书虫6级《名利场》第十章: 多宾少校印度归来

Georgy Osborne enjoyed his new life at his grandfather's house in Russell Square. His good looks and bright, cheerful nature pleased the old man very much, and Mr Osborne was soon as proud of his grandson as he had been of his son.

乔基·奥斯本喜欢在拉塞尔广场祖父家的新生活。他相貌英俊，性格开朗活泼，让老人十分高兴。很快，奥斯本先生就以孙子为荣，正如他当年以儿子为荣一样。

In Russell Square everybody was afraid of Mr Osborne, and Mr Osborne was afraid of Georgy, who ruled his new home like a king. He was clever and better educated than his grandfather, and had little respect for the old man, whose manners were rude and rough. Mr Osborne spoiled Georgy, admired him, and laughed with delight at his commanding ways.

在拉塞尔广场，大家都害怕奥斯本先生，而奥斯本先生害怕乔基，乔基像国王一样统治着这个新家。他很聪明，比他祖父受的教育多，对这个粗俗的老人不怎么尊重。奥斯本先生溺爱乔基，夸奖他，乔基的颐指气使总逗得他哈哈大笑。

The boy had many more luxuries and comforts than had been given to his father. Mr Osborne's wealth had increased greatly in recent years, and he had ambitious plans for his grandson, who was sent to an expensive little school, and who wore the finest clothes any young gentleman was ever seen in -- even his shirts had little jewelled buttons. The neat, plain shirts that his mother had sewn for him with such loving care were never worn -- Miss Osborne gave them to the coachman's boy.

男孩获得的奢侈享受比他父亲当年有过之而无不及。近几年，奥斯本先生的财富大大增加，他给孙子作了雄心勃勃的安排，送他去上学费昂贵的小学校，让他穿小绅士能穿上的最好的衣服，连他的衬衫都有小颗的宝石纽扣。他母亲满怀爱心为他缝制的干净朴素的衬衫，他从来没穿过——奥斯本小姐把它们送给了车夫的儿子。

"Did you ever see a boy like him?" he would often say. "Drinks his wine at dinner like a lord! Oh, he's a fine little gentleman!"

“见过像他这样的男孩吗？”他常说，“晚餐喝酒像个勋爵一样！啊，他是个高贵的小绅士了！”

After breakfast, Georgy would sit in the armchair reading the newspaper, just like a grown-up man. He even had his personal servant, who would bring him his letters on a silver tray.

吃完早餐，乔基会像个大人一样，坐在扶手椅里读报。他甚至有自己的贴身仆人，仆人会用银托盘呈上他的信。

But despite all this, Georgy was still a good-natured boy, and still fond of his mother. On one of his regular visits he eagerly pulled a red leather case out of his pocket and gave it to her.

尽管如此，乔基仍然是个品性善良的男孩，仍然爱着自己的母亲。一次例行拜访中，他急切地从口袋里掏出一个红色皮匣，送给他妈妈。

"I bought it with my own money, mama," he said. "I thought you'd like it."

“我用自己的钱买的，妈妈。”他说，“我想你会喜欢。”

There was little else in her life to give her much joy. Not long after Georgy went to live with Mr Osborne, Mrs Sedley fell ill. She was a difficult patient, but Amelia was always at her bedside, always ready with a gentle answer to that complaining voice, always offering a daughter's loving kindness in exchange for the hard words she received.

她的生活中没有什么其他事让她高兴了。乔基去和奥斯本先生住之后不久，塞德利夫人病了。她是个难以伺候的病人，但阿梅莉亚总是守在她的床边，无论她怎么抱怨，阿梅莉亚都温柔回应；无论听到什么难听的话，阿梅莉亚都用女儿的爱心关怀去对待。

Amelia opened the case, and giving a cry of delight, seized the boy and covered him with kisses. It was a miniature painting of Georgy. His grandfather had had a painting of the boy done by a famous artist, and Georgy asked the artist to make a little copy of the painting. It made Amelia so happy, this little picture. She wept and laughed over it, slept with it under her pillow, and kissed it a hundred times a day.

