狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第30章Part 8

No bad representation of the body, for the nonce, in his unbending form, if not in his attitude, Mr Dombey looked down into the cold depths of the dead sea of mahogany on which the fruit dishes and decanters lay at anchor: as if the subjects of his thoughts were rising towards the surface one by one, and plunging down again. Edith was there In all her majesty of brow and figure; and close to her came Florence, with her timid head turned to him, as it had been, for an instant, when she left the room; and Edith's eyes upon her, and Edith's hand put out protectingly. A little figure in a low arm-chair came springing next into the light, and looked upon him wonderingly, with its bright eyes and its old-young face, gleaming as in the flickering of an evening fire. Again came Florence close upon it, and absorbed his whole attention. Whether as a fore-doomed difficulty and disappointment to him; whether as a rival who had crossed him in his way, and might again; whether as his child, of whom, in his successful wooing, he could stoop to think as claiming, at such a time, to be no more estranged; or whether as a hint to him that the mere appearance of caring for his own blood should be maintained in his new relations; he best knew. Indifferently well, perhaps, at best; for marriage company and marriage altars, and ambitious scenes - still blotted here and there with Florence - always Florence - turned up so fast, and so confusedly, that he rose, and went upstairs to escape them.
It was quite late at night before candles were brought; for at present they made Mrs Skewton's head ache, she complained; and in the meantime Florence and Mrs Skewton talked together (Cleopatra being very anxious to keep her close to herself), or Florence touched the piano softly for Mrs Skewton's delight; to make no mention of a few occasions in the course of the evening, when that affectionate lady was impelled to solicit another kiss, and which always happened after Edith had said anything. They were not many, however, for Edith sat apart by an open window during the whole time (in spite of her mother's fears that she would take cold), and remained there until Mr Dombey took leave. He was serenely gracious to Florence when he did so; and Florence went to bed in a room within Edith's, so happy and hopeful, that she thought of her late self as if it were some other poor deserted girl who was to be pitied for her sorrow; and in her pity, sobbed herself to sleep.
The week fled fast. There were drives to milliners, dressmakers, jewellers, lawyers, florists, pastry-cooks; and Florence was always of the party. Florence was to go to the wedding. Florence was to cast off her mourning, and to wear a brilliant dress on the occasion. The milliner's intentions on the subject of this dress - the milliner was a Frenchwoman, and greatly resembled Mrs Skewton - were so chaste and elegant, that Mrs Skewton bespoke one like it for herself. The milliner said it would become her to admiration, and that all the world would take her for the young lady's sister.
The week fled faster. Edith looked at nothing and cared for nothing. Her rich dresses came home, and were tried on, and were loudly commended by Mrs Skewton and the milliners, and were put away without a word from her. Mrs Skewton made their plans for every day, and executed them. Sometimes Edith sat in the carriage when they went to make purchases; sometimes, when it was absolutely necessary, she went into the shops. But Mrs Skewton conducted the whole business, whatever it happened to be; and Edith looked on as uninterested and with as much apparent indifference as if she had no concern in it. Florence might perhaps have thought she was haughty and listless, but that she was never so to her. So Florence quenched her wonder in her gratitude whenever it broke out, and soon subdued it.
The week fled faster. It had nearly winged its flight away. The last night of the week, the night before the marriage, was come. In the dark room - for Mrs Skewton's head was no better yet, though she expected to recover permanently to-morrow - were that lady, Edith, and Mr Dombey. Edith was at her open window looking out into the street; Mr Dombey and Cleopatra were talking softly on the sofa. It was growing late; and Florence, being fatigued, had gone to bed.

