牛津书虫系列 远离尘嚣 2 Disaster for Gabriel Oak

2 Disaster for Gabriel Oak

Young Farmer Oak was in love. He waited for the girl's regular visits to the sick cow just as impatiently as his dog waited to be fed. He discovered that her name was Bathsheba Everdene，and that she lived with her aunt，Mrs Hurst. His head was so full of her that he could think of nothing else.

‘I'll make her my wife，’he declared to himself，‘or I'll never be able to concentrate on work again!’

When she stopped coming to feed the sick cow，he had to find a reason for visiting her. So he took a young lamb，whose mother had died，and carried it in a basket across the fields to Mrs Hurst's house.

‘I've brought a lamb for Miss Everdene，’he told Bathshe-ba's aunt. ‘Girls usually like looking after lambs. ’

‘Thank you，Mr Oak，’replied Mrs Hurst，‘but Bathsheba is only a visitor here. I don't know if she'll keep it. ’

‘To tell you the truth，Mrs Hurst，the lamb isn't my real reason for coming. I want to ask Miss Everdene if she'd like to be married. ’

‘Really?’asked Mrs Hurst，looking closely at him.

‘Yes Because if she would，I'd like to marry her. Do you know if she has any other young men courting her at the moment?’

‘Oh yes，a lot of young men，’said Mrs Hurst. ‘You see，Farmer Oak，she's so handsome，and so well-educated too. Of course,I haven't actually seen any of her young men，but she must have at least ten or twelve!’

‘That's unfortunate，’said Farmer Oak，staring sadly at the floor. ‘I'm just a very ordinary man，and my only chance was being the first to ask to marry her. Well，that was all I came for. I'd better go home now， Mrs Hurst. ’

He had gone halfway across the first field when he heard a cry behind him. He turned，and saw a girl running after him. It was Bathsheba. Gabriel blushed.

‘Farmer Oak，’she called breathlessly，‘I want to say——my aunt made a mistake when she told you I had a lot of young men courting me. In fact，I haven't got any，and I've never had any. ’

‘I am glad to hear that!’said Gabriel，with a wide smile，holding out his hand to take hers. But she pulled her hand away quickly. ‘I have a nice comfortable little farm，’he added，a little less confidently. ‘And when we are married，I'm sure I can work twice as hard as I do now，and earn more. ’

He stretched out his arm towards her. Bathsheba moved rapidly behind a tree to avoid him. ‘But，Farmer Oak，’she said in surprise，‘I never said I was going to marry you. ’

‘Well!’said Gabriel，disappointed. ‘To run after me like this， and then say you don't want me!’

‘I only wanted to explain that my aunt was wrong，’she answered eagerly. ‘Anyway，I had to run to catch up with you，so I didn't have time to decide whether l wanted to marry or not. ’

‘Just think for a minute or two，’replied Gabriel hopefully. ‘I'll wait a while， Miss Everdene. Will you marry me? Do，Bathsheba. I love you very much!’

‘I'll try to think，’she answered. ‘Give me time，’and she looked away from him at the distant hills.

‘I can make you happy，’he said to the back of her head ‘You shall have a piano，and I'll practise the flute to play with you in the evenings. ’

‘Yes，I'd like that. ’

‘And at home by the fire，whenever you look up，there I'll be，and whenever I look up， there you'll be. ’

‘Wait，let me think!’She was silent for a while，and then turned to him. ‘No，’she said，‘I don't want to marry you. It'd be nice to have a wedding，but having a husband——well，he'd always be there. As you say，whenever I looked up，there he'd be. ’

‘Of course he would——it would be me. ’

‘that's the problem. I wouldn't mind being a bride，if I could be one without having a husband. But as a woman can't be a bride alone，I won't marry，at least not yet. ’

‘What a silly thing for a girl to say!’ cried Gabriel. And then he said softly，‘But darling，think again!’He moved round the tree to reach her. ‘Why won't you have me?’

‘Because I don't love you，’she replied， moving away.

