书虫6级《名利场》第八章: 女主人公们的命运浮沉

Mrs Rawdon Crawley knew that to gain acceptance into the highest society, she must be presented to the King at court. After she had made her curtsy to the highest person in the land, the noble families of England would be obliged, however unwillingly, to recognize her.

罗顿·克劳利夫人明白，要获得最上流社会承认，她必须进宫觐见国王。等她向这块土地上地位最高的人行过屈膝礼后，英格兰的贵族家庭即使再不情愿也得承认她。

"It is an excellent meal, my dear Rebecca," said Sir Pitt. "But everything you do, you do well."

“这顿饭美味极了，我亲爱的丽贝卡。”皮特爵士说，“不过，你做什么事都做得好。”

Her sister-in-law, Lady Jane, being from a noble family, was the ideal person to present Becky at court, so Becky made herself very agreeable to Sir Pitt when he was in London. She helped him write his political speeches, and discussed political events with him. She introduced him to important gentlemen at her parties, and he was deeply impressed by Becky's friendly relationship with the wealthy Lord Steyne. He had no idea that behind his back Becky made fun of him to the great Lord.

她的妯娌简女士出身贵族家庭，是在宫廷引见她的最佳人选，因此皮特爵士在伦敦的时候，贝姬对他非常热情周到。她帮他写政治演说稿，和他讨论政治事件。在她的聚会上，她把他介绍给有地位的绅士。贝姬与富有的斯泰恩勋爵关系之友好，给他留下了十分深刻的印象。他完全没想到，贝姬在背后拿他和勋爵打趣。

While his house in Great Gaunt Street was being made ready for his family, Sir Pitt stayed in Curzon Street, where Becky daily fussed over his comfort. One evening she even cooked a little supper for him with her own hands.

皮特爵士位于大冈特街的家宅还在收拾以备他一家入住时，他就住在柯曾大街，贝姬每天忙忙碌碌照顾他的起居。有天晚上，她竟然亲自为他做了一顿便餐。

"A poor man's wife," Becky replied cheerfully, "must make herself useful, you know."

“你知道，穷人的妻子，”贝姬愉快地回答，“必须会家务。”

And later, sitting by the fire, Becky let him talk, listening to him with kindly interest and sewing a shirt for her dear little son. Whenever she wished to appear a model of wifely goodness, this little shirt was brought out of her sewing-box. It was too small for Rawdy long before it was finished.

饭后，贝姬坐在壁炉边，一边饶有兴致地听他讲话，一边为她亲爱的孩子缝一件衬衫。每当她想表现出一副模范妻子的样子时，就会把这件小衫从针线匣里取出来。小衫还没缝完，罗迪早已长大，穿不进去了。

"You could be the wife of a king, with all your skills," Sir Pitt said. He thought to himself how Rawdon was a foolish, dull fellow, who didn't appreciate his brilliant wife; and how pretty Becky looked, sitting opposite him at the table.

“以你现在的能力，你都可以做国王的妻子了。”皮特爵士说。他心想，罗顿是个多么愚蠢、迟钝的家伙，不懂欣赏自己优秀的妻子。而且，坐在桌子对面的贝姬看上去多漂亮啊。

When the house in Great Gaunt Street was ready and Lady Jane had moved in, Becky would call on her from time to time, but in general the two women saw little of each other. Sir Pitt, however, found time to see his sister-in-law daily, and was a regular guest at her evening parties.

大冈特街的房子就绪后，简女士搬了进去。贝姬会时不时上门拜访，但总体来说，这两位女性很少见到对方。然而，皮特爵士每天都抽出时间去见他的弟媳，是她家晚会上的常客。

In the middle of these fine parties and brilliant people, Colonel Rawdon found himself more isolated every day. He was rarely required for social duties these days, and would often walk round to Gaunt Street with young Rawdy, and sit with Lady Jane and the children. He was glad to be given small jobs to do -- taking messages, helping with the children's dinner. The brave and daring young soldier of ten years before had become a dull, lazy, obedient, middle-aged gentleman.

