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名利场|Vanity Fair

第七章 女王的克劳莱镇上的克劳莱一家

属类: 双语小说 【分类】世界名著 -[作者: 萨克雷] 阅读:[45755]
CHAPTER VII Crawley of Queen’s Crawley
聪明漂亮的利蓓加出身于贫穷的画师家庭,从小父母双亡,在平克顿女子学校受尽歧视。离校后她凭着美貌和机智,不择手段地猎取金钱,通过投机和冒险,力图挤进上流社会。几经坎坷,几度荣辱,在英国社会的名利场中,她最终还是默默无闻地度日。围绕利蓓加,小说成功地塑造了爱米丽亚、乔治、罗登、乔瑟夫、克劳莱小姐、都宾等人物的形象。[5]原作副题是《没有主角的小说》,这里的人物不是简单化的或好或坏,他们都有着复杂而深刻的内心活动。利蓓加已成为十九世纪初期英国社会的一个女冒险家的典型
①特拉法尔加(Trafalgar)是西班牙的海角,1805年英国纳尔逊大将(Nels-on)在此大打胜仗,伦敦的特拉法尔加广场,以及这种邮车,都是为纪念这次胜利而得名的。
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在一八——年的《宫廷指南》里,从男爵毕脱·克劳莱的名字在C字开头的一部门里面算是很说得响的。他家的庄地在汉泊郡女王的克劳莱镇上,伦敦的府邸就在大岗脱街。这显赫的名字已经连着好几年在国会议员名单上出现,和他们镇上次第当选的议员,名字都刊印在一起。

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Among the most respected of the names beginning in C which the Court-Guide contained, in the year 18—, was that of Crawley, Sir Pitt, Baronet, Great Gaunt Street, and Queen’s Crawley, Hants. This honourable name had figured constantly also in the Parliamentary list for many years, in conjunction with that of a number of other worthy gentlemen who sat in turns for the borough.

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关于女王的克劳莱镇,有这样的传说。有一回伊丽莎白女王出游,走过克劳莱镇,留下吃了一餐早饭。当时的一位克劳莱先生(他相貌很漂亮,胡子修得整齐,腿也生得好看)——当时的一位克劳莱先生献上一种汉泊郡特产的美味啤酒。女王大大的赏识,下令把克劳莱镇改成特别市镇,可以选举两个代表出席国会。自从那次游幸之后,直到今天,人人都管那地方叫女王的克劳莱镇。

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It is related, with regard to the borough of Queen’s Crawley, that Queen Elizabeth in one of her progresses, stopping at Crawley to breakfast, was so delighted with some remarkably fine Hampshire beer which was then presented to her by the Crawley of the day (a handsome gentleman with a trim beard and a good leg), that she forthwith erected Crawley into a borough to send two members to Parliament; and the place, from the day of that illustrious visit, took the name of Queen’s Crawley, which it holds up to the present moment.

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可惜无论什么王国、城市、乡镇,总不免跟着时代变迁,到现在女王的克劳莱镇已经不像蓓斯女王①在位的时候那么人口稠密,堕落得成了一个所谓“腐败的选区”②。虽然这么说,毕脱爵士却不服气。他的话说的又文雅又有道理,说道:“腐败!呸!我靠着它一年有一千五百镑的出息呢。”

①蓓斯是伊丽莎白的简称。②居民的选举权有名无实。议员的缺可由控制了选区的土豪出卖给别区的人。
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And though, by the lapse of time, and those mutations which age produces in empires, cities, and boroughs, Queen’s Crawley was no longer so populous a place as it had been in Queen Bess’s time—nay, was come down to that condition of borough which used to be denominated rotten—yet, as Sir Pitt Crawley would say with perfect justice in his elegant way, ”Rotten! be hanged—it produces me a good fifteen hundred a year.”

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毕脱·克劳莱爵士的名字是跟着那了不起的下院议员威廉·毕脱取的①。他是第一代从男爵华尔泊尔·克劳莱的儿子。华尔泊尔爵士在乔治第二当国的时候做照例行文局的主管人员,后来因为舞弊受到弹劾——那时一大批别的诚实君子也都受到同样的遭遇。他呢,不用说,自然是约翰·丘吉尔·克劳莱的儿子了。这约翰·丘吉尔又是取的安恩女王时代有名将领的名字。

①威廉·毕脱(William Pitt,1708—78),英国有名的首相。
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Sir Pitt Crawley (named after the great Commoner) was the son of Walpole Crawley, first Baronet, of the Tape and Sealing-Wax Office in the reign of George II., when he was impeached for peculation, as were a great number of other honest gentlemen of those days; and Walpole Crawley was, as need scarcely be said, son of John Churchill Crawley, named after the celebrated military commander of the reign of Queen Anne.

