雙語小說連載:《董貝父子》第10章 Part 7大綱

Mr Dombey regarded this phenomenon with amazement and indignation, and seemed by his looks to appeal to Mrs Chick and Miss Tox against it. Little Paul, who had come in after Florence, backed towards Miss Tox as the Captain waved his book, and stood on the defensive.

董貝先生驚奇而憤怒地注視着這個現象，並且以他的臉色要求奇剋夫人與托克斯小姐跟他一道表示不滿。當船長揮着鉤子的時候，跟隨弗洛倫斯進來的小保羅背朝着托克斯小姐後退，並站在那裏作出了防禦的姿態。

'Now, Gay,' said Mr Dombey. 'What have you got to say to me?'

“唔，蓋伊，”董貝先生說道，“您有什麼要對我說的？”

Again the Captain observed, as a general opening of the conversation that could not fail to propitiate all parties, 'Wal'r, standby!'

船長又說道，“沃爾，做好準備！”這就算作是談話的一個開端，它不會不取得所有在場人的好感的。

'I am afraid, Sir,' began Walter, trembling, and looking down at the ground, 'that I take a very great liberty in coming - indeed, I am sure I do. I should hardly have had the courage to ask to see you, Sir, even after coming down, I am afraid, if I had not overtaken Miss Dombey, and - '

“我擔心，先生，”沃爾特哆嗦着，眼睛向下看着地面，說道，“我到這裏來是十分放肆的，——確實，我相信是這樣。甚至我到了這裏以後，我恐怕也沒有勇氣請求見您，先生，如果我沒有遇見董貝小姐，而且——”

'Well!' said Mr Dombey, following his eyes as he glanced at the attentive Florence, and frowning unconsciously as she encouraged him with a smile. 'Go on, if you please.'

“唔！”董貝先生說道；當沃爾特向注意聽他講話的弗洛倫斯看了一眼的時候，董貝先生跟隨着他的眼光；當她微笑着對沃爾特表示鼓勵的時候，他不自覺地皺起了眉頭。“請繼續說下去。”

'Ay, ay,' observed the Captain, considering it incumbent on him, as a point of good breeding, to support Mr Dombey. 'Well said! Go on, Wal'r.'

“是的，是的，”船長說道；他認爲，他是一位有教養的人，他有責任來支持董貝先生。“說得很好！繼續說下去，沃爾。”

Captain Cuttle ought to have been withered by the look which Mr Dombey bestowed upon him in acknowledgment of his patronage. But quite innocent of this, he closed one eye in reply, and gave Mr Dombey to understand, by certain significant motions of his hook, that Walter was a little bashful at first, and might be expected to come out shortly.

董貝先生表示聽到了支持他的話，向他看了一眼；卡特爾船長當時如果看到這個眼光的話，那麼他一定是會全身畏縮的。可是他完全不知道這一點，所以他閉了一隻眼睛作爲回答，並寓有深意地揮了揮鉤子，讓董貝先生明白，沃爾特開始有些膽怯，但可以期望他很快就會平靜下來的。

'It is entirely a private and personal matter, that has brought me here, Sir,' continued Walter, faltering, 'and Captain Cuttle

“我到這裏來完全是爲了一件私人的事情，先生，”沃爾特結結巴巴地繼續說道，“這位卡特爾船長——”

'Here!' interposed the Captain, as an assurance that he was at hand, and might be relied upon.

“就在這裏！”船長打斷了他的話，證明他就在近旁，而且是可以信賴的。

'Who is a very old friend of my poor Uncle's, and a most excellent man, Sir,' pursued Walter, raising his eyes with a look of entreaty in the Captain's behalf, 'was so good as to offer to come with me, which I could hardly refuse.'

“是我可憐的舅舅的一位很老的朋友，是一個極好的人，先生，”沃爾特擡起眼睛，露出爲船長求情的神色，繼續說下去，“他一片好心，提出要陪我到這裏來，我不能拒絕他的要求。”

'No, no, no;' observed the Captain complacently. 'Of course not. No call for refusing. Go on, Wal'r.'

