評論
打印
'What did you say, Captain Cuttle?' inquired Walter.
“您說什么，卡特爾船長？”沃爾特問道。
'Stand by!' returned the Captain, thoughtfully.
“做好準備！”船長若有所思地回答道。
Walter paused to ascertain if the Captain had any particular information to add to this, but as he said no more, went on.
沃爾特停了一下，想聽聽船長是不是還要再補充一些意見，但是船長沒有再講什么，沃爾特就繼續說下去。
'Now, the second point, Captain Cuttle. I am sorry to say, I am not a favourite with Mr Dombey. I have always tried to do my best, and I have always done it; but he does not like me. He can't help his likings and dislikings, perhaps. I say nothing of that. I only say that I am certain he does not like me. He does not send me to this post as a good one; he disclaims to represent it as being better than it is; and I doubt very much if it will ever lead me to advancement in the House—whether it does not, on the contrary, dispose of me for ever, and put me out of the way. Now, we must say nothing of this to my Uncle, Captain Cuttle, but must make it out to be as favourable and promising as we can; and when I tell you what it really is, I only do so, that in case any means should ever arise of lending me a hand, so far off, I may have one friend at home who knows my real situation.
“現在講第二點，卡特爾船長。我很遺憾地告訴您，我不是董貝先生所喜愛的人。我一直來總是想方設法，作出我最大的努力，我也確實總是這樣做的，可是他卻不喜歡我。也許他不能左右自己的喜愛與厭惡，這一點我也不想說什么。我只是說，我敢肯定他不喜歡我。他派我到那里去，并不是因為那是個好差使；他不想把事情說得比實際好一些，他不屑于這樣做；我不相信這次調動會幫助我在公司里晉升職位；相反的，我懷疑是不是要用這個辦法把我永遠打發掉，以便掃除障礙。可是這些話我們一句也別跟舅舅說，卡特爾船長，我們一定得盡量把這次派遣說成是一個有利的、前程遠大的差使；我向您吐露真情，只是為了我在遠方萬一需要幫助的時候，在祖國能有一個知道我真實情況的朋友。”
'Wal'r, my boy,' replied the Captain, 'in the Proverbs of Solomon you will find the following words, "May we never want a friend in need, nor a bottle to give him!" When found, make a note of.'
“沃爾，我的孩子，”船長回答道，“在所羅門箴言中，你可以找到下面的話：‘讓我們永遠不缺少患難中的朋友，也不缺少送給他喝的酒！’你找到的時候，請把它記下來。”
Here the Captain stretched out his hand to Walter, with an air of downright good faith that spoke volumes; at the same time repeating (for he felt proud of the accuracy and pointed application of his quotation), 'When found, make a note of.'
這時船長以勝過千言萬語的坦白真誠的神情，向沃爾特伸出手來；由于他對準確引用所羅門箴言和運用得當而感到得意，所以又重復說道：“你找到的時候，請把它記下來。”
'Captain Cuttle,' said Walter, taking the immense fist extended to him by the Captain in both his hands, which it completely filled, next to my Uncle Sol, I love you. There is no one on earth in whom I can more safely trust, I am sure. As to the mere going away, Captain Cuttle, I don't care for that; why should I care for that! If I were free to seek my own fortune—if I were free to go as a common sailor—if I were free to venture on my own account to the farthest end of the world—I would gladly go! I would have gladly gone, years ago, and taken my chance of what might come of it. But it was against my Uncle's wishes, and against the plans he had formed for me; and there was an end of that. But what I feel, Captain Cuttle, is that we have been a little mistaken all along, and that, so far as any improvement in my prospects is concerned, I am no better off now than I was when I first entered Dombey's House—perhaps a little worse, for the House may have been kindly inclined towards me then, and it certainly is not now.'
“卡特爾船長，”沃爾特把船長伸出的大拳頭滿滿地握在兩只手中說，“除了所爾舅舅，您是我最愛的人。確實，在這世界上我沒有更能信賴的人了。單單就離別這件事情本身來說，卡特爾船長，我并不把它放在心上；我為什么要把它放在心上呢！如果我可以自由地去尋找運氣的話，如果我可以當一名普通的船員出去的話，如果我可以自由地自己承擔風險，航行到天涯海角的話，那么我將高高興興地出去！我可能幾年前就已經高高興興地出去碰碰我的運氣如何了。但是這違背我舅舅的愿望，違背他為我所制訂的計劃，所以事情也就到此完結了。但是，卡特爾船長，我覺得我們過去有一些錯誤；就改善我的前途來說，我現在出去并不比當初一進董貝公司的時候就出去更好，也許還更壞一些，因為當時公司可能對我懷有好感，現在則肯定沒有了。”
