書蟲四級《克蘭福德》：8.真正的朋友

8．True friends

8．真正的朋友

While Miss Matty went downstairs to tell Martha, I quietly picked up my letter and went to Signor Brunoni's lodgings. The signor was now well enough to leave Cranford and, before he disappeared, I needed an exact address for the Aga Jenkyns in Chunderabaddad.

馬蒂小姐下樓去跟馬莎講話的時候，我靜靜地拿起我的信，去布魯諾尼先生住的地方。這位先生現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)康復(fù)，可以離開克蘭福德了，在他消失之前，我需要知道昌德拉巴達那位阿加·詹金斯的確切地址。

I then posted my letter to India, and hurried back home. Martha, in tears now herself, pulled me into the kitchen.

然后我就把這封信寄往印度，并匆匆忙忙地回到家中。眼淚汪汪的馬莎把我拽進了廚房。

I'll never leave her! I won't. "You may not know when you've got a good servant," I told her, "but I know when I've got a good mistress!" I've money in the Savings Bank, and I'm not going to leave Miss Matty.'

“我永遠也不離開她！我不。‘你雇了一個好仆人，可你也許并沒有意識到，’我告訴她，‘但我知道我有個好主人！’我在儲蓄銀行里有錢，我不會離開馬蒂小姐的。”

What should I say? Miss Matty needed this kind woman. 'But, Martha, I don't think Miss Matty will even have enough money to buy your food.'

我能說什么？馬蒂小姐需要這個善良的女人。“可是，馬莎，我想馬蒂小姐甚至連給你買食物的錢都不夠。”

Not enough for food?!' Martha sat down on the nearest chair and cried aloud.

“買食物的錢都不夠？！”馬莎坐在最近的椅子上放聲大哭。

Upstairs, Miss Matty was very quiet and sad. We decided to ask my father to come and advise her. So I wrote another letter, and then we tried to make plans.

樓上，馬蒂小姐很安靜，也很難過。我們決定讓我父親來給她出出主意。所以我又寫了一封信，接下來我們試著制訂些計劃。

Miss Matty just wanted to sell most of her things, rent a single room somewhere and live quietly on the money that remained.

馬蒂小姐只想把她大部分的東西變賣，在什么地方租一個單間的房屋，然后靠剩下的那點兒錢安靜地生活。

I wanted something better for her. She needed money and I wondered how she, a lady, could earn some. By teaching? She loved children, but she could not sing or draw or sew. Perhaps she could teach reading? No. When she read aloud, she had to cough before each long word. Writing? Her spelling was terrible! No. There was nothing she could teach the children of Cranford, I decided, except quiet goodness.

我想給她出點兒更好的主意。她需要錢，我想知道她這樣一位女士怎么樣才能掙錢。教書嗎？她愛孩子，可是她不會唱歌，不會畫畫，也不會縫紉。也許她可以教孩子們讀書？不。她大聲朗讀的時候，讀到每個長詞之前都要咳嗽。教寫作？她的拼寫糟糕極了！不。除了安靜善良的品行，她什么也教不了克蘭福德的孩子，我想。

Dinner was announced by Martha, still crying. Dear, rough Martha! She now spoke to 58-year-old Miss Matty as kindly as to a child, and she had gone out and bought eggs and butter with her own money to cook her something special.

馬莎宣布午餐開飯的時候仍然在哭。可愛而粗魯?shù)鸟R莎！她現(xiàn)在跟58歲的馬蒂小姐說話時的口氣和善得就像是跟小孩子講話一樣，而且她還出去用自己的錢買了雞蛋和黃油，想為她做一些特別的東西吃。

We did not talk much that afternoon, but when Martha brought our tea, I had an idea. Miss Matty could sell tea! Tea was not dirty, or heavy. And no shop-window would be necessary, only a small sign. The one thing against my plan was the buying and selling involved. Miss Matty would be in trade. Would she ever agree to that?

