通译双语文库:名利场第六章　游乐场

1

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我很明白我说的故事平淡无奇，不过后面就有几章惊天动地的书跟着来了。求各位好性子的读者别忘记，现在我只讲勒塞尔广场一个交易所经纪人家里的事。这家的人和普通人一样的散步、吃中饭、吃晚饭、说话、谈情。而且在他们的恋爱过程中也没有什么新奇和热情的事件。

1

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I know that the tune I am piping is a very mild one (although there are some terrific chapters coming presently), and must beg the good-natured reader to remember that we are only discoursing at present about a stockbroker’s family in Russell Square, who are taking walks, or luncheon, or dinner, or talking and making love as people do in common life, and without a single passionate and wonderful incident to mark the progress of their loves.

2

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眼前的情形是这样的：奥斯本正在和爱米丽亚恋爱；他请了他的老朋友来吃晚饭，然后去逛游乐场。乔斯·赛特笠爱上了利蓓加。他到底娶她不娶呢？这就是当前最要紧的问题。

2

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The argument stands thus—Osborne, in love with Amelia, has asked an old friend to dinner and to Vauxhall—Jos Sedley is in love with Rebecca. Will he marry her? That is the great subject now in hand.

3

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这题材可以用各种不同的手法来处理。文章的风格可以典雅，可以诙谐，也可以带些浪漫的色彩。譬如说，如果我把背景移到格罗芙纳广场，①虽然还是本来的故事，准能够吸引好些读者。

①以下一段模仿和讽刺当时布尔活尔·立登（Bulwer　Lytton）等专写贵族生活的小说。

3

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We might have treated this subject in the genteel, or in the romantic, or in the facetious manner. Suppose we had laid the scene in Grosvenor Square, with the very same adventures—would not some people have listened?

4

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我可以谈到乔瑟夫·赛特笠勋爵怎么陷入情网，奥斯本侯爵怎么倾心于公爵的女儿爱米丽亚小姐，而且她尊贵的爸爸已经完全同意.或者我不描写贵族，只写社会底层的生活，把赛特笠先生厨房里的形形色色搬些出来，形容黑听差三菩爱上了厨娘（这倒是事实），为着她跟马车夫打架；管刀叉的小打杂偷了一只冷羊腿，给人当场捉出来；赛特笠小姐新用的贴身丫头不拿蜡烛不肯去睡觉等等。这些情节能够逗人发笑，显得是现实生活的片断。

4

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Suppose we had shown how Lord Joseph Sedley fell in love, and the Marquis of Osborne became attached to Lady Amelia, with the full consent of the Duke, her noble father: or instead of the supremely genteel, suppose we had resorted to the entirely low, and described what was going on in Mr. Sedley’s kitchen—how black Sambo was in love with the cook (as indeed he was), and how he fought a battle with the coachman in her behalf; how the knife-boy was caught stealing a cold shoulder of mutton, and Miss Sedley’s new femme de chambre refused to go to bed without a wax candle; such incidents might be made to provoke much delightful laughter, and be supposed to represent scenes of ”life.”

5

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再不然，我们挑选绝端相反的道路，利用恐怖的气氛，①把那贴身女佣人的相好写成一个偷盗为生的恶人，领着党羽冲到屋子里，把黑三菩杀死在他主人面前，又把穿了睡衣的爱米丽亚抢去，直到第三卷才还她自由。这样，小说便容易写的入神，能叫读者把一章章惊心动魄的故事一口气读下去，紧张得气也透不过来。

①以下一段讽刺爱因斯窝斯（W．H．Ainsworth）等专写强盗的小说。

5

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Or if, on the contrary, we had taken a fancy for the terrible, and made the lover of the new femme de chambre a professional burglar, who bursts into the house with his band, slaughters black Sambo at the feet of his master, and carries off Amelia in her night-dress, not to be let loose again till the third volume, we should easily have constructed a tale of thrilling interest, through the fiery chapters of which the reader should hurry, panting.

6

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我的读者可不能指望看到这么离奇的情节，因为我的书里面只有家常的琐碎。请读者们别奢望，本章只讲游乐场里面的事，而且短得没有资格算一章正经书。可是话又得说回来，它的确是本书的一章，而且占着很重要的地位。人生一世，总有些片段当时看着无关紧要，而事实上却牵动了大局。

6

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But my readers must hope for no such romance, only a homely story, and must be content with a chapter about Vauxhall, which is so short that it scarce deserves to be called a chapter at all. And yet it is a chapter, and a very important one too. Are not there little chapters in everybody’s life, that seem to be nothing, and yet affect all the rest of the history?

7

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所以咱们还是跟着勒塞尔广场的一群人坐了马车上游乐场去吧。乔斯和利蓓加占了正座，也就没有多余的空隙了。奥斯本先生夹在都宾上尉和爱米丽亚中间，坐在倒座上。

7

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Let us then step into the coach with the Russell Square party, and be off to the Gardens. There is barely room between Jos and Miss Sharp, who are on the front seat. Mr. Osborne sitting bodkin opposite, between Captain Dobbin and Amelia.

8

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车子里人人心里都明白，那天晚上乔斯准会向利蓓加·夏泼求婚。家里的父母已经默许，不过我跟你说句体己话，赛特笠先生很有些瞧不起他的儿子。他说乔斯自私，懒惰，爱面子，一股子妞儿气。他看不惯儿子的时髦人习气，每逢乔斯摆起架子自吹自卖的时候，就哈哈大笑。

8

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Every soul in the coach agreed that on that night Jos would propose to make Rebecca Sharp Mrs. Sedley. The parents at home had acquiesced in the arrangement, though, between ourselves, old Mr. Sedley had a feeling very much akin to contempt for his son. He said he was vain, selfish, lazy, and effeminate. He could not endure his airs as a man of fashion, and laughed heartily at his pompous braggadocio stories.

9

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他说：“我的家私将来有一半儿是这家伙的份。而且他自己挣得也不少了。不过我很明白，如果我和你和他妹妹明儿都死掉的话，他也不过叫声‘老天爷！’然后照样吃他的饭。所以我不高兴为他操心。他爱娶谁就娶谁。我不管他的事。”

9

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”I shall leave the fellow half my property,” he said; ”and he will have, besides, plenty of his own; but as I am perfectly sure that if you, and I, and his sister were to die to-morrow, he would say ’Good Gad!’ and eat his dinner just as well as usual, I am not going to make myself anxious about him. Let him marry whom he likes. It’s no affair of mine.”

10

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爱米丽亚就不同了，满心希望亲事成功，一则她做人明达，二则这也是她的脾气。有一两回，乔斯仿佛有些很要紧的话想和她说，她也是巴不得要听，可惜那胖子的衷肠话儿实在没法出口；他重重的叹了一口大气，转身走掉了。他妹妹因此非常失望。

10

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Amelia, on the other hand, as became a young woman of her prudence and temperament, was quite enthusiastic for the match. Once or twice Jos had been on the point of saying something very important to her, to which she was most willing to lend an ear, but the fat fellow could not be brought to unbosom himself of his great secret, and very much to his sister’s disappointment he only rid himself of a large sigh and turned away.