在这些讲究的聚会上，罗顿上校身处一群杰出人士之中，觉得自己日渐孤立。这些日子以来，他很少被要求参加社交应酬，因此就常和小罗迪一起走到大冈特街，陪简女士及孩子们坐坐。他很乐意被指派点小事做，比如传个信，帮忙给孩子们做饭等等。十年前那个勇武的年轻军人已经变成了一个沉闷、懒惰又恭顺的中年绅士。

At last Becky's kindness and attention to the head of her husband's family were given their due reward, and the great day came when Sir Pitt's carriage arrived in Curzon Street to take Mrs Rawdon Crawley and her husband to meet the King.

最终，贝姬对夫家族长的亲切接待与关注得到了应有的回报，那个重大的日子终于来临：皮特爵士的马车抵达柯曾大街，接罗顿·克劳利夫人及其丈夫去觐见国王。

And poor Lady Jane knew that her husband had become a victim of Becky's charm, although when they met, she and Mrs Rawdon still behaved as though they were the best of friends.

可怜的简女士明白，她丈夫已经沦为贝姬的俘虏，尽管她和罗顿夫人见面时，两人表现得好像还是非常好的朋友一样。

Becky's dress that day put the dresses of all other women in the shade, as even Lady Jane was forced to admit.

贝姬那天的礼服令其他所有女性的礼服黯然失色，即使简女士也不得不承认这点。

Becky blushed a little, and looked at him hard. Pitt Crawley blushed too, and looked uneasy. He had given her a little bracelet himself -- but had failed to mention this fact to his wife.

贝姬脸有些涨红，定定地望着他。皮特·克劳利也脸红了，显得拘谨不安。他本人给过她一只小手镯，不过从没跟自己的妻子提起过。

Becky smiled at Rawdon. "Guess!" she said. "Where do you think I got them, you silly man? I hired them, of course."

贝姬向罗顿微笑着说：“你猜！你觉得我是从哪儿得到的，傻瓜？当然是租的了。”

Becky's diamonds, however, never returned to any hire-shop. They were later locked away in a secret little desk that she had, and Rawdon knew nothing about the diamonds which shone on his wife's neck that day.

不过，贝姬的钻石从未归还给任何租借的店铺，之后都被她锁进一张秘密的小桌子里。罗顿对那天他妻子颈上闪亮钻石的来历一无所知。

And the diamonds…"Where the devil did you get the diamonds, Becky?" said her husband, admiring the jewels which sparkled on her arms and neck with great brilliance.

还有钻石……“你究竟从哪儿弄到的钻石，贝姬？”她丈夫说，对她手臂和脖子上闪耀着夺目光芒的珠宝赞叹不已。

And so began Becky's victory over her enemies. How angrily did those grand ladies now send their cards of invitation to Mrs Rawdon Crawley! How they smiled at her, tight-lipped and with icy stares! How Becky's eyes sparkled with delight at their silent and terrible fury! And the more the ladies hated her, the more the gentlemen were devoted in their admiration. Hungarian princes sighed over her little hand, government ministers begged her to sing to them at evening parties, handsome young men competed with each other to fetch her shawl, to hold her carriage door, to write poems in praise of her bright eyes.

贝姬战胜了她的敌人们，战果开始显现：现在，那些贵妇人是怀着多么愤恨的心情在给罗顿·克劳利夫人送邀请名片啊；她们对她微笑的时候，嘴唇紧抿，眼神多么冰冷！面对她们沉默可怕的怒火，贝姬多么愉快地双眼放光！女士们越憎恨她，男士们就越衷心地仰慕她。匈牙利王子们叹息着亲吻她的小手；政府大臣们恳求她在晚会上为他们演唱；英俊的年轻人争相为她取披肩，为她打开马车门，写诗赞美她明亮的双眸。

But Lord Steyne knew where the jewels came from, and who paid for them. As he bowed over Becky's hand in the royal rooms that day, he gave her a knowing smile, which was returned. And many people there noted the particular attention that the great Lord Steyne paid to the Colonel's little wife.

但是，斯泰恩勋爵知道珠宝的来历，也知道是谁付的钱。那天在王宫中，他躬身吻手行礼时对她会意地微笑，她也以微笑回报。许多人都注意到斯泰恩勋爵对上校的娇妻格外关注。

Lord Steyne was amused by Becky's victorious social progress. "It won't last," he told her. "You can't compete with them for long, you silly little fool. You have no money."

贝姬在社交场上的胜利令斯泰恩勋爵颇觉有趣。“不会长久的。”他告诉她，“你跟她们斗不长，你这小傻瓜。你没有钱。”

"I can't send her away," Becky said sadly, when she had gone.