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在女王的克劳莱老宅里挂着他家祖先的图谱。倒溯上去,就是查理·史丢亚,后来改名为贝阿邦斯·克劳莱。这人的爸爸生在詹姆士第一的时代。最后才是伊丽莎白女王时代的克劳莱,穿了一身盔甲,留着两撇胡子,站在最前面。

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The family tree (which hangs up at Queen’s Crawley) furthermore mentions Charles Stuart, afterwards called Barebones Crawley, son of the Crawley of James the First’s time; and finally, Queen Elizabeth’s Crawley, who is represented as the foreground of the picture in his forked beard and armour.

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按照图谱的惯例,在这位老祖宗的背心里长出一棵树,各条主干上写着上面所说的各个杰出的名字。紧靠着毕脱·克劳莱爵士的名字(他是我这本回忆录里的人物),写着他弟弟别德·克劳莱牧师的名字。牧师出世的时候,了不起的下院议员威廉·毕脱已经得了不是下台了①。这位别德·克劳莱就是克劳莱和斯耐莱两镇的教区长。此外,克劳莱家里别的男男女女也都有名字在上面。

①1761年威廉·毕脱下台,别德勋爵(Earl of Bute)做首相。他们兄弟两人,都把当朝首相的姓算了名字。
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Out of his waistcoat, as usual, grows a tree, on the main branches of which the above illustrious names are inscribed. Close by the name of Sir Pitt Crawley, Baronet (the subject of the present memoir), are written that of his brother, the Reverend Bute Crawley (the great Commoner was in disgrace when the reverend gentleman was born), rector of Crawley-cum-Snailby, and of various other male and female members of the Crawley family.

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毕脱爵士的原配名叫葛立泽儿,是蒙苟·平葛勋爵第六个女儿,所以和邓达斯先生是表亲。她生了两个儿子,大的叫毕脱;给他取这名字的用意并不是依着父亲,多半还是依着那个天神一样的首相。第二个儿子叫罗登·克劳莱,取的是乔治第四没有登基时一个朋友的名字,可怜这人已经给王上忘得干干净净了。

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Sir Pitt was first married to Grizzel, sixth daughter of Mungo Binkie, Lord Binkie, and cousin, in consequence, of Mr. Dundas. She brought him two sons: Pitt, named not so much after his father as after the heaven-born minister; and Rawdon Crawley, from the Prince of Wales’s friend, whom his Majesty George IV forgot so completely.

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葛立泽儿夫人死掉以后好多年,毕脱爵士又娶了墨特白莱镇上杰·道生的女儿叫罗莎的做续弦。这位太太生了两个女儿。利蓓加·夏泼就是做这两个女孩的教师。这样看来,利蓓加现在进了好人家的门,接触的都是有身分的上等人,比不得她刚刚离开的勒塞尔广场上的那家子那么低三下四了。

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Many years after her ladyship’s demise, Sir Pitt led to the altar Rosa, daughter of Mr. G. Dawson, of Mudbury, by whom he had two daughters, for whose benefit Miss Rebecca Sharp was now engaged as governess. It will be seen that the young lady was come into a family of very genteel connexions, and was about to move in a much more distinguished circle than that humble one which she had just quitted in Russell Square.

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她已经收到通知,要她上工。通知信写在一个旧信封上,内容如下:

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She had received her orders to join her pupils, in a note which was written upon an old envelope, and which contained the following words:

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毕脱爵士请夏泼小姐带了“行礼”应该星期二来,因为我明天“理城”到女王的克劳莱,一早动身。

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Sir Pitt Crawley begs Miss Sharp and baggidge may be hear on Tuesday, as I leaf for Queen’s Crawley to-morrow morning ERLY.

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大岗脱街。

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Great Gaunt Street.

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利蓓加和爱米丽亚分手以后,马车一拐弯,她就不拿手帕擦抹眼睛了,先把好心的赛特笠先生送给她的钱拿出来,数数共有多少基尼。她从来没有看见过什么从男爵,所以她把钱数清,放下手帕之后,便开始推测从男爵是个什么样子的人。

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Rebecca had never seen a Baronet, as far as she knew, and as soon as she had taken leave of Amelia, and counted the guineas which good-natured Mr. Sedley had put into a purse for her, and as soon as she had done wiping her eyes with her handkerchief (which operation she concluded the very moment the carriage had turned the corner of the street), she began to depict in her own mind what a Baronet must be.

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她想道:“不知道他戴不戴宝星?也许只有勋爵才戴宝星。我想他一定打扮得很漂亮,穿了朝服,上面滚着皱边,头发上还洒了粉,像考文脱戏院里的罗邓先生一样。我猜他准是骄气凌人,不把我放在眼睛里。

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”I wonder, does he wear a star?” thought she, ”or is it only lords that wear stars? But he will be very handsomely dressed in a court suit, with ruffles, and his hair a little powdered, like Mr. Wroughton at Covent Garden. I suppose he will be awfully proud, and that I shall be treated most contemptuously.

