雙語·《刀鋒》 第五章 四

CHAPTER FIVE 4
第五章 四

The autumn came and Elliott decided to go to Paris for a while, partly to see how Isabel, Gray, and the children were getting on, and partly to make what he called acte de présence in the capital.Then he meant to go to London to order some new clothes and incidentally to look up some old friends.My own plan was to go straight to London, but he asked me to drive up with him to Paris, and since that is an agreeable thing to do I consented and, having done so, saw no reason why I should not spend at least a few days in Paris myself.We made the journey by easy stages, stopping at places where the food was good；Elliott had something the matter with his kidneys and drank nothing but Vichy, but always insisted on choosing my half-bottle of wine for me and, too good-natured to grudge me a pleasure he could not share, got a genuine satisfaction out of my enjoyment of a fine vintage.He was so generous that I had difficulty in persuading him to let me pay my share of the expenses.Though I grew a little tired of his stories of the great whom he had known in the past I liked the trip.Much of the country we drove through, just touched with the beginning of its autumn beauty, was very lovely.Having lunched at Fontainebleau, we did not arrive in Paris till afternoon.Elliott dropped me at my modest, old-fashioned hotel and went round the corner to the Ritz. We had warned Isabel of our arriving, so I was not surprised to find a note from her awaiting me, but I was surprised at its contents：
秋天來臨，艾略特決定到巴黎小住一段時間，一方面是去看看伊莎貝爾、格雷和兩個孩子過得怎樣，一方面則是為了他所說的“回首都重溫舊夢”。之后，他打算到倫敦去定做幾件新衣服，再順便探望一下幾個老友。我原計劃直接去倫敦，但他邀我和他一同開車到巴黎去。這樣的安排挺不錯的，所以我就同意了。既然如此，我覺得自己不妨也在巴黎小住一下，起碼待上幾天總是可以的。這一趟旅途輕輕松松，遇見好的餐館就停下來又吃又喝的。艾略特腎功能不好，不敢喝酒，只喝維奇礦泉水，但他每次都堅持要親自選半瓶葡萄酒讓我喝。他心眼好，自己雖然不能品嘗美酒佳釀，可是見我喝得快活，他也感到由衷的高興。他非?？犊乙M許多口舌才能說服他允許我清付我的那一份開銷。他津津樂道于他過去認識的那些大人物，聽得我有些心煩，但這趟旅行還是令人開心的。穿行于鄉(xiāng)間，初秋的景色美不勝收，叫人心曠神怡。在楓丹白露吃過午飯，下午時分才抵達巴黎。把我送到我所下榻的那家普普通通的老式旅館，他便驅(qū)車繞過街角去里茨飯店了。我們提前通知過伊莎貝爾，說我們要來巴黎，所以見到她留在旅館里的便條，我并不感到驚訝，叫我覺得驚訝的是便條上寫的內(nèi)容：

Come round the moment you get in. Something terrible has happened.Don't bring Uncle Elliott.For God's sake come as soon as you can.
見條后速來。出大事了。別把艾略特舅舅帶來?？丛谏系鄣姆稚?，快來吧！

I am not less curious than anyone else, but I had to have a wash and put on a clean shirt；then I took a taxi and went round to the apartment in the Rue St. Guillaume.I was shown into the drawing-room.Isabel sprang to her feet.
我的好奇心之強烈不亞于任何人，但我總得先洗洗，換上件干凈衣服呀。整理完畢，我就搭上一輛出租車到圣紀堯姆大街的那幢公寓樓去了。抵達后，我被引進了客廳里。伊莎貝爾見了我，立刻跳起來。

“Where have you been all this time?I've been waiting for hours.”
“你這是到哪兒去了？我都等你幾個小時了。”

It was five o'clock and, before I could answer, the butler brought in the tea-things. Isabel, her hands clenched, watched him with impatience.I couldn't imagine what was the matter.
此時是下午五點鐘。我還沒有來得及回答，管家就把茶具送了來。伊莎貝爾雙手緊握在一起，不耐煩地看著管家擺茶具。我想象不出究竟出了什么事。

“I've only just arrived. We dawdled over lunch at Fontainebleau.”
“我們剛到，中途在楓丹白露吃了頓午飯，耽擱了一下?！?/p>

