(雙語)月亮和六便士 第8章(5)

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They've been married, he snapped. "I never liked him. Of course he was my brother-in-law, and I made the best of it. Did you think him a gentleman? She ought never to have married him."

“他們結(jié)婚十六年了，”他沒好氣兒地說。“我從來就不喜歡他。當(dāng)然了，他是我的連襟，我盡量容忍著。你以為他是個紳士嗎？她根本就不應(yīng)該嫁給他?！?/p>

Is it absolutely final?

“就沒有挽回的余地了嗎？”

There's only one thing for her to do, and that's to divorce him. That's what I was telling her when you came in. 'Fire in with your petition, my dear Amy,' I said. 'You owe it to yourself and you owe it to the children.' He'd better not let me catch sight of him. I'd thrash him within an inch of his life.

“她只有一件事好做：同他離婚。這就是你剛進來的時候我對她說的。‘把離婚申請書遞上去，親愛的阿美，’我說，‘為了你自己，為了你的孩子，你都該這么做?！詈眠€是別叫我遇見。我不把他打得靈魂出竅才怪。”

I could not help thinking that Colonel MacAndrew might have some difficulty in doing this, since Strickland had struck me as a hefty fellow, but I did not say anything. It is always distressing when outraged morality does not possess the strength of arm to administer direct chastisement on the sinner. I was making up my mind to another attempt at going when Mrs. Strickland came back. She had dried her eyes and powdered her nose.

我禁不住想，麥克安德魯上校做這件事并不很容易，因為思特里克蘭德身強力壯，給我留下的印象很深，但是我并沒有說什么。如果一個人受到侮辱損害而又沒有力量對罪人直接施行懲罰，這實在是一件痛苦不堪的事。我正準(zhǔn)備再作一次努力向他告辭，這時思特里克蘭德太太又回到屋子里來了。她已經(jīng)把眼淚揩干，在鼻子上撲了點兒粉。

I'm sorry I broke down, she said. "I'm glad you didn't go away."

“真是對不起，我的感情太脆弱了，”她說，“我很高興你沒有走?！?/p>

She sat down. I did not at all know what to say. I felt a certain shyness at referring to matters which were no concern of mine. I did not then know the besetting sin of woman, the passion to discuss her private affairs with anyone who is willing to listen. Mrs. Strickland seemed to make an effort over herself.

她坐了下來。我一點兒也不知道該說什么。我不太好意思談?wù)撏约汉敛幌喔傻氖?。那時候我還不懂女人的一種無法擺脫的惡習(xí)——熱衷于同任何一個愿意傾聽的人討論自己的私事。思特里克蘭德太太似乎在努力克制著自己。

Are people talking about it? she asked. I was taken aback by her assumption that I knew all about her domestic misfortune.

“人們是不是都在議論這件事??？”她問。我非常吃驚，她竟認(rèn)為我知道她家的這件不幸是想當(dāng)然的事。

I've only just come back. The only person I've seen is Rose Waterford.

“我剛剛回來。我就見到了柔斯·瓦特爾芙德一個人?！?/p>

Mrs. Strickland clasped her hands.

思特里克蘭德太太拍了一下巴掌。

Tell me exactly what she said. And when I hesitated, she insisted. "I particularly want to know."

“她是怎么說的，把她的原話一個字不差地告訴我?！蔽矣悬c兒躊躇，她卻堅持叫我講?！拔姨貏e想知道她怎么談?wù)撨@件事?！?/p>

You know the way people talk. She's not very reliable, is she? She said your husband had left you.

“你知道別人怎么談?wù)摗Ｋ@個人說話靠不住，對不對？她說你的丈夫把你丟開了?！?/p>

Is that all?

“就說了這些嗎？”

I did not choose to repeat Rose Waterford's parting reference to a girl from a tea-shop. I lied.

我不想告訴她柔斯·瓦特爾芙德分手時講到茶點店女侍的那句話。我對她扯了個謊。

She didn't say anything about his going with anyone?

“她說沒說他是跟一個什么人一塊走的？”

No.

“沒有。”

That's all I wanted to know.

“我想知道的就是這件事?！?/p>

I was a little puzzled, but at all events I understood that I might now take my leave. When I shook hands with Mrs. Strickland I told her that if I could be of any use to her I should be very glad. She smiled wanly.

我有一些困惑莫解，但是不管怎么說我知道現(xiàn)在我可以告辭了。當(dāng)我同思特里克蘭德太太握手告別的時候我對她說，如果有什么事需要我做，我一定為她盡力。她的臉上掠過一絲笑影。

Thank you so much. I don't know that anybody can do anything for me.

“非常感謝你。我不知道有誰能替我做什么?！?/p>

Too shy to express my sympathy, I turned to say good-bye to the Colonel. He did not take my hand.

我不好意思向她表示我的同情，便轉(zhuǎn)過身去同上校告別。上校并沒有同我握手。

I'm just coming. If you're walking up Victoria Street, I'll come along with you.

“我也要走。如果你從維多利亞路走，我跟你同路?！?/p>

All right, I said. "Come on."

“好吧，”我說，“咱們一起走。”