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我有什么法子呢?只能逆来顺受了。不管怎么样,以后我碰见的都是世家子弟,比不得城里那起粗俗的买卖人。”她想起勒塞尔广场的朋友们,心里虽然怨毒,不过倒还看得开,很像寓言里的狐狸吃不到葡萄时的心境。

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Still I must bear my hard lot as well as I can—at least, I shall be amongst GENTLEFOLKS, and not with vulgar city people”: and she fell to thinking of her Russell Square friends with that very same philosophical bitterness with which, in a certain apologue, the fox is represented as speaking of the grapes.

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马车穿过岗脱广场,转到大岗脱街,最后在一所阴森森的高房子前面停下来。这宅子两旁各有一所阴森森的高房子紧紧靠着,三所宅子每家有一块报丧板安在客厅正中的窗户外面,上面画着死者的家徽。大岗脱街是个死气沉沉的所在,附近仿佛不时有丧事,这种报丧板是常见的。在毕脱爵士公馆里,底层的百叶窗关着,只有饭间外面的略开了一些,所有的卷帘都用旧报纸整整齐齐遮盖起来。

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Having passed through Gaunt Square into Great Gaunt Street, the carriage at length stopped at a tall gloomy house between two other tall gloomy houses, each with a hatchment over the middle drawing-room window; as is the custom of houses in Great Gaunt Street, in which gloomy locality death seems to reign perpetual. The shutters of the first-floor windows of Sir Pitt’s mansion were closed—those of the dining-room were partially open, and the blinds neatly covered up in old newspapers.

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马车夫约翰那天一个人赶车,因此不高兴走下来按铃,便央求路上的一个送牛奶小孩子帮忙。按过铃之后,饭间的两扇百叶窗缝里伸出一个头来。不久便见一个男人来开了门。他穿着灰褐色的裤子和裹腿,上面是一件又脏又旧的外衣,脖子上皮肤粗糙,扣着一条满是垢污的领巾。他咧着嘴,涎着脸,头顶又秃又亮,灰色*的眼睛闪闪发光。

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John, the groom, who had driven the carriage alone, did not care to descend to ring the bell; and so prayed a passing milk-boy to perform that office for him. When the bell was rung, a head appeared between the interstices of the dining-room shutters, and the door was opened by a man in drab breeches and gaiters, with a dirty old coat, a foul old neckcloth lashed round his bristly neck, a shining bald head, a leering red face, a pair of twinkling grey eyes, and a mouth perpetually on the grin.

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约翰坐在车子上问道:“这是毕脱·克劳莱爵士府上吗?”

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"This Sir Pitt Crawley’s?" says John, from the box.

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门口的人点点头说:“是的。”

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"Ees," says the man at the door, with a nod.

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约翰说:“那么把这些箱子搬下去。”

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"Hand down these ’ere trunks then," said John.

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看门的说:“你自己搬去。”

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"Hand ’n down yourself," said the porter.

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“瞧,我不能离开我的马儿啊!来吧,好人哪,出点儿力气,小姐回头还赏你喝啤酒呢!”约翰一面说,一面粗声大气的笑。他如今对于夏泼小姐不讲规矩了,一则因为她和主人家已经没有什么关系,二则她临走没有给赏钱。

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"Don’t you see I can’t leave my hosses? Come, bear a hand, my fine feller, and Miss will give you some beer," said John, with a horse-laugh, for he was no longer respectful to Miss Sharp, as her connexion with the family was broken off, and as she had given nothing to the servants on coming away.

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那秃子听得这么说,把手从裤袋里拉出来,走过去掮了夏泼小姐的箱子送到屋子里。

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The bald-headed man, taking his hands out of his breeches pockets, advanced on this summons, and throwing Miss Sharp’s trunk over his shoulder, carried it into the house.

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夏泼小姐说道:“请你拿着这只篮子和披肩,再给我开开车门。”她气冲冲的下了车,对车夫道:“回头我写信给赛特笠先生,把你的行为告诉他。”

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"Take this basket and shawl, if you please, and open the door," said Miss Sharp, and descended from the carriage in much indignation. "I shall write to Mr. Sedley and inform him of your conduct," said she to the groom.

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那佣人答道:“别这么着。你没忘掉什么吧?爱米丽亚小姐的袍子本来是给她女佣人的,你现在都拿来了吧?希望你穿着合身。吉姆,关上门吧,你不会从她那儿得什么好处的,”他翘起大拇指指着夏泼小姐,“她不是个好东西。我告诉你吧,她不是个好东西。”说完,赛特笠先生的车夫赶着车走了。原来他和上房女佣人相好,见利蓓加抢了女佣人的外快,心里气忿不平。

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"Don’t," replied that functionary. "I hope you’ve forgot nothink? Miss ’Melia’s gownds—have you got them—as the lady’s maid was to have ’ad? I hope they’ll fit you. Shut the door, Jim, you’ll get no good out of ’ER," continued John, pointing with his thumb towards Miss Sharp: "a bad lot, I tell you, a bad lot," and so saying, Mr. Sedley’s groom drove away. The truth is, he was attached to the lady’s maid in question, and indignant that she should have been robbed of her perquisites.

