双语对照 | 书虫二级《长池村的故事》：2.托尼·凯茨讨老婆

Tony Kytes Finds a Wife

托尼·凯茨讨老婆

I shall never forget Tony's face. It was a little, round face, with bright black eyes. He never smiled very much, but he was a great favourite with the women. And he liked them, oh yes! One week you saw him walking along with one girl, the next week you saw him with another girl.

我永远也忘不了托尼那张小圆脸，还有那双亮亮的黑眼睛。他不太爱笑，但很讨女人的喜欢。而且他也喜欢她们，哦，是的!这个星期你还见他跟这个姑娘走在一起，下个星期你又会看到他跟另一个姑娘好上了。

But in the end he decided that Milly Richards was the girl for him. She was a nice, sweet little thing, and people soon said they were engaged to be married.

不过，最后他认为米利·理查兹最合适。她是个漂亮可人的小东西，人们很快就传言说他们已经订婚了。

One Saturday Tony went to market, to do some business for his father, and he drove the wagon home in the afternoon. When he got to the hill just outside the town, he saw Unity Sallet by the side of the road. He knew Unity very well. Once, he nearly asked her to marry him — but then he got together with Milly.

一个星期六，托尼到集市去替他老爹办事，下午赶着马车往回走。刚到镇外的小山下，他就看到尤妮蒂·萨勒特在路边。他跟尤妮蒂很熟。以前他差点儿就向她求婚了——不过他后来又跟米利凑到了一起。

When Tony came up to her in the wagon, Unity said, 'My dear Tony, can I ride home with you?'

看托尼赶着马车过来，尤妮蒂说：“亲爱的托尼，我能搭你的马车回家吗?”

'Of course you can, my love,' said Tony. 'I couldn't say no to you, could I?'

“当然可以，亲爱的，”托尼说，“我可没法儿拒绝你，不是吗?”

So Unity smiled, jumped up into the wagon and Tony drove on up the hill.

于是，尤妮蒂笑着跳上了马车，托尼赶车上了小山。

'Tony,' she said, in a soft little voice, 'why did you leave me for that other girl? How is she better than I am? I'll be a fine wife, and a loving one, too. And you've known me for a long time, haven't you, Tony?'

“托尼，”她轻声细气地说，“你为什么要离开我去找别的姑娘?她哪里比我好了?我会成为一个很好的妻子，还会非常爱你。而且你我已经认识很久了，不是吗，托尼?”

'Yes, I have,' said Tony. 'Yes, that's very true.'

“是啊，”托尼说，“是啊，你说得一点儿不错。”

'And — can you say I'm not pretty, Tony?'

“而且——你能说我不漂亮吗，托尼?”

He looked at her for a long while. 'I really can't,' said he. 'No, I think you're the prettiest girl in the world.'

他望着她好一会儿。“我实在不能那么说，”他说，“不，我觉得你是世上最漂亮的姑娘。”

'So I'm prettier than she is, am I?'

“就是说我比她漂亮，对吧?”

Luckily, before Tony could answer, he saw a girl's hat over the hedge round a turning in the road. He knew the hat very well — it was Milly's hat.

幸运的是，托尼没等回答，就看见路拐弯处的树篱后面露出一个姑娘的帽子。他看着那帽子很眼熟——那是米利的帽子。

'Unity,' said Tony quickly, 'here's Milly coming now. I'll be in terrible trouble if she sees you with me. Now, dearest Unity, we don't want any fighting or anything, do we? So will you lie down in the back of the wagon, under the tarpaulin? Just until Milly has passed? And I'll think about what you said, and perhaps I'll put a loving question to you, and not Milly. Nothing is decided yet between her and me, you know.'

“尤妮蒂，”托尼急忙说，“米利往这边来了。如果她看见你跟我在一起，那我的麻烦就大了。最亲爱的尤妮蒂，我们不想大吵一架或是发生别的什么事情，对吧?所以，你躲到车后面的防水油布底下，好不好?只要等到米利走过去就行了。我会考虑你说的事情，或许还会向你求婚，而不是米利。你知道，我和她的事儿还没定呢。”

So Unity lay down under the tarpaulin in the back of the wagon, and Tony drove on to meet Milly.

于是，尤妮蒂躲到了马车后面的油布底下，而托尼则赶着车迎向米利。

'My dear Tony!' Milly said crossly, when he came near. 'How late you are!'

“亲爱的托尼!”等他走近，米利生气地说，“你怎么这么晚才来!”

'Late?' said Tony. 'Were you waiting for me?'

“晚?”托尼说，“你在等我吗?”

'Of course I was!' said Milly. 'You asked me to meet you, to ride home with you. Don't you remember?'

“我当然在等你!”米利说，“你让我来跟你会合，一起坐车回家的。你不记得了?”

