狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第39章Part2

'Captain Gills, it's very kind of you,' retorted Mr Toots. 'I'm much obliged to you. Upon my word and honour, Captain Gills, it would be a charity to give me the pleasure of your acquaintance. It really would.'
'You see, brother,' argued the Captain slowly, 'I don't know you.
'But you never can know me, Captain Gills,' replied Mr Toots, steadfast to his point, 'if you don't give me the pleasure of your acquaintance.
The Captain seemed struck by the originality and power of this remark, and looked at Mr Toots as if he thought there was a great deal more in him than he had expected.
'Well said, my lad,' observed the Captain, nodding his head thoughtfully; 'and true. Now look'ee here: You've made some observations to me, which gives me to understand as you admire a certain sweet creetur. Hey?'
'Captain Gills,' said Mr Toots, gesticulating violently with the hand in which he held his hat, 'Admiration is not the word. Upon my honour, you have no conception what my feelings are. If I could be dyed black, and made Miss Dombey's slave, I should consider it a compliment. If, at the sacrifice of all my property, I could get transmigrated into Miss Dombey's dog - I - I really think I should never leave off wagging my tail. I should be so perfectly happy, Captain Gills!'
Mr Toots said it with watery eyes, and pressed his hat against his bosom with deep emotion.

“吉爾斯船長，您真好，”圖茨先生回答道，”我非常感謝您。說實話，我以榮譽向您發誓，您能讓我榮幸地跟您交個朋友，這真是做了一件仁慈的事。確實是這樣的。”
“我得說，老弟，”船長慢吞吞地說道，”我不瞭解您。”
“可是如果您不讓我榮幸地跟您交朋友的話，”圖茨先生堅定地向着目標前進，回答道，”那麼您就永遠也不能瞭解我了。”
船長似乎被這個新穎而有力的意見所打動，看着圖茨先生，彷彿心中想到，他身上具有更多的東西，是他原先沒有料想到的。
“說得好，我的孩子，”船長沉思地點着頭，說道，”說得不錯。現在您聽着，您向我講過一些話，我從您的話中瞭解到，您愛慕上一位可愛的人兒，是不是？”
“吉爾斯船長，”圖茨先生用拿着帽子的那隻手有力她打着手勢，說道，”愛慕不是個確切的字眼。我以榮譽發誓，您根本想不出我的感情是怎樣的。如果能把我的皮膚染成黑色，讓我做董貝小姐的奴隸，那麼我將認爲這是對我的恩惠。如果我能夠以我的全部財產爲代價，投生成董貝小姐的一條狗的話，--那麼我--我確實認爲，我將會永遠不停地搖着尾巴。我將會感到無限幸福，吉爾斯船長！”
圖茨先生說這些話的時候，眼淚汪汪，同時懷着深情，把帽子緊緊壓着胸脯。