Chapter10-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《月亮与六便士The Moon and Sixpence》

Chapter X A day or two later Mrs.Strickland sent me round a note asking if I could go and see her that evening after dinner.I found her alone.Her black dress,simple to austerity,suggested her bereaved condition,and I was innocently astonished that notwithstanding a real emotion she was able to dress the part she had to play according to her notions of seemliness. "You said that if I wanted you to do anything you wouldn't mind doing it," she remarked. "It was quite true.” "Will you go over to Paris and see Charlie?" T?” I was taken aback.I reflected that I had only seen him once.I did not know what she wanted me to do. "Fred is set on going."Fred was Colonel MacAndrew."But I'm sure he's not the man to go.He'll only make things worse.I don't know who else to ask." Her voice trembled a little,and I felt a bruteeven to hesitate. "But I've not spoken ten words to your husband.He doesn't know me. He'll probably just tell me to go to the devil." ·072· 十 没过一两天，斯特里克兰德太太给我送来一个便 签，问我能否当天晚上晚饭后去她家一趟。我去了，发 现只有她一个人在家。她穿了一身黑，简朴得像个苦行 ①austerity['steroti]n.苦 行，苦修 僧，使人瞬间想到她的不幸遭遇。当年的我年少无知， bereaved [bi'ri:vd]a. 想到她虽然确确实实痛苦万分，却仍不忘依照礼数规定 近)丧失（或死去）亲人 的 的概念来扮演自己的角色，做到衣着得体，我不禁大吃 3notwithstanding [.notwi0- 一惊。 'staendin;-wio-]conj. “你说过，要是我有事请你帮忙，你是愿意的。” 然，尽管 seemliness ['si:mlinis]n. 她开口说道。 适当：合乎礼节：恰当 “千真万确。” “那你愿意去巴黎帮我看看查尔斯的情况吗？” “我？” 我愣了一下，考虑到自已跟斯特里克兰德只是一面 之交，我也不知道她想要我做什么。 “弗雷德决意要去。”弗雷德就是麦克安德鲁上校。 “可我知道他不合适，他只会把事搞得更糟，我又不知 ⑤brute[bru:t)a.人面兽心 道有什么人可以求。” 的人，残酷无情的人， 残忍的人 她的声音在微微颤抖，我觉得自己哪怕稍微犹豫一 下都像是没人性了。 “可是我跟你丈夫说过的话还不到十个字，他跟我 不熟，他说不定会直接让我滚。” ·073· ChapterX "That wouldn't hurt you,"said Mrs.Strickland,smiling. “What is it exactly you want me to do?” She did not answer directly. "I think it's rather an advantage that he doesn't know you.You see,he never really liked Fred;he thought him a fool;he didn't understand soldiers.Fred would fly into a passion,and there'd be a quarrel,and things would be worse instead of better.If you said you came on my behalf,he couldn't refuse to listen to you.” "I haven't known you very long,"I answered."I don't see how anyone can be expected to tackle a case like this unless he knows all the details.I don't want to pry into what doesn't concern me.Why don't you go and see him yourself?" "You forget he isn't alone." I held my tongue.I saw myself calling on Charles Strickland and sending in my card;I saw him come into the room,holding it between finger and thumb: "To what do I owe this honour?" "I've come to see you about your wife." "Really.When you are a little older you will doubtless learn the advantage of minding your own business.If you will be so good as to turn your head slightly to the left,you will see the door.I wish you good-afternoon." I foresaw that it would be difficult to make my exit with dignity,and I wished to goodness that I had not returned to London till Mrs.Strickland had composed her difficulties.I stole a glance at her.She was immersed in thought. Presently she looked up at me,sighed deeply,and smiled. "It was all so unexpected,"she said."We'd been married seventeen years.I never dreamed that Charlie was the sort of man to get infatuated with anyone. We always got on very well together.Of course,I had a great many interests that he didn't share." "Have you found out who"-I did not quite know how to express myself- "who the person,who it is he's gone away with?" "No.No one seems to have an idea.It's so strange.Generally when a ·074· + “那也伤不着你。”