'Oh dear!' said Tony. 'Yes, yes, I did. I remember now. Oh dear — I mean, jump in then, Milly dear!'

“哦，天呐!”托尼说，“是的，是的，我是说过。我现在想起来了。哦，天呐——我是说，上车吧，亲爱的米利!”

So Milly climbed into the wagon and Tony drove on. They talked about this and that, and looked at the trees and the birds. Then they came to a house by the road, and looking out of an upstairs window was Hannah Jolliver. Now Hannah was a tall, good-looking girl, with long red hair. And Tony was in love with her for a long time — before Milly, and before Unity.

于是米利上了马车，托尼继续赶路。他们东拉西扯地聊天，看着一路上的树和小鸟。这时，他们经过路旁的一座房子，汉娜·乔利沃正从楼上的窗子里望出来。汉娜是个漂亮的高个子姑娘，有一头红色的长发。而且托尼过去跟她好过很长一段时间——在米利和尤妮蒂之前。

'My dear Milly,' he said, in a whisper, because he didn't want Unity to hear, 'there's a young woman looking out of that window, who wanted to marry me. I'm afraid she's going to be angry, because she's found out that I'm going to marry you. And you're a prettier girl than she is. So, Milly, will you help me?'

“亲爱的米利，”他小声说，因为他不想让尤妮蒂听见，“那个从窗子望出来的姑娘以前想和我结婚。我担心她会大发脾气，因为她知道我要跟你结婚，而且你又比她漂亮。米利，你愿意帮我个忙吗?”

'Of course, dearest Tony,' said Milly.

“当然，我最亲爱的托尼。”米利说。

'Then will you hide under the empty sacks just here in the front of the wagon, behind the seat? She hasn't seen us yet, and then there won't be any angry words.'

“那你能藏到车前面的空袋子底下吗?就在这儿，座位后面。她现在还没看到我们，你藏起来，我们就不用跟她撕破脸了。”

'Well, all right, if it helps you, Tony,' said Milly. She didn't really want to, but she got down behind the seat and hid under the sacks. So there was Milly hiding in the front of the wagon, and Unity hiding in the back.

“好吧，如果这能帮你的话，托尼。”米利说。她其实并不想这么做，但还是藏到了座位后面的袋子底下。这样一来，马车前面藏着米利，马车后面躲着尤妮蒂。

Tony drove on past the house, which was Hannah's uncle's house, and Hannah looked down from the window and called out to him. 'Aren't you going to ask me to ride home with you?'

托尼赶着车经过那座房子，那是汉娜叔叔的家。这时，汉娜从窗子望下来，向他大声喊道：“你不打算邀请我跟你一起坐车回家吗?”

'Oh — yes, of course!' said Tony, who didn't know what to say. 'But aren't you staying at your uncle's?'

“哦——是的，当然!”托尼不知道说什么才好，“你不打算住在你叔叔家吗?”

'No, I'm not,' said Hannah. 'Can't you see I've got my hat and coat on? How can you be so stupid, Tony?'

“不，”汉娜说，“你没见我已经穿好外衣，戴好帽子了吗?你怎么这么蠢，托尼?”

'Um, yes, um, then you must ride home with me, of course,' said Tony, who was beginning to feel hot and uncomfortable. So he stopped the wagon, while Hannah ran downstairs and got in beside him.

“嗯，是啊，嗯，那你当然得跟我一起坐车回家。”托尼说着，开始有点儿紧张和不自在了。他停下马车，等汉娜下楼，上车坐到他旁边。

Tony drove on again, and then Hannah looked at him out of the corner of her eye. 'This is nice, isn't it, Tony?' she said. 'I like riding with you.'

托尼又赶车上路，汉娜从眼角瞅了瞅他。“这真不错，对吧，托尼?”她说，“我喜欢和你一起坐马车。”

Tony looked back into her eyes. 'And I like riding with you,' he said after a while. Then he looked into her eyes again — a good, long, slow look. He began to like her more and more. And then he couldn't remember why he ever wanted to marry Milly or Unity. He moved nearer to Hannah on the seat, and they talked in soft little whispers. And after a time Tony said, 'Ah, my sweet Hannah!' and took hold of her hand.

托尼回头望着她的眼睛。过了一会儿，他说：“我也喜欢和你一起坐马车。”接着，他又看着她的眼睛——这是一段长久而深情的注视。他开始越来越喜欢她。到后来，他已经不记得自己当初怎么会想跟米利或尤妮蒂结婚了。他朝汉娜身边靠了靠，两个人轻声耳语起来。过了一会儿，托尼说：“啊，我可爱的汉娜!”说着握住了她的手。

'I'm sorry that you're going to marry Milly,' Hannah said, 'because I do like you very much, Tony dear.'