“God, how slow he is. Maddening！”said Isabel.
“上帝呀，擺個東西怎么這么慢！快把人急瘋了?！币辽悹栒f。

The man placed the salver with the teapot and the sugar basin and the cups on the table and with what really was exasperating deliberation arranged around it plates of bread and butter, cakes, and cookies. He went out and closed thedoor behind him.
管家先將托盤連同茶壺放在桌子上，然后擺上糖缸和茶杯，再把一盤盤的面包、黃油、蛋糕、甜餅放在旁邊，動作慢悠悠的，的確叫人著惱。做完這一切，他走出客廳，隨手關(guān)上了門。

“Larry's going to marry Sophie Macdonald.”
“拉里要跟索菲·麥克唐納結(jié)婚了?！?/p>

“Who's she?”
“索菲·麥克唐納是誰？”

“Don't be so stupid，”cried Isabel, her eyes flashing with anger.“That drunken slut we met at that filthy café you took us to.God knows why you took us to a place like that.Gray was disgusted.”
“別裝蒜了！”伊莎貝爾大叫一聲，眼里噴射出怒火來，“就是你帶我們?nèi)サ哪羌殷a臟咖啡館里碰見的那個喝醉酒的蕩婦。天知道你為什么把我們帶到那種地方去。那一趟叫格雷惡心透了。”

“Oh, you mean your Chicago friend?”I said, ignoring her unjust reproach.“How d'you know?”
“哦，你指的是你們那個芝加哥的朋友吧？”我沒理會她的不公正責(zé)備，這樣問道，“你怎么知道他們要結(jié)婚？”

“How should I know?He came and told me himself yesterday afternoon. I've been frantic ever since.”
“我怎么知道？拉里昨天下午跑來，是他親口告訴我的。我都快氣瘋了?！?/p>

“Supposing you sat down, gave me a cup of tea, and told me all about it.”
“你不妨坐下來，給我倒杯茶，慢慢講給我聽?！?/p>

“Help yourself.”
“茶還是你自己倒吧?！?/p>

She sat behind the tea-table and watched me irritably while I poured myself out a cup. I made myself comfortable on a small sofa by the fireplace.
她一屁股坐到茶桌旁，氣哼哼地看著我倒茶。倒完茶，我舒舒服服地坐在了壁爐跟前的一張小沙發(fā)上。

“We haven't seen so much of him lately, since we came back from Dinard, I mean；he came up there for a few days, but wouldn't stay with us, he stayed at a hotel. He used to come down to the beach and play with the children.They're crazy about him.We played golf at St.Briac.Gray asked him one day if he'd seen Sophie again.
最近不常見他——我指的是從迪納爾返回之后。他去迪納爾待了幾天，不肯跟我們住在一起，而是下榻于一家旅館。那幾天，他常到海灘上陪孩子們玩。孩子們十分喜歡他。我們還曾經(jīng)到圣布里亞克打過高爾夫球。一天，格雷問他再見到過索菲沒有。

“‘Yes, I've seen her several times，'he said.
‘見過，見過好幾次呢?！卮鹫f。

“‘Why?'I asked.
‘為什么要見她？’我問。

“‘She's an old friend，'he said.
‘她是個老朋友嘛?！f。

“‘If I were you I wouldn't waste my time on her，'I said.
‘我要是你，就決不會在她身上浪費時間?！艺f。

“Then he smiled. You know how he smiles, as though he thought what you'd said funny, though it isn't funny at all.
他聽了微微一笑。你知道他是怎么笑的，就好像你說的話很滑稽一樣（其實一點也不滑稽）。

“‘But you're not me，'he said.
‘可是，你不是我呀。’他說。

“I shrugged my shoulders and changed the conversation. I never gave the matter another thought.You can imagine my horror when he came here and told me they were going to be married.
我當(dāng)時聳了聳肩膀，轉(zhuǎn)到別的話題上了。之后再也沒有多想過。當(dāng)他跑來告訴我，說他們打算結(jié)婚時，你可以想象得出我有多么震驚。

“‘You can't, Larry，'I said.‘You can't.'
‘你不能跟她結(jié)婚，拉里?！艺f道，‘你不能這樣做。’

“‘I'm going to，'he said as calmly as if he was going to have a second helping of potatoes.‘And I want you to be very nice to her, Isabel.'
‘我已經(jīng)決定了。’他說道，那股若無其事的勁兒，就像是在點菜，吩咐再來一份炒土豆一樣，‘我想讓你對她好一些，伊莎貝爾。’

“‘That's asking too much，'I said.‘You're crazy. She's bad, bad, bad.'”
“‘這個要求太過分了?！艺f道，‘你發(fā)瘋了。她是個壞女人，非常壞?！?/p>

