3 Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《化身博士The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde》

Dr. Jekyll Was Ouite at Ease A fortnight① later, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent. reputable men and all judges of good wine: and Mr. Utterson so contrived② that he remained behind after the others had departed. This was no new arrangement, but a thing that had befallen many scores of times. Where Utterson was liked, he was liked well. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer. when the light-hearted{} and loose-tongued had already their foot on the threshold: they liked to sit a while in his unobtrusive{} company, practising for solitude, sobering their minds in the man's rich silence after the expense and strain of gaiety. To this rule, Dr. Jekyll was no exception: and as he now sat on the opposite side of the fire-a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a stylish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness-you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr Utterson a sincere and warm affection "I have been wanting to speak to you, Jekyll," began the latter. "You know that will of yours?" A close observer might have gathered that the topic was distasteful: but the doctor carried it off gaily{②}."My poor Utterson," said he, "you are unfortunate .036. 杰基尔博于的安逸生活 ① fortnight I'fs:tait] n. 两 真是好运气!两个星期后,杰基尔博士又请客了。 周 他准备了丰盛的家宴,邀请来了五六位老朋友小聚,几 ② contrive kan'traiv]v 以 个都是智商极高、备受尊崇的大人物,也都是品评好酒 计谋达到 的行家。宴会结束后,厄塔森故意等到其他人都告辞离 开,自已却留了下来。他这么做并不是第一次了,怎么 说也得有好几十次了吧。因为性格的原因,他是一个只 ③ light-hearted 轻松的. 无忧无虑的 要别人喜欢就喜欢得特别厉害的人。每次聚会结束,当 其他轻松活跃、快嘴快舌的客人都已踏上门槛准备离开 ④ unobtrusive 时,主人们总喜欢留下这位看起来严肃无趣的律师。他 L.Anob'tru:siv]a. 不引l人 们喜欢跟他静静地坐上一会儿,享受一段不被打扰的幽 注目的 静时光。一阵狂欢过后,厄塔森深深的沉默反倒能让他 们头脑冷静冷静。这一点对杰基尔博士也不例外。这不, 此刻他正与这位律师在炉火旁面对面坐着-博士约莫 五十来岁,身材高大、体格健壮、容光焕发,看起来风 度翩翩,但却处处显露着能干与善良--你瞧,他看厄 塔森时的那种表情,真诚而又温暖。 “我一直想跟你谈谈,杰基尔,”厄塔森打破沉默说 “你知道的,你的那份遗嘱......” 如果仔细观察的话,就会发现杰基尔其实并不喜欢 gaily 'aeili]ad. 快乐地 愉快地 这个话题,但是他很巧妙地接了过来,想用几句玩笑话 塘塞过去。“我可怜的厄塔森,”他说,“你摊上我这么 .037. ①r: yefylfWas Ouite at Ease in such a client. I never saw a man so distressed as you were by my will: unless it were that hide-bound^{} pedant. Lanyon, at what he called my scientific heresies^{②. O, I know he's a good fellow-you needn't frown-an excellent fellow, and I always mean to see more of him: but a hide-bound pedant for all that: an ignorant, blatant{} pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon." "You know I never approved of it." pursued Utterson, ruthlessly disregarding the fresh topic "My will? Yes, certainly, I know that," said the doctor, a triffe④} sharply. "You have told me so." "Well, I tell you so again," continued the lawyer. "I have been learning something of young Hyde." The large handsome face of Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes. "I do not care to hear more,"said he. "This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop." “What I heard was abominable{}." said Utterson "It can make no change. You do not understand my position," returned the doctor, with a certain incoherency of manner. "I am painfully situated, Utterson: my position is a very strange-a very strange one. It is one of those affairs that cannot be mended by talking." “Jekyll."said