Consider the fragment below. Read both the original text and the translation with its notes.Make your own comments in relation to what you have read:

Jane Eyre

Chapter XXX

by Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)

The more I knew of the inmates of MoorHouse, the better I liked them. In a few days I hadso far recovered my health that I could sit up allday1, and walk out sometimes. I could join withDiana and Mary in all their occupations2,converse with them3 as much as they wished, andaid them when and where they would allow me.There was a reviving pleasure in thisintercourse, of a kind now tasted by me for thefirst time - the pleasure arising from perfectcongeniality of tastes, sentiments, andprinciples4.

Jane Eyre

Capitolul XXX

de Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)

Cu cât îi cunoşteam mai bine pe cei de laMoor House, cu atât îmi plăceau mai mult. Încâteva zile mă însănătoşisem într-atât încât puteamsă stau în picioare toată ziua1 şi chiar să mă plimbuneori. Puteam lua şi eu parte la toateîndeletnicirile celor două surori2, puteam să staude vorbă cu ele3 atât cât doreau şi să le ajut cândşi la ce îmi îngăduiau. În acest fel de prieteniegăseam o plăcere care mă însufleţea şi pe care osimţeam pentru prima dată – plăcerea careizvora din potrivirea perfectă de gusturi,sentimente şi principii4.

1

I could sit up all day → puteam să stau în picioare toată ziua. The English particled verb to sit up was translated bya sta în picioare corresponding to its 3rd meaning in the dictionary, i.e. ”to sit upright, to hold oneself erect” (the firsttwo meanings are : 1. “to rise from a supine to a sitting position”; 2. “to delay the hour of retiring beyond the usualtime” Webster 1996:1333) as a consequence of its association in the co-text with the verb to recover; it implies morethan meanings 1 and 2, on the one hand, and relates to walk, join and aid, on the other.2 I could join with Diana and Mary in all their occupations → puteam lua şi eu parte la toate îndeletnicirile celordouă surori. It is a case of non-equivalence. It could not be translated by puteam să mă alătur Dianei şi lui Mary,because in Romanian the verb a se alătura does not collocate with the noun îndeletnicire / ocupaţie. On the other hand,as the chosen variant was a lua parte la îndeletnicirile cuiva, the translator could not preserve the name of the twosisters, Diana and Mary, which would make the Romanian variant even longer than it is, hence, much more difficult, andwould break the balance of the whole sentence. The genitive inflection would make the sentence awkward.3 converse with them → să stau de vorbă cu ele. It is a case of non-equivalence. The writer’s choice of the simple verb,characteristic of her style, could not be observed by the translator because it would have sounded inappropriate, a seconversa cu cineva being more frequently used ironically in the TL.4 There was a reviving pleasure in this intercourse, of a kind now tasted by me for the first time – the pleasurearising from the perfect congeniality of tastes, sentiments and principles → În acest fel de prietenie găseam oplăcere care mă însufleţea şi pe care o simţeam pentru prima dată – plăcerea care izvora din potrivirea perfectăde gusturi, sentimente şi principii. It is a case of non-equivalence:

- reviving pleasure → plăcere care mă însufleţea. The English verbal adjective was rendered into the TT by anattributive clause, matching the semantic dimension of the original. There is a semantic loss in the published version, i.e.reviving was translated by mare: În acest fel de legături, era pentru mine o mare bucurie pe care o gustam întâia oară(Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, trad. de Paul Marian, Societatea Domaco, SRL 1996: 331)

- in this intercourse → în acest fel de prietenie, because in the ST, intercourse is used in its connotative meaning;the other variants suggested, i.e. relaţie / legătură could not be accepted as they have different connotations incontemporary Romanian.

- as for the noun potrivire, it was chosen as an equivalent for the English congeniality in terms of adequacy in theTT, instead of asemănare / armonie because the latter do not collocate with the following nouns, i.e. gusturi,sentimente şi principii.

