書(shū)蟲(chóng)四級(jí)《華盛頓廣場(chǎng)》：5.斯洛珀醫(yī)生的決定

5.Doctor Sloper decides

5．斯洛珀醫(yī)生的決定

Catherine listened for her father when he came in that evening, and she heard him go to his study. She sat quiet, though her heart was beating fast, for nearly half an hour; then she went and knocked on his door. On entering the room, she found him in his chair beside the fire, with a cigar and the evening paper.

那天晚上凱瑟琳聽(tīng)著父親回來(lái)的聲音，而且聽(tīng)到他走到書(shū)房里去了。她靜靜地坐著，雖然心跳得很快，她還是在那里坐了大約半個(gè)小時(shí)；然后她過(guò)去敲他的門。進(jìn)到屋里的時(shí)候，她發(fā)現(xiàn)他正坐在壁爐邊的椅子里，叼著雪茄煙，手里拿著晚報(bào)。

I have something to say to you,' she began very gently.

“我有話跟您說(shuō)。”她開(kāi)始說(shuō)話，聲音很溫柔。

I shall be happy to hear it, my dear,' said her father. He waited, looking at her, while she stared silently at the fire.

“樂(lè)意傾聽(tīng)，親愛(ài)的。”她父親說(shuō)。他等待著，看著她，而她只是一言不發(fā)地盯著壁爐。

I am engaged to be married!' Catherine said at last.

“我訂婚了！”凱瑟琳終于說(shuō)話了。

The Doctor did not show how surprised he was. 'You are right to tell me,' he said. 'And who is the happy man?'

醫(yī)生沒(méi)有表現(xiàn)出多么驚訝的樣子。“你能告訴我這個(gè)很好，”他說(shuō)，“那么那個(gè)幸福的男人是誰(shuí)？”

Mr Morris Townsend.' As she said her lover's name, Catherine looked at him. Then she looked back at the fire.

“莫里斯·湯森先生。”說(shuō)出戀人名字的時(shí)候，凱瑟琳看著他。然后又看著壁爐。

When did this happen?' the Doctor asked.

“這是什么時(shí)候的事？”醫(yī)生問(wèn)。

This afternoon—two hours ago.'

“今天下午——兩小時(shí)之前。”

Was Mr Townsend here?'

“湯森先生來(lái)過(guò)這兒？”

Yes, father, in the front parlour.' She was very glad that she did not have to tell him her engagement had taken place in the garden of the Square.

“是的，爸爸，就在前廳。”她很高興不需要告訴他自己是在廣場(chǎng)花園里訂婚的。

Her father was silent for a moment. 'Why did Mr Townsend not tell me? It is his duty to speak to me first.'

她父親沉默了一會(huì)兒。“為什么湯森先生不來(lái)告訴我？他有義務(wù)先跟我說(shuō)。”

He means to tell you tomorrow.'

“他想明天跟您說(shuō)。”

The Doctor smoked his cigar for a while. 'You have gone very fast,' he said, at last.

醫(yī)生吸了會(huì)兒雪茄。“你們進(jìn)展得很快。”他最后終于開(kāi)口說(shuō)道。

Yes,' Catherine answered, simply. 'I think we have.'

“是的，”凱瑟琳簡(jiǎn)單地回答道，“我想我們是很快。”

Her father looked at her for a moment. 'I'm not surprised that Mr Townsend likes you. You are so simple and good.'

她父親看了她一會(huì)兒：“湯森先生喜歡你我并不覺(jué)得奇怪。你是這么單純善良。”

I don't know why; but he does like me. I am sure of that. And I like him very much.'

“我不知道為什么；不過(guò)他確實(shí)喜歡我。我對(duì)此確信不疑。而且我也很喜歡他。”

But you have known him a very short time, my dear.'

“可是你認(rèn)識(shí)他的時(shí)間很短，親愛(ài)的。”

Oh,' said Catherine, 'it doesn't take long to like a person—once you have begun.'

“哦，”凱瑟琳說(shuō)，“喜歡一個(gè)人用不著太長(zhǎng)的時(shí)間——一旦你開(kāi)始喜歡他。”

Of course you are no longer a little girl.'

“當(dāng)然你已經(jīng)不再是小女孩兒了。”

I feel very old—and very wise,' said Catherine, smiling.

“我覺(jué)得自己已經(jīng)夠大了——而且很明智。”凱瑟琳微笑著說(shuō)。

I am afraid that you will soon feel older and wiser. I don't like your engagement.'

“恐怕你不久就會(huì)感到年齡更大也更明智了。我不喜歡你訂婚。”

Oh,' said Catherine, softly, getting up from her chair.

