書蟲四級《華盛頓廣場》：9.莫里斯歸來

9.Morris returns

9．莫里斯歸來

No one ever learnt the truth about the end of Catherine's engagement. Catherine never spoke about it, keeping her secret even from Mrs Almond, who was very kind to her after Morris Townsend had left New York.

沒有人知道凱瑟琳解除婚約的真相。凱瑟琳對此諱莫如深，連阿爾蒙德夫人都不知道她的秘密，莫里斯·湯森離開紐約后阿爾蒙德夫人對她特別好。

I am delighted that Catherine did not marry him,' Mrs Almond said to her brother, 'but I wish you would be more gentle with her, Austin. Surely you feel sorry for her?'

“我很高興凱瑟琳沒有嫁給他，”阿爾蒙德夫人對哥哥說，“不過我希望你對她更和善一些，奧斯汀。你一定為她感到難過吧？”

Why should I feel sorry for her? She has had a lucky escape. And I suspect that she has not really given him up at all. I think it is quite possible that they have made an arrangement to wait; and when I am dead, he will come back, and then she will marry him.'

“我為什么要為她感到難過呢？她運氣好才沒有陷進去。我懷疑她根本沒有真的放棄他。我覺得很有可能他們做好了等待的安排；等我死了，他就會回來，然后她就會嫁給他。”

Outwardly, Catherine seemed unchanged, but the fact was that she had been deeply hurt. Nothing could ever take away the pain that Morris had caused her, and nothing could ever make her feel towards her father as she had felt when she was younger.

表面上看，凱瑟琳似乎沒有什么變化，可實際上她受到了很深的傷害。沒有什么能消除莫里斯帶給她的痛苦，也沒有什么能讓她再像從前那樣敬愛她的父親。

Many years passed; years in which Catherine received more than a few offers of marriage. She refused them all, and though the name Morris Townsend was never mentioned in Washington Square, Doctor Sloper still suspected that his daughter was secretly waiting for him. 'If she is not, why doesn't she marry?' he asked himself. This idea grew stronger as he got older, and one day the Doctor said something to his daughter that surprised her very much.

許多年過去了；期間凱瑟琳收到過不少求婚。她統(tǒng)統(tǒng)拒絕了，雖然在華盛頓廣場莫里斯·湯森的名字再也沒有被提起過，斯洛珀醫(yī)生仍然懷疑他的女兒在秘密地等待著他。“如果她沒在等，那她為什么不結(jié)婚呢？”他問自己。他越上年紀，這種想法就越強烈，結(jié)果有一天醫(yī)生對女兒說了一些令她十分吃驚的話。

I would like you to promise me something before I die.'

“我希望你在我死之前答應我一些事。”

Why do you talk about dying?' she asked.

“為什么要說起死亡來？”她問道。

Because I am sixty-eight years old. And I will die one day. Promise me you will never marry Morris Townsend.'

“因為我已經(jīng)68歲了，有一天我會死去。答應我你永遠不會和莫里斯·湯森結(jié)婚。”

For some moments she said nothing. 'Why do you speak of him?' she asked at last.

有那么半晌她什么都沒說。“為什么要提起他？”她最后問。

Because he has been in New York, and at your cousin Marian's house. Your Aunt Elizabeth tells me that he is looking for another wife—I don't know what happened to the first one. He has grown fat and bald, and he has not made his fortune.'

“因為他已經(jīng)回到紐約了，住在你表妹瑪麗安家。你姑姑伊麗莎白跟我說他正在尋找一個新妻子——我不知道他的第一個妻子怎么了。他長胖了，頭也禿了，可還是個窮光蛋。”

Fat and bald'; these words sounded strange to Catherine. Her memory was of the most beautiful young man in the world. 'I don't think you understand,' she said. 'I almost never think of Mr Townsend. But I can't promise that.'

“又胖又禿”；凱瑟琳覺得這些話聽起來很陌生。她記憶中的是一個世界上最英俊的年輕人。“我想您不明白，”她說，“我?guī)缀鯊臎]想過湯森先生。可是這件事我不能答應您。”

The Doctor was silent for a minute. 'I ask you for a particular reason. I am changing my will.'

