Jane Eyre · chapter 20 of 30
A Light in the Window
窗户里的灯光
Alone on an empty moor, Jane walks for days in search of bread or work, until a far light in the rain leads her to a stranger's window.
Read what you hear
- Narrator 马车走了。荒原上只有简一个人，天快黑了。
Mǎchē zǒu le. Huāngyuán shang zhǐ yǒu Jiǎn yí gè rén, tiān kuài hēi le.
The coach was gone. Jane was alone on the moor, and night was falling.
- Jane Eyre 包没有了，钱也都用在马车上了。我没有家，能去哪儿呢？
Bāo méiyǒu le, qián yě dōu yòng zài mǎchē shang le. Wǒ méiyǒu jiā, néng qù nǎr ne?
My parcel is gone, and all my money went on the coach. I have no home. Where can I go?
- Jane Eyre 今天夜里，我就睡在荒原上吧。上帝，您在看着我吗？
Jīntiān yèli, wǒ jiù shuì zài huāngyuán shang ba. Shàngdì, nín zài kànzhe wǒ ma?
Tonight I'll sleep out here on the moor. God, are you watching over me?
Chapter 20 is part of SayMei Stories Unlimited ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Part 1 of Jane Eyre (chapters 1–6) is free, and The Second Cup of Tea, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, The Kitchen God, Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Chang'e and the Moon, Alice in Wonderland and Judge Dee's Cases are free from start to finish.
- Jane Eyre 第二天，我走了很久，又累又饿。
Dì èr tiān, wǒ zǒu le hěn jiǔ, yòu lèi yòu è.
The next day I walked a long way, tired and hungry.
- Jane Eyre 我想拿我的东西换一个面包，可是店里的人不要。
Wǒ xiǎng ná wǒ de dōngxi huàn yí gè miànbāo, kěshì diàn li de rén bú yào.
I tried to trade my things for a bread roll, but the shopkeeper said no.
- Jane Eyre 我问：这儿有工作吗？他们看着我，好像我是一个要饭的。
Wǒ wèn: zhèr yǒu gōngzuò ma? Tāmen kànzhe wǒ, hǎoxiàng wǒ shì yí gè yàofàn de.
I asked, 'Is there any work here?' They looked at me as if I were a beggar.
- Jane Eyre 我会教书，也会做衣服。可是谁要我呢？
Wǒ huì jiāoshū, yě huì zuò yīfu. Kěshì shéi yào wǒ ne?
I can teach, and I can sew. But who wants me?
- Jane Eyre 简·爱，你也有今天。一个女孩子不要的冷饭，你也吃了。
Jiǎn Ài, nǐ yě yǒu jīntiān. Yí gè nǚháizi bú yào de lěng fàn, nǐ yě chī le.
Jane Eyre, look at you now. You even ate the cold leftovers a girl didn't want.
- Jane Eyre 第二天夜里，我又睡在荒原上。我好冷。
Dì èr tiān yèli, wǒ yòu shuì zài huāngyuán shang. Wǒ hǎo lěng.
On the second night I slept on the moor again. I was so cold.
- Narrator 第三天夜里，简已经走不动了。
Dì sān tiān yèli, Jiǎn yǐjīng zǒu bu dòng le.
On the third night, Jane could hardly walk any farther.
- Jane Eyre 那是什么？很远的地方……有光！有人住在那儿！
Nà shì shénme? Hěn yuǎn de dìfang… yǒu guāng! Yǒu rén zhù zài nàr!
What's that? Far away... a light! Someone lives there!
- Narrator 简慢慢地走过去，走到一座小房子前，从窗户往里看。
Jiǎn mànmàn de zǒu guòqù, zǒu dào yí zuò xiǎo fángzi qián, cóng chuānghu wǎng lǐ kàn.
Jane slowly made her way to a small house and looked in through the window.
- Hannah 天这么黑，雨这么大，圣约翰先生还没回来。
Tiān zhème hēi, yǔ zhème dà, Shèng Yuēhàn xiānsheng hái méi huílai.
So dark, and such rain, and Mr. St. John still isn't back.
- Diana 汉娜，别担心。下雨下雪，圣约翰都不怕。
Hànnà, bié dānxīn. Xià yǔ xià xuě, Shèng Yuēhàn dōu bú pà.
Don't worry, Hannah. Rain or snow, St. John is never afraid.
- Mary 黛安娜，他去看病人了，可能很晚才回来。
Dài'ānnà, tā qù kàn bìngrén le, kěnéng hěn wǎn cái huílai.
Diana, he's gone to see a sick man. He may be back very late.
- Diana 那我们等他。玛丽，再给我读一点儿吧。
Nà wǒmen děng tā. Mǎlì, zài gěi wǒ dú yìdiǎnr ba.
Then we'll wait for him. Mary, read me a little more.
- Jane Eyre 她们有火，有书，有笑声。我什么都没有。
Tāmen yǒu huǒ, yǒu shū, yǒu xiàoshēng. Wǒ shénme dōu méiyǒu.
They have a fire, books and laughter. I have nothing at all.
- Jane Eyre 也许……她们会帮我。
Yěxǔ… tāmen huì bāng wǒ.
Maybe... they will help me.
- Hannah 谁？这么晚了，你要做什么？
Shéi? Zhème wǎn le, nǐ yào zuò shénme?
Who's there? At this hour, what do you want?
- Jane Eyre 求求您，让我进去吧！给我一点儿面包，一个睡觉的地方……
Qiúqiu nín, ràng wǒ jìnqu ba! Gěi wǒ yìdiǎnr miànbāo, yí gè shuìjiào de dìfang…
Please, let me in! A little bread, a place to sleep...
- Hannah 我们这儿不给要饭的开门。快走吧！
Wǒmen zhèr bù gěi yàofàn de kāi mén. Kuài zǒu ba!
We don't open the door to beggars here. Off with you!
- Jane Eyre 汉娜，您不开门，我会死在外边的！
Hànnà, nín bù kāi mén, wǒ huì sǐ zài wàibian de!
Hannah, if you don't open the door, I'll die out here!
- Narrator 门关上了。简坐在门口的雨里，站不起来了。
Mén guān shàng le. Jiǎn zuò zài ménkǒu de yǔ li, zhàn bu qǐlai le.
The door shut. Jane sank down on the wet doorstep and could not get up.
- Jane Eyre 我只能死在这儿了。可是我相信上帝。
Wǒ zhǐ néng sǐ zài zhèr le. Kěshì wǒ xiāngxìn Shàngdì.
All I can do now is die here. But I believe in God.
- St. John 每个人都会死，可是不应该这样死在门外。
Měi gè rén dōu huì sǐ, kěshì bù yīnggāi zhèyàng sǐ zài mén wài.
All men must die, but not like this, outside a door.
- St. John 汉娜，开门！
Hànnà, kāi mén!
Hannah, open the door!
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- Where does Jane sleep on her first night alone?
“今天夜里，我就睡在荒原上吧。”
- How do the village people look at Jane when she asks for work?
“他们看着我，好像我是一个要饭的。”
- What leads Jane to the little house on the third night?
“很远的地方……有光！”
- Who are Hannah and the two young ladies waiting for?
“圣约翰先生还没回来。”
- What does Hannah do when Jane asks to come in?
“我们这儿不给要饭的开门。快走吧！”……“门关上了。”