狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第28章Part 6

Notwithstanding the emphatic nature of this farewell, Mr Toots, instead of going away, stood leering about him, vacantly. Florence, to relieve him, bade adieu, with many thanks, to Lady Skettles, and gave her arm to Sir Barnet.
'May I beg of you, my dear Miss Dombey,' said her host, as he conducted her to the carriage, 'to present my best compliments to your dear Papa?'
It was distressing to Florence to receive the commission, for she felt as if she were imposing on Sir Barnet by allowing him to believe that a kindness rendered to her, was rendered to her father. As she could not explain, however, she bowed her head and thanked him; and again she thought that the dull home, free from such embarrassments, and such reminders of her sorrow, was her natural and best retreat.
Such of her late friends and companions as were yet remaining at the villa, came running from within, and from the garden, to say good-bye. They were all attached to her, and very earnest in taking leave of her. Even the household were sorry for her going, and the servants came nodding and curtseying round the carriage door. As Florence looked round on the kind faces, and saw among them those of Sir Barnet and his lady, and of Mr Toots, who was chuckling and staring at her from a distance, she was reminded of the night when Paul and she had come from Doctor Blimber's: and when the carriage drove away, her face was wet with tears.
Sorrowful tears, but tears of consolation, too; for all the softer memories connected with the dull old house to which she was returning made it dear to her, as they rose up. How long it seemed since she had wandered through the silent rooms: since she had last crept, softly and afraid, into those her father occupied: since she had felt the solemn but yet soothing influence of the beloved dead in every action of her daily life! This new farewell reminded her, besides, of her parting with poor Walter: of his looks and words that night: and of the gracious blending she had noticed in him, of tenderness for those he left behind, with courage and high spirit. His little history was associated with the old house too, and gave it a new claim and hold upon her heart. Even Susan Nipper softened towards the home of so many years, as they were on their way towards it. Gloomy as it was, and rigid justice as she rendered to its gloom, she forgave it a great deal. 'I shall be glad to see it again, I don't deny, Miss,' said the Nipper. 'There ain't much in it to boast of, but I wouldn't have it burnt or pulled down, neither!'
'You'll be glad to go through the old rooms, won't you, Susan?' said Florence, smiling.

圖茨先生儘管這樣有聲有色地作了告別，但卻沒有走開，而是原地站着不動，並斜着眼睛，茫然地看着四周。弗洛倫斯爲了使他擺脫困境，就開始向斯克特爾斯夫人告別，說了很多感謝的話，同時把胳膊向巴尼特爵士伸去。
“我親愛的董貝小姐，”她的主人把她送上四輪馬車的時候，說道，“我請您向您親愛的爸爸轉達我最親切的問候，可以嗎？”
弗洛倫斯接受這項任務是痛苦的，因爲她覺得她如果要使他相信，他對她所表示的好意就是對她爸爸所表示的好意，那麼這就欺騙了巴尼特爵士。不過因爲她不能解釋，所以她就低下頭去向他表示感謝，這時她又重新想起那沉悶無趣的家可以使她從這些使她感到尷尬、引起她悲傷的事情中解脫出來，因此它是她自然的和最好的藏身場所。
她新近交上的朋友們和伴侶們，有些依舊住在別墅裏，他們都從房屋裏和花園中跑來向她告別。他們全都和她依依不捨，十分誠摯地跟她分手。甚至連僕人們也對她的離去感到惋惜；他們聚集在馬車門口向她點頭和行屈膝禮。當弗洛倫斯看着四周親切的臉孔，在這些臉孔中間看到了巴尼特爵士和夫人的臉孔，看到了站在遠處正在吃吃笑着和注視着她的圖茨先生的臉孔時，她想起了那天夜裏保羅和她離開布林伯博士的學校回家時的情景；當馬車離開他們向前奔跑的時候，她的臉孔都被淚水沾溼了。
這是悲傷的眼淚，但這也是帶來安慰的眼淚，因爲當與她現在正要回去的那座沉悶無趣的老房屋有關的所有美好的回憶涌上心頭的時候，它們使她感到這座老房屋十分親切。自從她在那些寂靜無聲的房間中漫步穿行以來，自從她最後一次輕輕地、害怕地偷偷走進她父親的那些房間以來，自從她在日常生活的一舉一動之間都感覺到死去的親愛的弟弟的莊嚴而又撫慰的影響以來，似乎已經過去了多麼長久的時間了啊！這次新的告別還使她想起了她跟可憐的沃爾特的離別，想起了他那天夜間的神情和話語，想起了她曾注意到他既對留在後面的人們懷着親切的感情，但同時卻又表露出勇氣和高興；他的短短的歷史也是和這座古老的房屋聯繫着的，這使這座房屋具有一種新的權利來要求獲得和支配她的心。當她們行進在回家的路途中時，甚至連蘇珊·尼珀對這居住了許多年的家的態度也溫和起來了。雖然它是陰鬱的，她對它的陰鬱曾進行過嚴厲而中肯的指責，可是她大大地原諒它了。“我不否認，小姐，我將高興再看到它，”尼珀說，“雖然它沒有什麼可誇耀的，可是我卻不願意它被火燒了，也不願意它被拆毀了！”
“你將高興穿過那些老房間，是不是，蘇珊？”弗洛倫斯笑嘻嘻地問道。