斯特里克兰德太太和颜悦色地 说道。 “你到底想让我做什么呢？” 她没有正面回答。 “我觉得你跟他不熟倒是个便利条件。你知道，他 其实从来没有喜欢过弗雷德，他不理解军人，他认为弗 雷德是个傻子。假如弗雷德去了的话会暴跳如雷的。两 个人大吵一顿，非但于事无补，反而会雪上加霜。假如 你说你是代表我去的，他是不会拒绝听你说话的。” “我跟你们俩认识的时间比较短。”我答道，“我觉 ①tackle[teky着手处理 得不了解全部细节，是很难处理这种事的。我不愿意探 解决：应付 ②py[prai]窥探：打听 听与己无关的事。你怎么不亲自去见他呢？” “你忘啦，他那里还有别人。” 我不好再说什么了。我似乎看见了我去拜访查尔斯· 斯特里克兰德的情形，我一到地方，递上名片，我似乎 看见他走进房间，用拇指和另外一个手指捏着名片。 “请问您有何贵干？” “我来是想跟您谈谈尊夫人的事。” “说实在的，当您再大几岁，一定就会明白不该多 管闲事了。劳驾您稍微向左偏下头，您会看到一扇门， 下午好，就此别过。” 我可以预想得到，我出来的时候不失尊严也难。我 真心希望自己当时能晚几天回伦敦，等斯特里克兰德太 太渡过难关以后再回来。我偷偷瞄了她一眼。她陷入了 沉思，却很快仰起头来看着我，幽幽长叹，微微笑了笑。 “太出乎意料啦，”她说道，“我们已经结婚十七年 了，我做梦都想不到查尔斯是这种人，想不到他会迷上 infatuated [in'faetjueitid]a. 着迷的，迷恋的 什么人。我们一直琴瑟相合，相敬如宾。当然了，我也 有许多兴趣爱好不能跟他共享。” “你弄清楚是谁，”—我不知道该怎么说好 “是什么人，跟他一起走的？” “没有。好像谁也不知道。奇怪得很，通常情况下， 一个男人跟哪个女人有了桃色事件，人们就会看到他们 ·075· ChapterX man falls in love with someone people see them about together,lunching or something,and her friends always come and tell the wife.I had no warning- nothing.His letter came like a thunderbolt.I thought he was perfectly happy." She began to cry,poor thing,and I felt very sorry for her.But in a little while she grew calmer. "It's no good making a fool of myself,"she said,drying her eyes."The only thing is to decide what is the best thing to do." She went on,talking somewhat at random,now of the recent past,then of their first meeting and their marriage;but presently I began to form a fairly coherent picture of their lives;and it seemed to me that my surmises had not been incorrect.Mrs.Strickland was the daughter of an Indian civilian,who on his retirement had settled in the depths of the country,but it was his habit every August to take his family to Eastbourne for change of air;and it was here,when she was twenty,that she met Charles Strickland.He was twenty-three.They played together,walked on the front together,listened together to the nigger minstrels;and she had made up her mind to accept him a week before he proposed to her.They lived in London,first in Hampstead,and then,as he grew more prosperous,in town.Two children were born to them. "He always seemed very fond of them.Even if he was tired of me,I wonder that he had the heart to leave them.It's all so incredible.Even now I can hardly believe it's true.” At last she showed me the letter he had written.I was curious to see it,but had not ventured to ask for it. MY DEAR AMY, I think you will find everything all right in the flat.I have given Anne your instructions,and dinner will be ready for you and the children when you come.I shall not be there to meet you.I have made up my mind to live apart from you,and I am going to Paris in the morning.I shall post this letter on my arrival.I shall not come back.My decision is irrevocable Yours always, CHARLES STRICKLAND ·076· 十 出双入对，出去吃午饭什么的，妻子的闺蜜就会来告密， 我却没人提醒一一个提醒的人也没有。