“What makes you think that?”I interrupted.
“你怎么會這么想？”我打斷她的話說道。

Isabel looked at me with flashing eyes.
伊莎貝爾望著我，眼睛里直冒火。

“She's soused from morning till night. She goes to bed with every tough who asks her.”
“她從早到晚喝得爛醉。不管誰讓她陪睡，她就跟人家上床?！?/p>

“That doesn't mean she's bad. Quite a number of highly respected citizens get drunk and have a liking for rough trade.They're bad habits, like biting one's nails, but I don't know that they’re worse than that.I call a person bad who lies and cheats and is unkind.”
“這并不能說明她就是壞人。不少受人尊敬的人也喜歡酗酒，喜歡干一些下流的事情。這是壞習(xí)慣，就跟有人喜歡咬指甲一樣。我就不知道這樣的人能壞到哪兒去。我覺得只有那些坑蒙拐騙、喪盡天良的人才是壞人?！?/p>

“If you're going to take her part I'll kill you.”
“你要是一味偏袒她，看我不收拾你?！?/p>

“How did Larry meet her again?”
“拉里是怎么又和她見的面？”

“He found her address in the phone-book. He went to see her.She was sick, and no wonder, with the life she leads.He got a doctor and had someone in to look after her.That's how it started.He says she's given up drink；the damned fool thinks she's cured.”
“他在電話簿上找到她的住址，便跑去看她。她正在生病——這也難怪，她那樣糟踐自己，哪能不病。他為她請醫(yī)生，并安排人伺候她。他們就這樣來往起來。拉里說她戒了酒。這個笨蛋竟然認為他把她給治好了?！?/p>

“Have you forgotten what Larry did for Gray?He's cured him, hasn't he?”
“你忘了拉里給格雷治病的事了嗎？難道不是他把格雷的病治好了嗎？”

“That's different. Gray wanted to be cured.She doesn't.”
“那是兩碼事。格雷渴望被治好，而她沒有這個意愿。”

“How d'you know?”
“你怎么知道她沒有？”

“Because I know women. When a woman goes to pieces like that she's done for；she can never get back.If Sophie's what she is, it's because she was like that always.D'you think she'll stick to Larry?Of course not.Sooner or later she’ll break out.It’s in her blood.It’s a brute she wants, that’s what excites her, and it’s a brute she’ll go after.She’ll lead Larry a hell of a life.”
“因為我了解女人。一個女人墮落到那種地步，就會破罐子破摔，是決不愿走回頭路的。索菲今日的墮落，完全是本性使然。你以為她會對拉里忠貞不渝嗎？當(dāng)然不會。遲早有一天她會跟拉里分手。這是由她的本性決定的。她喜歡的是流氓，因為這讓她感到刺激，所以她非流氓不要。她會把拉里置于水深火熱之中。”

“I think it's very probable, but I don't know what you can do about it. He's going into this with his eyes open.”
“這種情況很有可能會出現(xiàn)。不過，咱們也只能干瞪眼，愛莫能助。他這是明知山有虎偏向虎山行呀?！?/p>

“I can do nothing about it, but you can.”
“我是愛莫能助，你卻可以幫助他?！?/p>

“I?”
“我？”

“Larry likes you and he listens to what you say. You're the only person who has any influence over him.You know the world.Go to him and tell him that he can't make such a fool of himself.Tell him that it'll ruin him.”
“拉里喜歡你，聽你的話。只有你能夠?qū)λ┘佑绊憽Ｄ阋娺^世面，不妨去勸勸他，讓他不要做傻事，免得毀掉自己的生活?！?/p>

“He'll only tell me that it's no business of mine and he'll be quite right.”
“他會叫我少管閑事——他如此說不無道理?！?/p>

“But you like him, at least you're interested in him, you can't sit by and let him make a hopeless mess of his life.”
“可是，你喜歡他呀，至少可以說對他感興趣呀，總不能袖手旁觀，眼睜睜看著他一步步走進泥潭?！?/p>

“Gray's his oldest and most intimate friend. I don't think it'll do any good, but I should have thought Gray was the best person to speak to him.”
“格雷是他的老朋友，和他的關(guān)系最鐵。我認為勸說是勸不動的，但如果要勸，格雷恐怕也是最合適的人選?！?/p>