As far as the published versions are concerned (Ch. Brontë, Jane Eyre, trad. Paul B. Marian şi D. Mazilu, EdituraMinerva, Bucureşti, 1970 : 206 ; Ch. Brontë, Jane Eyre, trad. de Paul Marian, Societatea Domaco – SRL, 1996: 331),they are both characterized by semantic losses as well as by inappropriateness in terms of collocability (neither în acesterelaţii - 1970:206 - nor în acest fel de legături - 1996:331 - could be accepted as they would sound awkward in thiscontext, having different connotations, as already pointed above. On the other hand, asemănare desăvârşită de gusturi,sentimente şi năzuinţi – 1970:206 – is not a common collocation in the TL; besides, năzuinţi cannot be considered as anequivalent for the English principles, having a completely different semantic content.)

I liked to read what they liked to read: whatthey enjoyed, delighted me; what they approvedI reverenced5. They loved their sequestered home.I, too, in the gray, small, antique structure - withits low roof, its latticed casements, its molderingwalls, its avenue of aged firs, all grown aslantunder the stress of mountain winds; its garden,dark with yew and holly, and where no flowersbut of the hardiest species would bloom - founda charm both potent and permanent.6

Îmi plăcea să citesc ceea ce le plăcea şi lor;ceea ce pentru ele era o bucurie, pentru mineera o încântare; preţuiam tot ceea ce eleapreciau5. Ţineau foarte mult la locuinţa lorretrasă. Şi eu, la rândul meu, găseam un farmecpururea irezistibil în căsuţa aceea cenuşie şiveche – cu acoperişul ei jos, cu ferestrelezăbrelite, cu pereţii scorojiţi, cu aleea de brazibătrâni care crescuseră strâmb din cauzavânturilor de munte puternice; cu grădinaumbroasă de tisă şi ilice, în care nu înfloreaudecât cele mai rezistente specii de flori6.

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5 … what they enjoyed, delighted me; what they approved I reverenced → ceea ce pentru ele era o bucurie,pentru mine era o încântare; adoram tot ceea ce ele apreciau. In the published versions, the gradation and emphasischaracterizing the ST were missed: ceea ce le bucura pe ele, mă încânta şi pe mine; admiram ceea ce ele găseau cucale să admire/găseau nimerit să admire (1970:206; 1996:331).6 I, too, in the gray, small, antique structure – with its low roof, its latticed casements, its moldering walls, itsavenue of aged firs, all grown aslant under the stress of mountain winds; its garden, dark with yew and holly, andwhere no flowers but the hardiest species would bloom – found a charm both potent and permanent. → Şi eu, larândul meu, găseam un farmec pururea irezistibil în căsuţa aceea cenuşie şi veche – cu acoperişul ei jos, cuferestrele zăbrelite, cu pereţii scorojiţi, cu aleea de brazi bătrâni care crescuseră strâmb din cauza vânturilorputernice de munte; cu grădina umbroasă de tisă şi ilice, în care nu înfloreau decît cele mai rezistente specii deflori. It is a case of non-equivalence:

- the rhetoric of the sentence in the ST could not be preserved in the TT because, in Romanian, it is not correct toseparate the subject from the predicate by such a long syntagm.

- all grown aslant under the stress of mountain winds → care crescuseră strâmb din cauza vânturilorputernice de munte. The past participle grown was rendered by an attributive clause, care crescuseră strâmb, not bythe adjective derived from the participle, crescuţi which has the semantic feature [+ANIMATE], or by încovoiaţi whichhas a different context. The noun stress, when referring to weather and particularly to the wind, displays the feature [+ROUGH]; that is why, it was translated by the Romanian adjective puternice, expressing the same idea.

- found a charm both potent and permanent → găseam un farmec pururea irezistibil; the adjectivepermanent was not translated by permanent, because in Romanian the adjectives irezistibil and permanent cannotcollocate at the same time with the noun farmec. Another variant suggested, găseam întotdeauna un farmec irezistibil,was considered to express the idea of the English adjective permanent by the Romanian adverb întotdeauna. Finally, theadverb pururea was chosen because it matches the writer’s style better.

They clung to the purple moors behind andaround their dwelling - to the hollow vale intowhich the pebbly bridle-path leading from theirgate descended7, and which wound between fern-banks first, and then amongst a few of the wildestlittle pasture-fields that ever bordered a wildernessof heath8, or gave sustenance to a flock of graymoorland sheep9, with their little mossy-facedlambs10 - they clung to this scene, I say, with aperfect enthusiasm of attachment11. I couldcomprehend the feeling, and share both its strengthand truth.