Utterson, "you know me: I am a man to be trusted. Make a clean breast of this in confidence: and I make no doubt I can get you out of it." "My good Utterson," said the doctor, "this is very good of you, this is downright good of you, and I cannot find words to thank you in. I believe you fully: I would trust you before any man alive, ay, before myself, if I could make the choice: but indeed it isn't what you fancy: it is not as bad as that and just to put your good heart at rest. I will tell you one thing: the moment .038. 杰基尔博士的安逸生活 一个客户,真是太不幸了!我还从来没有看见有谁像你 ① hide-bound迁腐的,古 一样,被我的一份遗嘱弄得如此愁眉苦脸。除了那个死 板的 脑筋、书呆子兰尼恩,每次谈到科学上一些问题时,他 ② heresy lhersil n.异教, 总说我的观点是异端邪说。哦,你不必皱眉,我知道他 异端 ③ blatant ['bleitant] a. 显眼 人不错,相当不错,我还一直想跟他多见见面。但尽管 的,惹人注目的 如此,他还是个一板一眼的老学究,一个无知的、彻头 彻尾的书呆子。除了兰尼恩,没有谁让我更失望了。” “你知道的,我一直不赞同这份遗嘱。”厄塔森紧追 不舍,毫不理会杰基尔的新话题。 ④ trifle I'traifl]n. 少许,一 “我的遗嘱?没错,当然喽,我知道。”博士终于回 点 应了,不过声音有点刺耳,“你早跟我说过好几回了。” “好吧,但是我还得再说一遍。”厄塔森继续道,“我 最近听到了一些关于你那位年轻朋友海德的事情。” 杰基尔博士那张英俊的大脸瞬间变得灰白,连嘴唇 也发白了,眼神中透出一股阴郁的神情。“我不想再听 了,”他说,“我们都说好不再纠缠这件事了。” abominable [a'bominabl] “我听到的情况很糟糕。”厄塔森说。 a.可憎的,可鄙的 “那也改变不了什么,你不了解我的处境。”杰基尔 回答说,举止有点不自然,“我的处境让我很痛苦,厄 塔森。我的处境很不同,非常非常不同。这件事咱俩再 怎么讨论,也不会有其他结果。” “杰基尔,”厄塔森说,“你了解我的,我是个可以 信赖的人。你我推心置腹,告诉我所有情况吧,我保证 一定帮你摆脱困境。” “我善良的厄塔森!”博士说,“你对我真好,真的 是太好了,我都不知道该说什么才能表达我的谢意。我 完全信任你!这世上所有人里面,要是让我选择的话, 我最信任的人就是你,没错,我对你的信任甚至超过了 对自己的信任。但是,这件事情并不是你所想象的那样, 真的,情况没有你想的那么糟糕。你尽管放心吧。我可 以告诉你一件事:任何时候,只要我下定决心,我就能 摆脱这位海德先生。这一点我可以向你保证。不过,我 还是非常非常感激你。我再多说一句,厄塔森,我相信 .039 ①r: 7efylfWas Ouite at Ease choose, I can be rid of^{} Mr. Hyde. I give you my hand upon that: and I thank you again and again: and I will just add one little word, Utterson, that I'm sure you'll take in good part: this is a private matter, and I beg of you to let it sleep." Utterson reflected a little. looking in the fire "I have no doubt you are perfectly right," he said at last, getting to his feet "Well, but since we have touched upon this business, and for the last time I hope." continued the doctor, "there is one point I should like you to understand I have really a very great interest in poor Hyde. I know you have seen him he told me so: and I fear he was rude. But I do sincerely②} take a great, a very great interest in that young man: and if I am taken away, Utterson, I wish you to promise me that you will bear with him and get his rights for him. I think you would, if you knew all: and it would be a weight off my mind if you would promise." "I can't pretend that I shall ever like him."said the lawyer "I don't ask that," pleaded Jekyll, laying his hand upon the other's arm: "1 only ask for justice: I only ask you to help him for my sake{}. when I am no longer here." Utterson heaved an irrepressible{ sigh. "Well," said he,"I promise." .040: 杰基尔博士的安逸生活 ① be rid of摆脱 你不会见怪;这是我的一桩私事,我恳请你不要再插手 了。” 厄塔森望着炉火,沉思了好一会儿。 “你是对的,这一点我毫不怀疑。”他站起身来,最 后说道。 “好吧。我希望这是咱俩最后一次讨论这个话题。” 杰基尔接着说,“但是,既然已经说到这儿了,有一点 我希望你能理解,我的确非常关心那个可怜的海德。我 知道你已经见过他了,他也告诉我了。我担心他可能对 你有所冲撞。但是,我对这位年轻人真的很关心,非常 ② sincerely sin'sialil ad 非常关心。如果有一天我不在了,厄塔森,我希望你能 真诚地 答应我,你要对他有点耐心,保护他的权益。我相信如 果你了解这其中的全部情况,你一定会这么做的。如果 你能答应我,我心头的一块石头就落地了。” “我没法假装我喜欢这个人。”厄塔森说。 “我并不要求你喜欢他,”杰基尔带着恳求的声音 把手放在厄塔森的臂膀上说,“我只求你能公平地对待他 我希望如果我不在了,你能看在我的面子上,帮帮他。” ③ for one's sake 为....起 厄塔森忍不住深深叹了口气,“好吧,”他说,“我 见 答应你。” ④ irrepressible [.iri'presabl a.控制不住的 .041·