“我不能把她打发走。”等她离开后，贝姬伤心地说。

Becky turned her big green eyes on him and sighed. "You must get my husband a position," she said, "as soon as possible."

贝姬瞪着绿色的大眼睛望着他，叹了口气。“您必须给我丈夫谋个职位。”她说，“越快越好。”

Miss Briggs, seated at the work-table at the back of the room, looked up nervously at the sound of his fierce voice. Lord Steyne saw her looking, and turned angrily to Becky.

布里格斯小姐坐在房间后头的工作台旁边，听到他暴躁的声音便紧张地抬起头来。斯泰恩勋爵看见她在往这边望，生气地转向贝姬。

"All women are the same," said the noble Lord. "Wanting this, demanding that. None of it is worth having."

“所有女人都一样。”高贵的勋爵说，“不是要这，就是要那。没一样是值得的。”

Becky laughed, but a little later suggested to Miss Briggs that she took Rawdy out for a walk in the park.

贝姬笑了笑。但过了一会儿，她示意布里格斯小姐带罗迪去公园散步。

"Yes, and worse than that," said Becky. "I have ruined her. I have borrowed all her savings, and can't pay a penny back. My husband would kill me if he knew."

“是，还有更糟的。”贝姬说，“我让她倾家荡产了。我借走了她所有的积蓄，但是一分钱也还不了。我丈夫要是知道了，会杀了我的。”

"You owe her her wages, I suppose?" said Lord Steyne.

“我猜，你欠她工钱？”斯泰恩勋爵说。

"Why don't you get rid of your watch-dog?" he growled.

“你怎么还不打发走你的看门狗？”他恶狠狠地说。

There was a brief silence. "Damned fool!" said the Lord. "How much is it?"

屋子里一时寂静无声。“该死的笨蛋！”勋爵说，“多少钱？”

Becky thought about the size of Lord Steyne's fortune, and mentioned an amount twice the size of the debt to Miss Briggs. Lord Steyne swore again, at which Becky held her head down and began to cry bitterly. Lord Steyne then took his hat and left.

想了想斯泰恩勋爵的财产规模，贝姬提了一个数目，是欠布里格斯小姐的债务的两倍。斯泰恩勋爵又骂了一句，贝姬听了后垂下头，开始痛哭起来。随后，斯泰恩勋爵取了帽子离开了。

On the way home she stopped to buy a handsome black silk dress for Miss Briggs. She called into the landlord's house and gave him fifty pounds on account, and did the same at the stables where she hired her carriages. The one note that the bank had given her she locked away in her secret little desk.

回家途中，她停下来为布里格斯小姐买了一条漂亮的黑色丝质连衣裙。她去房东家，还了他五十英镑的赊账，然后去租马车的马厩也还了五十英镑。银行给她的那一张大票子，她锁进了秘密小桌子里。

That night Becky received a note with Lord Steyne's signature, and an instruction to his bankers. In the morning she hurried to the bank. How will you take the money, madam? A hundred and fifty pounds in small notes, and the rest in one note.

那天晚上，贝姬收到了一张有斯泰恩勋爵亲笔签名的短笺，还有给银行经理的指示。第二天一早，她赶到银行。您想如何取这笔钱呢，夫人？一百五十英镑的小额票子，其余的一张大票。

Becky hardly noticed that her son had gone. Nor did she notice her husband's unhappiness. She was too busy thinking about her position, her pleasures, her advancement in society.

贝姬几乎没注意到她儿子的离开，也没注意到丈夫的不开心。她忙着算计她的地位，如何玩乐，怎么能继续往上爬。

Lord Steyne continued to be generous to the Crawley family. He pointed out to the parents that it was time young Rawdy was sent away to a good school, and when the father said he could not pay the fees, Lord Steyne offered to take care of the matter. Rawdon agreed to the plan for his son's sake, but he missed the boy greatly, and was sad and lonely when he had gone.