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利蓓加依着那穿绑腿的人说的话,走进饭间,发现屋里生气全无。上等人家出城下乡的时候,家里总是这样,倒好像这些屋子忠心耿耿,舍不得主人离开似的。

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On entering the dining-room, by the orders of the individual in gaiters, Rebecca found that apartment not more cheerful than such rooms usually are, when genteel families are out of town. The faithful chambers seem, as it were, to mourn the absence of their masters.

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土耳其地毯把自己卷成一卷,气鼓鼓的躲在碗橱底下;一张张的画儿都把旧桑皮纸遮着脸;装在天花板上的大灯台给蒙在一个黑不溜秋的棕色布袋里;窗帘在各式各样破烂的封套里面藏了起来。华尔泊尔·克劳莱爵士的大理石半身像从暗黑的角落里低下头瞧着下面空荡荡的桌子,上过油的火钳火棒,和壁炉架上没插卡片的名片架子。酒瓶箱子缩在地毯后面;椅子都给面对面叠起来,靠墙排成一行。大理石人像对面的黑角落里,有一个老式的刀叉盒子,上了锁,恼着脸儿坐在碗盏架子上。

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The turkey carpet has rolled itself up, and retired sulkily under the sideboard: the pictures have hidden their faces behind old sheets of brown paper: the ceiling lamp is muffled up in a dismal sack of brown holland: the window-curtains have disappeared under all sorts of shabby envelopes: the marble bust of Sir Walpole Crawley is looking from its black corner at the bare boards and the oiled fire-irons, and the empty card-racks over the mantelpiece: the cellaret has lurked away behind the carpet: the chairs are turned up heads and tails along the walls: and in the dark corner opposite the statue, is an old-fashioned crabbed knife-box, locked and sitting on a dumb waiter.

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壁炉旁边搁了两张厨房里用的椅子,一张圆桌,还有一副用旧了的火棒和火钳。炉里的火萎靡不振,必必剥剥的响着,火上搁着一个平底锅子。桌子上有一点点乳酪和面包,一个锡做的烛台,还有一只装得下一品脱酒的酒钵,里面有薄薄一层黑颜色的浓麦酒。

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Two kitchen chairs, and a round table, and an attenuated old poker and tongs were, however, gathered round the fire-place, as was a saucepan over a feeble sputtering fire. There was a bit of cheese and bread, and a tin candlestick on the table, and a little black porter in a pint-pot.

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“我想你吃过饭了吧?这儿太热吗?要不要喝点儿啤酒?”

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"Had your dinner, I suppose? It is not too warm for you? Like a drop of beer?"

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夏泼小姐摆起架子问道:“毕脱·克劳莱爵士在哪儿?”

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"Where is Sir Pitt Crawley?" said Miss Sharp majestically.

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“嘻,嘻!我就是毕脱·克劳莱爵士。别忘了,我给你拿了行李,你还欠我一品脱酒呢。嘻,嘻!不信你问廷格。这是廷格太太,这是夏泼小姐。这是教员小姐,这是老妈子太太。呵,呵!”

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"He, he! I’m Sir Pitt Crawley. Reklect you owe me a pint for bringing down your luggage. He, he! Ask Tinker if I aynt. Mrs. Tinker, Miss Sharp; Miss Governess, Mrs. Charwoman. Ho, ho!"

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那位名叫廷格太太的,这时进来了,手里拿着一个烟斗和一包烟草。夏泼小姐到的时候,毕脱爵士刚刚使唤她出去买烟草。这时毕脱爵士已经在火旁边坐下,她就把烟斗烟草递上去。

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The lady addressed as Mrs. Tinker at this moment made her appearance with a pipe and a paper of tobacco, for which she had been despatched a minute before Miss Sharp’s arrival; and she handed the articles over to Sir Pitt, who had taken his seat by the fire.

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他问道:“廷格老太婆,还有一个法定①呢?我给你一个半便士。找出来的零钱在哪儿?”

①英国最小的铜币,值四分之一便士。
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"Where’s the farden?" said he. "I gave you three halfpence. Where’s the change, old Tinker?"

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廷格太太把小铜元扔下答道:“拿去!只有做从男爵的人才计算小铜子儿。”

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"There!" replied Mrs. Tinker, flinging down the coin; "it’s only baronets as cares about farthings."

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那议员接口道:“一天一个法定,一年就是七个先令。七个先令就是七个基尼一年的利息。廷格老婆子啊,你留心照看着法定,基尼就会跟着来了。”

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"A farthing a day is seven shillings a year," answered the M.P.; "seven shillings a year is the interest of seven guineas. Take care of your farthings, old Tinker, and your guineas will come quite nat’ral."