“是的，是的，是的，”船長喜洋洋地說道。“當然不能。哪能拒絕呢。往下說吧，沃爾。”

'And therefore, Sir,' said Walter, venturing to meet Mr Dombey's eye, and proceeding with better courage in the very desperation of the case, now that there was no avoiding it, 'therefore I have come, with him, Sir, to say that my poor old Uncle is in very great affliction and distress. That, through the gradual loss of his business, and not being able to make a payment, the apprehension of which has weighed very heavily upon his mind, months and months, as indeed I know, Sir, he has an execution in his house, and is in danger of losing all he has, and breaking his heart. And that if you would, in your kindness, and in your old knowledge of him as a respectable man, do anything to help him out of his difficulty, Sir, we never could thank you enough for it.'

“因此，先生，”沃爾特說道；他大膽地接觸到董貝先生的眼光，在極爲絕望的情況下鼓起勇氣繼續說下去，因爲現在已經沒法退避了，“因此我就跟他一起到這裏來，想告訴您，先生，我的可憐的年老的舅舅正處在極大的痛苦與不幸之中。由於他的營業逐漸虧損，無法償還欠款——我知道得很清楚，先生，這個恐懼過去好幾個月一直沉甸甸地壓在他的心頭——，他家裏的財產就要查封，他將失去他所有的東西，傷心而死；他現在正處在這樣的危險之中。如果您由於長久以來一直知道他是一位品德端正的人，慈悲爲懷，並因此能做點什麼事來幫助他走出困境的話，先生，那麼我們對您真將感激不盡。”

註釋：encourage vt. 鼓勵，慫恿；激勵；支持
[ 過去式encouraged 過去分詞encouraged 現在分詞encouraging ]
詞組：
encourage investment 鼓勵投資
例句：
(1) The idea was to encourage participation.
這麼做是爲了鼓勵參與。
(2) The challenge is to encourage the right behaviour.
挑戰在於如何鼓勵正確的行爲。
(3) DARCY: So what do you recommend, to encourage affection?
達西：依你高見，怎麼才能促進感情？
(4) The government should also encourage banks to lend to them.
此外，政府也鼓勵銀行給商戶提供貸款。
(5) They also want to encourage tourists to continue to visit Cusco.
他們亦想要鼓勵觀光客繼續參觀庫斯科。
(6) Do scientists say anything about charging rent to encourage dispersal?
科學家們有說過關於收租金來鼓勵分散嗎？
(7) But it should mandate these practices, not just encourage study of them.
但是它應該授權讓這些付諸實踐，而不是僅僅鼓勵研究。
(8) The first challenge is to encourage participation in a climate agreement.
第一個挑戰是鼓勵各國參與氣候協議。

respectable adj. 值得尊敬的；人格高尚的；相當數量的
n. 可敬的人
adj.值得尊敬的；人格高尚的；相當數量的
例句：
(1) They are a very respectable family.
他們夫婦是非常值得尊敬的。
(2) But some of the others are less respectable.
但是其它的一些政黨較少正派的。
(3) Yet this respectable average hides a series of problems.
然而這樣的可觀的數字背後卻是一系列的問題。
(4) His family is as old as the hills, and infinitely more respectable.
他那古老的門閥世家，歷史悠久，名望卻比山嶽還要高得多。
(5) So the river-boat gambler and the speculator is going to be respectable!
這麼一來。那個駕河船的賭棍和投機家就要成爲紳士了！
(6) Doing the indignant: a girl of good family like me, respectable character.
裝出一副生氣的樣子：像我這樣的良家少女，品行端正的。
(7) To learn from afar about a key region and its people is a respectable pursuit.
遠距離了解一個重要地區及其人民，是一種可敬的追求。
(8) At twenty-one he took his degree-a respectable degree, but not a very high one.
二十一歲他獲得了一個不很高，但也令人欽羨的學位。