雙語·《刀鋒》 第二章 三

CHAPTER TWO 3
第二章 三

I was not in Paris in the spring when, sooner than they had planned, Mrs. Bradley and Isabel arrived to stay with Elliott；and again I have to eke out my knowledge or what passed during the few weeks they spent there by the exercise of my imagination.They landed at Cherbourg, and Elliott, always considerate, went to meet them.They passed through the customs.The train started.Elliott with some complacency told them that he had engaged a very good lady's maid to look after them and when Mrs.Bradley said that was quite unnecessary, since they didn't need one, he was very sharp with her.
直至來年春天，我才又回到了巴黎。布雷德利夫人和伊莎貝爾將計(jì)劃提前，已經(jīng)抵達(dá)巴黎，在艾略特家里住了下來。這中間隔了有好幾個(gè)星期，因此，我又得運(yùn)用想象力，湊合著敘述母女倆這段時(shí)間的經(jīng)歷……她們在瑟堡上的岸，歷來善于體貼人的艾略特前往迎接。過了海關(guān)之后，三個(gè)人上了火車?；疖噯?dòng)時(shí)，艾略特?fù)P揚(yáng)得意地宣稱給她們請了個(gè)相當(dāng)棒的女仆伺候她們。布雷德利夫人說完全沒有這個(gè)必要，她們不需要女仆。艾略特聽了，頓時(shí)變得聲色俱厲起來。

“Don't be tiresome the moment you arrive, Louisa. No one can be well turned out without a maid, and I've engaged Antoinette not only for your sake and Isabel's but for mine.It would mortify me that you shouldn't beperfectly dressed.”
“不要一來就惹人生氣，路易莎。沒有女仆是見不了人的。我請安托瓦內(nèi)特來，不僅是為了你和伊莎貝爾，也是為了給我爭面子。你們的穿戴不體面，會(huì)叫我無地自容的?！?/p>

He gave the clothes they were wearing a disparaging glance.
說著，他瞥了一眼母女倆身上的衣服，一臉的瞧不起。

“Of course you'll want to buy some new frocks. On mature consideration I've come to the conclusion that you can't do better than Chanel.”
“當(dāng)然，你們要購置點(diǎn)新衣服。我想來想去，認(rèn)為只有沙諾爾式女裝店最合適?！?/p>

“I always used to go to Worth，”said Mrs. Bradley.
“我以前一直都是去沃思服裝店。”布雷德利夫人說。

She might as well not have spoken, for he took no notice.
她這話說了也是白說，因?yàn)榘蕴馗静挥枥聿恰?/p>

“I've talked to Chanel myself and I've made an appointment for you tomorrow at three. Then there are hats.Obviously Reboux.”
“我跟沙諾爾式女裝店說過了，約你們明天下午三點(diǎn)去那兒。另外還需要買帽子——當(dāng)然是要萊伯克斯牌子的嘍。”

“I don't want to spend a lot of money, Elliott.”
“我不想多花錢，艾略特?！?/p>

“I know. I am proposing to pay for everything myself.I'm determined that you shall be a credit to me.Oh, and Louisa, I've arranged several parties for you and I've told my French friends that Myron was an ambassador, which, of course, he would have been if he'd lived a little longer, and it makes a better effect.I don't suppose it’ll come up, but I thought I’d better warn you.”
“我知道。所有的一切花銷都由我出就是了。我只想讓你給我爭點(diǎn)面子。好啦，路易莎，我特意為你安排了幾場宴會(huì)。我告訴我的法國朋友，說邁倫曾經(jīng)是位大使——他要是活的時(shí)間再長一些，這是板上釘釘?shù)氖虑?。這樣說，給人的印象好一些。這件事不會(huì)有人問起的，但我覺得還是先給你打個(gè)招呼好?！?/p>

“You're ridiculous, Elliott.”
“你真是荒唐可笑，艾略特。”

“No, I'm not. I know the world.I know that the widow of an ambassador has more prestige than the widow of a minister.”
“哪里的話。我懂得人情世故，深知一個(gè)大使的遺孀比一個(gè)部長的遺孀更有身份?！?/p>