阿梅莉亚打开匣子，发出一声欢呼，她一把拉过孩子，吻个不停。那是一张乔基的小像。孩子的祖父请一位名画家画孩子的肖像，乔基让画家再复制一张小版的。这张小画像太让阿梅莉亚开心了。她对着它又哭又笑，睡觉时放在枕头底下，一天要吻上一百遍。

Major Dobbin had easily obtained permission from his good-natured commander to return to England. He travelled night and day across country to the port, where he was struck down by a fever that nearly killed him. He lay at the edge of death for a long time, and it was many, many weeks before he was able to take the ship for home. He was as thin as a stick and as weak as a baby, but the long sea journey gave him back his health and strength.

多宾少校轻而易举地获得了他好心肠的长官的许可，返回英格兰。他一路日夜兼程赶往港口，不料在那里发起高烧，差点要了他的命。他在鬼门关徘徊了很久，又过了很长很长时间之后才能坐船回国。他瘦得像根竹竿，弱得像个婴儿，但是漫长的海上旅行让他逐渐恢复了健康和体力。

When they had buried the old lady, Amelia's father became totally dependent on his daughter. He was a sad old man, with a shaky memory, his mind often wandering in the past, but Amelia did everything she could to make her old father happy. And so the days went by, with Georgy's visits the only bright points in Amelia's dull, dutiful life.

他们安葬这位老妇人之后，阿梅莉亚的父亲变得完全依靠女儿了。他是个悲伤的老人，记性差多了，脑子里常常都是过去的事，阿梅莉亚尽她所能让老父亲开心。日子一天天过去，只有乔基的拜访能给她恪尽孝道的单调生活增添一抹亮色。

The journey also gave him a most unexpected companion -- no other than Joseph Sedley, the brother of the woman whose name Dobbin had murmured so often during his long illness.

他的海上旅行还有一个意想不到的同伴——不是别人，正是约瑟夫·塞德利，多宾长期卧病时口中念念不忘的那个女子的哥哥。

Our old friend Jos, after ten years with the East India Company, was sailing home, richer, but otherwise unchanged. Many a night, as the ship was cutting through the roaring dark sea, the moon and stars shining overhead, Jos and the Major would sit talking of home. And with great skill and cunning the Major always brought the talk round to the subject of Amelia.

我们的老朋友乔斯，为东印度公司工作了十年后，搭船回国了。他除了更富有以外，没什么其他变化。无数个夜晚，当船在漆黑的海面上劈波斩浪时，乔斯和少校会坐在星月皎洁的夜空下，谈起家乡。少校总是巧妙圆滑地把话题转到阿梅莉亚身上。

"Marriage?" said Jos. "Her last letter to me said nothing about marriage. She wrote to say that you were going to be married, and she hoped that you would be happy."

“结婚？”乔斯说，“她给我的上封信里可没提到结婚的事。她写信告诉我，你快结婚了，她希望你 幸福。”

It was wonderful to see after this, how bright and cheerful the Major became, and how quickly he recovered his strength.

在这之后，少校令人惊奇地开朗起来，他精神焕发，体力也很快恢复了。

They landed in England at Southampton, late at night, but very early the next morning Dobbin banged at Jos's door.

他们深夜在英格兰南安普敦上了岸，但是第二天一大清早，多宾就来敲乔斯的门。

A girl of about sixteen opened the door.

一个十六岁上下的姑娘开了门。

"Sedley," he called. "Time to go. The carriage is ready."

“塞德利。”他大喊，“该动身了。马车备好了。”

"I hope," he said once, "she will be happy in her new marriage."

“我希望，”有一次他说，“她新婚幸福。”

A bad-tempered growl greeted him, and Mr Sedley informed the Major that the Major could go to the devil or wherever he pleased, but that he, Jos, would finish his sleep in peace.

回应他的是一声愤怒的咆哮。塞德利先生让少校滚蛋，爱去哪儿去哪儿，但他乔斯要安安生生地睡觉。

So Dobbin travelled to London alone, and made his way to the Sedleys' house. At the door he began to tremble. "Suppose she is married, after all," he thought. "Suppose she's moved."

因此，多宾独自一人上路前往伦敦，去塞德利家。到了门口，他开始发抖。他想：“没准儿她还是结婚了。没准儿她已经搬走了。”

Dobbin was as pale as a ghost. "Does Mrs Osborne live here?"

多宾面色苍白如纸。“奥斯本夫人住在这里吗？”

The girl stared at him, and then her face went white. "Oh! Oh!" she cried. "It's Major Dobbin! Do you remember me? I'm Mary -- the landlord's daughter. I was only little when you went away."

