狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第22章Part 7

The prodigal son was evidently nervous of visiting the parental abode; but Mr Carker pushing him on before, he had nothing for it but to open the right door, and suffer himself to be walked into the midst of his brothers and sisters, mustered in overwhelming force round the family tea-table. At sight of the prodigal in the grasp of a stranger, these tender relations united in a general howl, which smote upon the prodigal's breast so sharply when he saw his mother stand up among them, pale and trembling, with the baby in her arms, that he lent his own voice to the chorus.
Nothing doubting now that the stranger, if not Mr Ketch' in person, was one of that company, the whole of the young family wailed the louder, while its more infantine members, unable to control the transports of emotion appertaining to their time of life, threw themselves on their backs like young birds when terrified by a hawk, and kicked violently. At length, poor Polly making herself audible, said, with quivering lips, 'Oh Rob, my poor boy, what have you done at last!'
'Nothing, mother,' cried Rob, in a piteous voice, 'ask the gentleman!'
'Don't be alarmed,' said Mr Carker, 'I want to do him good.'
At this announcement, Polly, who had not cried yet, began to do so. The elder Toodles, who appeared to have been meditating a rescue, unclenched their fists. The younger Toodles clustered round their mother's gown, and peeped from under their own chubby arms at their desperado brother and his unknown friend. Everybody blessed the gentleman with the beautiful teeth, who wanted to do good.
'This fellow,' said Mr Carker to Polly, giving him a gentle shake, 'is your son, eh, Ma'am?'
'Yes, Sir,' sobbed Polly, with a curtsey; 'yes, Sir.'
'A bad son, I am afraid?' said Mr Carker.
'Never a bad son to me, Sir,' returned Polly.
'To whom then?' demanded Mr Carker.

这位浪子显然害怕走进父母的住宅；但是卡克先生推着他向前走，他没有别的办法，只好推开了他自己家里的门，听任自己被领到簇拥在家庭茶桌周围的许多弟弟妹妹中间。这些年幼的亲人们看到浪子被抓在一位陌生人的手中时，都一齐嚎啕大哭起来；当浪子看见母亲手中抱着婴儿站在他们中间，脸色苍白，身子颤抖的时候，哭声锋利地戳痛了他的心，他自己的声音也加入到这个异口同声的大哭中了。
毫无疑问，这位陌生人不是凯齐先生本人，就是他同伙中的一位；全家年轻人更加高声地嚎啕大哭起来，而那些比较幼小的就像那些被老鹰惊吓了的小鸟一样，背倒在地上，猛烈地踢着脚。终于，波利提高了嗓门，嘴唇颤抖着说道：“啊，罗布，我可怜的孩子，你到底干了什么事啦？”
“没干什么事，妈妈，”罗布用凄惨的声音哭着说道，“你问一下这位先生吧！”
“别惊慌，”卡克先生说道，“我是想为他做好事的。”
听到这个声明以后，一直还没有哭的波利开始哭起来。年龄比较大的图德尔们原先想来营救的，这时放松了紧握的拳头。年龄比较小的图德尔们簇拥在母亲的长外衣周围，从他们胖鼓鼓的小手下面偷看着他们的走上邪路的哥哥和他的不知名的朋友。每个人都为这位有漂亮的牙齿、想做好事的先生祝福。
“这小子，”卡克先生把罗布的身子轻轻地摇了一下，“是您的儿子，是吧，夫人？”
“是的，先生，”波利行了个屈膝礼，抽抽嗒嗒地说道，“是的，先生。”
“恐怕是个坏儿子吧？”卡克先生说道。
“对我来说，他从来不是个坏儿子，先生，”波利回答道。
“那么对于谁他才是呢？”卡克先生问道。