As the train steamed into the Gare du Nord, Isabel, who was standing at the window, called out：
火車噴著蒸汽駛進(jìn)了巴黎北站。站在車窗前的伊莎貝爾叫了起來：

“There's Larry.”
“拉里來了。”

It had hardly stopped when she sprang out and ran to meet him. He threw his arms around her.
沒等火車停穩(wěn)，她便跳下了車，迎著拉里跑去。拉里張開雙臂將她摟在懷中。

“How did he know you were coming?”Elliott asked his sister acidly.
“他怎么知道你們來？”艾略特酸溜溜地問姐姐。

“Isabel wirelessed him from the ship.”
“伊莎貝爾在船上給他發(fā)了封電報(bào)?！?/p>

Mrs. Bradley kissed him affectionately, and Elliott gave him a limp hand to shake.It was ten o'clock at night.
布雷德利夫人疼愛地吻了吻拉里，艾略特?zé)o精打采地跟他握了握手。寒暄間，已經(jīng)是晚上十點(diǎn)鐘了。

“Uncle Elliott, can Larry come to lunch tomorrow?”cried Isabel, her arm in the young man's, her face eager and her eyes shining.
“舅舅，拉里明天能不能來吃午飯？”伊莎貝爾高聲問道。她挽著拉里的胳膊，臉上一副懇切的神情，眼睛里閃著光芒。

“I should be charmed, but Larry has given me to understand that he doesn't eat lunch.”
“這是我的榮幸。不過，我似乎聽拉里說過他從不吃午飯?！?/p>

“He will tomorrow, won't you, Larry?”
“明天他會(huì)吃的，是不是，拉里？”

“I will，”he smiled.
“是的?！崩镙笭栆恍φf。

“I shall look forward to seeing you at one o'clock then.”
“那么，明天一點(diǎn)鐘恭候你大駕光臨?！?/p>

He stretched out his hand once more, intending to dismiss him, but Larry grinned at him impudently.
艾略特又伸出手來，想把他打發(fā)走，可是拉里咧著嘴笑，厚著臉皮不肯離去。

“I'll help with the luggage and get a cab for you.”
“我要幫著搬行李，再給你們叫輛汽車?！?/p>

“My car is waiting and my man will see to the luggage，”said Elliott with dignity.
“我的車在等著呢，我的用人會(huì)照管行李的?！卑蕴厥饬枞说卣f。

“That's fine. Then all we've got to do is to go.If there's room for me I'll come as far as your door with you.”
“那好呀。那咱們就走吧。如果汽車?yán)镉形易奈蛔樱揖退湍銈兊郊议T口?！?/p>

“Yes, do, Larry，”said Isabel.
“有你坐的地方。一起走，拉里?！币辽悹栒f。

They walked down the platform together, followed by Mrs. Bradley and Elliott.Elliott's face bore a look of frigid disapproval.
兩個(gè)年輕人沿著站臺走了，布雷德利夫人和艾略特跟在后面。艾略特黑著臉，一副不情愿的樣子。

“Quelles manières，”he said to himself, for in certain circumstances he felt he could express his sentiments more forcibly in French.
“沒素質(zhì)。”他在嘴里咕噥了一句。在某種情況下，他覺得講法語能夠更有力地表達(dá)自己的情緒。

Next morning at eleven, having finished dressing, for he was not an early riser, he sent a note to his sister, via his man Joseph and her maid Antoinette, to ask her to come to the library so that they could have a talk. When she appeared he closed the door carefully and, putting a cigarette into an immensely long agate holder, lit it and sat down.
翌日上午十一點(diǎn)鐘，艾略特起了床（他平素總睡懶覺），洗漱完畢，寫了個(gè)便條，由男仆約瑟夫和女傭安托瓦內(nèi)特轉(zhuǎn)兩道手交給他的姐姐，約她到書房來談話。布雷德利夫人來了之后，他謹(jǐn)慎地關(guān)上門，把一支香煙裝在一根非常長的瑪瑙煙嘴上點(diǎn)著，然后坐下來。

“Am I to understand that Isabel and Larry are still engaged?”he asked.
“是不是可以說，伊莎貝爾和拉里還有著訂婚的約定吧？”他啟口問道。

