A week afterwards she came in one evening from an unavailing search for some light occupation in the immediate neighbourhood. Her idea had been to get together sufficient money during the summer to purchase another horse. Hardly had she crossed the threshold before one of the children danced across the room, 'The gentleman's been here!' saying.
一个星期里,她都在附近的地方寻找一个轻松一点儿的工作,但是她没有找到。一个星期过去了,她在晚上回到家里。她原来的想法是要在夏季里挣一笔钱,再买一匹马。她还没有跨进门,就有一个孩子从屋里跳着跑出来说:“那个绅士到家里来过啦!”

Her mother hastened to explain, smiles breaking from every inch of her person. Mrs d'Urberville's son had called on horseback, having been riding by chance in the direction of Marlott. He had wished to know, finally, in the name of his mother, if Tess could really come to manage the old lady's fowl farm or not; the lad who had hitherto superintended the birds having proved untrustworthy. 'Mr d'Urberville says you must be a good girl if you are at all as you appear; he knows you must be worth your weight in gold. He is very much interested in 'ee - truth to tell.' Tess seemed for the moment really pleased to hear that she had won such high opinion from a stranger when, in her own esteem, she had sunk so low.
她母亲赶忙向她解释,浑身上下都透露出笑意来。德贝维尔夫人的儿子骑马刚好路过马洛特村,就顺道来拜访他们。他主要是代表他的母亲来的,想问一问苔丝究竟愿不愿意去为老夫人管理鸡场;还说以前为她管鸡的小伙子不可靠。“德贝维尔先生说,从你的模样看起来,你肯定是个好姑娘;他说你身价如金啦。他对你很感兴趣——老实告诉你。”听说自己得到一个陌生人如此高的评价,苔丝一时似乎真的高兴起来,因为那时候她自己觉得情绪非常低落。

'It is very good of him to think that,' she murmured; 'and if I was quite sure how it would be living there, I would go any-when.'
“谢谢他这样想,”苔丝嘟哝着说;“要是我住在那儿的确感到放心的话,任何时候我都会到那儿去。”

'He is a mighty handsome man!'
“他是一个聪明漂亮的人啦!”

'I don't think so,' said Tess coldly.
“我可不这样认为,”苔丝冷冷地说。

'Well, there's your chance, whether or no; and I'm sure he wears a beautiful diamond ring!'
“好啦,无论如何,这总是你的一个机会;我敢肯定,他戴的是一个漂亮的钻石戒指!”

'Yes,' said little Abraham, brightly, from the window bench; 'and I seed it! and it did twinkle when he put his hand up to his mistarshers. Mother, why did our grand relation keep on putting his hand up to his mistarshers?'
“是钻石戒指,”在窗子下面板凳上坐着的小亚伯拉罕快活地说;“我也看见啦!他举手摸胡子的时候,那枚钻石戒指光灿灿的。母亲,我们那个阔绰的亲戚为什么老是用手摸他的胡须呢?”

'Hark at that child!' cried Mrs Durbeyfield, with parenthetic admiration.
“听听这孩子说的吧!”德北菲尔德太太带着欣赏的神态大声说。

'Perhaps to show his diamond ring,' murmured Sir John, dreamily, from his chair.
“大概是炫耀他的钻石戒指吧,”约翰爵士坐在椅子上打瞌睡,嘴里嘟哝着说。

'I'll think it over,' said Tess, leaving the room.
“我得想一想这件事,”苔丝说完就离开了房问。