01 Gabriel Oak falls in love（2）

　　He noticed a light further down the hill. It came from a wooden hut at the edge of a field. He walked down to it and put his eye to a hole in the wood. Inside，two women were feeding a sick cow. One of the women was middle－aged. The other was young and wore a cloak. Gabriel could not see her face.
　　‘ I think she'll be all right now，aunt，’said the younger woman. ‘I can come and feed her again in the morning. What a pity I lost my hat on the way here!’Just then the girl dropped her cloak，and her long hair fell on to the shoulders of her red jacket. Gabriel recognized the girl of the yellow cart and the mirror，the girl who owed him two pence.
　　The women left the hut，and Gabriel returned to his sheep.
　　As the sun was rising the next morning， Gabriel waited out-side his hut until he saw the young woman riding up the hill. She was sitting sideways on the horse in the usual lady's posi－tion. He suddenly thought of the hat she had lost，searched for it，and found it among some leaves on the ground. He was just going to go up to her to give it back， when the girl did some-thing very strange. Riding under the low branches of a tree，she dropped backwards flat on the horse's back，with her feet on its shoulders. Then，first looking round to make sure no one was watching，she sat up straight again and pulled her dress to her knees，with her legs on either side of the horse. This was obviously easier for riding，but not very ladylike. Gabriel was surprised and amused by her behaviour. He waited until she returned from her aunt's hut，and stepped out into the path in front of her.
　　‘I found a hat，’he said.
　　‘It's mine，’she said. She put it on and smiled. ‘It flew away. ’
　　‘At one o'clock this morning？’
　　‘Well，yes. I needed my hat this morning. I had to ride to the hut in that field，where there's a sick cow belonging to my aunt. ’
　　‘Yes，I know. I saw you. ’
　　‘Where？’she asked，horrified.
　　‘Riding all the way up the hill，along the path，’said Gabriel，thinking of her unladylike position on the horse's back.
　　A deep blush spread from her head to her neck. Gabriel turned sympathetically away，wondering when he dared look at her again. When he turned back，she had gone.
　　Five mornings and evenings passed. The young woman came regularly to take care of the sick cow，but never spoke to Gabriel. He felt very sorry he had offended her so much by telling her he had seen her when she thought she was alone.
　　Then，one freezing night，Gabriel returned，exhausted，to his hut. The warm air from the stove made him sleepy，and he forgot to open one of the air-holes before going to sleep. The next thing he knew was that the girl with the lovely face was  with him in the hut，holding his head in her arms.
　　‘Whatever is happening？’he asked，only half－conscious.
　　‘Nothing now，’she answered，‘but you could have died in this hut of yours. ’
　　‘Yes，I suppose I could，’said Gabriel. He was hoping he could stay there，close to her, for a long time He wanted to tell her so，but he knew he could not express himself well，so he stayed silent. ‘How did you find me？’he asked in the end.
　　‘Oh，I heard your dog scratching at the door，so I came to see what the matter was. I opened the door，and found you unconscious. It must have been the smoke from the stove. ’
　　‘I believe you saved my life，Miss——I don't know your name.
　　‘There's no need to know it. I probably won't see you again. ’
　　‘My name is Gabriel Oak. ’
　　‘Mine isn't. You sound very proud of your name. ’
　　‘Well，it's the only one I shall ever have. ’
　　‘I don't like mine. ’
　　‘I should think you'll soon get a new one. ’
　　‘Well！That's my business，Gabriel Oak. ’
　　‘I'm not very clever at talking，miss，but I want to thank you. Come，give me your hand！’
　　She hesitated，then offered her hand. He took it，but held it for only a moment. ‘I'm sorry，’he said. ‘I didn't mean to let your hand go so quickly. ’
　　‘You may have it again then. Here it is. ’
　　Gabriel held it longer this time. ‘How soft it is，even in winter，not rough at all! ’he said.
　　‘there，that's long enough，’she said，but without pulling it away. ‘But I suppose you're thinking you'd like to kiss it？You may if you want to. ’
　　‘I wasn't thinking any such thing，’said Gabriel，‘but—’
　　‘Oh no you won't！’She pulled her hand sharply away. ‘Now discover my name，’she added，laughing，and left.