他的信对我好 像是晴天霹雳。我还以为他生活得完美幸福呢。” 她哭了起来，可怜的女人，我为她心如刀绞。可没 过多久她就渐渐平复了。 “出洋相不好，”她说着，擦干了眼泪，“唯一要做 的事是制定对策。” 她又说了下去，说得有些语无伦次：一会儿说前不 久的事，一会儿又说起他们初次相遇和刚刚结婚时，不 过这样一来，他们生活的图画反倒在我脑海里渐渐清晰 surmise ['so:maiz;so:'maiz] n.猜测，臆测 连贯起来。我觉得我过去的猜测倒是没有错，斯特里克 兰德太太的父亲在印度当过文职官吏，退休以后在英国 偏远农村养老，不过，每年的八月份，他都会携全家到 伊思特堡恩换个地方疗养一下。而她也就是在那里认识 了查尔斯·斯特里克兰德的。那一年她二十岁，斯特里 克兰德二十三岁。他们一起打网球，在滨海大路上散步， ②minstrel[minstral]n诗人： 听黑人流浪歌手唱歌。在他正式提出求婚的一个星期以 歌手 前，她已经决心接受他了。他们开始在伦敦生活，最初 住在汉普斯台德区，后来生活渐渐宽裕起来，就搬进了 市区。他们生了两个孩子。 “他好像一直很喜欢这两个孩子，就算他对我厌倦 了，我奇怪他怎么会忍心离开孩子，这一切简直令人难 以置信，我现在都难以相信这是真的。” 最后，她把他写的信拿出来给我看。其实我一直想 看，却不敢说。 我亲爱的艾米： 我想你会发现家中的一切如常。你给安妮捎的话我 已捎到，你跟孩子回家以后她会把晚饭做好。我不会在 家等你们了。我已决心与你分居，我会在今天上午去巴 黎。我会在抵达巴黎后发这封信。我不会回来了，我的 3irrevocable [i'revakabl;iri- 'vaukabl]a.不能改变的： 决定不会更改。 不能挽回的 你永远的， 查尔斯·斯特里克兰德 ·077· ChapterX "Not a word of explanation or regret.Don't you think it's inhuman?" "It's a very strange letter under the circumstances,"I replied. "There's only one explanation,and that is that he's not himself.I don't know who this woman is who's got hold of him,but she's made him into another man.It's evidently been going on a long time." “What makes you think that?” "Fred found that out.My husband said he went to the club three or four nights a week to play bridge.Fred knows one of the members,and said something about Charles being a great bridge-player.The man was surprised. He said he'd never even seen Charles in the card-room.It's quite clear now that when I thought Charles was at his club he was with her." I was silent for a moment.Then I thought of the children "It must have been difficult to explain to Robert,"I said. "Oh,I never said a word to either of them.You see,we only came up to town the day before they had to go back to school.I had the presence of mind to say that their father had been called away on business." It could not have been very easy to be bright and careless with that sudden secret in her heart,nor to give her attention to all the things that needed doing to get her children comfortably packed off.Mrs.Strickland's voice broke again. "And what is to happen to them,poor darlings?How are we going to live?" She struggled for self-control,and I saw her hands clench and unclench spasmodically.It was dreadfully painful. "Of course I'll go over to Paris if you think I can do any good,but you must tell me exactly what you want me to do." "I want him to come back." "I understood from Colonel MacAndrew that you'd made up your mind to divorce him.” "I'll never divorce him,"she answered with a sudden violence."Tell him ·078· “一句解释也没有，一点儿款意也没有，你是不是 觉得这人太没有人性了？” “在这种情况下，这么写信怪得很。”我答道。 “只有一个解释，那就是他已经不是原来的他了。 哪个女人把他给控制住了，我不知道，可我知道她肯定 把他改造的不是原来的他了。显而易见，这事已经开始 很久了。” “你为什么这么想？” “弗雷德已经感觉不对头了。我丈夫说每星期有 三四个晚上要去俱乐部打桥牌。弗雷德认识一个那个俱 乐部的会员，有一次同他说起类似查尔斯爱打桥牌的 话，对方大吃一惊，说从来没有在桥牌室见过查尔斯。 现在很清楚了，我以为查尔斯在俱乐部的时候，其实他 在跟那个女人在一起。” 我沉默了好一会儿，接着又想起了孩子们。 “一定很难向罗伯特解释这事。”我说道。 “哦，我对他们俩谁都没说，只字未提。你知道， 我们回城的第二天他们就返校了。