Great Expectation(Ⅰ)

《远大前程》（Great Expectation）是英国19世纪最杰出的小说家查尔斯・狄更斯（Charles Dickens, 1812~1870）最成熟的作品之一。贫苦的乡下孤儿匹浦由姐姐一手带大。姐夫乔则是一位和蔼温良、诚实厚道的铁匠，也是家里唯一真正关心匹浦的人。 匹浦把当姐夫的学徒作为自己的最高理想。但后来经历的两件事使他的人生追求和命运发生了根本转变――匹浦在沼泽地里偶遇逃犯，在极不情愿的情况下，他偷了家中的食品与锉刀解救罪犯于危难之中。这件事是他对物质生活态度的转折点;当地贵族艾丝黛拉小姐的刻薄无理与无情嘲弄深深刺痛了匹浦的自尊心,使他不再希望成为一个铁匠,不再满足朴素诚实的生活。他决心跻身于有教养的绅士行列。

怀着新的生活理想, 匹浦拼命自修,期望能找到充满幸福与富贵的“远大前程”。终于有一天，一位律师通知他有位恩人要出钱资助他去伦敦学习，培养他成为一名体面的绅士……

One Saturday evening， when I had been a apprentice（学徒） to Joe for four years， we were sitting in the pub with other villagers， listening to Mr. Wopsle， when a stranger came and stood in front of our little group.

“I’m looking for the blacksmith（铁匠）， Joe Gargery，” he said， “and his apprentice，Pip.” I knew immediately that he was the gentleman I had met on the stairs when visiting Miss Havisham. However， he didn’t recognize me. I could even smell the same perfumed soap on his large hands. “I’d like to have a word with （对某人说某事）you two in private，”he said to us. So Joe and I left the pub and walked home with him.

“I’m a lawyer and my name is Jaggers，”he said， when he reached the iron workshop.“Joe Gargery，I am sent by someone who suggests ending the apprenticeship between this boy and you. Would you want any money to replace him?”

“I’d never do anything to stand in Pip’s way（阻止某人做某事），”said Joe， staring. “The answer to money is no.”

“Remember you can’t change that answer later，”warned Mr. Jaggers. “Now， remember， I’m just a messenger， I don’t speak for myself， but what I want to say is that this young man has great expectations.”

“I’d never do anything to stand in Pip’s way（阻止某人做某事），”said Joe， staring. “The answer to money is no.”

“Remember you can’t change that answer later，”warned Mr. Jaggers. “Now， remember， I’m just a messenger， I don’t speak for myself， but what I want to say is that this young man has great expectations.”

Joe and I were shocked into silence and could only look at each other.

“He will be very rich when he is older. In addition， the person who is taking care of him and whom I work for wants him to leave his home and be educated as a gentleman.”

My dream had finally come true.Miss Havisham was going to make me rich!

The lawyer continued， “There are two conditions for you to receive this offer. One， you must always use the name of Pip. Second，the name of your guardian （法定监护人） and provider is to remain a secret， until that person chooses to tell you. You must not try to discover who the person is，or ask any questions to find out. Do you accept these conditions?”

I could hardly whisper， “Yes.”

“Now，as for details.You will move to London for your study. You have been given enough money to live the life of a gentleman while there. I will provide you with all your needs while you live there.When is it possible for you to come to London?Next Saturday?”

Still feeling very confused，I agreed. Looking at Joe，I saw he was even more confused.

“Well，Joe Gargery?It’s not my decision to promise you anything，” he said， throwing his purse from one hand to another， “ but perhaps I have been told to give you a present when you lose yourapprentice.”

Joe rested his great strong hand on my shoulder in the gentlest possible way. “Pip is free to go after（追寻） his fortune and happiness，he knows that. Money can never pay me back for losing the little child―who came to the iron workshop―or the best of my friends!” He could not continue.