‘But I love you——and I'm happy to be liked，if that's all you feel for me. ’He spoke more seriously than he had ever spoken before. ‘Only one thing is certain in this life——I shall love you，and want you，and keep on wanting you until I die. ’His feelings were plain to see in his honest face，and his large brown hands were trembling.

‘It seems wrong not to accept you when you feel so strongly，’she replied unhappily. ‘I wish I hadn't run after you!But we wouldn't be happy together，Mr Oak. I'm too independent. I need a husband who can keep me in order， and I'm sure you wouldn't be able to do that. ’

Gabriel looked hopelessly away and did not reply.

‘And，Mr Oak，’she continued in a clear voice，‘I'm so poor that my aunt has to provide a home for me. You're just starting your farming business. It would be much more sensible for you to marry a woman with money. Then you could buy more sheep and improve your farm. ’

‘That's just what I'd been thinking!’ answered Gabriel in surprise.

What common sense she had，he thought admiringly.

‘Well then，why did you ask to marry me?’she said angrily.

‘I can't do what I think would be——sensible. I must do what my heart tells me. ’He did not see the trap she had set for him.

‘Now you've confessed that marrying me wouldn't be sen-sible， Mr Oak. Do you think I'll marry you after that?’

‘Don't mistake my meaning like that，’he cried，‘just because I'm honest enough to tell you the truth!I know you'd be a good wife for me. You speak like a lady，everyone says so，and your uncle at Weatherbury has a large farm，I've heard. May I visit you in the evenings，or will you come for a walk with me on Sundays?You don't have to decide at once. ’

‘No，no，I cannot. Don't insist，don't. I don't love you，so it would be foolish, ’she said with a laugh.

No man likes to see his feelings laughed at，so Gabriel Oak said，turning away，‘Very well，then I won't ask you again. ’

Gabriel did not see Bathsheba again and two days later he heard that she had left the area， and was now in Weatherbury，a village twenty miles away. Her departure did not stop Gabriel from loving her. In fact he loved her even more deeply now that they were apart.

The next night，before going to bed，Gabriel called his two dogs to come into the house for the night. His old dog，George，obeyed the call，but the younger one was missing. Gabriel was having difficulty training this young dog，which，although enthusiastic，still did not understand a sheep dog's duties. He did not worry about the dog's absence，but went to bed.

Very early in the morning he was woken by the sound of sheep bells，ringing violently. Shepherds know every sound that sheep bells make，and Gabriel immediately realized that his sheep were running fast. He jumped out of bed，threw on his clothes and ran up Norcombe Hill，to his fields near the chalk-pit.

There were his fifty sheep with their lambs，all safe，in one field. But in the other field，the two hundred pregnant sheep had completely disappeared. He noticed a broken gate，and felt sure the sheep had gone through it. There was no sign of them in the next field，but ahead of him at the top of the hill he saw the young dog，looking black against the morning sky. It was standing quite still，staring down into the chalk-pit.

Gabriel felt sick as he realized the horrible truth. He hurried up the hill to the edge of the chalk-pit，and looked down into it. In the deep pit lay his dead and dying sheep，two hundred of them，which would have produced two hundred more in the next few weeks. The young，untrained dog must have chased them up to the edge of the pit，where they fell to their death.

His first feeling was pity for those gentle sheep and their unborn lambs. Then he thought of himself. All his savings，which he had worked so hard for in the last ten years，had been spent on renting the farm. Now his hopes of being an independent farmer were destroyed. He covered his face with his hands.

After a while he looked up. ‘Thank God I'm not married to Bathsheba，’he thought. ‘What would she have done，mar-ried to a husband as poor as I shall be!’

The young dog was shot the next day. Gabriel sold all his farm tools to pay what he owed for the sheep. He was no longer a farmer，just an ordinary man who owned the clothes he was wearing and nothing more. Now he had to find work where he could，on other men's farms.

2 盖伯瑞尔·奥克遭遇灾难

年轻的农夫奥克陷入了爱河。他急切地等待着那个姑娘定期地去看病牛，就像他的狗等着喂食一样。他发现她叫芭丝谢芭·伊芙丁，她与她的姑妈赫思特太太住在一起。他满脑子想的都是她，别的什么也不想。

“我要让她做我的妻子，”他心想，“否则我将再也无法集中精力工作!”

