'Oh! would you? Why?' said wondering Retty.“啊，真的嗎？為什么？”莫名其妙的萊蒂問。

'It cannot be! But I will be plain. Putting myself quite on one side, I don't think he will choose either of you.'“那是不可能的！不過我得把話說明白。我要把自己完全撇在一邊，但是他也不會從你們中間選一個的。”

'I have never expected it - thought of it!'moaned Retty. 'But O! I wish I was dead!'“我從來沒有這樣希望過——也沒有這樣想過！”萊蒂痛苦地說。“可是，唉！我但愿我已經死了才好。”

The poor child, torn by a feeling which she hardly understood, turned to the other two girls who came upstairs just then.這個可憐的女孩子，被一種連她自己都不明白的感情折磨著，轉身面向剛剛上樓的另外兩個女孩子。

'We be friends with her again,' she said to them. 'She thinks no more of his choosing her than we do.'“我們跟她還是朋友，”她對她們說。“她覺得他娶她的機會并不比娶我們的多。”

So the reserve went off, and they were confiding and warm.她們中間的隔閡就這樣消除了，又親親熱熱地說起知心話來。

'I don't seem to care what I do now,' said Marian, whose mood was tuned to its lowest bass. 'I was going to marry a dairyman at Stickleford, who's asked me twice; but - my soul - I would put an end to myself rather'n be his wife now! Why don't ye speak, Izz?'“我似乎現在做什么都不在乎了，”瑪麗安說，她的心情現在低落到了極點。“我要嫁給斯底克福特的一個奶牛場老板了，他已經向我求婚兩次了；可是——大啊——我現在寧肯死了也不愿做他的妻子了！你為什么不說話啊，伊茨？”

'To confess, then,' murmured Izz, 'I made sure to-day that he was going to kiss me as he held me; and I lay still against his breast, hoping and hoping, and never moved at all. But he did not. I don't like biding here at Talbotbays any longer! I shall go hwome.'“那么我承認，”伊茨小聲說，“今天他抱著我走過水塘的時候，我心里想他一定要吻我的；我靜靜地靠在他的胸膛上，等了又等，一動也不動。但是他沒有吻我。我再也不愿意在泰波塞斯住下去了！我要回家去。”