11

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这个猜不透的谜使温柔的爱米丽亚激动得老是定不下心。她不好和利蓓加说起这个难出口的问题，只好和管家娘子白兰金索泊太太密密的长谈了好几回。管家娘子露了些口风给上房女佣人。上房女佣人也许约略的对厨娘说过几句。厨娘一定又去告诉了所有做买卖的。因此在勒塞尔广场的圈子里，好些人在纷纷的议论乔斯先生的亲事。

11

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This mystery served to keep Amelia’s gentle bosom in a perpetual flutter of excitement. If she did not speak with Rebecca on the tender subject, she compensated herself with long and intimate conversations with Mrs. Blenkinsop, the housekeeper, who dropped some hints to the lady’s-maid, who may have cursorily mentioned the matter to the cook, who carried the news, I have no doubt, to all the tradesmen, so that Mr. Jos’s marriage was now talked of by a very considerable number of persons in the Russell Square world.

12

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赛特笠太太当然觉得儿子娶个画师的女儿，未免玷辱了门楣。白兰金索泊太太对她嚷道：“咳，太太，您嫁给赛先生的时候，家里也不过开个杂货铺子罢咧！先生也不过做经纪人的小书记。两面的家私一共合起来还不满五百镑呢。今儿咱们不也挺有钱了吗？”爱米丽亚也是这个意思。赛特笠太太做人随和，慢慢的也就改了本来的成见。

12

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It was, of course, Mrs. Sedley’s opinion that her son would demean himself by a marriage with an artist’s daughter. "But, lor’, Ma’am," ejaculated Mrs. Blenkinsop, "we was only grocers when we married Mr. S., who was a stock-broker’s clerk, and we hadn’t five hundred pounds among us, and we’re rich enough now." And Amelia was entirely of this opinion, to which, gradually, the good-natured Mrs. Sedley was brought.

13

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赛特笠先生是无可无不可的。他说：“乔斯爱娶谁就娶谁，反正不是我的事。那女孩子没有钱，可是当年赛特笠太太也一样穷。她看上去性*情温顺，也很聪明，也许会把乔斯管得好好儿的。亲爱的，还是她吧，总比娶个黑不溜秋的媳妇回来，养出十来个黄黑脸皮的孙子孙女儿好些。”

13

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Mr. Sedley was neutral. "Let Jos marry whom he likes," he said; "it’s no affair of mine. This girl has no fortune; no more had Mrs. Sedley. She seems good-humoured and clever, and will keep him in order, perhaps. Better she, my dear, than a black Mrs. Sedley, and a dozen of mahogany grandchildren."

14

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这样看起来，利蓓加真的交了好运。吃饭的时候，她总挽着乔斯的胳膊下楼，已经成了惯例。而且她也曾傍着他坐了他的敞篷马车出去兜过风。这又肥又大的花花公子赶着拉车的灰色马，样子又从容，又威风。当下虽然没人提到婚姻两字，却是大家心里有数。

14

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So that everything seemed to smile upon Rebecca’s fortunes. She took Jos’s arm, as a matter of course, on going to dinner; she had sate by him on the box of his open carriage (a most tremendous "buck" he was, as he sat there, serene, in state, driving his greys), and though nobody said a word on the subject of the marriage, everybody seemed to understand it.

15

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利蓓加只等乔斯向她正式求婚，暗暗羡慕人家有亲娘的好处。一个慈爱的妈妈只消十分钟就可以解决问题，她只要跟小伙子细细致致谈几句心腹话儿，准能叫对方把那难以启齿的一段话说出口来。

15

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All she wanted was the proposal, and ah! how Rebecca now felt the want of a mother!—a dear, tender mother, who would have managed the business in ten minutes, and, in the course of a little delicate confidential conversation, would have extracted the interesting avowal from the bashful lips of the young man!

16

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那晚马车走过西明斯德桥的时候，大致的情形就些这样。

16

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Such was the state of affairs as the carriage crossed Westminster bridge.

17

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他们一群人不久在皇家花园下车。乔斯神气活现从车子里出来，踩得车子吱吱的响。旁边看热闹的瞧见这么个胖子，欢呼起来。乔斯涨红了脸扶着利蓓加先走，看上去又肥大又威武。爱米丽亚当然有乔治招呼，高兴得活像太陽里的一树玫瑰花。

17

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The party was landed at the Royal Gardens in due time. As the majestic Jos stepped out of the creaking vehicle the crowd gave a cheer for the fat gentleman, who blushed and looked very big and mighty, as he walked away with Rebecca under his arm. George, of course, took charge of Amelia. She looked as happy as a rose-tree in sunshine.

18

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乔治说：“我说呀，都宾，你是个好人，给我们照看照看披肩什么的。”说着，他和赛特笠小姐成一对儿走了。乔斯带着利蓓加也挤进了花园门。老实的都宾却抱着许多披肩在门口替大家买票。

18

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"I say, Dobbin," says George, "just look to the shawls and things, there’s a good fellow." And so while he paired off with Miss Sedley, and Jos squeezed through the gate into the gardens with Rebecca at his side, honest Dobbin contented himself by giving an arm to the shawls, and by paying at the door for the whole party.

19

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他很虚心的跟在后头，不愿意煞风景。利蓓加和乔斯并不在他心上。不过他觉得爱米丽亚真是了不起，竟配得上出色*的乔治·奥斯本。这一对漂亮的年轻人儿正在小径里穿来穿去。爱米丽亚瞧着样样东西都新鲜有趣，从心里乐出来，都宾见她这样，仿佛做爸爸的一样欢喜。

19

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He walked very modestly behind them. He was not willing to spoil sport. About Rebecca and Jos he did not care a fig. But he thought Amelia worthy even of the brilliant George Osborne, and as he saw that good-looking couple threading the walks to the girl’s delight and wonder, he watched her artless happiness with a sort of fatherly pleasure.

20

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说不定他也希望胳膊上挽着的不只是一块披肩（旁边的人瞧见这傻头傻脑的年轻军官手里抱着女人的衣著，都在好笑），可是威廉·都宾向来不大为自己打算，只要他的朋友受用，他还有什么可抱怨的呢？

20

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Perhaps he felt that he would have liked to have something on his own arm besides a shawl (the people laughed at seeing the gawky young officer carrying this female burthen); but William Dobbin was very little addicted to selfish calculation at all; and so long as his friend was enjoying himself, how should he be discontented?