“So far as I know.”
“恐怕是這樣的。”

“I'm afraid I haven't a very good account to give you of the young man.”He told her then how he had been prepared to launch him in society and the plans he had made to establish him in a fit and proper manner.“I even had my eye on a rez-de-chaussée that would have been the very thing for him.It belongs to the young Marquis de Rethel and hewanted to sublet it because he’d been appointed to the embassy at Madrid.”
“對這個(gè)小青年，我恐怕沒什么好話可說的?！彼麤_著布雷德利夫人大倒苦水，說他怎樣煞費(fèi)苦心想將拉里引入上流社會(huì)，說他怎樣針對拉里量體裁衣，制訂了整套的計(jì)劃?！拔疑踔吝€為他瞧上了一套低層的住房，非常適合他住。那房子屬于德·勒泰勒小侯爵，他被派駐馬德里的大使館任職，所以想把房子租出去?！?/p>

But Larry had refused his invitations in a manner that made it quite clear that he did not want his help.
可是，拉里把他的好心當(dāng)成了驢肝肺，謝絕了他的邀請，顯然是不愿意接受他的幫助。

“What the object of coming to Paris is if you're not going to take advantage of what Paris has to give you is beyond my comprehension. I don't know what he does with himself.He doesn't seem to know anybody.Do you know where he lives?”
“假如你不愿利用巴黎得天獨(dú)厚的條件，那你為什么要到巴黎來？實(shí)在叫人百思不得其解。不知道他在搗鼓些什么。他在這兒好像無親無友的。你知道他的住址嗎？”

“The only address we've ever had is the American Express.”
“他只給了我們一個(gè)地址，那就是美國運(yùn)通公司?！?/p>

“Like a travelling salesman or a school-teacher on vacation. I shouldn't be surprised if he was living with some little trollop in a studio in Montmartre.”
“看他就像個(gè)云游四方的推銷員或者來度假的教師，居無定所。他要是在蒙馬特高地的一間畫室里跟一個(gè)下流女人同居，那我一點(diǎn)也不感到驚奇?！?/p>

“Oh, Elliott.”
“別胡說，艾略特！”

“What other explanation can there be for the mystery he's making of his dwelling place and for his refusal to consort with people of his own class?”
“他把自己的住處搞得神秘兮兮，又拒絕跟自己同階層的人來往，除此之外，難道還會(huì)有別的解釋嗎？”

“It doesn't sound like Larry. And last night, didn't you get the impression that he was just as much in love with Isabel as ever?He couldn't be so false.”
“拉里不像是那號子人。昨天晚上你不是也看到了，他和從前一樣深愛著伊莎貝爾嗎？那樣的假他可是作不出來的?！?/p>

Elliott by a shrug of the shoulders gave her to understand that there was no limit to the duplicity of men.
艾略特聳聳肩膀，意思是告訴他姐姐，男人們逢場作戲的手腕是極其高明的。

“What about Gray Maturin?Is he still in the picture?”
“格雷·馬圖林怎樣？還在追嗎？”

“He'd marry Isabel tomorrow if she'd have him.”
“只要伊莎貝爾肯答應(yīng)，他恨不得馬上就跟她結(jié)婚?！?/p>

