WHAT vain weathercocks we are! I, who had determined to hold myself independent of all social intercourse, and thanked my stars that, at length, I had lighted on a spot where it was next to impracticable - I, weak wretch, after maintaining till dusk a struggle with low spirits and solitude, was finally compelled to strike my colours; and under pretence of gaining information concerning the necessities of my establishment, I desired Mrs. Dean, when she brought in supper, to sit down while I ate it; hoping sincerely she would prove a regular gossip, and either rouse me to animation or lull me to sleep by her talk.

我们是多么虚伪的反复无常的人啊！我，一个曾决定要远离所有社交活动的人，不久之后，却在为自己的决定几乎不可能实现而感到幸运。我，一个软弱而不幸的人，挣扎于低落的情绪和孤独之中，直到黄昏时刻不得不放弃这个计划。当迪安太太送晚饭上来时，我假装是想了解一些仆人的必要情况，邀请她坐下来。希望她的喜欢闲聊的人，要么让我精神焕发，要么让我昏昏欲睡。

next to impossible ----- almost impossible.
Thanked my stars that, at length, I had lighted on a spot where it was next to impracticalbe --- after a period of time, I feel lucy that I am in a position of impossible to (keep the word)
Strike one’s colours --- to give up a plan previously set


’You have lived here a considerable time,’ I commenced; ’did you not say sixteen years?’
“你在这里住了相当长时间了，”我问道，“好像你说过是16年？”

’Eighteen, sir: I came when the mistress was married, to wait on her; after she died, the master retained me for his housekeeper.’
“18年，先生。我是在女主人嫁过来的时候来的，是来伺候她的。她死了之后，主人让我留下来做管家。”

’Indeed.’
“真的吗？”

There ensued a pause. She was not a gossip, I feared; unless about her own affairs, and those could hardly interest me. However, having studied for an interval, with a fist on either knee, and a cloud of meditation over her ruddy countenance, she ejaculated -
’Ah, times are greatly changed since then!’
接下来无话。我担心她不是一个喜欢闲聊的人，或是只会聊她自己，或是我根本就不感兴趣的事情。然而，她想了一会，双拳放于膝盖上，红润的脸庞上蒙上了沉思，突然，她说道，“唉，自那以后事情就大变样了！”

’Yes,’ I remarked, ’you’ve seen a good many alterations, I suppose?’
“是吗，”我说，“我想，你肯定目睹了很多变化。”

’I have: and troubles too,’ she said.
“是的，还有很多变故。”

’Oh, I’ll turn the talk on my landlord’s family!’ I thought to myself. ’A good subject to start! And that pretty girl-widow, I should like to know her history: whether she be a native of the country, or, as is more probable, an exotic that the surly INDIGENAE will not recognise for kin.’ With this intention I asked Mrs. Dean why Heathcliff let Thrushcross Grange, and preferred living in a situation and residence so much inferior. ’Is he not rich enough to keep the estate in good order?’ I inquired.
“啊，我要把话题引到房东身上去！”我暗自想到，“要找个好的话题。还有那个漂亮的年轻寡妇，我很想知道她的过去。她是不是本地人，或者更可能是一个本地人根本就不认可的外来者。”怀着这个想法，我问迪安太太为什么希斯克利夫要出租画眉山庄，而自己却住在条件差了很多的地方。“难道是他没有足够的钱来维持他的房产？”我问道。

’Rich, sir!’ she returned. ’He has nobody knows what money, and every year it increases. Yes, yes, he’s rich enough to live in a finer house than this: but he’s very near - close-handed; and, if he had meant to flit to Thrushcross Grange, as soon as he heard of a good tenant he could not have borne to miss the chance of getting a few hundreds more. It is strange people should be so greedy, when they are alone in the world!’
“有钱，先生！”她回答道。“任何人都不知道他有多少钱，但是每年都在增加。是的，是的，他有足够的钱住到比这更好的房子里去，但是他的手却很紧。如果他曾经打算搬到画眉山庄来住，一旦他听说有好的房客，他就舍不得错过多赚几百块钱的机会。一个无亲无故的人还这么贪婪，真的是很奇怪啊！”

’He had a son, it seems?’
“好像，他有个儿子？”

’Yes, he had one - he is dead.’
“是的，他曾经有个，已经死了.”