21

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不瞒你说，游乐场里的各种趣事，都宾连正眼也不看。场里千千万万所谓“特别加添”的灯，老是点得亮晃晃的。场子中心有个镀金的大蚶子壳，下面是音乐台，那儿好几个戴硬边帽子的琴师奏着醉人的曲子。唱曲儿的唱着各色好听的歌儿，有的内容滑稽，有的却很多情。许多伦敦土生土长的男男女女在跳民间舞，一面跳着蹦着，一面彼此捶打笑乐。一块照牌上写着说煞纪太太①即刻就要爬着通天索子上天。

①煞纪太太（Madame　Saqui，1786—1866），法国有名走绳索玩杂耍的女艺人。

21

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And the truth is, that of all the delights of the Gardens; of the hundred thousand extra lamps, which were always lighted; the fiddlers in cocked hats, who played ravishing melodies under the gilded cockle-shell in the midst of the gardens; the singers, both of comic and sentimental ballads, who charmed the ears there; the country dances, formed by bouncing cockneys and cockneyesses, and executed amidst jumping, thumping and laughter; the signal which announced that Madame Saqui was about to mount skyward on a slack-rope ascending to the stars.

22

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点得雪亮的隐士庐里面老是坐着那隐士。四面的小径黑魆魆的，正好给年轻的情人们相会。好些穿了旧号衣的人轮流从一个瓶子里喝麦酒。茶座上装点得灯光闪烁，坐在里面吃东西的客人都很快乐，其实他们吃的火腿片儿薄得几乎看不见，只好算自己哄自己。还有那笑眯眯、温和驯良的白痴叫辛伯森的，想来在那时候已经在游乐场里了。这些形形色色，都宾上尉全不理会。

22

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The hermit that always sat in the illuminated hermitage; the dark walks, so favourable to the interviews of young lovers; the pots of stout handed about by the people in the shabby old liveries; and the twinkling boxes, in which the happy feasters made-believe to eat slices of almost invisible ham—of all these things, and of the gentle Simpson, that kind smiling idiot, who, I daresay, presided even then over the place—Captain William Dobbin did not take the slightest notice.

23

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他拿着爱米丽亚的细绒披肩走东走西，在镀金的蚶子壳底下站了一会，看沙尔孟太太表演《波罗的诺之战》。这首歌词的内容恶毒的攻击拿破仑；这科西嘉小人一朝得志，最近才在俄国打了败仗。都宾走开去的时候，口里学着哼那支曲子。哪知自己一听，哼的却是爱米丽亚·赛特笠吃晚饭之前在楼梯上唱的歌儿，忍不住好笑起来，因为他实在跟猫头鹰一样不会唱歌。

23

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He carried about Amelia’s white cashmere shawl, and having attended under the gilt cockle-shell, while Mrs. Salmon performed the Battle of Borodino (a savage cantata against the Corsican upstart, who had lately met with his Russian reverses)—Mr. Dobbin tried to hum it as he walked away, and found he was humming—the tune which Amelia Sedley sang on the stairs, as she came down to dinner.He burst out laughing at himself; for the truth is, he could sing no better than an owl.

24

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这些年轻人分成一对一对，进了花园十分钟之后就散开了。大家郑重其事的约好在晚上再见面。这是理所当然的事，因为在游乐场里，惯例是分成一组一组的，到吃宵夜的时候大家见面，彼此告诉这一段时间里面的经历。

24

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It is to be understood, as a matter of course, that our young people, being in parties of two and two, made the most solemn promises to keep together during the evening, and separated in ten minutes afterwards. Parties at Vauxhall always did separate, but ’twas only to meet again at supper-time, when they could talk of their mutual adventures in the interval.

25

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奥斯本先生和爱米丽亚究竟有什么奇遇是个秘密。不过咱们知道他们两个非常快乐，行为举止也很得体。十五年来他们总在一处，说的话当然没有什么新奇。

25

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What were the adventures of Mr. Osborne and Miss Amelia? That is a secret. But be sure of this—they were perfectly happy, and correct in their behaviour; and as they had been in the habit of being together any time these fifteen years, their tete-a-tete offered no particular novelty.

26

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利蓓加·夏泼小姐和她那身材魁梧的朋友迷了路，走到一条冷僻的小路上，四面只有一百来对像他们一样走失的人。两个人都觉得这时节的风光旖旎，是个紧要关头。夏泼小姐暗想这是难得的机会，再不把赛特笠先生嘴边想说而说不出来的情话引出来，再等什么时候呢？

26

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But when Miss Rebecca Sharp and her stout companion lost themselves in a solitary walk, in which there were not above five score more of couples similarly straying, they both felt that the situation was extremely tender and critical, and now or never was the moment Miss Sharp thought, to provoke that declaration which was trembling on the timid lips of Mr. Sedley.

27

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他们方才在看莫斯科百景的时候，附近一个卤莽的男人踩了夏泼小姐一脚，她轻轻的尖叫一声，倒在赛特笠先生怀里。经过这件事以后，乔斯更加动了情，胆子也越来越大，便又讲了几个以前至少唠叨过五六遍的印度故事。

27

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They had previously been to the panorama of Moscow, where a rude fellow, treading on Miss Sharp’s foot, caused her to fall back with a little shriek into the arms of Mr. Sedley, and this little incident increased the tenderness and confidence of that gentleman to such a degree, that he told her several of his favourite Indian stories over again for, at least, the sixth time.

28

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利蓓加道：“我真想到印度去！”

28

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"How I should like to see India!" said Rebecca.

29

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乔瑟夫一股子柔情蜜意，说道：“真的吗？”他提出了这个巧妙的问题，唏哩呼噜的直喘气，利蓓加的手恰巧搁在他胸口，觉得他的心正在别别的乱跳，由此可以推想他一定在准备进一步再说一句更温存的话儿。那知道事不凑巧，偏偏场子里打起铃子催大家去看焰火，游客顿时推推挤挤奔跑起来，这一对怪有趣的情人只得也跟着大家一伙儿同去。

29

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"SHOULD you?" said Joseph, with a most killing tenderness; and was no doubt about to follow up this artful interrogatory by a question still more tender (for he puffed and panted a great deal, and Rebecca’s hand, which was placed near his heart, could count the feverish pulsations of that organ), when, oh, provoking! the bell rang for the fireworks, and, a great scuffling and running taking place, these interesting lovers were obliged to follow in the stream of people.

30

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都宾上尉发现游乐场里的各项杂耍并没有什么好玩，便想跟大家一块儿去吃宵夜。那时其余的两对已经占了座儿坐好，都宾在茶座前面来回走了两遭，没一个人理会他。桌子上只摆了四份刀叉杯盘，那配好的两对咭咭呱呱谈得很高兴。都宾知道他们已经把他忘得干干净净，好像他根本不存在。

30

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Captain Dobbin had some thoughts of joining the party at supper: as, in truth, he found the Vauxhall amusements not particularly lively—but he paraded twice before the box where the now united couples were met, and nobody took any notice of him. Covers were laid for four. The mated pairs were prattling away quite happily, and Dobbin knew he was as clean forgotten as if he had never existed in this world.

