狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第29章Part 5

'I should have adopted this course of argument,' pursued the discreet lady, 'because I trust I am not a fool. I make no claim to be considered a person of superior intellect - though I believe some people have been extraordinary enough to consider me so; one so little humoured as I am, would very soon be disabused of any such notion; but I trust I am not a downright fool. And to tell ME,' said Mrs Chick with ineffable disdain, 'that my brother Paul Dombey could ever contemplate the possibility of uniting himself to anybody - I don't care who' - she was more sharp and emphatic in that short clause than in any other part of her discourse - 'not possessing these requisites, would be to insult what understanding I have got, as much as if I was to be told that I was born and bred an elephant, which I may be told next,' said Mrs Chick, with resignation. 'It wouldn't surprise me at all. I expect it.'
In the moment's silence that ensued, Miss Tox's scissors gave a feeble clip or two; but Miss Tox's face was still invisible, and Miss Tox's morning gown was agitated. Mrs Chick looked sideways at her, through the intervening plants, and went on to say, in a tone of bland conviction, and as one dwelling on a point of fact that hardly required to be stated:
'Therefore, of course my brother Paul has done what was to be expected of him, and what anybody might have foreseen he would do, if he entered the marriage state again. I confess it takes me rather by surprise, however gratifying; because when Paul went out of town I had no idea at all that he would form any attachment out of town, and he certainly had no attachment when he left here. However, it seems to be extremely desirable in every point of view. I have no doubt the mother is a most genteel and elegant creature, and I have no right whatever to dispute the policy of her living with them: which is Paul's affair, not mine - and as to Paul's choice, herself, I have only seen her picture yet, but that is beautiful indeed. Her name is beautiful too,' said Mrs Chick, shaking her head with energy, and arranging herself in her chair; 'Edith is at once uncommon, as it strikes me, and distinguished. Consequently, Lucretia, I have no doubt you will be happy to hear that the marriage is to take place immediately - of course, you will:' great emphasis again: 'and that you are delighted with this change in the condition of my brother, who has shown you a great deal of pleasant attention at various times.'
Miss Tox made no verbal answer, but took up the little watering-pot with a trembling hand, and looked vacantly round as if considering what article of furniture would be improved by the contents. The room door opening at this crisis of Miss Tox's feelings, she started, laughed aloud, and fell into the arms of the person entering; happily insensible alike of Mrs Chick's indignant countenance and of the Major at his window over the way, who had his double-barrelled eye-glass in full action, and whose face and figure were dilated with Mephistophelean joy.
Not so the expatriated Native, amazed supporter of Miss Tox's swooning form, who, coming straight upstairs, with a polite inquiry touching Miss Tox's health (in exact pursuance of the Major's malicious instructions), had accidentally arrived in the very nick of time to catch the delicate burden in his arms, and to receive the content' of the little watering-pot in his shoe; both of which circumstances, coupled with his consciousness of being closely watched by the wrathful Major, who had threatened the usual penalty in regard of every bone in his skin in case of any failure, combined to render him a moving spectacle of mental and bodily distress.
For some moments, this afflicted foreigner remained clasping Miss Tox to his heart, with an energy of action in remarkable opposition to his disconcerted face, while that poor lady trickled slowly down upon him the very last sprinklings of the little watering-pot, as if he were a delicate exotic (which indeed he was), and might be almost expected to blow while the gentle rain descended. Mrs Chick, at length recovering sufficient presence of mind to interpose, commanded him to drop Miss Tox upon the sofa and withdraw; and the exile promptly obeying, she applied herself to promote Miss Tox's recovery.