Dear good Joe!How ungrateful I was，so ready to leave you! I can still see the tears on your cheeks when you said those words.At the time I was too excited by my good luck to remember what I owed to（欠某人债）Joe. Mr. Jaggers clearly thought Joe was making a mistake in refusing money. He looked oddly （奇怪地） at Joe and then left the house，telling me to be at his office in London in a week’s time.

Joe told Biddy about our meeting with Mr.Jaggers，and she congratulated me. Both she and Joe were very quiet and sad at first， but I promised I would not forget them or the iron workshop and would often return home to visit them. Biddy tried to explain what had happened to my sister， but the poor woman could not understand.

Joe and Biddy became more cheerful talking about my future，but I began to feel quite different. Now that I was going to be a gentleman， as I had always wished， I felt miserable. I didn’t know if I wanted to leave my home， my former life of happy memories.

That week passed slowly. I took a last walk through the churchyard to the wetlands to see my parents’grave. I felt relieved that I needed never to think about my prisoner again. I was quite sure he was dead by now.

There was one person I had to visit before going to London. I was dressed in my new clothes and went to Miss Havisham’s house. Her cousin opened the gate for me again.

“Well， Pip?” Miss Havisham said when she saw me.

“Tomorrow I’ll leave for London， Miss Havisham，” I said， choosing my words carefully. “I’ve come to say goodbye. I’ve had much luck since I saw you last， and I’m so grateful for it !”

“Good，good!” she replied. She looked delightedly at her cousin， who was staring at my new clothes. I’ve heard of your good fortune from Mr. Jaggers. It seems a rich person has decided to provide for you?”

“Yes， Miss Havisham.”

She smiled cruelly at her cousin， who was looking rather ill and uncomfortable.

“Remember， do whatever Mr. Jaggers tells you. I know you are to always keep the name of Pip. You will do this，won’t you? Goodbye，Pip.” She gave me her hand I kissed it. Then I left the old lady in her yellow bride’s dress sitting in the dark candle light， surrounded by dusty furniture.

Being in such a hurry on Saturday morning， I only said a quick goodbye to my family， and set out to walk the few miles into town to catch the coach to London. The mist over the wetlands was rising as I left the peaceful sleeping village， as if showing me the great unknown world I was entering. I suddenly realized all I was leaving behind―my childhood， my home， and Joe. I wished I had asked Joe to accompany （陪同） me to the coach， and I could not stop crying. Throughout the journey， whenever the horses were changed， I thought with an aching（痛苦的） heart about getting down and going back to say a proper goodbye. But the mist had already disappeared， and my new world lay ahead of me.

我在乔的手下做学徒已经有四年了。一个星期六的晚上，我们和村里一些人一起坐在酒馆，听伍甫赛先生说话。正在这时，一个陌生人走了进来，站在我们的面前。

“我想找铁匠乔・葛吉瑞，”他说，“还有他的学徒匹浦。”我立即明白了他就是我去拜访郝薇香小姐时在楼梯上遇到的那位绅士。但是，他没有认出我来。我甚至能闻到他那双大手上的那种香皂味。他对我们说：“我想和你俩单独谈谈。”于是我和乔离开酒馆与他一块儿往家走去。

“我叫贾格斯，是个律师，”来到铁匠铺时他说。“乔・葛吉瑞，我是受人之托，有人想要结束你和这个孩子的师徒关系。如果带走你的学徒，你要钱吗？”

“我从来都不阻拦匹浦，”乔目不转睛地说。“对于钱的问题，回答是‘不’”。

“记住，待会儿你可别改变主意，”贾格斯先生警告说：“现在，记住，我只是个传信的人，我是代表别人说话，但是我想说的是，这个年轻人要有远大前程啦。”

我和乔感到震惊，互相对视着沉默不语。

“等他长大些后将非常富有。另外，抚养他的，也就是叫我来的那个人想让他离开家，受绅士的教育。”

我的梦想终于变成了现实。郝薇香小姐将让我富有起来!

