雙語小說連載:《董貝父子》第一章 Part 1
作者簡介：
查爾斯•狄更斯 英國小說家，出生於海軍小職員家庭，10歲時全家被迫遷入負債者監獄，11歲就承擔起繁重的家務勞動。曾在皮鞋作坊當學徒，16歲時在律師事務所當繕寫員，後擔任報社採訪記者。他只上過幾年學，全靠刻苦自學和艱辛勞動成爲知名作家。
他生活在英國由半封建社會向工業資本主義社會的過渡時期。其作品廣泛而深刻地描寫這時期社會生活的各個方面，鮮明而生動地刻畫了各階層的代表人物形象，並從人道主義出發對各種醜惡的社會現象及其代表人物進行揭露批判，對勞動人民的苦難及其反抗鬥爭給以同情和支持。但同時他也宣揚以“仁愛”爲中心的忍讓寬恕和階級調和思想。對勞動人民的反抗鬥爭抱行動上支持而道德上否定的矛盾態度。表現了他的現實主義的強大力量和軟弱空想。
狄更斯一生共創作了14部長篇小說，許多中、短篇小說和雜文、遊記、戲劇、小品。其中最著名的作品是描寫勞資矛盾的長篇代表作《艱難時期》（1854）和描寫1789年法國革命的另一篇代表作《雙城記》（A Tale of Two Cities）（1859）。前者展示了工業資本家對工人的殘酷剝削和壓迫，描寫了工人階級的團結鬥爭，並批判了爲資本家剝削辯護的自由競爭原則和功利主義學說。後者以法國貴族的荒淫殘暴、人民羣衆的重重苦難和法國大革命的歷史威力，來影射當時的英國社會現實，預示這場“可怕的大火”也將在法國重演。其他作品有《奧列佛·特維斯特》（又譯《霧都孤兒》1838）、《老古玩店》（1841），《董貝父子》（1848），《大衛·科波菲爾》（1850）和《遠大前程》（1861）等等。
狄更斯是19世紀英國現實主義文學的主要代表。藝術上以妙趣橫生的幽默、細緻入微的心理分析，以及現實主義描寫與浪漫主義氣氛的有機結合著稱。馬克思把他和薩克雷等稱譽爲英國的“一批傑出的小說家”。
作品簡介：
《董貝父子》無論從形式方面還是從內容方面而論，都在狄更斯的作品中佔據特別重要的地位,它突破了早期作品中流浪漢體（thepicaresque）的影響，緊緊圍繞一箇中心人物、一個主導觀念來展開故事，在狄更斯的小說中是第一部結構嚴謹的代表作。作者在序言、書信中多次提到，在寫《董貝父子》時，他時刻注意“扣緊該書的一般目的與設計，並以此嚴格束縛自己”。《董貝父子》形式上的新特點是跟內容方面的發展相聯繫的。在這以前，狄更斯在小說中曾抨擊了負債人監獄、新的濟貧法、地方上的所謂慈善事業以及大城市底層的罪惡與黑暗，多多少少把它們當作孤立的現象。《董貝父子》卻試圖在更嚴謹的形式中以現代城市爲背景，通過一個資產者的典型形象表達出對資本主義社會的總體觀，而不復在個別社會弊病上做文章。當然，這並不一定意味着作者的小說藝術向着更高級階段發展——結構的嚴謹在美學上不一定比流浪漢體小說的鬆散更優越，它們可以各有各自的美，但無論如何，《董貝父子》代表了作者思想的深化，表現了他對社會問題的進一步思考。
在寫法上面，狄更斯就是在這樣一種背景上塑造了一個資產者的典型形象。穿插於故事中的衆多的陪襯人物都天真無邪，不是傻得可愛就是“狡猾”得可笑。他們不僅推動情節發展，而且爲全書帶來了歡樂氣氛和幽默情趣，使《董貝父子》成爲狄更斯小說中既有深度又饒有趣味的代表作。還在連載的時候,不識字的老百姓在一天的勞累之後就要聚在一起聽人朗讀《董貝父子》，直至今天，它還受到廣大讀者的喜愛。
Dombey sat in the corner of the darkened room in the great arm chair by the bedside, and Son lay tucked up warm in a little basket bedstead, carefully disposed on a low settee immediately in front of the fire and close to it, as if his constitution were analogous to that of a muffin, and it was essential to toast him brown while he was very new.