“Oh, Gray，”she said impatiently.
“哼，格雷！”她不耐煩地哼了聲鼻子。

“You know it may not turn out so badly as you think. I've known two or three fellows, one in Spain and two in the East, who married whores, and they made them very good wives.They were grateful to their husbands, for the security they gave them, I mean, and they of course knew what pleases a man.”
“話又說回來，事情也不一定像你想的那樣一團糟。我認識兩三個人——一個是在西班牙，兩個是在東方，他們?nèi)⒘思伺?dāng)老婆，小日子過得挺好。那些女子對丈夫感激涕零，因為丈夫給她們提供了一個安樂窩。她們投桃報李，給丈夫帶來了那方面的歡樂。”

“You make me tired. D'you think I sacrificed myself to let Larry fall into the hands of a raging nymphomaniac?”
“你的話叫人聽了心煩。你以為我犧牲了自己的利益，就是為了讓拉里落入一個不知廉恥的蕩婦手中？”

“How did you sacrifice yourself?”
“你是怎樣犧牲自己利益的？”

“I gave Larry up for the one and only reason that I didn't want to stand in his way.”
“我放棄拉里只為了一個原因，那就是我不想影響他的前途?！?/p>

“Come off it, Isabel. You gave him up for a square-cut diamond and a sable coat.”
“得了吧，伊莎貝爾。你放棄他是為了方形鉆戒和貂皮大衣。”

The words were hardly out of my mouth when a plate of bread and butter came flying at my head. By sheer luck I caught the plate, but the bread and butter was scattered on the floor.I got up and put the plate back on the table.
我的話剛出口，就有一盤面包和黃油朝著我的腦袋飛了過來。純粹憑運氣，我一把接住了盤子，面包和黃油卻啪嗒落在了地板上。我站起身，將盤子放回到桌子上。

“Your uncle Elliott wouldn't have thanked you if you'd broken one of his Crown Derby plates. They were made for the third Duke of Dorset and they're almost priceless.”
“你把艾略特舅舅的皇冠德貝瓷盤打破一只，他可不會饒你的。這些瓷盤當(dāng)初是特為第三代多塞特公爵燒制的，幾乎是無價之寶。”

“Pick up the bread and butter，”she snapped.
“把黃油和面包撿起來！”她怒氣沖沖地說。

“Pick it up yourself，”I said, seating myself again on the sofa.
“要撿你自己撿?！蔽艺f完又坐回到了沙發(fā)上。

She got up and, fuming, picked up the scattered pieces.
她站了起來，一邊生著悶氣，一邊彎腰撿散落了一地的面包和黃油。

“And you call yourself an English gentleman，”she exclaimed, savagely.
“你還自稱是英國紳士呢。”她憤怒地嚷嚷道。

“No, that's a thing I've never done in all my life.”
“錯了，我可從來沒有這么稱呼過自己?！?/p>

“Get the hell out of here. I never want to see you again.I hate the sight of you.”
“快從這里滾出去。我再也不想見到你了。看見你就叫我討厭?！?/p>

“I'm sorry for that, because the sight of you always gives me pleasure. Have you ever been told that your nose is exactly like that of the Psyche in the museum of Naples, and that's the loveliest representation of virginal beauty that ever existed.You've got exquisite legs, so long and shapely, and I never cease to be surprised at them, because they were thick and lumpy when you were a girl, I can't imagine how you've managed it.”
“這太令人遺憾了。我倒是一直都很喜歡見你。不知是否有人告訴過你，你的鼻子跟那不勒斯博物館里塞姬石像的鼻子一模一樣。這座石像是存世的代表少女美的最優(yōu)秀作品。你的腿非常優(yōu)美，修長勻稱，我見了總是不由得感到驚奇——你當(dāng)姑娘的時候，兩條腿粗壯粗壯的，簡直想象不來怎么變得這么漂亮。”

“An iron will and the grace of God，”she said angrily.
“靠的是堅強的意志和上帝的恩澤?！彼瓪鉀_沖地說。

“But of course your hands are your most fascinating feature. They're so slim and so elegant.”
“不過，要說迷人，還是你的手最迷人了，那么纖細，那么典雅?！?/p>

“I was under the impression you thought them too big.”
“我有個印象，好像你覺得我的手太大了?！?/p>

“Not for your height and build. I'm always amazed at the infinite grace with which you use them.Whether by nature or by art you never make a gesture without imparting beauty to it.They're like flowers sometimes and sometimes like birds on the wing.They're more expressive than any words you can say.They're like the hands of El Greco's portraits；in fact, when I look at them I’m inclined to believe Elliott’s highly improbable story of your having an ancestor who was a Spanish grandee.”
“就你這樣的個頭和身段來說，這雙手不算大。你的手運作起來，簡直優(yōu)雅極了，令人不勝贊嘆。不管是有意還是無意，你的手一舉一動都有一種美感。它們有時候像鮮花綻放，有時候似飛鳥展翅，比任何語言都更富于表現(xiàn)力，很像埃爾·格列柯肖像畫里主人公的手。實際上，艾略特曾說你家祖上有個人是西班牙貴族，我原來不信，可是看到你的手我就相信了?！?/p>