那个律师继续说：“你接受这个帮助有两个条件。第一，你要一直使用匹浦这个名字。第二，你的监护人和抚养人的名字必须保密，除非他决定告诉你。你不得试图找出那个人是谁，也不得问任何问题。你接受这两个条件吗?”

我几乎不能小声地说：“接受。”

“现在，让我细细说来。你将要到伦敦去学习。那人已经给你足够的钱让你在伦敦学习时过绅士一样的生活。我将提供你在那儿生活时需要的所有东西。你什么时候能来伦敦?下个星期六怎么样?”

我同意了，但仍感到很是迷惑。我看了看乔，他好像更是不解。

“喂，乔・葛吉瑞?答应给你点什么不是我的决定，”他把钱包在手里漫不经心地抛来抛去， “但是，也许有人叫我为你没了学徒给你点儿什么。”

乔把他那粗壮有力的手尽可能轻地放在我的肩上。 “匹浦可以自由地去找寻他的未来和幸福，他知道这个。金钱决不能补偿我失去这个小孩儿――他来到这个铁匠铺――成为我最好的朋友!”他再也说不下去了。

我亲爱的好人――乔！我竟如此地想要离开你，对你如此毫无感恩之心！现在，我仍能看见你说出这些话时脸颊挂着泪水。但在那个时候，我为自己的好运如此激动，竟忘记了我欠你那么多。很明显贾格斯先生觉得乔拒绝要钱是个错误。他奇怪地看着乔，然后离开了屋子，他临走时提醒我下个星期径直去伦敦他的办公室。

乔告诉了毕蒂我们和贾格斯会面的事，她向我表示祝贺。虽然一开始时，她和乔都显得平静、伤感，但是我向他们保证，我不会忘记他们，也不会忘记这铁匠铺，我会经常回来看他们的。毕蒂试着向我姐姐解释清楚这个好消息，但是这个可怜的女人不能理解。

乔和毕蒂变得高兴了些，他们讨论着我的将来，但我却变得伤感起来。我就要如我所希望的那样成为一位绅士了，但我却感到很不开心。我不知道自己是不是想离开这个家，离开这种有着许多美好回忆的生活。

那个星期过得很慢。我最后一次穿过教堂墓地来到沼泽地上，来看望我父母的墓地。我感到很轻松，至少我不再去想我帮过的那个逃犯了。他现在肯定已经死了。

在去伦敦之前，我得去见一个人。我穿着崭新的衣服，来到郝薇香小姐的住所，郝薇香小姐的表妹再次给我开了门。

“哦，匹浦？”郝薇香小姐见到我，对我说道。

“我明天就要去伦敦了，郝薇香小姐，”我很谨慎地选择着我的措辞，“我是来向您道别的。自从上次见到您之后我是多么幸运。我为此对您真是感激不尽！”

“好！好！”她回答道。她很高兴地看着她的表妹――她正盯着我的新衣服看。“我听贾格斯先生说你运气好。如此看来，有个富人决定抚养你了？”

“是的，郝薇香小姐。”

郝薇香小姐冷冷地对她表妹笑了笑。她的表妹看起来很不舒服，气色很不好。

“记住，照贾格斯先生说的去做。我知道你要一直用匹浦这个名字，你会这么做的，是吗？再见，匹浦。”她朝我伸出她的手来，我吻了她的手。然后，我离开了这个老女人，当时她正坐在幽暗的烛光里，穿着黄色新娘套装，被积满了灰尘的家具包围着。

到了星期六的早上，我忙得不可开交。和家人匆匆道别之后，我就步行几英里到镇上赶着去乘去伦敦的大马车。我离开沉睡在宁静之中的村子时，雾气从沼泽地上升了起来，像是向我展示我将进入的这个未知的大千世界。我突然意识到，我把我所有的一切――我的童年，我的家，还有乔，都通通扔在了后面。这时我真希望我叫了乔和我一起赶去伦敦的马车。我忍不住哭了出来。路上每一次换马的时候，我都痛苦地想跳下车回去和他们好好地道别。可迷雾已经完全散去，一个新的世界展现在我的面前。