31

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都宾上尉对他们看了一会，默默的想道：“我是个多余的人，不如找隐士谈天去。”他避开了人声嘈杂、杯盘叮当的热闹场所，向没有灯光的小路上走。小路的尽头就住着那有名的冒牌隐士。这件事做来令人扫兴。根据我自己的亲身经验，单身汉子最乏味的消遣莫过于一个人逛游乐场。

31

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"I should only be de trop," said the Captain, looking at them rather wistfully. "I’d best go and talk to the hermit,"—and so he strolled off out of the hum of men, and noise, and clatter of the banquet, into the dark walk, at the end of which lived that well-known pasteboard Solitary. It wasn’t very good fun for Dobbin—and, indeed, to be alone at Vauxhall, I have found, from my own experience, to be one of the most dismal sports ever entered into by a bachelor.

32

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其余的两对兴高采烈的在茶座里谈天，说的话又亲热又有趣。乔斯得意得了不得，神气活现的把茶房呼来喝去。他切鸡，拌生菜，开酒瓶斟香槟酒，又吃又喝，把桌子上的东西消缴了一大半。最后，他又要了一碗五味酒，因为上游乐场的人没有一个不喝它。他说：“茶房，来碗五味酒。”

32

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The two couples were perfectly happy then in their box: where the most delightful and intimate conversation took place. Jos was in his glory, ordering about the waiters with great majesty. He made the salad; and uncorked the Champagne; and carved the chickens; and ate and drank the greater part of the refreshments on the tables. Finally, he insisted upon having a bowl of rack punch; everybody had rack punch at Vauxhall. "Waiter, rack punch."

33

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那碗五味酒就是我写书的起因。五味酒跟别的原因不是一样好吗？美丽的萝莎梦①因为一碗氰酸离开了人世。按照郎浦利哀博士②的考据，亚历山大大帝也因为一杯酒断送了性命③。我这本“没有主角的小说”④，里面各个重要人物的遭遇都受这碗五味酒的影响。虽然书里面大多数的人涓滴不曾入口，可是受它的影响却不浅。

①英王亨利第二的情人。传说亨利第二把她安置在迷阵中，不许别人走近她：后来爱莲诺皇后设法闯进去把她害死。究竟是否用的氰酸，不得而知。萝莎梦死在1176年。②郎浦利哀（John　Lemprière），生年不可考，死在1824年，著名古典学者。著作有“希腊罗马古人名字典”。③传说亚历山大给图谋不轨的加桑特毒死。④本书的副标题是“没有主角的小说”（A　Novel　Without　A　Hero）。

33

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That bowl of rack punch was the cause of all this history. And why not a bowl of rack punch as well as any other cause? Was not a bowl of prussic acid the cause of Fair Rosamond’s retiring from the world? Was not a bowl of wine the cause of the demise of Alexander the Great, or, at least, does not Dr. Lempriere say so?—so did this bowl of rack punch influence the fates of all the principal characters in this "Novel without a Hero," which we are now relating. It influenced their life, although most of them did not taste a drop of it.

34

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两位小姐不喝酒，奥斯本也不爱喝。结果馋嘴的大胖子把一碗酒都灌了下去。喝过后之后，他兴致勃发，那股子劲儿起初不过叫人诧异，后来简直令人难堪。他扯起嗓子大说大笑，引得好几十个闲人围着他们的座位看热闹。和他一起来的都是些天真没经大事的人，窘的无可奈何。他自告奋勇唱歌给大家听，逼尖了喉咙，一听就知道他喝醉了酒。镀金的蚶子壳底下本来有音乐家在弹唱，好些人围着听，乔斯一唱，差些儿把那边的听众全吸引过来。大家都给他拍手叫好。

34

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The young ladies did not drink it; Osborne did not like it; and the consequence was that Jos, that fat gourmand, drank up the whole contents of the bowl; and the consequence of his drinking up the whole contents of the bowl was a liveliness which at first was astonishing, and then became almost painful; for he talked and laughed so loud as to bring scores of listeners round the box, much to the confusion of the innocent party within it; and, volunteering to sing a song (which he did in that maudlin high key peculiar to gentlemen in an inebriated state), he almost drew away the audience who were gathered round the musicians in the gilt scollop-shell, and received from his hearers a great deal of applause.

35

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一个说：“好哇，胖子！”另一个说：“再唱一段吧，但尼尔·兰勃脱！”①又有一个口角俏皮的说：“这身材正好走绳索。”两位小姐急得走投无路，奥斯本先生大怒，嚷道：“天哪！乔斯，咱们快回家吧！”两个姑娘听了忙站起来。

①但尼尔·兰勃脱（Daniel　Lambert，1770—1842），英国有名的大胖子。

35

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"Brayvo, Fat un!" said one; "Angcore, Daniel Lambert!" said another; "What a figure for the tight-rope!" exclaimed another wag, to the inexpressible alarm of the ladies, and the great anger of Mr. Osborne."For Heaven’s sake, Jos, let us get up and go," cried that gentleman, and the young women rose.

36

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乔斯那时胆子大得像狮子，搂着利蓓加小姐的腰大声叫道：“等一筹，我的宝贝，我的肉儿小心肝！”利蓓加吓了一跳，可是挣不脱手。外面的笑声越发大了。乔斯只顾喝酒，唱歌，求爱。他眨眨眼睛，态度很潇洒的对外面的人晃着杯子，问他们敢不敢进来和他一起喝。

36

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"Stop, my dearest diddle-diddle-darling," shouted Jos, now as bold as a lion, and clasping Miss Rebecca round the waist. Rebecca started, but she could not get away her hand. The laughter outside redoubled. Jos continued to drink, to make love, and to sing; and, winking and waving his glass gracefully to his audience, challenged all or any to come in and take a share of his punch.

37

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一个穿大靴子的男人便想趁势走进来，奥斯本先生举起手来打算把他打倒，看来一场混战是免不掉的了。还算运气好，刚在这时候，一位名叫都宾的先生走了进来。他本来在园里闲逛，这当儿赶快走到桌子旁边来。这位先生说道：“你们这些糊涂东西，快给我滚开。”一面说，一面把一大群人往旁边推。众人见他戴了硬边帽子，来势凶猛，一哄散了。都宾走进座儿，样子非常激动。

37

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Mr. Osborne was just on the point of knocking down a gentleman in top-boots, who proposed to take advantage of this invitation, and a commotion seemed to be inevitable, when by the greatest good luck a gentleman of the name of Dobbin, who had been walking about the gardens, stepped up to the box. "Be off, you fools!" said this gentleman—shouldering off a great number of the crowd, who vanished presently before his cocked hat and fierce appearance—and he entered the box in a most agitated state.

38

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奥斯本一把抢过披肩来，替爱米丽亚裹好，一面说：“天哪！都宾，你到哪儿去了？快来帮忙。你招呼着乔斯，让我把小姐们送到车子里去。”

38

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"Good Heavens! Dobbin, where have you been?" Osborne said, seizing the white cashmere shawl from his friend’s arm, and huddling up Amelia in it.—"Make yourself useful, and take charge of Jos here, whilst I take the ladies to the carriage."