Mrs. Bradley told him then why they had come to Europe sooner than they had at first intended.She had found herself in ill-health, and the doctors had informed her that she was suffering from diabetes.It was not serious, and by attention to her diet and taking moderate doses of insulin there was no reason why she should not live for a good many years, but the knowledge that she had an incurable disease made her anxious to see Isabel settled.They had talked the matter over.Isabel was sensible.She had agreed that if Larry refused to come back to Chicago at the end of the two years in Paris they had agreed upon and get a job, there was only one thing to do and that was to break with him.But it offended Mrs.Bradley's sense of personal dignity that they should wait till the appointed time and then come to fetch him, like a fugitive from justice, back to his own country.She felt that Isabel would put herself in a humiliating position.But it was very natural that they should spend the summer in Europe, where Isabel had not been since she was a child.After their visit in Paris they could go to some watering-place suitable to Mrs.Bradley's complaint, then on to the Austrian Tyrol for a while and from there travel slowly through Italy.Mrs.Bradley's intention was to ask Larry to accompany them, so that he and Isabel could see whether the long separation had left their feelings unchanged.It would be manifest in due course whether Larry, having had his fling, was prepared to accept the responsibilities of life.
接著，布雷德利夫人告訴了艾略特她們比原定計(jì)劃提早來到歐洲的原因。她發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的健康狀況不好，醫(yī)生說她患上了糖尿病。病情并不嚴(yán)重，只要注意飲食，適當(dāng)?shù)胤靡葝u素，完全能夠活上好多年。可是，她在知道自己得了這種不治之癥之后，急切想看見伊莎貝爾有一個(gè)好的歸宿。母女倆談過這件事。伊莎貝爾很明智，說如果拉里在巴黎住了兩年之后，不遵照原議回到芝加哥，并且找個(gè)工作做，那就只有一條路可走——跟他一刀兩斷?？墒?，布雷德利夫人覺得要等到約定的時(shí)間，然后去巴黎把拉里像個(gè)逃犯一樣抓回美國，有損個(gè)人的尊嚴(yán)。她覺得伊莎貝爾那樣做很失面子。不過，母女倆來歐洲消夏卻是很正常的——伊莎貝爾自從長大之后，再也沒到歐洲來過。她們打算在巴黎待過之后，去一個(gè)海濱度假地讓布雷德利夫人養(yǎng)養(yǎng)病，再從那里前往奧地利的蒂羅爾山區(qū)住住，然后慢慢悠悠穿過意大利。布雷德利夫人有意約拉里同行。路上，讓拉里和伊莎貝爾相互了解了解，看他們在久別之后感情是否仍一如既往。至于拉里在經(jīng)過了一段時(shí)間的恣意放縱的生活之后，是不是愿意承擔(dān)起責(zé)任來，到時(shí)候自會(huì)明白。

“Henry Maturin was sore with him for turning down the position he offered him, but Gray has talked him round, and he can go into the business the moment he comes back to Chicago.”
“拉里拒絕了亨利·馬圖林提供給他的工作，叫對方覺得很不痛快，多虧格雷打圓場，才算讓父親消了氣。拉里只要回芝加哥，立刻就可以有工作干?！?/p>

“Gray's a very nice fellow.”
“格雷是個(gè)大好人?！?/p>

“He certainly is.”Mrs. Bradley sighed.“I know he'd make Isabel happy.”
“一點(diǎn)沒說的?！辈祭椎吕蛉藝@了口氣說，“伊莎貝爾嫁給他，一定會(huì)幸福的。”

Elliott then told her what parties he had arranged for them. He was giving a big luncheon on the following day and at the end of the week a grand dinner party.He was taking them to a reception at the Chateau-Gaillards and he had got cards for them to a ball that the Rothschilds were giving.
接下來，艾略特介紹了給她們母女安排了幾場什么樣的宴會(huì)。明天下午他要舉辦的是場大型午宴，周末安排的則是一個(gè)氣勢恢宏的晚宴。他還要帶她們?nèi)⒓硬榈蠟酢ぜ永澕业恼写龝?huì)，而且還給她們弄到兩張舞會(huì)請?zhí)?，屆時(shí)將去羅慈吉爾茲府上跳舞。

“You'll ask Larry, won't you?”
“拉里你也要請吧？”

“He tells me he hasn't any evening clothes，”Elliott sniffed.
“他告訴我，說他沒有晚禮服?！卑蕴睾吡寺暠亲诱f。

“Well, ask him all the same. After all, he is a nice boy, and it wouldn't help to give him the cold shoulder.It would only make Isabel obstinate.”
“哎，反正你請他一下就是了。說到底，他是個(gè)挺不錯(cuò)的小伙子。冷冰冰地對待他沒有什么用處，只會(huì)叫伊莎貝爾更加執(zhí)拗。”

“Of course I'll ask him if you wish it.”
“當(dāng)然，你要我請我就請吧。”

