狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第26章Part 5

'Wretched man!' cried Mrs Skewton, looking at him languidly, 'pray be silent.'
'J. B. is dumb, Ma'am,' said the Major.
'Mr Dombey,' pursued Cleopatra, smoothing the rosy hue upon her cheeks, 'accordingly repeated his visit; and possibly finding some attraction in the simplicity and primitiveness of our tastes - for there is always a charm in nature - it is so very sweet - became one of our little circle every evening. Little did I think of the awful responsibility into which I plunged when I encouraged Mr Dombey - to -
'To beat up these quarters, Ma'am,' suggested Major Bagstock.
'Coarse person! 'said Mrs Skewton, 'you anticipate my meaning, though in odious language.
Here Mrs Skewton rested her elbow on the little table at her side, and suffering her wrist to droop in what she considered a graceful and becoming manner, dangled her fan to and fro, and lazily admired her hand while speaking.
'The agony I have endured,' she said mincingly, 'as the truth has by degrees dawned upon me, has been too exceedingly terrific to dilate upon. My whole existence is bound up in my sweetest Edith; and to see her change from day to day - my beautiful pet, who has positively garnered up her heart since the death of that most delightful creature, Granger - is the most affecting thing in the world.'
Mrs Skewton's world was not a very trying one, if one might judge of it by the influence of its most affecting circumstance upon her; but this by the way.
'Edith,' simpered Mrs Skewton, 'who is the perfect pearl of my life, is said to resemble me. I believe we are alike.'
'There is one man in the world who never will admit that anyone resembles you, Ma'am,' said the Major; 'and that man's name is Old Joe Bagstock.'
Cleopatra made as if she would brain the flatterer with her fan, but relenting, smiled upon him and proceeded:
'If my charming girl inherits any advantages from me, wicked one!': the Major was the wicked one: 'she inherits also my foolish nature. She has great force of character - mine has been said to be immense, though I don't believe it - but once moved, she is susceptible and sensitive to the last extent. What are my feelings when I see her pining! They destroy me.
The Major advancing his double chin, and pursing up his blue lips into a soothing expression, affected the profoundest sympathy.
'The confidence,' said Mrs Skewton, 'that has subsisted between us - the free development of soul, and openness of sentiment - is touching to think of. We have been more like sisters than Mama and child.'
'J. B.'s own sentiment,' observed the Major, 'expressed by J. B. fifty thousand times!'
'Do not interrupt, rude man!' said Cleopatra. 'What are my feelings, then, when I find that there is one subject avoided by us! That there is a what's-his-name - a gulf - opened between us. That my own artless Edith is changed to me! They are of the most poignant description, of course.'
The Major left his chair, and took one nearer to the little table.
'From day to day I see this, my dear Major,' proceeded Mrs Skewton. 'From day to day I feel this. From hour to hour I reproach myself for that excess of faith and trustfulness which has led to such distressing consequences; and almost from minute to minute, I hope that Mr Dombey may explain himself, and relieve the torture I undergo, which is extremely wearing. But nothing happens, my dear Major; I am the slave of remorse - take care of the coffee-cup: you are so very awkward - my darling Edith is an altered being; and I really don't see what is to be done, or what good creature I can advise with.'
Major Bagstock, encouraged perhaps by the softened and confidential tone into which Mrs Skewton, after several times lapsing into it for a moment, seemed now to have subsided for good, stretched out his hand across the little table, and said with a leer,
'Advise with Joe, Ma'am.'

“坏蛋！”斯丘顿夫人没精打采地看着他说，“请别吱声！”
“乔·白一个字也不说了，夫人，”少校说道。
“董贝先生后来就不断到这里来拜访，”克利奥佩特拉揉平脸颊上的红粉，继续说道，“也许是发现我们纯朴和自然的风格中有什么吸引力吧——因为在自然中总是有一种魅力的——它是很引人入胜的——，他成了我们每天晚上小小聚会中的一员。当初我决没想到我会背负起这可怕的责任，那时候我鼓励董贝先生——”
“上这里来随便串串门，夫人，”白格斯托克少校提示说。
“粗野的人！”斯丘顿夫人说，“你猜对了我的意思，但使用了讨厌的语言。”
这时斯丘顿夫人把胳膊肘搁在身边的一张小桌子上，用她认为优美和合适的姿态垂下手腕，悬吊着扇子来回摆动，一边说话一边赞赏着她自己的手。
“当我逐渐明白真相的时候，”她装腔作势地说道，“我所忍受过的痛苦真是太可怕了，我不想去细细说它；我的整个一生都跟我最亲爱的伊迪丝紧密地联系在一起；我美丽的宝贝孩子，自从那极讨人喜欢的人儿格兰杰死去以后，她简直把心也给掩藏起来了；看到她的容颜一天天地改变，真是世界上最令人伤心的事情。”
如果人们从那最伤心的痛苦对斯丘顿夫人所产生的影响来判断的话，那么她的世界并不是很难于忍受的，不过这只是顺便说说而已。
“人们都说，”斯丘顿夫人傻笑着说道，“我生活中十全十美的的珍珠伊迪丝像我。我相信，我们确实是相像的。”
“世界上有一个人永远也不会承认有谁能像你，夫人，”少校说，“这个人的名字就是老乔·白格斯托克。”
克利奥佩特拉装着要用扇子打破马屁精的脑袋，但却又发了慈悲心，对他微笑着，继续说道：
“如果我迷人的女儿继承了我的什么优点的话，坏东西！”坏东西是指少校，“那么她也继承了我的傻脾气。她有着强烈的性格——人们说我的性格也是很强烈的，虽然我不相信——，但是她一旦被感动了，她是极容易动心和敏感的。当我看到她憔悴下去的时候，我的心情是什么滋味啊！它简直要毁了我。”
少校向前伸出他的双下巴，表示安慰地噘着发青的嘴唇，假装出极为深切的同情。
“我们之间存在的信任：心灵的自由发展和思想感情的尽情倾吐，”斯丘顿夫人说道，“想起来真是动人。我们像是姐妹俩，而不像妈妈和女儿。”
“乔·白就有这样的看法，”少校说道，“乔·白已讲过五万次了！”
“别插嘴，粗鲁的人！”克利奥佩特拉说，“当我发现有一个问题我们避开不谈的时候，我的心情是什么滋味啊！在我们中间悬隔着一道——该叫什么——鸿沟。我的天真朴实的伊迪丝要变成我的模样了！自然，这是最沉痛难忍的心情。”
少校离开他的椅子，坐到挨近小桌子的那一张中。
“一天又一天，我看到了这一点，我亲爱的少校，”斯丘顿夫人继续说道，“一天又一天，我感觉到了这一点。一小时又一小时，我责备自己，过分的信任，过分的无猜无疑，它已造成了如此痛苦的结果；差不多一分钟又一分钟，我希望董贝先生会自己来解释，并解除我遭受的痛苦，这痛苦真使我精疲力竭。但是什么也没有发生，我亲爱的少校。我深深地悔恨——小心别打破咖啡杯子，你这笨手笨脚的人——我最亲爱的伊迪丝是个已经改变了的人；我实在不知道该怎么办，也不知道我可以跟哪位好人商量。”
斯丘顿夫人曾经好多次采用，现在终于完全采用了温柔和信任的语气，白格斯托克少校也许受到这种语气的鼓励，就把手伸过小桌子，斜眼看着说道：
“跟乔商量吧，夫人。”