Chapter15-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《月亮与六便士The Moon and Sixpence》

ChapterXV When I reached London I found waiting for me an urgent reauest that I should go to Mrs. Strickland's as soon after dinner as I could. I found her with Colonel MacAndrew and his wife. Mrs. Strickland's sister was older than she, not unlike her, but more faded: and she had the efficient air, as though she carried the British Empire in her pocket, which the wives of senior officers acauire from the consciousness of belonging to a superior caste{}. Her manner was brisk, and her good-breeding scarcely concealed her conviction that if you were not a soldier you might as well be a counter-jumper. She hated the Guards, whom she thought conceited^{②}, and she could not trust herself to speak of their ladies, who were so remiss{③} in calling. Her gown was dowdy and expensive Mrs. Strickland was plainly nervous. “Well. tell us your news."she said "I saw your husband. I'm afraid he's quite made up his mind not to return." I paused a little."He wants to paint." “What do you mean?" cried Mrs. Strickland. with the utmost astonishment "Did you never know that he was keen on that sort of thing." "He must be as mad as a hatter." exclaimed the Colonel Mrs, Strickland frowned a little. She was searching among her recollections ·124· 十五 我回到伦敦,发现有一封急信在等着我,请我吃完 晚饭后尽快就到斯特里克兰德太太家去。在她家,我见 到了麦克安德鲁上校和他的妻子。斯特里克兰德太太的 姐姐比斯特里克兰德太太年长,长相相差无儿,却更老 气些。她摆出一副精明强干的架势,好像整个大英帝国 都是她的囊中之物。高级官员的太太们深知自已属于 ① caste lka:st: kaestl n. ( 具 优越的高层,都是这个范儿。她表现得干脆利落,教 有严格等级差别的)社 会地位 养良好,却很难掩饰内心的偏见,即你不是军人的话 就形同店员伙计。她认为近卫队军官傲慢自大,所以 不喜欢他们。她认为他们的太太出身卑贱,所以无法 ② conceited [kan'si:tidl a. 自 高自大的,自负的 纾尊降贵去谈论她们。她的衣服款式不时尚,价格却 ③ remiss [ri'mis]a. 怠慢的 很昂贵。 显而易见,斯特里克兰德太太神情紧张。 “好了,给我们讲讲你的消息吧。”她说道。 “我见到你丈夫了。我恐怕他的心意已决,不会回 来了。”我稍微顿了顿。“他想画画。” “你是什么意思?”斯特里克兰德太太大吃一惊 大声喊道。 “你一点儿也没觉察到他喜欢这种东西?” “他一定是疯啦。”上校大声喊道 斯特里克兰德太太的眉头微微了盛,她在记忆中 搜索着。 ·125· Chapterxv "I remember before we were married he used to potter about with a paint-box. But you never saw such daubs^{①}. We used to chaf^{②} him. He had absolutely no gift for anything like that." “Of course it's only an excuse."said Mrs. MacAndrew Mrs. Strickland pondered deeply for some time. It was quite clear that she could not make head or tail of my announcement. She had put some order into the drawing-room by now, her housewifely instincts having got the better of her dismay: and it no longer bore that deserted look, like a furnished house long to let, which I had noticed on my first visit after the catastrophe. But now that I had seen Strickland in Paris it was difficult to imagine him in those surroundings I thought it could hardly have failed to strike them that there was something incongruous{③}in him. “But if he wanted to be an artist, why didn't he say so?" asked Mrs. Stricklang at last. "I should have thought I was the last person to be unsympathetic to -to aspirations of that kind." Mrs. MacAndrew tightened her lips. I imagine that she had never looked with approval on her sister's leaning towards persons who cultivated the arts She spoke of "culchaw"derisively④. Mrs. Strickland continued: “After all. if he