对克劳利一家，斯泰恩勋爵继续慷慨解囊。他向这对父母指出，是该送小罗迪去上一所好学校的时候了。当父亲的说他付不起学费，斯泰恩勋爵提出愿意解决此事。为了儿子好，罗顿同意了这个安排，但是他非常想念儿子。儿子走后，他既伤心又孤独。

He arranged a pleasant, well-paid job for Miss Briggs in one of his country houses. Miss Briggs was delighted with the plan, and Rawdon was glad that Miss Briggs would at last receive some wages, even if the debt to her was still unpaid. But he was uneasy in his mind. His brother shared his unease.

他给布里格斯小姐在他的一处乡村别墅里安排了一份薪水优厚的好工作。布里格斯小姐对这个安排很满意。罗顿也感到高兴，因为布里格斯小姐终于能领到一些薪水了，尽管他欠她的钱仍然没还。但是，他心里感到不安。他哥哥和他有同样的担心。

Having got rid of the child, Lord Steyne suggested before long that there was no further need for Miss Briggs in the Crawley household. He found out from the lady herself how Becky had deceived him about the money, and this amused him greatly.

把孩子打发走以后，斯泰恩勋爵很快又建议，布里格斯小姐没必要再待在克劳利家里了。他从这位女士处发现贝姬骗了他的钱，这让他觉得有趣极了。

"People are talking about you," he said. "These wild young men of fashion who visit you, the fact that Lord Steyne's carriage is always at your door -- it's not only your reputation that suffers, but that of the whole Crawley family. I am the head of the family and I beg you, I command you, to be more careful."

“人们都在谈论你。”他说，“时髦放荡的年轻人常来拜访你，而且斯泰恩勋爵的马车总停在你家门前。不仅是你的 名誉受损，整个克劳利家族的声誉也会受损。我是一家之长，我请求你，我命令你，处事更加谨慎一些。”

In fact, Sir Pitt was so alarmed that he went to see Becky and came close to a quarrel with his once admired sister-in-law.

实际上，由于太过忧虑此事，皮特爵士去见了贝姬，还差点和他仰慕过的弟媳吵起来。

"Rebecca should not receive guests without a companion," Sir Pitt said. "You must be with her, Rawdon, at all times."

“没有女伴，丽贝卡不能接待宾客。”皮特爵士说，“你必须和她在一起，罗顿，无论什么时候。”

"What a clever little devil she is!" he thought. "I'm a fool compared to her. She's the best liar I have ever met!"

“她是个多么聪明的小妖精啊！”他想，“跟她比我就是个傻瓜。她是我见过的最厉害的骗子。”

Rawdon, aware of his brother's anger, became more watchful. He stopped gambling and stayed at home. He went with Becky to all her parties. Whenever Lord Steyne visited, he was sure to find the Colonel there.

罗顿知道他兄长的怒气，变得更加留心。他不再赌博而待在家里。他陪着贝姬参加所有聚会。无论斯泰恩勋爵何时到访，他肯定会看到上校。

Tears, smiles, excuses -- nothing would calm Sir Pitt, and Becky promised everything Pitt wanted; but Lord Steyne came to her house as often as ever, and Sir Pitt's anger increased.

眼泪，笑容，借口——没有什么能让皮特爵士平静下来。皮特的要求贝姬全都一一答应，但斯泰恩勋爵还和以前一样频繁拜访她家。皮特爵士的怒气与日俱增。

Becky was charmed by Rawdon's attention. "How much nicer it is to have you by my side than foolish old Briggs!" she said. "How happy we would be, if we only had money."

罗顿的关注令贝姬着迷。“你在我身边可比愚蠢的老布里格斯好多了！”她说，“如果我们有钱，我们会多开心啊！”

It was like the early days of their marriage over again, and Rawdon wondered why he had ever had suspicions. She was fond of him; she always had been. As for her shining in society, it was no fault of hers; she was made to shine. Was there any woman who could talk, or sing, or do anything like her?

就像回到了新婚时的日子，罗顿奇怪自己为什么会心存疑虑。她喜欢他，一如既往。至于她在社交圈大放光彩，那也不是她的错。她注定会崭露头角。有哪位女性能有她那样的谈吐，能像她那样唱歌或行事的？

At one grand party at Lord Steyne's house, when a very Royal person was present, Rawdon was reminded yet again of his wife's social success. It was a night when charades were played, and Becky acted the part of Clytemnestra, a Greek queen of long ago who murdered her husband. The style and brilliance of her acting delighted the guests. The company roared their admiration, the Royal person said she was perfection itself, and the great and noble Lord Steyne bowed low before her.