She looked up crossly.
她氣惱地瞥了我一眼。

“What are you talking about?That's the first I've heard of it.”
“你在胡扯些什么呀？這我還是第一次聽說?！?/p>

I told her about the Count de Lauria and Queen Mary's maid of honour from whose issue in the female line Elliott traced his descent. Meanwhile Isabel contemplated her long fingers and her manicured painted nails with complacency.
我把勞里亞伯爵娶瑪麗王后侍女的事給她講了一遍，說那就是艾略特母系一族的先祖。伊莎貝爾一面聽，一面自豪地端詳著自己的長手指和修剪涂染過的指甲。

“One must be descended from someone，”she said. Then with a tiny chuckle, giving me a mischievous look in which no trace of rancour remained, she added：“You lousy bastard.”
“一個人總得有先祖的?！彼f完，撲哧一笑，頑皮地看了我一眼，目光里完全沒有了怨氣。之后，她又嬌嗔地說：“你真壞！”

So easy is it to make a woman see reason if you only tell her the truth.
對于女人，只要說話說得得當(dāng)，很容易叫她明白事理。

“There are moments when I don't positively dislike you，”said Isabel.
“有些時候，我并不是真的討厭你?！彼f道。

She came and sat on the sofa beside me and, slipping her arm through mine, leant over to kiss me. I withdrew my cheek.
隨后，她走過來坐到我身旁，挽起我的胳膊，探過身子就要吻我。我急忙將臉扭開。

“I will not have my face smeared with lipstick，”I said.“If you want to kiss me, kiss me on the lips, which is what merciful Providence intended them for.”
“我可不愿讓臉頰沾上口紅?！蔽艺f道，“要吻你就吻我的嘴唇吧，這是仁慈的上帝讓人們接吻的地方?！?/p>

She giggled and, her hand turning my head towards her, with her lips pressed a thin layer of paint on mine. The sensation was far from unpleasant.
她咯咯笑了幾聲，然后把我的臉扳過來，將芳唇印在我的嘴唇上，留下了一道細細的口紅的痕印。我感覺美滋滋的。

“Now you've done that, perhaps you'll tell me what it is you want.”
“好啦，心意領(lǐng)了?，F(xiàn)在說說你想讓我做什么吧?！?/p>

“Advice.”
“想聽聽你的錦囊妙計?！?/p>

“I'm quite willing to give you that, but I don't think for a moment you'll take it. There's only one thing you can do and that is to make the best of a bad job.”
“我十分愿意效力，只怕你一時聽不進去。只有一條錦囊妙計獻給你：順其自然?！?/p>

Flaring up again, she snatched her arm away and, getting up, flung herself into a chair on the other side of the fireplace.
她聽了又火冒三丈，蹭地將胳膊抽回去，站起身，跑到壁爐的另一側(cè)，一屁股坐回了椅子上。

“I'm not going to sit by and let Larry ruin himself. I'll stick at nothing to prevent him from marrying that slut.”
“我可不能袖手旁觀，眼睜睜看著拉里毀掉自己。我要做出一切努力阻止他和那個蕩婦結(jié)婚。”

“You won't succeed. You see, he's enthralled by one of the most powerful emotions that can beset the human breast.”
“你不會成功的。你可以看到，他已經(jīng)被感情迷了心竅，而那種感情是人類胸腔里最熾熱的感情?！?/p>

“You don't mean to say you think he's in love with her?”
“你不會是說他愛上她了吧？”

“No. That would be trifling in comparison.”
“不是那意思。與這種感情相比，愛情便微不足道了。”

“Well?”
“此話怎講？”

“Have you ever read the New Testament?”
“你讀過《新約全書》沒有？”

