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Finally it occurred to me that I would call as though nothing had happened, and send a message in by the maid asking Mrs. Strickland if it was convenient for her to see me. This would give her the opportunity to send me away. But I was overwhelmed with embarrassment when I said to the maid the phrase I had prepared, and while I waited for the answer in a dark passage I had to call up all my strength of mind not to bolt. The maid came back. Her manner suggested to my excited fancy a complete knowledge of the domestic calamity.
最后我想了個主意：我應該象什么事也沒發生那樣到她家去，先叫使女進去問一聲，思特里克蘭德太太方便不方便會客。如果她不想見我，就可以把我打發走了。盡管如此，在我對使女講起我事前準備的一套話時，我還是窘得要命。當我在幽暗的過道里等著回話的當兒，我不得不鼓起全部勇氣才沒有中途溜掉。使女從里面走出來。也可能是我過于激動，胡亂猜想，我覺得從那使女的神情看，好象她已經完全知道這家人遭遇的不幸了。
Will you come this way, sir? she said.
“請您跟我來，先生，”她說。
I followed her into the drawing-room. The blinds were partly drawn to darken the room, and Mrs. Strickland was sitting with her back to the light. Her brother-in-law, Colonel MacAndrew, stood in front of the fireplace, warming his back at an unlit fire. To myself my entrance seemed excessively awkward. I imagined that my arrival had taken them by surprise, and Mrs. Strickland had let me come in only because she had forgotten to put me off. I fancied that the Colonel resented the interruption.
我跟在她后面走進客廳。為了使室內光線暗淡，窗簾沒有完全拉開。思特里克蘭德太太的姐夫麥克安德魯上校正站在壁爐前面，在沒有燃旺的火爐前邊烤自己的脊背。我覺得我闖進來是一件極其尷尬的事。我猜想我到這里來一定很出他們意料之外，思特里克蘭德太太只是忘記同我另外約會日子才不得不讓我進來。我還想，上校一定為我打擾了他們非常生氣。
I wasn't quite sure if you expected me, I said, trying to seem unconcerned.
“我不太清楚，你是不是等著我來，”我說，故意裝作一副若無其事的樣子。
Of course I did. Anne will bring the tea in a minute.
“當然我在等著你。安妮馬上就把茶拿來。”
Even in the darkened room, I could not help seeing that Mrs. Strickland's face was all swollen with tears. Her skin, never very good, was earthy.
盡管屋子里光線很暗，我也看出來思特里克蘭德太太的眼睛已經哭腫了。她的面色本來就不太好，現在更是變成土灰色了。
You remember my brother-in-law, don't you? You met at dinner, just before the holidays.
“你還記得我的姐夫吧？度假以前，你在這里吃飯的那天和他見過面。”
We shook hands. I felt so shy that I could think of nothing to say, but Mrs. Strickland came to my rescue. She asked me what I had been doing with myself during the summer, and with this help I managed to make some conversation till tea was brought in. The Colonel asked for a whisky-and-soda.
我們握了握手。我感到忐忑不安，想不出一句好說的話來。但是思特里克蘭德太太解救了我；她問起我怎樣消夏的事。有她提了這個頭，我多少也找到些話說，直捱到使女端上茶點來。上校要了一杯蘇打威士忌。
You'd better have one too, Amy, he said.
“你最好也喝一杯，阿美，”他說。
No; I prefer tea.
“不，我還是喝茶吧。”
