狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第30章Part 5

Cleopatra, who in her juvenility was always playfully disposed, and who in her self-engrossment did not trouble herself about the nature of this agitation, pushed Florence behind her couch, and dropped a shawl over her, preparatory to giving Mr Dombey a rapture of surprise. It was so quickly done, that in a moment Florence heard his awful step in the room.
He saluted his intended mother-in-law, and his intended bride. The strange sound of his voice thrilled through the whole frame of his child.
'My dear Dombey,' said Cleopatra, 'come here and tell me how your pretty Florence is.'
'Florence is very well,' said Mr Dombey, advancing towards the couch.
'At home?'
'At home,' said Mr Dombey.
'My dear Dombey,' returned Cleopatra, with bewitching vivacity; 'now are you sure you are not deceiving me? I don't know what my dearest Edith will say to me when I make such a declaration, but upon my honour I am afraid you are the falsest of men, my dear Dombey.'
Though he had been; and had been detected on the spot, in the most enormous falsehood that was ever said or done; he could hardly have been more disconcerted than he was, when Mrs Skewton plucked the shawl away, and Florence, pale and trembling, rose before him like a ghost. He had not yet recovered his presence of mind, when Florence had run up to him, clasped her hands round his neck, kissed his face, and hurried out of the room. He looked round as if to refer the matter to somebody else, but Edith had gone after Florence, instantly.
'Now, confess, my dear Dombey,' said Mrs Skewton, giving him her hand, 'that you never were more surprised and pleased in your life.'
'I never was more surprised,' said Mr Dombey.
'Nor pleased, my dearest Dombey?' returned Mrs Skewton, holding up her fan.
'I - yes, I am exceedingly glad to meet Florence here,' said Mr Dombey. He appeared to consider gravely about it for a moment, and then said, more decidedly, 'Yes, I really am very glad indeed to meet Florence here.'
'You wonder how she comes here?' said Mrs Skewton, 'don't you?'
'Edith, perhaps - ' suggested Mr Dombey.

克利奧佩特拉由於她那老天真的脾氣，時常愛開個玩笑，而且由於自以爲是，沒有花心思去研究一下弗洛倫斯剛纔激動的性質，所以她把弗洛倫斯推到她的長沙發的後面，把一塊圍巾拋到她的身上，準備給董貝先生來一個驚喜交集。這一切做得非常之快，一轉眼的工夫，弗洛倫斯就聽到他那可怕的腳步聲進入了房間。
他向未來的岳母和未來的新娘問候致意。他嗓門的奇怪聲音使他的女兒聽了全身顫抖。
"我親愛的董貝，"克利奧佩特拉說道，"到這裏來告訴我，你的可愛的弗洛倫斯好嗎？"
"弗洛倫斯很好，"董貝先生向長沙發走去，說道。
"在家嗎？"
"在家，"董貝先生說道。
"我親愛的董貝，"克利奧佩特拉露出極爲美妙動人、高興活潑的神色，回答道，"你是不是肯定你沒有騙我？我不知道當我對你進行責備之後，我最親愛的伊迪絲會怎麼說我，不過，說實話，我擔心你是世界上最不誠實的男子了，我親愛的董貝。"
即使他真的是這樣，即使他當場被揭露過去確實有極爲大量的虛僞言行的話，那麼他也未心會比斯丘頓夫人掀開圍巾之後，弗洛倫斯臉色蒼白、渾身哆嗦、像幽靈似地站在他面前的時候更爲倉皇失措的了。他還沒有恢復鎮靜，弗洛倫斯就跑到他面前，雙手摟着他的脖子，吻了一下他的臉孔，急急忙忙跑出了房間。他向四周看看，彷彿想和其他人商討一下這個問題似的，可是伊迪絲立即就跟着弗洛倫斯走出去了。
"現在，請承認吧，我親愛的董貝，"斯丘頓夫人向他伸出手去，說道，"你這一生中從沒遇到過這樣令人驚奇和高興的事了吧！"
"我從沒遇到過這樣令人驚奇的事。"
"也從沒遇到過這樣高興的事吧，我親愛的董貝？"斯丘頓夫人舉起扇子，問道：
"我--對，我非常高興在這裏遇見弗洛倫斯，"董貝先生說道；他似乎嚴肅地考慮了一會兒，然後更加肯定地說道，"是的，我的確很高興在這裏遇見弗洛倫斯。"
"你是不是奇怪，她怎麼會到這裏來的呢？"斯丘頓夫人問道，"是不是？"
"也許是，伊迪絲--"董貝先生推測着說道。