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Mr Dombey regarded this phenomenon with amazement and indignation, and seemed by his looks to appeal to Mrs Chick and Miss Tox against it. Little Paul, who had come in after Florence, backed towards Miss Tox as the Captain waved his book, and stood on the defensive.
董贝先生惊奇而愤怒地注视着这个现象，并且以他的脸色要求奇克夫人与托克斯小姐跟他一道表示不满。当船长挥着钩子的时候，跟随弗洛伦斯进来的小保罗背朝着托克斯小姐后退，并站在那里作出了防御的姿态。
'Now, Gay,' said Mr Dombey. 'What have you got to say to me?'
“唔，盖伊，”董贝先生说道，“您有什么要对我说的？”
Again the Captain observed, as a general opening of the conversation that could not fail to propitiate all parties, 'Wal'r, standby!'
船长又说道，“沃尔，做好准备！”这就算作是谈话的一个开端，它不会不取得所有在场人的好感的。
'I am afraid, Sir,' began Walter, trembling, and looking down at the ground, 'that I take a very great liberty in coming - indeed, I am sure I do. I should hardly have had the courage to ask to see you, Sir, even after coming down, I am afraid, if I had not overtaken Miss Dombey, and - '
“我担心，先生，”沃尔特哆嗦着，眼睛向下看着地面，说道，“我到这里来是十分放肆的，——确实，我相信是这样。甚至我到了这里以后，我恐怕也没有勇气请求见您，先生，如果我没有遇见董贝小姐，而且——”
'Well!' said Mr Dombey, following his eyes as he glanced at the attentive Florence, and frowning unconsciously as she encouraged him with a smile. 'Go on, if you please.'
“唔！”董贝先生说道；当沃尔特向注意听他讲话的弗洛伦斯看了一眼的时候，董贝先生跟随着他的眼光；当她微笑着对沃尔特表示鼓励的时候，他不自觉地皱起了眉头。“请继续说下去。”
'Ay, ay,' observed the Captain, considering it incumbent on him, as a point of good breeding, to support Mr Dombey. 'Well said! Go on, Wal'r.'
“是的，是的，”船长说道；他认为，他是一位有教养的人，他有责任来支持董贝先生。“说得很好！继续说下去，沃尔。”
Captain Cuttle ought to have been withered by the look which Mr Dombey bestowed upon him in acknowledgment of his patronage. But quite innocent of this, he closed one eye in reply, and gave Mr Dombey to understand, by certain significant motions of his hook, that Walter was a little bashful at first, and might be expected to come out shortly.
董贝先生表示听到了支持他的话，向他看了一眼；卡特尔船长当时如果看到这个眼光的话，那么他一定是会全身畏缩的。可是他完全不知道这一点，所以他闭了一只眼睛作为回答，并寓有深意地挥了挥钩子，让董贝先生明白，沃尔特开始有些胆怯，但可以期望他很快就会平静下来的。
'It is entirely a private and personal matter, that has brought me here, Sir,' continued Walter, faltering, 'and Captain Cuttle
“我到这里来完全是为了一件私人的事情，先生，”沃尔特结结巴巴地继续说道，“这位卡特尔船长——”
'Here!' interposed the Captain, as an assurance that he was at hand, and might be relied upon.
“就在这里！”船长打断了他的话，证明他就在近旁，而且是可以信赖的。
'Who is a very old friend of my poor Uncle's, and a most excellent man, Sir,' pursued Walter, raising his eyes with a look of entreaty in the Captain's behalf, 'was so good as to offer to come with me, which I could hardly refuse.'
“是我可怜的舅舅的一位很老的朋友，是一个极好的人，先生，”沃尔特抬起眼睛，露出为船长求情的神色，继续说下去，“他一片好心，提出要陪我到这里来，我不能拒绝他的要求。”
'No, no, no;' observed the Captain complacently. 'Of course not. No call for refusing. Go on, Wal'r.'
“是的，是的，是的，”船长喜洋洋地说道。“当然不能。哪能拒绝呢。往下说吧，沃尔。”
'And therefore, Sir,' said Walter, venturing to meet Mr Dombey's eye, and proceeding with better courage in the very desperation of the case, now that there was no avoiding it, 'therefore I have come, with him, Sir, to say that my poor old Uncle is in very great affliction and distress. That, through the gradual loss of his business, and not being able to make a payment, the apprehension of which has weighed very heavily upon his mind, months and months, as indeed I know, Sir, he has an execution in his house, and is in danger of losing all he has, and breaking his heart. And that if you would, in your kindness, and in your old knowledge of him as a respectable man, do anything to help him out of his difficulty, Sir, we never could thank you enough for it.'
“因此，先生，”沃尔特说道；他大胆地接触到董贝先生的眼光，在极为绝望的情况下鼓起勇气继续说下去，因为现在已经没法退避了，“因此我就跟他一起到这里来，想告诉您，先生，我的可怜的年老的舅舅正处在极大的痛苦与不幸之中。由于他的营业逐渐亏损，无法偿还欠款——我知道得很清楚，先生，这个恐惧过去好几个月一直沉甸甸地压在他的心头——，他家里的财产就要查封，他将失去他所有的东西，伤心而死；他现在正处在这样的危险之中。如果您由于长久以来一直知道他是一位品德端正的人，慈悲为怀，并因此能做点什么事来帮助他走出困境的话，先生，那么我们对您真将感激不尽。” |
