(雙語)月亮和六便士 第21章(1)

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Chapter 21

第21章

I let him take me to a restaurant of his choice, but on the way I bought a paper. When we had ordered our dinner, I propped it against a bottle of St. Galmier and began to read. We ate in silence. I felt him looking at me now and again, but I took no notice. I meant to force him to conversation.

我讓他帶我到一家他選定的餐館，但是在路上走的時候我買了一份報紙。叫了菜以后，我就把報紙支在一瓶圣·卡爾密酒上，開始讀報。我們一言不發(fā)地吃著飯。我發(fā)現(xiàn)他不時地看我一眼，但是我根本不理睬他。我準備逼著他自己講話。

Is there anything in the paper? he said, as we approached the end of our silent meal.

“報紙上有什么消息？”在我們這頓沉默無語的晚餐將近尾聲時，他開口說。

I fancied there was in his tone a slight note of exasperation.

也許這只是我的幻覺吧，從他的聲音里我好象聽出來他已經(jīng)有些沉不住氣了。

I always like to read the feuilleton on the drama, I said.

“我喜歡讀評論戲劇的雜文，”我說。

I folded the paper and put it down beside me.

我把報紙疊起來，放在一邊。

I've enjoyed my dinner, he remarked.

“這頓飯吃得很不錯，”他說。

I think we might have our coffee here, don't you?

“我看咱們就在這里喝咖啡好不好？”

Yes.

“好吧。”

We lit our cigars. I smoked in silence. I noticed that now and then his eyes rested on me with a faint smile of amusement. I waited patiently.

我們點起了雪茄。我一言不發(fā)地抽著煙。我發(fā)現(xiàn)他的目光時不時地停在我身上，隱約閃現(xiàn)著笑意。我耐心地等待著。

What have you been up to since I saw you last? he asked at length.

“從上次見面以后你都做什么了？”最后他開口說。

I had not very much to say. It was a record of hard work and of little adventure; of experiments in this direction and in that; of the gradual acquisition of the knowledge of books and of men. I took care to ask Strickland nothing about his own doings. I showed not the least interest in him, and at last I was rewarded. He began to talk of himself. But with his poor gift of expression he gave but indications of what he had gone through, and I had to fill up the gaps with my own imagination. It was tantalising to get no more than hints into a character that interested me so much. It was like making one's way through a mutilated manuscript.

我沒有太多的事好說。我的生活只不過是每日辛勤工作，沒有什么奇聞艷遇。我在不同方向進行了摸索試驗；我逐漸積累了不少書本知識和人情世故。在談話中，對他這幾年的生活我有意閉口不問，裝作絲毫也不感興趣的樣子。最后，我的這個策略生效了。他主動談起他的生活來。但是由于他太無口才，對他自己這一段時間的經(jīng)歷講得支離破碎，許多空白都需要我用自己的想象去填補。對于這樣一個我深感興趣的人只能了解個大概，這真是一件吊人胃口的事，簡直象讀一部殘缺不全的稿本。