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廷格太太丧声歪气的接口道:“姑娘,这就是毕脱·克劳莱爵士,没错!因为他老是留心照看着他的法定。过不了几时你就会知道他的为人。”

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"You may be sure it’s Sir Pitt Crawley, young woman," said Mrs. Tinker, surlily; "because he looks to his farthings. You’ll know him better afore long."

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老头儿还算客气,说道:“夏泼小姐,你决不会因此嫌我。我做人先讲公道,然后讲大器。”

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"And like me none the worse, Miss Sharp," said the old gentleman, with an air almost of politeness. "I must be just before I’m generous."

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廷格咕哝道:“他一辈子也没白给人一个小铜子儿。”

37
-

"He never gave away a farthing in his life," growled Tinker.

38
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“从来不白给,以后也不白给。这不合我做人的道理。廷格,你要坐下的话就到厨房里去拿张椅子来。咱们吃点晚饭吧。”

38
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"Never, and never will: it’s against my principle. Go and get another chair from the kitchen, Tinker, if you want to sit down; and then we’ll have a bit of supper."

39
-

从男爵拿起叉子,从火上的锅子里叉出一条肠子和一个洋葱,分成差不多大小的两份,和廷格太太各吃一份。“夏泼小姐,我不在这儿的日子,廷格吃自己的饭,我进城的日子,她就跟大伙儿一起吃。呵,呵!夏泼小姐不饿,我真高兴。你怎么说,廷格?”说着,他们便开始吃他们清苦的晚饭。

39
-

Presently the baronet plunged a fork into the saucepan on the fire, and withdrew from the pot a piece of tripe and an onion, which he divided into pretty equal portions, and of which he partook with Mrs. Tinker. "You see, Miss Sharp, when I’m not here Tinker’s on board wages: when I’m in town she dines with the family. Haw! haw! I’m glad Miss Sharp’s not hungry, ain’t you, Tink?" And they fell to upon their frugal supper.

40
-

吃完饭,毕脱·克劳莱爵士抽了一袋烟,后来天黑了,他点起锡油盏里的灯草,从无底洞似的口袋里掏出一大卷纸,一面看,一面整理。

40
-

After supper Sir Pitt Crawley began to smoke his pipe; and when it became quite dark, he lighted the rushlight in the tin candlestick, and producing from an interminable pocket a huge mass of papers, began reading them, and putting them in order.

41
-

“我进城来料理官司,亲爱的,所以明天才有机会跟这么一位漂亮小姐同路做伴。”

41
-

"I’m here on law business, my dear, and that’s how it happens that I shall have the pleasure of such a pretty travelling companion to-morrow."

42
-

廷格太太拿起麦酒罐说道:“他老是打官司。”

42
-

"He’s always at law business," said Mrs. Tinker, taking up the pot of porter.

43
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从男爵说道:“喝酒吧!廷格说的对,亲爱的,全英国的人,算我官司打得最多,赢得也多,输得也多。睢这儿,‘从男爵克劳莱对斯耐弗尔’。我打不赢他,不叫毕脱·克劳莱!这儿是‘扑特和另一个人对从男爵克劳莱’,‘斯耐莱教区的监理人对从男爵克劳莱’,地是我的,他们没有凭据说它是公地,看他们敢不敢。

43
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"Drink and drink about," said the Baronet. "Yes; my dear, Tinker is quite right: I’ve lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. Look here at Crawley, Bart. v. Snaffle. I’ll throw him over, or my name’s not Pitt Crawley. Podder and another versus Crawley, Bart. Overseers of Snaily parish against Crawley, Bart. They can’t prove it’s common: I’ll defy ’em; the land’s mine.

44
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那块地并不属于教区①,就等于那块地不属于你或是廷格。我打不赢他们决不罢休,哪怕出一千基尼讼费我也愿意。亲爱的,这些全是案卷,你爱瞧只管瞧吧。你的字写得好吗?夏泼小姐,等到咱们回到女王的克劳莱以后我一定得好好的利用你。如今我们老太太死了,我需要一个帮手。”

①十八世纪以来,大户人家常想圈进教区里的公地,当作自己产业,不许村人在上面放牛羊啃青。
44
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It no more belongs to the parish than it does to you or Tinker here. I’ll beat ’em, if it cost me a thousand guineas. Look over the papers; you may if you like, my dear. Do you write a good hand? I’ll make you useful when we’re at Queen’s Crawley, depend on it, Miss Sharp. Now the dowager’s dead I want some one.”

45
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廷格说:“她跟儿子一个样儿,跟所有做买卖的都打过官司,四年里头换了四十八个听差。”

45
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"She was as bad as he," said Tinker. "She took the law of every one of her tradesmen; and turned away forty-eight footmen in four year."

