Blackberry Jam (2)

Maggie turned away，her thoughts racing，her peace shattered. She thought about retreating to the safety of her car. But having come so far she was determined not to turn back. She ambled along the path，picking the occasional berry， enthusiasm gone.

　　玛吉把身子转了过去，思绪万千，心境烦乱。

　　她想逃回车里，找回安全的依托。但是，都走了这么远的路了，所以她决定不回去了。她沿着小路缓慢前行，不时采摘着一些浆果，但兴致已然全无。

　　He gathered slowly，moving backwards and forwards through the bushes，but always keeping up with her. After a while，he came back to the path. She answered his questions - the children，her job，her parents - but always skirted round the main issue.

　　他慢慢地采摘着，在灌木丛中前后移动着，但是却总能跟上她的脚步。过了一会儿，他回到小路上。她回答了他的问题-孩子、她的工作、她的家人-但总是避而不谈关键问题。

　　At last，they reached the point where all the moorland paths crossed. Maggie was glad of an opportunity to rest. Seating herself at one end of the bench，she stretched her legs in front of her. Mike sat down as well a little way along and stared，like her，at the patchwork of fields that lay beneath them. She couldn't recall the number of times they had come to this spot and shared a picnic lunch. Maggie had been looking forward to this moment，but hunger had deserted her. His nearness unsettled her even more；why couldn’t he sit somewhere else.

　　最后，他们来到了高沼地中小路的交汇处。玛吉很高兴可以有机会歇一歇了。她在一张长椅的一端坐了下来，向前伸直了双腿。迈克也在相隔不远的地方坐了下来，与她一样，眼睛盯着他们身下那杂乱拼凑在一起的田野。她已记不清他们曾多少次来到这里来共享野外午餐了。玛吉一直期待着这一时刻的到来，可她已经没有了胃口。与他咫尺相近更加使她烦躁不安；他为什么就不能坐到别的地方去呢？

　　“Are you on your own？”Stupid question. No sooner was it said than Maggie wished she had phrased it differently or thought about it more. But it was the question that she had been wanting to ask and there seemed little point in dressing it up with more words.

　　“你是一个人吗？”愚蠢的问题。话已出口，可玛吉真想能再修饰一下或再深入地想一想啊。不过，这个问题就是她一直想问的，而且似乎在言语上再多加修饰也没什么意义。

　　“Yes. In every way.” He kept his eyes on the fields. Maggie didn't speak，waiting for him to go on.“It didn’t last into the Spring. She moved on.”

　　“是的。完全是。”他的眼睛一直没有离开田野。玛吉没有说话，等着他说下去。“没坚持到开春。她就离开了。”

　　For the first time that day，Maggie turned and really looked at her husband. His eyes were deeper，his hair greyer，his face more lined，and his expression more worn. A sad face. Somewhere deep inside she wanted to pull him close，to tell him that everything was fine，to make those eyes smile again. But the pain that he'd caused could not be erased by a hug，even in this place，and she looked away.

　　那天玛吉第一次转了过来，正视着她的丈夫。他的眼睛陷得更深了，他的头发更加灰白了，他脸上的皱纹更多了，而他的表情也更加倦怠了。一张悲怆的面庞。内心深处的某个念头使她想把他拉得更近，告诉他一切都还好，使那双眼眸再次充满喜悦。但是，他造成的伤痛不是一个拥抱就可以消除的，即使在这个地方也不可以，所以她把脸转了过去。

　　After a while，she stood up. Despite the sunshine，there was a chill in the air.

　　过了一会儿，她站了起来。虽然阳光明媚，但空气中还是划过一丝寒意。

　　“I'd better be going now.” She didn’t know what else to do or say，but nothing would be achieved by sitting on a bench. “Here，let me take that.” He took the bag and they made their way in silnce. Maggie wondered what he was thinking，were his thoughts as much of a jumble as hers？

　　“我现在该走了。”她不知道还能做点什么或说些什么，但是坐在长椅上是不会有什么进展的。“来，让我提着那个吧。”他拿过袋子，然后他们便默默走了起来。玛吉想知道他正在想些什么，是否他的思绪也跟她的一样是一团糟？

　　At last，the cars came into view.

　　最后，汽车进入了视野。

　　“How did you get here？” she asked as she fumbled in her pocket for her keys.

　　“你怎么来的？”她一边在口袋里摸索着钥匙一边问道。

　　“Train to Tonechester，then bus to here. There's a bus back to Tonechester this evening.”

　　“坐火车到通彻斯特，然后再换公交车到这儿来。今晚有一趟返回通彻斯特的公交车。”

　　She resisted the sudden urge to offer a lift to the station. But perhaps there was a middle way.

　　她抑制住了突然想要送他到车站的冲动。但是，可能还有一个折中的方法吧。

　　“You've time for a cup of tea before you go？” She hoped it sounded more like a question than an order.

　　“在你走之前，有时间喝杯茶吗？”她希望这更像是一句问话而不是一个命令。

　　“And would there be scones and blackberry jam？”

　　“有烤饼和黑莓酱吗？”

　　Maggie laughed，relaxing for the first time since hearing his voice.

　　玛吉笑了，从听到他的声音开始，这是她第一次放松了下来。

　　“You're pushing your luck！Is that all you’ve come back for？” She didn't give him time to reply. “No scones，but I’ve fresh bread which is just as good.”

　　“你得寸进尺了吧！你回来就是为了这些吗？”她就没给他答复的时间。“没有烤饼，但我有一些新鲜的面包，也是同样不错的。

　　And after tea，she drove him to the bus stop. Getting out of the car，he turned，“Will you be out next week？”

　　喝过茶之后，她开车送他到了公交车站。从车中走出来后，他转过身，“你下礼拜出去吗？”

　　“Possibly，if the weather holds.”

　　“可能吧，如果天气还这样持续下去。”

　　A brief nod，and he joined the others waiting for the evening bus.

　　他迅速地点了一下头，然后就与其他人一起在等候晚班车的到来了。

　　She didn't wait. Making her way home，she chose the longer route that twisted along the foot of the moor. They had a long way to go，but，like the weather，maybe the outlook was promising.

　　她没有等下去。在回家的路上，她选择了一条绕远的路线，一条在高沼地底部边缘蜿蜒前行的道路。他们还有一段漫长的路要走，但是，就像天气一样，前景也许是充满希望的。