Erau foarte legate de mlaştinile roşiatice care leînconjurau casa – de valea adâncă în carecobora poteca acoperită cu prundiş care porneade la poarta lor7 şi care şerpuia mai întâi printretufele de ferigă, iar apoi printre cele mai sălbaticepăşuni care au mărginit vreodată pustietatea8 şiunde păştea câte o turmă de oi, din acelea cu lânacenuşie din ţinuturile mlăştinoase9, cu mieii lorcu boticuri catifelate10 – după cum spuneam,erau legate cu toată fiinţa de toate acestea11.Înţelegeam sentimentul lor şi îl împărtăşeam şi eucu aceeaşi tărie şi sinceritate.

7They clung to the purple moors behind and around their dwelling – to the hollow vale into which the pebblybridle–path leading from their gate descended → Erau foarte legate de mlaştinile roşiatice care le înconjurau casa– de valea adâncă în care cobora poteca acoperită cu prundiş care pornea de la poarta lor. A case of non-equivalence:

- they clung to… → erau foarte legate de…, because the verb involves strong emotional attachment and a fiataşat de would be a semantic loss.

- purple moors → mlaştinile roşiatice. The Romanian noun mlaştină is not quite the equivalent of the Englishmoor which is a culture specific element defined as “a tract of open, peaty waste land, often overgrown with heath,common in high latitudes and altitudes where drainage is poor” (Webster, 1996:929); however, this was the final choicebecause it is probably the closest to the English reality.

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- behind and around their dwelling → care le înconjurau casa / de jur împrejurul casei, because în spatele şiîn jurul casei lor is not correct in the TL.

- bridle-path is another culture specific element: “a wide path, barred to automotive traffic, for riding horses” (Webster 1996:185 ) and it was rendered by the closest equivalent (although still implying a semantic loss) in the TC. 8 a wilderness of heath → pustietate. A case of non-equivalence. Wilderness was rendered by pustietate not bysălbăticie, because it refers back to sequestered home. As for heath, it could not be exactly rendered by a Romanianword, in terms of adequacy, because it means “a tract of open, uncultivated land; waste land overgrown with shrubs”(Webster 1996:665 ) and it is a culture specific element. The variant suggested by the published version, i.e., întins dehăţişuri (1970:207), although rendering the meaning of heath, was considered to be inappropriate both in terms of thesemantic dimension of the context, i.e., întins has only the feature [+ WIDE] whereas wilderness, is, first of all,characterised by the features [+ WILD] [+ UNPOPULATED], and in terms of the stylistic effect.9 gray moorland sheep → o turmă de oi, din acelea cu lâna cenuşie din ţinuturile mlăştinoase. A case of non-equivalence. Since there are no such species of sheep in our country, there is no one-word equivalent in Romanian. Thatis why a longer syntagm was necessary in the TT to render the complete meaning of the English original. The variant inthe published version, i.e. turme de oi cenuşii (1970:207), is a semantic loss, as the translator missed the Englishmoorland in the TT.10 little mossy-faced lambs → cu boticuri catifelate. It is a case of non-equivalence, because the English compoundadjective mossy-faced was translated into Romanian only by catifelate, which is a simple adjective. The other variantsuggested was cu boticuri umede şi catifelate, but it was finally considered a semantic gain (mossy: resembling moss :a mossy softness Webster 1996:933) and it could not be accepted. As for the published version, it does not manage torender, in this case, the meaning of the original: the adjective zburdalnic used by the translator has a completely differentmeaning from the English mossy-faced.11 They clung to this scene, I say, with a perfect enthusiasm of attachment → după cum spuneam, erau legate cutoată fiinţa de toate acestea. A case of non-equivalence:

- this scene → toate acestea, given the previous enumeration in the co-text.- with a perfect enthusiasm of attachment → cu toată fiinţa, because entuziasm collocates neither with the

Romanian adjective perfect nor with the verbal phrase a fi legat de. Besides, the English particled verb to cling to ( “tobe emotionally dependent of / attached to”, Webster 1996:277 ) already implies the idea of attachment, so it shouldn’tbe considered a semantic loss.

