牛津書蟲系列 大衛(wèi)科波菲爾 Chapter 3 David the orphan

　　3 David the orphan

　　3 孤兒大衛(wèi)

　　Life went on as normal for me at school，until my birthday two months later in March. I remember that day very well. It was cold，icy weather, and we boys had to blow on our fingers and rub our hands to keep warm in the freezing classrooms. When a message came for me to go and see Mr Creakle， I thought that Peggotty must have sent me a birthday present，and so I hurried gladly along to his room. But there I realized something unusual had happened，because it was Mr Creakle’ s wife who was waiting to speak to me.

　　學(xué)校生活一切照常，直到兩個月后我三月份生日的那天。我對那天的情景記憶猶新。那是個寒冷冰冷的一天，孩子們坐在冰冷的教室里不得不哈著熱氣搓手取暖。有人帶給我口信讓我去見克里古爾先生，我以為是辟果提給我送生日禮物來了，所以興沖沖地來到了他的房間。一到那兒我意識到事情有些異常，因?yàn)槭强死锕艩栂壬钠拮拥仍谀抢?，?zhǔn)備跟我談話。

　　‘David， my child, ’ she said kindly, holding my hand, ‘we all have to accept that our loved ones can die at any moment.’ I looked at her， trying to understand what she meant.

　　“大衛(wèi)，孩子，”她握住我的手溫和地說道，“我們都必須有思想準(zhǔn)備，我們的親人會隨時離開我們。” 我看著她，竭力想理解她的意思。

　　‘I'm sorry to tell you，’she continued, ‘that your mother is dangerously ill.’ There was a mist in front of my eyes， and suddenly burning tears ran down my face. I knew the truth.

　　“我很難過，”她繼續(xù)道，“你母親病得很厲害。”我的眼前一片模糊，忽地，眼淚順著臉頰往下流。我知道了真相。

　　‘Your mother is dead，’ she said. I was already sobbing loudly and I felt I was an orphan，quite alone in the world.

　　“你母親死了，”她說。我大聲地哭開了，感覺到自己已是個孤兒，孤單單一個人活在這世上。

　　Mrs Creakle packed my case herself， and sent me home on the coach for the funeral. I did not realize at the time that I would never return to Salem House.

　　克里古爾夫人親自為我收拾行李，把我送上馬車，回家參加葬禮。我當(dāng)時沒有想到我再也不能回薩倫學(xué)校了。

　　When I arrived home，Peggotty met me at the door, and we cried miserably in each other’ s arms. Mr Murdstone seemed very sad， and did not speak to me at all. Miss Murdstone, however，showed her usual firmness of character( which she and her brother were so proud of) by checking that I had brought all my clothes back from school. After that she showed no interest in me at all.There was a deathly stillness in the house. Peggotty took me up to the room where my dear mother's dead body lay，with my little brother, who had died a few hours after her. Everything was fresh and clean in the room， but I could not look at my mother's lovely face, which would never smile at me again， without crying.

　　我到家時，辟果提在門口迎我，我們倆33抱頭痛哭。摩德斯通先生似乎很悲傷，幾乎不跟我說話。摩德斯通小姐則帶著她一慣嚴(yán)肅的表情(她和她兄弟都以此為榮)檢查了一下我是否把我在學(xué)校的衣物都拿回來了。之后，她對我不再有任何興趣。家里面死一般地寂靜。辟果提把我?guī)У綐巧习卜盼夷赣H遺體的房間，還有我的小弟弟的遺體，他是在母親去世數(shù)小時后死去的。房間里每一件東西都清新整潔，可我看不見母親動人的臉，它再也不會對著我微笑，再也不會哭泣。

　　‘How did it happen，Peggotty?’I asked, sobbing.“怎么會這樣，辟果提?”我抽泣著問道。

　　‘She was ill for a long time， Master David. She got worse after the baby was born， you see. She was sometimes unhappy and forgetful， but she was always the same to me, her old Peggotty. Those two downstairs often spoke crossly to her and made her sad， but she still loved them， you know—she was so sweet and loving!I always sat beside her while she went to sleep. It made her feel better， she said. There was a short silence while Peggotty dried her eyes， then took both my hands in hers.‘On the last night，she asked me for some water, and then gave me such a patient smile!She looked so beautiful!The sun was beginning to rise， and she put her head on my arm， on her stupid cross old Peggotty's arm, and died like an innocent child going to sleep!’

