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"Briggs wrote to me of a Jane Eyre:" he said,
“布里格斯写信给我，问起了一个叫简·爱的人，”他说，
"the advertisements demanded a Jane Eyre: I knew a Jane Elliott. --
“广告上寻找一个叫简·爱的。而我认得的一个人叫简·爱略特——
I confess I had my suspicions, but it was only yesterday afternoon they were at once resolved into certainty.
我承认，我产生了怀疑，直到昨天下午，疑团解开，我才有了把握。
You own the name and renounce the alias?"
你承认真名，放弃别名吗？”
"Yes -- yes; but where is Mr. Briggs?
“是的——是的——不过布里格斯先生在哪儿？
He perhaps knows more of Mr. Rochester than you do."
他也许比你更了解罗切斯特先生的情况。”
"Briggs is in London.
“布里格斯在伦敦。
I should doubt his knowing anything at all about Mr. Rochester; it is not in Mr. Rochester he is interested.
我怀疑他甚至是否知道罗切斯特先生。他感兴趣的不是罗切斯特先生。
Meantime, you forget essential points in pursuing trifles:
同时，你拣了芝麻忘了西瓜，
you do not inquire why Mr. Briggs sought after you -- what he wanted with you."
没有问问布里格斯为什么要找到你——他找你干什么。”
"Well, what did he want?"
“嗯，他需要什么？”
"Merely to tell you that your uncle, Mr. Eyre of Madeira, is dead;
“不过是要告诉你，你的叔父，住在马德拉群岛的爱先生去世了。
that he has left you all his property, and that you are now rich -- merely that -- nothing more."
他已把全部财产留给你，现在你富了——如此而已——没有别的。”
"I! rich?"
“我？富了吗？”
"Yes, you, rich -- quite an heiress."
“不错，你富了——一个十足的女继承人。”
Silence succeeded.
随之是一阵静默。
"You must prove your identity of course," resumed St. John presently:
“当然你得证实你的身份，”圣·约翰马上接着说，
"a step which will offer no difficulties; you can then enter on immediate possession.
“这一步不会有什么困难。随后你可以立即获得所有权，
Your fortune is vested in the English funds; Briggs has the will and the necessary documents."
你的财产投资在英国公债上，布里格斯掌管着遗嘱和必要的文件。”
Here was a new card turned up!
这里偏偏又翻出一张新牌来了！
It is a fine thing, reader, to be lifted in a moment from indigence to wealth -- a very fine thing;
读者呀，刹那之间从贫困升迁到富裕，总归是件好事——好是很好，
but not a matter one can comprehend, or consequently enjoy, all at once.
但不是一下子就能理解，或者因此就能欣赏的。
