狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第51章Part2
'Honoured, I am sure,' says Cousin Feenix.
' - is,' proceeds the Major, with a wag of his head, 'also a man of the world. Dombey, you are a man of the world. Now, when three men of the world meet together, and are friends - as I believe - ' again appealing to Cousin Feenix.
'I am sure,' says Cousin Feenix, 'most friendly.'
' - and are friends,' resumes the Major, 'Old Joe's opinion is (I may be wrong), that the opinion of the world on any particular subject, is very easily got at.
'Undoubtedly,' says Cousin Feenix. 'In point of fact, it's quite a self-evident sort of thing. I am extremely anxious, Major, that my friend Dombey should hear me express my very great astonishment and regret, that my lovely and accomplished relative, who was possessed of every qualification to make a man happy, should have so far forgotten what was due to - in point of fact, to the world - as to commit herself in such a very extraordinary manner. I have been in a devilish state of depression ever since; and said indeed to Long Saxby last night - man of six foot ten, with whom my friend Dombey is probably acquainted - that it had upset me in a confounded way, and made me bilious. It induces a man to reflect, this kind of fatal catastrophe,' says Cousin Feenix, 'that events do occur in quite a providential manner; for if my Aunt had been living at the time, I think the effect upon a devilish lively woman like herself, would have been prostration, and that she would have fallen, in point of fact, a victim.'
'Now, Dombey! - ' says the Major, resuming his discourse with great energy.
'I beg your pardon,' interposes Cousin Feenix. 'Allow me another word. My friend Dombey will permit me to say, that if any circumstance could have added to the most infernal state of pain in which I find myself on this occasion, it would be the natural amazement of the world at my lovely and accomplished relative (as I must still beg leave to call her) being supposed to have so committed herself with a person - man with white teeth, in point of fact - of very inferior station to her husband. But while I must, rather peremptorily, request my friend Dombey not to criminate my lovely and accomplished relative until her criminality is perfectly established, I beg to assure my friend Dombey that the family I represent, and which is now almost extinct (devilish sad reflection for a man), will interpose no obstacle in his way, and will be happy to assent to any honourable course of proceeding, with a view to the future, that he may point out. I trust my friend Dombey will give me credit for the intentions by which I am animated in this very melancholy affair, and - a - in point of fact, I am not aware that I need trouble my friend Dombey with any further observations.'
Mr Dombey bows, without raising his eyes, and is silent.
'Now, Dombey,' says the Major, 'our friend Feenix having, with an amount of eloquence that Old Joe B. has never heard surpassed - no, by the Lord, Sir! never!' - says the Major, very blue, indeed, and grasping his cane in the middle - 'stated the case as regards the lady, I shall presume upon our friendship, Dombey, to offer a word on another aspect of it. Sir,' says the Major, with the horse's cough, 'the world in these things has opinions, which must be satisfied.'
'I know it,' rejoins Mr Dombey.
'Of course you know it, Dombey,' says the Major, 'Damme, Sir, I know you know it. A man of your calibre is not likely to be ignorant of it.' 'I hope not,' replies Mr Dombey.
'Dombey!' says the Major, 'you will guess the rest. I speak out - prematurely, perhaps - because the Bagstock breed have always spoke out. Little, Sir, have they ever got by doing it; but it's in the Bagstock blood. A shot is to be taken at this man. You have J. B. at your elbow. He claims the name of friend. God bless you!'
'Major,' returns Mr Dombey, 'I am obliged. I shall put myself in your hands when the time comes. The time not being come, I have forborne to speak to you.'
'Where is the fellow, Dombey?' inquires the Major, after gasping and looking at him, for a minute.
'I don't know.'
'Any intelligence of him?' asks the Major.
'Yes.'