“哦。”凱瑟琳輕輕地說(shuō)，從椅子上站了起來(lái)。

No, my dear. I am sorry to give you pain; but I don't like it. Why didn't you speak to me first?'

“不，親愛(ài)的。對(duì)不起讓你痛苦了；不過(guò)我不贊成。你為什么不先和我商量商量？”

Catherine hesitated for a moment. Then she said, 'I was afraid you didn't like Mr Townsend.'

凱瑟琳猶豫了一會(huì)兒，然后說(shuō)：“我擔(dān)心您不喜歡湯森先生。”

You were quite right. I don't like him.'

“沒(méi)錯(cuò)。我不喜歡他。”

Dear father, you don't know him,' said Catherine gently. She remembered Morris's warning. 'You think he is only interested in my fortune.'

“親愛(ài)的爸爸，您不了解他，”凱瑟琳柔聲說(shuō)。她想起了莫里斯的警告。“您以為他只對(duì)我的錢感興趣。”

Doctor Sloper looked up at her, with his cold, reasonable eyes. 'I am not accusing Mr Townsend of that. You are an honest, kind-hearted girl, and there is nothing impossible in an intelligent young man loving you for yourself. But the main thing that we know about this young man is that he has spent his own fortune in amusing himself. There is good reason to believe that he would spend yours, too.'

斯洛珀醫(yī)生抬起頭看著他，目光冷淡而理智。“我并不是為這件事而指責(zé)湯森先生。你是一個(gè)誠(chéng)實(shí)善良的女孩兒，聰明的年輕人愛(ài)上你這個(gè)人也不是不可能。但我們對(duì)這個(gè)年輕人的主要了解就是他把自己的錢都拿去享樂(lè)了。完全有理由相信他也會(huì)把你的錢花掉。”

That is not the only thing we know about him. He is kind, and generous, and true,' said poor Catherine. She was not used to arguing, and her voice trembled a little. 'And the fortune he spent was very small.'

“我們對(duì)他的了解不光是這一點(diǎn)。他心地善良，慷慨真誠(chéng)，”可憐的凱瑟琳說(shuō)。她不習(xí)慣和人爭(zhēng)論，她的聲音有些顫抖，“而且他花掉的錢也并不多。”

The Doctor stood up. He held her for a moment and kissed her. 'You won't think me cruel?' he said.

醫(yī)生站了起來(lái)，把她摟在懷里抱了一會(huì)兒，吻了吻她。“你不會(huì)覺(jué)得我太不近人情了吧？”他說(shuō)。

The question filled Catherine with fear, but she said, 'No, dear father; because if you knew how I feel, you would be so kind, so gentle.'

這個(gè)問(wèn)題令凱瑟琳感到很害怕，不過(guò)她說(shuō)：“不，親愛(ài)的爸爸；因?yàn)槿绻牢业母惺?，您就?huì)很和善、很溫柔。”

Yes, I think I know how you feel,' the Doctor said. 'I will be very kind—be sure of that. And I will see Mr Townsend tomorrow. Meanwhile, do not tell anyone you are engaged.'

“是的，我想我知道你的感受，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“我會(huì)很和善——相信我。我明天要見(jiàn)見(jiàn)湯森先生。另外，別告訴任何人你訂婚了。”

The next afternoon the Doctor stayed at home, waiting for Morris Townsend's visit. When the young man arrived, Doctor Sloper began at once.

第二天下午醫(yī)生待在家里，等候莫里斯·湯森來(lái)訪。那個(gè)年輕人一來(lái)，醫(yī)生立刻就開(kāi)始說(shuō)話了。

Catherine told me yesterday what has been going on between you,' he said. 'I am very surprised. It was only the other day that you first met my daughter.'

“凱瑟琳昨天跟我講了你們的事情，”他說(shuō)，“我很吃驚。你是不久前才認(rèn)識(shí)我女兒的。”

It' was not long ago, certainly,' said Morris. 'My interest in Miss Sloper began the first time I saw her.'

“沒(méi)多久，當(dāng)然了。”莫里斯說(shuō)，“我第一次見(jiàn)到斯洛珀小姐的時(shí)候就對(duì)她產(chǎn)生了興趣。”

Did it not start before you met her?' the Doctor asked.

“不是在你遇見(jiàn)她之前產(chǎn)生的嗎？”醫(yī)生問(wèn)。

Morris looked at him. 'I had certainly already heard that she was a charming girl.'

