狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第25章Part 2

The boy produced a sealed packet, which Captain Cuttle stared at as he had stared at the keys.
'When I woke this morning, Captain,' said Rob, 'which was about a quarter after five, I found these on my pillow. The shop-door was unbolted and unlocked, and Mr Gills gone.'
'Gone!' roared the Captain.
'Flowed, Sir,' returned Rob.
The Captain's voice was so tremendous, and he came out of his corner with such way on him, that Rob retreated before him into another corner: holding out the keys and packet, to prevent himself from being run down.
'For Captain Cuttle, Sir,' cried Rob, 'is on the keys, and on the packet too. Upon my word and honour, Captain Cuttle, I don't know anything more about it. I wish I may die if I do! Here's a sitiwation for a lad that's just got a sitiwation,' cried the unfortunate Grinder, screwing his cuff into his face: 'his master bolted with his place, and him blamed for it!'
These lamentations had reference to Captain Cuttle's gaze, or rather glare, which was full of vague suspicions, threatenings, and denunciations. Taking the proffered packet from his hand, the Captain opened it and read as follows:-
'My dear Ned Cuttle. Enclosed is my will!' The Captain turned it over, with a doubtful look - 'and Testament - Where's the Testament?' said the Captain, instantly impeaching the ill-fated Grinder. 'What have you done with that, my lad?'
'I never see it,' whimpered Rob. 'Don't keep on suspecting an innocent lad, Captain. I never touched the Testament.'
Captain Cuttle shook his head, implying that somebody must be made answerable for it; and gravely proceeded:
'Which don't break open for a year, or until you have decisive intelligence of my dear Walter, who is dear to you, Ned, too, I am sure.' The Captain paused and shook his head in some emotion; then, as a re-establishment of his dignity in this trying position, looked with exceeding sternness at the Grinder. 'If you should never hear of me, or see me more, Ned, remember an old friend as he will remember you to the last - kindly; and at least until the period I have mentioned has expired, keep a home in the old place for Walter. There are no debts, the loan from Dombey's House is paid off and all my keys I send with this. Keep this quiet, and make no inquiry for me; it is useless. So no more, dear Ned, from your true friend, Solomon Gills.' The Captain took a long breath, and then read these words written below: 'The boy Rob, well recommended, as I told you, from Dombey's House. If all else should come to the hammer, take care, Ned, of the little Midshipman.'

孩子取出一個封好的小包裹。卡特爾張大眼睛看着它，就跟剛纔張大眼睛看着鑰匙一樣。
“我今天早上醒來的時候，船長，”羅布說道，“那是五點一刻光景，我在枕頭上發現了這些東西。店鋪的門沒有閂上，也沒有上鎖。吉爾斯先生走了！”
“走了！”船長大聲喊道。
“悄悄地走了，先生，”羅布回答道。
船長的聲音非常可怕，他從角落裏直衝衝地向羅布跑來，羅布就退縮到另一個角落裏，遞出鑰匙和包包，免得被他撞倒。
“‘給卡特爾船長’，先生，”羅布喊道，“是寫在鑰匙上，也寫在包裹上的。說實話，我敢用榮譽向您保證，卡特爾船長，我再也不知道別的了。如果我知道的話，我但願自己就死掉。一個剛剛找到工作的小夥子想不到竟會落到這樣的下場，”不幸的磨工用袖頭擦着臉孔，哭道，“他的主人逃跑了，他卻受到了責怪！”
這些怨言是由於卡特爾船長的注視，或者正確地說，是由於他瞪着眼睛所引起的，因爲在他的眼光中充滿了懷疑、威脅和責難。船長從他手中取過包裹，打開它，念着以下的字句：
“我親愛的內德·卡特爾，這裏所附的是我的一般遺囑！”船長用懷疑的眼光把紙翻過來，“和處理財產的遺囑——處理財產的遺囑在哪裏？”船長立即責問倒黴的磨工，“我的孩子，你把它弄到哪裏去了？”
“我從來沒有看見它，”羅布啜泣道，“請別懷疑一個清白無辜的孩子，船長。處理財產的遺囑，我從來沒有碰到過！”
卡特爾船長搖搖頭，意味着得有人對這負責，又繼續念道。
“一年之內或者在你得到我親愛的沃爾特的確鑿消息之前，請別打開它。我相信，內德，沃爾特也是你親愛的人。”船長停了一下，激動地點點頭，然後，爲了在這難堪的時刻維持他的尊嚴，非常嚴厲地看着磨工，“如果你再也聽不到我的消息，再也看不到我的話，那麼，內德，你就記住一位老朋友吧，正像他將會親切地記住你一樣，直到生命的最後時刻；至少在我所說的期限來到之前，請在老地方爲沃爾特保留一個家。我已沒有債務，從董貝公司借來的錢已經還清，我所有的鑰匙連同這個包包一併交給你。請不要聲張，也不要打聽我的下落；那樣做是徒勞無益的。好了，沒有別的話要說的了，內德，你的忠實的朋友，所羅門·吉爾斯。”船長深深地吸了一口氣，然後再念以下的字句：“羅布這孩子，我跟你說過，董貝公司推薦得不錯。內德，如果所有其餘的東西都要拿去拍賣的話，那麼那個小小的海軍軍官候補生你得好好看管着。”