Poor little Retty, though by far the lightest weight, was the most troublesome of Clare's burdens. Marian had been like a sack of meal, a dead weight of plumpness under which he had literally staggered. Izz had ridden sensibly and calmly. Retty was a bunch of hysterics.
可怜的小莱蒂尽管身子最轻，但是抱着她却最麻烦。玛丽安胖乎乎的一堆死肉，好像一口袋粮食，几乎都把克莱尔给压倒了。伊茨很懂事，靠在他的肩上一动也不动。莱蒂却是歇斯底里的一团。

However, he got through with the disquieted creature, deposited her, and returned. Tess could see over the hedge the distant three in a group, standing as he had placed them on the next rising ground. It was now her turn. She was embarrassed to discover that excitement at the proximity of Mr Clare's breath and eyes, which she had contemned in her companions, was intensified in herself; and as if fearful of betraying her secret she pattered with him at the last moment.
不过，他还是把这个不安静的姑娘抱过了水塘，把她放在地上，转身走了，苔丝从树篱的顶上望过去，看见远处她们三个人挤在一起，站在他把她们放下的那块高地上，现在轮到她了。苔丝心里感到局促不安，因为她看见她的伙伴们接近克莱尔的呼吸和眼睛时那样激动，曾经嗤之以鼻，而现在却轮到她自己紧张了；她好像是害怕泄露了自己心中的秘密似的，到了最后一刻竟然推托搪塞起来。

'I may be able to clim' along the bank perhaps - I can clim' better than they. You must be so tired, Mr Clare!'
“也许我能够沿着这面土坡走过去——走路我比她们强得多。你一定太累了，克莱尔先生！”

'No, no, Tess,' said he quickly. And almost before she was aware she was seated in his arms and resting against his shoulder.
“不，不，苔丝，”克莱尔急忙说。苔丝几乎在不知不觉当中倒进了他的怀里，靠在了他的肩上。

'Three Leahs to get one Rachel,' he whispered.
“娶三个利亚只是为了得到一个拉结呀！”①他轻声说。

'They are better women than I,' she replied, magnanimously sticking to her resolve.
“她们都是比我强的女孩子呀，”她回答说，说话里仍然很慷慨地坚持着自己心中要成全她们的决定。

'Not to me,' said Angel.
“在我看来不是这样的，”安琪尔说。

He saw her grow warm at this; and they went some steps in silence.
他看见她听了他说的话脸上一红；就抱着她往前走了几步，没有说话。

①《旧约·创世纪》第二十八章说，以撒吩咐雅各到外祖家去，在拉班的三个女儿中娶一个为妻。第二十九章接着说，雅各为拉班工作了七年，拉班把大女儿利亚（Leah）和使女兹尔巴许配给他，但雅各为了得到拉班的 小女儿拉结（Rachel），又为拉班工作了七年。