莫里斯看著他：“我當(dāng)然已經(jīng)有所耳聞，她是一個(gè)迷人的姑娘。”

Naturally, you will speak well of her,' said the Doctor. 'But that is not the only thing that is necessary. I told Catherine yesterday that I did not like her engagement.'

“你自然會(huì)說(shuō)她的好話，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“但這不是惟一必要的東西。我昨天跟凱瑟琳說(shuō)我不贊成她訂婚。”

She told me, and I was very sorry to hear it. I am greatly disappointed,' said Morris, looking at the floor.

“她告訴我了，聽(tīng)到這個(gè)真遺憾。我很失望。”莫里斯看著地板說(shuō)。

Did you really expect me to say I was delighted?'

“你真的希望我說(shuō)我很高興嗎？”

Oh no! I had an idea you didn't like me.'

“哦，不！我知道您不喜歡我。”

What gave you that idea?'

“你為什么會(huì)那么想呢？”

The fact that I am poor.'

“因?yàn)槲腋F。”

It is certainly a fact I must consider,' said the Doctor, 'I do not dislike you, but you do not appear to be a suitable husband for my daughter, who is a weak young woman with a large fortune.'

“這當(dāng)然是我必須考慮的一個(gè)事實(shí)。”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“我不是不喜歡你，不過(guò)你好像不適合作我女兒的丈夫，我女兒是一個(gè)擁有一大筆財(cái)產(chǎn)而又軟弱的年輕女子。”

Morris listened politely. 'I don't think Miss Sloper is a weak woman,' he said.

莫里斯禮貌地聽(tīng)著：“我認(rèn)為斯洛珀小姐并不是個(gè)軟弱的女子。”

I have known my child twenty years, and you have known her six weeks. But whether she is weak or not, you are still a man without a profession, and without money.'

“我的孩子我已經(jīng)了解了20年，而你認(rèn)識(shí)她才六個(gè)星期。但不管她是不是軟弱，你仍然既沒(méi)工作也沒(méi)錢。”

Yes, that is my weakness! You think I only want your daughter's money.'

“是的，那是我的弱點(diǎn)！您以為我只想要您女兒的錢。”

I don't say that. I only say that you are the wrong kind of man to marry my daughter.'

“我并沒(méi)那么說(shuō)。我只是說(shuō)你不是我女兒要嫁的那種人。”

A man who loves and admires her deeply—is that the wrong kind of man?' Morris said, with his handsome smile. 'I don't care about her fortune. Not in any way.'

“一個(gè)深愛(ài)她并敬重她的人——這樣的人還不合適嗎？”莫里斯說(shuō)道，臉上仍然帶著迷人的微笑，“我不關(guān)心她的財(cái)富。根本就不關(guān)心。”

Fine words,' said the Doctor, 'but you are still the wrong kind of man.'

“說(shuō)得好，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“但你仍然不合適。”

You think I would spend her money—is that it?'

“您以為我會(huì)花她的錢——是嗎？”

Yes, I'm afraid I do think that.'

“是的?？峙挛艺沁@么想的。”

It is true that I was foolish when I was younger,' said Morris, 'but I have changed now. I spent my own fortune, because it was my own. That does not mean I would spend Miss Sloper's fortune. I would take good care of it.'

“我年輕的時(shí)候確實(shí)很蠢，”莫里斯說(shuō)，“但我現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)變了。我把自己的錢花了，因?yàn)槟鞘俏易约旱模遣⒉灰馕吨揖蜁?huì)把斯洛珀小姐的錢也花掉。我會(huì)好好珍惜它的。”

Taking too much care would be as bad as taking too little. Both ways would give Catherine an unhappy life.'

“太過(guò)珍惜會(huì)和不加珍惜一樣糟糕。兩種方式都會(huì)使凱瑟琳過(guò)上不幸的生活。”

I think you are very unjust!' said the young man.

“我覺(jué)得您很不公平！”年輕人說(shuō)。

I can understand that you think that.'

“你這么想我可以理解。”

Do you want to make your daughter miserable?'

“您想讓您的女兒痛苦嗎？”

I accept that she will think I am cruel for a year.'

“我承認(rèn)會(huì)有一年的時(shí)間她會(huì)認(rèn)為我冷酷無(wú)情。”

A year!' said Morris, with a laugh.

“一年！”莫里斯說(shuō)著，大笑起來(lái)。

For a lifetime, then. She will be miserable either way—with you or without you.'

“那么，就是一生。她無(wú)論怎樣都會(huì)痛苦——不管是不是和你在一起。”

Here at last Morris became angry. 'You are not polite, sir!' he cried.

