'And then - there is something very unusual about it - about me. I - I was--'
“后来——还有一些非常不同寻常的事——是与我有关的。我——我——”

Tess's breath quickened.
苔丝的呼吸急促起来。

'Yes, dearest. Never mind.'
“好啦，最亲爱的。这没有关系的。”

'I - I - am not a Durbeyfield, but a d'Urberville - a descendant of the same family as those that owned the old house we passed. And - we are all gone to nothing!'
“我——我——不姓德北菲尔德，而是姓德贝维尔——和我们刚才走过去的那座老房子的当年主人是一家。还有——我们都衰败了。”

'A d'Urberville! - Indeed! And is that all the trouble, dear Tess?'
“姓德贝维尔！——真的吗？这就是所有的麻烦事吗，亲爱的苔丝？”

'Yes,' she answered faintly.
“是的，”她含糊其辞地说。

'Well - why should I love you less after knowing this?'
“好啦——我知道了这个为什么就要减少对你的爱呢？”

'I was told by the dairyman that you hated old families.'
“我听奶牛场老板说你痛恨老门户啊。”

He laughed.
他笑了起来。

'Well, it is true, in one sense. I do hate the aristocratic principle of blood before everything, and do think that as reasoners the only pedigrees we ought to respect are those spiritual ones of the wise and virtuous, without regard to corporeal paternity. But I am extremely interested in this news - you can have no idea how interested I am! Are not you interested yourself in being one of that well-known line?'
“好啦，在某种意义上说，这是真的。我的确痛恨血统高于一切的贵族原则，也的确认为，作为一个理性的人，我们应该尊重的血统只能是那些有理性有道德的人的精神血统，与祖先的血统毫无关系。不过我特别对你说的这件事感兴趣——你想不出我多么地感兴趣呢！难道你对自己这个显赫的家世不感兴趣吗？”