'A truly Christian woman, who will be a help and a comfort to you in your goings-out and your comings-in. Beyond that, it really matters little. Such a one can be found; indeed, my earnest minded friend and neighbour, Dr Chant--'
“一個(gè)真正的基督教徒，在你外出的時(shí)候，在你回家的時(shí)候，她既是你的幫手，又是你的安慰。除此而外，其它方面實(shí)在沒有多大關(guān)系。這樣的姑娘是不難找的；說實(shí)在的，現(xiàn)在就可以找到，我那個(gè)熱心的朋友和鄰居羌特博士——”

'But ought she not primarily to be able to milk cows, churn good butter, make immense cheeses; know how to sit hens and turkeys, and rear chickens, to direct a field of labourers in an emergency, and estimate the value of sheep and calves?'
“但是，這個(gè)姑娘首先是不是應(yīng)該會(huì)擠牛奶，會(huì)攪黃油，會(huì)做美味的奶酪呢？首先是不是應(yīng)該懂得照顧母雞和火雞孵蛋，懂得照顧小雞，懂得在緊急時(shí)候指揮工人種地，懂得給牛羊估價(jià)呢？”

'Yes; a farmer's wife; yes, certainly. It would be desirable.' Mr Clare, the elder, had plainly never thought of these points before. 'I was going to add,' he said, 'that for a pure and saintly woman you will not find more to your true advantage, and certainly not more to your mother's mind and my own, than your friend Mercy, whom you used to show a certain interest in. It is true that my neighbour Chant's daughter has lately caught up the fashion of the younger clergy round about us for decorating the Communion-table - altar, as I was shocked to hear her call it one day - with flowers and other stuff on festival occasions. But her father, who is quite as opposed to such flummery as I, says that can be cured. It is a mere girlish outbreak which, I am sure, will not be permanent.'
“是的，做一個(gè)農(nóng)場(chǎng)主的妻子應(yīng)該是這樣的；肯定是這樣的。能這樣最好不過了?！崩峡巳R爾先生顯然以前從來沒有想到這些問題?！拔疫€要補(bǔ)充一點(diǎn)，”他說，“你要找一個(gè)純潔賢惠的姑娘，既要真正對(duì)你有利，又要確實(shí)讓你的母親和我感到滿意，那么除了梅茜小姐，你就找不出另外一個(gè)人來。你從前也曾經(jīng)對(duì)她表示過一點(diǎn)意思的。不錯(cuò)，我這位鄰居羌特的女兒，近來也學(xué)到了我們這兒附近一些年輕牧師的毛病，像過節(jié)日似地拿一些鮮花之類的東西來裝飾圣餐桌，也就是祭壇，有一天我聽見她把祭壇叫做圣餐桌，還把我嚇了一跳呢。不過她的父親和我一樣反對(duì)她這種俗套，說這種毛病是可以治好的。我相信這只不過是女孩子的心血來潮罷了，不會(huì)長(zhǎng)久的?！?/div>

'Yes, yes; Mercy is good and devout, I know. But, father, don't you think that a young woman equally pure and virtuous as Miss Chant, but one who, in place of that lady's ecclesiastical accomplishments, understands the duties of farm life as well as a farmer himself, would suit me infinitely better?'
“說得對(duì)，說得對(duì)；我知道，梅茜小姐是一個(gè)品行端莊的虔誠(chéng)的人?？墒?，父親，你有沒有想到過，如果一個(gè)人和梅茜·羌特小姐一樣純潔賢淑，盡管那位小姐的優(yōu)點(diǎn)不在宗教方面，但是她能夠像一個(gè)農(nóng)場(chǎng)主那樣懂得種地，對(duì)我來說是不是更加合適呢？”

His father persisted in his conviction that a knowledge of a farmer's wife's duties came second to a Pauline view of humanity; and the impulsive Angel, wishing to honour his father's feelings and to advance the cause of his heart at the same time, grew specious. He said that fate or Providence had thrown in his way a woman who possessed every qualification to be the helpmate of an agriculturist, and was decidedly of a serious turn of mind. He would not say whether or not she had attached herself to the sound Low Church School of his father; but she would probably be open to conviction on that point; she was a regular church-goer of simple faith; honest-hearted, receptive, intelligent, graceful to a degree, chaste as a vestal, and, in personal appearance, exceptionally beautiful.
他的父親堅(jiān)持自己的觀點(diǎn)，認(rèn)為一個(gè)農(nóng)場(chǎng)主的妻子首先得有保羅對(duì)待人類的眼光，其次才是種莊稼的本事；安琪爾一時(shí)受到感情的驅(qū)使，他既要尊重他的父親的感情，同時(shí)又要促成心中的婚姻大事，所以就說了一番貌似有理的話來。他說，命運(yùn)或者上帝已經(jīng)給他挑選了一個(gè)姑娘，無論從哪方面說，那個(gè)姑娘都配得上做一個(gè)農(nóng)業(yè)家的伴侶和幫手，也肯定具有端莊穩(wěn)重的性情。他不知道她信的教是否就是他父親信的那個(gè)合理的低教派；但是她大概會(huì)接受低教派的信仰的；她是一個(gè)信仰單純和按時(shí)上教堂的人；她心地忠厚，感覺敏悟，頭腦聰明，舉止也相當(dāng)高雅，她像祭祀灶神的祭司一樣純潔，容貌也長(zhǎng)得異常的美麗。