　　“她病了很長時間，大衛(wèi)少爺。生完孩子后身體更虛了，你知道。她有時會悶悶不樂，而且容易忘事。但在我，在她的老辟果提看來，她一直沒變。樓下那兩位時常怒斥她，令她難堪，可她依然愛他們，你知道——她是那么的恬靜可愛!她睡覺時我總坐在她身邊，她說這樣她感覺好受多了。”辟果提停了片刻，擦了擦眼淚，然后握住我的雙手，“最后那天晚上，她向我要了點(diǎn)水喝，然后沖我那么欣慰地笑了笑!她看上去美極了!太陽開始升起，她把手枕在我的胳膊上，枕在她笨拙的老辟果提的胳膊上，像天真的孩童一般睡著了，永遠(yuǎn)地睡著了。”

　　After my mother's funeral，I began to wonder what would happen to me. The Murdstones did not even seem to notice that I was in the house. They had told Peggotty to leave，as they did not what her as their servant any more，so Peggotty was going to her brother's in Yarmouth， until she decided what work to do next. She suggested taking me with her for a holiday， and to my surprise the Murdstones agreed.

　　母親的葬禮結(jié)束后，我開始考慮我今后的安排。摩德斯通姐弟像是壓根兒沒注意到我的存在。他們叫辟果提離開，因?yàn)樗麄儾幌肜^續(xù)雇傭她。所以辟果提準(zhǔn)備先去雅茅斯她兄弟家，直到她決定下一步干什么為止。她提出來想帶我一起去度假，奇怪的是摩德斯通姐弟居然答應(yīng)了。

　　So next morning Mr Barkis appeared at the door with his cart， and Peggotty's cases were put on it. We climbed up and sat beside him. Peggotty was naturally a little sad to leave her old home， where she had been so happy with my mother and me， and at first she cried a little. But when Mr Barkis saw her drying her eyes and looking more cheerful， he too began to look happier， and he whispered to me, ‘Barkis is willing!You told her that!’ Aloud he said to Peggotty，‘Are you comfortable?’

　　就這樣，第二天一早巴克斯先生駕著他的馬車出現(xiàn)在門口，辟果提的行李隨即被搬上了車。我們爬上馬車，坐在他身邊。就要離開舊居，離開她曾經(jīng)和我母親度過快樂時光的地方，辟果提自然有些傷感，剛啟動她就輕輕地哭泣起來?？珊髞恚?dāng)巴克斯先生看見她擦干了眼淚，情緒好了些時，他自己也愉快了許多，他悄聲對我說：“巴克斯很愿意!你是那么說的吧!”他提高嗓門對辟果提說：“你感覺舒服點(diǎn)了嗎?”

　　Peggotty laughed and said that she was.‘And are you comfortable，Master David?’be asked.

　　辟果提笑了，并回答說是的。“你舒服點(diǎn)了嗎，大衛(wèi)少爺?”他問。

　　I said that I was. Mr Barkis was so pleased with this conversation that he repeated it many times during the journey，and Peggotty and I both had to keep giving him the same answer.

