狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第45章Part3

'Show the way there!' Turning her eyes again on the attentive gentleman at the bottom of the stairs, and informing him with a slight motion of her head, that he was at liberty to follow, she passed on.
'I beg your pardon! Madam! Mrs Dombey!' cried the soft and nimble Carker, at her side in a moment. 'May I be permitted to entreat that Miss Dombey is not present?'
She confronted him, with a quick look, but with the same self-possession and steadiness.
'I would spare Miss Dombey,' said Carker, in a low voice, 'the knowledge of what I have to say. At least, Madam, I would leave it to you to decide whether she shall know of it or not. I owe that to you. It is my bounden duty to you. After our former interview, it would be monstrous in me if I did otherwise.'
She slowly withdrew her eyes from his face, and turning to the servant, said, 'Some other room.' He led the way to a drawing-room, which he speedily lighted up and then left them. While he remained, not a word was spoken. Edith enthroned herself upon a couch by the fire; and Mr Carker, with his hat in his hand and his eyes bent upon the carpet, stood before her, at some little distance.
'Before I hear you, Sir,' said Edith, when the door was closed, 'I wish you to hear me.'
'To be addressed by Mrs Dombey,' he returned, 'even in accents of unmerited reproach, is an honour I so greatly esteem, that although I were not her servant in all things, I should defer to such a wish, most readily.'
'If you are charged by the man whom you have just now left, Sir;' Mr Carker raised his eyes, as if he were going to counterfeit surprise, but she met them, and stopped him, if such were his intention; 'with any message to me, do not attempt to deliver it, for I will not receive it. I need scarcely ask you if you are come on such an errand. I have expected you some time.
'It is my misfortune,' he replied, 'to be here, wholly against my will, for such a purpose. Allow me to say that I am here for two purposes. That is one.'
'That one, Sir,' she returned, 'is ended. Or, if you return to it - '

“領到那裏去！”她又把眼睛轉向樓梯底下向她注視着的先生，輕輕地點了點頭，表示允許他在後面跟着，然後她繼續向前走去。
“請原諒！夫人！董貝夫人！”曲意奉承、動作敏捷的卡克喊道，他在片刻之間就走在她的身邊，”您是否允許我請求別讓董貝小姐在場？”
她很快地看了她一眼，但仍跟先前一樣保持着沉着鎮靜的態度。
“我不想讓董貝小姐聽到我所要說的話，”卡克低聲說道，”至少，我想由您來決定她是不是要知道這些話的內容。我這是爲了您着想。這是我對您應盡的責任。從我們上次會晤以後，如果我不這樣做，那就荒謬了。”
她把眼光從他臉上慢慢地移開，轉向僕人，說道，”領到別的房間去。”僕人把他們領到一間會客室裏，迅速地點了燈，然後離開了。當僕人還在房間裏的時候，他們一個字也沒有說。伊迪絲威嚴地坐在壁爐旁的長沙發椅上；卡克先生，手裏拿着帽子，眼睛向下看着地毯，稍稍隔開一點距離，站在她的前面。
“在我聽您說之前，先生，”當門關上之後，伊迪絲說道，”我希望您先聽我說。”
“能聽到董貝夫人對我說話，”他回答道，”即使是對我進行我不應當受到的譴責，我也認爲是極大的光榮；雖然我在各方面都不是她的僕人，但我也十分心甘情願地服從她的這個願望。”
“如果您剛纔離開的那個人委託您來向我傳遞口訊的話，先生，”卡克先生擡起眼睛，彷彿想要裝出驚奇的樣子，但是她的眼光和他的相遇了；如果他想講話的話，她也迫使他不能開口，”那麼就別打算說了，因爲我不會聽它。我沒有必要問您是不是爲了這個差使到這裏來的。最近幾天我正等待着您。”
“爲了這樣的目的到這裏來，完全違揹我自己的意願，這是我的不幸。”他回答道，”請允許我說，我到這裏來有兩個目的。那是其中的一個。”
“那個目的已經完結了，先生，”她回答道，”如果您要回到那個目的--”