狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第27章Part 06大綱

Few people had less reason to complain of their reality than Cleopatra, who had as much that was false about her as could well go to the composition of anybody with a real individual existence. But Mr Carker commiserated our reality nevertheless, and agreed that we were very hardly used in that regard.
'Pictures at the Castle, quite divine!' said Cleopatra. 'I hope you dote upon pictures?'
'I assure you, Mrs Skewton,' said Mr Dombey, with solemn encouragement of his Manager, 'that Carker has a very good taste for pictures; quite a natural power of appreciating them. He is a very creditable artist himself. He will be delighted, I am sure, with Mrs Granger's taste and skill.'
'Damme, Sir!' cried Major Bagstock, 'my opinion is, that you're the admirable Carker, and can do anything.'
'Oh!' smiled Carker, with humility, 'you are much too sanguine, Major Bagstock. I can do very little. But Mr Dombey is so generous in his estimation of any trivial accomplishment a man like myself may find it almost necessary to acquire, and to which, in his very different sphere, he is far superior, that - ' Mr Carker shrugged his shoulders, deprecating further praise, and said no more.
All this time, Edith never raised her eyes, unless to glance towards her mother when that lady's fervent spirit shone forth in words. But as Carker ceased, she looked at Mr Dombey for a moment. For a moment only; but with a transient gleam of scornful wonder on her face, not lost on one observer, who was smiling round the board.
Mr Dombey caught the dark eyelash in its descent, and took the opportunity of arresting it.
'You have been to Warwick often, unfortunately?' said Mr Dombey.
'Several times.'
'The visit will be tedious to you, I am afraid.'
'Oh no; not at all.'

很少有人能比克利奧佩特拉有更少的理由抱怨他們的真實性了，因爲凡是能進入任何一個真實存在的人的身體組成部分中去的虛假的東西，她身上都有了。 但是卡克先生仍對我們的真實性表示惋惜，並同意我們在這方面受到了很苛刻的待遇。
“城堡裏的圖畫真是絕世佳作！”克利奧佩特拉說道，“我希望，您很喜歡圖畫吧？”
“您可以相信我，斯丘頓夫人，”董貝先生一本正經地鼓勵着他的經理，說道，“卡克對圖畫有着很高的審美力，很有鑑賞圖畫的天賦才能，他本人還是一個很可稱許的畫家。我相信，他看到格蘭傑夫人的繪畫風格和技巧將會感到很高興的。”
“他媽的，先生！”白格斯托克少校喊道，“我看，您這卡克真是了不起，什麼都行！”
“哦！”卡克謙遜地微笑着說道，“您太誇獎我了，白格斯托克少校！我能做的事很少，可是董貝先生在評價像我這樣的人也許感到幾乎有必要獲得的微不足道的技能時，總是這麼寬宏大量，而他本人在完全不同的領域中是遠遠超出於我之上的——”卡克先生聳聳肩膀，表示請求他免去進一步的恭維，就沒有再說別的話了。
在這些時間中，伊迪絲一直沒有擡起眼睛，只有當她母親在語言中閃發出熱烈的情緒時，她才向那位老夫人看一眼。但是當卡克先生停止講話的時候，她向董貝先生看了一秒鐘。僅僅是一秒鐘，但是在她的臉上卻匆匆地掠過了一絲輕蔑的疑訝的表情，不過一位笑嘻嘻地坐在餐桌旁的人注意到它了。
當她低下黑色的眼睫毛時，董貝先生抓住時機，把她的眼光給捕捉住了。
“很遺憾，您過去常去沃裏克嗎？”董貝先生問道。
“去過幾次。”
“我擔心，這次參觀您會覺得沉悶乏味吧。”
“哦不，一點也不。”