狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第26章Part 7

'This morning, Ma'am,' returned the Major. 'And Dombey's anxiety for his arrival, Ma'am, is to be referred - take J. B.'s word for this; for Joe is devilish sly' - the Major tapped his nose, and screwed up one of his eyes tight: which did not enhance his native beauty - 'to his desire that what is in the wind should become known to him' without Dombey's telling and consulting him. For Dombey is as proud, Ma'am,' said the Major, 'as Lucifer.'
'A charming quality,' lisped Mrs Skewton; 'reminding one of dearest Edith.'
'Well, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'I have thrown out hints already, and the right-hand man understands 'em; and I'll throw out more, before the day is done. Dombey projected this morning a ride to Warwick Castle, and to Kenilworth, to-morrow, to be preceded by a breakfast with us. I undertook the delivery of this invitation. Will you honour us so far, Ma'am?' said the Major, swelling with shortness of breath and slyness, as he produced a note, addressed to the Honourable Mrs Skewton, by favour of Major Bagstock, wherein hers ever faithfully, Paul Dombey, besought her and her amiable and accomplished daughter to consent to the proposed excursion; and in a postscript unto which, the same ever faithfully Paul Dombey entreated to be recalled to the remembrance of Mrs Granger.
'Hush!' said Cleopatra, suddenly, 'Edith!'
The loving mother can scarcely be described as resuming her insipid and affected air when she made this exclamation; for she had never cast it off; nor was it likely that she ever would or could, in any other place than in the grave. But hurriedly dismissing whatever shadow of earnestness, or faint confession of a purpose, laudable or wicked, that her face, or voice, or manner: had, for the moment, betrayed, she lounged upon the couch, her most insipid and most languid self again, as Edith entered the room.
Edith, so beautiful and stately, but so cold and so repelling. Who, slightly acknowledging the presence of Major Bagstock, and directing a keen glance at her mother, drew back the from a window, and sat down there, looking out.
'My dearest Edith,' said Mrs Skewton, 'where on earth have you been? I have wanted you, my love, most sadly.'
'You said you were engaged, and I stayed away,' she answered, without turning her head.
'It was cruel to Old Joe, Ma'am,' said the Major in his gallantry.

“今天早上，夫人，”少校回答道，“董贝曾经焦急地等待着他的来到，夫人，这说明了——请相信乔·白的话，因为乔是魔鬼般狡猾的人，”少校轻轻地敲打着自己的鼻子，并眯缝着一只眼睛，这并没有改善他天生的美容，“这说明了董贝希望他得知这个消息，不用他告诉他或跟他商量。因为，夫人，”少校说，“董贝就跟魔王一样骄傲。”
“这是个可爱的性格，”斯丘顿夫人吐字不清地说道，“它使人想起了我最亲爱的伊迪丝。”
“唔，夫人，”少校说，“我已经作出了一些暗示，那位左右手明白了，我将再作出一些暗示，直到那天来到为止。董贝今天早上建议明天乘车到沃里克城堡①和凯尼尔沃思②去游览，动身之前先跟我们一起吃早饭。我是替他来送请柬的。您肯不肯赏光，夫人？”少校说，当他取出一张短笺时，他脸上扬扬得意，露出狡猾的神气，气都喘不过来；这张短笺是烦请白格斯托克少校转交给尊敬的斯丘顿夫人的；在这张短笺中，她的永远忠实的保罗·董贝恳求她和她和蔼可亲的、多才多艺的女儿同意参加这次建议中的游览。在附言中，这同一位永远忠实的保罗·董贝请求她向格兰杰夫人转致他的问候。
“别说话！”克利奥佩特拉突然说道，“伊迪丝！”
这位可爱的母亲在发出这个惊叫声之后又重新装出那副没有精神、装腔作势的神态，这种情景简直是不可能描写的；因为她从来没有抛开过这个神态，大概除了坟墓之外，不论在其他任何地方她都不想，也不可能抛开这个神态的。但是她在脸孔、声音或神态中曾经在片刻间暴露出她曾经认真怀有一种目的或微弱地承认她怀有那个目的（不论这目的是高尚的或邪恶的），而当伊迪丝走进房间的时候，她就急急忙忙地驱除掉她曾一时暴露出的所有这些神色的任何阴影，懒洋洋地斜靠在长沙发上，又是原先那极为没精打采和有气无力的神态。
伊迪丝十分美丽和庄严，但却又十分冷淡和拒人于千里之外。她对白格斯托克少校几乎没打招呼，向母亲敏锐地看了一眼之后，把一个窗子的窗帘拉开，在窗前坐下，望着外面。
“我最亲爱的伊迪丝，”斯丘顿夫人说道，“你这些时候待在哪里？我多么想看到你呀，我亲爱的。”
“你刚才说你有事，所以我就没进来，”她头也不回地回答道。
“这对老乔太残酷无情了，夫人，”少校以他特有的殷勤说道。