39

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乔斯还要站起来干涉，给奥斯本一指头推倒，喘着气又坐了下去。中尉才算平平安安带着小姐们走掉。乔斯亲着自己的手向她们的背影送吻，一面打呃一面说道：“求天保佑你！求天保佑你！”

39

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Jos was for rising to interfere—but a single push from Osborne’s finger sent him puffing back into his seat again, and the lieutenant was enabled to remove the ladies in safety. Jos kissed his hand to them as they retreated, and hiccupped out "Bless you! Bless you!"

40

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他拉住上尉的手哀哀的哭泣，把藏在心里的爱情告诉他，说自己一心恋着刚才走出去的女孩子，可是做错了事，使她心碎了。他说他打算第二天早上和她在汉诺佛广场的圣·乔治教堂里结婚，无论如何先得到兰白斯去把坎脱白莱大主教叫醒，让他准备着。都宾上尉见机，趁势催他赶快到兰白斯宫里去。一出园门，他毫不费事的把乔斯送进一辆街车，一路平安直到他家里。

40

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Then, seizing Captain Dobbin’s hand, and weeping in the most pitiful way, he confided to that gentleman the secret of his loves. He adored that girl who had just gone out; he had broken her heart, he knew he had, by his conduct; he would marry her next morning at St. George’s, Hanover Square; he’d knock up the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth: he would, by Jove! and have him in readiness; and, acting on this hint, Captain Dobbin shrewdly induced him to leave the gardens and hasten to Lambeth Palace, and, when once out of the gates, easily conveyed Mr. Jos Sedley into a hackney-coach, which deposited him safely at his lodgings.

41

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乔治·奥斯本把姑娘们护送回家，没有再生什么枝节。大门一关上，他哈哈大笑着穿过勒塞尔广场回家，那守夜的见他傻笑个不完，心里老大诧异。两个女孩儿一路上楼，爱米丽亚垂头丧气的瞧着她朋友，吻了她一下，一直到上床没有再说话。

41

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George Osborne conducted the girls home in safety: and when the door was closed upon them, and as he walked across Russell Square, laughed so as to astonish the watchman. Amelia looked very ruefully at her friend, as they went up stairs, and kissed her, and went to bed without any more talking.

42

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利蓓加心里暗想：“明天他准会求婚。他叫我心肝宝贝儿，一共叫了四回。他还当着爱米丽亚的面捏我的手。明天他一定会向我求婚了。”爱米丽亚也是这么想。我猜她一定还盘算做傧相的时候穿什么衣服，应该送什么礼物给她的好嫂子。她又想到将来还有一次典礼，她自己就是主要的角色*，此外她还想到许多有关的事情。

42

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"He must propose to-morrow," thought Rebecca. "He called me his soul’s darling, four times; he squeezed my hand in Amelia’s presence. He must propose to-morrow." And so thought Amelia, too. And I dare say she thought of the dress she was to wear as bridesmaid, and of the presents which she should make to her nice little sister-in-law, and of a subsequent ceremony in which she herself might play a principal part, &c., and &c., and &c., and &c.

43

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不懂事的小姑娘！你们真不知道五味酒的力量。晚上的大醉，比起明天早上的头痛来，那真不算什么。无论哪一种头痛，总没有像喝了游乐场里的五味酒所引起的头痛那样利害。我担保这不是假话。虽然事隔二十年，我还记得两杯酒的后果。其实我不过喝了小小的两酒盅，我人格担保，这两盅酒就够受的了，乔瑟夫·赛特笠本来已经在闹肝病，却把这害人的五味酒喝了许多，少说也有一夸尔。

43

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Oh, ignorant young creatures! How little do you know the effect of rack punch! What is the rack in the punch, at night, to the rack in the head of a morning? To this truth I can vouch as a man; there is no headache in the world like that caused by Vauxhall punch. Through the lapse of twenty years, I can remember the consequence of two glasses! two wine-glasses! but two, upon the honour of a gentleman; and Joseph Sedley, who had a liver complaint, had swallowed at least a quart of the abominable mixture.

44

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第二天早上，利蓓加以为她的好日子到了。乔瑟夫·赛特笠却在哼哼唧唧的忍受形容不出的苦楚。当年还没有苏打水。隔夜的宿醉只能用淡啤酒来解，说来真叫人不相信。乔治·奥斯本进屋子的时候，看见卜克雷·窝拉的前任税官躺在安乐椅里哼哼，前面桌子上搁了一杯淡麦酒。

44

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That next morning, which Rebecca thought was to dawn upon her fortune, found Sedley groaning in agonies which the pen refuses to describe. Soda-water was not invented yet. Small beer—will it be believed!—was the only drink with which unhappy gentlemen soothed the fever of their previous night’s potation. With this mild beverage before him, George Osborne found the ex-Collector of Boggley Wollah groaning on the sofa at his lodgings.

45

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好心的都宾早已来了，正在服侍病人。两个军官瞧着乔斯闹酒闹得这么少气无力，斜过眼对瞧着使了个眼色，彼此心照，嬉皮笑脸的做起鬼脸来。赛特笠的贴身佣人是个一丝不苟的规矩人，像包办丧事的人一般，向来板着脸不言语，现在看着他主人的可怜样儿，也掌不住要笑。

45

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Dobbin was already in the room, good-naturedly tending his patient of the night before. The two officers, looking at the prostrate Bacchanalian, and askance at each other, exchanged the most frightful sympathetic grins. Even Sedley’s valet, the most solemn and correct of gentlemen, with the muteness and gravity of an undertaker, could hardly keep his countenance in order, as he looked at his unfortunate master.

46

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奥斯本上楼的时候，他偷偷告诉他道：“先生，赛特笠先生昨儿晚上可真是野。他要跟马车夫打架呢，先生。上尉只好抱小娃娃似的把他抱上楼。”这位白勒希先生一面说话，脸上竟掠过了一个笑影儿。不过他打开房门给奥斯本先生通报的时候，又恢复到原来冷冰冰莫测高深的样子了。

46

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"Mr. Sedley was uncommon wild last night, sir," he whispered in confidence to Osborne, as the latter mounted the stair. "He wanted to fight the ’ackney-coachman, sir. The Capting was obliged to bring him upstairs in his harms like a babby." A momentary smile flickered over Mr. Brush’s features as he spoke; instantly, however, they relapsed into their usual unfathomable calm, as he flung open the drawing-room door, and announced "Mr. Hosbin."

47

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奥斯本立刻拿乔斯开玩笑，看着他说道：“赛特笠，你好哇？没伤骨头吧？楼下有个马车夫，头上包着绷带，眼睛都打青了，赌神罚咒的说要到法院去告你呢。”

47

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"How are you, Sedley?" that young wag began, after surveying his victim. "No bones broke? There’s a hackney-coachman downstairs with a black eye, and a tied-up head, vowing he’ll have the law of you."

48

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赛特笠轻轻哼道：“你说什么？告我？”

48

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"What do you mean—law?" Sedley faintly asked.