醫(yī)生沉默了足有一分鐘。“我是出于特別的原因才請求你。我要修改遺囑。”

Very few things made Catherine angry, but these words brought back painful memories from the past. She felt that her father was pushing her too far.

很少有什么事能令凱瑟琳生氣，但這些話把過去的痛苦記憶又帶了回來。她覺得父親實在逼人太甚。

I can't promise,' she simply repeated.

“我不能答應您。”她只是重復了一遍。

Please explain.'

“請你解釋。”

I can't explain,' said Catherine, 'and I can't promise.'

“我不能解釋，”凱瑟琳說，“我也不能答應。”

A year later Doctor Sloper died after a three-week illness. The will he had changed shortly before his death now left Catherine only a fifth of his property. Mrs Penniman thought that this was cruel and unjust, but Catherine was neither surprised nor unhappy about the new will. 'I like it very much,' she told her aunt.

一年后，斯洛珀醫(yī)生被病痛折磨了三個星期之后去世了。去世前不久他更改了遺囑，只給凱瑟琳留下了五分之一的財產(chǎn)。彭尼曼夫人覺得這太絕情，而且不公平，但是凱瑟琳對于新遺囑既沒有感到驚訝也沒有感到不高興。“我很喜歡它。”她告訴她姑姑。

Catherine and Mrs Penniman continued to live in the house in Washington Square. On a warm evening in July, a year after Doctor Sloper's death, the two ladies sat together at an open window, looking out on the quiet square.

凱瑟琳和彭尼曼夫人仍然住在華盛頓廣場的房子里。七月的一個溫暖的晚上，此時斯洛珀醫(yī)生過世已有一年之久，這兩位女士一起坐在打開的窗戶前，望著外面寧靜的廣場。

Catherine,' said Mrs Penniman. 'I have something to say that will surprise you. I have seen Morris Townsend.'

“凱瑟琳，”彭尼曼夫人說，“我有些話要對你講，一定會讓你感到驚喜。我見到莫里斯·湯森了。”

Catherine remained very still for some moments. 'I hope he was well,' she said at last.

凱瑟琳一動不動地待了一會兒。“我希望他過得還好。”她最后說。

I don't know. He would like very much to see you.'

“我不知道。他很想見你。”

I would rather not see him,' said Catherine, quickly.

“我倒寧愿不見他。”凱瑟琳很快地說道。

I was afraid you would say that,' said Mrs Penniman. 'I met him at Marian's house, and they are so afraid you will meet him there. I think that's why he goes. He very much wants to see you.' Catherine did not answer, and Mrs Penniman went on. 'He is still very handsome, though of course he looks older now. I believe he married some lady somewhere in Europe. She died soon afterwards—as he said to me, she only passed through his life. The first thing he did was to ask me about you. He had heard you had never married; he seemed very much interested about that. He said you had been the real romance in his life.'

“我料到你就會那么說。”彭尼曼夫人說道，“我在瑪麗安家里遇見了他，而他們非常擔心你會在那里碰到他。我想那正是他去那里的原因。他很想見你。”凱瑟琳沒有回答，于是彭尼曼夫人又繼續(xù)說：“他還是很英俊，雖然他現(xiàn)在看起來當然是老了一些。我想他是在歐洲的什么地方和某個女人結(jié)了婚。那個女人沒過多久就死了——他是這么跟我說的，她只是他生命中的過客。他首先向我問起了你。他聽說你一直沒有結(jié)婚；他好像對此很感興趣。他說你是他生命中真正的愛。”

Catherine had listened silently, staring down at the ground. At last she spoke, 'Please do not say more.'

凱瑟琳默默地聽著，眼睛盯著地面。最后她說：“請別再說了。”

But he very much wants to see you.'

“可他很想見你。”

Please don't, Aunt Lavinia,' said Catherine, getting up from her seat and moving quickly to the other window, where Mrs Penniman could not see that she was crying.

“求求您別說了，拉維尼婭姑姑。”凱瑟琳說著從座位上站了起來，快步走到另一扇窗前，在那里彭尼曼夫人看不見她在哭。

A week later they were again sitting in the front parlour. Catherine was working on some embroidery when Mrs Penniman suddenly said, 'Morris has sent you a message. He wishes to see you, Catherine. He is going away again, and wants to speak to you before he leaves. He says his happiness depends upon it.'