I saw the fascination of the locality12. I felt theconsecration of its loneliness13: my eye feasted onthe outline of swell and sweep - on the wildcolouring communicated to ridge and dell by moss,by heathbell, by flower-sprinkled turf, by brilliantbracken, and mellow granite crag14. These detailswere just to me what they were to them - so manypure and sweet sources of pleasure. The strongblast and the soft breeze, the rough and the halcyonday, the hours of sunrise and sunset, the moonlightand the clouded night developed for me, in theseregions, the same attraction as for them - woundround my faculties the same spell that entrancedtheirs15.

Descopeream fascinaţia ţinutului12. Simţeamsfinţenia singurătăţii13 acestei aşezări; ochii meise desfătau privind unduirile dealurilor - culorile viipe care le dădeau crestelor şi văilor muşchiul, iarbaplină de flori, ferigile strălucitoare şi piscurilejoase de granit14. Toate acestea însemnau pentrumine ceea ce însemnau şi pentru ele – tot atâteaizvoare pure şi dulci surse de încântare. Vântulputernic şi adierea uşoară, zilele mohorâte şi celeînsorite, ceasurile de la răsărit şi de la asfinţit,nopţile cu lună şi cele întunecate trezeau în mine caşi în ele aceeaşi atracţie pentru aceste meleaguri –mă învăluiau în aceeaşi vrajă care pusesestăpânire pe ele15.

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12 I saw the fascination of the locality → descopeream fascinaţia locului, chosen instead of am văzut fascinaţialocului, because in terms of collocability, am văzut does not collocate with fascinaţie. Moreover, locality is a falsefriend. The translator must not be deceived by its formal resemblance with the Romanian localitate, because the meaningof the English term is completely different: “a place in which something occurs” (Webster 1996:840), on the one hand,and due to the reference in the co-text to wilderness [+ UNPOPULATED], on the other, as opposed to the Romanianword localitate which is [+ POPULATED]. The variant suggested by the published version, i.e. eram şi eu vrăjită deîmprejurări (1970:207) could be considered a case of non-equivalence as it renders the meaning of the noun fascinationby the structure a fi + adjective derived from a past participle, but also a semantic loss, because it misses the meaning ofthe verb to see in the original.13 I felt the consecration of its loneliness → simţeam sfinţenia singurătăţii. Consecration could not be translated hereby its first meaning (“dedication to the service and worship of God”, Webster 1996: 312) but it was given a connotativemeaning (to consecrate: “to make something an object of honour or veneration”), also given its association in the co-text with the verb to reverence.14 mellow granite crag → piscuri joase de granit. Mellow was translated by its connotative meaning (joase) due to itsassociation with granite crag.

15 …would round my faculties the same spell that entranced theirs → … mă învăluiau în aceeaşi vrajă care pusesestăpânire şi pe ele. There is a semantic loss in the published version, i.e. the attributive clause that entranced theirswas completely missed by the translator in the TT: mă învăluiau în aceeaşi vrajă (1970: 207).

Indoors we agreed equally well. They wereboth more accomplished and better read than I was;but with eagerness I followed in the path ofknowledge they had trodden before me. I devouredthe books they lent me: then it was full satisfactionto discuss with them in the evening what I hadperused during the day. Thought fitted thought16;opinion met opinion17: we coincided, in short,perfectly.

În casă ne înţelegeam la fel de bine.Amândouă erau mai cultivate şi mai citite decâtmine; însă păşeam şi eu cu ardoare pe caleacunoaşterii pe care ele o bătătoriseră înaintea mea.Citeam pe nerăsuflate cărţile pe care ele mi leîmprumutau: apoi era o adevărată plăcere să discutcu ele seara despre ceea ce studiasem în timpulzilei. Gândeam la fel16; aveam aceleaşi păreri17:pe scurt, ne înţelegeam perfect.

16 thought fitted thought → gândeam la fel. A case of non-equivalence: the repetition could not be preserved becausethere is only one idiomatic phrase of this kind in Romanian, i.e. gând la gând cu bucurie, which, anyway, could not beused here, having a completely different meaning. That is why, a verb of the same family, a gândi, was finally chosen. 17 opinion met opinion → aveam aceleaşi păreri. A case of non-equivalence. The verb phrase was preferred inRomanian: verb + noun in the plural. In the published version, the two sentences thought fitted thought; opinion metopinion were translated by a single sentence: gândurile şi părerile noastre se potriveau de minune (1970:207), but thesyntactic structure of the original was not preserved and the stylistic effect and the emphasis were missed.

