It was not till the evening, after family prayers, that Angel found opportunity of broaching to his father one or two subjects near his heart. He had strung himself up to the purpose while kneeling behind his brothers on the carpet, studying the little nails in the heels of their walking boots. When the service was over they went out of the room with their mother, and Mr Clare and himself were left alone.
一直到当天晚上家庭祈祷以后,安琪尔才找到机会把一两件心思对他的父亲说了。晚祷的时候,他跪在两个哥哥背后的地毯上,一面研究他们脚上穿的靴子后跟上的小钉子,一面在心里打定了主意。晚祷结束了,两个哥哥跟着母亲走了出去,屋子里只剩下他的父亲和他自己。

The young man first discussed with the elder his plans for the attainment of his position as a farmer on an extensive scale either in England or in the Colonies. His father then told him that, as he had not been put to the expense of sending Angel up to Cambridge, he had felt it his duty to set by a sum of money every year towards the purchase or lease of land for him some day, that he might not feel himself unduly slighted.
那个青年先是同他的父亲广泛地讨论了如何获得农场主地位的种种计划——要么就留在英格兰,要么就到殖民地去。后来他的父亲告诉他说,由于他没有花钱把安琪尔送到剑桥去接受教育,所以他当时就觉得自己有责任每年储蓄一笔钱,以便将来有一天给他买地或是租地,这样他就不会感到他的父亲对他不公平和薄待他了。

'As far as worldly wealth goes,' continued his father, 'you will no doubt stand far superior to your brothers in a few years.'
“就世俗的财富而论,”他的父亲接着说,“几年之内,你肯定就要比你的两个哥哥有钱多了。”

This considerateness on old Mr Clare's part led Angel onward to the other and dearer subject. He observed to his father that he was then six-and-twenty, and that when he should start in the farming business he would require eyes in the back of his head to see to all matters - some one would be necessary to superintend the domestic labours of his establishment whilst he was afield. Would it not be well, therefore, for him to marry?
老克莱尔先生这一方待他既是这样周到,安琪尔就趁机把另一个他更关心的问题提了出来。他对他的父亲说,他已经二十六岁了,将来在他开始农场的事业时,他的脑后需要有一双眼睛,才照顾得了所有的事情——在他照看农场的时候,家里总得有一个人,帮他管理家中的事情。因此,他应不应该结婚呢?

His father seemed to think this idea not unreasonable; and then Angel put the question--
他的父亲似乎认为他的想法不是没有道理,于是安琪尔才接着把问题提出来——

'What kind of wife do you think would be best for me as a thrifty hard-working farmer?'
“我既然将来要做一个勤劳俭朴的农场主,那你觉得我最好娶一个什么样的姑娘做妻子呢?”