为荣，为你在学校念书而高兴。我希望你学会所有的东西；我不想你像我的姐妹们那么穷困一生。上帝，帮帮我，我以为你在考恩桥学校是快活的呀！There were no Christmas holidays at the school，and it was too difficult to trave
39、l over the cold，windy hills to visit my little girlsSo I sat at home here in Haworth，with Aunt Branwell，my son，and the little girl，AnneOutside，the wind blew snow over the gravestones，and there was ice on our windows圣诞节学校也不放假，对我来说，要爬过寒风呼啸的山峦去看我的女儿们太困难了。所以，我和布兰韦尔姨妈、儿子和小女儿安妮留在霍沃斯的家中。屋外，寒风把雪卷到墓碑上空，窗户上都结
40、了冰。On Christmas Day little Anne looked lonelyShe asked me about her sisters圣诞节那天小安妮显得很孤单。她向我问起姐姐们。Dont worry，my dear，I saidThey are happy，with the other girls at schoolYou shall go to Cowan Bridge，too，when you are older“别担心，亲爱的。 ”我说， “她们和其他孩子在学校里很快活。你长大了也要去考恩桥学校。 ”I remember how strangely she looked
41、 at me thenShe was only four，and very prettyShe smiled at me， but her face went very white，and her hands started to shakeI dont know whyI thought she was cold，and I put some more wood on the fireThen Aunt Branwell read her a story from the Bible，and I forgot about it我记得她听了以后那么奇怪地看着我，她只有 4 岁，非常漂亮。她冲我
42、笑了笑，可是脸却6变得非常苍白，双手也开始颤抖起来。我不知道是怎么回事。我以为她冷，就往火里加了些木头。然后布兰韦尔姨妈给她念圣经里的一个故事，我就把这事忘了。In February a letter cameIt was in an adults handwriting，not MariaMany children in the school have been ill，and your daughter Maria.2 月份时来了一封信，不是玛丽亚写的，而是一个成年人的笔迹。 “亲爱的勃朗特先生， ”上面写道， “恐怕有个坏消息要通知您。学校里有很多孩子都病了，您的女儿玛丽亚”My han
43、d began to shake badly，and I dropped the letter on the floorAs I picked it up，I could see only one worddead.If your daughter Maria does not come home soon，she will be dead我的手剧烈地哆嗦起来，信纸滑落到地板上。我捡起来，只看见一个字“死如果您的女儿玛丽亚不赶快回家的话，她会死的。 ”I went over the hills to bring her backMy Maria was in a small bed in a
44、cold room upstairs，coughing badlyElizabeth and Charlotte and Emily stood beside her，waiting for meThey looked so sad and ill and frightened I remember the big eyes in their small white facesBut I did not bring them home then；the school doctor said it was not necessary So I took Maria home across the
45、 cold，windy moors to HaworthI sat beside her in the coach and held her hand all the wayI remember how cold her hand was in mineThin cold fingers，that did not move at all我翻山越岭去接她回家。我的小玛丽亚躺在楼上一间冰冷房间的小床上，剧烈地咳嗽着。伊丽莎白、夏洛蒂和爱米丽站在床边等着我。她们看上去好像病了，又伤心又惊恐不安。我记得她们苍白的小脸上大大的眼睛！但是我没有把她们也接回家；学校的医生说用不着。于是我只带着玛丽亚穿过寒风
46、呼啸的荒野回到霍沃斯。一路上我在马车里坐在她身旁，握着她的手。我还记得她的手在我手心里是多么的冰凉啊。手指又细又凉，一动也不动。It was too late to save herShe lay in bed upstairs for nearly three months，but she was too ill to eatHer poor face was white，I remember，and it seemed thin and small like a dead childsOnly her eyes looked alivebig dark eyes in at hin whi
47、te faceDont cry，father，she said to me once I shall be with mother soon，you knowAnd with God要挽救她的生命还是太晚了。她在楼上的床上躺了近三个月，病得不能吃东西。我记得她那苍白的小脸看上去那么瘦小，像个死孩子一样。只有眼睛看上去还是活生生的瘦削、苍白的脸上大大的黑眼睛。 “别哭，爸爸。 ”有一次她对我说， “你知道，我很快就要和妈妈在一起了。和上帝在一起。 ”I buried Maria beside her mother，and a month later I buried Elizabeth ther
48、e，too She became ill at school，and a woman from the school brought her homeI brought Charlotte and Emily home two weeks laterThey were here when Elizabeth diedHer body lay all night in a wooden box on the table，and her little sisters and brother kissed her before she was buried我把玛丽亚埋在她妈妈的旁边。1 个月以后我又
49、掩埋了伊丽莎白，她在学校生了病，被学校的一个女人送回了家。两周后我把夏洛蒂和爱米丽接了回来。伊丽莎白死时她们都在家。她的尸体在桌上的木盒里放了整夜，下葬前她的小妹妹们和小弟弟亲吻了她。I had wanted so much for these two girls，and now I had nothingI stood in the church，and looked at the summer flowers I had put on their graveI remembered how my wife had held the girls in her arms，and how she had smiled at me when we lo
