雙語小說連載:《董貝父子》第7章 Part 3

As Miss Tox, with her most fascinating step and carriage, disappeared from Princess's Place, the Major stood looking after her with a bluer face than ever: muttering and growling some not at all complimentary remarks.
當托克斯小姐隨着她那極爲迷人的步子和體態從公主廣場消失不見的時候，少校站在那裏目送着她，臉色比過去任何時候更爲發青，同時咕噥着，怒氣衝衝地說着一些決不是恭維的話。
'Why, damme, Sir,' said the Major, rolling his lobster eyes round and round Princess's Place, and apostrophizing its fragrant air, 'six months ago, the woman loved the ground Josh Bagstock walked on. What's the meaning of it?'
“哼，她媽的，先生，”少校向公主廣場轉動着他的龍蝦眼，轉了一圈又一圈，並向着它的芳香的空氣說道，“六個月以前，這女人喜愛喬•白格斯托克走過的土地。這是什麼意思？”
The Major decided, after some consideration, that it meant mantraps; that it meant plotting and snaring; that Miss Tox was digging pitfalls. 'But you won't catch Joe, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'He's tough, Ma'am, tough, is J.B. Tough, and de-vilish sly!' over which reflection he chuckled for the rest of the day.
少校經過稍稍思考之後，斷定它的意思是要誘捕男人；它的意思是策劃陰謀，安設圈套；托克斯小姐正在挖掘陷阱。“可是您捕捉不到喬，夫人，”少校說道，“他是堅強不屈的，夫人，堅強不屈的正就是約•白。堅強不屈，而且像魔鬼一樣的狡猾！”他發表了這些感想之後，就吃吃地笑了一整天。
But still, when that day and many other days were gone and past, it seemed that Miss Tox took no heed whatever of the Major, and thought nothing at all about him. She had been wont, once upon a time, to look out at one of her little dark windows by accident, and blushingly return the Major's greeting; but now, she never gave the Major a chance, and cared nothing at all whether he looked over the way or not. Other changes had come to pass too. The Major, standing in the shade of his own apartment, could make out that an air of greater smartness had recently come over Miss Tox's house; that a new cage with gilded wires had been provided for the ancient little canary Bird; that divers ornaments, cut out of coloured card-boards and paper, seemed to decorate the chimney-piece and tables; that a plant or two had suddenly sprung up in the windows; that Miss Tox occasionally practised on the harpsichord, whose garland of sweet peas was always displayed ostentatiously, crowned with the Copenhagen and Bird Waltzes in a Music Book of Miss Tox's own copying.
可是那一天和其他許多天都過去了，托克斯小姐似乎仍舊對少校絲毫也不注意，也絲毫 沒有想到他。從前，她習慣偶爾從她黑暗的小窗口往外看看，然後滿臉羞得通紅地回答一下少校的問候；可是現在她決不給少校一個機會，絲毫也不理會他是否在看下面的道路。另外的一些變化也發生了。少校站在他自己房間的陰影中，能夠隱約地看出，托克斯小姐的房間中最近呈現出一派遠比過去漂亮的景象；那隻老的金絲雀被裝進一隻新的金絲鳥籠裏；從彩色的硬紙板和紙張中剪出的一些玩藝兒似乎已把壁爐架和桌子裝飾一新；一兩株植物突然出現在窗口；托克斯小姐偶爾在練習彈奏大鍵琴，它的那一環甜豌豆總是被得意洋洋地炫示着；琴上擺着托克斯小姐親自抄寫在樂譜中的哥本哈根圓舞曲和鳥兒圓舞曲。
Over and above all this, Miss Tox had long been dressed with uncommon care and elegance in slight mourning. But this helped the Major out of his difficulty; and be determined within himself that she had come into a small legacy, and grown proud.
除了這一切之外，托克斯小姐好久以來就非常細心和雅緻地穿了一身輕喪服。不過這一點幫助少校走出了困境；他心中斷定，她已繼承了一小筆遺產，因而趾高氣揚起來了。