在斯泰恩勋爵家举办的一场盛大舞会上，一位王室成员也出席了，罗顿再一次领略到他妻子在社交场上的成功。晚上玩猜谜游戏，贝姬扮演克吕泰涅斯特拉，一位谋害丈夫的古希腊王后。她的表演风格和精彩演技令来宾们大为赞赏。他们为她欢呼，那位王室成员说她本人就是完美的化身。伟大而又高贵的斯泰恩勋爵在贝姬面前深深鞠了个躬。

Rawdon threw away his cigar. He knew exactly what was happening to him, because it had happened to him before. He was being arrested for debt.

罗顿扔掉雪茄。他知道发生了什么事，因为他以前也遇到过这种情况。他因为欠债被捕了。

Rawdon looked round.

罗顿回过头看。

"Excuse me, Colonel, I wish to speak to you."

“打扰了，上校，我想和您谈谈。”

"There's three of us. No use running," the man said.

“我们有三个人。逃跑是没用的。”那人说。

He did not notice the men following him until one of them, touching him on the shoulder, said,

他没注意到有人跟着他，直到其中一人拍他的肩膀，说：

In the quiet suburb of London where the Sedleys lived, debt was not unknown either. There came a time when Joseph's money from India stopped coming through, and the Sedleys could no longer pay their bills. The knowledge was kept from Amelia for quite a while, though anxiety about their debts made old Mrs Sedley sharp-tongued and bitter, and often critical of Amelia's efforts at kindness and of her pride in her child.

塞德利一家居住在安静的伦敦郊区，对他们来说，债务也不是陌生的字眼。从某个时候开始，约瑟夫就不再从印度汇钱，以至于塞德利一家无法付清欠款。很长一段时间内，阿梅莉亚对此毫不知情。但由于担心他们的债务，塞德利老夫人变得尖酸刻薄，对阿梅莉亚表现出的善意以及对儿子的自豪，经常批评挑剔。

Rawdon Crawley was frightened by Becky's success. It seemed to separate his wife from him further than ever. He thought, with a feeling very like pain, how much above him she was. At the end of the evening he put his wife into the carriage, and decided to go home himself on foot, enjoying a cigar as he walked.

看到贝姬如此成功，罗顿·克劳利心里惶恐起来，觉得她离自己更远了。一想到她的地位比自己高这么多，他就有一种类似于痛苦的感觉。那夜末了，他把妻子送上马车后，决定自己走路回家，顺便在路上抽支雪茄。

Georgy was now a schoolboy, though it had given Amelia great pain to release him from her care, to mix with rough boys and to be scolded by stern schoolteachers. It was a little local school (run by a friend of Amelia's constant admirer, Mr Linton), and Georgy loved it, doing well at all his lessons and coming home in the evenings with boastful stories of this and that -- all of which were believed by his fond mother.

乔基已经到了上学的年纪，虽然阿梅莉亚舍不得儿子离开自己身边，但还是让他去上学了。乔基现在和粗野的男孩子们待在一起，还要受到严厉教师的责骂，这都让她非常心痛。那是一所地方小学校（由阿梅莉亚的忠实仰慕者林顿先生的一位朋友经营），乔基喜欢学校，他门门功课都不错，每晚回家都吹嘘自己这样那样的事迹，深爱着他的母亲对这些故事深信不疑。

"Do let Georgy spend the day with me next Saturday," she said to Amelia one day. "Miss Osborne is coming to visit, and I know she'd love to see her brother's son. And who knows, perhaps the boy's grandfather will do something for him one day."

“请务必让乔基下周六和我玩一天吧。”一天，她对阿梅莉亚说，“奥斯本小姐要来拜访，我知道她很想见见她的侄子。而且，谁知道呢，没准儿孩子的祖父将来会为他做点什么。”

Miss Dobbin followed Georgy's progress with interest, and was keen to be helpful, well aware how poor the Sedleys were.

多宾小姐关注着乔基的成长。深知塞德利家是多么贫困，她积极地施以援手。

There was a long friendship between the Dobbin and Osborne families. The younger Osborne sister was now married, but the elder, Miss Jane Osborne, still lived at home with her father, old Mr Osborne, whose violent temper and black moods had grown worse year by year since his son's death at Waterloo. Miss Osborne led a sad, gloomy life, and was always asking her friend Miss Dobbin for news of her young nephew.