“你要跟米利结婚了，我很难过，”汉娜说，“因为我真的很喜欢你，亲爱的托尼。”

Tony gave a quick look behind him. 'I haven't asked her the question yet,' he whispered, 'and I'm not sure I will. I'm thinking about asking you.

托尼很快地看了一眼身后。“我还没向她求婚呢，”他小声说，“而且我也不确定我会那么做。我现在想向你求婚。”

'Ooooh! Leave Milly, and marry me!' cried Hannah loudly. 'Oh, how wonderful!'

“哦!离开米利吧，和我结婚!”汉娜大声说，“哦，这真太好了!”

At this, there was a sudden little angry scream from behind the seat, and the tarpaulin at the back moved.

这话刚一出口，座位后面就传出了生气的叫声，车后面的防水油布也动了动。

Hannah looked round. 'Something's there, Tony! There's an animal in the back of the wagon!'

汉娜回头瞧了瞧。“那儿有东西，托尼!车后面有只什么动物!”

'No, no,' said Tony. 'It's just empty sacks, and it's the wheels that make that little screaming sound.'

“不，没有，”托尼说，“只有几只空袋子，那声音是轮子发出来的。”

But he knew that he was in trouble, and he didn't know what to do next. Then the wagon came round a corner in the road and Tony saw his father in a field. His father held up his hand, and Tony saw his escape.

不过他心里清楚自己的麻烦来了，却不知道该如何是好。这时，马车在路上拐了个弯，托尼看到他老爹正在田里。老爹朝他抬了抬手，托尼终于找到了开溜的机会。

'Oh, Hannah,' he said, 'can you hold the horse for a minute, while I go and find out what father wants?'

“哦，汉娜，”他说，“你能帮我拿一会儿缰绳吗?我去看看老爹有什么事。”

Hannah agreed, and Tony hurried into the field.

汉娜答应了，于是托尼急忙跑进了田里。

'What are you playing at, Tony?' said old Mr Kytes.

“你在玩什么把戏，托尼?”老凯茨先生问。

'What do you mean, father?'

“您这是什么意思，爸爸?”

'Well, if you're going to marry Milly Richards, do it. But don't go driving around the country with Jolliver's daughter. People will talk. You mustn't do it, boy.'

“哦，如果你要娶米利·理查兹，那就快跟她结婚。但是别跟乔利沃的女儿坐着马车到处晃。人们会说闲话的。你可不能这么做，孩子。”

'Milly's there, too, father.'

“米利也在那儿，爸爸。”

'Milly? Where?'

“米利?在哪儿?”

'Under the sacks! Yes, and Unity Sallet is in there too, father, at the other end, under the tarpaulin. All three of them are in that wagon, and I don't know what to do! Which one shall I marry, father?'

“在袋子下面!是的，还有尤妮蒂·萨勒特，爸爸，她在马车另一头的防水油布底下。她们三个都在马车上，我不知道怎么办才好!我该跟谁结婚呢，爸爸?”

'Which one of them did not ask to ride with you?'

“她们中哪一个没有要求搭你的车?”

'That was Milly, because I asked her.'

“米利没有，因为是我邀请她的。”

'Then marry Milly, she's the best — Hey, look!'

“那就跟米利结婚，她是最好的一个——嘿，瞧!”

Tony looked round, and saw his wagon moving. He began to run across the field as fast as he could.

托尼回头，看见他的马车在走。他赶快穿过田地飞快地朝马车跑去。

What was happening in the wagon? Milly, under the sacks, was the one who screamed. She began to move about, and then saw another woman's foot. So she moved along under the tarpaulin until she found Unity.

马车上是怎么回事?是袋子下面的米利惊叫了一声。她开始四处挪动，看到了另一个女人的脚，于是顺着防水油布发现了尤妮蒂。

'And what are you doing here?' she asked angrily.

“你在这儿干吗?”她生气地问。

'I can ask you the same question,' said Unity.

“我还要问你呢。”尤妮蒂说。

'I'm engaged to be married to him, and I can —'

“我和他订了婚，而且我可以——”

'Oh no, you're not,' said Unity. 'He's going to have Hannah, not you. He said it just now — we heard him.'

“哦，不，你没有，”尤妮蒂说，“他要娶的是汉娜，不是你。他刚才说的——我们都听见了。”

When Hannah heard voices under the tarpaulin, she forgot the horse and turned round. The horse decided to go home, and moved off much too quickly. The wheels of the wagon went up on the side of the field, the wagon turned over, and all three girls fell out into the road. The horse looked round and stood still.