“我必须采取这种议论事理的程序，”这位考虑周到的夫人继续说道，”因为我相信，我不是个傻瓜。我并不奢望人们把我看成是智慧高超的人（虽然我相信，有人实在离奇，竟会这样看我，不过对于像我这样一个没有人会去巴结迎合的人，这类错误不久就会纠正过来的），可是我希望，我不是一个十足的傻瓜。要是有人对我说，”奇克夫人用难以形容的轻蔑的表情说道，”我的哥哥保罗?董贝可以考虑跟不具备这些不可缺少的条件的任何人成亲，--我不管是谁对我说的--”她说这短语的语气比她话语中的任何其他部分都更为尖锐和有力，”那就是侮辱我所具有的理智，那就等于告诉我，我生下来是只象，并像象一样地被养大；也许下一步就要对我这么说了，”奇克夫人露出逆来顺受的表情，说道，”这一点并不会使我吃惊。我等待着。”
在接着短暂的沉默中，托克斯小姐的剪刀有气无力地剪了一两下，但是托克斯小姐的脸却依旧看不到。托克斯小姐早晨穿的长外衣颤抖着。奇克夫人通过中间挡隔着的花斜看着她，然后像一个在详细谈论不需要解释的事实的人一样，用深信不疑的语气，继续说下去：
“因此，我的哥哥保罗只要打算再婚，他自然做了人们预料他会做的事情，任何人都可以预见他会做的事情。我承认，这虽然使我高兴，但却使我相当吃惊，因为当保罗离开伦敦的时候，我根本没想到他会在伦敦以外的地方谈上恋爱；他离开这里的时候，当然是没有恋爱的。不过看来，无论从哪一方面看，这都是极为称心满意的。我毫无疑问，那母亲是一位极有教养、极为高尚的人，我也没有任何权利去争论，她跟他们住在一起是否合适，因为这是保罗的事，不是我的事。至于保罗挑中的人儿本人，我现在还只看到她的照片，不过从照片看，那可确实是个美人。她的名字也美，”奇克夫人有力地摇摇头，在椅子里移正身体，说道，”伊迪丝这个名字，我觉得既不俗，又高贵。因此，卢克丽霞，我毫不怀疑，您将会高兴听到，婚礼不久就要举行了，--当然，您将会高兴，”她又大大地加强了语气，”您将会对我哥哥生活中的这个变化感到快乐，他曾多次极为善意地关心过您。”
托克斯小姐没有用言语回答，但却用颤抖的手拿起小喷水壶，茫然失措地看看四周，仿佛在考虑哪一件家具用壶里的水浇一浇会好一些似的。当托克斯小姐的感情处在这一紧急关头的时候，房间的门开了，她吃了一惊，高声大笑，并倒在进门来的人的怀里；幸亏这时她没有看到奇克夫人的愤怒的脸色，也没有看到广场对过的少校在窗口用双筒望远镜使劲看着，他的脸上和身姿中都显露出梅菲斯托菲尔式的喜悦。
被放逐出国的本地人就是托克斯小姐晕倒的身体的吃惊的支撑者，他这时的心情跟他主人完全不同。他严格执行少校存心不良的指示，走上楼来，打算有礼貌地打听一下托克斯小姐的健康情况，碰巧就在这个紧要的关头到达，把这娇弱的负担接在怀里，而他的鞋子则接受了小喷水壶里流出来的水。这两种情况，再加上他知道怒气冲冲的少校现在正在密切注视他（少校曾威胁他，一旦失败，就要照常对他进行惩罚，他全身的每根骨头都要遭殃），所以他遭受着精神上和肉体上的双重痛苦，情景实在悲惨动人。
这位苦恼的外国人用一种和他仓皇失措的脸部表情绝不相称的劲头，把托克斯小姐在胸前一直抱了好几秒钟，这时候，这位可怜的小姐让小喷水壶里最后的一点水一滴一滴慢慢地流到他身上，仿佛他是一株纤弱的外国植物（他是从外国来的，这点倒也确实），在这小雨的滋润下，几乎可以期待它开出花朵来。奇克夫人终于充分恢复了镇静，开始过问这件事情；她嘱咐本地人把托克斯小姐放到沙发上，然后出去；这位亡命他乡的人立即遵命照办。在这之后，她就投入全部精力，设法使托克斯小姐清醒过来。