狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第50章Part4
He took the Captain by the coat, and going out with him whispered:
'That then, Captain Gills, is the party you spoke of, when you said that he and Miss Dombey were made for one another?'
'Why, ay, my lad,' replied the disconsolate Captain; 'I was of that mind once.'
'And at this time!' exclaimed Mr Toots, with his hand to his forehead again. 'Of all others! - a hated rival! At least, he ain't a hated rival,' said Mr Toots, stopping short, on second thoughts, and taking away his hand; 'what should I hate him for? No. If my affection has been truly disinterested, Captain Gills, let me prove it now!'
Mr Toots shot back abruptly into the parlour, and said, wringing Walter by the hand: 'How-de-do? I hope you didn't take any cold. I - I shall be very glad if you'll give me the pleasure of your acquaintance. I wish you many happy returns of the day. Upon my word and honour,' said Mr Toots, warming as he became better acquainted with Walter's face and figure, 'I'm very glad to see you!'
'Thank you, heartily,' said Walter. 'I couldn't desire a more genuine and genial welcome.'
'Couldn't you, though?' said Mr Toots, still shaking his hand. 'It's very kind of you. I'm much obliged to you. How-de-do? I hope you left everybody quite well over the - that is, upon the - I mean wherever you came from last, you know.'
All these good wishes, and better intentions, Walter responded to manfully.
'Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, 'I should wish to be strictly honourable; but I trust I may be allowed now, to allude to a certain subject that - '
'Ay, ay, my lad,' returned the Captain. 'Freely, freely.'
'Then, Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, 'and Lieutenant Walters - are you aware that the most dreadful circumstances have been happening at Mr Dombey's house, and that Miss Dombey herself has left her father, who, in my opinion,' said Mr Toots, with great excitement, 'is a Brute, that it would be a flattery to call a - a marble monument, or a bird of prey, - and that she is not to be found, and has gone no one knows where?'
'May I ask how you heard this?' inquired Walter.
'Lieutenant Walters,' said Mr Toots, who had arrived at that appellation by a process peculiar to himself; probably by jumbling up his Christian name with the seafaring profession, and supposing some relationship between him and the Captain, which would extend, as a matter of course, to their titles; 'Lieutenant Walters, I can have no objection to make a straightforward reply. The fact is, that feeling extremely interested in everything that relates to Miss Dombey - not for any selfish reason, Lieutenant Walters, for I am well aware that the most able thing I could do for all parties would be to put an end to my existence, which can only be regarded as an inconvenience - I have been in the habit of bestowing a trifle now and then upon a footman; a most respectable young man, of the name of Towlinson, who has lived in the family some time; and Towlinson informed me, yesterday evening, that this was the state of things. Since which, Captain Gills - and Lieutenant Walters - I have been perfectly frantic, and have been lying down on the sofa all night, the Ruin you behold.'
'Mr Toots,' said Walter, 'I am happy to be able to relieve your mind. Pray calm yourself. Miss Dombey is safe and well.'
'Sir!' cried Mr Toots, starting from his chair and shaking hands with him anew, 'the relief is so excessive, and unspeakable, that if you were to tell me now that Miss Dombey was married even, I could smile. Yes, Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, appealing to him, 'upon my soul and body, I really think, whatever I might do to myself immediately afterwards, that I could smile, I am so relieved.'
'It will be a greater relief and delight still, to such a generous mind as yours,' said Walter, not at all slow in returning his greeting, 'to find that you can render service to Miss Dombey. Captain Cuttle, will you have the kindness to take Mr Toots upstairs?'