在一間光線被遮暗了的房間的角落裏，董貝坐在牀邊一張大扶手椅子上；他的兒子被包裹得暖和和的，躺在一個小搖籃裏；這個小搖籃被考慮周到地放在緊靠着壁爐前面的一條矮矮的長靠椅上，彷彿他的體質和鬆餅相似，需要趁着他很新鮮的時候，把他烤成棕色。
Dombey was about eight-and-forty years of age. Son about eight-and-forty minutes. Dombey was rather bald, rather red, and though a handsome well-made man, too stern and pompous in appearance, to be prepossessing. Son was very bald, and very red, and though (of course) an undeniably fine infant, somewhat crushed and spotty in his general effect, as yet. On the brow of Dombey, Time and his brother Care had set some marks, as on a tree that was to come down in good time remorseless twins they are for striding through their human forests, notching as they go while the countenance of Son was crossed with a thousand little creases, which the same deceitful Time would take delight in smoothing out and wearing away with the flat part of his scythe, as a preparation of the surface for his deeper operations.
董貝大約四十八歲。他的兒子出世大約四十八分鐘。董貝的頭稍稍有些禿，臉色稍稍有些紅；雖然他是一位外貌漂亮、身材勻稱的男子，可是神色過分嚴厲與傲慢，因此不能使人產生好感。他的兒子的頭很禿，臉色很紅；雖然他當然不可否認地是一個可愛的嬰孩，可是看上去有些皺巴巴的，身上斑斑點點。時間和他的兄弟操勞——他們是一對殘酷無情的孿生兄弟；當大踏步穿過人類森林的時候，他們一邊走，一邊砍伐——已經在董貝的前額上留下了一些痕跡，就像在一株在適當的時候要被砍倒的樹上留下痕跡一樣；他的兒子的臉上則被縱橫交錯地佈滿了上千道細小的的皺紋；同樣是這個愛欺詐人的時間，他將用他大鐮刀扁平的一面把這些皺紋撫平、消除，準備好一個表面，好讓他在上面進行更深入的操作。
註釋:be essential to :對……必不可少的;對……必要的
1. Food, water and air are essential to life.
食物、水和空氣對(維持)生命是必不可少的。
2. Most experts agree that computers are essential to solving the problems of increasing population, city living and public welfare.
多數專家認爲計算機對於解決人口增長、城市居住以及公共福利是不可缺少的。
Dombey, exulting in the long-looked-for event, jingled and jingled the heavy gold watch-chain that depended from below his trim blue coat, whereof the buttons sparkled phosphorescently in the feeble rays of the distant fire. Son, with his little fists curled up and clenched, seemed, in his feeble way, to be squaring at existence for having come upon him so unexpectedly.“The House will once again, Mrs Dombey,” said Mr Dombey, “be not only in name but in fact Dombey and Son”; and he added, in a tone of luxurious satisfaction, with his eyes half-closed as if he were reading the name in a device of flowers, and inhaling their fragrance at the same time; “Dombey and Son!”
這樁盼望已久的大事終於來臨，董貝感到興高采烈；他玩弄着懸掛在他的整潔的藍上衣下面的沉甸甸的金錶鏈，讓它發出了叮零叮零的響聲；在遠處爐火的微弱光線中，上衣鈕釦像磷火一樣閃爍着亮光。他的兒子緊握着捲曲的小拳頭，似乎憑他那微弱的氣力，正在向這突然降臨到他身上的生命擺好進攻的架勢。“董貝夫人，”董貝先生說道，“我們的公司將再一次成爲名副其實的董貝父子公司，而不是徒有虛名的了；董——貝父子！”
The words had such a softening influence, that he appended a term of endearment to Mrs Dombey's name (though not without some hesitation, as being a man but little used to that form of address): and said, “Mrs Dombey, my - my dear.”A transient flush of faint surprise overspread the sick lady's face as she raised her eyes towards him.