那姑娘打量着他，随后脸色也开始发白。“哦！哦！”她大叫，“是多宾少校！您记得我吗？我是玛丽——房东的女儿。您走的时候，我还是小孩子呢。”

"I'll get my hat at once," said Mary, delighted.

“我这就去拿帽子。”玛丽高兴地说。

Mary took Dobbin's arm, and as they walked, she answered all the Major's many questions about Mrs Osborne. Yes, she was very unhappy about parting with her son. No, she never had any gentlemen visitors. And Mary heard the Major's sigh of relief when she said this, and she felt the Major's arm jump under her hand as he caught sight of Amelia in the park. Oh yes, Mary Clapp knew all there was to know about the Major's heart.

玛丽挽着多宾的手臂，一路走，一路回答少校关于奥斯本夫人的各种问题。是的，和儿子分离她非常伤心。不，没有任何先生来拜访过她。说到这儿，玛丽听到少校宽慰地松了口气。少校在公园里看到阿梅莉亚时，玛丽感觉到她挽着的手臂抖了一下。哦，是的，少校的心思玛丽·克拉普全明白了。

Yes, of course the Major remembered Mary Clapp, who used to play with Georgy as a baby. And Mrs Osborne…? She was walking in the park, he was told, with her poor old father. The Major would like to see her -- would Mary show him the way?

是的，少校当然记得玛丽·克拉普，她曾和当时还是婴儿的乔基一起玩。那奥斯本夫人……？玛丽告诉他，她和可怜的老父亲一起在公园散步。少校想见见她——玛丽愿意带路吗？

She ran ahead to find Amelia.

她跑上前去找阿梅莉亚。

"Who's come?" Amelia called, jumping up in alarm.

“谁来了？”阿梅莉亚吓了一跳，问道。

Then she saw Dobbin's tall figure approaching; she turned white, then red, and began -- naturally -- to cry. She ran towards him, holding out her hands, smiling through her tears.

接着，她看见多宾瘦高的身影越走越近。她面色发白，继而转红，然后开始——自然而然地——哭了起来。她伸出双手，脸上挂着泪，微笑着奔向他。

"News, news!" she cried. "He's come, he's come!"

“新闻，新闻！”她大喊，“他来了，他来了！”

"Papa!" Amelia cried. "Jos is home! And here's Major Dobbin!"

“爸爸！”阿梅莉亚大喊，“乔斯回家了！多宾少校来了！”

"Mrs Dobbin?" she said, moving back. Why didn't he speak?

“多宾夫人吗？”她说，向后退开。他为什么不早说？

Mr Sedley was confused and worried by all this excitement, but he recognized Dobbin and was pleased to see him. They all returned to the house, and Dobbin stayed for hours, drinking endless cups of tea, and watching that dear, remembered face.

塞德利先生对这阵骚动感到莫明其妙，有些担心。但他认出了多宾，很高兴见到他。他们一起回家，多宾在那里待了好几个小时，喝了无数杯茶，望着那张朝思暮想的可爱脸庞。

Dobbin looked at her lovingly. She had not changed. The same kind eyes, and soft brown hair. She looked up at his plain, honest face, and he took her two little hands between his, and held them there. Why did he not take her in his arms, and swear that he would never leave her? She would have accepted, surely.

多宾充满爱意地看着她。她没有变。同样的善良眼神，同样的柔软棕发。她仰头看着他真诚正直的脸。他把她两只小手握在手心不放。他为什么没有拥她入怀？没有发誓再也不离开她？她一定会接受的。

"No," he said, letting her hands go. "Who has told you those lies? I mean, your brother Jos. He came in the same ship with me, and has come home to make you all happy."

“不。”他说，放开了她的手。“谁告诉你这些瞎话的？我说的是你哥哥乔斯。他和我搭同一艘船来的。他回来了，让你们都高兴高兴。”

After a pause he said, "Someone else has come with me."

他顿了顿，又接着说：“有人和我一起回来。”

Amelia talked only of Georgy, what a wonderful, intelligent, handsome, delightful boy he was. Such a joy and comfort to his mother -- and so like his dear father who was gone.

