雙語(yǔ)·《刀鋒》 第五章 八

CHAPTER FIVE 8
第五章 八

A couple of days later, when I went to see Elliott, I found him beaming.
兩三天后，我登門去看望艾略特，發(fā)現(xiàn)他滿臉喜色。

“Look，”he said，“I've had my invitation. It came this morning.”
“瞧，”他說(shuō)道，“我收到請(qǐng)?zhí)耍墙裉焐衔缡盏降?。?/p>

He took the card out from under his pillow and showed it to me.
說(shuō)完，他從枕頭下取出請(qǐng)?zhí)f給我看。

“It's what I told you，”I said.“You see, your name begins with a T. The secretary has evidently only just reached you.”
“我不是早就告訴過(guò)你了么?！蔽艺f(shuō)道，“要知道，你的姓是以T開頭的。顯然，秘書寫請(qǐng)?zhí)泡喌侥??！?/p>

“I h a v e n'tans we red yet.I'll do it to morrow.”
“我還沒(méi)有寫回信呢。明天會(huì)寫的?！?/p>

I had a moment's fright at that.
我一聽，嚇了一大跳。

“Would you like me to answer it for you?I could post it when I leave you.”
“愿不愿意讓我代筆？我走時(shí)可以將回信送到郵局去?！?/p>

“No, why should you?I'm quite capable of answering invitations myself.”
“哪里的話！為什么要你代筆？我完全能自己寫回信的?！?/p>

Fortunately, I thought, the envelope would be opened by Miss Keith and she would have the sense to suppress it. Elliott rang the bell.
我暗忖，幸虧拆信人將會(huì)是吉斯小姐。她又不傻，肯定會(huì)把信扣下來(lái)的。這時(shí)，艾略特?fù)u了搖鈴說(shuō)：

“I want to show you my costume.”
“我想讓你看看我的禮服?！?/p>

“You're not thinking of going, Elliott?”
“你不是真的要去吧，艾略特？”

“Of course I am. I haven't worn it since the Beaumont's ball.”
“當(dāng)然要去。自從去比奧蒙茨家參加過(guò)那次舞會(huì)之后，這套禮服再?zèng)]有穿過(guò)。”

Joseph answered the bell and Elliott told him to bring the costume. It was in a large flat box, wrapped in tissue paper.There were long white silk hose, padded trunks of cloth of gold slashed with white satin, a doublet to match, a cloak, a ruff to wear round the neck, a flat velvet cap, and a long gold chain from which hung the order of the Golden Fleece.I recognized it as a copy of the gorgeous dress worn by Philip the Second in Titian's portrait at the Prado, and when Elliott told me it was exactly the costume the Count de Lauria had worn at the wedding of the King of Spain with the Queen of England I could not but think that he was giving rein to his imagination.
約瑟夫聽見鈴聲走了進(jìn)來(lái)，艾略特讓他把禮服取來(lái)。那套禮服放在一個(gè)大大的扁平盒子里，用薄棉紙包著。這里面有白綢長(zhǎng)襪、帶襯里的白錦緞裹邊的織金布緊身褲，配一件緊身上衣、一件大氅、一條圍在脖子上的縐領(lǐng)、一個(gè)平頂絲絨便帽、一條長(zhǎng)金鏈子，鏈子的一頭掛著金羊毛勛章。我認(rèn)出這套禮服是根據(jù)提香所畫的菲力普二世穿的那套豪華服裝仿制的，而那幅畫就在普拉多。艾略特卻告訴我，說(shuō)這套禮服是勞里亞伯爵在參加西班牙國(guó)王和英國(guó)女王的婚禮時(shí)穿過(guò)的，這就讓我覺(jué)得他的想象太離譜了。