那天下午我們沒怎么說話，不過馬莎把茶點端進來的時候，我有了個主意。馬蒂小姐可以賣茶葉！茶葉既不臟，也不重，也不需要櫥窗，一塊小招牌就夠了。有一件事情會成為我這個計劃的障礙，那就是買賣活動。馬蒂小姐要做生意了，她會同意嗎？

Suddenly, we heard a noise on the stairs and some whispering. Then Martha came in, pulling a great tall young man who was red with shyness.

突然，我們聽到樓梯上傳來一陣嘈雜聲和低聲說話的聲音。接著馬莎進來了，拽著一個羞得滿臉通紅的高個子年輕人。

Please, madam, he's only Jem Hearn,' said Martha, breathing hard. 'And please, madam, he wants to marry me immediately. And we want to rent a house and have just one quiet lodger, to help us with the money. And, dear Miss Matty, will you be that lodger and stay with us? Jem wants it as much as I do.' She turned to him. 'You stupid great thing! Why don't you speak?... He wants the same as I do, but he's shy in front of ladies,' she explained.

“對不起，小姐，他就是杰姆·赫恩。”馬莎氣喘吁吁地說，“求求您，小姐，他想立刻和我結(jié)婚。我們想租個房子，而且只想找一個安靜的房客，來幫襯點兒錢。嗯，親愛的馬蒂小姐，您愿意做那個房客和我們生活在一起嗎？杰姆和我一樣希望您能同意。”她轉(zhuǎn)向他，“你這個大傻瓜！為什么不說話？……他跟我的想法一樣，不過他在女士面前會害羞。”她解釋道。

It's not that,' said Jem. 'It's just that, well, I didn't expect to marry so soon. Martha moves so fast when she has an idea in her head...'

“不是這樣的，”杰姆說，“只不過，哦，我還不想這么快就結(jié)婚。馬莎一有什么想法就會立刻行動……”

Martha pushed him with her elbow. 'Please, madam, don't listen to him. He asked me only last night to marry him, but I said I couldn't yet, so now he's just surprised at the suddenness of it. But you know, Jem, you want a lodger as much as I do.' Another great push.

馬莎用胳膊肘捅了他一下。“對不起，小姐，別聽他的。他昨晚才向我求過婚，不過我說我還不能結(jié)婚，所以他現(xiàn)在對于這個突然的決定有些吃驚。不過你知道，杰姆，你像我一樣想有一個房客。”她又使勁捅了杰姆一下。

Yes!' he said. 'And I don't mind marrying Martha, madam.'

“是?。?rdquo;他說，“而且我也不介意和馬莎結(jié)婚，小姐。”

You've never stopped asking me,' cried Martha, 'and now you're making me look silly in front of my mistress!'

“你一直不停地求我，”馬莎哭道，“現(xiàn)在你卻讓我在女主人面前出丑！”

Now, now, Martha,' said Jem, trying to hold her hand. 'It's just that a man needs time!' He turned to Miss Matty. 'I always expected Martha to be my wife—one day,' he said. 'I've great respect for everyone who's been kind to her, madam, and she's often said you're the kindest lady in the world. If you'd lodge with us, we'd try to make you comfortable...'

“得了，得了，馬莎，”杰姆說道，想要握住她的手，“只不過男人需要時間！”他轉(zhuǎn)向馬蒂小姐，“我一直盼望有一天馬莎能做我的妻子，”他說，“誰對她好，我就特別尊敬誰，小姐，她經(jīng)常說您是世上最好的女士。如果您能和我們一起住，我們會盡量讓您住得舒適的……”

Miss Matty had been very busy with taking off her glasses, wiping them, and putting them on again. All she could say was, 'You mustn't hurry into marriage just because of me. Marriage is a very serious thing...'