阿梅莉亚满口谈论的都是乔基：乔基是多么聪明、英俊、讨人喜欢的好男孩。他带给他母亲多少欢乐和慰藉——而且长得多像他去世的父亲。

When Joseph Sedley arrived the next day, he was shocked to see how sorrow and misfortune had changed his father. The old man wept as he told his son about his wife's death, and the hard times they had all lived through. And in the emotion of that first meeting, Jos swore that he would take care of them from now on; that his house and everything he had would be theirs; and that Amelia would look very pretty at the head of his dinner table -- until, of course, she accepted one of her own.

次日，约瑟夫·塞德利也回到了家。看到悲痛和不幸极大地改变了父亲，他十分震惊。老人哭泣着告诉儿子老伴的离世，以及他们如何熬过那段艰难的时光。在这次初聚的强烈感情推动下，乔斯发誓要从此照顾他们，他的房子和一切东西也都是他们的，阿梅莉亚作为女主人坐在餐桌桌首一定会很漂亮。当然，在她想自立门户时再另说。

Amelia shook her head sadly and, as usual, began to cry. She knew what he meant. She and her young friend Mary Clapp had talked over the subject very fully after the Major's visit.

阿梅莉亚悲伤地摇摇头，像平时一样，眼泪开始往下掉。她明白他的意思。少校来访后，她和她的年轻朋友玛丽·克拉普充分地讨论过这个话题。

Dobbin watched as Amelia put her handkerchief to her eyes. "Should I be angry with her," he thought, "for being so faithful to George? Can that heart love only once and for ever?"

阿梅莉亚拿起手帕擦眼泪，多宾望着她。“我应该生她的气吗？”他想，“她对乔治这样忠贞？那颗心一生只能爱一次吗？”

"Didn't you see," Mary said, "how he shook all over when you asked if he was married, and he said, 'Who told you those lies?' Oh, Mrs O., he never took his eyes off you for a second! I'm sure he's gone grey-haired with thinking about you all these years."

“你没看见吗？”玛丽说，“你问他是不是结婚了的时候，他浑身颤抖得厉害。他说，‘谁告诉你这些瞎话的？’哎呀，奥斯本夫人，他的目光不曾从你身上移开过！我肯定，他头发变灰白，都是这些年想你想的。”

Dobbin was there to meet them when they arrived with their possessions, which included the old piano, rescued long ago by Dobbin himself from the sale at the Sedleys' former house.

他们带着行李抵达的时候，多宾在那里迎接。行李中那架旧钢琴，是多宾很久以前在塞德利家旧居拍卖时买回的。

"Mary, you mustn't say such things. I love him as a brother, but a woman who has been married to him " -- Amelia pointed to George's picture on the wall above her bed -- "can never think of another marriage."

“玛丽，你不要说这种话。我像爱兄长那样爱他，但是一个女人嫁给了他 ”——说着，阿梅莉亚指着她床头上方挂着的乔治画像——“就再也不会考虑再婚。”

Dobbin was very pleased to see the piano. "I'm glad you've kept it," he said. "I didn't think you cared about it."

多宾看到钢琴很高兴。“我很高兴你还留着它。”他说，“我以为你不会在乎。”

"Of course I do," Amelia replied. "He gave it to me."

“我当然在乎。”阿梅莉亚回答，“他 给我的。”

It had been Dobbin on the long voyage home who had made Jos promise to take care of his family, and this time Jos kept his promise. One day his carriage came to the house and carried his father and sister away to live in comfort once more.

是多宾在漫长的归家旅途中劝说乔斯答应照顾家人。而这一回，乔斯遵守了诺言。一天，他的马车来接他的父亲和妹妹离开，让他们再次过上舒适的生活。

Later, thinking about Dobbin's sad face, Amelia realized that it must have been Dobbin who gave her the piano, not George. She had loved it all these years because it was George's gift. But it was not George's gift after all. So now it meant nothing to her. But she was sorry if she had hurt Dobbin's feelings.

后来，想起多宾难过的表情，阿梅莉亚意识到，钢琴一定是多宾送给她的，而不是乔治。她爱这架钢琴这么多年，是因为它是乔治的礼物。但事实却非如此，所以现在钢琴对她毫无意义了。不过，伤了多宾的感情，她感到于心有愧。

Poor Mary sighed, and felt rather sorry for Major Dobbin.

可怜的玛丽叹了口气，替多宾少校感到很遗憾。

"Oh, I didn't know," said poor Dobbin, looking very sad.

