狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第20章Part 02

And if it were ever consolatory to know this, or the like of this, it was consolatory then, when the impotence of his will, the instability of his hopes, the feebleness of wealth, had been so direfully impressed upon him. What could it do, his boy had asked him. Sometimes, thinking of the baby question, he could hardly forbear inquiring, himself, what could it do indeed: what had it done?
But these were lonely thoughts, bred late at night in the sullen despondency and gloom of his retirement, and pride easily found its reassurance in many testimonies to the truth, as unimpeachable and precious as the Major's. Mr Dombey, in his friendlessness, inclined to the Major. It cannot be said that he warmed towards him, but he thawed a little, The Major had had some part — and not too much — in the days by the seaside. He was a man of the world, and knew some great people. He talked much, and told stories; and Mr Dombey was disposed to regard him as a choice spirit who shone in society, and who had not that poisonous ingredient of poverty with which choice spirits in general are too much adulterated. His station was undeniable. Altogether the Major was a creditable companion, well accustomed to a life of leisure, and to such places as that they were about to visit, and having an air of gentlemanly ease about him that mixed well enough with his own City character, and did not compete with it at all. If Mr Dombey had any lingering idea that the Major, as a man accustomed, in the way of his calling, to make light of the ruthless hand that had lately crushed his hopes, might unconsciously impart some useful philosophy to him, and scare away his weak regrets, he hid it from himself, and left it lying at the bottom of his pride, unexamined.
'Where is my scoundrel?' said the Major, looking wrathfully round the room.
The Native, who had no particular name, but answered to any vituperative epithet, presented himself instantly at the door and ventured to come no nearer.
'You villain!' said the choleric Major, 'where's the breakfast?'
The dark servant disappeared in search of it, and was quickly heard reascending the stairs in such a tremulous state, that the plates and dishes on the tray he carried, trembling sympathetically as he came, rattled again, all the way up.
'Dombey,' said the Major, glancing at the Native as he arranged the table, and encouraging him with an awful shake of his fist when he upset a spoon, 'here is a devilled grill, a savoury pie, a dish of kidneys, and so forth. Pray sit down. Old Joe can give you nothing but camp fare, you see.
'Very excellent fare, Major,' replied his guest; and not in mere politeness either; for the Major always took the best possible care of himself, and indeed ate rather more of rich meats than was good for him, insomuch that his Imperial complexion was mainly referred by the faculty to that circumstance.
'You have been looking over the way, Sir,' observed the Major. 'Have you seen our friend?'
'You mean Miss Tox,' retorted Mr Dombey. 'No.'
'Charming woman, Sir,' said the Major, with a fat laugh rising in his short throat, and nearly suffocating him.
'Miss Tox is a very good sort of person, I believe,' replied Mr Dombey.
The haughty coldness of the reply seemed to afford Major Bagstock infinite delight. He swelled and swelled, exceedingly: and even laid down his knife and fork for a moment, to rub his hands.

如果說，知道這個情況或類似的情況過去一直是他的一種安慰的話，那麼現在，當他的意志無能爲力，他的希望動搖不穩，他的財富軟弱無能的印象多麼悲慘地銘刻在他的心頭的時候，知道這個情況更是他的一種安慰。財富能做什麼？——他的男孩子曾經這樣問過他。他有時想到這孩子的問題時也禁不住問他自己，它真能做什麼？它做到了什麼呢？
這些都是他在深夜與世隔絕之情況下愁眉不展、意氣消沉、黯然憂傷時所產生的隱祕的思想，但是高傲很容易從這個真理的許多證明中重新使他產生信心，這些證明就跟少校的證明一樣不容懷疑，一樣寶貴可愛。董貝先生在沒有朋友的情況下對少校產生了好感。不能說他對他滿腔熱情，而只能說他稍稍解了點凍。在海濱的那些日子裏，少校曾經起過一些作用（不很大）。他是個上層社會裏的人物，認識一些重要人物。他健談，愛講趣聞軼事；董貝先生喜歡把他看成是在社會上拋頭露面的才士名流，但卻沒有才士名流通常摻雜得過多的有害的寒酸氣。他的地位是不可否認的。總的說來，少校是個可以稱許的旅伴；他對閒暇安逸的生活十分習慣，對他們即將前往遊覽的名勝也十分熟悉。在他身上流露出一種上流人士悠閒自在的氣派，它和董貝先生本人忙忙碌碌的城市風格搭配得不錯，又根本不和它競爭高低。如果董貝先生心中出現過這樣的念頭，那隻殘酷無情的手最近曾經摧毀了他的希望，而少校出於他的天職，習慣於把這類事情看得滿不在乎，因此他可能在無意間向他灌輸一些有用的哲學，驅除他淡弱的哀惜；——如果董貝先生心中出現過這樣的念頭的話，那麼他是把它掩藏起來了，連他自己也不清楚，並不加考察地讓自己的高傲把它壓在最底層。
“我的無賴在哪裏？”少校怒氣衝衝地環視着房間，說道。
本地人沒有固定的名字，不論用什麼辱罵的綽號呼喚他，他都應聲回答；這時他立即出現在門口，不敢再向前走近。
“你這壞蛋！”肝火旺盛的少校說道，“早餐在哪裏？”
膚色黝黑的僕人離開去取早餐，不一會兒就聽到他戰戰兢兢地重新上樓；托盤裏的盤子和碟子都同情地震顫着，一路上卡嗒卡嗒地響着。
“董貝，”少校說，一邊向正在餐桌上擺放食品的本地人看了一眼；當他掉落一隻匙子的時候，少校就威嚇地揮揮拳頭，以示鼓勵。“這是辣子烤肉，這是鹹餡餅，這是一碟腰子，還有其他等等。請坐下吧。您看，老喬沒什麼招待您，只能請您吃行軍的伙食啦！”
“飯菜好極了，少校，”客人回答道，這倒不僅僅是說客氣話，因爲少校總是儘量把自己照料得很好；事實上他葷菜吃得太多，已經超出有益於健康的程度；他那紅光滿面的氣色主要歸因於他的這種嗜好。
“您在看對面的房屋，先生，”少校說道，“您看到了我們的朋友沒有？”
“您是說托克斯小姐嗎？”董貝先生回答道，“沒有看到。”
“迷人的女人哪，先生，”少校說道，他那短喉嚨中發出了縱情的大笑聲，幾乎使他透不過氣來。
“我覺得，托克斯小姐是一個很好的人，”董貝先生回答道。
傲慢、冷淡的回答似乎使白格斯托克少校感到無比高興。他非常興奮，非常得意，甚至把刀和叉放下片刻，搓起手來。