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Mrs Chick was afraid to say limbs, after Mr Dombey's recent objection to bones, and therefore waited for a suggestion from Miss Tox, who, true to her office, hazarded 'members.'
在董贝先生刚才对骨头这个词表示反感之后，奇克夫人怕说出四肢这个词，因此等待着托克斯小姐 给她提示；托克斯小姐忠于职守，没有把握地说了个：“身体的一些部分。”
'Members!' repeated Mr Dombey.
“身体的一些部分！”董贝先生重复着说道。
'I think the medical gentleman mentioned legs this morning, my dear Louisa, did he not?' said Miss Tox.
“我想那位医生今天早上提到了腿，是不是，我亲爱的路易莎？”托克斯小姐说道。
'Why, of course he did, my love,' retorted Mrs Chick, mildly reproachful. 'How can you ask me? You heard him. I say, if our dear Paul should lose, for the moment, the use of his legs, these are casualties common to many children at his time of life, and not to be prevented by any care or caution. The sooner you understand that, Paul, and admit that, the better. If you have any doubt as to the amount of care, and caution, and affection, and self-sacrifice, that has been bestowed upon little Paul, I should wish to refer the question to your medical attendant, or to any of your dependants in this house. Call Towlinson,' said Mrs Chick, 'I believe he has no prejudice in our favour; quite the contrary. I should wish to hear what accusation Towlinson can make!'
“唔，他当然提到了，我亲爱的，”奇克夫人略略有些责备地回答道。“您怎么还要问我呢？您听他说的呀。我说，如果我们亲爱的保罗暂时不能使用他的腿的话，那么对于像他这么大小的孩子来说，这是个普通的疾病，任何照料或预防都是没法阻止的。保罗，你愈早理解这一点，承认这一点就愈好。”
'Surely you must know, Louisa,' observed Mr Dombey, 'that I don't question your natural devotion to, and regard for, the future head of my house.''I am glad to hear it, Paul,' said Mrs Chick; 'but really you are very odd, and sometimes talk very strangely, though without meaning it, I know. If your dear boy's soul is too much for his body, Paul, you should remember whose fault that is - who he takes after, I mean - and make the best of it. He's as like his Papa as he can be. People have noticed it in the streets. The very beadle, I am informed, observed it, so long ago as at his christening. He's a very respectable man, with children of his own. He ought to know.''Mr Pilkins saw Paul this morning, I believe?' said Mr Dombey.
“当然，你应当知道，路易莎，”董贝先生说道，“你出于本性，对于我的公司的未来的头头怀着忠诚与敬重，这一点我毫不怀疑。我想，皮尔金斯先生今天早上来看过保罗了吧？”
'Yes, he did,' returned his sister. 'Miss Tox and myself were present. Miss Tox and myself are always present. We make a point of it. Mr Pilkins has seen him for some days past, and a very clever man I believe him to be. He says it is nothing to speak of; which I can confirm, if that is any consolation; but he recommended, to-day, sea-air. Very wisely, Paul, I feel convinced.'
“是的，他来看过了，”他的妹妹回答道，“托克斯小姐与我本人都在场。托克斯小姐与我总是在场的，我们认为这一点很有必要。最近皮尔金斯先生已经看了他好几天；我认为他是个很聪明的人。他说，这是一件不值一提的小事；如果这能带来什么安慰的话，那么我可以证实他说过；但是他今天建议让他去呼吸呼吸海边的空气。保罗，这是很明智的，我对这确信无疑。”
'Sea-air,' repeated Mr Dombey, looking at his sister.
“海边的空气，”董贝先生看着他的妹妹，重复说道。
'There is nothing to be made uneasy by, in that,'said Mrs Chick. 'My George and Frederick were both ordered sea-air, when they were about his age; and I have been ordered it myself a great many times. I quite agree with you, Paul, that perhaps topics may be incautiously mentioned upstairs before him, which it would be as well for his little mind not to expatiate upon; but I really don't see how that is to be helped, in the case of a child of his quickness. If he were a common child, there would be nothing in it. I must say I think, with Miss Tox, that a short absence from this house, the air of Brighton, and the bodily and mental training of so judicious a person as Mrs Pipchin for instance - '
“没有什么好担心挂虑的，”奇克夫人说道。“我的乔治与弗雷德里克两人在跟他差不多大小的时候，大夫也曾建议他们去呼吸海边的空气；我本人也曾好多次接受过同样的医嘱。我很同意你的意见，保罗，也许在楼上当着他的面曾经漫不在意地谈到了一些他的小脑袋瓜最好别去琢磨的一些事情。可是我确实觉得，对待像他这么灵敏的孩子，也没有什么法子好想。如果他是一个普通的孩子的话，那么这倒也没有什么了不起的。我必须说，我与托克斯小姐认为，离开这个家短短一段时间，布赖顿①的空气以及到比方说，像皮普钦太太这样有见识的人那里去接受一 下身心上的训练——”
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①布赖顿（Brighton）：英格兰萨塞克斯（Sussex）郡的一个区和自治市，在伦敦南82公里处，为英吉利海峡的海滨胜地。 |
