英语听力 学英语,练听力,上听力课堂! 注册 登录
> 在线听力 > 有声读物 > 世界名著 > 译林版·一个陌生女人的来信:茨威格中短篇小说选 >  第5篇

双语·灼人的秘密 大象

所属教程:译林版·一个陌生女人的来信:茨威格中短篇小说选

浏览:

2022年04月24日

手机版
扫描二维码方便学习和分享

Frau Blumental remained below in converse with the baron, but their talk was no longer about elephants and big-game hunting. After Edgar had vanished through the doorway, they were both troubled, embarrassed, and the conversation began to flag. Otto suggested they should transfer to the lounge. Here they found a quiet corner. The young man ordered more champagne; and, after they had sipped a glass or two, their oppression evaporated and the talk took a dangerous turn. Baron Otto von Sternfeldt was not handsome. His youthful appearance and manly bearing, his energetic, sunburned face, his short-cropped hair, and his sprightly manner were, however, undeniably in his favour;and these were the characteristics which exercised their spell upon the lady. She allowed her gaze to dwell upon this comely companion, and no longer feared to meet his eyes.

Gradually a certain boldness entered his speech, which ruffled her sense of security as if a hand had been laid upon her, palpating her body desirously, so that the blood raced up into her face and beat feverishly in her temples. Then she would be reassured as he flung back his head and gave vent to a boyish laugh, scattering to the winds as a childish joke any suggestion of sensuousness that might have lurked in his words. At times she thought it advisable to reprove him for, his delicate effrontery but, coquettish by nature, she rather enjoyed the implication, and eagerly looked forward to his next move. The game caught her,too, in its meshes; and in the end she was led to follow his lead. Her eyes spoke flattering promises, her lips uttered encouraging words. She even allowed him to sit closer beside her, and she felt his warm breath upon her naked shoulder. Like all those who engage upon a game, they become so engrossed that they forgot the passage of time, and it was not until the hall-clock struck midnight that the woman rose in alarm.

Then only did she realize how far the young man’s advances had gone. This was not the first time she had played with fire, but hitherto she had never permitted things to reach such a stage. With horror it was borne in upon her that she was no longer fully mistress of herself, that something intangible was slipping from her grasp, that her senses were in a whirl. Her brain reeled, what with the wine, the momentary shock of anxiety, the ardent talk....

“Good night,” she said hastily. “See you to-morrow.”

Already she was stretching forth her hand in farewell. He, however, was not inclined to let her get away so easily. He retained her hand in his with gentle mastery, and bent his lips to it ceremoniously. But the conventional act of politeness assumed ampler form as he kissed her slender finger-tips and followed up his advantage as far as her wrist. When his moustache brushed the back of her hand, she shivered slightly and a feeling of warmth invaded her being, anguishing and ravishing at one, and the same time. Again the tell-tale blood coursed swiftly, setting her pulses throbbing. Anxiety, senseless anxiety, deprived her of selfcommand and she wrenched her hand away from his grasp.

“Stay a little while longer,” Otto pleaded.

But she was already half-way to the door, walking clumsily with an excess of speed. He was more than satisfied at this display of ungainliness, for it was a sure and certain sign that the excitement he had wished to arouse was responsible for her inelegant movements. For her part, all she could think of was to get away as quickly as possible from this man who might pursue and catch her. Yet another personality within made her sorry that he did not follow....What for years she had hoped might one day happen might very well have taken place at that perilous moment: an adventure. How she loved the hazard that word implied. Often before she had been on the brink, but always she had pulled up in time. Yet she desired nothing better than to be swept off her feet by a great passion. A mere flirtation seemed to her a paltry experience.

But Sternfeldt was too proud to seize the first favorable opportunity. He knew that his victory was secured, so why take advantage of a momentary weakness when a woman’s mind was confused by liquor to make a piratical onslaught and secure the prize? No, he must play fair; she should come to him of her own accord and when in full possession of her faculties. She could not escape him now, for the sweet intoxication had entered her soul.

As she got out of the lift, she pressed her hand upon her heart to stay its furious beating. She breathed a sigh that was partly one of relief at eluding a danger and partly one of regret that danger had not overtaken her. She felt dazed. With eyes downcast, swaying slightly like a drunken person, she groped her way along the passage to her room. Another sigh of relief as she felt the cold door-handle and turned it....Safe at last!