　　我說是的。巴克斯先生對這句話是如此的滿意以致于一路上重復(fù)問了好幾遍，辟果提和我只好一遍一遍給他同樣的答復(fù)。

　　When we arrived in Yarmouth and got down from the cart，we said goodbye to Mr Barkis. Daniel and Ham Peggotty were waiting for us. Daniel and Ham were exactly the same as I remembered them，cheerful and generous as ever, but little Emily seemed different somehow She was taller and prettier， but she did not want to play with me， or spend her time with me. I was rather disappointed， because I still considered she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen， and I thought I was in love with her. Daniel and Ham were very proud of her intelligence and beauty， and just smiled when she laughingly refused to sit next to me. But they all listened with interest to my stories of school life at Salem House. I told them about the other boys， especially the handsome, clever Steerforth. I admired him so much that I could not stop myself telling them all about him. Suddenly I noticed that Emily was listening eagerly， her blue eyes shining and a smile on her lips. She blushed when she saw that we were all looking at her， and hid her face behind her hands.

　　我們到達(dá)雅茅斯，下了馬車，與巴克斯先生道別。丹尼爾和哈姆·辟果提在那里迎接我們。丹尼爾和哈姆和我記憶中的模樣無異，依舊那么開心，那么坦蕩，而小埃米莉卻多少有些不同。她長高了，也更漂亮了，可她不再愿意和我一起玩，不情愿跟我呆在一起。我很失望，因?yàn)槲胰匀徽J(rèn)為她是我見過的最美麗的女孩，我想我愛上了她。丹尼爾和哈姆很為她的聰慧和美麗而自豪，當(dāng)她笑著拒絕坐到我身邊時，他們只是報(bào)以一笑。但他們都饒有興趣地聽我講敘薩倫學(xué)校的故事。我跟他們講其他孩子，尤其是那位英俊聰明的斯提福茲，我是如此佩服他以致于不停地告訴他們有關(guān)他的所有的事。突然，我注意到小埃米莉聽得非常出神，她的藍(lán)眼睛撲閃撲閃的，嘴角掛著笑容。當(dāng)她發(fā)現(xiàn)我們大家都看著她時，她臉紅了，并用雙手捂住了自己的臉。

　　‘Emily's like me，’said Peggotty kindly, ‘and would like to see David's friend Mr Steerforth.’

　　“小埃米莉跟我一樣，”辟果提友好地說，“都想見見大衛(wèi)的這位朋友——斯提福茲先生。”

　　The days passed happily，although Emily and I did not play together as we had done before. Mr Barkis was a frequent visitor，and soon Peggotty explained to me that she had decided to marry him.

　　那些天過得很愉快，盡管埃米莉和我不像以前那樣一塊兒玩了。巴克斯先生是這兒的常客，很快，辟果提向我解釋，她決定嫁給他。

　　‘I’ ll love you just as much， David, my dear, when I'm married!’ she told me， holding me close to her.‘And I'll be able to come and see you in the cart any time I like. Barkis is a good man and I'm sure I'll be happy with him. He’ s got a nice little house，and I'll keep a little bedroom there for you to use whenever you want. You'll always be welcome to come and stay!’

　　“我結(jié)婚后會照樣愛你，大衛(wèi)，親愛的，”他把我拉到跟前說，“我隨時都會坐車去看你。巴克斯是個好人，我相信跟他一起生活會很快樂。他有一所很不錯的小房子，我會在那兒給你留一個小臥室，以備你隨時歇腳之用。你的到來是永遠(yuǎn)受歡迎的。”

　　So when I returned to Blunderstone， Peggotty had become Mrs Barkis， and I was glad to think of her in her own house，with a husband to take care of her. At home， my stepfather and his sister did not seem pleased to see me， and were clearly trying to find a way of getting rid of me. As they considered school too expensive， they finally arranged for me to start work， although I was still only ten years old, and very small for my age. I was sent to London，to work in a warehouse in the east of the city， near the river.

