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It was some time coming to his aid in the present instance, but it befriended him at last. When the dark servant, with full particulars, reported Miss Tox absent on Brighton service, the Major was suddenly touched with affectionate reminiscences of his friend Bill Bitherstone of Bengal, who had written to ask him, if he ever went that way, to bestow a call upon his only son. But when the same dark servant reported Paul at Mrs Pipchin's, and the Major, referring to the letter favoured by Master Bitherstone on his arrival in England - to which he had never had the least idea of paying any attention - saw the opening that presented itself, he was made so rabid by the gout, with which he happened to be then laid up, that he threw a footstool at the dark servant in return for his intelligence, and swore he would be the death of the rascal before he had done with him: which the dark servant was more than half disposed to believe.
這一次是過了好些時候，機會才來幫助他的，但它終于對他親近了，當黑皮膚的仆人詳詳細細地報告說，托克斯小姐有事到布賴頓去了，少校突然感情深厚地回憶起他的孟加拉①朋友比爾·比瑟斯通；比瑟斯通曾經(jīng)寫信給他，如果他有便去布賴頓那一帶的話，那就請麻煩他去看一下他的獨生子。當這同一位黑皮膚的仆人報告說，保羅住在皮普欽太太那里的時候，少校查看了一下比瑟斯通少爺?shù)竭_英國以后寄給他的信——過去他從來沒想過要把它當一回什么事——，看到好機會已經(jīng)自己送上門來了；可是那時候他因為患痛風(fēng)病，正躺在床上療養(yǎng)，痛風(fēng)病發(fā)作時他狂怒得把一只腳凳向黑仆人扔了過去，來報答他所提供的消息，并發(fā)誓說，在他自己死去之前，他要把這無賴弄死。黑仆人非常相信這一點。
At length the Major being released from his fit, went one Saturday growling down to Brighton, with the native behind him; apostrophizing Miss Tox all the way, and gloating over the prospect of carrying by storm the distinguished friend to whom she attached so much mystery, and for whom she had deserted him.
終于，少校擺脫了痛風(fēng)病發(fā)作的痛苦，在一個星期六，在本地人尾隨之下，罵罵咧咧地到布賴頓去了；一路上他與托克斯小姐談著話，幸災(zāi)樂禍地想像著他以突然襲擊的方式把她那位高貴的朋友奪到手中的情景（她曾經(jīng)把她的那位朋友弄得那么神秘兮兮，而且也是為了他她才把少校拋棄的）。
'Would you, Ma'am, would you!' said the Major, straining with vindictiveness, and swelling every already swollen vein in his head. 'Would you give Joey B. the go-by, Ma'am? Not yet, Ma'am, not yet! Damme, not yet, Sir. Joe is awake,Ma'am. Bagstock is alive, Sir. J. B. knows a move or two, Ma'am. Josh has his weather-eye open, Sir. You'll find him tough, Ma'am. Tough, Sir, tough is Joseph. Tough, and de-vilish sly!'
“您是不是，夫人，您是不是，”少校說道；他由于懷著報復(fù)的情緒緊繃著臉，頭上每一根早已發(fā)漲的血管漲得更粗了，“您是不是要向喬埃·白告別了，夫人？還沒到時候呢，夫人，還沒到時候！他媽的，還沒到時候呢，先生。喬埃沒有睡去，夫人。白格斯托克還活著，先生。喬·白是精明的，夫人。喬埃時時警惕著，先生。您會看到，他是堅強不屈的，夫人，堅強不屈，先生，堅強不屈的就是約瑟夫，堅強不屈，而且像魔鬼般地狡猾！”
And very tough indeed Master Bitherstone found him, when he took that young gentleman out for a walk. But the Major, with his complexion like a Stilton cheese, and his eyes like a prawn's, went roving about, perfectly indifferent to Master Bitherstone's amusement, and dragging Master Bitherstone along, while he looked about him high and low, for Mr Dombey and his children.
當他領(lǐng)著比瑟斯通少爺出去散步的時候，這位年輕人看到他的確是很堅強不屈的。少校四處游逛著，臉色像斯蒂爾頓干酪②一樣，眼睛像對蝦的一樣，完全不考慮比瑟斯通少爺?shù)臉啡ぁ．斔舷聫埻瑢ふ叶愊壬退暮⒆觽兊臅r候，他把比瑟斯通少爺硬拽著走。
In good time the Major, previously instructed by Mrs Pipchin, spied out Paul and Florence, and bore down upon them; there being a stately gentleman (Mr Dombey, doubtless) in their company. Charging with Master Bitherstone into the very heart of the little squadron, it fell out, of course, that Master Bitherstone spoke to his fellow-sufferers. Upon that the Major stopped to notice and admire them; remembered with amazement that he had seen and spoken to them at his friend Miss Tox's in Princess's Place; opined that Paul was a devilish fine fellow, and his own little friend; inquired if he remembered Joey B. the Major; and finally, with a sudden recollection of the conventionalities of life, turned and apologised to Mr Dombey.
由于皮普欽太太事先進行過指點，所以少校及時地偵察到了保羅和弗洛倫斯，并且迅速地向他們走近。有一位莊嚴的紳士跟他們在一起，他無疑就是董貝先生。當他和比瑟斯通少爺闖進這一小群人中間時，結(jié)果自然是比瑟斯通少爺跟他那些同樣遭難受罪的伴侶們談起話來。少校在后面停下腳步，注意地看著他們并稱贊著他們；他表示驚奇地記起來，他曾經(jīng)在公主廣場他的朋友托克斯小姐的家里看見過他們，跟他們說過話；他說，保羅是一個非常可愛的孩子，是他自己的小朋友；又問他是否記得喬埃·白少校，最后，他突然記起了習(xí)俗慣例應(yīng)有的禮節(jié)，就轉(zhuǎn)過身去，向董貝先生道歉。
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①孟加拉（Bengal）：當時全屬于印度。
②斯蒂爾頓干酪（Stiltoncheese）：英國產(chǎn)干酪，以亨丁頓郡一村莊命名，乳黃色，帶有青霉菌芽胞藍綠色花紋。正因為帶有藍綠色的花紋，所以說少校的臉色像它。