On the following morning while I was having breakfast I was called to the telephone. It was Joseph to tell me that Elliott had had another bad attack during the night and the doctor, hurriedly summoned, doubted whether he would last through the day.I sent for the car and drove over to Antibes.I found Elliott unconscious.He had resolutely refused to have a nurse, but I found one there, sent for by the doctor from the English hospital between Nice and Beaulieu, and was glad to see her.I went out and telegraphed to Isabel.She and Gray were spending the summer with the children at the inexpensive seaside resort of La Baule.It was a long journey and I was afraid they would not get to Antibes in time.Except for her two brothers, whom he had not seen for years, she was Elliott's only living relative.
次日上午正在吃早飯時(shí)，我被叫去接電話。電話是約瑟夫打來(lái)的，說(shuō)艾略特夜間又發(fā)病了，他急忙把醫(yī)生請(qǐng)了來(lái)，醫(yī)生說(shuō)艾略特恐怕連今天也熬不過(guò)去了。我讓服務(wù)生將汽車開過(guò)來(lái)，然后驅(qū)車前往安提比斯。艾略特正處于昏迷狀態(tài)。艾略特原先堅(jiān)決不肯用護(hù)士，可是我卻看見有個(gè)護(hù)士在場(chǎng)，是醫(yī)生從那個(gè)位于尼斯與博略之間的英國(guó)醫(yī)院找來(lái)的，這令我看了心里感到欣慰。我出去給伊莎貝爾發(fā)了封電報(bào)。她和格雷帶著孩子正在拉波勒的那個(gè)比較便宜的海濱度假地消夏，來(lái)安提比斯要走很遠(yuǎn)的路，恐怕來(lái)不及為艾略特送終了。她還有兩個(gè)哥哥，但和艾略特多年不見，所以她算是艾略特在世的唯一親人了。

But the will to live was strong in him, or it may be that the doctor's medicaments were effective, for during the course of the day he rallied. Though shattered, he put on a bold front and amused himself by asking the nurse indecent questions about her sex life.I stayed with him most of the afternoon, and next day, on going to see him again, found him, though very weak, sufficiently cheerful.The nurse would only let me stay with him a short time.I was worried at not having received an answer to my telegram.Not knowing Isabel's address at La Baule I had sent it to Paris and feared that the concierge had delayed to forward it.It was not till two days later that I got a reply to say that they were starting at once.As ill luck would have it, Gray and Isabel were on a motor trip in Brittany and had only just had my wire.I looked up the trains and saw that they could not arrive for at least thirty-six hours.
不過(guò)，艾略特求生的欲望異常強(qiáng)烈，要不然就是醫(yī)生用的藥產(chǎn)生了作用，反正就在這一天他恢復(fù)了意識(shí)。盡管已是垂危之人，他仍強(qiáng)打起精神說(shuō)俏皮話，問(wèn)了幾個(gè)有關(guān)于護(hù)士性生活的下流問(wèn)題。這天下午的大部分時(shí)間，我都守在他身旁。第二天又去看他，發(fā)現(xiàn)他雖然身體十分虛弱，情緒卻很好。護(hù)士只允許我在跟前待很短一點(diǎn)時(shí)間。發(fā)給伊莎貝爾的電報(bào)仍未見回音，這讓我感到焦慮。由于不知道伊莎貝爾在拉波勒的地址，電報(bào)發(fā)到了巴黎去。怕就怕門房轉(zhuǎn)送電報(bào)時(shí)耽擱了時(shí)間。兩天之后，我才收到了回電，說(shuō)他們立刻啟程。事情很不湊巧，伊莎貝爾和格雷乘汽車到布列塔尼游玩去了，剛剛接到我的電報(bào)。我查了一下列車時(shí)刻表，發(fā)現(xiàn)他們至少要三十六個(gè)小時(shí)才能趕來(lái)。

Early next morning Joseph called me again to tell me that Elliott had had a very bad night and was asking for me. I hurried over.When I arrived Joseph took me aside.
次日一大早，約瑟夫把電話又打了來(lái)，說(shuō)艾略特夜間病情惡化，提出要見我。我一聽，急急忙忙趕了過(guò)去。我一到，約瑟夫便將我拉到一旁說(shuō)：