這幾個字具有一種使他變得溫柔起來的影響力，所以他在董貝夫人的名字後面又加上了一個表示親愛的稱呼（雖然他並不是沒有經過一些遲疑才說出的，因爲他畢竟是一位不習慣採用這種稱呼方式的人），說道，”董貝夫人，我的——我的親愛的。”那位有病的夫人擡起眼睛望他的時候，臉上片刻間泛起了由於微感驚訝而產生的紅暈。
“He will be christened Paul, my - Mrs Dombey - of course.”
She feebly echoed, “Of course,” or rather expressed it by the motion of her lips, and closed her eyes again.
“His father's name, Mrs Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive this day! There is some inconvenience in the necessity of writing Junior,”said Mr Dombey, making a fictitious autograph on his knee; “but it is merely of a private and personal complexion. It doesn't enter into the correspondence of the House. Its signature remains the same.” And again he said 'Dombey and Son, in exactly the same tone as before.
“在給他施洗禮的時候將給他命名爲保羅，我的——董貝夫人——，當然是這樣。”
她有氣無力地重複說了“當然是這樣”，或者更確切地說，只是動了動嘴脣，並沒有發出聲音，然後又閉上了眼睛。“這是他爸爸的名字，董貝夫人，也是他爺爺的名字！我真但願他爺爺能活到今天就好了！”然後他又用剛纔同樣的聲調，說道，“董貝父子”。
註釋：seem to be:看來; 好像
1. You seem to be having a spot of bother with your car can I help?
看來你的汽車有點讓你傷腦筋了--要我幫忙嗎?
2. We seem to be missing two chairs.
我們好像少了兩把椅子。
Those three words conveyed the one idea of Mr Dombey's life. The earth was made for Dombey and Son to trade in, and the sun and moon were made to give them light. Rivers and seas were formed to float their ships; rainbows gave them promise of fair weather; winds blew for or against their enterprises; stars and planets circled in their orbits, to preserve inviolate a system of which they were the centre. Common abbreviations took new meanings in his eyes, and had sole reference to them. A. D. had no concern with Anno Domini, but stood for anno Dombei and Son.
這四個字表達了董貝先生生活中唯一的思想。土地創造出來是爲了給董貝父子去經營商業的；太陽與月亮創造出來是爲了給他們亮光。河流與海洋是爲了運載他們的商船而形成的；彩虹向他們預示良好的氣候；颳風對他們的企業有利或不利；星星和行星沿着軌道運行，是爲了保存一個以他們爲中心的神聖不可侵犯的體系。普通的縮略語在他的眼中有了新的意義，而且只和他們有關係：A.D與annoDomini（公元）無關，而只是代表annoDombei－andSon（董貝父子紀元）。
He had risen, as his father had before him, in the course of life and death, from Son to Dombey, and for nearly twenty years had been the sole representative of the Firm. Of those years he had been married, ten - married, as some said, to a lady with no heart to give him; whose happiness was in the past, and who was content to bind her broken spirit to the dutiful and meek endurance of the present. Such idle talk was little likely to reach the ears of Mr Dombey, whom it nearly concerned; and probably no one in the world would have received it with such utter incredulity as he, if it had reached him. Dombey and Son had often dealt in hides, but never in hearts. They left that fancy ware to boys and girls, and boarding-schools and books. Mr Dombey would have reasoned: That a matrimonial alliance with himself must, in the nature of things, be gratifying and honourable to any woman of common sense. That the hope of giving birth to a new partner in such a House, could not fail to awaken a glorious and stirring ambition in the breast of the least ambitious of her sex. That Mrs Dombey had entered on that social contract of matrimony: almost necessarily part of a genteel and wealthy station, even without reference to the perpetuation of family Firms: with her eyes fully open to these advantages. That Mrs Dombey had had daily practical knowledge of his position in society. That Mrs Dombey had always sat at the head of his table, and done the honours of his house in a remarkably lady-like and becoming manner. That Mrs Dombey must have been happy. That she couldn't help it.