至此莫里斯終于生氣了。“您可真沒(méi)禮貌，先生！”他大聲說(shuō)道。

I'm afraid that is your fault—you argue too much. I cannot accept you as a son-in-law, and I shall advise Catherine to give you up, which she will do.'

“恐怕那是你的錯(cuò)——你爭(zhēng)論得太多了。我無(wú)法接受你做我的女婿，我會(huì)建議凱瑟琳放棄你，她會(huì)照做的。”

Are you sure that she will give me up?' asked Morris. 'I don't think she will. She has gone too far... to stop.'

“您確信她會(huì)放棄我嗎？”莫里斯問(wèn)，“我覺(jué)得她不會(huì)。她已經(jīng)走得太遠(yuǎn)……停不下來(lái)了。”

The Doctor stared at him coldly for a moment.

醫(yī)生冷冷地盯著他看了一會(huì)兒。

I will say no more, sir,' said Morris, and he left the room.

“我沒(méi)什么可說(shuō)的了，先生。”莫里斯說(shuō)完，離開(kāi)了房間。

When the Doctor told Mrs Almond about his meeting with Morris Townsend, she thought that he had perhaps been too hard on the young man.

當(dāng)醫(yī)生把他和莫里斯·湯森會(huì)面的事情告訴阿爾蒙德夫人時(shí)，她覺(jué)得他也許對(duì)這個(gè)年輕人太苛刻了。

Lavinia thinks I am being very cruel,' said the Doctor.

“拉維尼婭覺(jué)得我很無(wú)情。”醫(yī)生說(shuō)。

And how is Catherine taking it?' said Mrs Almond.

“凱瑟琳有什么反應(yīng)？”阿爾蒙德夫人說(shuō)。

Very quietly. There have been no noisy tears, or anything of that kind.'

“非常平靜。她既沒(méi)有哭哭啼啼，也沒(méi)有其他任何這類的舉動(dòng)。”

I am very sorry for Catherine,' Mrs Almond said. 'Now she will have to choose between her father and her lover.'

“我真替凱瑟琳難過(guò)，”阿爾蒙德夫人說(shuō)，“現(xiàn)在她不得不在父親和戀人之間作出選擇。”

I am sorry for her too,' said the Doctor. 'It is just possible, of course, that I have made the greatest mistake of my life. So I shall go and visit Mr Townsend's sister, who will almost certainly tell me I have done the right thing.'

“我也替她難過(guò)，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“當(dāng)然，也可能我犯了一生中最大的錯(cuò)誤。所以我得去拜訪湯森先生的姐姐，她十有八九會(huì)告訴我，我做的是對(duì)的。”

The visit was arranged for a few days later, and at the appointed time the Doctor arrived at a little house on Second Avenue, where Mrs Montgomery received him in a small front parlour.

這次見(jiàn)面定在幾天后，醫(yī)生在約定的時(shí)間來(lái)到了位于第二大道的一幢小屋，蒙哥馬利夫人在一間小客廳里會(huì)見(jiàn)了他。

She was a little woman, with fair hair, and seemed rather alarmed by a visit from such a fine gentleman as Doctor Sloper. He explained the situation, but Mrs Montgomery was at first a little unwilling to talk about her brother.

她身材瘦小，長(zhǎng)著一頭金黃色的頭發(fā)，似乎對(duì)像斯洛珀醫(yī)生這種受人尊敬的紳士的來(lái)訪很吃驚。他解釋了一下情況，但蒙哥馬利夫人最初有些不大樂(lè)意談?wù)撍艿堋?/p>

I can understand,' said the Doctor, 'that it is difficult for you to say unpleasant things about your own brother. but if my daughter married him, her happiness would depend on whether he was a good man or not.'

“我能理解，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“說(shuō)自己兄弟的壞話的確很困難，可是如果我女兒嫁給他，那她的幸?？删腿Q于他是不是個(gè)好人了。”

Yes, I see that,' murmured Mrs Montgomery.

“是的，我明白。”蒙哥馬利夫人低聲說(shuō)。

And I must remind you,' said the Doctor, 'that after my death Catherine will have thirty thousand dollars a year.'

“我還必須提醒你，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“我死后，凱瑟琳每年會(huì)有3萬(wàn)美元的收入。”

Mrs Montgomery listened with wide eyes. 'Your daughter will be very rich,' she said, softly.

蒙哥馬利夫人聽(tīng)得瞪大了眼睛。“你女兒會(huì)很有錢。”她輕聲說(shuō)道。

Exactly. But if Catherine marries without my consent, she will have only the ten thousand dollars she inherited from her mother. She won't get a penny from me. I will be happy to inform Mr Townsend of that.'