多宾和奥斯本两家交情不浅。奥斯本家两姐妹中的妹妹现已出嫁，但是姐姐简·奥斯本小姐仍和父亲住在一起。自从儿子在滑铁卢战死，老奥斯本先生的暴脾气和坏情绪也一年胜过一年。奥斯本小姐过着愁苦、抑郁的生活，一直向她的朋友多宾小姐问起小侄子的情况。

"What's the matter?" old Mr Osborne growled at last.

“怎么了？”老奥斯本先生终于粗暴地问。

Soon Georgy told his mother about another visitor at the house on a day he spent with Miss Dobbin.

不久后，乔基告诉他母亲，有一天他在多宾小姐家时，见到了另外一位客人。

The meeting took place, and Georgy charmed his aunt, as he did all the women in his life. Miss Osborne, at the dinner table with her father that night, could not hide her emotion.

姑侄见了面，乔基令他姑姑着了迷，就像他迷住身边所有女性一样。当天晚上，奥斯本小姐与她父亲同桌吃饭时，掩饰不住自己的感情。

The old man did not say a word, but his hands trembled, and he sat staring at the table for a long time.

老人一言不发，但是双手直哆嗦。他盯着饭桌，呆坐了很久。

It was a visit from a lawyer, with a letter from Mr Osborne, read aloud in the lawyer's dry voice.

一位律师拿着奥斯本先生的信来访，他用冷冰冰的声调大声读出信的内容。

Georgy's aunt burst into tears. "Oh sir," she said. "I've seen little George. He's such a beautiful boy -- and so like his father!"

乔基的姑姑潸然泪下。“唉，先生。”她说，“我见过小乔基了。他长得多么漂亮，多么像他的父亲啊！”

"An old gentleman came today," the boy said. "He watched when I had my riding lesson with Miss Dobbin's coachman. He had very thick eyebrows, and he stared and stared at me."

“今天来了位老先生。”男孩说，“他看着我和多宾小姐的马车夫上骑术课。他的眉毛特别粗，而且他一直盯着我看呀看。”

Then Amelia knew that the boy had seen his grandfather, and she waited fearfully to see what would happen next.

阿梅莉亚即刻知道，孩子见到了自己的祖父。她满怀恐惧地等着接下来会发生的事。

"Mr Osborne offers to take his grandson George, who will then inherit the fortune which would have gone to his father. He will also give Mrs Amelia Osborne a regular allowance, to enable her and her family to live in comfort. If she marries again, as is said to be likely, this allowance will still continue. In return, the boy will live with Mr Osborne, who will permit him to visit his mother occasionally in her own home."

“奥斯本先生提出由他抚养孙子乔基，乔基将会继承本应由其父继承的财产。奥斯本先生也会定期给阿梅莉亚·奥斯本夫人一笔钱，使她与家人生活无忧。如果她再婚，据说有可能发生，这笔钱仍会继续支付。作为回报，男孩将和奥斯本先生住在一起，他会允准男孩间或去她家中拜访。”

Her parents were not present at this interview, and nothing was said at the time. But it soon became clearer than ever that there were financial difficulties. Dinners became smaller and meaner; both the old people wore worried frowns all the time.

这次会见发生时她父母不在场，当时她也没说什么。但是不久后，情况愈发明显：家里遇到了经济困难。饭菜越做越少，越来越简单。两位老人终日愁眉深锁。

Amelia was rarely angry, but today she stood up, tore this letter into a hundred pieces, and threw them on the floor.

阿梅莉亚很少动怒，但今天她站起身，把信撕得粉碎，扔在地上。

"Marry again! Take money -- to part from my child! Who dares to insult me in this way? Tell Mr Osborne it is a cowardly letter. I will not answer it. Good day, sir!"

“再婚！拿钱——和我的孩子分开！谁敢这么侮辱我？告诉奥斯本先生，这是封可鄙的信，我不会回复的。再见，先生！”

The widow's pension that Amelia received (which, unknown to her, had been increased by payments from Dobbin) was not large. Amelia had always paid part of it to her parents, but this left little to spend on Georgy. And Georgy must have presents. Georgy must have a new suit every Christmas. Georgy must have everything that other boys at the school had.

