評論
打印
Mr Dombey glanced at the libelled Master Bitherstone, of whom he knew at least as much as the Major did, and said, in quite a complacent manner, 'Really?'
董貝先生向那位遭到誹謗的比瑟斯通少爺看了一眼；他跟少校一樣，對這孩子絲毫也不了解，他很得意地說道，“真的嗎？”
'That is what he is, sir,' said the Major. 'He's a fool. Joe Bagstock never minces matters. The son of my old friend Bill Bitherstone, of Bengal, is a born fool, Sir.' Here the Major laughed till he was almost black. 'My little friend is destined for a public school,' I' presume, Mr Dombey?' said the Major when he had recovered.
“真的，他就是這樣，先生，”少校說道。“他是個傻瓜。喬·白格斯托克從來不粉飾事實。我的孟加拉老朋友比爾·比瑟斯通的兒子生來就是個傻瓜，先生。”少校說到這里，哈哈大笑著，笑到臉色幾乎完全發青。“我想，我的小朋友注定要進公學①的吧，董貝先生？”少校恢復過來之后，問道。
'I am not quite decided,' returned Mr Dombey. 'I think not. He is delicate.'
“我還沒有作出決定，”董貝先生回答道。“我想不送去。 他的體質虛弱。”
'If he's delicate, Sir,' said the Major, 'you are right. None but the tough fellows could live through it, Sir, at Sandhurst. We put each other to the torture there, Sir. We roasted the new fellows at a slow fire, and hung 'em out of a three pair of stairs window, with their heads downwards. Joseph Bagstock, Sir, was held out of the window by the heels of his boots, for thirteen minutes by the college clock'.
“如果他的體質虛弱，先生，”少校說道，“您不送去是對的。只有堅強不屈的小伙子才能在經受了桑赫斯特②的苦難之后活下來。我們在那里互相折磨，先生。我們把新來的人放在慢火上烤，把他們從四層樓往窗子外面頭朝下地倒掛著。先生，約瑟夫·白格斯托克曾經被握住靴子后跟，在校鐘旁邊的窗子外面掛了十三分鐘。”
The Major might have appealed to his countenance in corroboration of this story. It certainly looked as if he had hung out a little too long.
少校很可以舉出他的臉色來證實這段經歷，他看上去仿佛確實曾經被倒掛得太久了一些。
'But it made us what we were, Sir,' said the Major, settling his shirt frill. 'We were iron, Sir, and it forged us. Are you remaining here, Mr Dombey?'
“但是它使我們變成了我們那時那樣的人，先生，”少校整整襯衫褶邊，說道。“我們是鐵，先生，它鍛造了我們。您住在這里嗎，董貝先生？”
'I generally come down once a week, Major,' returned that gentleman. 'I stay at the Bedford.'
“我通常每星期到這里來一次，少校，”那位先生說道。 “我住在貝德福德旅館。”
'I shall have the honour of calling at the Bedford, Sir, if you'll permit me,' said the Major. 'Joey B., Sir, is not in general a calling man, but Mr Dombey's is not a common name. I am much indebted to my little friend, Sir, for the honour of this introduction.'
“如果您允許，先生，我將榮幸地到貝德福德旅館去拜訪您，”少校說道。“喬埃·白不是個喜愛拜訪的人，但是董貝先生不是個平凡的人物。我非常感謝我的小朋友，先生，感謝他使我有幸被介紹跟您認識。”
Mr Dombey made a very gracious reply; and Major Bagstock, having patted Paul on the head, and said of Florence that her eyes would play the Devil with the youngsters before long - 'and the oldsters too, Sir, if you come to that,' added the Major, chuckling very much - stirred up Master Bitherstone with his walking-stick, and departed with that young gentleman, at a kind of half-trot; rolling his head and coughing with great dignity, as he staggered away, with his legs very wide asunder.
董貝先生很親切友好地回答了他的話；白格斯托克少校拍了拍保羅的頭之后，說到弗洛倫斯的時候說，她那雙眼睛不久就會使年輕人神魂顛倒的。“說實話，也會使老頭子神魂顛倒的，先生，”少校補充說道，一邊大聲地吃吃地笑著。他用手杖捅捅比瑟斯通少爺，邁著急匆匆的快步，跟那位年輕人離開了。當他兩只腿分得很開，蹣跚地繼續往前走去的時候，他搖晃著腦袋，極為威嚴地咳嗽著。
--------
①公學（publicschool）：英國專為富有子弟而設的私立中等中校，如伊頓（Eton）公學、哈羅（Harrow）公學等。
②桑赫斯特（Sandhurst）是英格蘭南部的一個小鎮，英國陸軍軍官學校設在那里。