　　就這樣，當(dāng)我回到布蘭德斯通時，辟果提已經(jīng)成了巴克斯太太了。想到她能住上自己的房子，并有丈夫照顧她，我就很高興。到家中，繼父和他姐姐似乎并不樂意見到我，很明顯，他們正設(shè)法尋找打發(fā)我的辦法。因?yàn)榭紤]到學(xué)校開銷太大，最后他們決定給我安排工作，盡管我當(dāng)時只有10歲，并且看上去不到10歲。我被送到倫敦，在市區(qū)東郊一條小河旁的倉庫里工作。

　　My job was to wash bottles， which would then be filled with wine， or to pack the filled bottles in cases. I was paid only six shillings a week. There were several other boys who worked with me，but I was the only one who had been to school. All the warehouse workers were coarse， rough people, who were used to working in dirty conditions for long hours. No words can describe the horror I felt， when I realized what my life was going to be like from now on. I was deeply ashamed at having such a job and I was also afraid that I would forget everything I had learnt from my mother and my teachers. I would never find friends like Traddles or Steerforth， or be able to get a better position in life. It was an extremely unhappy time for me.

　　我的工作是洗刷那些用來裝酒的瓶子，或者把灌了酒的瓶子集裝成箱。他們只付我一星期6先令的工錢。那兒還有其他一些孩子和我一起干活，但我是唯一上過學(xué)的。所有倉庫工人都很粗魯、庸俗，他們已經(jīng)習(xí)慣于在骯臟的環(huán)境下連續(xù)工作數(shù)小時。當(dāng)我意識到我的生活從此之后便是這個模樣，我就產(chǎn)生一種不可名狀的恐懼。我為做這樣的工作感到十分羞愧，我害怕我會把母親和老師們教給我的知識都忘光。我再也找不到像特拉德和斯提福茲那樣的朋友了，也不可能有更好的生活境遇。那一段生活我過得很不愉快。

　　My stepfather had asked Mr Quinion， the manager, to find me somewhere to stay in London，so at the end of my first day I was called to Mr Quinion's office and introduced to an important-looking， rather fat, middle-aged man with a head as bald as an egg. His name was Mr Micawber，and he offered me a spare room in the house he was renting with his family.

　　我繼父要求經(jīng)理奎寧先生為我在倫敦尋找一處住處，所以第一天工作結(jié)束后我被叫到奎寧先生的辦公室，并認(rèn)識了一位大人物長相、腦袋像雞蛋一樣光亮的肥胖的中年男子，他叫米考伯先生。他給我提供了他們家正租用著的一所房子的一間空房，我答應(yīng)接受，于是米考伯先生和我就一同回家了。

　　I agreed to take it， and Mr Micawber and I walked home together. The Micawbers were obviously very poor， but tried hard not to let this show. The house had several floors of rather dirty，empty rooms with very little furniture. Mrs Micawber was a thin，tired-looking woman with a baby in her arms. The baby was one of twins，and in all my experience of the family, I never saw Mrs Micawber without at least one of the twins. They also had a four-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. Their only servant was a young orphan girl.

　　米考伯先生一家顯然窮困潦倒，但他們盡量掩飾這一點(diǎn)。房子分為數(shù)層，有幾間骯臟不堪的空房間，沒什么家具。米考伯太太是個消瘦、一臉倦容的女人，懷里抱著嬰兒，嬰兒是雙胞胎中的一個。我和這個家相處的經(jīng)歷中從未見到米考伯太太沒抱孩子的時候。他們還有一個4歲的男孩和一個3歲的女孩。他們唯一的保姆是一個小孤兒。

　　‘ I never thought， ’Mrs Micawber told me sadly as she showed me my room，‘ when I lived with Mother and Father, before I was married，that I would ever be as poor as this. But as Mr Micawber is for the moment in difficulties，I must of course accept the situation. I'm afraid he owes a lot of money，but his creditors will just have to wait! You can't get blood out of a stone， nor can anyone get any money at all out of Mr Micawber at present!’

