双语小说连载:《董贝父子》第六章 Part 6

'I'm not a going to keep you, even, above an hour,' said Mrs. Brown. 'D'ye understand what I say?'
   “我把您留在这里的时间连一个钟头也不会超过，”布朗太太说道，“我的话您听明白了吗？”
    The child answered with great difficulty, 'Yes.'
    女孩子十分困难地回答道，“听明白了。”
    'Then,' said Good Mrs. Brown, taking her own seat on the bones, 'don't vex me. If you don't, I tell you I won't hurt you. But if you do, I'll kill you. I could have you killed at any time - even if you was in your own bed at home. Now let's know who you are, and what you are, and all about it.'
    “那么，”善良的布朗太太在骨头上坐下 来，说道，“别惹我恼火。如果您不惹我恼火，那么我告诉您，我是不会伤害您的。但是如果您惹我恼火了，那么我就杀死您。我什么时候都能杀死您——即使您待在您自己家里的床上我也能。现在您告诉我，您是谁，您是什么样的人以及有关您的一切。”
    The old woman's threats and promises; the dread of giving her offence; and the habit, unusual to a child, but almost natural to Florence now, of being quiet, and repressing what she felt, and feared, and hoped; enabled her to do this bidding, and to tell her little history, or what she knew of it. Mrs. Brown listened attentively, until she had finished.
    因为老太婆向她进行了威胁并给予了许诺，因为她恐怕会触犯她，又因为她已养成了默不作声和抑制内心的感觉、害怕与希望的习惯（这种习惯对一般孩子来说是不常见的，但对弗洛伦斯来说，现在几乎是很自然的了），所以她就遵照命令，叙述了她自己短短的历史或者她所知道的有关事情。布朗太太聚精会神地听着，直到她讲完为止。
    'So your name's Dombey, eh?' said Mrs. Brown.
    “这么说，您姓董贝，是不是？”布朗太太说道。
    'I want that pretty frock, Miss Dombey,' said Good Mrs. Brown, 'and that little bonnet, and a petticoat or two, and anything else you can spare. Come! Take 'em off.'
    “我需要那件漂亮的长衣，董贝小姐，”善良的布朗太太说道，“还有那顶小帽，还有一两条裙子，以及您能让出的其他一切东西。来吧！把它们脱下来！”
    Florence obeyed, as fast as her trembling hands would allow; keeping, all the while, a frightened eye on Mrs. Brown. When she had divested herself of all the articles of apparel mentioned by that lady, Mrs. B. examined them at leisure, and seemed tolerably well satisfied with their quality and value.
    弗洛伦斯依从了她的命令，她那颤抖的双手能脱得多快就脱得多快，她那恐惧的眼睛则一直注视着布朗太太。当她把老太婆所说的所有服装都从自己身上剥掉以后，布朗太太从容不迫地把它们细细察看着，似乎对它们的质量与价值相当满意。
    'Humph!' she said, running her eyes over the child's slight figure, 'I don't see anything else - except the shoes. I must have the shoes, Miss Dombey.'
    “哼！”她滚动着眼珠，把女孩子苗条的身材上下看过一遍，说道，“我看除了那双鞋子之外没有别的什么了。我一定要那双鞋子，董贝小姐。”
    Poor little Florence took them off with equal alacrity, only too glad to have any more means of conciliation about her. The old woman then produced some wretched substitutes from the bottom of the heap of rags, which she turned up for that purpose; together with a girl's cloak, quite worn out and very old; and the crushed remains of a bonnet that had probably been picked up from some ditch or dunghill. In this dainty raiment, she instructed Florence to dress herself; and as such preparation seemed a prelude to her release, the child complied with increased readiness, if possible.
    可怜的小弗洛伦斯同样敏捷地把它们脱掉；她在自己身上还能找到可以迎合老太婆欢心的东西，真是太高兴了。然后老太婆从那堆破布的底层取出了一些破烂的代替品。她翻找那堆破布就是为了这个目的；她还找出一件穿得很破很旧的女孩子的斗篷，还有一顶压扁的、残缺不全的帽子，大概是从什么水沟里或粪堆上捡到的。她命令弗洛伦斯把这些精美的衣服穿起来；由于这些准备行动似乎是释放她的序幕，女孩子就尽可能比先前更加麻利地遵命照办。