在生與死的過程中，他跟他父親先前一樣，曾經從兒子上升爲董貝；在這之後的近20年中，他是這個公司的唯一的代表。在這20年中，他結婚已有10年。有人說，他是跟一位沒有把心交給他的女士結了婚，這位女士過去曾經有過幸福，後來安心讓那顆破碎了的心對現狀逆來順受，安守本分。這種流言蜚語與董貝先生密切有關，因此不大可能傳到他的耳朵裏；如果真的傳到了，那麼世界上大概沒有第二個人能像他那樣對它完全不相信的。董貝父子公司經常經營皮革生意，但卻從來不經營心的生意。他們把這個花俏的商品讓給青年男女、寄宿學校和書籍去打交道了。董貝先生可能會這樣來推斷事理：任何一位具有常識、和他本人結婚的婦女，理所當然地一定會覺得心滿意足，光彩體面；給這樣一個公司生下一個新的合夥人的希望，即使在她們當中最沒有野心的女性的心中也必定會喚起那光榮得意、興奮激動的抱負來；董貝夫人簽訂了那份婚約就意味着她幾乎必然就會成爲那個高貴的、富有的家庭的一員，且不提她給那個家庭傳宗接代的事了，因此她一定會完全看到這些好處；董貝夫人曾經從日常生活經驗中認識到他的社會地位；董貝夫人經常坐在他的餐桌的首席，並以出色的貴夫人的風度，十分得體地履行了家庭主婦的職責；董貝夫人一定一直是幸福的，她不可能不這樣。
註釋:give birth to :產生;生（孩子）; 產（仔）;引起
1. It is said that James Watt's observation of steam issuing from a kettle gave birth to the idea of the steam engine.
據說，詹姆斯·瓦特對水壺蒸氣的觀察使他產生了發明蒸汽機的想法。
2. On October17, at9:25A. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
10月17日上午9時25分，我生下一個漂亮的小女孩。
Or, at all events, with one drawback. Yes. That he would have allowed. With only one; but that one certainly involving much. With the drawback of hope deferred. That hope deferred, which, (as the Scripture very correctly tells us, Mr Dombey would have added in a patronising way; for his highest distinct idea even of Scripture, if examined, would have been found to be; that as forming part of a general whole, of which Dombey and Son formed another part, it was therefore to be commended and upheld) maketh the heart sick. They had been married ten years, and until this present day on which Mr Dombey sat jingling and jingling his heavy gold watchchain in the great armchair by the side of the bed, had had no speak of; none worth mentioning. There had been a girl some six years before, and the child, who had stolen into the chamber unobserved, was now crouching timidly, in a corner whence she could see her mother's face. But what was a girl to Dombey and Son! In the capital of the House's name and dignity, such a child was merely a piece of base coin that couldn't be invested a bad Boy nothing more.
不過，也有美中不足的地方。對了。這個缺點他是會承認的。就只有這一個缺點；但是這一個缺點卻確實關係重大。他們已經結婚十年，但是直到今天，董貝先生坐在牀邊的大扶手椅子上，玩弄着他的沉甸甸的金錶鏈，讓它發出了叮零叮零的響聲之前，他們還沒有後嗣。——沒有值得一提的後嗣。大約在六年以前，他們有了一個女兒；這個孩子沒有被人覺察，已經偷偷地溜進了這個房間，現在正戰戰兢兢地蹲在一個角落裏；她從那裏可以望得見她媽媽的臉孔。可是對董貝父子公司來說，一個女兒算得了什麼呢！在公司的聲望與尊嚴的資本中，這樣一個孩子只不過是一枚不能用來投資的劣幣——一個壞孩子——，如此而已。
Mr Dombey's cup of satisfaction was so full at this moment, however, that he felt he could afford a drop or two of its contents, even to sprinkle on the dust in the by path of his little he said, “Florence, you may go and look at your pretty brother, if you like, I daresay. Don't touch him!”