馬蒂小姐一直忙著把眼鏡摘下來，擦鏡片，又戴上去。她所能說的就是：“你們不要因為我而草草結(jié)婚?；橐鍪呛車?yán)肅的事情……”

But Miss Matty will think about your plan,' I said quickly, 'and she can never forget your kindness.'

“不過馬蒂小姐會考慮你們的計劃的，”我立刻說，“她永遠也不會忘記你們的好意。”

I'm very willing, madam, though I don't explain myself well,' Jem replied. 'So, Martha, my girl,' he whispered, 'why do you go on crying and pushing me?'

“我很愿意，小姐，雖然我自己說不清楚。”杰姆回答道，“那么，馬莎，我的姑娘，”他低聲說道，“你為什么還在哭還要捅我呢？”

Martha, annoyed, ran out of the room and was followed by her lover. Miss Matty then sat down and cried. The idea of Martha marrying so soon was such a surprise, she said. She would never forgive herself if the poor girl hurried into marriage because of her. I think I was more sorry for Jem of the two...

馬莎生氣了，跑出了房間，她的戀人也跟著她跑了出去。馬蒂小姐坐下來哭了。馬莎這么快就結(jié)婚真是出人意料，她說。如果這個可憐的女孩兒因為她而草草結(jié)婚，她永遠也不會原諒自己。我想在這兩個人中，我更替杰姆感到難過……

The next morning, very early, I received a mysterious note from Miss Pole, commanding me to come secretly to her house at eleven o'clock.

第二天一大早，我就收到了波爾小姐寫來的神秘紙條，要我在11點鐘的時候秘密地到她家去。

I went. The door was opened by Miss Pole's little maid in her Sunday clothes. Upstairs in the drawing-room, the table was covered with the best green card-cloth, and there were writing materials on it. Miss Pole was dressed for visitors. Mrs Forrester was already there, and then Mrs Fitz-Adam appeared, red with walking and excitement.

我去了。波爾小姐的小女仆穿著最好的衣服前來開門。在樓上的休息室里，桌上鋪著最好的綠色牌布，上面還放著一些紙筆。波爾小姐穿著會客的服裝。福里斯特夫人已經(jīng)到了，后來菲茨-亞當(dāng)夫人也來了，她的臉色由于走路和激動而有些發(fā)紅。

Miss Pole coughed. She arranged all of us at the table, with me opposite her. Then she asked me if it was true that Miss Matty had lost all her money.

波爾小姐咳嗽了幾聲。她安排我們大家坐在桌邊，我正對著她。然后她問我馬蒂小姐損失了所有錢財?shù)氖率欠駥賹崱?/p>

Yes, it's true,' I said, and I never saw sadder faces than the three around me.

“是的，是真的。”我說，我再也沒見過誰的臉色比坐在我身邊的這三位更憂愁的了。

I wish Mrs Jamieson was here!' said Mrs Forrester.

“我希望賈米森夫人在這里！”福里斯特夫人說。

Mrs Fitz-Adam clearly did not agree, and Miss Pole was not pleased. 'Even without Mrs Jamieson,' she said, 'we, the ladies of Cranford, can do something.'

菲茨-亞當(dāng)夫人顯然不同意，波爾小姐也不高興。“就算沒有賈米森夫人，”她說，“我們這些克蘭福德的女士也能做些事情。”

She turned to me. 'Miss Smith,' she continued (I was usually known as Mary), 'I talked privately yesterday afternoon to these ladies about what has happened to our friend. None of us is vulgarly rich, but we shall all be pleased—truly pleased, Mary!—to give what we can to help Miss Matilda Jenkyns.' Here Miss Pole had to wipe her glasses.

