To attain this end, are you justified in overleaping an obstacle of custom —
为了达到这个目的，你是不是有理由越过习俗的藩篱 —
a mere conventional impediment which neither your conscience sanctifies nor your judgment approves?
那种既没有得到你良心的认可，也不为你的识见所赞同的、纯粹因袭的障碍？
He paused for an answer. And what was I to say?
他停了一下等我回答。而我该说什么呢？
Oh, for some good spirit to suggest a judicious and satisfactory response! Vain aspiration!
呵！但愿有一位善良的精灵能给我提示一个明智而满意的答复！空想而已！
The west wind whispered in the ivy round me.
西风在我周围的藤蔓中耳语。
But no gentle Ariel borrowed its breath as a medium of speech.
可就是没有一位温存的埃里厄尔把它的呼息借我一用，充当说话的媒介。
The birds sang in the tree-tops, but their song, however sweet, was inarticulate.
鸟儿在树梢歌唱，它们的歌声虽然甜蜜，却无法让人理解。
Again Mr. Rochester propounded his query.
罗切斯特先生再次提出了他的问题。
Is the wandering and sinful, but now rest-seeking and repentant, man justified in daring the world's opinion,
这个一度浪迹天涯罪孽深重，现在思安悔过的人，是不是有理由无视世俗的偏见，
in order to attach to him for ever this gentle, gracious, genial stranger, thereby securing his own peace of mind and regeneration of life?
使这位和蔼可亲、通情达理的陌生人，与他永远相依，以获得内心的宁静和生命的复苏？
"Sir," I answered, a wanderer's repose or a sinner's reformation should never depend on a fellow-creature.
“先生，”我回答，一个流浪者要安顿下来，或者一个罪人要悔改，不应当依赖他的同类。
Men and women die.
男人和女人都难免一死。
philosophers falter in wisdom, and Christians in goodness.
哲学家们会在智慧面前踌躇，基督教徒会在德行面前犹豫。
If any one you know has suffered and erred, let him look higher than his equals for strength to amend and solace to heal.
要是你认识的人曾经吃过苦头，犯过错误，就让他从高于他的同类那儿，企求改过自新的力量，获得治疗创伤的抚慰。