Paul had sunk into a sweet sleep, and dreamed that he was walking hand in hand with Florence through beautiful gardens, when they came to a large sunflower which suddenly expanded itself into a gong, and began to sound. Opening his eyes, he found that it was a dark, windy morning, with a drizzling rain: and that the real gong was giving dreadful note of preparation, down in the hall.
保羅沉浸在甜蜜的睡眠中,并夢見他與弗洛倫斯手挽手地穿過一些美麗的花園;當他們走向一朵大的向日葵時,它突然擴大成了一面鑼,開始響出聲來。他睜開眼睛,看到這是個黑暗的、刮風的早晨,下著蒙蒙細雨;真正的鑼正在樓下前廳中發(fā)出可怕的聲音,通知大家,是準備上課的時候了。
So he got up directly, and found Briggs with hardly any eyes, for nightmare and grief had made his face puffy, putting his boots on: while Tozer stood shivering and rubbing his shoulders in a very bad humour. Poor Paul couldn't dress himself easily, not being used to it, and asked them if they would have the goodness to tie some strings for him; but as Briggs merely said 'Bother!' and Tozer, 'Oh yes!' he went down when he was otherwise ready, to the next storey, where he saw a pretty young woman in leather gloves, cleaning a stove. The young woman seemed surprised at his appearance, and asked him where his mother was. When Paul told her she was dead, she took her gloves off, and did what he wanted; and furthermore rubbed his hands to warm them; and gave him a kiss; and told him whenever he wanted anything of that sort - meaning in the dressing way - to ask for 'Melia; which Paul, thanking her very much, said he certainly would. He then proceeded softly on his journey downstairs, towards the room in which the young gentlemen resumed their studies, when, passing by a door that stood ajar, a voice from within cried, 'Is that Dombey?' On Paul replying, 'Yes, Ma'am:' for he knew the voice to be Miss Blimber's: Miss Blimber said, 'Come in, Dombey.' And in he went. Miss Blimber presented exactly the appearance she had presented yesterday, except that she wore a shawl. Her little light curls were as crisp as ever, and she had already her spectacles on, which made Paul wonder whether she went to bed in them. She had a cool little sitting-room of her own up there, with some books in it, and no fire But Miss Blimber was never cold, and never sleepy.
因此他就立即起床,并看到布里格斯正在穿靴子,他的臉孔由于夢魔與痛苦的緣故腫脹起來,因此連眼睛都幾乎看不到了;托澤則心情很不好地站在那里顫抖,并搓著肩膀。可憐的保羅由于不習慣,自己穿衣服不容易,就問他們是否能行個好,幫他系一些帶子;可是布里格斯只是說了聲“討厭!”托澤也說,“啊,是真討厭!”所以他就胡亂潦草地把衣服穿好,走到下面的一層;他在那里看到一位漂亮的年輕女人戴著皮手套,正在打掃火爐。那位年輕女人看到他這副樣子,似乎感到吃驚,問他的母親在哪里。當保羅告訴他,她已經死了;她就脫下手套,做了他需要做的事情,并搓搓他的手,使它們暖和起來,又吻了他一下,告訴他,不論什么時候他需要做那一類事情——指穿衣服——,那么就請喊一下“梅莉亞”;保羅非常感謝她,說他一定會那樣做的。然后他輕輕地繼續(xù)往樓下走去,走向那間年輕的先生們重新開始學習的房間;當他經過一扇半開半掩的門時,里面有一個聲音喊道,“那是董貝嗎?”保羅回答道,“是的,夫人;”因為他知道那是布林伯小姐的聲音,布林伯小姐說,“請進來,董貝!”他就走進去了。布林伯小姐的外表就跟她昨天的外表完全一樣,所不同的只是她披了一條披肩。她那短而淺色的卷發(fā)像過去一樣蜷曲;她也早已戴上眼鏡,保羅心中暗想,她上床睡覺時是不是戴著它們。她自己有一間涼爽的起居室,里面有一些書,卻沒有火爐。但是布林伯小姐從來不冷,也從來沒有睡意。
Now, Dombey,' said Miss Blimber, 'I am going out for a constitutional.'
“現在,董貝,”布林伯小姐說道,“我出去搞點健身運動。”
Paul wondered what that was, and why she didn't send the footman out to get it in such unfavourable weather. But he made no observation on the subject: his attention being devoted to a little pile of new books, on which Miss Blimber appeared to have been recently engaged.
保羅不知道那是什么,心中納悶,天氣這樣不好,她為什么不派個仆人去搞。但是他在這個問題上沒有發(fā)表什么意見,因為他的注意力已集中到一小堆新書上,看來布林伯小姐最近正在研究它們。
'These are yours, Dombey,' said Miss Blimber.
“這些都是您的書,董貝,”布林伯小姐說道。