狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第24章Part 5

The aunt replied, after a moment's pause, that she did not know. Her tone of voice arrested Florence, who had started from her seat again; and held her fastened to the spot, with her work hastily caught up to her bosom, and her two hands saving it from being scattered on the ground.
'He is in England, I hope, aunt?' said the child.
'I believe so. Yes; I know he is, indeed.'
'Has he ever been here?'
'I believe not. No.'
'Is he coming here to see her?'
'I believe not.
'Is he lame, or blind, or ill, aunt?' asked the child.

The flowers that Florence held to her breast began to fall when she heard those words, so wonderingly spoke She held them closer; and her face hung down upon them'
'Kate,' said the lady, after another moment of silence, 'I will tell you the whole truth about Florence as I have heard it, and believe it to be. Tell no one else, my dear, because it may be little known here, and your doing so would give her pain.'
'I never will!' exclaimed the child.

姑妈沉默了片刻之后，回答说，她不知道。她的声调引起了弗洛伦斯的注意，她本来又已经从座位上站起来，这时它使她固定在原地不动；她急忙把花冠紧贴在胸上，两手抱住花朵，以免它们散落到地上。
“他是在英国吗，姑妈？”女孩子问道。
“我想是的，不错，他是在英国，一点不错。”
“他到这里来过吗？”
“不，我想他不曾来过。”
“他是不是将要到这里来看她？”
“我想他不会来。”
“他是不是脚跛了，眼瞎了还是生病了，姑妈？”女孩子问道。
当弗洛伦斯听到这些这样惊奇地说出的话语时，她紧贴在胸膛的花朵开始掉落。她把它们贴得更紧，她的脸向着它们低垂下来。
“凯特，”那位夫人又沉默了片刻之后，说道，“我将把有关弗洛伦斯的全部真情告诉你，这是我所听到的和相信的。不要告诉别人，我亲爱的，因为这里可能很少有人知道这，你要是告诉了别人，就会使她痛苦。”
“我决不会告诉别人！”女孩子喊道。