If in our trio there was a superior and aleader18, it was Diana. Physically, she far excelledme: she was handsome; she was vigorous19. Inher animal spirits there was an affluence of lifeand certainty of flow20, such as excited mywonder, while it baffled my comprehension.

Şi dacă vreuna dintre noi trei se dovedea afi deosebită şi le conducea pe celelalte18, aceea eraDiana. Fizic, mă întrecea cu mult: era chipeşă;era robustă19. Firea ei sălbatică era o împletirede vioiciune şi siguranţă20, care îmi stârneauimirea şi, în acelaşi timp, depăşea puterea mea deînţelegere.

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18 if in our trio there was a superior and a leader → şi dacă vreuna din noi trei se dovedea a fi deosebită şi leconducea pe celelalte. A case of non-equivalence: the figure of speech in the original, the hendiadys, expressed by twolinked synonymous nouns to emphasize the idea, was rendered by a completely different structure including twosubordinate clauses linked by the coordinating conjunction şi, each of them rendering the semantic features of the nounsin the ST; the use of the two nouns a superior and a leader, translated as such into Romanian, would be both pleonasticand ungrammatical.19 Physically, she far excelled me: she was handsome; she was vigorous → Fizic, mă întrecea cu mult: era chipeşă;era robustă. The adjective handsome was finally rendered by chipeşă, not by frumoasă, because chipeşă betterassociates with robustă in the co-text. In the published version, there is a case of non-equivalence; it didn’t preserve thesyntactic structure of the ST, i.e., the last two short sentences were turned, in the TT, into a Gerund construction which,moreover, misses the gradation, the emphasis and the rhetorical effect of the original: fiziceşte mi-era mult superioară,fiind frumoasă şi voinică (1970:207). On the other hand, even the semantic choices don’t seem to be the mostappropriate for the writer’s style.20 in her animal spirits there was an affluence of life and certainty of flow → în firea ei sălbatică era o astfel deîmpletire de vioiciune şi siguranţă… A case of non-equivalence: life was given the meaning of vividness and certaintyof flow the meaning of self-confidence, considering the co-text (the first gush of vivacity, they sounded thoroughly thetopic on which I had but touched…). Affluence was rendered in the TT by a noun (împletire). Another variantsuggested was se împleteau vioiciunea şi siguranţa de sine, but it would miss the effect of the noun affluence in theoriginal.

I could talk a while when the evening commenced,but the first gush of vivacity and fluency21 gone, Iwas fain to sit on a stool at Diana's feet, to rest myhead on her knee, and listen alternately to her andMary, while they sounded thoroughly the topicon which I had but touched22. Diana offered toteach me German. I liked to learn of her; I saw thepart of instructress pleased and suited her; that ofscholar pleased and suited me no less. Our naturesdovetailed: mutual affection - of the strongestkind - was the result23.

Când se lăsa seara puteam să vorbesc şi eu puţin,dar cum trecea primul avânt de vioiciune şivolubilitate21, îmi făcea mare plăcere să mă aşez peun scăunel la picioarele Dianei, să-mi pun capul pegenunchii ei şi să le ascult, când pe ea, când peMary, cum dezvoltau subiectul pe care eu abia îlatinsesem22. Diana s-a oferit să mă înveţe germana.Îmi plăcea să învăţ de la ea. Vedeam că rolul deprofesoară îi plăcea şi i se potrivea; iar mie îmiplăcea şi mi se potrivea nu mai puţin cel deînvăţăcel. Firile noastre se completau: rezultatul afost o afecţiune reciprocă dintre cele maiputernice23.