当她不再来喂病牛时，他只好找个理由去拜访她。他带了一只失去妈妈的小羊羔，把小羊羔装在筐里，穿过田地来到赫思特太太的家。

“我给伊芙丁小姐带来一只小羊羔，”他对芭丝谢芭的姑妈说，“姑娘们一般都喜欢照料羊羔。”

“谢谢你，奥克先生，”赫思特太太回答说，“可是芭丝谢芭在这儿只是个客人。我不知道她是否会留着这只羊羔。”

“不瞒您说，赫思特太太，这只羊羔并非我来这儿的真正原因。我想问问伊芙丁小姐她是否愿意结婚。”

“是吗?”赫思特太太问，认真地看着他。

“是的。如果她愿意，我想和她结婚。您知不知道目前是否有其他的年轻人在追求她?”

“噢，有，有许多年轻人，”赫思特太太说。”你知道，农夫奥克，她长得那么漂亮，又受过良好的教育。当然，追求她的年轻人我实际上一个也没见过，不过，她至少有十多个追求者。”

“那可太糟糕了，”农夫奥克说，沮丧地盯着地板。“我只是一个很普通的人，我唯一的机会在于是第一个向她求婚的人。好吧，这就是我来的目的。现在我该回家了，赫思特太太。”

他在第一块地里刚走了一半的路就听到身后有人喊了一声。他转身看到一个姑娘向他跑来。正是芭丝谢芭。盖伯瑞尔红了脸。

“农夫奥克，”她上气不接下气地喊，”我姑妈说有许多年轻人在追求我，我想说她搞错了。事实上，我一个也没有，从来也没有过。”

“很高兴听到你这样说!”盖伯瑞尔说，开心地笑着，伸出手去握住她的手。但她很快就抽回了她的手。“我有一个收益不薄的小农场，”他补充说，显得有点不自信。“咱们结婚后，我一定会加倍工作，挣更多的钱。”

他向她伸出胳膊。芭丝谢芭跑到树后躲避他。“可是，农夫奥克，”她吃惊地说，“我可从没说要与你结婚。”

“算了!”盖伯瑞尔失望地说。“这么在后边追我，然后又说你不需要我!”

“我只是想解释我姑妈搞错了，”她迫不及待地回答。“我得跑着追你，所以我没有时间决定是否要与你结婚。”

“那就考虑几分钟，”盖伯瑞尔满怀希望地回答。“我可以等一会儿，伊芙丁小姐。你愿意和我结婚吗?和我结婚吧，芭丝谢芭。我非常爱你!”

“我会认真考虑的，”她回答说。“给我时间，”她把目光从他身上移向远处的山峦。

“我会使你幸福的，”他冲着她的后脑勺说。“你将会有一架钢琴，我吹笛子，晚上可以与你一起演奏。”

“是啊，能那样我很高兴。”

“在家中的炉火旁，无论你什么时候抬起头，我都会在跟前，无论我什么时候抬起头，你就在跟前。”

“等等，让我想想!”她沉默了一会儿，然后转向他。“不，”她说，“我不想和你结婚。举行婚礼固然不错，但有一个丈夫——唉，他总在你的眼前。就如同你说的，无论什么时候我抬起头来，他就在跟前。”

“当然他会在你的跟前——那就是我呀。”

“问题就在这儿。如果能做新娘又不必有一个丈夫，我倒是不介意做新娘。但是既然一个女人独自不可能成为新娘，我就不愿意结婚，至少现在还不愿意。”

“一个姑娘这样说多傻呀!”盖伯瑞尔大声说。接着他柔声说道，“亲爱的，再想一想!”他绕到树后去够她。“你为什么不要我?”

