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"'Mr. Drebber has been with us nearly three weeks.
"'錐伯先生在我們這里差不多住了三個星期。
He and his secretary, Mr. Stangerson, had been travelling on the Continent.
他和他的秘書斯坦節遜先生一直是在歐洲大陸旅行的。
I noticed a Copenhagen label upon each of their trunks, showing that that had been their last stopping place.
我看到他們每只箱子上都貼有哥本哈根的標簽，由此可見那是他們最后到過的地方。
Stangerson was a quiet, reserved man,
斯坦節遜倒是一個沉默寡言、有涵養的人；
but his employer, I am sorry to say, was far otherwise.
可是他的主人——真糟糕，完全不一樣。
He was coarse in his habits and brutish in his ways.
這個人舉止粗野，行為下流。
The very night of his arrival he became very much the worse for drink,
在他們搬來的當天晚上，錐伯就喝得大醉，
and, indeed, after twelve o'clock in the day he could hardly ever be said to be sober.
直到第二天中午十二點鐘還沒有清醒過來。
His manners towards the maid-servants were disgustingly free and familiar.
他對女仆們態度輕佻、下流，簡直令人厭惡極了。
Worst of all, he speedily assumed the same attitude towards my daughter, Alice,
最糟糕的是，他竟然又用這樣的態度來對待我的女兒愛莉絲。
and spoke to her more than once in a way which,
他不止一次地對她胡說八道。
fortunately, she is too innocent to understand.
幸好，女兒太年輕，還不懂事。
On one occasion he actually seized her in his arms
有一次，他居然把我的女兒抱在懷里，
and embraced her–an outrage which caused his own secretary to reproach him for his unmanly conduct.' "
緊緊地摟著她。他這種無法無天的做法，就連他的秘書都罵他行為太下流，簡直不是個人。'"
'But why did you stand all this?' I asked.
'可是，你為什么還要忍受這些呢？'我問道，
'I suppose that you can get rid of your boarders when you wish.'
'我想，只要你愿意，你盡可以將房客攆走。'
"Mrs. Charpentier blushed at my pertinent question.
"夏朋婕太太經我這么一問，不覺滿臉通紅，
'Would to God that I had given him notice on the very day that he came,' she said.
她說：'要是在他來的那天我就拒絕了，那該有多好。
'But it was a sore temptation.
可是，就是因為有個誘人之處。
They were paying a pound a day each–fourteen pounds a week, and this is the slack season.
他們每人每天房租是一鎊，一個星期就是十四鎊；況且現在正是客人稀少的淡季。
I am a widow, and my boy in the Navy has cost me much.
我是個寡婦，我的兒子在海軍里服務，他的花費很大。
I grudged to lose the money. I acted for the best.
我實在舍不得白白放過這筆收入，于是我就盡量容忍下來。
This last was too much, however, and I gave him notice to leave on account of it.
可是，最近這一次，他鬧的太不象話了，因此我才據理把他攆走，
That was the reason of his going.'
這就是他們搬走的原因。'
"'Well?' "
"'后來呢？'"
'My heart grew light when I saw him drive away.
'后來我看他坐車走了，心里才輕松下來。
My son is on leave just now,
我的兒子現在正在休假。
but I did not tell him anything of all this, for his temper is violent,
可是，這些事我一點都沒有告訴過他，因為他的脾氣暴躁，
and he is passionately fond of his sister.
而且他又非常疼愛他的妹妹。
When I closed the door behind them a load seemed to be lifted from my mind.
這兩個人搬走以后，我關上了大門，心里才算去了一個大疙瘩。
Alas, in less than an hour there was a ring at the bell,
天啊，還不到一個鐘頭，又有人叫門，
and I learned that Mr. Drebber had returned.
原來是錐伯又回來了。
He was much excited, and evidently the worse for drink.
他的樣子很興奮，顯然又喝得不少。
He forced his way into the room, where I was sitting with my daughter,
他一頭闖進房來，當時我和我的女兒正在房里坐著；
and made some incoherent remark about having missed his train.
他就驢唇不對馬嘴地說什么他沒有趕上火車。
He then turned to Alice, and before my very face, proposed to her that she should fly with him.
后來，他沖著愛莉絲，他竟敢當著我的面和愛莉絲說起話來，并建議她和他一起逃走。
"You are of age," he said, "and there is no law to stop you.
他對我女兒說：'你已經長大成人了，任何法律也不能管你了。
I have money enough and to spare.
我有的是錢，
Never mind the old girl here, but come along with me now straight away.
不必管這個老妻子了。現在馬上跟我走吧。
You shall live like a princess."
你可以象公主一樣地享福。'
Poor Alice was so frightened that she shrunk away from him,
可憐的愛莉絲非常害怕，一直躲著他。
but he caught her by the wrist and endeavoured to draw her towards the door.
可是他一把抓住她的手腕，硬往門口拉，
I screamed, and at that moment my son Arthur came into the room.
我嚇得大叫起來。就在這個時候，我的兒子阿瑟走了進來。
