狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第29章Part 2

A little stateliness was mingled with Miss Tox's sweetest friend's demeanour, but she kissed Miss Tox, and said, 'Lucretia, thank you, I am pretty well. I hope you are the same. Hem!'
Mrs Chick was labouring under a peculiar little monosyllabic cough; a sort of primer, or easy introduction to the art of coughing.
'You call very early, and how kind that is, my dear!' pursued Miss Tox. 'Now, have you breakfasted?'
'Thank you, Lucretia,' said Mrs Chick, 'I have. I took an early breakfast' - the good lady seemed curious on the subject of Princess's Place, and looked all round it as she spoke - 'with my brother, who has come home.'
'He is better, I trust, my love,' faltered Miss Tox.
'He is greatly better, thank you. Hem!'
'My dear Louisa must be careful of that cough' remarked Miss Tox.
'It's nothing,' returned Mrs Chic 'It's merely change of weather. We must expect change.'
'Of weather?' asked Miss Tox, in her simplicity.
'Of everything' returned Mrs Chick 'Of course we must. It's a world of change. Anyone would surprise me very much, Lucretia, and would greatly alter my opinion of their understanding, if they attempted to contradict or evade what is so perfectly evident. Change!' exclaimed Mrs Chick, with severe philosophy. 'Why, my gracious me, what is there that does not change! even the silkworm, who I am sure might be supposed not to trouble itself about such subjects, changes into all sorts of unexpected things continually.'
'My Louisa,' said the mild Miss Tox, 'is ever happy in her illustrations.'
'You are so kind, Lucretia,' returned Mrs Chick, a little softened, 'as to say so, and to think so, I believe. I hope neither of us may ever have any cause to lessen our opinion of the other, Lucretia.'
'I am sure of it,' returned Miss Tox.

托克斯小姐的最親愛的朋友的態度中有幾分莊嚴，但她吻了托克斯小姐，說道，”盧克麗霞，謝謝您，我很好。我希望您也一樣。嗯赫！”
奇剋夫人奇特地一聲一聲不連貫的咳嗽，這是連聲咳嗽的導火線或前奏曲。
“您對我真好，這麼早就來看我，我親愛的！”托克斯小姐繼續說道，”您吃過早飯了嗎？”
“謝謝您，盧克麗霞，”奇剋夫人說道，”我吃過了。今天早飯吃得很早--”這位善良的夫人似乎對公主廣場感到好奇，一邊說一邊環顧着四周，”是跟我哥哥一道吃的，他已經回家了。”
“我想他比過去好些了吧，我親愛的，”托克斯小姐結結巴巴地說道。
“他好得多了，謝謝您，嗯赫！”
“親愛的路易莎，你得注意您的咳嗽，”托克斯小姐說道。
“沒什麼，”奇剋夫人回答道，”只不過是因爲氣候變化的緣故。我們必須預料到會有變化。”
“是指氣候變化嗎？”托克斯小姐以她特有的純樸的表情問道。
“任何事情的變化，”奇剋夫人回答道，”我們當然必須預料到。這是個充滿變化的世界。任何人如果企圖對抗或迴避那些顯而易見的真理，都會使我大吃一驚的，盧克麗霞，並會大大改變我對她（他）是否通曉事理的看法的。變化！”奇剋夫人帶着嚴肅的哲學意味，高聲喊道，”哎呀，天哪，還有什麼不發生變化的！即使是蠶，我本以爲它不會在這方面給自己找麻煩的，可是它卻連續不斷地變成各種意想不到的東西。”
“我的路易莎，”溫柔的托克斯小姐說道，”總是舉出巧妙的例子來說明。”
“盧克麗霞，”稍稍溫和下來的奇剋夫人回答道，”我相信，您這麼說和這麼想是您的一片好意。我希望，我們兩人誰也不會有什麼理由來改變彼此的看法。”
“我完全相信，”托克斯小姐回答道。