这时，汉娜听到了防水油布下面有人说话，于是忘了看马，回头来看是怎么回事。那匹马决定自己回家，突然快跑起来。马车的轮子驶上了田地的斜坡，车子翻了，三个姑娘都跌到了路上。那匹马四下看了看，站住不动了。

Nobody was hurt, but when Tony ran up, the three girls were all shouting and crying and screaming.

虽然没有人受伤，可是等托尼跑过来的时候，三个姑娘已经又哭又叫地闹成了一团。

'Oh, don't be angry, my dears! Please don't!' said Tony. They did not stop crying and screaming, so he spoke more loudly. 'I must do what's right,' he said. 'I've asked Hannah to marry me, and she's agreed —'

“哦，别发火，亲爱的姑娘们!请别这样!”托尼说。她们还是不停地又哭又叫，所以他只好提高了声音。“我得说话算话，”他说，“我向汉娜求婚，而她也答应了——”

'Oh no, I haven't!' said Hannah, really angry now. 'You must think I'm soft in the head! I'm not marrying a man who keeps girls in the back of his wagon!'

“哦，不，我没答应!”汉娜说，她现在真的气坏了，“你以为我是傻瓜!我才不会跟在马车后面藏姑娘的男人结婚呢!”

Tony looked surprised. 'So you won't marry me, Hannah?' he said.

托尼看起来很惊讶。“那你不想跟我结婚了，汉娜?”他说。

'Never!' said Hannah, and she walked away. Perhaps she did still want him, but she didn't want to say so in front of the other girls.

“决不!”汉娜说完，头也不回地走了。可能她确实还想跟他结婚，但她不想在另外两个姑娘面前向他低头。

Tony didn't know what to say next. Milly was crying her eyes out, and Tony's father thought that she was the best wife for him. But you never do what your father tells you to, do you? So Tony turned to Unity.

托尼不知道接下去该说什么。米利一个劲儿地哭，而托尼的老爹认为她是最适合他的一个。但你怎么会乖乖听老爹的话呢?所以，托尼转向了尤妮蒂。

'Well, will you marry me, Unity dear?' he said.

“好吧，你愿意和我结婚吗，亲爱的尤妮蒂?”他问。

'Marry something that Hannah Jolliver doesn't want? Not I!' said Unity. And she walked away too.

“和一个汉娜·乔利沃不想要的人结婚?我才不呢!”尤妮蒂说完，也走了。

So then it was just Milly and Tony. Milly was still crying, and Tony stood there and looked at her.

现在就剩下了米利和托尼。米利还在哭，托尼站在那里看着她。

'Well, here we are,' he said at last. 'Just the two of us. We'll get married then, shall we, Milly?'

“好了，事情就是这样了，”他最后说，“现在就剩了我们两个。我们结婚吧，好不好，米利?”

'If you like, Tony. You didn't really mean what you said to them?'

“如果你愿意，托尼。你跟她们说那些话不是认真的吧?”

'Not a word of it!' said Tony. And then he kissed her, put the wagon back on the road, and they drove home. They went to see the parson the very next Sunday, and were married two Sundays later.

“当然不是!”托尼说。他吻了吻她，又把马车弄回到大路上，一起坐车回家了。他们下个星期日去见了牧师，两个星期后就结婚了。

*　*　*

*　*　*

At the end of his story the carrier turns to the postmistress. 'They had a fine wedding, Mrs Weedle, didn't they? You were there, weren't you?'

故事讲完了，车夫扭头跟邮局女局长说：“他们的婚礼很不错，是不是，维德尔太太?你也去参加了吧?”

'Oh yes,' says the postmistress. 'Best wedding party for years. And I've been to a lot of them. We've had some strange weddings too. Do you remember Andrew Satchel and Jane Vallens a few years ago?'

“哦，是的，”邮局女局长说，“好多年没有过那么棒的婚礼了。我以前可参加过不少婚礼。我们这儿也有几次奇怪的婚礼。你还记得几年前安德鲁·撒切尔和简·瓦伦斯的婚礼吗?”

'But they got married in a different village,' says the church clerk quickly. 'Not in Longpuddle church.'

“可他们是在别的村子举行的婚礼，”教堂执事急忙说，“不是在长池村的教堂。”

The carrier laughs. 'It's all right, Mr Flaxton. We know it wasn't you. Go on, Mrs Weedle, tell our visitor about Andrew and Jane.'

车夫笑起来。“没关系的，弗拉克斯顿先生。我们知道那不关你的事。继续，维德尔太太，给我们的客人说说安德鲁和简的事儿吧。”

'Yes, I remember the Satchel family,' I says John Lackland's son. 'I'd like to hear that story.'

“是啊，我记得撒切尔一家，”约翰·拉克兰的儿子说，“我想听听这个故事。”

And this is the postmistress's story.

于是邮局女局长开始讲起来。