狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第44章Part1

With the day, though not so early as the sun, uprose Miss Susan Nipper. There was a heaviness in this young maiden's exceedingly sharp black eyes, that abated somewhat of their sparkling, and suggested - which was not their usual character - the possibility of their being sometimes shut. There was likewise a swollen look about them, as if they had been crying over-night. But the Nipper, so far from being cast down, was singularly brisk and bold, and all her energies appeared to be braced up for some great feat. This was noticeable even in her dress, which was much more tight and trim than usual; and in occasional twitches of her head as she went about the house, which were mightily expressive of determination.
In a word, she had formed a determination, and an aspiring one: it being nothing less than this - to penetrate to Mr Dombey's presence, and have speech of that gentleman alone. 'I have often said I would,' she remarked, in a threatening manner, to herself, that morning, with many twitches of her head, 'and now I will!'
Spurring herself on to the accomplishment of this desperate design, with a sharpness that was peculiar to herself, Susan Nipper haunted the hall and staircase during the whole forenoon, without finding a favourable opportunity for the assault. Not at all baffled by this discomfiture, which indeed had a stimulating effect, and put her on her mettle, she diminished nothing of her vigilance; and at last discovered, towards evening, that her sworn foe Mrs Pipchin, under pretence of having sat up all night, was dozing in her own room, and that Mr Dombey was lying on his sofa, a twitch - not of her head merely, this time, but of her whole self - the Nipper went on tiptoe to Mr Dombey's door, and knocked. 'Come in!' said Mr Dombey. Susan encouraged herself with a final twitch, and went Dombey, who was eyeing the fire, gave an amazed look at his visitor, and raised himself a little on his arm. The Nipper dropped a curtsey.
'What do you want?' said Mr Dombey.
'If you please, Sir, I wish to speak to you,' said Susan.
Mr Dombey moved his lips as if he were repeating the words, but he seemed so lost in astonishment at the presumption of the young woman as to be incapable of giving them utterance.
'I have been in your service, Sir,' said Susan Nipper, with her usual rapidity, 'now twelve 'year a waiting on Miss Floy my own young lady who couldn't speak plain when I first come here and I was old in this house when Mrs Richards was new, I may not be Meethosalem, but I am not a child in arms.'

苏珊?尼珀虽然不像太阳升起得那么早，但天一亮就起床了。这位年轻的少女的非常敏锐的黑眼睛里含着抑郁，因此减少了几分光泽，而且使人想起，它们跟平时的情形不一样，有时是闭着的。这两只眼睛看去还很肿大，好像昨天夜里一直在哭泣似的。可是尼珀决没有灰心丧气，而是非常生气勃勃、大胆泼辣，好像振作起全部精神，要去完成什么丰功伟业似的。这甚至可以从她的比平时紧贴得多和整洁得多的衣服中看得出来，也可以从她在房间里走来走去时偶尔猛晃一下脑袋的动作中看得出来，那动作有力地表明了她的决心。
总之，她已下定了决心，一个抱负不凡的决心，这就是：排除艰险，深入到董贝先生面前，单独跟那位先生谈一谈。“我曾时常说过，我将会这样做的，”那天早上她用威胁的神气对自己说道，同时把脑袋猛晃了好多次，”现在我?就?要这样做了！”
苏珊?尼珀激励着自己，以她特有的机敏去完成这个大胆冒险的计划，整个上午在门厅里和楼梯上转来转去，没有找到一个有利的机会可以下手。她根本没有被这种失利所挫败，这实际上倒相反起了一种刺激的作用，使她更加鼓起勇气，丝毫没有减却警惕性。终于，到了傍晚的时候，她发现她的不共戴天的敌人皮普钦太太借口昨天坐了一整夜，这时正在自己的房间里打瞌睡；她还发现董贝先生这时正躺在沙发上，身旁没人侍候。尼珀这次不是猛晃了一下脑袋，而是整个身子都猛晃了一下，然后踮着脚尖，走到董贝先生门口，敲了敲门。”进来！”董贝先生说道。苏珊最后又猛晃了一下身子，来鼓起自己的勇气，然后走进去董贝先生正在注视着炉火，惊奇地看了一下走进房间里来的人，并用胳膊把身子略略支起一点。尼珀行了个屈膝礼。
“你需要什么？”董贝先生问道。
“对不起，先生，我想跟您谈谈。”
董贝先生动了动嘴唇，仿佛在重复说这几个字；可是他似乎对这位年轻女人放肆无礼的态度诧异得不知所措，连也发不出来了。
“我是您家的女用人，先生，”苏珊?尼珀就像平时那样快嘴快舌地说道，”我在这里已经十二年了，一直在服侍我的小女主人弗洛伊小姐，我初到这里来的时候她话还讲不清楚，当理查兹大嫂是这里的新用人的时候我已经是个老用人了，我可能不是梅索沙来姆，但我已经不是个抱在怀里的娃娃了。”