　　“我從未想到，”米考伯太太帶我看房間的時候傷心地說，“我結(jié)婚前和父母住在一起的時候，我從未想到我會窮到這個地步，但是，如今米考伯先生正處于困難時期，我當(dāng)然必須接受這種現(xiàn)狀?？峙滤乔妨撕芏噱X，但他的債主得等一等。石頭里是擠不出血來的，同樣，目前任何人都不能從米考伯先生那兒逼出一分錢。”

　　I soon realized that neither Mr nor Mrs Micawger had ever been able to manage money.The little that Mr Micawber earned was not enough， either to keep his creditors happy, or to pay for the needs of his growing family. So his creditors were constantly at the door， demanding payment, and meals were rather irregular in the Micawber house. Mr and Mrs Micawber's moods varied according to the situation. One moment Mr Micawber looked extremely miserable and depressed，the next he was brushing his shoes and singing a song before going out. Mrs Micawber's character was similar to her hus band's. Sometimes I came home to find her lying on the floor，with her hair undone， looking wild and desperate, but an hour later she was cheerfully eating a good supper.

　　我很快意識到無論是米考伯先生還是米考伯太太都沒法弄到錢。米考伯先生僅有的一點(diǎn)收入遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠，既不能讓他的債主放心，也不能承擔(dān)他那日見膨脹的家庭支出。所以，他的債主們就常常出現(xiàn)在他的家門口索取債務(wù)，而米考伯先生家中卻常常是上頓不接下頓。米考伯夫婦的情緒會隨境況的改變而改變。忽兒，米考伯先生看上去極其痛苦、消沉，忽兒，他又會邊擦皮鞋邊哼哼小曲兒準(zhǔn)備外出。米考伯太太的性格很像她丈夫。有時，我走進(jìn)家里見她躺在地上，頭發(fā)蓬亂，表情瘋狂而絕望。但一小時后，她就會興高采烈地享受一頓豐盛的晚餐。

　　I lived with these kind people for several months， and became very fond of them. I bought my own food out of my wages，because I knew the Micawbers hardly ever had enough for themselves，and I lived mostly on bread and cheese. As they were so short of money， once or twice I offered to lend them a few shillings，which they refused to accept.But at last Mr Micawber's creditors became tired of waiting for their money，and went to the police, who arrested him for debt. He was taken to the King's Prison， and asked me to visit him there. When I arrived，I was shown to his room, where he was waiting for me. He seemed quite brokenhearted， and even cried a little.

　　我和這些友善的人住了幾個月就開始喜歡他們了。我用自己的工資買食物，因?yàn)槲抑烂卓疾患液茈y夠自己吃的，而我的食物大致上也只是面包和奶酪。由于他們?nèi)绱巳卞X，有那么一兩次我主動提出借他們幾先令，但被他們拒絕了。然而，米考伯先生的債主們最終沒有耐心再等待下去，就找來警察，以拖欠債務(wù)之名拘捕了米考伯先生。他被送往王家監(jiān)獄，他要求我去那兒看他。我一到那兒就被帶到他的房間，他早已在那里等我。他似乎痛心疾首，甚至還傷心落淚。

　　‘This is a black day for me，Copperfield!’ he sobbed.‘I hope my mistakes will be a warning to young people like you!Remember，if a man earns twenty pounds a year, and spends nineteen pounds and nineteen shillings， the result is happiness. But if he spends twenty pounds and one shilling，the result is misery! By the way， Copperfield，could you lend me a shilling for some beer? Mrs Micawber will pay you back as soon as you arrive home. ’ And when the beer arrived， he appeared much more cheerful. We had a pleasant evening，telling stories and jokes.

　　“這是我倒楣的日子，科波菲爾!”他抽泣道，“希望我的錯誤能給像你這樣的年輕人一個警示!記住，如果一個人一年收入20英鎊，花費(fèi)19英鎊19先令，結(jié)局是幸福，但假如他花費(fèi)20英鎊零1先令，結(jié)果就是痛苦!順便問一下，科波菲爾，你能借我1先令買點(diǎn)啤酒嗎?回家米考伯太太會還給你的。”啤酒買回來后，他似乎高興了許多。我們倆愉快地過了一晚上，不停地講故事，說笑話。

　　He stayed in prison for several weeks， and I visited him regularly.I was delighted to hear on one of my visits that he would soon be free， as his creditors had unwillingly accepted the fact that he had no way of paying his debts. I gave the news to Mrs Micawber when I returned home. We celebrated by sharing our supper and a glass of wine together.

