狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第32章Part 7

'Yes,' said Mr Toots. 'I called this afternoon. Upon my word and honour, I don't think it's possible to form an idea of the angel Miss Dombey was this afternoon.'
The Captain answered with a jerk of his head, implying that it might not be easy to some people, but was quite so to him.
'As I was coming out,' said Mr Toots, 'the young woman, in the most unexpected manner, took me into the pantry.
The Captain seemed, for the moment, to object to this proceeding; and leaning back in his chair, looked at Mr Toots with a distrustful, if not threatening visage.
'Where she brought out,' said Mr Toots, 'this newspaper. She told me that she had kept it from Miss Dombey all day, on account of something that was in it, about somebody that she and Dombey used to know; and then she read the passage to me. Very well. Then she said - wait a minute; what was it she said, though!'
Mr Toots, endeavouring to concentrate his mental powers on this question, unintentionally fixed the Captain's eye, and was so much discomposed by its stern expression, that his difficulty in resuming the thread of his subject was enhanced to a painful extent.
'Oh!' said Mr Toots after long consideration. 'Oh, ah! Yes! She said that she hoped there was a bare possibility that it mightn't be true; and that as she couldn't very well come out herself, without surprising Miss Dombey, would I go down to Mr Solomon Gills the Instrument-maker's in this street, who was the party's Uncle, and ask whether he believed it was true, or had heard anything else in the City. She said, if he couldn't speak to me, no doubt Captain Cuttle could. By the bye!' said Mr Toots, as the discovery flashed upon him, 'you, you know!'
The Captain glanced at the newspaper in Mr Toots's hand, and breathed short and hurriedly.
'Well, pursued Mr Toots, 'the reason why I'm rather late is, because I went up as far as Finchley first, to get some uncommonly fine chickweed that grows there, for Miss Dombey's bird. But I came on here, directly afterwards. You've seen the paper, I suppose?'

“是的，”图茨先生说道，”今天下午我去拜访了。说实话，我以我的荣誉发誓，我认为要想象董贝小姐今天下午是何等模样的天使是不可能的。”
船长有力地点了一下头，表示有些人可能是不容易想象的，但对他来说，这却是相当容易的。
“当我要离开的时候，”图茨先生说，”那位姑娘完全出乎我的意料之外，把我领到餐具室中。”
船长似乎对这行动一时感到不高兴；他背靠着椅子，露出不信任的（如果不说是威胁的）神色，看着图茨先生。
“她在那里取出这张报纸，”图茨先生说道，”她告诉我，她把它藏了一整天没给董贝小姐看，因为报纸上有一段什么消息说到她和董贝过去都认识的一个什么人；然后她就把那段消息念给我听。念得很好。然后她说--请等一下子--
她是怎么说的？”图茨先生竭力设法把他的脑力集中到这个问题上的时候，无意间碰上了船长的眼光；船长严厉的神色使他心慌意乱，因此他要回到原来的话题更加困难了，简直达到了痛苦的程度。
“哦！”图茨先生经过长时间的思索之后，说道，”哦，啊！对了！她说，她希望还有一星半点的可能性：这消息也许不确实。因为她自己出来不能不惊动董贝小姐，所以问我能不能到这条街上来找仪器制造商所罗门?吉尔斯（他是当事人的舅舅），问问他是不是相信这是确实的，或者他是不是在城里听到别的事情。她说，如果他不能跟我说，那么卡特尔船长毫无疑问是能跟我说的。顺便说说！”当这一意外的发现掠过他的心头时，图茨先生喊道，”您，您知道！”
船长往图茨先生手中的报纸看了一眼，急促地喘着气。
“唔，”图茨先生继续说道，”我来得这么晚的原因是因为我首先到芬奇利这么远的地方去给董贝小姐的鸟儿采一些繁缕，那里生长的繁缕非常好。但是在这之后我就立即到这里来了。我想，您已看到这份报纸了吧？”