46
-

从男爵很直爽的答道:“她的手紧,真紧!可是她有用,有了她,省掉我一个总管呢。”他们这么亲亲密密的谈了一会儿,新到的客人听了觉得很有趣。不管毕脱·克劳莱爵士是块什么料,有什么好处,有什么毛病,他一点不想给自己遮瞒。

46
-

"She was close—very close," said the Baronet, simply; "but she was a valyble woman to me, and saved me a steward."—And in this confidential strain, and much to the amusement of the new-comer, the conversation continued for a considerable time. Whatever Sir Pitt Crawley’s qualities might be, good or bad, he did not make the least disguise of them.

47
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他不断的讲自己的事,有的时候打着汉泊郡最粗俗的土话,有的时候口气又像个通晓世故的人。他叮嘱夏泼小姐第二天早上五点钟准备动身,跟她道了晚安,说道:“今儿晚上你跟着廷格睡。床很大,可以睡两个人。克劳莱太太就死在那张床上的。希望你晚上好睡。”

47
-

He talked of himself incessantly, sometimes in the coarsest and vulgarest Hampshire accent; sometimes adopting the tone of a man of the world. And so, with injunctions to Miss Sharp to be ready at five in the morning, he bade her good night. ”You’ll sleep with Tinker to-night,” he said; ”it’s a big bed, and there’s room for two. Lady Crawley died in it. Good night.”

48
-

祝福过利蓓加之后,毕脱爵士便走了。廷格一本正经,拿起油盏在前面领路,她们走上阴森森的大石级楼梯,经过客厅的好几扇很大的门,这些门上的把手都用纸包着,光景凄凉得很。最后才到了前面的大卧房,克劳莱夫人就在这间屋里咽的气。房间和床铺阴惨惨死沉沉的样子,叫人觉得非但克劳莱夫人死在这里,大致她的鬼还在房里住着呢。

48
-

Sir Pitt went off after this benediction, and the solemn Tinker, rushlight in hand, led the way up the great bleak stone stairs, past the great dreary drawing-room doors, with the handles muffled up in paper, into the great front bedroom, where Lady Crawley had slept her last. The bed and chamber were so funereal and gloomy, you might have fancied, not only that Lady Crawley died in the room, but that her ghost inhabited it.

49
-

虽然这样,利蓓加却精神抖擞,在房里东蹦西跳,把大衣橱、壁橱,柜子,都打开来看,把锁着的抽屉一一拉过,看打得开打不开,又把梳妆用品和墙上黑黝黝的画儿细看了一遍。她做这些事的时候,那做散工的老婆子一直在祈祷。

49
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Rebecca sprang about the apartment, however, with the greatest liveliness, and had peeped into the huge wardrobes, and the closets, and the cupboards, and tried the drawers which were locked, and examined the dreary pictures and toilette appointments, while the old charwoman was saying her prayers.

50
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她说:“小姐,如果我良心不干净的话,我可不敢睡这张床。”利蓓加答道:“床铺大得很,除了咱们两个之外还睡得下五六个鬼呢。亲爱的廷格太太,讲点儿克劳莱夫人的事给我听听,还有毕脱·克劳莱爵士的事,还有其余别的人的事。”

50
-

”I shouldn’t like to sleep in this yeer bed without a good conscience, Miss,” said the old woman. ”There’s room for us and a half-dozen of ghosts in it,” says Rebecca. ”Tell me all about Lady Crawley and Sir Pitt Crawley, and everybody, my DEAR Mrs. Tinker.”

51
-

廷格老太婆口气很紧,不肯给利蓓加盘问出什么来。她说床是给人睡觉的,不是说话的地方,说完,就打起呼噜来。除了良心干净的人,谁也不能打得这么响。利蓓加半日睡不着,想着将来,想着她的新天地,寻思自己不知可有机会出头露角。

51
-

But old Tinker was not to be pumped by this little cross-questioner; and signifying to her that bed was a place for sleeping, not conversation, set up in her corner of the bed such a snore as only the nose of innocence can produce. Rebecca lay awake for a long, long time, thinking of the morrow, and of the new world into which she was going, and of her chances of success there.

52
-

灯草的亮光摇摇不定,壁炉架掷下大大的黑影子,罩住了半幅发霉的绣片,想是死去的太太做的手工。黑影里还有两张肖像,是两个年轻后生,一个穿了学士袍,另一个穿了红色的上衣,像是当兵的。利蓓加睡觉的时候,挑中了那个兵士作为做梦的题目。

52
-

The rushlight flickered in the basin. The mantelpiece cast up a great black shadow, over half of a mouldy old sampler, which her defunct ladyship had worked, no doubt, and over two little family pictures of young lads, one in a college gown, and the other in a red jacket like a soldier. When she went to sleep, Rebecca chose that one to dream about.

