狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第42章Part14

'Yes,' rejoined Carker, quickly; 'but why?'
'Why!' Mr Dombey repeated, not without hesitation. 'Because I told her.'
'Ay,' replied Carker. 'But why did you tell her? You see,' he continued with a smile, and softly laying his velvet hand, as a cat might have laid its sheathed claws, on Mr Dombey's arm; 'if I perfectly understand what is in your mind, I am so much more likely to be useful, and to have the happiness of being effectually employed. I think I do understand. I have not the honour of Mrs Dombey's good opinion. In my position, I have no reason to expect it; but I take the fact to be, that I have not got it?'
'Possibly not,' said Mr Dombey.
'Consequently,' pursued Carker, 'your making the communications to Mrs Dombey through me, is sure to be particularly unpalatable to that lady?'
'It appears to me,' said Mr Dombey, with haughty reserve, and yet with some embarrassment, 'that Mrs Dombey's views upon the subject form no part of it as it presents itself to you and me, Carker. But it may be so.'
'And - pardon me - do I misconceive you,' said Carker, 'when I think you descry in this, a likely means of humbling Mrs Dombey's pride - I use the word as expressive of a quality which, kept within due bounds, adorns and graces a lady so distinguished for her beauty and accomplishments - and, not to say of punishing her, but of reducing her to the submission you so naturally and justly require?'
'I am not accustomed, Carker.

“是的？”卡克先生很快地回答道，”可是为什么呢？”
“为什么！”董贝先生还是没有迟疑地重复道，”因为我告诉她了。”
“唔，”卡克先生回答道，”可是您为什么告诉她呢？您知道，”他微笑了一下，继续说道，一边把他天鹅绒一般柔软的手轻轻地放在董贝先生的胳膊上，就像一只猫掩盖它尖利的脚爪时会这样做的一样；”如果我完全明白您心中的想法，我就可能对您更有用，并有幸更有效地为您服务。我想我已明白了。我不能荣幸地得到董贝夫人的好感。就我的地位来说，我也没有理由指望得到它；但是我想知道，事实是不是就是这样，我是不是就这样接受它？”
“事实可能是这样，”董贝先生说道。
“因此，”卡克继续说道，”您通过我向董贝夫人转达您的指示，一定会使这位夫人感到格外讨厌的吧？”
“我认为，”董贝先生保持着傲慢而沉着的态度，又感到几分为难地说道，”董贝夫人怎样看这个问题是一回事，您和我怎样看这个问题是另一回事，彼此没有关系，卡克。不过情况可能就像您所说的那样。”
“请原谅，不知道我是不是误解了您的意思，”卡克说道，”我想您发现这是压低董贝夫人高傲的一种合适的办法--我在这里使用了高傲这个字眼，用来表明一种在适当的限度内能成为一位美貌和才能出众的夫人的一种装饰品并使她增光的品质--，而且，不说是惩罚她，这也是迫使她顺从的一种合适的办法，而顺从正是您自然地和正当地要求她做到的。不知道我这样理解对吗？”
“卡克，您知道，”董贝先生说道。