阿梅莉亚收到的遗孀抚恤金并不多（她不知道，多宾还往里添了钱）。她总是拿出一部分交给父母，这样剩下能用在乔基身上的钱就少得可怜了。乔基必须有礼物。乔基每年圣诞节必须有一套新衣服。学校里其他男孩有的东西，乔基一定都得有。

At Christmas Georgy complained loudly at not having a new suit. Desperate to please him, Amelia sold Dobbin's Indian shawl in order to buy Georgy some books he wanted.

圣诞节时，乔基大声抱怨没有新衣服。阿梅莉亚急于取悦他，就把多宾送的印度披肩卖了，买了一些他想要的书。

"Books!" cried the old lady. "Books! When we need food!"

“书！”老太太大叫，“书！在我们需要食物的时候！”

How selfish she had been! One word from her, and Georgy could be rich, and she could save her parents. But she could not bear it, no, no… she could not bear to lose her son.

她是多么自私啊！只要她一句话，乔基就能变得富有，她就能挽救她的双亲。但是她受不了，不，不……她不能忍受失去自己的儿子。

"Books for Georgy," Amelia said. "I promised them to him."

“给乔基的书。”阿梅莉亚说，“我答应给他的。”

"I'll give you everything, mother, all the money I have!"

“母亲，我把一切都给您，所有的钱都给您！”

She fetched all her little store of money, pushed it into her mother's hand, and ran weeping back to her room.

她取来自己那一点点积蓄，塞进她母亲的手里，哭着跑回了自己的房间。

"I've had to sell everything I own," her mother said furiously, "just to pay the rent, and to keep your dear father out of prison. Jos hasn't sent us any money for months and months, and now you buy books -- books! -- for your son."

“我已经把自己所有的东西都卖了。”她母亲大怒，“就为了付房租，为了不让你亲爱的父亲进监狱。乔斯已经好长时间没给我们一分钱了，现在你还买书——书！——给你的儿子。”

"What are those?" she said.

“那些是什么？”她问。

"You're too selfish to care about anyone except your son! And he could be rich -- he could have whatever he wants, but you will not part with him." Mrs Sedley was now crying bitterly. "Amelia, you break my heart!"

“你太自私了，除了你儿子，谁都不关心！他本可以变得富有，可以想要什么就有什么，可是你不愿意和他分开。”塞德利夫人开始伤心地哭起来，“阿梅莉亚，你太让我伤心了！”

"Oh, mother, mother! Why didn't you tell me?"

“哎呀，母亲啊，母亲！您为什么不告诉我啊？”

"Oh, mother, I -- I sold my Indian shawl to get the money."

“啊，母亲，我——我卖了我的印度披肩换的钱。”

Mrs Sedley saw her putting the new books on Georgy's table.

塞德利夫人看见她把新书摆到乔基的书桌上。

"It's no good, Emmy my dear," he whispered. "Jos still sends the money to his agent in London, but it has to go straight to the money-lender, to pay back all the money I borrowed." He turned his face away from her. "You'll hate your old father now."

“那没有用的，我亲爱的埃米。”他低声说，“乔斯还在给他伦敦的经纪人寄钱，不过这些钱不得不直接给放贷人，偿还我的欠债。”他把脸扭向一边。“你现在要恨你的老父亲了。”

"Oh, no, papa!" Amelia threw her arms around him. "You are always good and kind. You tried your best. It's not the money, it's just that -- that…" She kissed him wildly, and ran away.

“啊，不，爸爸！”阿梅莉亚搂住他，“您一向善良体贴。您已经尽力了。不是因为钱，只是——只是——”她热切地亲了亲他，然后就跑开了。

It all seemed to happen very quickly. Letters were written, arrangements made, legal documents signed. Georgy himself was pleased and excited by the change, boasting to the boys at school that he was going to be rich and live in a big house and have a carriage and a horse and would buy cakes for all his friends.

所有一切似乎都发生得很快。信件往来，协议达成，法律文件签署。乔基本人对这样的变化既欢喜又兴奋。他向学校其他男孩子们吹嘘，他将会变得富有，住在大房子里，拥有一驾马车和一匹马，他会给他所有的朋友买蛋糕吃。

It was over. The battle was lost, the boy must go from her -- to others, to forget her. Her joy, hope, love, her whole life. She must give him up.