had any talent I should be the first to encourage it. wouldn't have minded sacrifices. I'd much rather be married to a painter than to a stockbroker. If it weren't for the children. I wouldn't mind anything. I could be iust as happy in a shabby studio in Chelsea as in this flat." "My dear, I have no patience with you," cried Mrs. MacAndrew."You don't mean to say you believe a word of this nonsense?" “But I think it's true." I put in mildly She looked at me with good-humoured contempt “A man doesn't throw up his business and leave his wife and children at the age of forty to become a painter unless there's a woman in it. I suppose he met one of your - artistic friends, and she's turned his head." .126· 十五1 “我记得在我们结婚以前他常常带着个颜料盒四处 ①daub [do:b]n. 拙劣的画 闲逛画画。可你就没见过那么难看的画,我们那时常常 乱画的画 ② chaff [tfa:f; tfaef]v 取笑 笑话他。他在这方面绝对没有天分。” 逗弄 “当然没有,这就是个借口。”麦克安德鲁太太说道。 半晌,斯特里克兰德太太陷入了沉思。显而易见, 她对我公布的这个消息还摸不着头脑。我这次来发现, 她已经把客厅稍稍收拾了收拾,不像那场大难过后我第 一次来时所注意到的样子;看起来空空荡荡的,好像带 家具待出相的房子,看来她那家庭主妇的本能最终还是 战胜了她的哀伤。然而现在,在与斯特里克兰德巴黎见 面以后,我却很难想象他与这种环境融为一体。我觉得 他们这些人也不会觉察不到斯特里克兰德与环境格格不 ③ incongruous [in'kongruas] 入的种种迹象。 a.不协调的;不和谐的 “可就算他想当画家,他为什么不说呢?”斯特里 克兰德太太最后发问,“我自认对他的这种一一这种趣 味,我是绝不会不认同的。” 麦克安德鲁太太的嘴唇抿了起来。我猜测,她妹妹 偏爱交往文人艺术家,她从来都没有认同过。一说到“文 ④ derisively [di'raisivlil ad 艺”这个词,她就一脸的不屑。 嘲弄地:嘲笑地 斯特里克兰德太太又接着说道 “说到底,他若是有这方面的才华,我会是第一个 鼓励他的人。我不会在意有什么牺牲的呀。我倒更愿意 嫁给一个画家而不是证卷经纪人呢!如果不是为了孩 子,我什么也不会在意。我住在柴尔西一间破旧的画室 里跟我住在这所房子里一样快乐幸福。” “亲爱的,我可没法再忍你了,”麦克安德鲁太太 大声说道,“你的意思该不是相信了这些鬼话吧?” “可我认为这是真的。”我弱弱地反驳。 她看着我,哭笑不得。 “一个四十岁的男人不会为了要当画家就抛家舍 业,除非这里有一个女人。我猜测他一定是结识了你的 某个-搞艺术的朋友,为她起了痴心。” ·127· Chapter xv A spot of colour rose suddenly to Mrs, Strickland's pale cheeks "What is she like?" I hesitated a little. I knew that I had a bombshell "There isn't a woman." Colonel MacAndrew and his wife uttered expressions of incredulity{}, and Mrs. Strickland sprang to her feet. "Do you mean to say you never saw her?" "There's no one to see. He's quite alone." "That's preposterous{②,"cried Mrs. MacAndrew. "I knew I ought to have gone over myself." said the Colonel. "You can be your boots I'd have routed her out fast enough." "I wish you had gone over," I replied, somewhat tartly③."You'd have seen that every one of your suppositions was wrong. He's not at a smart hotel. He's living in one tiny room in the most squalid^{} way. If he's left his home, it's not to live a gay life. He's got hardly any money." “Do you think he's done something that we don't know about, and is lying doggo on account of the police?" The suggestion sent a ray of hope in all their breasts, but I would have nothing to do with it. "If that were so, he would hardly have been such a fool as to give his partner his address," I retorted acidly. "Anyhow, there's one thing I'm positive of, he didn't go away with anyone. He's not in love. Nothing is farther from his thoughts." There was a pause while they reflected over my words "Well, if what you say is true." said Mrs. MacAndrew at last,"things aren't so bad as I thought." Mrs. Strickland glanced at her, but said nothing She was very pale now, and her fine brow was dark and lowering. I could no understand the expression of her face. Mrs. MacAndrew continued "If it's just a whim{}, he'll get over it." “Why don't you go over to him, Amy?" hazarded the Colonel. "There's no .128. 