一周之后她們又坐在了前廳里。凱瑟琳正在做一些刺繡的活兒，彭尼曼夫人突然說：“莫里斯給你送了個口信。他想見你，凱瑟琳。他又要走了，想在走之前和你說說話。他說他的幸福就靠這個了。”

My happiness does not,' said Catherine.

“我的幸福可不靠這個。”凱瑟琳說。

He believes that you have never understood him, that you have never judged him rightly,' said Mrs Penniman. 'This is very painful for him, and he wants just a few minutes to explain. He wishes to meet you as a friend.'

“他相信你從來沒有理解他，你也從來沒有對他作出正確的判斷，”彭尼曼夫人說，“這讓他很痛苦，他只想用幾分鐘時間來解釋。他希望能像朋友一樣和你會面。”

Catherine listened without looking up from her embroidery. Then she said simply, 'Please say to Mr Townsend that I wish he would leave me alone.'

凱瑟琳聽著，沒有從刺繡活計中抬起頭。然后她只是簡單地說：“請告訴湯森先生我想一個人待著。”

She had just finished speaking when the door bell rang. Catherine looked up at the clock; it was quarter past nine—a very late hour for visitors. She turned quickly to Mrs Penniman, who was blushing.

她話剛說完，門鈴就響了。凱瑟琳抬頭看了看表；時間是9點一刻——這個時候來串門實在是太晚了。她馬上轉(zhuǎn)向彭尼曼夫人，發(fā)現(xiàn)她的臉紅了。

Aunt Penniman,' she said, in a way that frightened her companion, 'what have you done?'

“彭尼曼姑姑，”她說，她說話的方式令她的同伴感到害怕，“您做了些什么？”

My dearest Catherine,' said Mrs Penniman, avoiding her niece's eyes, 'just wait until you see him!'

“我最親愛的凱瑟琳，”彭尼曼夫人說道，不敢看侄女的眼睛，“等你見到他再說吧！”

Catherine had frightened her aunt, but she was also frightened herself and before she could prevent it, the servant had opened the door and announced his name.

凱瑟琳把她姑姑嚇了一跳，自己也吃驚不小，她還沒來得及阻止，仆人就把門打開，報上了來客的姓名。

Mr Morris Townsend.'

“莫里斯·湯森先生。”

Catherine stood with her back turned to the door of the parlour. For some moments she remained still, feeling that he had come in. He had not spoken, however, and at last she turned round. She saw a gentleman standing in the middle of the room, from which her aunt had quietly left.

凱瑟琳站起身來，背對著客廳門。她在那里靜靜地站了一會兒，感到他進來了。然而，他沒有開口說話，最后她轉(zhuǎn)過身去。她看見一位紳士站在屋子中央，她姑姑已經(jīng)悄悄地離開了。

For a moment she did not recognize him. He was forty-five years old, fatter, with thinning hair and a thick beard.

有那么一會兒她沒認出他來。他已經(jīng)45歲了，比以前胖了，頭發(fā)稀疏，胡子濃密。

I have come because—I wanted to so much,' said Morris. It was the old voice, but it did not have the old charm.

“我來是因為——我很想來。”莫里斯說。聲音還是沒變，可是已經(jīng)沒有昔日的魅力了。

I think it was wrong of you to come,' said Catherine.

“我認為你來是個錯誤。”凱瑟琳說。

Did Mrs Penniman not give you my message?'

“彭尼曼夫人沒告訴你我的口信嗎？”

She told me something, but I did not understand.'

“她跟我說了一些事，可是我不明白。”

I wish you would let me tell you.'

“我希望你能讓我來告訴你。”

I don't think it is necessary,' said Catherine.

“我覺得沒必要。”凱瑟琳說。

Not for you, perhaps, but for me.' He seemed to be coming nearer; Catherine turned away. 'Can we not be friends again?' he asked.

“對你來說也許沒必要，可是對我來說有必要。”他好像走得更近了；凱瑟琳轉(zhuǎn)過身去。“我們難道不能再作朋友嗎？”他問道。

We are not enemies,' said Catherine.

“我們并不是敵人。”凱瑟琳說。

He moved close to her; she saw his beard, and the eyes above it, looking strange and hard. It was very different from his old—from his young—face. 'Catherine,' he murmured, 'I have never stopped thinking of you.'