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21 the first gush of vivacity and fluency → primul avânt de vioiciune şi volubilitate. The Romanian noun vioiciunewas finally chosen instead of vivacitate and vervă; the latter would render the meaning of the noun vivacity much better,but it was not accepted because it does not make up a common collocation with avânt de (as neither does vivacitate). Asfor fluency, it does not have the meaning of express / put up with something easily but it refers to the quality of beingtalkative, hence it was translated by volubilitate. In the published version, the noun fluency was missed: cel dintâi valde vioiciune (1970:207) is a semantic loss.22 they sounded thoroughly the topic on which I had but touched → dezvoltau subiectul pe care eu abia îl atinsesem. A communicative translation. The verb sound has a special effect in the original, referring to her perception of their vast knowledge on the subject; thoroughly as a modifier of the verb sound points to their vast knowledge. Consequently, the meanings of sounded and thoroughly were encompassed in the simple verb dezvoltau, not dezbăteau, as suggested in the published version (1970:208), because the latter would be too academic, and stylisticallyinappropriate.23 mutual affection – of the strongest kind – was the result → rezultatul a fost o afecţiune reciprocă dintre cele maiputernice. The TT could not preserve the rhetoric of the original because such a variant as o afecţiune reciprocă - dintrecele mai puternice - a fost rezultatul would sound improper and would break the logical relationship with the previouscontext. Of the strongest kind could not be translated by cea mai puternică afecţiune because it would miss theemphasis in the original. In the published version, the translator chose not to preserve the syntactic structure of the original, rendering thetwo sentences separated by a colon in the ST, by only one sentence in the TT: firile noastre se îmbinau, ceea ce a avutdrept rezultat o caldă dragoste reciprocă (1970:208). Moreover, the translator’s choices were not the most appropriate interms of collocability, i.e. fire in Romanian does not normally collocate with the verb a se îmbina, as well as in terms ofthe semantic dimension of the context, i.e. affection was rendered by dragoste which is stronger than afecţiune (asemantic gain) and of the strongest kind was rendered only by caldă, which is a semantic loss.

They discovered I could draw: their pencils andcolour-boxer were immediately at my service. Myskill, greater in this one point than theirs, surprisedand charmed them. Mary would sit and watch meby the hour together; then she would takelessons24: and a docile, intelligent, assiduouspupil she made25. Thus occupied, and mutuallyentertained26, days passed like hours, and weekslike days.

Au descoperit că ştiu să desenez: mi-au fostimediat puse la dispoziţie creioanele şi cutia deculori. Talentul meu, mai mare decât al lor înaceastă singură privinţă, le surprinse şi le încântă.Mary se aşeza lângă mine şi mă privea oreîntregi; apoi o învăţam câte ceva24: şi ce elevăascultătoare, inteligentă şi silitoare era25. Avândastfel de preocupări şi simţindu-ne bineîmpreună,26 zilele treceau ca orele, iar săptămânileca zilele.

24 Mary would sit and watch me by the hour together; then she would take lessons → Mary se aşeza lângă mine şimă privea ore întregi; apoi o învăţam câte ceva. It is a case of non-equivalence as far as the ways of expressingfrequency in the past are concerned: in English, the frequentative would was used, rendered by imperfect in Romanian.Besides, she would take lessons was not translated by îi dădeam lecţii, as also suggested in the published version,because a da lecţii cuiva has a different contextual distribution. Neither the variant Mary lua lecţii de la mine could beaccepted given its different connotations in the TL. Moreover, a lua lecţii usually collocates with a prepositional phrasede + noun: de desen / de engleză etc.25… and a docile, intelligent, assiduous pupil she made → şi ce elevă ascultătoare, inteligentă şi silitoare era, topreserve the rhetoric of the original. The fact must be particularly emphasised that the adjective docile in the ST wasrendered by ascultătoare not by docilă which in Romanian is synonymous with supusă and which does not collocatewith pupil. In the published version, era o elevă ascultătoare, deşteaptă şi sârguincioasă (1970:208), the emphasis andthe stylistic effect were missed because of changing the rhetoric of the original.26thus occupied and mutually entertained → având astfel de preocupări şi simţindu-ne bine împreună. It is a caseof non-equivalence:

- thus occupied → având astfel de preocupări. Occupied could not be translated by ocupate which has a differentcontextual distribution; fiind ocupate would entail another meaning and causality.

- mutually entertained → simţindu-ne bine împreună, not distrându-ne una pe alta, because it is not commonRomanian usage and because a distra pe cineva has different connotations. Distrându-ne reciproc would be ratherfunny.