　　他在監(jiān)獄里關(guān)了幾個星期，其間我時常去探望他。有一次他告訴我他將很快被釋放，因?yàn)樗膫鱾冏罱K很不情愿地接受了米考伯先生無法償債的事實(shí)，我真替他高興。我回家時把這一消息告訴了米考伯太太，我們一起吃晚餐并開了一瓶酒以示慶祝。

　　‘May I ask what you will do， madam, when Mr Micawber is free?’I asked politely.

　　“我想問問，夫人，米考伯先生獲釋后你們打算干什么?”我很禮貌地問了一句。

　　‘My family，’ said Mrs Micawber grandly, ‘believe that Mr Micawber should move to the country， to Devon, and carry on his business interests there. Mr Micawber is a very clever man， Master Copperfield.’

　　“我娘家人，”米考伯太太自豪地說道，“認(rèn)為米考伯先生應(yīng)該離開這兒去德文，去那兒展示他的經(jīng)商興趣。米考伯先生是個聰明人，科波菲爾少爺。”

　　‘I'm sure he is，’ I agreed.

　　“我相信他是，”我表示同意。

　　‘Although they haven't found anything exactly right for him yet，my family think he should be ready, in Devon, in case something turns up.’She put down her empty glass.

　　“盡管我娘家人還沒有給他找到具體的事做，他們認(rèn)為他應(yīng)該去德文時刻準(zhǔn)備著，等待機(jī)遇的降臨。”她放下空酒杯。

　　‘And will you be going with him， madam?’ I asked.

　　“您跟他一起走嗎，夫人?”我問。

　　‘I must!I will!’Mrs Micawber's voice rose to a scream.‘He is my life! My love!My husband! The father of my children! I will never desert Mr Micawber! You can't ask me to desert him!’

　　“我必須去!我一定去!”米考伯太太的聲音高得都要尖叫起來，“他是我的生命!我的愛!我的丈夫!孩子們的父親!我不能拋棄米考伯先生!要我那么做絕對不成!”

　　I felt very uncomfortable，as I had not asked her to desert him at all， but she soon became calm again and finished her supper.I was becoming used to the Micawbers’ changes of mood.

　　我覺得很尷尬，因?yàn)槲覊焊鶅壕蜎]讓她拋棄他，但她很快又平靜下來，吃完了她的晚餐。我開始習(xí)慣米考伯夫婦的情緒的大起大落了。

　　I now realized that when the Micawbers left London， as they were planning to do， I would be very lonely in the city. I still hated my work in the warehouse， and wanted to make a better life for myself.I thought about it for a long time， and decided there was only one thing I could do. I would try to find my one surviving relation，my father's aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood， and ask her to help me. I knew she lived somewhere near Dover，in Kent.I could go there by coach, be-cause Peggotty had once sent me ten shillings to keep，in case I ever needed it.The time had come to use that money.

　　米考伯夫婦按預(yù)定計(jì)劃離開倫敦的同時，我才意識到我在這個城市中將會孤身一人。我仍然討厭倉庫的工作，總想讓自己生活得好一些。為此我考慮了很久，終于決定走唯一的一條路。我要去找我唯一活著的親人，我父親的姨媽貝茜·特拉伍德小姐，并爭取她的幫助。我知道她住在肯特郡的多佛鎮(zhèn)附近。我可以坐馬車去，因?yàn)楸俟峤o過我10先令，她讓我留著以備急需之用。現(xiàn)在是用這筆錢的時候了。