53
-

那时正是夏天,红艳艳的朝陽照得大岗脱街都有了喜气,忠心的廷格四点钟就叫醒了同床的利蓓加,催她准备动身,自己出去拔掉了大门上的门闩插销,砰砰碰碰的震得街上起了回声。她走到牛津街,雇了一辆停在那里的街车。

53
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At four o’clock, on such a roseate summer’s morning as even made Great Gaunt Street look cheerful, the faithful Tinker, having wakened her bedfellow, and bid her prepare for departure, unbarred and unbolted the great hall door (the clanging and clapping whereof startled the sleeping echoes in the street), and taking her way into Oxford Street, summoned a coach from a stand there.

54
-

我不用把这辆车子的号码告诉你,也不必细说赶车的为什么一早在燕子街附近等着。他无非希望有年轻的绔袴子弟从酒店里回家,醉得站不稳脚跟,需要雇他的车子;因为喝醉的人往往肯多给几个赏钱。

54
-

It is needless to particularize the number of the vehicle, or to state that the driver was stationed thus early in the neighbourhood of Swallow Street, in hopes that some young buck, reeling homeward from the tavern, might need the aid of his vehicle, and pay him with the generosity of intoxication.

55
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赶车的如果存着这样的希望,不用说要大大的失望了。他把车子赶到城里,从男爵在车钱之外没多给一个子儿的赏钱。杰乎①哀求吵闹都没有用,便把夏泼小姐的好些纸盒子都扔在天鹅酒店的沟里,一面赌咒说他要告到法庭里去。

①《圣经·列王纪》中赶车极快的车夫。
55
-

It is likewise needless to say that the driver, if he had any such hopes as those above stated, was grossly disappointed; and that the worthy Baronet whom he drove to the City did not give him one single penny more than his fare. It was in vain that Jehu appealed and stormed; that he flung down Miss Sharp’s bandboxes in the gutter at the ’Necks, and swore he would take the law of his fare.

56
-

旅馆里的一个马夫说道:“还是别告好,这位就是毕脱·克劳莱爵士。”

56
-

"You’d better not," said one of the ostlers; "it’s Sir Pitt Crawley."

57
-

从男爵一听合了自己的意,说道:“对了,乔,我就是。如果有比我还利害的人,我倒很愿意见见。”

57
-

"So it is, Joe," cried the Baronet, approvingly; "and I’d like to see the man can do me."

58
-

乔恼着脸儿,咧开嘴笑了一笑说道:“我也想见见。”他一面说,一面把从男爵的行李都搬到驿车顶上搁好。

58
-

"So should oi," said Joe, grinning sulkily, and mounting the Baronet’s baggage on the roof of the coach.

59
-

议员对赶驿车的叫道:“赶车的,把你旁边的座位留给我。”车夫举起手碰碰帽子边行了个礼,回答说:“是,毕脱爵士。”他心里气得直冒火,因为他已经答应把座位留给剑桥大学的一位少爷,没有毕脱爵士,一克郎的赏钱是稳稳的。夏泼小姐坐在车身里的倒座上。这辆马车可以说是即刻就要把她送到茫茫的世界上去。

59
-

"Keep the box for me, Leader," exclaims the Member of Parliament to the coachman; who replied, "Yes, Sir Pitt," with a touch of his hat, and rage in his soul (for he had promised the box to a young gentleman from Cambridge, who would have given a crown to a certainty), and Miss Sharp was accommodated with a back seat inside the carriage, which might be said to be carrying her into the wide world.

60
-

剑桥大学的学生气鼓鼓的把五件大衣都搁在前头。后来夏泼小姐不得已离开了本来的座位,爬上车顶坐在他旁边,他才消了气。他拿了一件外套给利蓓加前在身上,兴致立刻来了。一个害气喘病的先生,一个满脸正气的太太,都进了车。这个女的起誓说她以前从来没有坐过公共马车,这还是有生以来第一回。在每辆驿车里似乎都有这么一位太太——唉,我该说“从前的驿车”才对,现在哪里还有这种车子呢?

60
-

How the young man from Cambridge sulkily put his five great-coats in front; but was reconciled when little Miss Sharp was made to quit the carriage, and mount up beside him—when he covered her up in one of his Benjamins, and became perfectly good-humoured—how the asthmatic gentleman, the prim lady, who declared upon her sacred honour she had never travelled in a public carriage before (there is always such a lady in a coach—Alas! was; for the coaches, where are they?

