評論
打印
This was the first suggestion that anything untoward had happened. I took no notice, and did my best to engage Mrs. Strickland in talk. The Colonel, still standing in front of the fireplace, uttered no word. I wondered how soon I could decently take my leave, and I asked myself why on earth Mrs. Strickland had allowed me to come. There were no flowers, and various knick-knacks, put away during the summer, had not been replaced; there was something cheerless and stiff about the room which had always seemed so friendly; it gave you an odd feeling, as though someone were lying dead on the other side of the wall. I finished tea.
這是暗示發(fā)生了一件不幸事件的第一句話。我故意不作理會，盡量同思特里克蘭德太太東拉西扯。上校仍然站在壁爐前面一句話也不說。我很想知道什么時候我才能不失禮儀地向主人告別，我奇怪地問我自己，思特里克蘭德太太讓我進來究竟是為了什么。屋子里沒有擺花，度夏以前收拾起的一些擺設也沒有重新擺上。一向舒適愉快的房間顯得一片寂寥清冷，給人一種感覺，倒仿佛墻壁的另一邊停著一個死人似的。我把茶喝完。
Will you have a cigarette? asked Mrs. Strickland.
“要不要吸一支煙？”思特里克蘭德太太問我道。
She looked about for the box, but it was not to be seen.
她四處看了看，要找煙盒，但是卻沒有找到。
I'm afraid there are none.
“我怕已經沒有了。”
Suddenly she burst into tears, and hurried from the room.
一下子，她的眼淚撲簌簌地落下來，匆匆跑出了客廳。
I was startled. I suppose now that the lack of cigarettes, brought as a rule by her husband, forced him back upon her recollection, and the new feeling that the small comforts she was used to were missing gave her a sudden pang. She realised that the old life was gone and done with. It was impossible to keep up our social pretences any longer.
我吃了一驚。我想到紙煙過去一向是由她丈夫添置的，現(xiàn)在突然發(fā)現(xiàn)找不到紙煙，這件小事顯然勾起了她的記憶，她伸手就能拿到的東西竟然丟三短四的這種新感覺仿佛在她胸口上突然刺了一刀，她意識到舊日的生活已經一去不復返了，過去那種光榮體面不可能再維持下去了。
I dare say you'd like me to go, I said to the Colonel, getting up.
“我看我該走了吧，”我對上校說，站起身來。
I suppose you've heard that blackguard has deserted her, he cried explosively.
“我想你已經聽說那個流氓把她甩了的事吧，”他一下子爆發(fā)出來。
I hesitated.
我躊躇了一會兒。
You know how people gossip, I answered. "I was vaguely told that something was wrong."
“你知道人們怎樣愛扯閑話，”我說，“有人閃爍其詞地對我說，這里出了點兒事。”
He's bolted. He's gone off to Paris with a woman. He's left Amy without a penny.
“他逃跑了。他同一個女人跑到巴黎去了。他把阿美扔了，一個便士也沒留下。”
I'm awfully sorry, I said, not knowing what else to say.
“我感到很難過，”我說；我實在找不到別的什么話了。
The Colonel gulped down his whisky. He was a tall, lean man of fifty, with a drooping moustache and grey hair. He had pale blue eyes and a weak mouth. I remembered from my previous meeting with him that he had a foolish face, and was proud of the fact that for the ten years before he left the army he had played polo three days a week.
上校一口氣把威士忌灌下去。他是一個五十歲左右的高大、削瘦的漢子，胡須向下垂著，頭發(fā)已經灰白。他的眼睛是淺藍色的，嘴唇的輪廓很不鮮明。我從上一次見到他就記得他長著一副傻里傻氣的面孔，并且自夸他離開軍隊以前每星期打三次馬球，十年沒有間斷過。
I don't suppose Mrs. Strickland wants to be bothered with me just now, I said. "Will you tell her how sorry I am? If there's anything I can do. I shall be delighted to do it."
“我想現(xiàn)在我不必再打攪思特里克蘭德太太了，”我說，“好不好請你告訴她，我非常為她難過？如果有什么我能做的事，我很愿意為她效勞。”
He took no notice of me.
他沒有理會我的話。
I don't know what's to become of her. And then there are the children. Are they going to live on air? Seventeen years.
“我不知道她以后怎么辦。而且還有孩子。難道讓他們靠空氣過活？十六年啊！”
What about seventeen years?
“什么十六年？”
