狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第42章Part11

'Is it so?' returned Carker. 'Do you know better than anyone, that you have no need to ask?'
'Then I hope, Carker,' said Mr Dombey, 'that your regret in the acquisition of Mrs Dombey's displeasure, may be almost counterbalanced by your satisfaction in retaining my confidence and good opinion.'
'I have the misfortune, I find,' returned Carker, 'to have incurred that displeasure. Mrs Dombey has expressed it to you?'
'Mrs Dombey has expressed various opinions,' said Mr Dombey, with majestic coldness and indifference, 'in which I do not participate, and which I am not inclined to discuss, or to recall. I made Mr's Dombey acquainted, some time since, as I have already told you, with certain points of domestic deference and submission on which I felt it necessary to insist. I failed to convince Mrs Dombey of the expediency of her immediately altering her conduct in those respects, with a view to her own peace and welfare, and my dignity; and I informed Mrs Dombey that if I should find it necessary to object or remonstrate again, I should express my opinion to her through yourself, my confidential agent.'
Blended with the look that Carker bent upon him, was a devilish look at the picture over his head, that struck upon it like a flash of lightning.
'Now, Carker,' said Mr Dombey, 'I do not hesitate to say to you that I will carry my point. I am not to be trifled with. Mrs Dombey must understand that my will is law, and that I cannot allow of one exception to the whole rule of my life. You will have the goodness to undertake this charge, which, coming from me, is not unacceptable to you, I hope, whatever regret you may politely profess - for which I am obliged to you on behalf of Mrs Dombey; and you will have the goodness, I am persuaded, to discharge it as exactly as any other commission.'
'You know,' said Mr Carker, 'that you have only to command me.
'I know,' said Mr Dombey, with a majestic indication of assent, 'that I have only to command you. It is necessary that I should proceed in this. Mrs Dombey is a lady undoubtedly highly qualified, in many respects, to -
'To do credit even to your choice,' suggested Carker, with a yawning show of teeth.

“是不是這樣？”卡克回答道，”您不是比任何人都明白，用不着問這個問題嗎？”
“卡克，”董貝先生說道，”您雖然由於招致董貝夫人的不滿而感到遺憾，但是您由於保持我的信任與好感是會感到高興的，因爲，我希望，您的高興可能幾乎會抵消您的遺憾。”
“我覺得，我已不幸地招致了這種不滿，”卡克回答道，”董貝夫人已向您表示過了吧？”
“董貝夫人表示過各種意見，”董貝先生用威嚴的、冷淡的、漠不關心的語氣說道，”我沒有參與這些意見，也不打算討論或回憶它們。我已跟您說過，不久以前我向董貝夫人提出一些意見，要求她在家庭生活中保持應有的尊敬與順從，這些意見我認爲是有必要堅持的。我沒有說服董貝夫人，爲了她自己的安寧、幸福以及我的尊嚴，她有必要立即改變她在這些方面的行爲；我告訴董貝夫人，如果我認爲有必要再次提出反對或抗議的時候，那麼我將通過您，我親信的助手，來轉達我的意見。”
卡克在向他投出的眼光中，還夾雜着一道邪惡的眼光，越過他的頭頂，像閃電一般落在圖畫上面。
“現在，卡克，”董貝先生說道，”我毫不遲疑地跟您說，我一定要實現我的主張。我不是個被隨意小看的人，董貝夫人必須懂得，我的意志就是法律，在我的全部生活規則中我不允許有一個例外。我想勞駕您去執行這項使命。既然這是我的委託，我希望它對您並不是不可接受的，不管您會禮貌地表示什麼遺憾--對於這一點，我代表董貝夫人向您表示感謝；我相信，您一定肯幫忙，像完成其他各項任務一樣，準確地去完成它。”
“您知道，”卡克先生說道，”您只需命令我就行了。”
“我知道，”董貝先生威風凜凜地表示同意，說道，”我只需命令您就行了。我認爲有必要採取另一些步驟。董貝夫人在許多方面無疑是賦有高超資質的一位夫人--”
“甚至對您的選擇也是增添了光彩的，”卡克先生討好地露出牙齒，說道。