狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第42章Part5

The Grinder's breath came short and thick with consternation. He tried to protest the purity of his intentions, but could only stare at the smiling gentleman in a stupor of submission, with which the smiling gentleman seemed well enough satisfied, for he ordered him downstairs, after observing him for some moments in silence, and gave him to understand that he was retained in his employment. This was the manner of Rob the Grinder's engagement by Mr Carker, and his awe-stricken devotion to that gentleman had strengthened and increased, if possible, with every minute of his service.
It was a service of some months' duration, when early one morning, Rob opened the garden gate to Mr Dombey, who was come to breakfast with his master, by appointment. At the same moment his master himself came, hurrying forth to receive the distinguished guest, and give him welcome with all his teeth.
'I never thought,' said Carker, when he had assisted him to alight from his horse, 'to see you here, I'm sure. This is an extraordinary day in my calendar. No occasion is very special to a man like you, who may do anything; but to a man like me, the case is widely different.
'You have a tasteful place here, Carker,' said Mr Dombey, condescending to stop upon the lawn, to look about him.
'You can afford to say so,' returned Carker. 'Thank you.'

磨工惊恐得直喘粗气。他本想要表白他过去那样做的用意是纯洁的，但在毫无抵抗、俯首听命的情绪中，他只能瞪眼看着那位微笑着的先生。那位微笑着的先生似乎对他的顺从十分满意，因为他默默地把他打量了一会儿之后，命令他下楼去，并让他了解，他已被留下雇用了。
罗布就是这样被卡克先生雇用的。他对那位先生诚惶诚恐的忠诚，随着他的服务时间，每分钟都在加强和增进（如果这是可能的话）。 罗布服务了几个月之后，有一天早上，他给董贝先生打开了花园的门；董贝先生是按照约定来跟他的主人一起吃早饭的。就在这时候，他的主人来了，急忙走向前去迎接这位重要的客人，并露出全部牙齿表示欢迎。
“我从没料想到会在这里见到您，”卡克先生帮助他从马上下来的时候，说道，”这是我的日程表中一个不同寻常的日子！对于像您这样的人来说，没有什么场合是十分特殊的，因为您可以做任何事情；可是对于像我这样的人来说，情况就完全不同了。”
“您在这里有一个很雅致的地方呢，卡克，”董贝先生态度谦和地在草坪上停下脚步，向四周看看。
“承蒙您夸奖了，”卡克先生回答道，”谢谢您。”