On an evening in the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor. The pair of legs that carried him were rickety, and there was a bias in his gait which inclined him somewhat to the left of a straight line. He occasionally gave a smart nod, as if in confirmation of some opinion, though he was not thinking of anything in particular. An empty egg-basket was slung upon his arm, the nap of his hat was ruffled, a patch being quite worn away at its brim where his thumb came in taking it off. Presently he was met by an elderly parson astride on a gray mare, who, as he rode, hummed a wandering tune.
五月下旬的一个傍晚，一个中年男子正从沙斯顿向靠近布莱克莫尔谷（也叫黑荒原谷）的马洛特村里的家中走去。他走路的一双腿摇摇晃晃的，走路的姿态不能保持一条直线，老是朝左边歪着。他偶尔还轻快地点一下头，仿佛对某个意见表示同意，其实他心里一点儿也没有想到什么特别的事。他的胳膊上挎着一只装鸡蛋的空篮子，头上戴的帽子的绒面皱皱巴巴的，摘帽子时大拇指接触帽沿的地方也被磨旧了一大块。不一会儿，一个骑着一匹灰色母马一边随口哼着小调的老牧师迎面走来——

'Good night t'ee,' said the man with the basket.
“您好。”挎着篮子的男子说。

'Good night, Sir John,' said the parson.
“您好，约翰爵士。”牧师说。

The pedestrian, after another pace or two, halted, and turned round.
步行的男子又向前走了一两步，站住了，转过身来。

'Now, sir, begging your pardon; we met last market-day on this road about this time, and I said "Good-night", and you made reply "Good night, Sir John", as now.'
“喂，对不起，先生；大约上个集市日的这个时候，我们在这条路上遇见了，我说'您好'，你也回答说'您好，约翰爵士'，就像刚才说的一样。”

'I did,' said the parson.
“我是这样说的。”牧师说。

'And once before that - near a month ago.'
“在那以前还有一次——大约一个月以前。”

'I may have.'
“我也许说过。”

'Then what might your meaning be in calling me "Sir John" these different times, when I be plain Jack Durbeyfield, the haggler?'
“我只不过是一个普通的流动小贩，名叫杰克·德北菲尔德，那你反复叫我'约翰爵士'是什么意思？”