49

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“因为你昨天晚上揍他。是不是，都宾？你像莫利纳①一样大打出手。守夜的人说他从来没见过这么利害的人，不信你问都宾。”

①当时有名的拳师。

49

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"For thrashing him last night—didn’t he, Dobbin? You hit out, sir, like Molyneux. The watchman says he never saw a fellow go down so straight. Ask Dobbin."

50

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都宾上尉道：“你的确跟车夫打过一合，利害得很。”

50

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"You DID have a round with the coachman," Captain Dobbin said, "and showed plenty of fight too."

51

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“还有在游乐场里那个穿白外套的人呢。乔斯冲着他打。那些女人吓得吱吱喳喳直叫。喝！我瞧着你就乐。我以为你们不当兵的都没有胆子，真是大错。乔斯啊，你喝醉了酒我可不敢冲撞你了。”

51

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"And that fellow with the white coat at Vauxhall! How Jos drove at him! How the women screamed! By Jove, sir, it did my heart good to see you. I thought you civilians had no pluck; but I’ll never get in your way when you are in your cups, Jos."

52

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乔斯在安乐椅里接口道：“我性子上来之后的确不是好惹的。”他说话的时候那愁眉苦脸的样子实在可笑，上尉虽然讲究礼貌，也忍不住和奥斯本一起哈哈大笑起来。

52

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"I believe I’m very terrible, when I’m roused," ejaculated Jos from the sofa, and made a grimace so dreary and ludicrous, that the Captain’s politeness could restrain him no longer, and he and Osborne fired off a ringing volley of laughter.

53

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奥斯本为人刻薄，趁势接下去耍他。在他看来，乔斯不过是个脓包。对于乔斯和利蓓加的亲事，他细细的考虑了一下，觉得老大不如意。他，第——联队的乔治·奥斯本，既然已经准备和赛特笠一家结亲，那么这家的人就不该降低身分去娶一个没有地位的女人。利蓓加不过是个一朝得志的家庭教师罢了。

53

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Osborne pursued his advantage pitilessly. He thought Jos a milksop. He had been revolving in his mind the marriage question pending between Jos and Rebecca, and was not over well pleased that a member of a family into which he, George Osborne, of the —th, was going to marry, should make a mesalliance with a little nobody—a little upstart governess.

54

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他道：“你这可怜东西。你以为自己真的会打人，真的可怕吗？得了吧，你站都站不直，游乐场里人人都笑话你，虽然你自己在哭。乔斯，你昨儿晚上醉得不成体统。记得吗？你还唱了一支情歌呢！”

54

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”You hit, you poor old fellow!” said Osborne. ”You terrible! Why, man, you couldn’t stand—you made everybody laugh in the Gardens, though you were crying yourself. You were maudlin, Jos. Don’t you remember singing a song?”

55

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乔斯问道：“一支什么？”

55

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"A what?" Jos asked.

56

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“一支情歌。爱米丽亚的小朋友叫什么罗莎？利蓓加？你管她叫你的宝贝，你的肉儿小心肝哩！”无情的小伙子拉起都宾的手，把隔天的戏重演了一遍，本来的演员看得羞恨难当。都宾究竟是好人，劝奥斯本不要捉弄乔斯，可是奥斯本不理。

56

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"A sentimental song, and calling Rosa, Rebecca, what’s her name, Amelia’s little friend—your dearest diddle-diddle-darling?" And this ruthless young fellow, seizing hold of Dobbin’s hand, acted over the scene, to the horror of the original performer, and in spite of Dobbin’s good-natured entreaties to him to have mercy.

57

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他们不久便和病人告别，让高洛浦医生去调理他。奥斯本不服朋友责备他的话，答道：“我何必饶他？他凭什么摆出高人一等的架子来？他干吗在游乐场扫咱们的面子？那个跟他飞眼风吊膀子的女孩子又算个什么？真倒楣！他们家的门第已经够低的了，再加上她，还成什么话？

57

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"Why should I spare him?" Osborne said to his friend’s remonstrances, when they quitted the invalid, leaving him under the hands of Doctor Gollop. "What the deuce right has he to give himself his patronizing airs, and make fools of us at Vauxhall? Who’s this little schoolgirl that is ogling and making love to him? Hang it, the family’s low enough already, without HER.

58

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做家庭教师当然也不坏，不过我宁可我的亲戚是个有身分的小姐。我是个心地宽大的人，可是我有正当的自尊心。我知道我的地位，她也应该明白她的地位。那印度财主好欺负人，我非得让他吃点儿苦不可。并且也得叫他别糊涂过了头，因为这样我才叫他留神，那女孩子说不定会上法院告他。”

58

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A governess is all very well, but I’d rather have a lady for my sister-in-law. I’m a liberal man; but I’ve proper pride, and know my own station: let her know hers. And I’ll take down that great hectoring Nabob, and prevent him from being made a greater fool than he is. That’s why I told him to look out, lest she brought an action against him.”

59

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都宾迟疑着说道：“你的见解当然比我高明。你一向是保守党，你家又是英国最旧的世家之一。可是——”

59

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"I suppose you know best," Dobbin said, though rather dubiously. "You always were a Tory, and your family’s one of the oldest in England. But—"

60

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中尉截断朋友的话说道：“跟我一块儿拜望两位姑娘去吧。你自己向夏泼小姐去谈情说爱得了。”奥斯本是天天上勒塞尔广场的，都宾上尉不愿意跟他去，便拒绝了。

60

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"Come and see the girls, and make love to Miss Sharp yourself," the lieutenant here interrupted his friend; but Captain Dobbin declined to join Osborne in his daily visit to the young ladies in Russell Square.

61

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乔治从霍尔本走过沙乌撒泼顿街，看见赛特笠公馆的两层楼上都有人往外探头张望，忍不住笑起来。

61

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As George walked down Southampton Row, from Holborn, he laughed as he saw, at the Sedley Mansion, in two different stories two heads on the look-out.

62

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原来爱米丽亚小姐在客厅外面的陽台上，眼巴巴的望着广场对面奥斯本的家，正在等他去。利蓓加在三层楼上的小卧房里面，盼望看见乔斯搬着肥大的身子快快出现。

62

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The fact is, Miss Amelia, in the drawing-room balcony, was looking very eagerly towards the opposite side of the Square, where Mr. Osborne dwelt, on the watch for the lieutenant himself; and Miss Sharp, from her little bed-room on the second floor, was in observation until Mr. Joseph’s great form should heave in sight.

63

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乔治笑着对爱米丽亚说道：“安恩妹妹①正在了望台上等人，可惜没人来。”他对赛特笠小姐淋漓尽致的挖苦她哥哥狼狈的样子，觉得这笑话妙不可言。

①童话《蓝胡子》中女主角，蓝胡子的故事见24页注①。

63

-

"Sister Anne is on the watch-tower," said he to Amelia, "but there’s nobody coming"; and laughing and enjoying the joke hugely, he described in the most ludicrous terms to Miss Sedley, the dismal condition of her brother.