一切都结束了。这场仗打输了，孩子必须离开她——到别人那里，把她遗忘。他是她的欢乐、希望、爱和全部的生命。她不得不放弃他。

She tried every way she could think of to earn some money, but she had no skills, and every attempt failed. She wrote to Jos in India, begging him to continue sending money to her parents. One night, finding her father alone and sad in the sitting-room, she tried to comfort him by telling him she had written to Jos, but her father's face turned white with terror.

她把能想到的挣钱方法都试过了，但她没有一技之长，所有努力均告失败。她给身在印度的乔斯写信，求他继续给父母寄钱。一天晚上，她看见父亲独自坐在起居室里，神情沮丧。为了安慰他，她说她已经给乔斯写信。但父亲却吓得面色惨白。

When this letter arrived in India, Dobbin left it unopened for a few days because his sister's letters usually depressed him. She was always getting her facts wrong, and it was not long ago that he had received Amelia's letter congratulating him on his future marriage. This had upset him deeply, and alone and sleepless in the hot Indian night, he had spoken out loud to her in his room.

这封信抵达印度时，多宾好些天没有打开来看，因为他妹妹的信通常都让他心情郁闷。她总是颠倒黑白。不久前他刚收到阿梅莉亚的信，恭喜他即将结婚。这让他难过极了。在印度炎热的晚上，他夜不成寐，独自在房间里大声对她表白。

These were not happy memories, but returning to his rooms late one evening, Dobbin decided he must open his sister's letter.

这些回忆并不美好，但是一天深夜回屋时，他决定打开他妹妹的信。

So Georgy left his mother, with a cheerful smile on his face, and a promise to come and see her often.

于是，乔基带着开心的笑容离开了他的母亲。他许诺会常回来看她。

Poor Amelia! Nobody really understood the misery she felt at giving away her son: not her parents, nor her friends, and certainly not Miss Dobbin, who wrote to her brother with this and other news -- though where she got the other news from was not at all clear.

可怜的阿梅莉亚！没有人真正理解她放弃儿子的痛苦：她父母和朋友都不理解，更别提多宾小姐了。多宾小姐给她哥哥的信里提到了这件事和另外一个消息，至于这另外一个消息她是从哪里获得的就不得而知了。

"Good God, Amelia! Don't you know that I only love you in the world? You, whom I cared for through months of illness and sorrow, and who said goodbye to me with a smile on your face, and forgot me before the door shut behind me!"

“老天啊，阿梅莉亚！难道你不明白这个世界上我只爱你吗？你数月缠绵病榻，心情哀伤，我照看你。你微笑着向我道别，我身后的门还没关上，你已经把我忘了！”

"What is it, Dob, my boy? Is there a fire? What is it?"

“怎么了，多布，我的孩子？着火了吗？怎么了？”

MY DEAR WILLIAM -- Have you heard the news about your old friend, Mrs Osborne? Her son Georgy, a fine boy though very spoiled, has gone to live with his grandfather, Mr Osborne. Amelia is probably not too unhappy about giving him up as she is about to marry again -- a doctor's assistant, I believe. Not a very good marriage, but Mrs O. is not as young as she was…

我亲爱的威廉：你听说你的老朋友奥斯本夫人的消息了吗？她儿子乔基——一个不错的男孩子，尽管娇惯过头——已经去和他祖父奥斯本先生一起生活了。阿梅莉亚放弃他大概不会太难过，因为她就快再婚了。据我所知，是嫁给一个医生助理。这不是一桩理想的婚姻，不过奥斯本夫人已不像以前那样年轻了……

Dobbin threw the letter down and rushed out of the house. A few minutes later he was banging on his commander's door.

多宾丢下信，冲出了屋子。几分钟后，他开始重重地敲他长官的门。

"I must go back to England," Dobbin shouted. "On the most urgent private business! I must leave tonight!"

“我必须回英格兰。”多宾大吼，“十万火急的私事！我今晚必须离开！”

A window opened above him, and the Colonel's head looked out. He was a good-hearted Irishman, popular with his men.

他头顶上的一扇窗户打开了，上校的头探了出来。他是个好心肠的爱尔兰人，他的士兵们都爱戴他。

"Colonel!" he shouted. "I must have permission to leave!"

“上校！”他大吼，“我必须请假离开！”