“I suppose so.”
“讀過一些吧?！?/p>

“D'you remember how Jesus was led into the wilderness and fasted forty days?Then, when he was a-hungered, the devil came to him and said：If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But Jesus resisted the temptation.Then the devil set him on a pinnacle of the temple and said to him：If thou be the son of God, cast thyself down.For angels had charge of him and would bear him up.But again Jesus resisted.Then the devil took him into a high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world and said that he would give them to him if he would fall down and worship him.But Jesus said：Get thee hence, Satan.That's the end of the story according to the good simple Matthew.But it wasn't.The devil was sly and he came to Jesus once more and said：If thou wilt accept shame and disgrace, scourging, a crown of thorns and death on the cross, thou shalt save the human race, for greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.Jesus fell.The devil laughed till his sides ached, for he knew the evil men would commit in the name of their redeemer.”
“基督曾經(jīng)受到誘惑走進曠野，一連四十天沒有吃飯的故事你還記得嗎？就在他饑餓難忍的時候，魔鬼來到他跟前說：‘如果你真是上帝之子，那你不妨將這些石頭變?yōu)槊姘?。’可是基督頂住了誘惑。接下來，魔鬼把他放在圣殿的屋頂上對他說：‘如果你真是上帝之子，那你不妨從這兒跳下去。有天使的保護，會把你托起來的?！接忠淮雾斪×苏T惑。隨即，魔鬼把他帶到了一座高山上，把世界上的各個王國指給他看，說如果基督愿意跪下來參拜他，就把那些國家賜給基督號令?？墒腔秸f道：‘滾開吧，撒旦！’根據(jù)善良、單純的馬太的記載，故事的結(jié)尾就是這樣。實際上，故事并沒有結(jié)束。魔鬼很狡猾，他又來找基督，對他說：如果你愿意接受羞辱、鞭打，愿意戴上荊棘編的帽冠，最后被釘死在十字架上，那你便可以解救全人類，因為為了朋友犧牲自己的生命，是人所能表現(xiàn)出的最偉大的愛。這次，基督中計了。魔鬼笑得肚子都痛了，因為他知道壞人會假借為人類贖罪的名義來干壞事的?！?/p>

Isabel looked at me indignantly.
伊莎貝爾慍怒地望著我。

“Where on earth did you get that?”
“你這段故事到底出自于何處？”

“Nowhere. I've invented it on the spur of the moment.”
“就出自于這兒。是我臨時編出來的?！?/p>

“I think it's idiotic and blasphemous.”
“我覺得這故事荒唐、褻瀆神明?！?/p>

“I only wanted to suggest to you that self-confidence is a passion so overwhelming that beside it even lust and hunger are trifling. It whirls its victim to destruction in the highest affirmation of his personality.The object doesn't matter；it may be worth while or it may be worthless.No wine is so intoxicating, no love so shattering, no vice so compelling.When he sacrifices himself man for a moment is greater than God, for how can God, infinite and omnipotent, sacrifice himself?At best he can only sacrifice his only begotten son.”
“我只是想向你指出，自我犧牲是壓倒一切的情感，連淫欲和饑餓跟它相比都會顯得微不足道。它最大程度地使人格高尚化，誘惑人走向毀滅。它無視目的，不管值得不值得它都會這樣做。沒有一種美酒能令人如此陶醉，沒有一種愛情能使人如此心碎，沒有一種罪惡能叫人如此無法抵御。一個人一旦犧牲掉自己，頃刻就會變得比上帝還偉大，因為上帝是無限和萬能的，怎么能犧牲自己呢？上帝頂多只能犧牲自己唯一的兒子?！?/p>

“Oh, Christ, how you bore me，”said Isabel.
“哎，老天爺，這話說得太乏味了?！币辽悹栒f道。

I paid no attention.
我沒理會她，繼續(xù)說了下去：

“How can you suppose that common sense or prudence will have any effect on Larry when he's in the grip of a passion like that?You don't know what he's been seeking all these years. I don't know either, I only suspect.All theseyears of labour, all these experiences he garnered weigh nothing in the balance now they're set against his desire-oh, it’s more than a desire, his urgent, clamorous need to save the soul of a wanton woman whom he’d known as an innocent child.I think you’re right, I think he’s undertaking a hopeless job；with his acute sensibility he’ll suffer the tortures of the damned；his life’s work, whatever it may be, will remain undone.The ignoble Paris killed Achilles by shooting an arrow in his heel.Larry lacks just that touch of ruthlessness that even the saint must have to win his halo.”
“拉里目前就是被這種情感左右著。此時對他曉之以理動之以情，你想會有什么效果嗎？這些年他在追求什么，你一無所知，我也不知道，只能猜出個一二來。多年的辛勤勞作，多年的經(jīng)驗積累，如果放在天平上與他的愿望相權(quán)衡，就輕多了。那不僅僅是愿望，更是一種迫切、熱烈的驅(qū)動力，要去挽救一個他認識的女人的靈魂——那女人從前是個清純的孩子，而今成了蕩婦。我覺得你言之有理——他一定會無果而終。他過于注重情感，勢必會遭受種種磨難。不管他有什么樣的事業(yè)，什么樣的追求，都將功虧一簣。卑鄙的帕里斯一箭射中阿喀琉斯的腳后跟，使他送了命。拉里缺乏的正是這種狠毒勁——即便是圣徒，如欲修得正果，也得有這種狠勁?！?/p>