“我的天哪！”圖茨先生結結巴巴地說道，”不幸的事情是多麼錯綜複雜！您好！我--我--我擔心您一定渾身溼透了。吉爾斯船長，您允許我在店鋪裏跟您說一句話嗎？”
他抓住船長的外套，跟他出去的時候低聲問道：
“這麼說，吉爾斯船長，這就是您曾說過，他跟董貝小姐是天造地設的一對那個人嗎？”
“唔，是的，我的孩子，”悶悶不樂的船長回答道，”我曾經一度這樣想過。”
“偏偏在這個時候！”圖茨先生又用手抱住前額，大聲喊道，”而不是在其他任何時候！--一個可恨的情敵！”圖茨先生重新思索了一下之後，突然停住，把手從前額上拿下來，說道，”至少，他對我來說不是個可恨的情敵；如果我的愛情真正是無私的話，那麼我爲什麼要恨他呢？不！吉爾斯船長，現在讓我來證明這一點吧！”
圖茨先生突然間又衝進客廳，緊握着沃爾特的手，說道：”您好！我希望您彆着涼了！如果您允許我跟您認識的話，那麼我--我將感到很高興。我祝您長命百歲。說實話，我以榮譽發誓，”圖茨先生把沃爾特的臉孔與身材好好端詳了一番之後，滿臉通紅地說道，”我很高興見到您！”
“衷心感謝您，”沃爾特說道，”我不能指望得到比這更真誠、更友好的歡迎了。”
“真的嗎？”圖茨先生握着他的手，說道，”您真客氣。我非常感謝您。您好嗎？我希望，您走了以後所有的人都很健康，就是說，--您知道，我的意思是說，不論您最近從哪裏來。”
沃爾特以男子漢大丈夫的氣概回答了所有這些良好的祝願和更良好的意願。
“吉爾斯船長，”圖茨先生說道，”我希望我能嚴格地遵守信義，但是我希望您能允許我現在提到某一個話題--”
“可以，可以，我的孩子，”船長回答道，”隨便說吧，隨便說吧。”
“那麼我就說吧，吉爾斯船長和沃爾特斯上尉，”圖茨先生說道，”你們可知道，董貝先生家裏發生了一樁最可怕的事件：董貝小姐已經離開了她的父親？在我看來，”圖茨先生十分激動地說道，”她的父親是一頭畜牲！如果把他稱爲一塊--一塊大理石紀念碑或是一隻猛禽，那就是對他的奉承了。現在找不到她，誰也不知道她到哪裏去了。”
“我是不是可以問一下，您怎麼聽到這個消息的？”沃爾特問道。
“沃爾特斯上尉，”圖茨先生說道；他根據只有他自己才明白的獨特的理由，採用了這個稱呼，可能是把沃爾特的基督教名跟航海職業聯繫起來的緣故，同時推測他跟船長有些親戚關係，於是就自然而然地引伸出他們的職銜來；”沃爾特斯上尉，我可以直截了當地回答您。事實是，由於我對董貝小姐有關的一切事情都極感興趣--這決不是出於任何自私自利的原因，沃爾特斯上尉，因爲我很清楚，我最能使所有各方都滿意的事就是把我這個可以稱爲障礙的生命結束了--，我習慣於不時給一位僕人送點小費；他是一位品行端正的年輕人，姓託林森，在那個家裏已服務很久了；昨天晚上託林森告訴我，事情的狀況就是這樣。從那時起，吉爾斯船長--和沃爾特斯上尉--我完全瘋狂了，整夜躺在沙發上，現在你們看到的就是這個形容枯槁的骨頭架子。”
“圖茨先生，”沃爾特說道，”我很高興能讓您放心。請您平靜下來。董貝小姐安全無恙。”
“先生！”圖茨先生從椅子中跳了起來，喊道，一邊重新跟他握手，”這真是個極大的、難以形容的安慰呀；如果您現在就是告訴我董貝小姐已經結婚了，那麼我也能微笑了。是的，吉爾斯船長，”圖茨先生對他說道，”以我的靈魂與肉體發誓，不論在這之後我緊接着會對自己做什麼，我確實認爲，我能微笑了，我是感到多麼安慰啊。”
“您是個胸懷豁達的人，”沃爾特毫不遲疑地回答了他的問候，說道，”當您知道您可以爲董貝小姐效勞時，您將會感到更大的安慰與喜悅的。卡特爾船長，勞駕您把圖茨先生領到樓上去好嗎？”
