狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第26章Part 6

'Then, you aggravating monster,' said Cleopatra, giving one hand to the Major, and tapping his knuckles with her fan, which she held in the other: 'why don't you talk to me? you know what I mean. Why don't you tell me something to the purpose?'
The Major laughed, and kissed the hand she had bestowed upon him, and laughed again immensely.
'Is there as much Heart in Mr Dombey as I gave him credit for?' languished Cleopatra tenderly. 'Do you think he is in earnest, my dear Major? Would you recommend his being spoken to, or his being left alone? Now tell me, like a dear man, what would you advise.'
'Shall we marry him to Edith Granger, Ma'am?' chuckled the Major, hoarsely.
'Mysterious creature!' returned Cleopatra, bringing her fan to bear upon the Major's nose. 'How can we marry him?'
'Shall we marry him to Edith Granger, Ma'am, I say?' chuckled the Major again.
Mrs Skewton returned no answer in words, but smiled upon the Major with so much archness and vivacity, that that gallant officer considering himself challenged, would have imprinted a kiss on her exceedingly red lips, but for her interposing the fan with a very winning and juvenile dexterity. It might have been in modesty; it might have been in apprehension of some danger to their bloom.
'Dombey, Ma'am,' said the Major, 'is a great catch.'
'Oh, mercenary wretch!' cried Cleopatra, with a little shriek, 'I am shocked.'
'And Dombey, Ma'am,' pursued the Major, thrusting forward his head, and distending his eyes, 'is in earnest. Joseph says it; Bagstock knows it; J. B. keeps him to the mark. Leave Dombey to himself, Ma'am. Dombey is safe, Ma'am. Do as you have done; do no more; and trust to J. B. for the end.'
'You really think so, my dear Major?' returned Cleopatra, who had eyed him very cautiously, and very searchingly, in spite of her listless bearing.
'Sure of it, Ma'am,' rejoined the Major. 'Cleopatra the peerless, and her Antony Bagstock, will often speak of this, triumphantly, when sharing the elegance and wealth of Edith Dombey's establishment. Dombey's right-hand man, Ma'am,' said the Major, stopping abruptly in a chuckle, and becoming serious, 'has arrived.'
'This morning?' said Cleopatra.

“既然這樣，你這討厭的怪物，”克利奧佩特拉把一隻手遞給少校，用另一隻手中拿着的扇子輕輕地敲打他的指節，說道，“你爲什麼不跟我談談？你知道我指的是什麼。爲什麼你不跟我談談這方面的事？”
少校哈哈大笑，吻了吻她伸給他的手，又連連不停地哈哈大笑。
“董貝先生是不是像我所認爲的心地真誠善良的人？”有氣無力的克利奧佩特拉親切地說道，“你認爲他是真心實意的嗎？我親愛的少校？你認爲需要跟他說說還是聽他自便？現在請告訴我，親愛的人，你的意見怎麼樣？”
“我們要不要讓他去跟伊迪絲·格蘭傑結婚呢，夫人？”少校聲音嘶啞地吃吃笑道。
“莫名其妙的東西！”克利奧佩特拉舉起扇子去打少校的鼻子，說道，“我們怎麼能讓他去結婚？”
“我說，夫人，我們要不要讓他去跟伊迪絲·格蘭傑結婚？”少校又吃吃地笑道。
斯丘頓夫人沒有答話，而是十分調皮、十分快活地向少校微笑着；這位好色的軍官認爲這是對自己的挑引，本想在她非常紅的嘴脣上印上一個親吻的，可是她卻以十分可愛的、少女般的敏捷勁兒，用扇子擋住了。她這麼做，也許是由於羞怯，但也許是由於她害怕嘴脣上塗染上的色澤會受到損害。
“夫人，”少校說道，“董貝是個人人想開採的金礦。”
“啊，你這滿身銅臭的勢利小人！”克利奧佩特拉輕輕地尖聲喊道，“真叫我毛骨悚然。”
“夫人，”少校伸長脖子，睜大眼睛，繼續說道，“董貝是真心實意的。約瑟夫這樣說；白格斯托克知道這一點。喬·白正把他引到這一步。聽憑董貝自己去吧，夫人。董貝是穩能到手的。你就跟過去一樣行事好了，不要別的。請相信喬·白會把事情辦到底的。”
“你真的這樣想嗎，我親愛的少校？”克利奧佩特拉問道。她雖然是一副沒精打采的姿態，但卻很機警、很敏銳地逼視着他。
“絕對是真的，夫人，”少校回答道，“世上無雙的克利奧佩特拉和她的安東尼·白格斯托克在伊迪絲·董貝富麗堂皇的公館中享受財富時，將會經常得意揚揚地談到這一點。夫人，董貝的左右手，”少校在吃吃的笑聲中突然停住，一本正經地說道，“已經到這裏來了。”
“今天早上？”克利奧佩特拉問道。