“I love him，”said Isabel.“God knows, I ask nothing of him. I expect nothing.No one could love anyone more unselfishly than I love him.He's going to be so unhappy.”
“我愛他?！币辽悹栒f道，“上帝知道，我對他無所求，無所圖。誰都不可能像我這般無私地愛他。我不愿讓他的生活過得不幸福?！?/p>

She began to cry and, thinking it would do her good, I let her be. I diverted myself idly with the idea that had sprung so unexpectedly into my mind.I played with it.I couldn't but surmise that the devil, looking at the cruel wars that Christianity has occasioned, the persecutions, the tortures Christian has inflicted on Christian, the unkindness, the hypocrisy, the intolerance, must consider the balance sheet with complacency.And when he remembers that it has laid upon mankind the bitter burden of the sense of sin that has darkened the beauty of the starry night and cast a baleful shadow on the passing pleasures of a world to be enjoyed, he must chuckle as he murmurs：give the devil his due.
說完，她嚶嚶哭了起來。我覺得哭哭對她有好處，所以沒加勸阻。在百無聊賴之際，我的心里突然躥出了一種想法，于是便琢磨、回味起來。我敢斷言，看到基督教發(fā)動殘酷無情的戰(zhàn)爭，看到基督徒相互迫害、摧殘，看到人世間的兇殘暴虐、爾虞我詐及雞腸小肚，魔鬼考慮一下自己的收獲，一定會心滿意足的；想到基督教給人類背上了一個原始罪惡的痛苦包袱，使美麗的星空黯然失色，在世人及時行樂的心坎上投下了一道邪惡的陰影，魔鬼一定會開心地笑出聲，悄然低語說：這就是報應(yīng)。

Presently Isabel took a handkerchief from her bag and a mirror and, looking at herself, carefully wiped the corner of her eyes.
伊莎貝爾哭了一會兒，然后從提包里取出一塊手帕和一個小鏡子，一邊照鏡子，一邊小心翼翼地擦掉眼角的淚水。

“Damned sympathetic, aren't you?”she snapped.
“你就沒有一點同情之心嗎？”她氣憤地問。

I looked at her pensively, but did not answer. She powdered her face and painted her lips.
我若有所思地望著她，卻沒有回答她的話。她在臉上撲撲粉，在嘴唇上涂了點口紅。

“You said just now you suspected what he's been after all these years. What did you mean?”
“你剛才說猜出了幾分他這些年的追求。此話怎講？”

“I can only guess, you know, and I may be quite wrong. I think he's been seeking for a philosophy, or maybe a religion, and a rule of life that'll satisfy both his head and his heart.”
“只不過是瞎猜罷了，很可能是錯的。我覺得他在尋求一種哲學(xué)，也可能是一種宗教，一種可以使他身心都獲得安寧的人生準(zhǔn)則?！?/p>

Isabel considered this for a moment. She sighed.
伊莎貝爾沉吟片刻，然后嘆了口氣說：

“Don't you think it's very strange that a country boy from Marvin, Illinois, should have a notion like that?”
“一個伊利諾伊州馬文鎮(zhèn)的鄉(xiāng)下孩子會有這樣的想法，你不覺得奇怪嗎？”

“No stranger than that Luther Burbank who was born on a farm in Massachusetts should have produced a seedless orange or that Henry Ford who was born on a farm in Michigan should have invented a Tin Lizzie.”
“盧瑟·伯班克出生在馬薩諸塞州的農(nóng)場，培植出了無核的橘子，亨利·福特出生在密歇根州的農(nóng)場，卻發(fā)明了小汽車，與他們相比，拉里就不顯得奇怪了。”

“But those are practical things. That's in the American tradition.”
“但那兩人經(jīng)營的是實業(yè)，符合美國的傳統(tǒng)?！?/p>

I laughed.
我聽了哈哈大笑。

“Can anything in the world be more practical than to learn how to live to best advantage?”
“天下還有什么比學(xué)會有意義地生活更能稱得上是實業(yè)呢？”