十五1 斯特里克兰德太太苍白的面颊上突然泛上一片红晕 “她什么样?” 我迟疑了一下。我知道我手里握着的是一枚炸弹 “没有女人。” 麦克安德鲁上校和他的太太失声尖叫,一脸的不相 ① incredulity Linkri'dju:loti n. 不相信,怀疑;不轻 信;斯特里克兰德太太也从椅子上一跃而起。 信 “你是说你根本没看到她?” “根本就没有人可以看。只有他一个人。” “荒唐。”麦克安德鲁太太大喊大叫道。 ② preposterous [pri'postaras] a.十分荒谬的 “我早就知道非得我去不可,”上校说,“我可以跟 你们打赌,我保证能马上就把那个女人搜出来。” “我倒希望你去过了,”我出语多少有些尖刻,“这 ③ tartly [ta:tli]ad. 尖刻地 样你就会发现你的种种猜测都是错的:他住的不是奢侈 旅馆,而是一个简陋的小房间。他离家根本不是为了过 ④ squalid l'skwolid: 'sko:-]a 放荡的生活。他几乎没有什么钱。” 航脏的 “你不觉得他是做了什么事,而我们不知道,他这 是躲警察去了?” 这一联想让他们个个心头都闪现出一线希望来,但 是我却不会。 “假如是这样,他就不大可能会傻到把自己的地址 告诉他的合伙人。”我不悦地反驳道,“不管怎么说,有 一件事我可以肯定,他不是跟任何人一起出走的。他没 有爱上别人。他的脑袋里没有一丝一毫这样的想法。” 屋里出现了片刻寂静,他们在琢磨我的话。 “好吧,假如你说的是真的,”麦克安德鲁太太最 后开口说,“那情况倒没有我想象的那么糟糕。” 斯特里克兰德太太扫了她一眼,没有说话。 她此时面色苍白得很,精致的黑眉毛低垂着。我无 法理解她脸上出现的这种表情。麦克安德鲁太太接着 说道: “如果就是个心血来潮的话,他会改邪归正的。” whim hwim]n.-时的兴 “你为什么不去找他呢,艾来?”胆大妄为的上校 致,心血来潮 说道,“你就和他一起在巴黎住上一年也说得过去。我 ·129· Chapterxv reason why you shouldn't live with him in Paris for a year. We'll look after the children. I dare say he'd got stale{}. Sooner or later he'll be quite ready to come back to London, and no great harm will have been done." "I wouldn't do that," said Mrs. MacAndrew. "I'd give him all the rope he wants. He'll come back with his tail between his legs and settle down again quite comfortably." Mrs. MacAndrew looked at her sister coolly. "Perhaps you weren't very wise with him sometimes. Men are queer creatures, and one has to know how to manage them." Mrs. MacAndrew shared the common opinion of her sex that a man is always a brute to leave a woman who is attached to him, but that a woman is much to blame if he does. Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait pas Mrs. Strickland looked slowly from one to another of us "He'll never come back," she said. “Oh, my dear, remember what we've just heard. He's been used to comfort and to having someone to look after him. How long do you think it'll be before he gets tired of a scrubby{②} room in a scrubby hotel? Besides, he hasn't any money. He must come back." “As long as I thought he'd run away with some woman I thought there was a chance. I don't believe that sort of thing ever answers. He'd have got sick to death of her in three months. But if he hasn't gone because he's in love, then it's finished." “Oh, I think that's awfully subtle," said the Colonel, putting into the word all the contempt he felt for a quality so alien to the traditions of his calling. "Don't you believe it. He'll come back, and. as Dorothy says, I dare say he'll be none the worse for having had a bit of a fling③}" “But I don't want him back."she said .130· 十五1 们来照顾孩子。我敢说他不久就没有新鲜感了。早晚有 ①stale [steilla. (人)疲倦 一天他会回过味来,自然而然就会回伦敦,也不会造成 的;厌烦的 大的伤害。” “我就不会那么做。”麦克安德鲁太太说道,“我会 给他个碗大汤宽,将来有一天他就会夹着尾巴回家来 踏踏实实舒舒服服地安定下来。”说到这里,麦克安德 鲁太太冷冰冰地看了她妹妹一眼。“可能你跟他在一起 生活的时候有时不太明智。男人都是些奇奇怪怪的动物 你该知道怎样御夫。” 麦克安德鲁太太和普通女性的见解是一致的,她们 认定男人们都是狼心狗肺的畜生,总想抛弃依恋他们的 女人,但是一旦他这么做了,反倒应该怪罪女人。感情 的理由,理智永远不懂。 斯特里克兰德太太的眼睛缓缓地从我们一个人的脸 上移到另一个人的脸上。 “他绝对不会回来了。”她说道。 “啊,亲爱的,你不要忘了我们刚才听到的那些 ②scrubby 'skrAbila. 卑贱的 话。他已经过惯了舒舒服服、有人照顾他的日子。你 认为他在那种寒酸的小旅馆的寒酸的小房间里能不腻 味吗?