Larry came to lunch at the appointed time, and Elliott, whose manners were admirable, was pointedly cordial to him. It was not difficult, since Larry was so gay, in such high spirits that it would have needed a much more ill-natured man than Elliott not to be charmed with him.The conversation dealt with Chicago and their common friends there, so that there was not much for Elliott to do other than to look amiable and pretend to be interested in the concerns ofpersons whom he thought of no social consequence.He did not mind listening；indeed, he thought it rather touching to hear them tell of this young couple's engagement, that young couple's marriage, and another young couple's divorce.Who had ever heard of them?He knew that the pretty little Marquise de Clinchant had tried to poison herself because her lover, the Prince de Colombey, had left her to marry the daughter of a South American millionaire.That was something to talk about.Looking at Larry, he was obliged to admit that there was something peculiarly attractive in him；with his deep-set strangely black eyes, his high cheekbones, pale skin, and mobile mouth he reminded Elliott of a portrait by Botticelli, and it occurred to him that if he were dressed in the costume of the period he would look extravagantly romantic.He remembered his notion of getting him off with a distinguished Frenchwoman and he smiled slyly on reflecting that he was expecting at dinner on Saturday Marie Louise de Florimond, who combined irreproachable connexions with notorious immorality.She was forty, but looked ten years younger；she had the delicate beauty of her ancestress painted by Nattier which, owing to Elliott himself, now hung in one of the great American collections；and her sexual voracity was insatiable.Elliott decided to put Larry next to her.He knew she would waste no time in making her desires clear to him.He had already invited a young attaché at the British embassy whom he thought Isabel might like.Isabel was very pretty, and as he was an Englishman, and well off, it wouldn’t matter that she had no fortune.Mellowed by the excellent Montrachet with which they had started lunch and by the fine Bordeaux that followed, Elliott thought with tranquil pleasure of the possibilities that presented themselves to his mind.If things turned out as he thought they very well might, dear Louisa would have no more cause for anxiety.She had always slightly disapproved of him；poor dear, she was very provincial；but he was fond of her.It would be a satisfaction to him to arrange everything for her by help of his knowledge of the world.
拉里在約定的時(shí)間趕來赴午宴。但見艾略特?zé)崆檠笠纭⒍Y貌周到，對拉里更是和藹可親。對拉里待之以禮并不難，因?yàn)樗麧M面春風(fēng)、興致勃勃的，艾略特又不是一個(gè)天性惡毒的人，哪能不產(chǎn)生好感。午宴上，大家以芝加哥為話題，大談彼此都認(rèn)識的朋友，把艾略特給晾在了一旁，他只好做出和和氣氣的樣子，擺一副屈尊俯就的架勢，好像很關(guān)心這些在他眼里毫無社會(huì)地位的人似的，關(guān)心他們的痛癢。聽客人們海闊天空地說話，他并不排斥。其實(shí)，聽到某一對年輕男女訂婚了，某一對年輕男女結(jié)婚了，某一對年輕男女離婚了，他覺得怪惹人同情的。聽到這樣的事情，哪能不動(dòng)情呢？據(jù)他所知，年輕美麗的德·科林尚特女爵曾為情試圖服毒自殺——她的情人德·科龍貝親王拋棄她，娶了個(gè)南美洲百萬富翁的千金。這樣的話題說起來的確津津有味?？纯蠢?，他不得不承認(rèn)他有種異常吸引人的地方。拉里那深陷的、烏黑烏黑的眼睛，那高顴骨、蒼白的皮膚和靈巧的嘴，讓他聯(lián)想起波提切利的一幅畫像，覺得如果叫拉里穿上那個(gè)時(shí)代的服裝，看上去一定充滿浪漫氣息。他記起自己曾經(jīng)打算把拉里介紹給一位顯赫的法國女人，同時(shí)想到星期六晚宴邀請了瑪麗·路易絲·德·弗洛里蒙，禁不住偷偷笑了。這個(gè)女人交游甚廣，道德上卻臭名昭著，兩點(diǎn)兼而有之。她四十歲的年齡，看上去卻要年輕十歲。納蒂埃曾經(jīng)為她的一個(gè)女祖先畫過像，這張像通過艾略特親自努力，現(xiàn)掛在美國的一個(gè)大畫廊里?，旣惿镁秃退@個(gè)女祖先同樣千嬌百媚，而她在性生活方面欲壑難填，好像永遠(yuǎn)不能滿足似的。艾略特決定讓拉里坐在她身邊。他知道瑪麗會(huì)不失時(shí)機(jī)地叫拉里懂得她的欲望。他還請了英國大使館的一位年輕的侍從武官，認(rèn)為伊莎貝爾說不定會(huì)喜歡上的。伊莎貝爾臉蛋長得漂亮，那個(gè)英國人家境闊綽，雖然伊莎貝爾沒有財(cái)產(chǎn)，也是沒有關(guān)系的。一開始吃飯，大伙兒便觥籌交錯(cuò)，先喝上等蒙哈榭白葡萄酒，繼而喝味道純正的波爾多酒，喝得艾略特輕飄飄的，心里樂悠悠地遐想著各種可能出現(xiàn)的情況。如果事態(tài)的發(fā)展如他估計(jì)的那般，親愛的路易莎就沒有什么可焦慮的了。路易莎總是有點(diǎn)把他的話不當(dāng)回事，可憐的人兒，怪都怪她見的世面太少。不過，他喜歡自己的這個(gè)姐姐。利用自己走南闖北積累下的經(jīng)驗(yàn)為她把一切安排得停停當(dāng)當(dāng)，也是一件稱心的事情。

