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When he returned an hour later, he found the clerk waiting for him.
一个小时后他回来了，执事正等着他呢。
'There's a lot of work for you to do, Wickem, 'he said, 'and not much time to do it.'
“威克姆，你需要做的事情很多，”他说，“可是时间并不多。”
'Yes, sir, 'said Wickem.' You'll want the family tomb opened, of course…'
“是的，先生，”威克姆说，“当然，您是想找人挖开他家的坟……”
'No, no, not at all,' replied Dr Hall. 'The poor Squire said before he died that he did not want to be buried in the family tomb. It is to be an earth grave in the churchyard.'
“不，不，不是的，”霍尔医生答道，“那可怜的乡绅死前说他不想葬在家族的坟里。他要葬身于教堂墓地里的土坟。”
'Excuse me, sir, 'said Wickem, very surprised. 'Do I understand you right? No tomb, you say, and just an earth grave? The poor Squire was too ill to know what he was saying, surely?'
“对不起，先生，”威克姆十分惊讶地问，“不知我理解得对不对，您是说，不要墓，只要个土坟？那可怜的乡绅一定是病得太重，不知自己在说些什么了吧？”
'Yes, Wickem, it seems strange to me too,' said the priest. 'But Mr Joseph tells me that his father, or I should say his stepfather, made his wishes very clear when he was in good health. Clean earth and open air. You know, of course, the Squire had some strange ideas, though he never told me of this one. And there's another thing, Wickem. No coffin.'
“是的，威克姆，我也觉得很奇怪，”牧师说，“可约瑟夫先生告诉我说他父亲，或者我该说是他继父，身体还好时就明确表达了自己的愿望：他要干净的泥土露天地。当然你也知道这位乡绅的一些想法很怪，虽然他从没告诉过我这个想法。对了还有，威克姆，他不要棺材。”
'Oh dear, oh dear!' said Wickem. 'There'll be some talk about that. And I know that old Mr Wright has some lovely wood for the Squire's coffin—he's kept it for him for years. 'ei
“天啊！天啊！”威克姆说，“人们会对此议论纷纷的。我知道老赖特先生为给乡绅做棺材准备了些很不错的木材，而且已经给他保存了好多年了。”
'Well, 'said Dr Hall, 'those are the Squire's wishes, so I'm told, so that's what we must do. You must get the grave dug and everything ready by ten o'clock tomorrow night. Tell Wright that we shall need some lights.'
“唉，”霍尔医生说，“那都是乡绅的愿望，人家是这么告诉我的，我们就必须这么做。明天晚上10点以前你必须让人挖好坟并且把一切准备就绪，跟赖特说我们需要几盏灯。”