然而，董貝先生這時杯子裏卻裝滿了稱心滿意的酒，裝得很滿很滿，因此他甚至可以把其中的一兩滴灑到他的小女兒的小徑中的塵土上。所以他說道，“弗洛倫斯，我想，如果你喜歡的話，你可以去看看你漂亮的小弟弟嘛。可別去碰他！”
註釋：part of :一部分
1. This part of the book may be omitted.
書的這一部分可以省略。
2. These beautiful old palaces are part of our national heritage.
這些美麗的古老宮殿是我們民族遺產的一部分。
The child glanced keenly at the blue coat and stiff white cravat, which, with a pair of creaking boots and a very loud ticking watch, embodied her idea of a father; but her eyes returned to her mother's face immediately, and she neither moved nor answered."Her insensibility is as proof against a brother as against every thing else,” said, Mr Dombey to himself. He seemed so confirmed in a previous opinion by the discovery, as to be quite glad of it.
Next moment, the lady had opened her eyes and seen the child; and the child had run towards her; and, standing on tiptoe, the better to hide her face in her embrace, had clung about her with a desperate affection very much at variance with her years."Oh Lord bless me!”said Mr Dombey, rising testily. “A very illadvised and feverish proceeding this, I am sure. Please to ring there for Miss Florence's nurse. Really the person should be more care”
“Wait! I had better ask Doctor Peps if he'll have the goodness to step upstairs again perhaps. I'll go down. I'll go down. I needn't beg you,” he added, pausing for a moment at the settee before the fire, “ to take particular care of this young gentleman,Mrs…Blockitt, Sir?”suggested the nurse, a simpering piece of faded gentility, who did not presume to state her name as a fact, but merely offered it as a mild suggestion.
女孩子朝着藍色的上衣和筆挺的白色領帶敏銳地看了一眼，這兩件東西加上一雙走起來格吱格吱響的長靴和一隻滴答滴答走得很響的表，構成了她對父親的概念；但是她的眼睛立刻又回到了她母親的臉上；她沒有移動，也沒有回答。不一會兒，夫人張開了眼睛，看到了女孩子；女孩子向她跑過去，然後踮起腳跟，好讓臉部儘量藏到她的懷抱中，一邊悲觀絕望地、而又滿懷深情地緊緊抱着她，女孩子的這種感情與她的年齡是很不相稱的。“啊，天主保佑我！”董貝先生急躁地站起來，說道，“這真是十分魯莽、十分冒失的行動！也許我最好去請佩普斯大夫，勞駕他再到樓上來一趟。我就下去。我就下去。”他走到壁爐前的長靠椅邊，停了片刻，又補充說道，“我想用不着我請求您，要格外小心地照看好這位年輕的先生吧，您這位——”
“布洛基特太太，先生？”護士提示道，她是一位愛裝出假笑，門第已經衰微的女人；她不敢把她的姓名當作事實來陳述，而只是把它當作一個可供考慮的建議提出來。
"Of this young gentleman, Mrs Blockitt.”
"No, Sir, indeed. I remember when Miss Florence was born ”
"Ay, ay, ay, ”said Mr Dombey, bending over the basket bedstead, and slightly bending his brows at the same time. "Miss Florence was all very well, but this is another matter. This young gentleman has to accomplish a destiny. A destiny, little fellow!” As he thus apostrophised the infant he raised one of his hands to his lips, and kissed it; then, seeming to fear that the action involved some compromise of his dignity went awkwardly enough away.
照看好這位年輕的先生，布洛基特太太。”
“是的，先生，當然的。我記得弗洛倫斯小姐出生的時候——”“是的，是的，是的，”董貝先生向那個搖籃彎下身去，同時稍稍皺了一下眉頭，說道，“弗洛倫斯小姐那時一切都很好，但這卻是另外一碼事。這位年輕的先生是命中註定要去完成一番偉大事業的。命中註定的偉大事業呵，小傢伙！”當他向嬰孩這樣打了招呼的時候，他把他的一隻手舉到脣邊，吻了吻它；然後，似乎害怕這個動作有損於他的尊嚴，就很不自然地走開了。
註釋:proof against:能防......;能耐......;能抗......
1. The shelter was proof against the bitter weather.
這個棚子可以避寒。
2. If John had come straight home none of this would have happened. Ah well, life is full of snares and pitfalls and no one is proof against them all.
要是約翰直接回家就不會發生這種事了。算了吧，生活充滿了誘惑和風險，沒有人能擋得住的。