64

-

她听了很不受用，答道：“乔治，你心肠太硬了，怎么还笑他？”乔治见她垂头丧气，越发笑起来，再三夸这笑话儿有趣。夏泼小姐一下楼，他就打趣她，形容那胖子印度官儿怎么为她颠倒，说得有声有色*。

64

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"I think it’s very cruel of you to laugh, George," she said, looking particularly unhappy; but George only laughed the more at her piteous and discomfited mien, persisted in thinking the joke a most diverting one, and when Miss Sharp came downstairs, bantered her with a great deal of liveliness upon the effect of her charms on the fat civilian.

65

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“啊，夏泼小姐！可惜你没见他今天早上的样子。穿着花花绿绿的梳妆衣在安乐椅里打滚，难过得直哼哼。他伸出舌头给高洛浦医生看，那腔调才滑稽呢。”

65

-

"O Miss Sharp! if you could but see him this morning," he said—"moaning in his flowered dressing-gown—writhing on his sofa; if you could but have seen him lolling out his tongue to Gollop the apothecary."

66

-

夏泼小姐问道：“你说谁啊？”

66

-

"See whom?" said Miss Sharp.

67

-

“谁啊？谁啊？当然是都宾上尉啰，说起这话，我倒想起来了，昨儿晚上咱们对他真殷勤啊！”

67

-

"Whom? O whom? Captain Dobbin, of course, to whom we were all so attentive, by the way, last night."

68

-

爱米丽亚涨红了脸说：“咱们真不应该。我——我根本把他忘了。”

68

-

"We were very unkind to him," Emmy said, blushing very much. "I—I quite forgot him."

69

-

奥斯本笑嚷道：“当然把他忘了。谁能够老记着都宾呢？夏泼小姐，你说对不对？”

69

-

"Of course you did," cried Osborne, still on the laugh."One can’t be ALWAYS thinking about Dobbin, you know, Amelia. Can one, Miss Sharp?"

70

-

夏泼小姐骄气凌人的扬着脸儿说道：“我从来不理会有没有都宾上尉这么个人，除非他吃饭的时候倒翻了酒杯。”

70

-

"Except when he overset the glass of wine at dinner," Miss Sharp said, with a haughty air and a toss of the head, "I never gave the existence of Captain Dobbin one single moment’s consideration."

71

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奥斯本答道：“好的，让我把这话告诉他去，夏泼小姐。”他说话的时候，夏泼小姐渐渐对他起了疑心，暗暗的恨他，虽然他本人并不知道。利蓓加想道：“原来他要捉弄我。不知道他有没有在乔瑟夫跟前取笑我。说不定他把乔瑟夫吓着了。也许他不来了。”这么一想，她眼前一阵昏黑，一颗心扑扑的跳。

71

-

"Very good, Miss Sharp, I’ll tell him," Osborne said; and as he spoke Miss Sharp began to have a feeling of distrust and hatred towards this young officer, which he was quite unconscious of having inspired. "He is to make fun of me, is he?" thought Rebecca. "Has he been laughing about me to Joseph? Has he frightened him? Perhaps he won’t come."—A film passed over her eyes, and her heart beat quite quick.

72

-

她竭力做出天真烂漫的样子笑道：“你老爱说笑话。乔治先生，你尽管说吧，反正我是没有人撑腰的。”她走开的时候，爱米丽亚对乔治·奥斯本使了一个责备的眼色。乔治自己也良心发现，觉得无故欺负这么一个没有依靠的女孩子，不大应该。他道：“最亲爱的爱米丽亚，你人太好，心太慈，不懂得世道人心。我是懂得的。你的朋友夏泼小姐应该知道她的地位。”

72

-

"You’re always joking," said she, smiling as innocently as she could. "Joke away, Mr. George; there’s nobody to defend ME." And George Osborne, as she walked away—and Amelia looked reprovingly at him—felt some little manly compunction for having inflicted any unnecessary unkindness upon this helpless creature. "My dearest Amelia," said he, "you are too good—too kind. You don’t know the world. I do. And your little friend Miss Sharp must learn her station."

73

-

“你想乔斯会不会——”

73

-

"Don’t you think Jos will—"

74

-

“我不知道。他也许会，也许不会，我反正管不着。我只知道这家伙又糊涂又爱面子，昨儿晚上害得我的宝贝儿狼狈不堪。‘我的宝贝儿，我的肉儿小心肝！’”他又笑起来，样子那么滑稽，连爱米也跟着笑了。

74

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"Upon my word, my dear, I don’t know. He may, or may not. I’m not his master. I only know he is a very foolish vain fellow, and put my dear little girl into a very painful and awkward position last night. My dearest diddle-diddle-darling!" He was off laughing again, and he did it so drolly that Emmy laughed too.

75

-

乔斯那天没有来，爱米丽亚倒并不着急。她很有手段，使唤三菩手下的小打杂到乔瑟夫家里去问他讨一本他从前答应给她的书，顺便问候他。乔斯的佣人白勒希回说他主人病在床上，医生刚来看过病。爱米丽亚估计乔斯第二天准会回家，可是没有勇气和利蓓加谈起这件事。利蓓加本人也不开口，从游乐场里回来以后的第二个黄昏，她绝口不提乔斯的事。

75

-

All that day Jos never came. But Amelia had no fear about this; for the little schemer had actually sent away the page, Mr. Sambo’s aide-de-camp, to Mr. Joseph’s lodgings, to ask for some book he had promised, and how he was; and the reply through Jos’s man, Mr. Brush, was, that his master was ill in bed, and had just had the doctor with him. He must come to-morrow, she thought, but she never had the courage to speak a word on the subject to Rebecca; nor did that young woman herself allude to it in any way during the whole evening after the night at Vauxhall.

76

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第二天，两位姑娘坐在安乐椅里，表面上在做活，写信，看小说，其实只是装幌子。三菩走进来，像平常一样满面笑容，怪讨人喜欢的样子。他胁下挟着一个包，手里托着盘子，上面搁着一张便条。他道：“小姐，乔斯先生的条子。”

76

-

The next day, however, as the two young ladies sate on the sofa, pretending to work, or to write letters, or to read novels, Sambo came into the room with his usual engaging grin, with a packet under his arm, and a note on a tray. "Note from Mr. Jos, Miss," says Sambo.

77

-

爱米丽亚拆信的时候浑身发抖。

77

-

How Amelia trembled as she opened it!