我还没有失去理智， 我告诉他们父亲被人叫到外地办事去了。” 心里藏着这样一个晴天霹雳般的秘密，还要举止得 体，若无其事，实在太不容易了。此外，还要劳心劳神 地为孩子上学打点行装，要带的东西一应俱全，事无巨 细，样样妥帖。斯特里克兰德太太的声音鸣咽起来。 spasmodically [spaez'mo- dikli]ad..痉挛性地 “他们将来会怎样，可怜的宝贝？我们可怎么生活 呀？” 她拼命地自控，我看到她的手抽搐着握紧，松开。 那种痛苦太可怕了。 “你认为我去巴黎有用的话，我当然会去的，不过， 你一定要对我讲得明明白白你具体要我去做什么。” “我想要叫他回来。” “我听麦克安德鲁上校的意思是，你已经决意跟他 离了。” “我绝对不会跟他离婚。”她突然恶狠狠地说道，“你 ·079· ChapterX that from me.He'll never be able to marry that woman.I'm as obstinate as he is,and I'll never divorce him.I have to think of my children." I think she added this to explain her attitude to me,but I thought it was due to a very natural jealousy rather than to maternal solicitude "Are you in love with him still?" "I don't know.I want him to come back.If he'll do that we'll let bygones be bygones.After all,we've been married for seventeen years.I'm a broadminded woman.I wouldn't have minded what he did as long as I knew nothing about it. He must know that his infatuation won't last.If he'll come back now everything can be smoothed over,and no one will know anything about it." It chilled me a little that Mrs.Strickland should be concerned with gossip, for I did not know then how great a part is played in women's life by the opinion of others.It throws a shadow of insincerity over their most deeply felt emotions. It was known where Strickland was staying.His partner,in a violent letter, sent to his bank,had taunted him with hiding his whereabouts:and Strickland, in a cynical and humourous reply,had told his partner exactly where to find him. He was apparently living in an Hotel. "I've never heard of it,"said Mrs.Strickland."But Fred knows it well.He says it's very expensive." She flushed darkly.I imagined that she saw her husband installed in a luxurious suite of rooms,dining at one smart restaurant after another,and she pictured his days spent at race-meetings and his evenings at the play. "It can't go on at his age,"she said."After all,he's forty.I could understand it in a young man,but I think it's horrible in a man of his years,with children who are nearly grown up.His health will never stand it." Anger struggled in her breast with misery. "Tell him that our home cries out for him.Everything is just the same,and ·080· 十 obstinate ['obstinit;-not]a. 传我的话，他永远也别指望跟那个女人结婚。我跟他一 固执的，倔强的 ②maternal[ma'to:nla.母 样倔，我绝对不会跟他离婚，我要为我的孩子考虑。” 亲的：母性的 我猜测她最后画蛇添足的这句话，是为了表明持这 3solicitude [sa'lisitju:d]n. 种态度的原因，但是我当时却以为她这样做更像是纯粹 担心，关心 天然的妒忌心，而不是什么母爱。 “你还爱他吗？” ④bygones[baigons]n【复】 往事，过去的事情 “我不知道。我就是想要他回来。他回来了，我们 就可以一了百了，怎么说我们也是十七年的夫妻。我不 是一个小肚鸡肠的女人。这事彻底别让我知道，我就不 会在意。他也一定知道这种恋情不长久。只要他现在回 来，局面就会缓和，神不知鬼不觉。” 斯特里克兰德太太会这么在乎流言蜚语，让我心生 些许凉意，当时的我还不知道别人的看法在女人的生活 中这么重要，而这样一来，却给她们最深切的情感投上 一层虚情假意的阴影 ⑤taunt[to:ntta:nt]g讥讽 家里人知道斯特里克兰德住在哪里。他的合股人也 曾经写过一封措辞严厉的信，通过斯特里克兰德存款的 银行转给他，信里讥讽他行踪诡秘：而斯特里克兰德在 回信中以玩世不恭的玩笑口吻告诉合股人可以在哪里找 到自己。显而易见，他住在一家旅馆里。 “我没听说过这个旅馆。”斯特里克兰德太太说道。 “不过，弗雷德对这家旅馆了如指掌，他说这是家高档 旅馆。” 她的脸涨成了猪肝色。我想象她似乎看到自己的丈 夫夜夜笙歌朝朝醉：住在一个豪华套间里，在一家家考 究的饭店里进餐，她脑海里闪现出他白天去赛马厅看赛 马，晚上去剧场看剧的情景。 “像他这样的年纪，不能总是这样。”她说，“他毕 竞是四十岁的人了，换成一个年轻人，我能理解，可在 他这把年纪，这样就太可怕了，他的孩子都快长大成人 了，再说他的身体也吃不消。” 在她的心中，愤怒在与痛苦交织相搏。 “告诉他，他的家在呼唤他回来。家里一切还是老 ·081·