他走近她；她看到了他的胡須，還有上面的那雙眼睛，看起來陌生而冷峻。這和他從前的——他年輕時的——面容非常不同。“凱瑟琳，”他低聲說道，“我一直在想念你。”

Please don't say these things,' she answered.

“請別說這些話。”她答道。

He looked at her again silently. 'It hurts you to see me here. I will go away; but you must allow me to come again.'

他又默默地看了看她：“在這里見我讓你難過。我會走的；不過你一定要允許我再來。”

Please don't come again,' she said. 'It is wrong of you. There is no reason for it. You behaved badly towards me.'

“請不要再來了，”她說，“這樣不好。沒理由這么做。你對我太差勁了。”

That is not true,' cried Morris. 'You had your quiet life with your father—I did not want to steal it from you.'

“不是這樣的，”莫里斯叫道，“你和你父親在一起平靜地生活——我不想把這種生活從你身邊偷走。”

Yes; I had that.'

“是??；我有過這樣的生活。”

Morris could not say that she also had some of her father's property; though he knew about Doctor Sloper's will. 'Catherine, have you never forgiven me?'

莫里斯不能說她還有一些她父親的財產(chǎn)；盡管他知道斯洛珀醫(yī)生遺囑的事情。“凱瑟琳，你從來沒有原諒過我嗎？”

I forgave you years ago, but we cannot be friends.'

“我多年以前就原諒你了，但我們不能作朋友。”

We can if we forget the past. We still have a future.'

“如果忘記過去我們就能作朋友。我們還有未來。”

I can't forget—I don't forget,' said Catherine. 'You behaved too badly. I felt it very much; I felt it for years. I can't begin again—everything is dead and buried. I never expected to see you here again.'

“我忘不掉——我不會忘記，”凱瑟琳說，“你的表現(xiàn)很差勁。我深有體會；我體會了很多年。我不能從頭再來——一切都成了過眼云煙。我從沒想過會在這里再次見到你。”

Morris stood looking at her. 'Why have you never married?' he asked, suddenly.

莫里斯站在那里看著她。“為什么你一直沒結(jié)婚？”他突然問道。

I didn't wish to marry.'

“我不想結(jié)婚。”

Yes, you are rich, you are free. Marriage had nothing to offer you.' He looked around the room for a moment. 'Well, I had hoped that we could still be friends.'

“是啊，你有錢，你很自由?；橐霾荒芙o你帶來什么。”他環(huán)顧了一下房間，“嗯，我本希望我們還可以作朋友。”

There is no possibility of that,' said Catherine.

“那不可能。”凱瑟琳說。

Goodbye, then,' said Morris.

“那么，再見。”莫里斯說。

He bowed, and she turned away. She stood there, looking at the ground, for some moments after she had heard him close the door of the room.

他鞠了一躬，她卻轉(zhuǎn)過身去。聽到他把房門關(guān)上之后好一會兒，她還站在那里，望著地面。

In the hall he found Mrs Penniman.

他在大廳里見到了彭尼曼夫人。

Your plan did not work!' said Morris, putting on his hat.

“你的計劃沒用！”莫里斯說著戴上了帽子。

Is she so hard?' asked Mrs Penniman.

“她的心這么硬？”彭尼曼夫人問道。

She doesn't care a button for me,' said Morris. He stood for a moment, with his hat on. 'But why, then, has she never married?'

“她一點兒也不在乎我，”莫里斯說。他站了一會兒，帽子戴在頭上，“可是，那她為什么不結(jié)婚？”

Yes—why?' said Mrs Penniman. 'But you will not give up—you will come back?'

“是啊——為什么？”彭尼曼夫人說，“不過你不會放棄——你還會回來吧？”

Come back! Certainly not!' And Morris Townsend walked out of the house, leaving Mrs Penniman staring.

“回來！當然不會！”莫里斯·湯森走出房子，留下彭尼曼夫人在那里發(fā)愣。

Catherine, meanwhile, in the parlour, picking up her embroidery, had seated herself with it again—for life.

與此同時，在客廳里，凱瑟琳撿起刺繡，坐在那里繼續(xù)做活兒——為了生活。