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As to Mr. St. John, the intimacy which hadarisen so naturally and rapidly between me and hissisters did not extend to him. One reason of thedistance yet observed between us27 was, that hewas comparatively seldom28 at home: a largeproportion of his time appeared devoted to visitingthe sick and poor among the scatteredpopulation of his parish29.

Cât despre St. John, apropierea care sestabilise atât de firesc şi de repede între mine şisurorile sale nu era valabilă şi în ceea ce-l privea peel. Un motiv al distanţei pe care încă o maipăstram între noi27 era că el stătea destul de rar28

pe acasă: o mare parte din timp o dedica vizitelorpe care le făcea celor bolnavi şi celor săraci dinrândul enoriaşilor răspândiţi pe tot întinsulparohiei sale29.

27 one reason of the distance yet observed between us → un motiv al distanţei pe care încă o mai păstram între noi,not distanţei deja vizibile, in terms of collocability and because the meaning of the verb to observe here is “to keep / tomaintain” (5th meaning, Webster 1996:995) not “to notice” (1st meaning).28 comparatively seldom → destul de rar; the adverb comparatively is a false friend which does not mean încomparaţie cu, but relativ.29 the sick and poor among the scattered population of his parish → celor bolnavi şi celor săraci din rândulenoriaşilor răspândiţi pe tot întinsul parohiei sale. There is a semantic loss in the published version, i.e. the translatordid not render the meaning of the word population, preserving only the past participle scattered: săracii şi bolnaviiîmprăştiaţi pe tot întinsul parohiei sale (1970:208).

(Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre in Elena Croitoru, Floriana Popescu, Gabriela Dima, Culegere de textepentru traducere. vol. I, Editura Evrika, Brăila, 1996: 32-34)

Translated, interpreted and commented by:- conf. univ. dr. Elena Croitoru ;- Gabriela Colipcă, Anca-Irinel Teleoacă, major students in Translation and Interpretation, 1999 –2000;

- Liliana Miron, major student in Translation and Interpretation, 2001-2002; - Alma Petropol, major student in Translation and Interpretation, 2000-2001.

Translate, interpret and make similar comments on the following excerpts:

a) No weather seemed to hinder him in these pastoral excursions: rain or fair, he would, when hishours of morning study were over, take his hat, and, followed by his father's old pointer, Carlo, go out onhis mission of love or duty – I scarcely know in which light he regarded it. Sometimes, when the day wasvery unfavourable, his sisters would expostulate. He would then say, with a peculiar smile, more solemnthan cheerful:

- And if I let a gust of wind or a sprinkling of rain turn me aside from these easy tasks, whatpreparation would such sloth be for the future I propose to myself?

Diana and Mary’s general answer to this question was a sigh, and some minutes of apparentlymournful meditation.

But besides his frequent absences, there was another barrier to friendship with him: he seemed ofa reserved, an abstracted, and even of a brooding nature. Zealous in his ministerial labours, blameless inhis life and habits, he yet did not appear to enjoy that mental serenity, that inward content, which shouldbe the reward of every sincere Christian and practical philanthropist. Often, of an evening, when he sat atthe window, his desk and papers before him, he would cease reading or writing, rest his chin on his hand,and deliver himself up to I know not what course of thought; but that it was perturbed and exciting mightbe seen in the frequent flash and changeful dilation of his eye.

I think, moreover, that nature was not to him that treasure of delight it was to his sisters. Heexpressed once, and but once in my hearing, a strong sense of the rugged charm of the hills, and an inborn

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affection for the dark and hoary walls he called his home; but there was more of gloom than pleasure inthe tone and words in which the sentiment was manifested; and never did he seem to roam the moors forthe sake of their soothing silence - never seek out or dwell upon the thousand peaceful delights they couldyield.

b) Incommunicative as he was, some time elapsed before I had an opportunity of gauging his mind. Ifirst got an idea of its calibre when I heard him preach in his own church at Morton. I wish I coulddescribe that sermon: but it is past my power. I cannot even render faithfully the effect it produced on me.

