Anne of Green Gables — Page 3

然而，马修·卡斯伯特却在一个忙碌的下午三点半，悠然自得地赶着马车穿过洼地、爬上山坡；

And yet here was Matthew Cuthbert, at half-past three on the afternoon of a busy day, placidly driving over the hollow and up the hill;

而且，他戴着白领子，穿着他最好的那套衣服，这清楚地说明他要出趟远门，离开艾芙丽；

moreover, he wore a white collar and his best suit of clothes, which was plain proof that he was going out of Avonlea;

他还套着那辆轻便马车，驾着栗色母马，这表明他要去相当远的地方。

and he had the buggy and the sorrel mare, which betokened that he was going a considerable distance.

那么，马修·卡斯伯特究竟要去哪里，又为什么要去那里呢？

Now, where was Matthew Cuthbert going and why was he going there?

如果是艾芙丽任何其他的男人，雷切尔太太把这些线索一一拼凑起来，或许能对这两个问题给出一个相当准确的猜测。

Had it been any other man in Avonlea, Mrs. Rachel, deftly putting this and that together, might have given a pretty good guess as to both questions.

但马修极少出门，所以一定是有什么紧迫而不寻常的事情才让他出行；

But Matthew so rarely went from home that it must be something pressing and unusual which was taking him;

他是世上最腼腆的男人，最讨厌去陌生人堆里，或者去任何可能需要开口说话的地方。

he was the shyest man alive and hated to have to go among strangers or to any place where he might have to talk.

马修穿戴整齐、系着白领子、驾着轻便马车出行，这种事并不常见。

Matthew, dressed up with a white collar and driving in a buggy, was something that didn't happen often.

雷切尔太太百思不得其解，心里怎么想也想不明白，她那个下午的好兴致也就此泡了汤。

Mrs. Rachel, ponder as she might, could make nothing of it and her afternoon's enjoyment was spoiled.

「喝完茶我就去绿山墙走一趟，从玛丽拉那里打听他去了哪里，又是为什么，」这位体面的女士最终下定了决心。

"I'll just step over to Green Gables after tea and find out from Marilla where he's gone and why," the worthy woman finally concluded.