狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第43章Part3

Susan was unusually emphatic and destitute of punctuation in her discourse on this night, which was the night of Mr Dombey's being brought home, because, having been sent downstairs by Florence to inquire after him, she had been obliged to deliver her message to her mortal enemy Mrs Pipchin; who, without carrying it in to Mr Dombey, had taken upon herself to return what Miss Nipper called a huffish answer, on her own responsibility. This, Susan Nipper construed into presumption on the part of that exemplary sufferer by the Peruvian mines, and a deed of disparagement upon her young lady, that was not to be forgiven; and so far her emphatic state was special. But she had been in a condition of greatly increased suspicion and distrust, ever since the marriage; for, like most persons of her quality of mind, who form a strong and sincere attachment to one in the different station which Florence occupied, Susan was very jealous, and her jealousy naturally attached to Edith, who divided her old empire, and came between them. Proud and glad as Susan Nipper truly was, that her young mistress should be advanced towards her proper place in the scene of her old neglect, and that she should have her father's handsome wife for her companion and protectress, she could not relinquish any part of her own dominion to the handsome wife, without a grudge and a vague feeling of ill-will, for which she did not fail to find a disinterested justification in her sharp perception of the pride and passion of the lady's character. From the background to which she had necessarily retired somewhat, since the marriage, Miss Nipper looked on, therefore, at domestic affairs in general, with a resolute conviction that no good would come of Mrs Dombey: always being very careful to publish on all possible occasions, that she had nothing to say against her.
'Susan,' said Florence, who was sitting thoughtfully at her table, 'it is very late. I shall want nothing more to-night.'
'Ah, Miss Floy!' returned the Nipper, 'I'm sure I often wish for them old times when I sat up with you hours later than this and fell asleep through being tired out when you was as broad awake as spectacles, but you've ma's-in-law to come and sit with you now Miss Floy and I'm thankful for it I'm sure. I've not a word to say against 'em.'
'I shall not forget who was my old companion when I had none, Susan,' returned Florence, gently, 'never!' And looking up, she put her arm round the neck of her humble friend, drew her face down to hers, and bidding her good-night, kissed it; which so mollified Miss Nipper, that she fell a sobbing.
'Now my dear Miss Floy, said Susan, 'let me go downstairs again and see how your Pa is, I know you're wretched about him, do let me go downstairs again and knock at his door my own self.'
'No,' said Florence, 'go to bed. We shall hear more in the morning. I will inquire myself in the morning. Mama has been down, I daresay;' Florence blushed, for she had no such hope; 'or is there now, perhaps. Good-night!'

在董貝先生擡回家來的這個夜晚，蘇珊說話的時候異乎尋常地激動，比往常更缺少標點符號，這是因爲當弗洛倫斯打發她下樓去打聽他的健康情況時，她不得不向她不共戴天的敵人轉達她的口訊；皮普欽太太沒有把口訊捎進去讓董貝先生知道，而是由她擅自作了一個尼珀姑娘稱爲傲慢無禮的回答。蘇珊?尼珀把這解釋爲他們祕魯礦井受害者的專橫跋扈和一種不可饒恕的、輕視她小姐的行爲；這可以部分說明她之所以格外激動的原因。不過自從董貝先生結婚以後，她的懷疑與不信任是大大地增大了，因爲就像她那樣性情的大多數人（她們對於一個像弗洛倫斯那樣有着不同身份的人是懷着強烈的、真誠的感情的）一樣，蘇珊是很妒嫉的，她的妒嫉自然是針對着分割了她原先的帝國、插到她們中間來的伊迪絲。蘇珊?尼珀看到她的年輕的女主人在她過去受到冷落的家中提高到適當的地位，看到她有她父親漂亮的妻子當她的伴侶和保護人，這些確實使她感到自豪和高興，可是她卻不能把她的主權的任何一部分毫無怨恨、毫無敵意地讓給這位漂亮的夫人，而且她還不難爲這找到沒有私心的正當理由，因爲她敏銳地看出這位夫人的高傲與易怒的性格。所以，尼珀姑娘在董貝先生結婚以後不得不後退一步，從新的背景來觀察家庭情況時，堅決相信：董貝夫人不會帶來什麼好處，可是她在一切可能的場合下總是很謹慎地表示，她沒有什麼反對她的話好說的。
“蘇珊，”弗洛倫斯沉思地坐在桌旁，說道，”現在很晚了，今天我不再需要別的了。”
“唉，弗洛伊小姐，”尼珀回答道，”說實話，我時常希望回到過去的那段時光，那時候我跟您幾個鐘頭坐在一起，坐得比現在還晚，我都累得睡着了，而您卻像眼鏡一樣清醒，從來沒有合過一下眼睛，但是現在您的後媽要來和您一起坐着了，弗洛伊小姐，說實話，我對這謝天謝地，我一句反對她的話也沒有。”
“我不會忘記，在我沒有朋友的時候，誰是我的老朋友，蘇珊，”弗洛倫斯溫柔地說道，”我永遠也不會忘記！”然後她擡起眼睛，用胳膊摟着她的地位低微的朋友的脖子，把她的臉拉下來貼着她的臉，吻了吻，祝她晚安，這使尼珀姑娘感動得抽抽搭搭地哭了起來。
“我親愛的弗洛伊小姐，”蘇珊說道，”現在請允許我再下樓去看看您的爸爸怎樣了，我知道您爲他非常憂慮不安，請允許我再下樓去，我自己去敲他的門。”
“不，”弗洛倫斯說道，”睡覺去吧。明天早上我們將會聽到更多的消息。到早上，我自己來打聽。媽媽想必一直在樓下，”弗洛倫斯臉紅了，因爲她並沒有抱這樣的希望；”或者她可能現在就在那裏。晚安！”