狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第25章Part 1

Captain Cuttle, though no sluggard, did not turn out so early on the morning after he had seen Sol Gills, through the shop-window, writing in the parlour, with the Midshipman upon the counter, and Rob the Grinder making up his bed below it, but that the clocks struck six as he raised himself on his elbow, and took a survey of his little chamber. The Captain's eyes must have done severe duty, if he usually opened them as wide on awaking as he did that morning; and were but roughly rewarded for their vigilance, if he generally rubbed them half as hard. But the occasion was no common one, for Rob the Grinder had certainly never stood in the doorway of Captain Cuttle's room before, and in it he stood then, panting at the Captain, with a flushed and touzled air of Bed about him, that greatly heightened both his colour and expression.
'Holloa!' roared the Captain. 'What's the matter?'
Before Rob could stammer a word in answer, Captain Cuttle turned out, all in a heap, and covered the boy's mouth with his hand.
'Steady, my lad,' said the Captain, 'don't ye speak a word to me as yet!'
The Captain, looking at his visitor in great consternation, gently shouldered him into the next room, after laying this injunction upon him; and disappearing for a few moments, forthwith returned in the blue suit. Holding up his hand in token of the injunction not yet being taken off, Captain Cuttle walked up to the cupboard, and poured himself out a dram; a counterpart of which he handed to the messenger. The Captain then stood himself up in a corner, against the wall, as if to forestall the possibility of being knocked backwards by the communication that was to be made to him; and having swallowed his liquor, with his eyes fixed on the messenger, and his face as pale as his face could be, requested him to 'heave ahead.'
'Do you mean, tell you, Captain?' asked Rob, who had been greatly impressed by these precautions
'Ay!' said the Captain.
'Well, Sir,' said Rob, 'I ain't got much to tell. But look here!'
Rob produced a bundle of keys. The Captain surveyed them, remained in his corner, and surveyed the messenger.
'And look here!' pursued Rob.

卡特爾船長昨天夜裏曾經從店鋪窗子裏看到所爾·吉爾斯在客廳裏寫東西，海軍軍官候補生站在櫃檯上，磨工羅布在櫃檯下面鋪牀鋪；他雖然並不是一個懶人，但是這一天早上他起得不是很早，直到時鐘敲打了六下，他才支着胳膊肘，欠起身來，對他的小房間四處看了看；如果船長平時醒來的時候，眼睛也像這天早上張得這麼大，那麼它們一定是擔負着嚴重的任務；如果他平時也像這天早上這麼猛烈地揉它們，那麼它們的警覺性就得到很差的酬勞了。可是現在的情況是異乎尋常的，因爲磨工羅布以前從來沒有在卡特爾船長臥室的門口出現過，然而現在他卻站在那裏，氣喘吁吁地望着船長，臉孔通紅，蓬頭散發，好像剛剛從牀上起來似的，這大大地影響了他的臉色和表情。
“喂！”船長大聲喊叫道，“發生了什麼事了？”
羅布張口結舌，一個字也沒能答出來的時候，卡特爾船長就慌慌張張地下了牀，用手捂住孩子的嘴巴。
“別急，我的孩子，”船長說道，“現在一個字也別跟我說！”
船長向他發出了這條禁令之後，十分驚恐地望着他的來訪者，輕輕地推着他的肩膀，把他推到隔壁的房間裏；卡特爾船長不見了一會兒之後，又穿着藍色的服裝回來。他一邊舉着手錶示禁令還沒有解除，一邊走向碗櫃給他自己倒了一杯酒，他又把另一杯遞給前來傳送消息的人。然後船長站在一個角落裏，背靠着牆，彷彿是要預防自己可能被即將聽到的消息驚嚇得往後倒下似的；接着，他吞下了酒，眼睛一動不動地盯住傳信人，臉色極度蒼白地請他“收起曳索，使船前進吧！”
“船長，您的意思是不是說告訴您？”羅布問道，這些預防措施給他留下了強烈的印象。
“是的！”船長說道。
“好吧，先生，”羅布說道，“我沒有好多話要說的。不過請看這裏！”
羅布取出一串鑰匙。船長仔細地看了看，繼續站在角落裏，又打量着前來傳遞訊息的人。
“再看這裏！”羅布繼續說道。