78

-

只见信上写道：

78

-

So it ran:

79

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亲爱的爱米丽亚：送上《林中孤儿》一本。昨天我病得很重，不能回家。今天我就动身到契尔顿纳姆去了。如果可能的话，请你代我向和蔼可亲的夏泼小姐赔个不是。我在游乐场里的行为很对她不起。吃了那顿惹祸的晚饭以后，我所有的一言一动都求她忘记，求她原谅。现在我的健康大受影响。等我身体复原之后，我预备到苏格兰去休养几个月。

79

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Dear Amelia,—I send you the "Orphan of the Forest." I was too ill to come yesterday. I leave town to-day for Cheltenham. Pray excuse me, if you can, to the amiable Miss Sharp, for my conduct at Vauxhall, and entreat her to pardon and forget every word I may have uttered when excited by that fatal supper. As soon as I have recovered, for my health is very much shaken, I shall go to Scotland for some months, and am

80

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乔斯·赛特笠

80

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Truly yours, Jos Sedley

81

-

这真是狗命票。什么都完了。爱米丽亚不敢看利蓓加苍白的脸和出火的两眼，只把信撩在她身上，自己走到楼上房间里狠狠的哭了一场。

81

-

It was the death-warrant. All was over. Amelia did not dare to look at Rebecca’s pale face and burning eyes, but she dropt the letter into her friend’s lap; and got up, and went upstairs to her room, and cried her little heart out.

82

-

过了不久，管家娘子白兰金索泊太太去安慰她。爱米丽亚当她心腹，靠在她肩膀上哭了一会，心里轻松了好些。“别哭了，小姐。这话我本来不告诉您的，不瞒您说，她来了几天之后，我们大家就不喜欢她。我亲眼看见她偷看你妈的信。平纳说她老翻你的首饰匣子跟抽屉。人人的抽屉她都爱翻。平纳说她一定把您的白缎带搁到自己箱子里去了。”

82

-

Blenkinsop, the housekeeper, there sought her presently with consolation, on whose shoulder Amelia wept confidentially, and relieved herself a good deal. "Don’t take on, Miss. I didn’t like to tell you. But none of us in the house have liked her except at fust. I sor her with my own eyes reading your Ma’s letters. Pinner says she’s always about your trinket-box and drawers, and everybody’s drawers, and she’s sure she’s put your white ribbing into her box."

83

-

爱米丽亚忙道：“我给她的，我给她的。”

83

-

"I gave it her, I gave it her," Amelia said.

84

-

这话并不能使白兰金索泊太太看重夏泼小姐。她对上房女佣人说道：“平纳，我不相信那种家庭教师。她们自以为了不起，摆出小姐的架子来，其实赚的钱也不比咱们多。”

84

-

But this did not alter Mrs. Blenkinsop’s opinion of Miss Sharp. "I don’t trust them governesses, Pinner," she remarked to the maid. "They give themselves the hairs and hupstarts of ladies, and their wages is no better than you nor me."

85

-

全家的人都觉得利蓓加应该动身了，上上下下的人都希望她早走，只有可怜的爱米丽亚是例外。

85

-

It now became clear to every soul in the house, except poor Amelia, that Rebecca should take her departure, and high and low (always with the one exception) agreed that that event should take place as speedily as possible.

86

-

这好孩子把所有的抽屉、壁橱、针线袋、玩具匣，细细翻了一遍，把自己的袍子、披肩、丝带、花边、丝袜、零头布、玩意儿，一件件过目；挑这样，选那样，堆成一堆，送给利蓓加。她的爸爸，那慷慨的英国商人，曾经答应女儿，她长到几岁，就给她几个基尼。爱米丽亚求他把这钱送给利蓓加，因为她自己什么都有，利蓓加才真正需要。

86

-

Our good child ransacked all her drawers, cupboards, reticules, and gimcrack boxes—passed in review all her gowns, fichus, tags, bobbins, laces, silk stockings, and fallals—selecting this thing and that and the other, to make a little heap for Rebecca. And going to her Papa, that generous British merchant, who had promised to give her as many guineas as she was years old—she begged the old gentleman to give the money to dear Rebecca, who must want it, while she lacked for nothing.

87

-

她甚至于要乔治·奥斯本也捐出东西来。他在军队里本来比谁都手中散漫，并不计较银钱小事，走到邦德街上买了一只帽子和一件短外衣，都是最贵重的货色。

87

-

She even made George Osborne contribute, and nothing loth (for he was as free-handed a young fellow as any in the army), he went to Bond Street, and bought the best hat and spenser that money could buy.

88

-

爱米丽亚得意洋洋的拿着一纸盒礼物，对利蓓加说：“亲爱的利蓓加，这是乔治送给你的。瞧他挑得多好，他的眼光比谁都高明。”

88

-

"That’s George’s present to you, Rebecca, dear," said Amelia, quite proud of the bandbox conveying these gifts. "What a taste he has! There’s nobody like him."

89

-

利蓓加答道：“可不是。我真感激他。”她心里暗想：“破坏我婚姻的就是乔治·奥斯本。”因此她对于乔治·奥斯本有什么感情也就不问可知。

89

-

"Nobody," Rebecca answered. "How thankful I am to him!" She was thinking in her heart, "It was George Osborne who prevented my marriage."—And she loved George Osborne accordingly.

90

-

她心平气和的准备动身，爱米丽亚送给她的礼物，经过不多不少的迟疑和推辞，也都收下了。对于赛特笠太太，她当然千恩万谢表示感激，可是并不多去打搅她，因为这位好太太觉得很窘，显然想躲开她。

90

-

She made her preparations for departure with great equanimity; and accepted all the kind little Amelia’s presents, after just the proper degree of hesitation and reluctance. She vowed eternal gratitude to Mrs. Sedley, of course; but did not intrude herself upon that good lady too much, who was embarrassed, and evidently wishing to avoid her.

91

-

赛特笠先生送她钱的时候，她吻着他的手，希望能够把他当作最慈爱的朋友和保护人。她的行为实在令人感动，赛特笠先生险些儿又开了一张二十镑的支票送给她。可是他控制了自己的感情。马车已经在门口等着，他便快快的走掉了，嘴里说：“求老天爷保佑你，亲爱的。到伦敦来的时候上我们这儿来玩。詹姆斯，上市长公署。”

91

-

She kissed Mr. Sedley’s hand, when he presented her with the purse; and asked permission to consider him for the future as her kind, kind friend and protector. Her behaviour was so affecting that he was going to write her a cheque for twenty pounds more; but he restrained his feelings: the carriage was in waiting to take him to dinner, so he tripped away with a ”God bless you, my dear, always come here when you come to town, you know.—Drive to the Mansion House, James.”

92

-

最后，利蓓加和爱米丽亚告别。这一节我也不准备细说。她们两人难分难舍的搂抱着，最伤心的眼泪，最真挚的情感，还有嗅盐瓶子，都拿出来了。一个人真心诚意，另一个做了一场精采的假戏。这一幕完毕之后，两人就此分手，利蓓加发誓永远爱她的朋友，一辈子不变心。

92

-

Finally came the parting with Miss Amelia, over which picture I intend to throw a veil. But after a scene in which one person was in earnest and the other a perfect performer—after the tenderest caresses, the most pathetic tears, the smelling-bottle, and some of the very best feelings of the heart, had been called into requisition—Rebecca and Amelia parted, the former vowing to love her friend for ever and ever and ever.

第六章 游乐场|CHAPTER VI Vauxhall