評論
打印
I have always been a little disconcerted by the passion women have for behaving beautifully at the death-bed of those they love. Sometimes it seems as if they grudge the longevity which postpones their chance of an effective scene.
女人們總是喜歡在她們所愛的人臨終前表現得寬宏大量，她們的這種偏好叫我實在難以忍受。有時候我甚至覺得她們不愿意男人壽命太長，就是怕把演出這幕好戲的機會拖得太晚。
But now—now it's finished. I'm as indifferent to him as if he were a stranger. I should like him to die miserable, poor, and starving, without a friend. I hope he'll rot with some loathsome disease. I've done with him.
“但是現在——現在什么都完了。我對他就像對一個路人似的什么感情也沒有了。我真希望他死的時候貧困潦倒、饑寒交迫，一個親人也不在身邊。我真希望他染上惡瘡，渾身腐爛。我同他的關系算完了。”
I thought it as well then to say what Strickland had suggested.
我想我不妨趁這個時候把思特里克蘭德的建議說出來。
If you want to divorce him, he's quite willing to do whatever is necessary to make it possible.
“如果你想同他離婚，他很愿意給你制造任何離婚所需要的口實。”
Why should I give him his freedom?
“為什么我要給他自由呢？”
I don't think he wants it. He merely thought it might be more convenient to you.
“我認為他不需要這種自由。他不過想這樣做可能對你更方便一些。”
Mrs. Strickland shrugged her shoulders impatiently. I think I was a little disappointed in her. I expected then people to be more of a piece than I do now, and I was distressed to find so much vindictiveness in so charming a creature. I did not realise how motley are the qualities that go to make up a human being. Now I am well aware that pettiness and grandeur, malice and charity, hatred and love, can find place side by side in the same human heart.
思特里克蘭德太太不耐煩地聳了聳肩膀。我覺得我對她有些失望。當時我還同今天不一樣，總認為人的性格是單純統一的；當我發現這樣一個溫柔可愛的女性報復心居然這么重的時候，我感到很喪氣。那時我還沒認識到一個人的性格是極其復雜的。今天我已經認識到這一點了：卑鄙與偉大、惡毒與善良、仇恨與熱愛是可以互不排斥地并存在同一顆心里的。
I wondered if there was anything I could say that would ease the sense of bitter humiliation which at present tormented Mrs. Strickland. I thought I would try.
我不知道我能否說幾句什么，減輕一些當時正在折磨著思特里克蘭德太太的屈辱。我想我還是該試一試。