“的確。但如果凱瑟琳不經(jīng)過(guò)我的同意就結(jié)婚，那她就只有從她母親那里繼承來(lái)的1萬(wàn)美元。她不會(huì)從我這里得到一個(gè)子兒。我很樂(lè)意把這個(gè)情況通知湯森先生。”

Mrs Montgomery thought for a while. 'Why do you dislike Morris so much?' she asked at last, looking up.

蒙哥馬利夫人想了一會(huì)兒。“你為什么這么不喜歡莫里斯？”她最后抬起頭問(wèn)道。

I don't dislike him—he is a charming young man. But I dislike him as a son-in-law, who must take care of my daughter. She is so soft, so weak. A bad husband could make her very miserable indeed, because she is not clever enough or strong enough to fight her own battles. That is why I have come to you. You may not agree with me, of course; you may want to tell me to go away, but I think that your brother is selfish and lazy, and I should like to know if I am right.'

“我不是不喜歡他——他是一個(gè)很有吸引力的年輕人。但我不喜歡他當(dāng)我的女婿，我的女婿必須照顧我女兒。她是那么溫柔軟弱。丈夫不好真的會(huì)令她非常痛苦，因?yàn)樗€沒(méi)有聰明或強(qiáng)壯到可以為自己而戰(zhàn)斗的地步。所以我來(lái)找你。當(dāng)然，你可能不同意我的說(shuō)法；你可能想讓我走開(kāi)，但我覺(jué)得你弟弟是個(gè)自私懶惰的人，我想知道我這么想對(duì)不對(duì)。”

She looked at him in surprise. 'But how did you find out that he was selfish?' she said. 'He hides it so well.' Then she turned her head away, and the Doctor saw tears in her eyes.

她驚訝地看著他。“但你是怎么發(fā)現(xiàn)他自私的呢？”她說(shuō)，“他隱藏得那么好。”然后她扭開(kāi)頭去，醫(yī)生看到了她眼中的淚光。

He waited for a moment, then said suddenly, 'Your brother has made you very unhappy, hasn't he? Tell me, do you give him money?'

他等了一會(huì)兒，接著突然說(shuō)：“你弟弟讓你很不愉快，是嗎？告訴我，你給他錢嗎？”

Yes, I have given him money,' said Mrs Montgomery.

“是的，我給他錢。”蒙哥馬利夫人說(shuō)。

And you have very little money yourself, and also five children to take care of, I believe.'

“而你自己就沒(méi)多少錢，還有五個(gè)孩子要照料，我想。”

It is true that I am very poor,' she said.

“我的確很窮。”她說(shuō)。

Your brother tells me,' said the Doctor, 'that he helps you with your children—he is their teacher.'

“你弟弟告訴我，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)，“他幫你帶孩子——他是他們的老師。”

Mrs Montgomery stared for a moment, then said quickly, 'Oh yes; he teaches them—Spanish.'

蒙哥馬利夫人愣了半晌，然后很快地說(shuō)：“噢，是的；他教他們——西班牙語(yǔ)。”

The Doctor laughed. 'That must be a great help to you! So,' he went on, 'I see that I was right. Your brother lives on you, takes your money, and is extremely selfish.'

醫(yī)生笑了。“那對(duì)你一定大有幫助！那么，”他繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“我看我是對(duì)的。你弟弟靠你養(yǎng)活，拿你的錢，而且極為自私。”

There were tears again in Mrs Montgomery's eyes. 'But he is still my brother,' she said, her voice trembling a little. 'You must not believe that his character is bad.'

眼淚再次涌出蒙哥馬利夫人的雙眼。“但他還是我弟弟，”她說(shuō)，聲音有些顫抖，“你一定不會(huì)相信他人品惡劣。”

The Doctor spoke more gently. 'I am sorry that I have upset you. It's all for my poor Catherine. You must know her, and then you will see.' He stood up to go.

醫(yī)生的口氣更和善了。“抱歉讓你難過(guò)了。這一切都是為了我那可憐的凱瑟琳。你一定要認(rèn)識(shí)她，那樣你就會(huì)明白了。”他站起身準(zhǔn)備告辭了。

Mrs Montgomery also stood up. 'I should like to know your daughter,' she answered; and then, very suddenly— 'Don't let her marry him!'

蒙哥馬利夫人也站了起來(lái)。“我很想認(rèn)識(shí)您女兒，”她回答道；接著，很突然地——“別讓她嫁給他！”

And Doctor Sloper went away with these words ringing in his ears.

耳中回響著這些話，醫(yī)生離開(kāi)了。