“因为我不爱你，”她回答，躲开了。

“可是我爱你——不过有人喜欢我，我也非常幸福，当然假如你喜欢我的话。”他比以往任何时候都更加严肃地说。“在我的一生中只有一件事是确定无疑的——我会爱你，需要你，终生需要你直到我死的那一天。”从他诚实的脸上可以明白无误地看出他的感情，他黝黑的大手在颤抖。

“在你感情这么强烈时，不接受你似乎是不合适的，”她闷闷不乐地说。“我真希望刚才没有追你!不过，奥克先生，咱们在一起不会幸福的。我个性很要强。我需要一个能管得了我的丈夫，我肯定你做不到。”

盖伯瑞尔失望地把目光移开，默不作声。

“奥克先生，”她用清晰的声音继续说，“我很穷，都得要我的姑妈给我提供住处。你的农场刚刚起步，找一个有钱的女人对你来说更明智。那样你就可以买更多的羊发展你的农常”

“这正是我一直在考虑的!”盖伯瑞尔惊讶地回答。

她多明白事理啊，他不无称赞地想。

“既然如此，你为什么还要我和你结婚?”她生气地说。

“我理智上觉得明智的事，我做不到。我只能做我的心要我去做的事情。”他没有看出她给他设的圈套。

“奥克先生，既然你已承认和我结婚是不明智的，你认为我得知这个以后还会与你结婚吗?”

“别误会我的意思，”他喊道，“因为我诚实地告诉了你实情!我知道对我来说你会是个好妻子。你说起话来像一个淑女，人们都这么说，我听说过你的叔叔在威瑟伯里有一个大农常我可以在晚上拜访你吗?要么星期天你出来和我一起散步?你不必立刻决定。”

“不、不，不行。别坚持了，千万别了。我不爱你，所以与你接触是愚蠢的，”她大笑着说。

没有哪个人愿意看到自己的感情被嘲笑，所以盖伯瑞尔边转身准备走边说道，“好吧，既然如此，我再不会向你提起此事。”

盖伯瑞尔没有再见到芭丝谢芭，两天后，他听说她已离开了这个地方。她去了威瑟伯里，距这里20英里的一个村庄。她的离去并没有使盖伯瑞尔停止爱她。事实上，由于他们分开了，他对她爱得更深了。

第二天夜里，睡觉前，盖伯瑞尔把两条狗唤到屋里过夜。那条年龄大的狗，乔治，听从呼唤，而那条年龄小的则不见了踪影。盖伯瑞尔一直未能把这条小狗训练出来。它很有热情，但不懂得一个牧羊犬的职责。狗虽然不在，但他并没有多想，就上床睡觉了。

一大早，他就被剧烈的羊铃声惊醒了。牧羊人懂得羊铃所发出的每一声声响，盖伯瑞尔立刻意识到他的羊群在飞快地奔跑。他从床上跳起来，匆忙穿上衣眼，向诺科姆山上白垩矿场旁自己的田地跑去。

50只母羊和它们的小羊羔都安全地在一块地里。另一块地里，两百只怀孕的羊却踪影全无。他注意到一个被弄坏的门，断定羊是从那里跑走的。旁边的一块地里也没有羊的影子，在他面前的山顶上，他看到了那只年龄小的狗，在晨光的映衬下像一个黑影子。它一动不动地站着，俯视着白垩矿常

盖伯瑞尔意识到了可怕的事实，他感到一阵揪心。他跑到山上的白垩矿场旁，向下面望去。两百只羊，死了的和快要死的，都躺在矿场底部。这两百只羊再过几个星期本来就可以生产两百多只羊羔。一定是那只年幼的，不驯顺的狗把它们追赶到矿场边，它们从那里掉下去丧了命。

他首先是为那些温顺的羊和它们尚未出世的羊羔感到惋惜。接着他又想到了自己。过去十年中他辛苦劳动积攒的积蓄都被用来租农常现在他想要成为一个独立的农场主的希望完全破灭了。他用双手捂住了脸。

过了一会儿，他抬起头来。“谢天谢地，我没有和芭丝谢芭结婚，”他想。“嫁给一个像我这样一贫如洗的丈夫，她该如何是好呢!”

第二天，那只年幼的狗被杀死了。盖伯瑞尔卖掉了他所有的农具，为的是付他买羊所欠的钱。他不再是个农场主了，只是一个普通人。他拥有的只有身上穿的衣服，除此，别无所有。现在他得去别人的农场去找工作。