“噢，我不知道。”可怜的多宾说，看上去难过极了。

"I have to beg your pardon for something," she said to him a few days later. "I never thanked you for the piano when you gave it to me. I thought that it came from someone else. Thank you, William." She held out her hand, and her eyes filled with tears.

“我要请求你的原谅。”几天后她对他说，“你送给我钢琴的时候，我从未道谢。我以为那是别人送的。谢谢你，威廉。”她伸出手，眼里满是泪水。

"Amelia, Amelia!" he cried, "I have loved you since the day I first saw you. For twelve years you have never been out of my thoughts. I came to tell you I loved you before I went to India, but you didn't care whether I stayed or went, so I didn't speak."

“阿梅莉亚，阿梅莉亚！”他大叫，“从第一天见到你时，我就爱上你了。十二年了，你一直在我的心里。去印度之前，我来是想说我爱你，但你丝毫不关心我是走是留，所以我没说。”

"No, you didn't care. I understand how you feel about the piano. You're sorry that it came from me, and not from George. I'm a fool for thinking that years of love could matter to you."

“不，你是无所谓。我知道你是怎么想这架钢琴的。你觉得遗憾的是，它是我送的，不是乔治送的。我真傻，竟然以为多年的爱能感化你。”

Dobbin could bear no more.

多宾再也忍受不下去了。

"I was very ungrateful," said Amelia.

“我太不知道感恩了。”阿梅莉亚说。

"Now you are being cruel," Amelia said. "George is my husband still. How could I love another? I loved you like a brother, and a dear, true, kind friend. I thought you might have saved me from that dreadful parting from my son -- which nearly killed me. You didn't come, but you are still my friend, his friend and mine." Her voice broke and she hid her face on his shoulder.

“你这么说可太残忍了。”阿梅莉亚说，“乔治仍是我的丈夫。我怎么能爱上别人呢？我爱你如兄长，如一位亲爱的、忠诚的、好心的朋友。我以为你能让我免受与儿子离别之苦，那时我差点活不下去。你没有来，但你仍然是我的朋友，他和我的朋友。”她哽咽起来，把脸埋在他的肩头。

"Yes, often," Amelia said.

“好的，经常。”阿梅莉亚说。

And that was all Dobbin had -- permission to be near her and to see her, and nothing more.

多宾获得的就是这些——被允许待在她近旁，能见她，仅此而已。

The Major held her gently, kissing her head as if she was a child. "I will not change, dear Amelia," he said. "I ask for no more than your love. Only let me stay near you and see you often."

少校轻轻地搂着她，像对待孩子一样亲了亲她的头。“我的心意不会改变，亲爱的阿梅莉亚。”他说，“除了你的爱我别无所求。就让我待在你的身边，经常见见你吧。”

Amelia was overjoyed, and when she learnt it was Dobbin who had caused the change of heart in the old man, she was deeply grateful to him -- deeply grateful, but no more. If she thought of anything else, a picture of George rose before her eyes and said, "You are mine, and mine only, now and for ever."

阿梅莉亚喜不自胜。当她听说是多宾劝服老人改变了心意，她对他充满感激之情。但除此之外，再无其他。如果她有其他想法，乔治的头像就会浮现在她面前说：“你属于我，只属于我，从现在直到永远。”

Life was now much more comfortable for Amelia, but there were more changes ahead. In the winter Mr Sedley died, cared for devotedly by Amelia in his last illness, and less than a year later, Mr Osborne was found dead in his bedroom one morning.

阿梅莉亚现在的生活舒适多了，但是后来发生了更多变故。冬天的时候塞德利先生去世了。他患病临终前，阿梅莉亚尽心尽力照顾他。不到一年后的一天早晨，奥斯本先生也死在了他的卧室里。

The old man had softened in his last year and, under Dobbin's influence, his anger and hate had faded away. He had left half his fortune to Georgy, and half to his two daughters. But there was also a pension of five hundred pounds a year for Amelia. And he wished his grandson to return to the care of his mother, the widow of his much loved son.

在生命的最后一年里，老奥斯本的态度软化了，而且在多宾的影响下，他的愤怒与仇恨也逐渐淡去。他把一半财产留给乔基，一半留给他的两个女儿。而且还给阿梅莉亚留了每年五百英镑的年金。他希望孙子重新由母亲——他爱子的遗孀照看。