她轉(zhuǎn)向我。“史密斯小姐，”她繼續(xù)說道（大家一般都叫我瑪麗），“昨天下午我和這些女士私下談了談發(fā)生在我們朋友身上的事。我們都不是土財主，不過我們大家都會高興地——真的是高興地，瑪麗！——盡力幫助馬蒂爾達·詹金斯小姐。”說到這兒，波爾小姐不得不擦了擦眼鏡。

We wish, however, to give our little bits of money secretly, in order not to hurt any feelings. This is why we asked you to meet us. Your father, we believe, is Miss Jenkyns's adviser. We would like him to arrange for her to receive the money without knowing that it comes from us.' Miss Pole looked round at the little assembly. 'And now, ladies, while Miss Smith considers how to reply, allow me to offer you some bread-and-butter.'

“不過，我們希望能秘密地把我們這些為數(shù)不多的錢給她，以免傷害她的感情。所以我們才讓你來和我們見面。我們相信你父親是詹金斯小姐的顧問。我們想讓他為她安排接收這筆錢，但又不讓她知道這錢是我們給的。”波爾小姐環(huán)顧了一下參加聚會的這幾個人，“現(xiàn)在，女士們，趁史密斯小姐考慮如何回答的時候，請允許我給大家上一些抹了黃油的面包。”

I did not reply very grandly. I just said that I would tell my father, and began to cry. The ladies cried too. Even Miss Pole.

我并沒有說什么豪言壯語。我只是說我會告訴父親，然后就哭了。女士們也哭了，連波爾小姐都掉下了眼淚。

Mrs Forrester was the first to speak again. 'I'11 write down what money I can give. I wish it was more, my dear Mary. Indeed I do!'

福里斯特夫人是接下來第一個說話的人。“我會把我能給的錢數(shù)寫下來。我希望我能給得更多些，親愛的瑪麗。真的！”

Now I saw why paper and pens had been put on the table. Every lady privately wrote down what she could give each year, signed her paper and passed it to me. If the plan was accepted, my father would open the papers. If not, he would return them to their writers.

現(xiàn)在我明白為什么桌上擺好了紙和筆。每一位女士都秘密地寫下了自己每年能給的錢數(shù)，簽上名，然后交給我。如果這個計劃被采納，我父親就會打開這些紙。如果不能，他會把它們還給書寫者本人。

I got up to leave, but each lady wanted to speak to me by herself. Miss Pole kept me in the drawing-room, to say she had heard that Mrs Jamieson was coming home—very displeased with her sister-in-law, who was returning to Edinburgh that same afternoon. Of course, she could not say this in front of Mrs Fitz-Adam, who, as Mr Hoggins's sister, would not like to hear of anybody being angry about her brother's marriage.

我起身要走，但每一位女士都想親自和我說話。波爾小姐讓我留在休息室，告訴我她聽說賈米森夫人就要回家了——她對她嫂子很不滿，而她嫂子也要在當(dāng)天下午回愛丁堡去。當(dāng)然，她不能當(dāng)著菲茨-亞當(dāng)夫人的面說這些，她是霍金斯先生的妹妹，不會允許任何人對她哥哥的婚姻說三道四。

Downstairs, Mrs Forrester was waiting. The poor old lady was trembling. She herself had less than ￡100 a year, she whispered, so she had only been able to promise Miss Matty ￡5 on her paper. She wished she was rich. She wished she could help dear Miss Matty more...

樓下，福里斯特夫人正在等待著。這位可憐的老夫人渾身發(fā)抖。她本人一年只有不到100英鎊，她低聲說，她只能在紙上寫下答應(yīng)給馬蒂小姐五英鎊。她希望自己有錢，她希望自己能給親愛的馬蒂更多的幫助……

And then Mrs Fitz-Adam stopped me outside the house—to say almost the opposite. She had not liked to write down all she could afford and was ready to give.