“Monsieur will excuse me if I speak to him on a delicate subject，”he said to me.“I am of course a freethinker andbelieve all religion is nothing but a conspiracy of the priests to gain control over the people, but Monsieur knows what women are. My wife and the chambermaid insist that the poor gentleman should receive the last sacraments and evidently the time is growing short.”He looked at me in rather a shamefaced way.“And the fact remains, one never knows, perhaps it is better, if one's got to die, to regularize one's situation with the Church.”
“先生，如果我說(shuō)的事情不合時(shí)宜，請(qǐng)你原諒我的冒昧。按說(shuō)，我是不信教的，認(rèn)為所有的宗教只不過(guò)是神父玩弄的陰謀詭計(jì)，為的是控制人們的思想?？墒?，先生也知道，女人們并不這么想。我的妻子和女傭都堅(jiān)持認(rèn)為我們的主人應(yīng)該得到最后的祝福?，F(xiàn)在時(shí)間已所剩不多。”他用眼睛看著我，一臉難為情的神色，“現(xiàn)在的事情誰(shuí)也說(shuō)不清。也許，一個(gè)人臨死之前，最好還是改善與教會(huì)的關(guān)系?！?/p>

I understood him perfectly. However freely they mock, most Frenchmen, when the end comes, prefer to make their peace with the faith that is part of their blood and bones.
他的心態(tài)我很清楚。大多數(shù)法國(guó)人，不管平時(shí)怎樣揶揄嘲笑宗教，但宗教畢竟跟他們血肉相連，一旦生命到了終點(diǎn)，他們還是愿意妥協(xié)的。

“Do you want me to suggest it to him?”
“你是要我向他提出嗎？”

“If Monsieur would have the goodness.”
“先生如果愿意，那是再好不過(guò)了。”

It was not a job I much fancied, but after all Elliott had been for many years a devout Catholic, and it was fitting that he should conform to the obligations of his faith. I went up to his room.He was lying on his back, shrivelled and wan, but perfectly conscious.I asked the nurse to leave us alone.
這個(gè)差事我并不怎么喜歡，但是，艾略特畢竟多少年來(lái)都是個(gè)虔誠(chéng)的天主教徒，所以，履行一個(gè)天主教徒的職責(zé)也是理所當(dāng)然的。我上樓走進(jìn)他的房間，見他平躺在床上，臉色憔悴，瘦得都成了個(gè)干巴人，但神志十分清楚。我讓護(hù)士出去一會(huì)兒。

“I'm afraid you're very ill, Elliott，”I said.“I was wondering, I was wondering if you wouldn't like to see a priest?”
“你的病情恐怕十分危重了，艾略特?！蔽覇⒖谡f(shuō)道，“不知道……不知道你愿不愿意請(qǐng)個(gè)牧師來(lái)？”

He looked at me for a minute without answering.
他看著我，半天沒(méi)說(shuō)話。

“D'you mean to say I'm going to die?”
“你的意思是說(shuō)我就要死了？”

“Oh, I hope not. But it's just as well to be on the safe side.”
“哦，但愿不是這樣。不過(guò)，不怕一萬(wàn)就怕萬(wàn)一么?！?/p>

“I understand.”
“我懂了?！?/p>

He was silent. It is a terrible moment when you have to tell someone what I had just told Elliott.I could not look at him.I clenched my teeth because I was afraid I was going to cry.I was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing him, with my arm outstretched for support.
他一時(shí)啞了口。這是一個(gè)令人痛心的時(shí)刻——明知此話會(huì)刺激艾略特，卻又不得不說(shuō)。我不忍心看他，咬緊牙關(guān)，生怕會(huì)哭出聲來(lái)。此時(shí)，我坐在床沿上，面向他，伸出一只胳臂撐著身體。

He patted my hand.
他在我的手背上拍了拍，說(shuō)道：

“Don't be upset, my dear fellow. Noblesse oblige, you know.”
“別難過(guò)，老伙計(jì)。要知道，這是必須走的一步?！?/p>

I laughed hysterically.
我聽了，破涕為笑，說(shuō)道：

“You ridiculous creature, Elliott.”
“你真是個(gè)奇怪的家伙，艾略特?！?/p>

“That's better. Now call up the bishop and say that I wish to make my confession and receive Extreme Unction.I would be grateful if he'd send the Abbé Charles.He’s a friend of mine.”
“這就對(duì)了。現(xiàn)在打電話給主教，說(shuō)我要懺悔并且接受涂油禮。如果能把查爾斯神父派來(lái)，我將感激不盡。他是我的朋友?！?/p>

The Abbé Charles was the bishop’s vicar general whom I had occasion to mention before.I went downstairs and telephoned.I spoke to the bishop himself.
查爾斯神父是主教的代理人，在前邊的一章里提到過(guò)。我下樓去打電話，跟主教通上了話。

