狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第26章Part 7

'This morning, Ma'am,' returned the Major. 'And Dombey's anxiety for his arrival, Ma'am, is to be referred - take J. B.'s word for this; for Joe is devilish sly' - the Major tapped his nose, and screwed up one of his eyes tight: which did not enhance his native beauty - 'to his desire that what is in the wind should become known to him' without Dombey's telling and consulting him. For Dombey is as proud, Ma'am,' said the Major, 'as Lucifer.'
'A charming quality,' lisped Mrs Skewton; 'reminding one of dearest Edith.'
'Well, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'I have thrown out hints already, and the right-hand man understands 'em; and I'll throw out more, before the day is done. Dombey projected this morning a ride to Warwick Castle, and to Kenilworth, to-morrow, to be preceded by a breakfast with us. I undertook the delivery of this invitation. Will you honour us so far, Ma'am?' said the Major, swelling with shortness of breath and slyness, as he produced a note, addressed to the Honourable Mrs Skewton, by favour of Major Bagstock, wherein hers ever faithfully, Paul Dombey, besought her and her amiable and accomplished daughter to consent to the proposed excursion; and in a postscript unto which, the same ever faithfully Paul Dombey entreated to be recalled to the remembrance of Mrs Granger.
'Hush!' said Cleopatra, suddenly, 'Edith!'
The loving mother can scarcely be described as resuming her insipid and affected air when she made this exclamation; for she had never cast it off; nor was it likely that she ever would or could, in any other place than in the grave. But hurriedly dismissing whatever shadow of earnestness, or faint confession of a purpose, laudable or wicked, that her face, or voice, or manner: had, for the moment, betrayed, she lounged upon the couch, her most insipid and most languid self again, as Edith entered the room.
Edith, so beautiful and stately, but so cold and so repelling. Who, slightly acknowledging the presence of Major Bagstock, and directing a keen glance at her mother, drew back the from a window, and sat down there, looking out.
'My dearest Edith,' said Mrs Skewton, 'where on earth have you been? I have wanted you, my love, most sadly.'
'You said you were engaged, and I stayed away,' she answered, without turning her head.
'It was cruel to Old Joe, Ma'am,' said the Major in his gallantry.

“今天早上，夫人，”少校回答道，“董貝曾經焦急地等待着他的來到，夫人，這說明了——請相信喬·白的話，因爲喬是魔鬼般狡猾的人，”少校輕輕地敲打着自己的鼻子，並眯縫着一隻眼睛，這並沒有改善他天生的美容，“這說明了董貝希望他得知這個消息，不用他告訴他或跟他商量。因爲，夫人，”少校說，“董貝就跟魔王一樣驕傲。”
“這是個可愛的性格，”斯丘頓夫人吐字不清地說道，“它使人想起了我最親愛的伊迪絲。”
“唔，夫人，”少校說，“我已經作出了一些暗示，那位左右手明白了，我將再作出一些暗示，直到那天來到爲止。董貝今天早上建議明天乘車到沃裏克城堡①和凱尼爾沃思②去遊覽，動身之前先跟我們一起吃早飯。我是替他來送請柬的。您肯不肯賞光，夫人？”少校說，當他取出一張短箋時，他臉上揚揚得意，露出狡猾的神氣，氣都喘不過來；這張短箋是煩請白格斯托克少校轉交給尊敬的斯丘頓夫人的；在這張短箋中，她的永遠忠實的保羅·董貝懇求她和她和藹可親的、多才多藝的女兒同意參加這次建議中的遊覽。在附言中，這同一位永遠忠實的保羅·董貝請求她向格蘭傑夫人轉致他的問候。
“別說話！”克利奧佩特拉突然說道，“伊迪絲！”
這位可愛的母親在發出這個驚叫聲之後又重新裝出那副沒有精神、裝腔作勢的神態，這種情景簡直是不可能描寫的；因爲她從來沒有拋開過這個神態，大概除了墳墓之外，不論在其他任何地方她都不想，也不可能拋開這個神態的。但是她在臉孔、聲音或神態中曾經在片刻間暴露出她曾經認真懷有一種目的或微弱地承認她懷有那個目的（不論這目的是高尚的或邪惡的），而當伊迪絲走進房間的時候，她就急急忙忙地驅除掉她曾一時暴露出的所有這些神色的任何陰影，懶洋洋地斜靠在長沙發上，又是原先那極爲沒精打采和有氣無力的神態。
伊迪絲十分美麗和莊嚴，但卻又十分冷淡和拒人於千里之外。她對白格斯托克少校幾乎沒打招呼，向母親敏銳地看了一眼之後，把一個窗子的窗簾拉開，在窗前坐下，望着外面。
“我最親愛的伊迪絲，”斯丘頓夫人說道，“你這些時候待在哪裏？我多麼想看到你呀，我親愛的。”
“你剛纔說你有事，所以我就沒進來，”她頭也不回地回答道。
“這對老喬太殘酷無情了，夫人，”少校以他特有的殷勤說道。