Chapter 21
第21章
I let him take me to a restaurant of his choice, but on the way I bought a paper. When we had ordered our dinner, I propped it against a bottle of St. Galmier and began to read. We ate in silence. I felt him looking at me now and again, but I took no notice. I meant to force him to conversation.
我讓他帶我到一家他選定的餐館,但是在路上走的時(shí)候我買(mǎi)了一份報(bào)紙。叫了菜以后,我就把報(bào)紙支在一瓶圣·卡爾密酒上,開(kāi)始讀報(bào)。我們一言不發(fā)地吃著飯。我發(fā)現(xiàn)他不時(shí)地看我一眼,但是我根本不理睬他。我準(zhǔn)備逼著他自己講話。
Is there anything in the paper? he said, as we approached the end of our silent meal.
“報(bào)紙上有什么消息?”在我們這頓沉默無(wú)語(yǔ)的晚餐將近尾聲時(shí),他開(kāi)口說(shuō)。
I fancied there was in his tone a slight note of exasperation.
也許這只是我的幻覺(jué)吧,從他的聲音里我好象聽(tīng)出來(lái)他已經(jīng)有些沉不住氣了。
I always like to read the feuilleton on the drama, I said.
“我喜歡讀評(píng)論戲劇的雜文,”我說(shuō)。
I folded the paper and put it down beside me.
我把報(bào)紙疊起來(lái),放在一邊。
I've enjoyed my dinner, he remarked.
“這頓飯吃得很不錯(cuò),”他說(shuō)。
I think we might have our coffee here, don't you?
“我看咱們就在這里喝咖啡好不好?”
Yes.
“好吧。”
We lit our cigars. I smoked in silence. I noticed that now and then his eyes rested on me with a faint smile of amusement. I waited patiently.
我們點(diǎn)起了雪茄。我一言不發(fā)地抽著煙。我發(fā)現(xiàn)他的目光時(shí)不時(shí)地停在我身上,隱約閃現(xiàn)著笑意。我耐心地等待著。
What have you been up to since I saw you last? he asked at length.
“從上次見(jiàn)面以后你都做什么了?”最后他開(kāi)口說(shuō)。
I had not very much to say. It was a record of hard work and of little adventure; of experiments in this direction and in that; of the gradual acquisition of the knowledge of books and of men. I took care to ask Strickland nothing about his own doings. I showed not the least interest in him, and at last I was rewarded. He began to talk of himself. But with his poor gift of expression he gave but indications of what he had gone through, and I had to fill up the gaps with my own imagination. It was tantalising to get no more than hints into a character that interested me so much. It was like making one's way through a mutilated manuscript.
我沒(méi)有太多的事好說(shuō)。我的生活只不過(guò)是每日辛勤工作,沒(méi)有什么奇聞艷遇。我在不同方向進(jìn)行了摸索試驗(yàn);我逐漸積累了不少書(shū)本知識(shí)和人情世故。在談話中,對(duì)他這幾年的生活我有意閉口不問(wèn),裝作絲毫也不感興趣的樣子。最后,我的這個(gè)策略生效了。他主動(dòng)談起他的生活來(lái)。但是由于他太無(wú)口才,對(duì)他自己這一段時(shí)間的經(jīng)歷講得支離破碎,許多空白都需要我用自己的想象去填補(bǔ)。對(duì)于這樣一個(gè)我深感興趣的人只能了解個(gè)大概,這真是一件吊人胃口的事,簡(jiǎn)直象讀一部殘缺不全的稿本。
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