Isabel gave a gesture of lassitude.
伊莎貝爾有氣無力地擺了一下手。

“You don't want to lose Larry altogether, do you?”
“你不想完全失去拉里，對不對？”

She shook her head.
她點頭稱是。

“You know how loyal he is：if you won't have anything to do with his wife he won't have anything to do with you. If you've got any sense you'll make friends with Sophie.You'll forget the past and be as nice to her as you can be when you like.She’s going to be married and I suppose she’s buying some clothes.Why don’t you offer to go shopping with her?I think she’d jump at it.”
“你知道拉里是個重情感的人。你不愿跟他的妻子來往，他也會跟你井水不犯河水。假如你不癡不傻，倒不如和索菲交朋友。你必須不計前嫌，盡可能善待她。她即將結(jié)婚，恐怕得買些衣服。你何不提出跟她一起去采購？我想她肯定會高興死的?！?/p>

Isabel listened to me with narrowed eyes. She seemed intent upon what I was saying.For a moment she pondered, but I could not guess what was passing through her mind.Then she surprised me.
伊莎貝爾瞇著眼在聽我講話，好像聽得十分專注，一面在想著心事。我猜不出她心里在轉(zhuǎn)什么念頭。接下來，她的幾句話令我頗覺意外。

“Will you ask her to lunch?It would be rather awkward for me after what I said to Larry yesterday.”
“能不能由你出面請她吃午飯？昨天我對拉里說了那樣難聽的話，再讓我請，怪不好意思的?！?/p>

“Will you behave if I do?”
“如果我請，你能注意自己的言行嗎？”

“Like an angel of light，”she answered with her most engaging smile.
“我會像個光明天使一樣?！彼f著，綻出了極為迷人的微笑。

“I'll fix it up right away.”
“我這就把此事定下來?！?/p>

There was a phone in the room. I soon found Sophie's number, and after the usual delay which those who use the French telephone learn to put up with patiently, I got her.I mentioned my name.
客廳里有電話。我很快就查到了索菲的號碼。凡是撥打法國的電話，都要耐著性子等一會兒才能接通。對方總算拿起了聽筒，我通報了自己的姓名。

“I've just arrived in Paris，”I said，“and heard that you and Larry are going to be married. I want to congratulate you.I hope you'll be very happy.”I smothered a cry as Isabel, who was standing by me, gave the soft of my arm a vicious pinch.“I'm only here for a verv short time and I wonder if you and Larry will come and lunch with me the dayafter tomorrow at the Ritz.I'm asking Gray and Isabel and Elliott Templeton.”
“我剛到巴黎，”我說，“聽說你跟拉里要結(jié)婚了。我想對你表示祝賀，希望你們幸福美滿。”伊莎貝爾站在我身邊，把我胳臂上的肉狠狠擰了一下，疼得我差點沒叫出聲來，“我在這兒只待很短一段時間，不知道你跟拉里后天能不能到里茨飯店和我一起吃午飯。我請格雷、伊莎貝爾和艾略特·鄧普頓一道去。”

“I'll ask Larry. He's here now.”There was a pause.“Yes, we shall be glad to.”
“讓我問問拉里。他就在跟前?！苯酉聛砭褪且粫旱耐ｎD?！昂玫?。我們將會很高興的。”

I fixed an hour, made a civil remark, and replaced the receiver on its stand. I caught an expression in Isabel's eyes that caused me some misgiving.
我講定了時間，又說了幾句客套話，然后就把話筒放下了。此時只見伊莎貝爾眼里出現(xiàn)了一種神情，叫我有點擔(dān)心。

“What are you thinking?”I asked her.“I don't quite like the look of you.”
“你在想什么？”我問她，“我不大喜歡你臉上的神情。”

“I'm sorry；I thought that was the one thing about me you did like.”
“很遺憾，我原以為你喜歡我這種神情呢?！?/p>

“You haven't got some nefarious scheme that you're hatching, Isabel?”
“你不是在心里打什么壞主意吧，伊莎貝爾？”

She opened her eyes very wide.
她一聽，把眼睛睜得大大的。

“I promise you I haven't. As a matter of fact I'm terribly curious to see what Sophie looks like now Larry has reformed her.All I hope is that she won't come to the Ritz with a mask of paint on her face.”
“我向你保證沒有。事實上，我急切想看看，在經(jīng)過了拉里的一番改造之后，索菲是否已脫胎換骨。但愿她去里茨飯店時，不要涂成個大花臉。”