牛津书虫系列《大卫科波菲尔》Chapter3 附中英双语文本

他在监狱里关了几个星期，其间我时常去探望他。有一次他告诉我他将很快被释放，因为他的债主们最终很不情愿地接受了米考伯先生无法偿债的事实，我真替他高兴。我回家时把这一消息告诉了米考伯太太，我们一起吃晚餐并开了一瓶酒以示庆祝。
‘May I ask what you will do， madam, when Mr Micawber is free？’I asked politely.
“我想问问，夫人，米考伯先生获释后你们打算干什么？”我很礼貌地问了一句。
‘My family，’ said Mrs Micawber grandly, ‘believe that Mr Micawber should move to the country， to Devon, and carry on his business interests there. Mr Micawber is a very clever man， Master Copperfield.’
“我娘家人，”米考伯太太自豪地说道，“认为米考伯先生应该离开这儿去德文，去那儿展示他的经商兴趣。米考伯先生是个聪明人，科波菲尔少爷。”
‘I'm sure he is，’ I agreed.
“我相信他是，”我表示同意。
‘Although they haven't found anything exactly right for him yet，my family think he should be ready, in Devon, in case something turns up.’She put down her empty glass.
“尽管我娘家人还没有给他找到具体的事做，他们认为他应该去德文时刻准备着，等待机遇的降临。”她放下空酒杯。
‘And will you be going with him， madam？’ I asked.
“您跟他一起走吗，夫人？”我问。
‘I must！I will！’Mrs Micawber's voice rose to a scream.‘He is my life！ My love！My husband！ The father of my children！ I will never desert Mr Micawber！ You can't ask me to desert him！’
“我必须去！我一定去！”米考伯太太的声音高得都要尖叫起来，“他是我的生命！我的爱！我的丈夫！孩子们的父亲！我不能抛弃米考伯先生！要我那么做绝对不成！”
I felt very uncomfortable，as I had not asked her to desert him at all， but she soon became calm again and finished her supper.I was becoming used to the Micawbers’ changes of mood.
我觉得很尴尬，因为我压根儿就没让她抛弃他，但她很快又平静下来，吃完了她的晚餐。我开始习惯米考伯夫妇的情绪的大起大落了。
I now realized that when the Micawbers left London， as they were planning to do， I would be very lonely in the city. I still hated my work in the warehouse， and wanted to make a better life for myself.I thought about it for a long time， and decided there was only one thing I could do. I would try to find my one surviving relation，my father's aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood， and ask her to help me. I knew she lived somewhere near Dover，in Kent.I could go there by coach, be-cause Peggotty had once sent me ten shillings to keep，in case I ever needed it.The time had come to use that money.
米考伯夫妇按预定计划离开伦敦的同时，我才意识到我在这个城市中将会孤身一人。我仍然讨厌仓库的工作，总想让自己生活得好一些。为此我考虑了很久，终于决定走唯一的一条路。我要去找我唯一活着的亲人，我父亲的姨妈贝茜·特拉伍德小姐，并争取她的帮助。我知道她住在肯特郡的多佛镇附近。我可以坐马车去，因为辟果提给过我10先令，她让我留着以备急需之用。现在是用这笔钱的时候了。