双语小说连载:纯真年代 The Age of Innocence(11)

"You agree with me?" Mr. Letterblair resumed, after a waiting silence.
莱特布赖先生沉默地等了一会儿又问道：“你同意我的意见吗？”

"Naturally," said Archer.
“那当然，”阿切尔说。

"Well, then, I may count on you; the Mingotts may count on you; to use your influence against the idea?"
“这么说，我可以依靠你，明戈特家可以依靠你，运用你的影响反对这个主意了。”

Archer hesitated. "I can't pledge myself till I've seen the Countess Olenska," he said at length.
阿切尔犹豫了。“会见奥兰斯卡伯爵夫人之前，我还不能打保票，”他终于说。

"Mr. Archer, I don't understand you. Do you want to marry into a family with a scandalous divorce-suit hanging over it?"

“阿切尔先生，我不理解你。难道你想和一个即将有离婚诉讼丑闻的家庭结亲吗？”

"I don't think that has anything to do with the case."
“我认为那与这件事毫无关系。”

Mr. Letterblair put down his glass of port and fixed on his young partner a cautious and apprehensive gaze.
莱特布赖先生放下酒杯，盯着他的年轻合伙人，审慎、忧虑地瞅了一眼。

Archer understood that he ran the risk of having his mandate withdrawn, and for some obscure reason he disliked the prospect. Now that the job had been thrust on him he did not propose to relinquish it; and, to guard against the possibility, he saw that he must reassure the unimaginative old man who was the legal conscience of the Mingotts.
阿切尔明白他在冒被收回成命的风险。由于某种说不清的原因，他并不喜欢那种前景。既然任务已经交给了他，他就不打算放弃它了，而且，为了防止那种可能，他明白必须让这位代表明戈特一家法律信仰的缺乏想像力的老人放下心来。

"You may be sure, sir, that I shan't commit myself till I've reported to you; what I meant was that I'd rather not give an opinion till I've heard what Madame Olenska has to say."
“你可以放心，先生，不先向你汇报我是不会表态的；我刚才的意思是，我在听取奥兰斯卡夫人的想法之前，不愿发表意见。”

Mr. Letterblair nodded approvingly at an excess of caution worthy of the best New York tradition, and the young man, glancing at his watch, pleaded an engagement and took leave.
莱特布赖先生对这种称得上纽约优秀传统的过分谨慎赞许地点了点头。年轻人瞥了一眼手表，便借口有约，告辞而去。