后來，菲茨-亞當(dāng)夫人在房子外面攔住了我——她說的話幾乎正好相反。她不想把自己能給的錢數(shù)都寫下來，而且她現(xiàn)在就準(zhǔn)備給一些錢。

Miss Matty was such a fine young lady,' she explained, 'when I was just a country girl coming to Cranford market. One day, I remember, I met her just outside the town. She was walking, and a gentleman rode beside her and was talking to her. She was looking down at some flowers she had picked, and I think she was crying. But she turned and ran after me to ask—oh, so kindly—about my poor mother, who was dying. Miss Matty was the rector's daughter, and it was such an honour that she spoke to me in that pretty way.

“馬蒂小姐是一位多好的年輕女士啊，”她解釋道，“那時我還是個初到克蘭福德集市的鄉(xiāng)下女孩兒。有一天，我記得，我就是在鎮(zhèn)子外面遇到她的。她當(dāng)時正在散步，身邊有位先生騎著馬正在跟她說話。她低著頭看自己摘的花朵，我覺得她是在哭?？墒撬D(zhuǎn)過身，跑著追上我問——哦，好親切啊——問起我那可憐的將死的母親。馬蒂小姐是教區(qū)長的女兒，我很榮幸她能用這么溫柔的方式和我說話。

So do please think how I can give her a little more without anyone knowing, my dear. And my brother will be her doctor for nothing. He and her ladyship are ready to do anything for her. We all are.'

“所以一定請你想想我怎么樣才能多幫她一點兒，又不讓別人知道，親愛的。而且我哥哥會無償?shù)貫樗床?。他和尊敬的夫人樂于為她做任何事情，我們大家都是這樣。”

I was so anxious to get home to Miss Matty that I made all kinds of promises. But Miss Matty had not missed me. She was busy preparing to leave her house, and I think she was pleased to be doing something. Whenever she thought about Mr Dobson with his five-pound note, she said, she felt so dishonest! She was sure the bankers themselves must feel terrible...

我很著急回馬蒂小姐那里去，所以滿口應(yīng)承下來。不過馬蒂小姐并不想念我。她正忙著準(zhǔn)備離開她的房子，我想，做些事情會讓她感到高興的。她一想到多布森先生和他的五英鎊紙幣，她說，她就覺得好像撒了大謊似的！她確信銀行家們一定感覺非常糟糕……

My father arrived next morning, and when we were alone, I told him about Martha's plan and my meeting with the Cranford ladies.

我父親第二天早晨就到了，我們單獨在一起的時候，我告訴他馬莎的計劃以及我和克蘭福德的女士們會面的事情。

My father brushed his hand across his eyes. 'See, Mary,' he said, 'how a good life makes friends all round. I could write a sermon about it if I was the rector!'

我父親用手揉揉眼睛。“看，瑪麗，”他說，“為人多積善，朋友遍天下。如果我是教區(qū)長，我都可以寫一篇布道文了！”

He and I decided that, if everyone agreed, Martha and Jem would marry as soon as possible and rent Miss Matty's house with the money given by the Cranford ladies. Then Martha could use whatever Miss Matty paid for her lodgings to make her comfortable.

他和我決定，如果大家都同意，馬莎和杰姆可以盡快結(jié)婚，用克蘭福德的女士們給的錢租下馬蒂小姐的房子。然后馬莎可以用馬蒂小姐付給她的住宿費讓她生活得舒舒服服。

I told my father my idea that Miss Matty could sell tea, and he liked it. One of the rooms downstairs could become a shop, he said enthusiastically. It could have a glass door and Miss Matty could sit behind a table...

我告訴父親我認為馬蒂小姐可以賣茶葉，他覺得這主意不錯。樓下的一個房間可以開一間店面，他熱心地說。店門可以是玻璃的，馬蒂小姐可以坐在桌子后面……

Miss Matty patiently accepted all we arranged. She even agreed to sell tea. 'Though I doubt that I'll do it very well,' she said. 'I'd so much rather sell sweets to children!'

馬蒂小姐耐心地接受了我們的一切安排，她甚至同意賣茶葉。“雖然我懷疑我能不能做得好，”她說，“我倒更愿意賣糖果給孩子們！”