“董貝，”少校說道，”我是個上流社會的人物。我們的朋友菲尼克斯--如果我可以冒昧地這樣稱呼他的話--”
“不勝榮幸，”菲尼克斯表哥說道。
“也是個上流社會的人物，”少校搖晃了一下腦袋，繼續說道，”董貝，您是個上流社會的人物。如果三位上流社會的人物聚會在一起，而且是朋友--就像我相信的那樣”--他又轉向菲尼克斯表哥，向他求助。
“毫無疑問，”菲尼克斯表哥說道，”極爲友好。”
“--而且是朋友，”少校繼續說道，”那麼，老喬認爲（喬也許錯了），上流社會對任何問題的意見就很容易猜測出來了。”
“毫無疑問，”菲尼克斯表哥說道，”事實上，這是不言而喻的事情。我十分盼望，少校，我的朋友董貝能聽我向他表示，我感到極爲驚奇與遺憾：我那可愛的、多才多藝的、具備能使一位男子幸福的各種資質的親戚，竟會把她對--事實上--社會應盡的責任完全忘記，以這樣異乎尋常的方式來敗壞自己的聲譽；從那時候起，我的情緒非常消沉；就在昨天晚上我還對高個子薩克斯比說--他身高六英尺十英寸，我的朋友董貝大概認得他吧--，這件事使我變得心煩意亂，羞愧不堪，而且愛發脾氣。這種奇災大難使人不由得想到，一切都是由天意安排的，”菲尼克斯表哥繼續說道，”因爲如果我的姑媽現在還活着的話，那麼我想，對一位像她那樣非常活潑的女人來說，這件事對她的打擊將會使她發生虛脫，她將成爲犧牲品。”
“因此，董貝！--”少校精神十足地想把他的話繼續說下去。
“請原諒，”菲尼克斯表哥打斷他，說道，”請允許我再說一句。我的朋友董貝將允許我指出，我現在感受到像進地獄般的痛苦，如果說有什麼情況能加深我這種痛苦的話，那就是大家猜想，我的那位可愛的、多才多藝的親戚（請允許我仍這樣稱呼她）是跟一位地位遠遠低於她丈夫的人--事實上，就是那位長白牙齒的人--一起敗壞了她自己的聲譽；社會對這自然而然地感到驚奇。不過我認爲我有責任堅決請求我的朋友董貝在她的罪行沒有完全被證實之前，不要歸罪於我的可愛的、多才多藝的親戚；另一方面，我要請我的朋友董貝相信，我所代表的、現在幾乎已滅絕了的家族（這一點想起來真使人悲傷）不會在他的道路上設置任何障礙，而且將會對他所指出的任何正當的處理方法高興地表示同意。我相信，我的朋友董貝將會贊成我的這種意願，正是這種意願才使我在這十分悲傷的事情中還能振作起精神來；事實上，我不知道我需要再發表一些什麼意見來打擾我的朋友董貝了。”
董貝先生沒有擡起眼睛，鞠了個躬，默默無言。
“董貝，”少校說道，”我們的朋友菲尼克斯已經以他口若懸河的動聽語言--老喬?白從沒有聽到過比這更爲出色的流利口才；完全不錯，他可以向天主發誓，他從來沒有聽到過--，說明了有關這位夫人的一切情形，”少校臉色十分發青，一邊緊握着手杖中間，說道，”在這之後，我想憑着我們的友誼，董貝，從另一個方面來說一句話，先生，”少校發出了馬般的咳嗽，說道，”社會在這種情況下是有輿論的，這些輿論的要求是應當得到滿足的。”
“這我明白，”董貝先生答道。
“當然，您明白，董貝，”少校說道，”他媽的，先生，我知道您明白。像您這樣才能出衆的人是不大可能不瞭解的。”
“董貝！”少校說道，”其餘的由您自己去猜測，我只直率地說一點--也許說得過早了--，因爲白格斯托克家族的人總是有話直說的。他們這樣做得不到什麼好處，先生，可是白格斯托克家族的人生來就是這種脾氣。應當開槍打死這個人。喬?白就在您的身邊。他要求行使朋友的權利。上帝保佑您。”
“少校，”董貝先生回答道，”我很感謝您。時候一到，我就把我交由您支配。現在時候還沒有到，我只好耐着性子跟您說話。”
“這傢伙現在在哪裏，董貝？”少校喘着氣，並向他看了一分鐘之後，問道。
“我不知道。”
“有他的什麼消息嗎？”少校問道。
“有。”
