双语小说连载:《董贝父子》第8章 Part 11
'It's a very nasty one,' said Paul. “这是个很讨厌的房屋,”保罗说道。 'There's a worse place in it than this though,' said Mrs Pipchin, 'where we shut up our bad boys.' “可是这里还有比这更坏的地方,”皮普钦太太说道,“我们把坏孩子关在那里。” 'Has he ever been in it?' asked Paul: pointing out Master Bitherstone. “他有没有在里面待过?”保罗指着比瑟斯通少爷,问道。 Mrs Pipchin nodded assent; and Paul had enough to do, for the rest of that day, in surveying Master Bitherstone from head to foot, and watching all the workings of his countenance, with the interest attaching to a boy of mysterious and terrible experiences. 皮普钦太太肯定地点点头,于是保罗这一天就忙乎不停地怀着对一位有 过神秘与可怕经历的孩子的兴趣,从头到脚地打量着比瑟斯通少爷,注视着他脸上的所有表情变化。 At one o'clock there was a dinner, chiefly of the farinaceous and vegetable kind, when Miss Pankey (a mild little blue-eyed morsel of a child, who was shampoo'd every morning, and seemed in danger of being rubbed away, altogether) was led in from captivity by the ogress herself, and instructed that nobody who sniffed before visitors ever went to Heaven. When this great truth had been thoroughly impressed upon her, she was regaled with rice; and subsequently repeated the form of grace established in the Castle, in which there was a special clause, thanking Mrs Pipchin for a good dinner. Mrs Pipchin's niece, Berinthia, took cold pork. Mrs Pipchin, whose constitution required warm nourishment, made a special repast of mutton-chops, which were brought in hot and hot, between two plates, and smelt very nice. 一点钟吃午饭,主要是含淀粉的和蔬菜一类的食品;这时候潘基小姐由恶魔本人把她从囚禁中领了进来。她是一位温柔的、蓝眼睛的、很小的女孩子。每天早上洗澡之后都要给她按摩身体,似乎整个人都有被揉搓掉的危险。这时恶魔教导她,在来访的客人面前呼呼吸气的人没有一位能进天堂的。当她彻底铭记这个伟大的真理之后,她就用米饭来款待她;接着念城堡中建立起来的饭后祷告辞,其中还包含了一个特别的从句,就是谢谢皮普钦太太赐给的美餐。皮普钦太太的侄女贝林霞吃冷猪肉。皮普钦太太的体质需要温暖的滋养食品,所以特别享用了一份羊排,它是被夹在两个盘子中间、热气腾腾地端进来的,散发出很好闻的香味。 As it rained after dinner, and they couldn't go out walking on the beach, and Mrs Pipchin's constitution d rest after chops, they went away with Berry (otherwise Berinthia) to the Dungeon; an empty room looking out upon a chalk wall and a water-butt, and made ghastly by a ragged fireplace without any stove in it. Enlivened by company, however, this was the best place after all; for Berry played with them there, and seemed to enjoy a game at romps as much as they did; until Mrs Pipchin knocking angrily at the wall, like the Cock Lane Ghost' revived, they left off, and Berry told them stories in a whisper until twilight. 午饭后由于下雨,他们不能出去到海边散步,而皮普钦太太的体质在吃了羊排之后又需要休息,所以孩子们就由贝里(也就是贝林霞)领到城堡的地牢中去;这是一个空房间,面对着一堵白粉的墙壁和一个承雨的水桶;房间里有一个破烂的壁炉,里面没有生火,这使这个房间显得凄凉可怖。可是热闹的人群使它有了生气,这毕竟还是个最好的地方,因为贝里跟他们在那里玩耍,而且乱蹦乱跳地跟他们玩得似乎一样开心,直到皮普钦太太像复活了的公鸡巷的鬼怪①一样,怒气冲冲地敲着墙,他们才离开那里;然后贝里低声地给他们讲故事,直到黄昏来临。 -------- ①公鸡巷的鬼怪(theCockLaneGhost):十八世纪中叶,伦敦人都听说公鸡巷33号的住宅中出现了鬼怪,实际上却是这个住宅中的居民威廉•帕森斯(WilliamPar-sons)和他的妻子、女儿耍弄腹语术的把戏,来欺骗轻信的伦敦市民。后来 骗局被揭穿。1762年,全家人被判处绑在耻辱柱上示众,并蹲坐监狱。 For tea there was plenty of milk and water, and bread and butter, with a little black tea-pot for Mrs Pipchin and Berry, and buttered toast unlimited for Mrs Pipchin, which was brought in, hot and hot, like the chops. Though Mrs Pipchin got very greasy, outside, over this dish, it didn't seem to lubricate her internally, at all; for she was as fierce as ever, and the hard grey eye knew no softening. 喝茶的时候,供应给孩子们的是大量的搀水的牛奶,还有涂了黄油的面包;有一个小小的黑色的茶壶是给皮普钦太太与贝里的,还有涂了黄油的烤面包片像羊排一样热气腾腾地端进来,供皮普钦太太不限量地食用。皮普钦太太用了茶点之后外表虽然显出一副油腻腻的样子,但是她的五脏六腑似乎丝毫也没有被润滑过,因为她跟先前一样凶猛,那只冷酷的灰色眼睛也丝毫没有变得温柔起来。 |