評(píng)論
打印
Mr Dombey regarded this phenomenon with amazement and indignation, and seemed by his looks to appeal to Mrs Chick and Miss Tox against it. Little Paul, who had come in after Florence, backed towards Miss Tox as the Captain waved his book, and stood on the defensive.
董貝先生驚奇而憤怒地注視著這個(gè)現(xiàn)象，并且以他的臉色要求奇克夫人與托克斯小姐跟他一道表示不滿。當(dāng)船長(zhǎng)揮著鉤子的時(shí)候，跟隨弗洛倫斯進(jìn)來(lái)的小保羅背朝著托克斯小姐后退，并站在那里作出了防御的姿態(tài)。
'Now, Gay,' said Mr Dombey. 'What have you got to say to me?'
“唔，蓋伊，”董貝先生說(shuō)道，“您有什么要對(duì)我說(shuō)的？”
Again the Captain observed, as a general opening of the conversation that could not fail to propitiate all parties, 'Wal'r, standby!'
船長(zhǎng)又說(shuō)道，“沃爾，做好準(zhǔn)備！”這就算作是談話的一個(gè)開(kāi)端，它不會(huì)不取得所有在場(chǎng)人的好感的。
'I am afraid, Sir,' began Walter, trembling, and looking down at the ground, 'that I take a very great liberty in coming - indeed, I am sure I do. I should hardly have had the courage to ask to see you, Sir, even after coming down, I am afraid, if I had not overtaken Miss Dombey, and - '
“我擔(dān)心，先生，”沃爾特哆嗦著，眼睛向下看著地面，說(shuō)道，“我到這里來(lái)是十分放肆的，——確實(shí)，我相信是這樣。甚至我到了這里以后，我恐怕也沒(méi)有勇氣請(qǐng)求見(jiàn)您，先生，如果我沒(méi)有遇見(jiàn)董貝小姐，而且——”
'Well!' said Mr Dombey, following his eyes as he glanced at the attentive Florence, and frowning unconsciously as she encouraged him with a smile. 'Go on, if you please.'
“唔！”董貝先生說(shuō)道；當(dāng)沃爾特向注意聽(tīng)他講話的弗洛倫斯看了一眼的時(shí)候，董貝先生跟隨著他的眼光；當(dāng)她微笑著對(duì)沃爾特表示鼓勵(lì)的時(shí)候，他不自覺(jué)地皺起了眉頭。“請(qǐng)繼續(xù)說(shuō)下去。”
'Ay, ay,' observed the Captain, considering it incumbent on him, as a point of good breeding, to support Mr Dombey. 'Well said! Go on, Wal'r.'
“是的，是的，”船長(zhǎng)說(shuō)道；他認(rèn)為，他是一位有教養(yǎng)的人，他有責(zé)任來(lái)支持董貝先生。“說(shuō)得很好！繼續(xù)說(shuō)下去，沃爾。”
Captain Cuttle ought to have been withered by the look which Mr Dombey bestowed upon him in acknowledgment of his patronage. But quite innocent of this, he closed one eye in reply, and gave Mr Dombey to understand, by certain significant motions of his hook, that Walter was a little bashful at first, and might be expected to come out shortly.
董貝先生表示聽(tīng)到了支持他的話，向他看了一眼；卡特爾船長(zhǎng)當(dāng)時(shí)如果看到這個(gè)眼光的話，那么他一定是會(huì)全身畏縮的。可是他完全不知道這一點(diǎn)，所以他閉了一只眼睛作為回答，并寓有深意地?fù)]了揮鉤子，讓董貝先生明白，沃爾特開(kāi)始有些膽怯，但可以期望他很快就會(huì)平靜下來(lái)的。
'It is entirely a private and personal matter, that has brought me here, Sir,' continued Walter, faltering, 'and Captain Cuttle
“我到這里來(lái)完全是為了一件私人的事情，先生，”沃爾特結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“這位卡特爾船長(zhǎng)——”
'Here!' interposed the Captain, as an assurance that he was at hand, and might be relied upon.
“就在這里！”船長(zhǎng)打斷了他的話，證明他就在近旁，而且是可以信賴的。
'Who is a very old friend of my poor Uncle's, and a most excellent man, Sir,' pursued Walter, raising his eyes with a look of entreaty in the Captain's behalf, 'was so good as to offer to come with me, which I could hardly refuse.'
“是我可憐的舅舅的一位很老的朋友，是一個(gè)極好的人，先生，”沃爾特抬起眼睛，露出為船長(zhǎng)求情的神色，繼續(xù)說(shuō)下去，“他一片好心，提出要陪我到這里來(lái)，我不能拒絕他的要求。”
'No, no, no;' observed the Captain complacently. 'Of course not. No call for refusing. Go on, Wal'r.'
“是的，是的，是的，”船長(zhǎng)喜洋洋地說(shuō)道。“當(dāng)然不能。哪能拒絕呢。往下說(shuō)吧，沃爾。”
'And therefore, Sir,' said Walter, venturing to meet Mr Dombey's eye, and proceeding with better courage in the very desperation of the case, now that there was no avoiding it, 'therefore I have come, with him, Sir, to say that my poor old Uncle is in very great affliction and distress. That, through the gradual loss of his business, and not being able to make a payment, the apprehension of which has weighed very heavily upon his mind, months and months, as indeed I know, Sir, he has an execution in his house, and is in danger of losing all he has, and breaking his heart. And that if you would, in your kindness, and in your old knowledge of him as a respectable man, do anything to help him out of his difficulty, Sir, we never could thank you enough for it.'
“因此，先生，”沃爾特說(shuō)道；他大膽地接觸到董貝先生的眼光，在極為絕望的情況下鼓起勇氣繼續(xù)說(shuō)下去，因?yàn)楝F(xiàn)在已經(jīng)沒(méi)法退避了，“因此我就跟他一起到這里來(lái)，想告訴您，先生，我的可憐的年老的舅舅正處在極大的痛苦與不幸之中。由于他的營(yíng)業(yè)逐漸虧損，無(wú)法償還欠款——我知道得很清楚，先生，這個(gè)恐懼過(guò)去好幾個(gè)月一直沉甸甸地壓在他的心頭——，他家里的財(cái)產(chǎn)就要查封，他將失去他所有的東西，傷心而死；他現(xiàn)在正處在這樣的危險(xiǎn)之中。如果您由于長(zhǎng)久以來(lái)一直知道他是一位品德端正的人，慈悲為懷，并因此能做點(diǎn)什么事來(lái)幫助他走出困境的話，先生，那么我們對(duì)您真將感激不盡。”
