雙語小說連載:《董貝父子》第8章 Part 13大綱

But it was generally said that Mrs Pipchin was a woman of system with children; and no doubt she was. Certainly the wild ones went home tame enough, after sojourning for a few months beneath her hospitable roof. It was generally said, too, that it was highly creditable of Mrs Pipchin to have devoted herself to this way of life, and to have made such a sacrifice of her feelings, and such a resolute stand against her troubles, when Mr Pipchin broke his heart in the Peruvian mines.

不過人們通常都說，皮普欽太太是一位很有辦法管理孩子的女人，毫無疑問她也確實如此。那些粗野的孩子在她款待周到的屋頂下寄居幾個月之後，回家時確實都十分馴服。人們通常也說，當皮普欽先生在祕魯的礦井傷心而死去以後，她獻身於這樣一種生活方式，在感情上作出這樣大的犧牲，這樣堅決地克服各種困難，這是令人極爲欽佩的。

At this exemplary old lady, Paul would sit staring in his little arm-chair by the fire, for any length of time. He never seemed to know what weariness was, when he was looking fixedly at Mrs Pipchin. He was not fond of her; he was not afraid of her; but in those old, old moods of his, she seemed to have a grotesque attraction for him. There he would sit, looking at her, and warming his hands, and looking at her, until he sometimes quite confounded Mrs Pipchin, Ogress as she was. Once she asked him, when they were alone, what he was thinking about.

對於這位堪稱楷模的老太太，保羅總是在壁爐旁邊坐在他的小扶手椅子裏，目不轉睛地看着，不論時間有多久。當他一動不動地看着皮普欽太太的時候，他似乎從來不知道疲倦。他不喜歡她；他不怕她。但是在他那老氣而又老氣的心緒中，她似乎對他有一種奇異的吸引力。他會坐在那裏看着她，烘烘手，又看着她，直到有時他使皮普欽太太也感到十分困窘（儘管她是一位惡魔）。有一次當只有他們兩個人的時候，她問他，他在想什麼。

'You,' said Paul, without the least reserve.

“ 想您，”保羅十分坦率地說道。

'And what are you thinking about me?' asked Mrs Pipchin.

“您想我什麼？”皮普欽太太問道。

'I'm thinking how old you must be,' said Paul.

“我在想您該有多老了，”保羅說道。

'You mustn't say such things as that, young gentleman,' returned the dame. 'That'll never do.'

“您不應該說這樣的話，年輕的先生，”那位老太太回答道，“那是絕對不合適的。”

'Why not?' asked Paul.

“爲什麼不合適？”保羅問道。

'Because it's not polite,' said Mrs Pipchin, snappishly.

“因爲那不禮貌，”皮普欽太太暴躁地說道。

'Not polite?' said Paul.

“不禮貌嗎？”保羅說道。

'No.'

“是的。”

'It's not polite,' said Paul, innocently, 'to eat all the mutton chops and toast, Wickam says.

“威肯姆說，“保羅天真地說道，“一個人把所有的羊排和烤麪包片都吃掉是不禮貌的。”

'Wickam,' retorted Mrs Pipchin, colouring, 'is a wicked, impudent, bold-faced hussy.'

“威肯姆，”皮普欽太太紅着臉，回答道，“是個 邪惡的、冒失無禮的、厚顏無恥的 賤貨。”

'What's that?' inquired Paul.

“那是什麼？”保羅問道。

'Never you mind, Sir,' retorted Mrs Pipchin. 'Remember the story of the little boy that was gored to death by a mad bull for asking questions.'

“這不關您的事，先生，”皮普欽太太回答道。“記住那個小男孩的故事，他因爲愛問這問那，結果就被一頭發了瘋的公牛用角頂死了。”

'If the bull was mad,' said Paul, 'how did he know that the boy had asked questions? Nobody can go and whisper secrets to a mad bull. I don't believe that story.

“如果那頭公牛是瘋的，”保羅說道，“它怎麼 知道這個小男孩問了問題？誰也不會走到瘋牛跟前，低聲地把祕密 告訴它呀。我不相信這個故事。”

'You don't believe it, Sir?' repeated Mrs Pipchin, amazed.

“您不相信它嗎，先生？”皮普欽太太吃驚地重複說道。

'No,' said Paul.

“不相信，”保羅說道。

註釋：creditable adj.
1. 值得讚揚的；爲…帶來榮譽的
2. 可歸因於…的
3. 可信的
例句：
(1) His performance is highly creditable.
他的表演值得高度讚揚。
(2) My son makes very creditable grades in school.
我兒子在學校取得的成績是值得讚許的。
(3) Good price will be for creditable business partner.
好價格將是可信的商業合作伙伴。
(4) The report that Mr. Lin has done a creditable job is credible.
報告說，林先生做了一件值得讚許的工作，這是可信的。
(5) In 1997 he did so with a side that scored a creditable 85 goals.
在1997年，更是在聯賽中率隊打進了不可思議的85個進球
(6) In power, the BJP also had a creditable record of economic management.
在執政期間，人民黨在經濟管理方面也曾有過不錯表現。
(7) Though he is a credible and creditable witness, we can not be credulous.
雖然他是一個可靠並且值得稱讚的證人，但是我們還是不能輕信。
(8) We shall serve our clients with the spirit of being honest, creditable, innovative.
我們以誠信，求實，創新的企業精神熱誠服務於廣大客戶。
(9) Mary plays tennis so well that, given the proper training, she may well become a creditable professional.
瑪麗很會打網球，只要經過適當的訓練，她有可能成爲極受讚賞的選手。
(10) Our tenet: to innovate by science and technology, honest and creditable, quality first, clients paramount!
企業宗旨：科技創新 誠實守信 質量第一 客戶至上！

believe vi. 信任；料想；篤信宗教
vt. 相信；認爲；信任
[ 過去式believed 過去分詞believed 現在分詞believing ]
詞組：
believe in 信仰；信任
believe it or not 信不信由你
make believe v. 假裝；假扮 n. 假裝；虛構
believe you me [口語][用以加強語氣]相信我的話，相信我說的是真的(或算數的)；真的
what you believe in 你相信什麼
例句：
(1) I believe that is necessary.
我認爲這是必要的。
(2) We believe in truth.
我們信奉真理。
(3) I believe in love because my wife taught me how.
我相信愛，因爲我妻子教會我如何去愛。
(4) Many people believe that poinsettias are poisonous.
很多人認爲猩猩木是有毒的。
(5) I believe that good learning starts with curiosity.
我相信好的學習是從好奇心開始的。
(6) I believe the world will become a better place to live in.
我相信世界將會變成一個更益於人們居住生活的地方。
(7) I believe, however, that a social system is on trial here.
但筆者以爲，這恰恰是對社會制度的一個考驗。