To waste no time, Elliott had arranged to take his ladies to look at clothes immediately after lunch, so as they got up from table he intimated to Larry with the tact of which he was a master that he must make himself scarce, but at the same time he asked him with pressing affability to come to the two grand parties he had arranged. He need hardly have taken so much trouble, since Larry accepted both invitations with alacrity.
為了不浪費(fèi)時(shí)間，艾略特安排好一吃完午飯就帶路易莎母女去看衣服。所以，客人們才從餐桌旁站起身，他便用自己最擅長的辭令暗示拉里可以離開了，同時(shí)又以誠懇、親切的語氣邀請他來參加自己安排的兩場盛大宴會(huì)。其實(shí)他沒必要多慮，因?yàn)槔镆宦牶芡纯炀痛饝?yīng)了下來。

But Elliott's plan failed. He was relieved when Larry appeared at the dinner party in a very presentable dinner-jacket, for he had been a little nervous that he would wear the same blue suit that he had worn at lunch；and after dinner, getting Marie Louise de Florimond into a corner, he asked her how she had liked his young American friend.
可是，艾略特的計(jì)劃落空了。話說拉里來參加晚宴時(shí)，穿了一套很像樣的晚禮服，艾略特看見后松了一口氣。起初他還有點(diǎn)擔(dān)心，怕拉里穿上次午宴時(shí)的那身藍(lán)西裝呢。晚飯后，艾略特把瑪麗·德·弗洛里蒙拉到角落里，問她覺得他的這位年輕美國朋友怎么樣。

“He has nice eyes and good teeth.”
“他有一雙漂亮的眼睛和一口好看的牙齒?！?/p>

“Is that all?I put him beside you because I thought he was just your cup of tea.”
“僅此而已嗎？我讓他坐在你身邊，是覺得他合你的口味?！?/p>

She looked at him suspiciously.
她疑惑地看了看他。

“He told me he was engaged to your pretty niece.”
“他告訴我，說已經(jīng)跟你漂亮的外甥女訂婚了?！?/p>

“Voyons, ma chère, the fact that a man belongs to another woman has never prevented you from taking him away from her if you could.”
“得了吧，親愛的。一個(gè)男子屬于一個(gè)女子，只要你辦得到，這可不會(huì)妨礙你橫刀奪愛的?！?/p>

“Is that what you want me to do?Well, I'm not going to do your dirty work for you, my poor Elliott.”
“你想讓我奪人之愛？可憐的艾略特，我絕不會(huì)替你干這種卑鄙勾當(dāng)?shù)?。?/p>

Elliott chuckled.
艾略特嘿嘿一笑。

“The meaning of that, I presume, is that you tried your stuff and found there was nothing doing.”
“聽你的話音，我覺得你好像已經(jīng)試過水了，只是沒有進(jìn)展罷了?！?/p>