由董贝先生暂且代表这具尸体倒也不坏，因为如果不去考虑他的姿势，单就他那毫不弯曲的身形来说，它和尸体实在没有什么差别。桃花心木的餐桌就像一片死海，水果盘子和圆酒瓶正停泊在海上，董贝先生低垂着眼睛，看着这片死海寒冷的深处，仿佛他在思考的人物正一个个地升浮到海面，然后又重新沉没下去。这里是伊迪丝，脸孔和身姿中呈现出威严的神态；紧挨着她的是弗洛伦斯，神色胆怯地朝着他，就跟她刚才离开房间那一刹那间的情形一样；伊迪丝的眼睛注视着她，伊迪丝伸出手来保护她。接着，一个坐在低矮的扶手椅中的小人儿突然出现在亮光中，惊奇地望着他；他那明亮的眼睛和又年轻又老态的脸孔就像晚间闪烁的炉火一样闪发出亮光。弗洛伦斯又来到了小人儿的身旁，吸引了他的全部注意力。董贝先生注意她，是不是由于她是注定要给他带来困难和使他感到失望的人呢？或者是不是由于她是曾经挡住他的道路，并可能再次挡住他的道路的劲敌呢？或者是不是由于她是他的孩子，现在他在求婚获得成功的时候，可以软下心来想一想她，因为她在这样的时候要求不再被他疏远了呢？或者是不是她对他是一种暗示：现在当他建立了新的家庭的时候，他必须至少在表面上对他的亲骨肉表示出一点关心呢？这一切只有他本人最明白。但也许他对这些并没有认真思考过，他心中充其量也仍然是模糊不清的，因为婚礼呀，圣坛呀以及雄心勃勃的远景呀（到处仍然都有个弗洛伦斯的黑点在里面，老是有弗洛伦斯），十分迅速地和杂乱无章地在他的心中闪现出来，因此，他只好站起身来，走上楼去避开它们。
夜里一直到很晚的时候也还没有点蜡烛，因为斯丘顿夫人抱怨，现在点蜡烛会使她头疼；整个晚上，弗洛伦斯和斯丘顿夫人谈着话（克利奥佩特拉急切地把她留在身边），或者是弗洛伦斯轻轻弹着钢琴给斯丘顿夫人消遣；那位慈爱的夫人有时还不得不要求弗洛伦斯再去亲她一下，而这又总是在伊迪丝说了什么话之后。不过伊迪丝说得不多，她不顾她母亲担心她会着凉，一直独自一人坐在打开的窗子旁边，直到董贝先生告辞之后才离开。他告别时，沉着平静地对弗洛伦斯表示了礼貌。弗洛伦斯走到邻近伊迪丝卧室的房间中去睡觉时感到十分幸福，充满了希望；当她想到她的过去时，就像想到另一个可怜的、被遗弃的女孩子一样；对这个女孩子的不幸是应当寄予同情的，她就在这种同情中哭泣着，哭泣着，睡去了。
这个星期过得很快。乘车前往妇女服饰店、缝纫店、珠宝店、律师事务所、花店和糕点店。弗洛伦斯经常陪着一道去。弗洛伦斯将参加婚礼。那时弗洛伦斯必须脱去丧服，穿上华丽的服装。妇女服饰商是一位法国女人，面貌很像斯丘顿夫人；她对弗洛伦斯这套服装的设计思想十分高雅、优美，所以斯丘顿夫人就给她自己也预定了式样相似的一套；那位妇女服饰商说，她穿起来一定人人赞美，大家都会以为她是那位小姐的姐姐呢。
这个星期过得更快了。伊迪丝什么也不看，什么也不关心。豪华的服装给她送到家里来，进行了试穿；斯丘顿夫人和妇女服饰商对它们高声赞扬，她则一声不吭地把它们收放起来。斯丘顿夫人拟订她们每天的计划，并执行着这些计划。有时候她们去买东西时，伊迪丝就在马车里坐着；有时候，当绝对有必要时，她才走进商店。但是不论在什么情况下，斯丘顿夫人都指挥着一切，而伊迪丝则毫无兴趣，显然冷冷淡淡地看着这一切，仿佛她对这丝毫也不关心似的。弗洛伦斯也许会想，她是傲慢的和无精打采的，但是她对待她却从来不曾这样，因此弗洛伦斯每当感到不可思议时，她就怀着感谢的心情把她的这种诧异压下去，并很快地克服了它。
这个星期过得更快了。它几乎是长着翅膀飞过去的。这星期的最后一夜，结婚前的一夜来临了。房间里仍然是黑暗的，因为斯丘顿夫人的头痛还没有好，虽然她希望明天能永远消除这个病症。在房间里的是斯丘顿夫人，伊迪丝和董贝先生。伊迪丝又坐在打开的窗子旁边，望着外面的街道；董贝先生和克利奥佩特拉坐在沙发上低声谈话。时间已经很晚了，弗洛伦斯觉得疲累，已经去睡觉了。