第27章 河谷寻幽(2) (2/2)

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Newbury；but from Newbury through Burghclere，Highclere，Uphusband，and Tangley，I had seen but few.At and about Ludgarshall and Everley I had seen hardly any.But when I came this morning to Milton Hill Farm，I saw a very large field of what appeared to me to be fine Swedish turnips.In the valley，however，I found them much finer，and the fields were very beautiful objects，forming，as their color did，so great a contrast with that of the fallows and the stubbles，which latter are，this year，singularly clean and bright.

    从山顶之颠眺目远望，我吃惊地发现在河谷之中，有大量的瑞典芜菁长满了大部分的田地上，触目所及，到处都是。从盐山到纽泊里，这一路上我都看见很多长势良好的英国和瑞典芜菁；但自纽伯里到伯克莱、海克莱、厄赫斯本与唐格里一带，却很少见到这些东西；而到了卢德加什和埃弗里周围地区，几乎见不到芜菁的踪迹。可是我早上到达米尔顿山庄时，却见到了大片大片郁郁葱葱的瑞典芜菁。然而河谷中的芜菁长得更好，田野的色彩也变得艳丽多了，真是美不胜收，这景象正好与今年收拾得格外干净的休耕地和茬子地形成了鲜明的对比。

    Having gotten to the bottom of the hill，I proceeded on to the village of Milton，the church of which is，in the map，represented by the figure 3，I left.Easton away at my right，and I did not go up to Watton Rivers where the river Avon rises，and which lies just close to the south-west comer of Marlborough Forest，and at about 5or 6miles from the town of Marlborough.Lower down the river，as I thought，there lived a friend，who was a great farmer，and whom I intended to call on.It being my way，however，always to begin making inquiries soon enough，I asked the pig-driver where this friend lived；and，to my surprise，I found that he lived in the parish of Milton.After tiding up to the church，as being the center of the village，I went on towards the house of my friend，which lay on my road down the valley.I have many，many times witnessed agreeable surprise；but I do not know that I ever in the whole course of my life saw people so much surprised and pleased as this farmer and his family were at seeing me.People often tell you that they are glad to see you；and in general they speak troth.I take pretty good care not to approach any house，with the smallest appearance of a design to eat or drink in it，unless I be quite sure of a cordial reception；but my friend at Fifield（it is in Milton parish）and all his family really seemed to be delighted beyond all expression.

    走到山脚下，我便决定去米尔顿村，在我的地图上，这个村里教堂上的代号是3。我把伊斯顿甩在了右后方，我也没有去寻找阿文河的源头沃顿河，这条河与马尔博罗森林的西南角为邻，离马尔博罗镇只有五六英里远的距离。我记得有个大农场主朋友就住在阿文河的下游，于是决定前去拜访。平时我出门总是喜欢先问路，于是便向这个小猪倌打探我那个朋友的住所，让人惊喜的是他就住在米尔顿教区里。我策马来到村子中心的教堂，紧接着就笔直奔向朋友家，他的房子就设立在通向河谷的路边上。我曾经见过很多很多次惊喜交织的场面，然而在我一生的记忆之中，从来没有哪一次像农场主及其家人见到我这样惊喜的样子。人们见面时通常都说“很高兴见到你”；一般来说，这句话是出于真心的。我一向很谨慎，除非有十足的把握能够受到热诚的欢迎，否则决不会轻易登门造访，以免有一点点前去打扰的嫌疑。但是，我的这位住在费非尔德（米尔顿教区内）的朋友和他的全家对我的到来表示出的惊喜若狂，确实是用言语所表达不了的。（未完待续）