“Why I like you, Elliott, is that you have the morals of a bawdy-house keeper. You don't want him to marry your niece.Why not?He is well bred and quite charming.But he's really too innocent.I don't think he had the least suspicion of what I meant.”
“艾略特，我喜歡的就是你的這種妓院老板般的品性。你不愿意讓他娶你的外甥女。為什么？他有教養(yǎng)，而且很討人喜歡。不過，他未免太單純了些，可能絲毫沒有懷疑我的動(dòng)機(jī)。”

“You should have been more explicit, dear friend.”
“你應(yīng)該把意圖表現(xiàn)得更明確些，親愛的朋友?！?/p>

“I have enough experience to know when I'm wasting my time. The fact is that he has eyes only for your little Isabel, and between you and me, she has twenty years advantage over me.And she's sweet.”
“你是情場老手，明知這是白費(fèi)氣力。他的眼睛里只有你家的小伊莎貝爾。咱倆之間說說——她的優(yōu)勢在于她比我年輕二十歲。而且，她甜美可人?！?/p>

“Do you like her dress?I chose it for her myself.”
“你喜歡她的衣服嗎？我親自給她挑的?！?/p>

“It's pretty and it's suitable. But of course she has no chic.”
“樣式漂亮，也很合身。只可惜她沒有高雅的風(fēng)度?！?/p>

Elliott took this as a reflection on himself, and he was not prepared to let Madame de Florimond get away without a dig. He smiled genially.
艾略特認(rèn)定后半句話是沖著他來的，覺得不能輕易放過她，非得戳一下她的痛處不可。于是他滿臉堆起親切的笑容，款款說道：

“One has to have reached your ripe maturity to have your chic, dear friend，”he said.
“一個(gè)人非得活到你這樣成熟的年齡，才會(huì)有高雅的風(fēng)度，親愛的?！?/p>

Madame de Florimond wielded a bludgeon rather than a rapier. Her retort made Elliott's Virginian blood boil.
德·弗洛里蒙夫人手里揮動(dòng)的是一根大棒，而非燒火棍，殺傷力很大。她的反唇相譏讓艾略特身上的弗吉尼亞血液沸騰了起來。

“But I'm sure that in your fair land of gangsters[votre beau pays d'apaches]they will hardly miss something that is so subtle and so inimitable.”
“我可以肯定，在你們那個(gè)土匪橫行的美麗國家里（votre beau pays dapaches），如此微妙、如此獨(dú)特的東西，人們是不會(huì)有所欠缺的?！?/p>

But if Madame de Florimond carped, the rest of Elliott's friends were delighted both with Isabel and with Larry. They liked her fresh prettiness, her abounding health, and her vitality；they liked his picturesque appearance, his good manners, and his quiet, ironic humour.Both had the advantage of speaking good and fluent French.Mrs.Bradley, after living so many years in diplomatic circles, spoke it correctly enough but with an unabashed American accent.Elliott entertained them lavishly.Isabel, pleased with her new clothes and her new hats, amused by all the gaiety Elliott provided, and happy to be with Larry, thought she had never enjoyed herself so much.
雖則德·弗洛里蒙夫人橫挑鼻子豎挑眼，艾略特其他的朋友對伊莎貝爾和拉里他們倆，都還是挺喜歡的。他們喜歡伊莎貝爾的青春美，喜歡她充溢的健康和蓬勃的活力；他們喜歡拉里生動(dòng)的外表，喜歡他儒雅的談吐以及他那含蓄、帶有諷刺意味的幽默。二人講一口標(biāo)準(zhǔn)、流利的法語，這也是他們的一大優(yōu)點(diǎn)。布雷德利夫人在外交界生活多年，法語說得還算標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，只是夾帶著一點(diǎn)美國腔調(diào)，她卻不以為然。艾略特對待她們母女極為慷慨。伊莎貝爾喜歡自己的新衣新帽，也喜歡艾略特安排的各種叫人心花怒放的活動(dòng)。還有，和拉里在一起，她感到很幸福。她覺得自己從來都沒有如此快活過。