One day, about a week after the funeral, Florence was sitting at her work, when Susan appeared, with a face half laughing and half crying, to announce a visitor.
有一天,大約在送殯以后一個星期光景,弗洛倫斯正坐著做針線活,這時蘇珊臉上半笑半哭地跑進來通報說,來了一個客人。
'A visitor! To me, Susan!' said Florence, looking up in astonishment.
“客人!來看我的嗎,蘇珊?”弗洛倫斯驚奇地抬起頭來望著她,問道。
'Well, it is a wonder, ain't it now, Miss Floy?' said Susan; 'but I wish you had a many visitors, I do, indeed, for you'd be all the better for it, and it's my opinion that the sooner you and me goes even to them old Skettleses, Miss, the better for both, I may not wish to live in crowds, Miss Floy, but still I'm not a oyster.'
“對了,確實是個奇跡,可不是嗎,弗洛倫斯小姐?”蘇珊說,“可是我真希望您有許多客人,說實在的,我真這么希望,因為這對您會好得多,我認為,小姐,您跟我哪怕就是到斯克特爾斯他們老夫婦那里去走走,也是愈早對我們兩人愈好,我可能并不希望跟一群人生活在一起,弗洛倫斯小姐,但是我畢竟不是一個牡蠣呀!”
To do Miss Nipper justice, she spoke more for her young mistress than herself; and her face showed it.
我們得為尼珀姑娘說句公道話,她說這些話主要是為了她年輕的女主人,而不是為了她自己;從她的臉上的表情中就可以看出這一點。
'But the visitor, Susan,' said Florence.
“可是客人呢,蘇珊?”弗洛倫斯問道。
Susan, with an hysterical explosion that was as much a laugh as a sob, and as much a sob as a laugh, answered,
蘇珊突然歇斯底里發作,說它像是大笑又似是哭泣,說它像是哭泣又像是大笑似的,她就這樣瘋瘋癲癲地回答道:
'Mr Toots!'
“圖茨先生!”
The smile that appeared on Florence's face passed from it in a moment, and her eyes filled with tears. But at any rate it was a smile, and that gave great satisfaction to Miss Nipper.
弗洛倫斯臉上出現了微笑,但片刻間就消失了;她熱淚盈眶。但它畢竟是個微笑,這使尼珀姑娘感到極為滿意。
'My own feelings exactly, Miss Floy,' said Susan, putting her apron to her eyes, and shaking her head. 'Immediately I see that Innocent in the Hall, Miss Floy, I burst out laughing first, and then I choked.'
“弗洛伊小姐,我自己的感情跟您的完全一樣,”蘇珊提起圍裙去擦眼睛,一邊搖晃著腦袋說,“我在前廳里剛一看見那個笨蛋時,我起初哈哈大笑,接著嗓子就哽住了。”
Susan Nipper involuntarily proceeded to do the like again on the spot. In the meantime Mr Toots, who had come upstairs after her, all unconscious of the effect he produced, announced himself with his knuckles on the door, and walked in very brisKly.
蘇珊·尼珀情不自禁又當場重演起來。在這同時,已經跟著她走上樓來的圖茨先生,完全不了解他所引起的反應,用指節敲了敲門,通報他已來到,接著就很輕快地走了進來。
'How d'ye do, Miss Dombey?' said Mr Toots. 'I'm very well, I thank you; how are you?'
“您好嗎,董貝小姐?”圖茨先生說,“我很好,謝謝您。您身體好嗎?”