狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第25章Part 1

Captain Cuttle, though no sluggard, did not turn out so early on the morning after he had seen Sol Gills, through the shop-window, writing in the parlour, with the Midshipman upon the counter, and Rob the Grinder making up his bed below it, but that the clocks struck six as he raised himself on his elbow, and took a survey of his little chamber. The Captain's eyes must have done severe duty, if he usually opened them as wide on awaking as he did that morning; and were but roughly rewarded for their vigilance, if he generally rubbed them half as hard. But the occasion was no common one, for Rob the Grinder had certainly never stood in the doorway of Captain Cuttle's room before, and in it he stood then, panting at the Captain, with a flushed and touzled air of Bed about him, that greatly heightened both his colour and expression.
'Holloa!' roared the Captain. 'What's the matter?'
Before Rob could stammer a word in answer, Captain Cuttle turned out, all in a heap, and covered the boy's mouth with his hand.
'Steady, my lad,' said the Captain, 'don't ye speak a word to me as yet!'
The Captain, looking at his visitor in great consternation, gently shouldered him into the next room, after laying this injunction upon him; and disappearing for a few moments, forthwith returned in the blue suit. Holding up his hand in token of the injunction not yet being taken off, Captain Cuttle walked up to the cupboard, and poured himself out a dram; a counterpart of which he handed to the messenger. The Captain then stood himself up in a corner, against the wall, as if to forestall the possibility of being knocked backwards by the communication that was to be made to him; and having swallowed his liquor, with his eyes fixed on the messenger, and his face as pale as his face could be, requested him to 'heave ahead.'
'Do you mean, tell you, Captain?' asked Rob, who had been greatly impressed by these precautions
'Ay!' said the Captain.
'Well, Sir,' said Rob, 'I ain't got much to tell. But look here!'
Rob produced a bundle of keys. The Captain surveyed them, remained in his corner, and surveyed the messenger.
'And look here!' pursued Rob.

卡特尔船长昨天夜里曾经从店铺窗子里看到所尔·吉尔斯在客厅里写东西，海军军官候补生站在柜台上，磨工罗布在柜台下面铺床铺；他虽然并不是一个懒人，但是这一天早上他起得不是很早，直到时钟敲打了六下，他才支着胳膊肘，欠起身来，对他的小房间四处看了看；如果船长平时醒来的时候，眼睛也像这天早上张得这么大，那么它们一定是担负着严重的任务；如果他平时也像这天早上这么猛烈地揉它们，那么它们的警觉性就得到很差的酬劳了。可是现在的情况是异乎寻常的，因为磨工罗布以前从来没有在卡特尔船长卧室的门口出现过，然而现在他却站在那里，气喘吁吁地望着船长，脸孔通红，蓬头散发，好像刚刚从床上起来似的，这大大地影响了他的脸色和表情。
“喂！”船长大声喊叫道，“发生了什么事了？”
罗布张口结舌，一个字也没能答出来的时候，卡特尔船长就慌慌张张地下了床，用手捂住孩子的嘴巴。
“别急，我的孩子，”船长说道，“现在一个字也别跟我说！”
船长向他发出了这条禁令之后，十分惊恐地望着他的来访者，轻轻地推着他的肩膀，把他推到隔壁的房间里；卡特尔船长不见了一会儿之后，又穿着蓝色的服装回来。他一边举着手表示禁令还没有解除，一边走向碗柜给他自己倒了一杯酒，他又把另一杯递给前来传送消息的人。然后船长站在一个角落里，背靠着墙，仿佛是要预防自己可能被即将听到的消息惊吓得往后倒下似的；接着，他吞下了酒，眼睛一动不动地盯住传信人，脸色极度苍白地请他“收起曳索，使船前进吧！”
“船长，您的意思是不是说告诉您？”罗布问道，这些预防措施给他留下了强烈的印象。
“是的！”船长说道。
“好吧，先生，”罗布说道，“我没有好多话要说的。不过请看这里！”
罗布取出一串钥匙。船长仔细地看了看，继续站在角落里，又打量着前来传递讯息的人。
“再看这里！”罗布继续说道。