But there was much, soon afterwards—next day, and after that—which Paul could only recollect confusedly. As, why they stayed at Mrs Pipchin's days and nights, instead of going home; why he lay in bed, with Florence sitting by his side; whether that had been his father in the room, or only a tall shadow on the wall; whether he had heard his doctor say, of someone, that if they had removed him before the occasion on which he had built up fancies, strong in proportion to his own weakness, it was very possible he might have pined away.
但是不久以后——第二天,以及在那以后,又發生了許多事情,保羅只能混亂不清地回憶起來了。比方說,為什么他們日日夜夜待在皮普欽太太那里,而沒有回家去;為什么他躺在床上,弗洛倫斯坐在他的旁邊;他的父親有沒有到房間里來過,還是僅僅是墻上的一個高大的影子;他是不是曾聽到他的醫生談到某個人的時候說,如果他們在他曾建立起種種幻想的那個時候來到之前(跟他體質的虛弱相比,這幻想是很強有力的),就讓他離開,他就很可能會消瘦下去。
He could not even remember whether he had often said to Florence, 'Oh Floy, take me home, and never leave me!' but he thought he had. He fancied sometimes he had heard himself repeating, 'Take me home, Floy! take me home!'
他甚至也不能記得,他是不是時常對弗洛倫斯說,“啊弗洛伊,帶我回家去!永遠別離開我!”可是他想,他曾經說過。有時他似乎覺得他聽到自己不時重復地說道,“帶我回家去!弗洛伊!帶我回家去!”
But he could remember, when he got home, and was carried up the well-remembered stairs, that there had been the rumbling of a coach for many hours together, while he lay upon the seat, with Florence still beside him, and old Mrs Pipchin sitting opposite. He remembered his old bed too, when they laid him down in it: his aunt, Miss Tox, and Susan: but there was something else, and recent too, that still perplexed him.
但是當他回到家里,被抱上他很熟悉的樓上的時候,他卻能夠記起,在這之前好多個鐘頭,馬車一直在轔轔響著,當時他躺在車中的坐位上,弗洛倫斯仍在他的身旁,年老的皮普欽太太則坐在對面。當他們讓他躺在他過去的床上的時候,他還記得它,記得他的姑媽、托克斯小姐和蘇珊;但是還有其他一些事情,而且是最近的事情,仍然使他感到困惑不解。
'I want to speak to Florence, if you please,' he said. 'To Florence by herself, for a moment!'
“麻煩您,我想跟弗洛倫斯說話,”他說道,“只跟弗洛倫斯說一會兒。”
She bent down over him, and the others stood away.
她向他彎下身子,其他人則站得遠遠的。
'Floy, my pet, wasn't that Papa in the hall, when they brought me from the coach?'
“弗洛伊,我親愛的,當他們把我從馬車中抱下來的時候,爸爸是不是在前廳里?”
'Yes, dear.'
“是的,親愛的。”
'He didn't cry, and go into his room, Floy, did he, when he saw me coming in?'
“當他看到我進來的時候,他沒有哭,也沒有走進他自己的房間里去,是不是,弗洛伊?”
Florence shook her head, and pressed her lips against his cheek.
弗洛倫斯點點頭,并把嘴唇緊緊壓著他的臉頰。
'I'm very glad he didn't cry,' said little Paul. 'I thought he did. Don't tell them that I asked.'
“我很高興他沒有哭,小保羅說道。“我原以為他哭了。別告訴他們我問了什么。”