The Adventures of Roderick Random — Page 2

这位细心的智者经过深思熟虑后，向我的父母保证，他们的长子将成为一位伟大的旅行者；

The attentive sage, after some deliberation, assured my parents, that their firstborn would be a great traveller;

他将经历许多危险与困难，

that he would undergo many dangers and difficulties,

最终回到他的故土，在那里幸福美满、声名显赫。

and at last return to his native land, where he would flourish in happiness and reputation.

这一预言是否应验，将在后续的叙述中见分晓。

How truly this was foretold will appear in the sequel.

不久之后，一个多事之人将他儿子与女管家之间某些亲密行为的事告知了我的祖父，

It was not long before some officious person informed my grandfather of certain familiarities that passed between his son and housekeeper

这令祖父大为惊慌，几天后他告诉我父亲，是时候考虑安家落户了；

which alarmed him so much that, a few days after, he told my father it was high time for him to think of settling;

他已经为他物色好了一门亲事，就情理而言，他无法拒绝。

and that he had provided a match for him, to which he could in justice have no objections.

我父亲发现自己的处境再也无法隐瞒下去，便坦率地承认了自己所做的事；

My father, finding it would be impossible to conceal his situation much longer, frankly owned what he had done;

他为自己未曾征得父亲同意而辩解说，他深知那样做也毫无用处；

and excused himself for not having asked the consent of his father, by saying, he knew it would have been to no purpose;

而且，倘若他的心意被人知晓，祖父或许会采取某些手段，彻底断绝他实现心愿的可能：

and that, had his inclination been known, my grandfather might have taken such measures as would have effectually put the gratification of it out of his power:

他还补充道，他妻子的品德、出身、容貌与才识无可挑剔，至于财产，他根本不在乎。

he added, that no exceptions could be taken to his wife's virtue, birth, beauty, and good sense, and as for fortune, it was beneath his care.

这位老绅士除了一种情感之外，其余的情绪都控制得极好，他耐心地听完了儿子的话，然后平静地问道，

The old gentleman, who kept all his passions, except one, in excellent order, heard him to an end with great temper, and then calmly asked,

他打算如何养活自己和妻子？

how he proposed to maintain himself and spouse?