With stealthy tread she entered, and softly closed the door so as not to disturb the child. Then she shrank back in terror. What was that, stirring over there in the darkness? She twitched all over in alarm, was about to cry for help, when a sleep-weary voice asked:

“Is that you, Mummy?”

“What on earth are you up to there?” she cried, witching on the light and running towards the sofa.

Edgar lay huddled up among the cushions, but as she advanced he sat up drowsily. Her first thought was that her child was ill, and had crept into her room for aid. But Edgar said sleepily with a note of reproach in his voice:

“I waited and waited for you to come, and then I went to sleep.”

“What did you want?”

“To hear about the elephants.”

“Elephants? What elephants?”

But even as she spoke she remembered her promise. Poor innocent, he had slipped into her room so confident that she would be true to her word and tell him about the baron’s exploits, but she had failed him,and he had fallen asleep....No, this was absurd, after all; extravagantly foolish. She was outraged. Yet at bottom she was angry with herself, feeling ashamed and guilty.

“Go to your bed at once, you young scallawag,” she cried fiercely.

Edgar looked at her in amazement. What had he done to put her into such a tantrum? The child’s bewilderment only served to infuriate her the more.

“I told you to go to your own room. Go, at once,” she said savagely, feeling all the while how unjust she was.

Without a word, Edgar slunk away. He was desperately tired and only dimly realized that his mother had broken her promise and for some unaccountable reason was angry with him. The mists of sleep encompassed his mind, and he was in no state to rebel. Every sensation was blunted by fatigue, yet he was alert enough to blame himself for having fallen asleep when it was so important to keep awake, “like a silly kid,” he told himself reproachfully, as he drifted off into the Land of Nod. Since yesterday morning his childhood had become detestable to him.

母亲和男爵又在桌旁坐了一会儿,但是他们不再谈象和打猎的事了。孩子离开他们之后,他们的谈话气氛有一点压抑,有一点微妙的不安的困窘。后来他们来到前厅,坐在一个角落里。男爵比任何时候都更加神采飞扬,而几杯香槟酒又使她兴味盎然,所以谈话很快就具有了危险性质。本来男爵谈不上漂亮,他只是因为年轻,头发剪得短短的,一张棕黑色的精力旺盛的娃娃脸,很有点男子气魄,他那灵活而几乎是调皮的动作撩得她意马心猿。现在她乐于从近处看他,也不害怕他的目光了。在他谈话之中,逐渐有了一种使她略感困惑的放肆,有某种类似抚摸她的身体的东西,有一种触及她的身体又迅速移开的东西,有某种捉摸不定的欲望,这使得她双颊绯红。随后他又轻快地笑着,无拘无束,像个孩子。这就使得这些细微、轻浮的欲念,好像是孩子闹着玩似的。有时她觉得该对他说句严厉的话。但是她生性喜欢卖弄风情,被这些淫猥的话儿撩拨得心痒难当,只想更多地消受。这种放肆的游戏使她感到销魂。后来她自己也模仿起来。她频送秋波,暗示允诺,完全沉湎在这绵绵情话和狎昵动作中,甚至容许他挨近。他的声音有时使她感觉到他那热乎乎的、战栗的呼吸正喷在她的肩头上。像一切赌徒一样,他们也忘掉了时间,完全陶醉在销魂的谈话之中。到了午夜,前厅里开始熄灯的时候,他们才猛然一惊。

一惊之下,她立即一跃而起,猛然感到自己太放肆了,竟干出了这样的事。本来她也是个玩火的里手,但现在她那已被撩拨起来的本能业已感觉到,火已玩到这个危险的人身边了。她战栗地发现,自己已不能再把握住自己,心里有什么东西开始在蠕动,看什么都很兴奋,宛如一个人在发高烧时的感觉一样。恐惧、酒和火热的话语在她头脑里回旋激荡,一种恼人的、莫名的恐惧攫住了她,她一生中这种恐惧在类似这样的危险时刻里曾经历过数次,但是都没有这一次那样令人头晕目眩,如此猛烈无情。“晚安,晚安。明早再见!”她急匆匆地说着,想逃遁而去。这倒不是为了逃脱,而是为了逃开此刻的危险,逃脱她自己心中一种新奇的、陌生的、欲推犹就的窘境。男爵轻轻抓住她告别时伸出来的手,吻着。不是通常的吻一次,而是用嘴唇从纤秀的手指尖一直到手腕,颤抖着吻了四五次。她感到他硬硬的胡须在她手背上戳得痒痒的,她起了一阵微微的哆嗦。某种温暖的、令人窒息的感情,从手背上随着血液流贯全身。恐惧甜蜜地袭来,她的太阳穴嘣嘣直跳,头在发热。恐惧,这莫名的恐惧现在使得她全身战栗起来,她急忙从他手里抽回了自己的手。