It began calm - and indeed, as far as delivery and pitch of voice went, it was calm to the end: anearnestly felt, yet strictly restrained zeal breathed soon in the distinct accents, and prompted the nervouslanguage. This grew to force - compressed, condensed, controlled. The heart was thrilled, the mindastonished, by the power of the preacher: neither were softened. Throughout there was a strangebitterness; an absence of consolatory gentleness; stern allusions to Calvinistic doctrines - election,predestination, reprobation - were frequent; and each reference to these points sounded like a sentencepronounced for doom. When he had done, instead of feeling better, calmer, more enlightened by hisdiscourse, I experienced an inexpressible sadness: for it seemed to me - I know not whether equally so toothers - that the eloquence to which I had been listening had sprung from a depth where lay turbid dregsof disappointment, where moved troubling impulses of insatiate yearnings and disquieting aspirations. Iwas sure St. John Rivers - pure - lived, conscientious, zealous as he was - had not yet found that peace ofGod which passeth all understanding: he had no more found it, I thought, than had I, with my concealedand racking regrets for my broken idol and lost elysium – regrets to which I have latterly avoidedreferring, but which possessed me and tyrannized over me ruthlessly.

c) Meantime a month was gone. Diana and Mary were soon to leave Moor House, and return to thefar different life and scene which awaited them, as governesses in a large, fashionable, south-of-Englandcity, where each held a situation in families by whose wealthy and haughty members they were regardedonly as humble dependants, and who neither knew nor sought one of their innate excellences, andappreciated only their acquired accomplishments as they appreciated the skill of their cook or the taste oftheir waiting-woman. Mr. St. John had said nothing to me yet about the employment he had promised toobtain for me: yet it became urgent that I should have a vocation of some kind. One morning, being leftalone with him a few minutes in the parlour, I ventured to approach the window-recess which his table,chair and desk consecrated as a kind of study; and I was going to speak, though not very well knowing inwhat words to frame my inquiry - for it is all times difficult to break the ice of reserve glassing over suchnatures as his - when he saved me the trouble by being the first to commence a dialogue.

Looking up as I drew near: -You have a question to ask of me? he said.- Yes, I wish to know whether you have heard of any service I can offer myself to undertake?- I found or devised something for you three weeks ago; but as you seemed both useful and happy

here - as my sisters had evidently become attached to you, and your society gave them unusual pleasure -I deemed it inexpedient to break in on your mutual comfort till their approaching departure from MarshEnd should render yours necessary.

- And they will go in three days now? I said.- Yes; and when they go, I shall return to the parsonage at Morton; Hannah will accompany me;

and this old house will be shut up.

d) I waited a few moments, expecting he would go on with the subject first broached: but he seemedto have entered another train of reflection: his look denoted abstraction from me and my business. I wasobliged to recall him to a theme which was of necessity one of close and anxious interest to me.

- What is the employment you had in view, Mr. Rivers? I hope this delay will not have increasedthe difficulty of securing it.

- Oh, no; since it is an employment which depends only on me to give, and you to accept.

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He again paused: there seemed a reluctance to continue. I grew impatient: a restless movement ortwo, and an eager and exacting glance fastened on his face, conveyed the feeling to him as effectually aswords could have done, and with less trouble.

- You need be in no hurry to hear, he said; let me frankly tell you, I have nothing eligible orprofitable to suggest. Before I explain, recall, if you please, my notice, early given, that if I helped you, itmust be as the blind man would help the lame. I am poor; for I find that, when I have paid my father'sdebts, all the patrimony remaining to me will be this crumbling grange, the row of scathed firs behind,and the patch of moorish soil, with the yew-trees and holly-bushes in front. I am obscure: Rivers is an oldname; but of the three sole descendants of the race, two earn the dependant’s crust among strangers, andthe third considers himself an alien from his native country – not only for life, but in death. Yes, anddeems, and is bound to deem, himself honoured by the lot, and aspires but after the day when the cross ofseparation from fleshly ties shall be laid on his shoulders, and when the Head of that Church militant, ofwhose humblest members he is one, shall give the word, “Rise, follow Me!”

(Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre in Elena Croitoru, Floriana Popescu, Gabriela Dima, Culegere de textepentru traducere. vol. I, Editura Evrika, Brăila, 1996: 34-38)

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