狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第30章Part 4

'For positively, my dear,' said Mrs Skewton, 'I do think that I see a decided resemblance to what you were then, in our extremely fascinating young friend. And it shows,' said Mrs Skewton, in a lower voice, which conveyed her opinion that Florence was in a very unfinished state, 'what cultivation will do.'
'It does, indeed,' was Edith's stern reply.
Her mother eyed her sharply for a moment, and feeling herself on unsafe ground, said, as a diversion:
'My charming Florence, you must come and kiss me once more, if you please, my love.'
Florence complied, of course, and again imprinted her lips on Mrs Skewton's ear.
'And you have heard, no doubt, my darling pet,' said Mrs Skewton, detaining her hand, 'that your Papa, whom we all perfectly adore and dote upon, is to be married to my dearest Edith this day week.'
'I knew it would be very soon,' returned Florence, 'but not exactly when.'
'My darling Edith,' urged her mother, gaily, 'is it possible you have not told Florence?'
'Why should I tell Florence?' she returned, so suddenly and harshly, that Florence could scarcely believe it was the same voice.
Mrs Skewton then told Florence, as another and safer diversion, that her father was coming to dinner, and that he would no doubt be charmingly surprised to see her; as he had spoken last night of dressing in the City, and had known nothing of Edith's design, the execution of which, according to Mrs Skewton's expectation, would throw him into a perfect ecstasy. Florence was troubled to hear this; and her distress became so keen, as the dinner-hour approached, that if she had known how to frame an entreaty to be suffered to return home, without involving her father in her explanation, she would have hurried back on foot, bareheaded, breathless, and alone, rather than incur the risk of meeting his displeasure.
As the time drew nearer, she could hardly breathe. She dared not approach a window, lest he should see her from the street. She dared not go upstairs to hide her emotion, lest, in passing out at the door, she should meet him unexpectedly; besides which dread, she felt as though she never could come back again if she were summoned to his presence. In this conflict of fears; she was sitting by Cleopatra's couch, endeavouring to understand and to reply to the bald discourse of that lady, when she heard his foot upon the stair.
'I hear him now!' cried Florence, starting. 'He is coming!'

"說真的，我親愛的，"斯丘頓夫人說道，"我發現我們這位極爲標緻的年輕朋友跟你那時候真是像透了，同時也表明，"斯丘頓夫人壓低了聲音，說道，"教養是多麼重要。"這說明，在她看來，弗洛倫斯還遠沒有教養完善。
"是的，不錯，"伊迪絲冷淡地回答道。
她的母親敏銳地看了她一眼，感到她本人已陷入危險的境地；爲了轉移注意力，就說道：
"我可愛的弗洛倫斯，你一定得過來再親我一下，如果你願意的話，我親愛的。"
弗洛倫斯自然依從了，於是又把嘴脣壓到她的耳朵上。
"我親愛的寶貝，你毫無疑問已經聽說了，"斯丘頓夫人拉着她的手，說道，"你的爸爸--我們全都無限崇拜和熱愛他--再過一個星期就要跟我最親愛的伊迪絲結婚了。"
"我知道很快了，"弗洛倫斯回答道，"不過不知道確切的日期。"
"我的寶貝伊迪絲，"她的母親快活地催促道，"這可能嗎，你怎麼還沒有告訴弗洛倫斯？"
"我爲什麼要告訴弗洛倫斯？"她回答得那麼突然和生硬，因此弗洛倫斯簡直不能相信這是她的聲音。
斯丘頓夫人爲了再一次轉移注意力和脫離危險，就告訴弗洛倫斯，她爸爸將到這裏來吃晚飯，他看到她將無疑會又驚奇又高興；因爲昨天晚上他在城裏談到了服裝方面的事情，一點也不知道伊迪絲的計劃，斯丘頓夫人料想這樣一定會使他喜出望外。弗洛倫斯聽到這些話以後，心煩意亂，臨近吃晚飯的時候，她的苦惱更加劇烈；如果她知道怎樣請求允許她回家去，而且在解釋時不牽涉到她父親的話，那麼她真願意光着腳，不戴帽子，獨自一人，急忙跑回家去，而不願冒這種會引起他不高興的危險。
時間愈來愈近，她簡直透不過氣來。她不敢走近窗口，唯恐他從街上看見她。她不敢走上樓去掩飾她的情緒，唯恐走出門口的時候，她會意外地遇見他；除了這種害怕外，她還覺得，如果把她喊到他面前去的話，那麼她就好像再也沒有勇氣回來似的。她苦惱不安地懷着這些恐懼的心情，坐在克利奧佩特拉的長沙發旁邊，用心聽着和回答着這位夫人枯燥無味的談話，這時候她突然聽到樓梯上響起了他的腳步聲。
"我聽到他的腳步了！"弗洛倫斯驚跳起來，喊道，"他來了！"