“Is it urgent?”he asked.
“很急嗎？”他問(wèn)。

“Very.”
“十萬(wàn)火急。”

“I will attend to it at once.”
“我這就辦理。”

The doctor arrived and I told him what I had done. He went up with the nurse to see Elliott and I waited on the ground floor in the dining-room.It is only twenty minutes'drive from Nice to Antibes and little more than half an hour later a black sedan drew up at the door.Joseph came to me.
醫(yī)生來(lái)時(shí)，我把剛才的事情跟他講了講。隨后，他便帶著護(hù)士上樓去看艾略特，而我守候在樓下的餐廳里。從尼斯來(lái)安提比斯只有二十分鐘的車程，所以過(guò)了半小時(shí)多一點(diǎn)，就有一輛黑顏色的大轎車停在了門口。約瑟夫跑來(lái)找我。

“C'est Monseigneur en personne, Monsieur，”he said in a flurry.“It's the bishop himself.”
“是主教本人，先生，”他慌慌張張地說(shuō)，“主教大人親自來(lái)了。”

I went out to receive him. He was not as usual accompanied by his vicar general, but, why I did not know, by a young abbé who bore a casket that contained, I supposed, the utensils needed to administer the sacrament.The chauffeur followed with a shabby black valise.The bishop shook hands with me and presented his companion.
我急忙迎出門去。這次，主教沒(méi)有像往常那樣身旁跟著那位代理人，不知怎么卻帶來(lái)了一個(gè)年輕的神父，這位神父手捧一個(gè)匣子，我想里面可能裝的是施涂油禮的用具。司機(jī)緊隨其后，手提一只寒磣的黑色旅行箱。主教和我握了手，把同來(lái)的神父介紹給了我。

“How is our poor friend?”
“咱們的那位可憐的朋友怎么樣了？”

“I'm afraid he's very ill, Monseigneur.”
“恐怕已處于病危狀態(tài)，主教大人。”

“Will you be so obliging as to show us into a room where we can enrobe?”
“是不是請(qǐng)你把我們帶到哪個(gè)房間里去，讓我們把法衣?lián)Q上。”

“The dining-room is here, Monseigneur, and the drawing-room is on the next floor.”
“這兒是餐廳，主教大人?？蛷d在樓上。”

“The dining-room will do very well.”
“到餐廳里換就很好了。”

I ushered him in. Joseph and I waited in the hall.Presently the door opened and the bishop came out, followed by the abbé holding in both hands the chalice surmounted by a little platter on which lay the consecrated wafer.They were covered by a cambric napkin so fine that it was transparent.I had never seen the bishop but at a dinner or luncheonparty, and a very good trencherman he was, who enjoyed his food and a glass of good wine, telling funny and sometimes ribald stories with verve.He had struck me then as a sturdy, thickset man of no more than average height.Now, in surplice and stole, he looked not only tall, but stately.His red face, puckered as a rule with malicious yet kindly laughter, was grave.There was in his appearance nothing left of the cavalry officer he had once been；he looked, what indeed he was, a great dignitary of the Church.I was hardly surprised to see Joseph cross himself.The bishop inclined his head in a slight bow.
我把他領(lǐng)進(jìn)了餐廳，然后和約瑟夫在過(guò)廳里等候。不一會(huì)兒，門開了，主教走了出來(lái)，后面跟著神父；神父雙手捧著一只圣餐杯，杯子上放一個(gè)小盤子，里面有一塊行圣禮用的圣餅。這些東西用一塊細(xì)麻紗餐巾蓋著，而麻紗是透明的。之前，我只是在晚宴或午宴上見到過(guò)主教，知道他是個(gè)大肚漢，喜歡美食美酒，喜歡講幽默故事，有時(shí)甚至還講些粗俗的笑話。那時(shí)候，他給我的印象是一個(gè)身體結(jié)實(shí)強(qiáng)壯的人，只有中等身材。今天他穿上白法衣，披上圣帶，看上去不但個(gè)頭很高，而且莊嚴(yán)肅穆。他的那張紅臉，平時(shí)總是樂(lè)呵呵的，笑容可掬，現(xiàn)在卻一副嚴(yán)肅相。從外表上看，過(guò)去的那個(gè)騎兵軍官在他身上找不到一絲痕跡了；此刻，他的面相符合于他在教會(huì)的實(shí)際地位，一看就知道是個(gè)顯貴人物。難怪約瑟夫見了肅然起敬，在胸前畫了個(gè)十字。主教身子微微一躬，點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭。