“您再待会儿嘛。”男爵悄悄地说。可是她已经仓皇失措地匆匆跑走了,这个动作使她的恐惧和慌乱暴露得一目了然。现在她心里很兴奋,这也正是男爵的意图。她觉得,她的感情越来越不能解释了。残酷得灼人的恐惧在追逐着她,把她抓住,但就在逃开的时候,她同时又为他没有这样做而感到惋惜。她多年来下意识渴望的事情,很可能会在这种时刻发生。从前这种艳事她总是在最后关头把它摆脱开了,可对它的气息她爱得如痴如醉,这种巨大的、危险的艳事,这种不是转瞬即逝的撩人的调情。可是男爵很骄傲,不去捕捉这个良机。他对自己的胜利满有把握,因而不想在这个女人酒意朦胧、不能自持的时候把她弄到手,正相反,只有神志清醒时的斗争和委身,才会激起这个手段光明正大的赌棍的兴趣。她是逃不出他的手心的。他看到,她血管里火辣辣的毒药使她战栗了。

她在楼梯上停住脚步,用手按着气喘吁吁的心口。她得休息一分钟。她的神经已经受不住了。她从胸口发出一声叹息,这叹息,半是庆幸自己脱离了危险,半是惋惜;这一切都像一团乱麻,弄得人头晕目眩,六神无主。她半闭双眼,像喝醉了酒一样,在往她的房门那儿摸索,接着她深深地舒了一口气,因为她终于抓住了冰凉的门把手。这时她才感到安全了!

她轻轻推门进了房里,马上就吓得退了回来。房里,在里边暗处,有什么东西动了一下。她那兴奋的神经剧烈地战栗了。她正想呼救的当儿,从里面发出了一个轻轻的、睡意蒙眬的声音:“是你吗,妈妈?”

“上帝保佑,你在这里干吗?”说着她就直奔沙发床。埃德加正蜷缩成一团在上面躺着,刚刚醒来。她第一个念头就认为这孩子准是病了,或者是需要什么东西。

但是埃德加却仍带着睡意,用略带一点责备的口气说:“我等你好久,后来就睡着了。”

“干吗等我?”

“为了大象。”

“什么大象?”

现在她才想起,她确实答应今天晚上就把打猎的故事和其他冒险故事全讲给他听的。因此孩子跑到她房间里来了。这单纯、幼稚的孩子,他深信不疑地等着她,等着等着,就睡着了。这种放肆的举动激怒了她,或许她本来是对自己发火,她想大喊大叫来掩饰自己的罪过和羞愧。“马上回自己床上去,你这没有教养的东西!”她对他嚷了起来。埃德加诧异地望着她。她为什么对他发那么大的火?他又没有做什么错事。但是他的惊讶却似火上加油。“马上到自己房里去!”她怒气冲冲地吼道,这时,她感到委屈他了。埃德加默默地走了。原来他已经疲倦极了,透过蒙眬的睡意,他迟钝地感觉到,他母亲没有遵守自己的诺言,这样对待他是不公正的。但是他没有反抗。因为困倦,他觉得什么都是昏昏沉沉的,一切都是麻木迟钝的,随后他又生自己的气,竟在这里睡着了,没有醒着等妈妈。“完全像个孩子。”在重新入睡以前,他还在生自己的气。

因为从昨天起,他就恨自己的童年了。

用户搜索

疯狂英语 英语语法 新概念英语 走遍美国 四级听力 英语音标 英语入门 发音 美语 四级 新东方 七年级 赖世雄 zero是什么意思上海市龙馨嘉园英语学习交流群

  • 频道推荐
  • |
  • 全站推荐
  • 推荐下载
  • 网站推荐