評論
打印
Why, he's not ugly when he's awake,' observed Berry.
“唔，他醒著的時候也不難 看，”貝里評論道。
'No, Ma'am. Oh, no. No more was my Uncle's Betsey Jane,' said Mrs Wickam.
“是的，夫人。啊，是的，我舅舅的女兒貝特西•簡也這樣，”威肯姆說道。
Berry looked as if she would like to trace the connexion of ideas between Paul Dombey and Mrs Wickam's Uncle's Betsey Jane'My Uncle's wife,' Mrs Wickam went on to say, 'died just like his Mama. My Uncle's child took on just as Master Paul do.''Took on! You don't think he grieves for his Mama, sure?' argued Berry, sitting down on the side of the bed. 'He can't remember anything about her, you know, Mrs Wickam. It's not possible.''No, Ma'am,' said Mrs Wickam 'No more did my Uncle's child. But my Uncle's child said very strange things sometimes, and looked very strange, and went on very strange, and was very strange altogether. My Uncle's child made people's blood run cold, some times, she did!'
貝里臉上露出的表情看上去仿佛是她想探根究源地了解一下保羅•董貝與威肯姆大嫂舅舅的女兒貝特西•簡之間的關系。 “我舅舅的妻子，”威肯姆接下去說道，“就像她的媽媽一樣死掉。我舅舅的女兒就像保羅少爺一樣悲傷，我舅舅的女兒有時使人心驚膽寒，她常常是這樣的。”
'How?' asked Berry.
“怎么樣的呢？”貝里問道。
'I wouldn't have sat up all night alone with Betsey Jane!' said Mrs Wickam, 'not if you'd have put Wickam into business next morning for himself. I couldn't have done it, Miss Berry.
“我不愿意跟貝特西•簡兩個人在一起坐一整夜！”威肯姆大嫂說道，“哪怕明天早上您讓威肯姆去料理他自己的事情我也不干，我做不到，貝里小姐。”
Miss Berry naturally asked why not? But Mrs Wickam, agreeably to the usage of some ladies in her condition, pursued her own branch of the subject, without any compunction.
貝里小姐自然問為什么做不到？可是威肯姆大嫂按照她那種身份的一些人的習慣，無動于衷地沿著自己的思路說下去。
'Betsey Jane,' said Mrs Wickam, 'was as sweet a child as I could wish to see. I couldn't wish to see a sweeter. Everything that a child could have in the way of illnesses, Betsey Jane had come through. The cramps was as common to her,' said Mrs Wickam, 'as biles is to yourself, Miss Berry.' Miss Berry involuntarily wrinkled her nose.
“貝特西•簡是個我能希望見到的可愛的孩子，”威肯姆大嫂說道，“我不能希望見到比她更可愛的孩子了。一個孩子所能生的各種病，貝特西•簡全都生過了。痙攣對她來說是習以為常的事情，”威肯姆大嫂說道，“就像癤子對您一樣，貝里小姐。”貝里小姐不由自主地皺了皺鼻子。
'But Betsey Jane,' said Mrs Wickam, lowering her voice, and looking round the room, and towards Paul in bed, 'had been minded, in her cradle, by her departed mother. I couldn't say how, nor I couldn't say when, nor I couldn't say whether the dear child knew it or not, but Betsey Jane had been watched by her mother, Miss Berry!' and Mrs Wickam, with a very white face, and with watery eyes, and with a tremulous voice, again looked fearfully round the room, and towards Paul in bed.'Nonsense!' cried Miss Berry - somewhat resentful of the idea.'You may say nonsense! I ain't offended, Miss. I hope you may be able to think in your own conscience that it is nonsense; you'll find your spirits all the better for it in this - you'll excuse my being so free - in this burying-ground of a place; which is wearing of me down. Master Paul's a little restless in his sleep. Pat his back, if you please.'
“可是貝特西•簡，”威肯姆大嫂壓低了嗓子，向房間四處環視了一下，面向著床上的保羅， 說道，“在搖籃里的時候曾經由她已經去世的母親照料過。我說不出是怎么照料的，我也說不出是什么時候照料的，我也 說不出這孩子是不是知道這件事，但是貝特西•簡曾經由她的母親照料過，貝里小姐！您可能會說這是廢話！我不會生氣見怪，小姐，我希望您能不昧良心地認為，這•是廢話，那樣您就會覺得您待在這個地方的心情要好得多；這是個像墳場一樣的地方——請您原諒我這么放肆——，它使我膩煩透頂了。保羅少爺睡得有點不安靜，勞駕您拍拍他的背。”
'Of course you think,' said Berry, gently doing what she was asked, 'that he has been nursed by his mother, too?'
“當然，您認為，”貝里按照她的請求，輕輕地拍著，同時說道，“他也被他的母親養育過嗎？”
'Betsey Jane,' returned Mrs Wickam in her most solemn tones, 'was put upon as that child has been put upon, and changed as that child has changed. I have seen her sit, often and often, think, think, thinking, like him. I have seen her look, often and often, old, old, old, like him. I have heard her, many a time, talk just like him. I consider that child and Betsey Jane on the same footing entirely, Miss Berry.'
“貝特西•簡，”威肯姆大嫂用她最嚴肅的語氣說道，“就像那個孩子一樣沒交好運，就像那個孩子一樣改變了。我不時看到她坐在那里，想呀，想呀，一直在想著，就像他一樣。我不時看到她看去很老氣，很老氣，很老氣，就像他一樣。我好多次聽到她講起話來就像他一樣。我覺得那個孩子的情況跟貝特西•簡完全一樣，貝里小姐。”