“Conduct me to the sick man，”he said.
“領(lǐng)我去見病人吧?！彼f(shuō)道。

I made way for him to ascend the stairs before me, but he bade me precede him. We went up in solemn silence.I entered Elliott's room.
我閃開身子，讓他先上樓，而他卻叫我走在前邊。于是，我們一聲不響，一臉嚴(yán)肅地上了樓。我先一步走進(jìn)艾略特的病房通報(bào)道：

“The bishop has come himself, Elliott.”
“主教大人親自來(lái)了，艾略特。”

Elliott struggled to raise himself to a sitting position.
艾略特掙扎著坐了起來(lái)。

“Monseigneur, this is an honour I did not venture to expect.”
“主教大人親自光臨，我感到不勝榮幸?！?/p>

“Do not move, my friend.”The bishop turned to the nurse and me.“Leave us.”And then to the abbé：“I will call you when I am ready.”
“你別動(dòng)，我的朋友?！敝鹘探辛艘宦暎缓髮?duì)我和護(hù)士說(shuō)：“請(qǐng)你們先出去一下。”接著，他又轉(zhuǎn)向那個(gè)神父叮嚀道：“你也出去，到時(shí)候我叫你?！?/p>

The abbé glanced around and I guessed that he was looking for a place to set down the chalice.I pushed aside the tortoiseshell-backed brushes on the dressing-table.The nurse went downstairs and I led the abbé into the adjoining room which Elliott used as a study.The windows were open to the blue sky and he went over and stood by one of them.I sat down.A race of Stars was in progress and their sails gleamed dazzling white against the azure.A big schooner with a black hull, her red sails spread, was beating up against the breeze towards the harbour.I recognized her for a lobster boat, bringing a catch from Sardinia to supply the gala dinners at the casinos with a fish course.Through the closed door I could hear the muffled murmur of voices.Elliott was making his confession.I badly wanted a cigarette, but feared the abbé would be shocked if I lit one.He stood motionless, looking out, a slender young man, and his thick waving black hair, his fine dark eyes, his olive skin revealed his Italian origin.There was the quick fire of the South in his aspect and I asked myself what urgent faith, what burning desire had caused him to abandon the joys of life, the pleasures of his age, and the satisfaction of his senses, to devote himself to the service of God.
神父四下里瞧瞧，我猜想他很可能是要找個(gè)地方放下手中的圣杯，于是就將梳妝臺(tái)上的那把玳瑁殼鑲背的發(fā)刷推開為他騰地方。護(hù)士下樓去了，我把神父領(lǐng)進(jìn)隔壁的房間，此處是艾略特的書房。書房的窗戶敞開著，望得見外邊的藍(lán)天。他走到一扇窗戶前觀景。我則坐下來(lái)休息。海上正在進(jìn)行帆船賽，白帆在藍(lán)天的映襯下顯得格外耀眼。一條黑殼的大船張起紅色的船帆，迎著微風(fēng)向港口駛來(lái)。我認(rèn)出那是一條捕撈龍蝦的船，從撒丁島那兒滿載而歸，為賭場(chǎng)提供海鮮，讓那些尋歡作樂(lè)的賭徒們大快朵頤。艾略特的房門關(guān)閉著，卻仍能聽得見里面有隱隱約約的說(shuō)話聲。艾略特在做懺悔。我煙癮大發(fā)，想點(diǎn)一根煙，卻又怕神父不高興。神父是個(gè)身材瘦削的年輕人，一動(dòng)不動(dòng)地站在那兒向外眺望，黑黑的頭發(fā)呈波浪狀，一雙烏黑的眼睛秀秀氣氣的，皮膚呈橄欖色，一看就知道是意大利人。他的臉上洋溢著南方人的那種蓬勃的生命力，我不由得心里想到，真不知他有著多么堅(jiān)定的信仰和燃燒的激情，才使得他放棄了現(xiàn)世開心的生活、青春的歡樂(lè)以及世俗人的七情六欲，轉(zhuǎn)而真誠(chéng)地為上帝服務(wù)。