盖伯瑞尔注意到在山下有灯光。灯光来自田地边的一座木屋。他下山走近木屋，把眼睛凑向木屋的一个洞。里边两个女人正在喂一头生病的母牛。其中一个是中年妇女，另一个年轻，穿着一件斗篷。盖伯瑞尔看不到她的脸。
　　“姑妈，我想她很快会好的，”年轻些的那个女人说。“早晨我可以再来喂她。多可惜，我来这里的路上把帽子丢了！”就在这个时候，姑娘脱掉了斗篷，长长的头发披在她的红色上衣的肩上。盖伯瑞尔认出这个姑娘就是坐在黄色马车上照镜子的姑娘，那个欠他两便士的姑娘。
　　两个女人离开了小屋，盖伯瑞尔也回到羊群中。
　　第二天早晨当太阳升起时，盖伯瑞尔在他的小屋外等着，后来他看见那个姑娘骑马上山来。她以女士通常所用的姿势双腿朝向一边地坐在马上。突然他想起她丢失的帽子，就去找寻，他在地上的落叶中发现了那顶帽子。他正打算上前把帽子还给那位姑娘，那位姑娘却做了件很特别的事。骑马行进在一棵树的矮枝下，她向后平躺在马背上，两脚搭在马的肩上。接着，她先四下看看，确信没有人在看她时，又重新坐直，把裙子拉至膝部，两腿分开，搭在马的两侧。这样骑起来当然容易些，只是不像女士所为。盖伯瑞尔对她的行为觉得又惊奇又有趣。他一直等到她从她的姑妈屋里返回时，才走到路上停在她的面前。
　　“我找到了一顶帽子，”他说。
　　“是我的，”她说。她把帽子戴上笑了笑。“是被风刮跑的。”
　　“是在今天凌晨一点的时候？”
　　“是的。我今早需要我的帽子。我得骑马去那块地里的那间小屋，那儿，我姑妈的一头牛生病了。”
　　“对，我知道。我看见你了。”
　　“在哪儿？”她问，大吃一惊。
　　“我看见你沿着这条路一路骑马上了山，”盖伯瑞尔说，想到了她骑在马上不雅观的姿势。
　　她从头到脖子变得绯红。盖伯瑞尔同情地转身走开，不知道什么时候自己敢再看她。当他回身时，她已走了。
　　以后的五个早晚，这个姑娘都定期来照料病牛，但一直没与盖伯瑞尔讲话。盖伯瑞尔对惹恼她深感不安，因为他告诉她自己看见了她，而她却以为那时无人在旁。
　　在一个滴水成冰的夜晚，盖伯瑞尔精疲力尽地回到自己的小屋。炉子里散出的热气让他感到瞌睡，在睡着前，他忘记打开一个通气孔。接下来他知道的就是那位面容姣好的姑娘和他一起在屋里，用胳膊扶着他的头。
　　“究竟发生了什么事？”他迷迷糊糊地问。
　　“现在没事了，”她回答说，“你本来也许会死在你的这间小屋里。”
　　“是的，我想会的，”盖伯瑞尔说。他希望能挨着她呆很长时间。他想让她知道，但他明白他不是很会表达自己的心情，所以就沉默不语。“你是怎么发现我的？”他最后问道。
　　“我听到你的狗在抓门，就来看是怎么回事。我打开门，发现你正昏迷不醒。一定是炉子里的烟熏的。”
　　“我想你救了我的命，小姐——我不知道你的名字。”
　　“没有必要知道。我也许不会再见到你。”
　　“我叫盖伯瑞尔•奥克。”
　　“我的名字不一样。你好像很为你的名字骄傲。”
　　“是的，它将是我唯一的名字。”
　　“我不喜欢我的名字。”
　　“我想不久你就会有一个新名字。”
　　“哼，那是我的事，盖伯瑞尔•奥克。”
　　“我不很善于交谈，小姐，不过我想谢谢你。来，把手给我！”
　　她有点犹豫，接着伸出了手。他接住她的手，但只握了一下。“很抱歉，”他说。“我并不是故意这么快就松开你的手。”
　　“那你还可以再握住。给你。”
　　盖伯瑞尔这一次握得时间长一些。“多么柔软呵，即便在冬天也一点不粗糙！”他说。
　　“喂，你握的时间够长了，”她说，但并没有抽回手。“我猜你是否正在考虑要吻我的手？如果你愿意，你可以这么做。”
　　“我根本没这么想，”盖伯瑞尔说，“不过——”
　　“欧，不，你不可以！”她突然把手抽了回去。“现在看你能不能搞清我叫什么名字，”她加了一句，笑着走掉了。