61
-

一个胖胖的寡妇,手里拿着一瓶白兰地酒,也上了车。搬夫来向大家要脚钱,那男的给了六便士,胖寡妇也拿出五枚油腻腻的半便士。落后车子总算开了,慢慢的穿过奥尔德门的暗巷,马蹄得得,在蓝顶的圣·保罗教堂旁边跑过。渐渐的,车行得快了,铃子叮叮当当响着,经过弗利德市场的陌生人进口。现在弗利德市场没有了,和爱克塞脱市场一样都成了陈迹。他们走过白熊旅馆、武士桥,看见公园里的露水被太陽晒成轻雾,从地上升起来;又经过泰纳草坪、白兰德福、巴克夏等地方,不必细说。

61
-

And the fat widow with the brandy-bottle, took their places inside—how the porter asked them all for money, and got sixpence from the gentleman and five greasy halfpence from the fat widow—and how the carriage at length drove away—now threading the dark lanes of Aldersgate, anon clattering by the Blue Cupola of St. Paul’s, jingling rapidly by the strangers’ entry of Fleet-Market, which, with Exeter ’Change, has now departed to the world of shadows—how they passed the White Bear in Piccadilly, and saw the dew rising up from the market-gardens of Knightsbridge—how Turnhamgreen, Brentwood, Bagshot, were passed—need not be told here.

62
-

本书的作者,以前也曾经走过这条路,天气也是这般晴朗,一路的形形色色也是这般新奇。回想当年,心里甜醇醇的,软靡靡的,觉得留恋。路上碰见的事情多有趣!不幸如今连这条路都找不着了。那老实的马车夫,长着一鼻子红疙瘩的老头儿,再不能上乞尔西和格林尼治了吗?这些好人儿怎么不见了呢?

62
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But the writer of these pages, who has pursued in former days, and in the same bright weather, the same remarkable journey, cannot but think of it with a sweet and tender regret. Where is the road now, and its merry incidents of life? Is there no Chelsea or Greenwich for the old honest pimple-nosed coachmen? I wonder where are they, those good fellows?

63
-

威勒老头儿①还活着吗?嗳,对了,还有旅馆里伺候穷人的茶房呢?还有那儿出卖的冷牛腿呢?还有那矮个子马夫,鼻子青里带紫,手里提着马口铁的水桶,摇得叮叮当当的响——他在哪儿呢?他同代的人物在哪儿呢?将来为读者的儿女们写小说的大天才,现在还是穿着小裙子的小不点儿②,将来看到我所描写的人物和事情,准觉得这些像尼尼微古城③、狮心王④、杰克·雪伯⑤一般,成了历史和传说。在他们看来,驿车已经染上了传奇的色彩,拉车子那四匹栗色马儿也和别赛法勒斯⑥和黑蓓斯⑦一样,变成神话里的马儿了。

①十九世纪英国小说家狄更斯所著《匹克威克外传》中的马车夫,他的儿子是匹克威克先生的听差。②一两岁的小孩子不分男女,都穿小裙子。③亚述古国的京城。④英王理查第一(Charles Ⅰ,1157—99)以勇毅著名。⑤杰克·雪伯(Jack Sheppard,1702—24),著名的大盗,曾经越狱好多次,后来被判绞刑处死,英国作家笛福、爱因斯窝斯等都曾用他的一生为题材写过书。⑥相传是亚历山大大帝的名马,它的头像牛头。⑦十八世纪初叶有个著名的大盗叫里却·德平。小说家爱因斯窝斯曾把他的一生写成小说,叫《鲁克窝德》,在这本小说里,德平骑的马叫黑蓓斯。
63
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Is old Weller alive or dead? and the waiters, yea, and the inns at which they waited, and the cold rounds of beef inside, and the stunted ostler, with his blue nose and clinking pail, where is he, and where is his generation? To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader’s children, these men and things will be as much legend and history as Nineveh, or Coeur de Lion, or Jack Sheppard. For them stage-coaches will have become romances—a team of four bays as fabulous as Bucephalus or Black Bess.

64
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啊!回想到这些马儿,马夫把它们遮身的马衣拿掉,就见它们一身毛带着汗珠儿晶晶的发亮;跑过一站之后,它们乖乖的走到客栈的大院子里去,身上汗气腾腾的,尾巴一左一右的拂着。唉!如今再也听不见号角在半夜里呜呜的吹,再也看不见路上关卡的栅栏门豁然大开。话又说回来了,这辆轻巧的、四匹马拉的特拉法尔加马车①究竟带着咱们上什么地方呢?别再多说了,不如就在女王的克劳莱镇上下车,瞧瞧利蓓加·夏泼小姐在这个地方有什么遭遇。

①特拉法尔加(Trafalgar)是西班牙的海角,1805年英国纳尔逊大将(Nels-on)在此大打胜仗,伦敦的特拉法尔加广场,以及这种邮车,都是为纪念这次胜利而得名的。
64
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Ah, how their coats shone, as the stable-men pulled their clothes off, and away they went—ah, how their tails shook, as with smoking sides at the stage’s end they demurely walked away into the inn-yard. Alas! we shall never hear the horn sing at midnight, or see the pike-gates fly open any more. Whither, however, is the light four-inside Trafalgar coach carrying us? Let us be set down at Queen’s Crawley without further divagation, and see how Miss Rebecca Sharp speeds there.

简典