Suddenly the voices in the next room were still and I looked at the door. It was opened and the bishop appeared.
隔壁房間的聲音忽然停止了，我抬起頭，見門打開了，主教出來(lái)了。

“Venez，”he said to the priest.
“你來(lái)吧！”他對(duì)神父說(shuō)道。

I was left alone. I heard the bishop's voice once more and I knew he was saying the prayers that the Church has ordained should be said for the dying.Then there was another silence and I knew that Elliott was partaking of the body and the blood of Christ.From I know not what feeling, inherited, I suppose, from far-away ancestors, though not a Catholic I can never attend Mass without a sense of tremulous awe when the little tinkle of the servitor's bell informs me of the Elevation of the Host；and now, similarly, I shivered as though a cold wind ran through me, I shivered with fear and wonder.The door was opened once more.
屋子里只剩下了我一個(gè)人。接著，我聽見隔壁房間又傳來(lái)了主教的聲音，情知他在念祈禱詞，即教會(huì)規(guī)定為垂死之人所應(yīng)該念的祈禱詞。隨之而至的又是一陣沉寂，我知道艾略特在吃圣餐。恐怕是受到遠(yuǎn)祖的影響，我雖然不是一個(gè)天主教徒，但是每次做彌撒時(shí)，聽見主的仆人搖著小鈴?fù)ㄖ藗冾I(lǐng)圣餐時(shí)，總會(huì)渾身發(fā)抖，產(chǎn)生恐懼感，此時(shí)亦哆嗦不已，仿佛寒意傳遍全身，心里又害怕又奇怪。書房的門又被推開了。

“You may come in，”said the bishop.
“你可以進(jìn)來(lái)了?！敝鹘虒?duì)我說(shuō)道。

I entered. The abbé was spreading the cambric napkin over the cup and the little gilt plate on which the consecrated wafer had lain.Elliott’s eyes shone.
我走進(jìn)艾略特的房間，見神父正在把細(xì)麻紗餐巾蓋在圣杯以及盛放過(guò)圣餅的那個(gè)鍍金小盤子上。艾略特的兩眼熠熠生輝。

“Conduct Monseigneur to his car，”he said.
“勞駕你送主教大人上車！”他對(duì)我說(shuō)。

We descended the stairs. Joseph and the maids were waiting in the hall.The maids were crying.There were three of them and one after the other they came forward and, dropping to their knees, kissed the bishop's ring.He blessed them with two fingers.Joseph's wife nudged him and he advanced, fell to his knees too, and kissed the ring.The bishop smiled faintly.
我們一行走下樓去。約瑟夫率三個(gè)女傭正等候在過(guò)廳里。女傭們熱淚盈眶，依次走上前來(lái)，跪下親吻主教的戒指。主教伸出兩個(gè)指頭放在她們頭上，為她們祝福。約瑟夫的妻子用胳膊碰了碰他，于是他步上前去，也跪倒在地，吻了吻主教的戒指。主教微微一笑說(shuō)：

“You are a freethinker, my son?”
“你是不信教的吧，我的孩子？”

I could see Joseph making an effort over himself.
我可以看見約瑟夫在努力保持鎮(zhèn)靜。

“Yes, Monseigneur.”
“是的，主教大人?！?/p>

“Do not let it trouble you. You have been a good and faithful servant to your master.God will overlook the errorsof your understanding.”
“不必介意。你對(duì)主人忠心耿耿。上帝對(duì)你在認(rèn)識(shí)上的錯(cuò)誤會(huì)忽略不計(jì)的?！?/p>

I went out into the street with him and opened the door of his car. He gave me a bow as he stepped in and smiled indulgently.
我陪主教到了馬路上，為他開了汽車門。他向我弓腰致謝，臨上車前沖我仁慈地一笑說(shuō)：

“Our poor friend is very low. His defects were of the surface；he was generous of heart and kindly towards his fellow men.”
“咱們可憐的朋友已生命垂危。他表面上是有些缺點(diǎn)的，但內(nèi)心對(duì)自己的同胞寬宏大度、善良慈祥。”