能待多久啊?还有,他又没有钱,他一定会回 来的。” “要是他是和哪个女人私奔了,我还会以为他还有 希望回来。我不相信这种事会有结果。不出三个月,他 就会烦死她了。可如果他不是为爱私奔的,那可就都结 束了。” “哎,我认为你说的这些也太玄了。”上校说道 ③fling[flinln.(一时的)放 他感觉自已的职业传统与这种品性格格不入,他把自己 肆,放纵,放荡 对此的全部蔑视都用“玄”这个字体现出来了,“不要 相信这一套,他会回来的,再说,正如多萝西说的那样 让他在外面出点格我想也没什么大碍。” “可是我不想要他回来了。”她说道。 1 原文为法语。 ·131· Chapterxv “Amy!" It was anger that had seized Mrs. Strickland, and her pallor^{①} was the pallor of a cold and sudden rage. She spoke quickly now, with little gasps. "I could have forgiven it if he'd fallen desperately in love with someone and gone off with her. I should have thought that natural. I shouldn't really have blamed him. I should have thought he was led away. Men are so weak, and women are so unscrupulous{②}. But this is different. I hate him. I'll never forgive him now." Colonel MacAndrew and his wife began to talk to her together. They were astonished. They told her she was mad. They could not understand. Mrs Strickland turned desperately to me "Don't you see?"she cried "I'm not sure. Do you mean that you could have forgiven him if he'd left you for a woman, but not if he's left you for an idea? You think you're a match for the one, but against the other you're helpless?" Mrs. Strickland gave me a look in which I read no great friendliness, but did not answer. Perhaps I had struck home. She went on in a low and trembling voice: "I never knew it was possible to hate anyone as much as I hate him. Do you know, I've been comforting myself by thinking that however long it lasted he'd want me at the end? I knew when he was dying he'd send for me, and I was ready to go: I'd have nursed him like a mother, and at the last I'd have told him that it didn't matter, I'd loved him always, and I forgave him everything." I have always been a little disconcerted by the passion women have for behaving beautifully at the death-bed of those they love. Sometimes it seems as if they grudge{③} the longevity{} which postpones^{}their chance of an effective scene. “But now - now it's finished. I'm as indifferent to him as if he were a stranger. I should like him to die miserable, poor, and starving, without a friend I hope he'll rot with some loathsome disease. I've done with him." I thought it as well then to say what Strickland had suggested. .132· 十五= “艾米!” ①pallor Ipaela]n.(尤指因 斯特里克兰德太太突然怒从心头起,脸气得繁白 恐惧或疾病所引起的脸 冷冰冰的。她此时说话语速很快,有点气喘吁吁的。 色等的)苍白 “如果他疯狂地爱上一个人,跟她私奔了,我倒觉 得是自然而然的,我倒是当真不会责备他。我会认为他 是受到了诱惑才走的。男人懦弱而愚钝,而女人又不择 手段。可现在却是另一回事。我恨他。我现在绝对不会 ② unscrupulous IAn'skru:p- 原谅他了。” julas]a.肆无忌惮的;寡 廉鲜耻的 麦克安德鲁上校和太太开始一起劝她。他们都大吃 一惊。他们说她发疯了。他们无法理解。斯特里克兰德 太太绝望地转向我。 “你懂我的意思吗?”她大声问道。 “我不能肯定。你的意思是:如果他为了一个女人 离开你,你倒可以原谅他;可是如果他是为了一个想法 离开的你,你就不能原谅他了,是吧?你认为你与女人 旗鼓相当,可是对想法却无能为力了,是吗?” 斯特里克兰德太太翳了我一眼,那眼神里没有多少 友好,却没有回答我的问题。可能我的话一针见血了吧。 她继续用低低的、颤颤的声音说道 “我从来不知道恨一个人可以恨得这么深,别人不 可能。你知道吗?我给自已开解,我想不论这件事持续 多长时间,他最后还会要我的。我知道他在弥留之际会 唤我过去,我也准备过去。我会像一个慈母那样看护他 最后我还会告诉他,往事已矣,我爱他始终不渝,宽恕 他所做的一切。” 女人们喜欢在她们所爱的人弥留之际表现得完美漂 亮,她们的这种激情总是让我有点尴尬难堪。有时候就 好像她们不情愿她们爱的男人长命百岁,唯恐推迟这动 人的一幕上演的时间。 ③grudge [qrad3lv 不情愿 做 “不过现在-一现在一切都结束了。我与他形同陌 ④ longevity llon'd3evati] n 路。我倒希望他死的时候凄凄惨惨,一文不名,三餐不 长寿,长命 postpone [poust'poun: po'sp-] 继,身边没有一个朋友。我倒希望他染上恶疮,全身腐 v延期:延后:延缓 烂。我同他的关系尽了。” ·133·