雙語小說連載:《董貝父子》第六章 Part 11

As they stood deliberating in the street, a man passed them, who glanced quickly at Walter as he went by, as if he recognised him; but seeming to correct that first impression, he passed on without stopping.
當他們在街上商議的時候，有一個人從他們身旁經過，他走過時向沃爾特迅速地看了一眼，彷彿認識他似的；但是他接着似乎糾正了這個初步印象，就沒有停下來，而是繼續向前走了。
'Why, I think it's Mr Carker,' said Walter. 'Carker in our House. Not Carker our Manager, Miss Dombey - the other Carker; the Junior - Halloa! Mr Carker!'
“唔，我想那是卡克先生，”沃爾特說道。“我們公司的卡克先生。不是我們的卡克經理，董貝小姐，——是另一位卡克；是職位低的那一位——，喂！卡克先生！”
'Is that Walter Gay?' said the other, stopping and returning. 'I couldn't believe it, with such a strange companion.
“是沃爾特•蓋伊嗎？”那人停下腳步，轉過身來，說道，“您跟這樣一位奇怪的同伴在一起，使我不敢相信了。”
As he stood near a lamp, listening with surprise to Walter's hurried explanation, he presented a remarkable contrast to the two youthful figures arm-in-arm before him. He was not old, but his hair was white; his body was bent, or bowed as if by the weight of some great trouble: and there were deep lines in his worn and melancholy face. The fire of his eyes, the expression of his features, the very voice in which he spoke, were all subdued and quenched, as if the spirit within him lay in ashes. He was respectably, though very plainly dressed, in black; but his clothes, moulded to the general character of his figure, seemed to shrink and abase themselves upon him, and to join in the sorrowful solicitation which the whole man from head to foot expressed, to be left unnoticed, and alone in his humility.
當他站在街燈旁邊，驚奇地聽着沃爾特匆匆的解釋時，他與他面前這兩位手挽手的富於朝氣的年輕人形成了鮮明的對照。他並不老，但是頭髮已經白了；彷彿由於承受着某種沉重的痛苦的負擔，他已經曲背彎腰，在他疲憊與憂鬱的臉上已經刻上了深深的皺紋。他眼睛中的光澤，臉部的表情，甚至說話的聲音全都消沉、衰弱，毫無生氣，彷彿他體內的精神已經化爲灰燼了。他穿着一身黑色的服裝，雖然很簡樸，但也還體面；不過他的衣服跟他整個性格相配，穿在身上好像都收縮變小、自貶身價似的，又好像跟他整個人一起，從頭到腳都表露 出憂傷的哀求：讓他在蒙羞受辱的狀態中默默無聞，孤獨一人吧。
And yet his interest in youth and hopefulness was not extinguished with the other embers of his soul, for he watched the boy's earnest countenance as he spoke with unusual sympathy, though with an inexplicable show of trouble and compassion, which escaped into his looks, however hard he strove to hold it prisoner. When Walter, in conclusion, put to him the question he had put to Florence, he still stood glancing at him with the same expression, as if he had read some fate upon his face, mournfully at variance with its present brightness.
可是他對青年及希望的興趣並沒有隨同他靈魂中其他的餘燼一起熄滅，因爲當沃爾特說話時，他懷着不尋常的同情注視着他那誠摯的臉，雖然在他的神色之間同時也流露出難以說明的憂慮與憐憫（儘管他竭力掩蓋）。當沃爾特最後 把向弗洛倫斯提出的問題向他提出的時候，他仍站在那裏用同樣的表情看着他，彷彿他已在他的臉上令人傷心地讀到了與它現在所呈現的活潑快樂的神情截然相反的命運。
'What do you advise, Mr Carker?' said Walter, smiling. 'You always give me good advice, you know, when you do speak to me. That's not often, though.'
“您看怎麼好，卡克先生？”沃爾特微笑着說道。“雖然您並不常跟我談話，但是當您跟我談話時，您知道，您常常 給我提出一些好的意見。”
'I think your own idea is the best,' he answered: looking from Florence to Walter, and back again.
“我覺得您自己的意見最好，”他回答道；這時他的眼光從弗洛倫斯身上移到沃爾特身上，然後又移回去。
'Mr Carker,' said Walter, brightening with a generous thought, 'Come! Here's a chance for you. Go you to Mr Dombey's, and be the messenger of good news. It may do you some good, Sir. I'll remain at home. You shall go.'
“卡克先生，”沃爾特心中閃現出一個慷慨大方的想法，“對了！這對您是個機會！請您到董貝先生家裏去向他報告這個好消息。它對您會有一些好處，先生。我就留在家裏。您一定去。”
'I!' returned the other.
“我！”那一位回答道。
'Yes. Why not, Mr Carker?' said the boy.
“是的，爲什麼不呢，卡克先生？”男孩子說道。
He merely shook him by the hand in answer; he seemed in a manner ashamed and afraid even to do that; and bidding him good-night, and advising him to make haste, turned away.
他只是握握他的手作爲回答；他似乎感到羞恥，甚至害怕去做這件事。他向他祝了晚安，並勸他趕快去做之後，就離開了。
'Come, Miss Dombey,' said Walter, looking after him as they turned away also, 'we'll go to my Uncle's as quick as we can. Did you ever hear Mr Dombey speak of Mr Carker the Junior, Miss Florence?'
“好了，董貝小姐，”當他們也開始走路的時候，沃爾特望着他的背影，說道，“我們儘快到我舅舅家裏去。您聽董貝先生談到過這位低級職員卡克先生嗎，董貝小姐？”
'No,' returned the child, mildly, 'I don't often hear Papa speak.'
“沒有，”女孩子溫和地回答道，“我不常聽爸爸講話。”