As Miss Tox, with her most fascinating step and carriage, disappeared from Princess's Place, the Major stood looking after her with a bluer face than ever: muttering and growling some not at all complimentary remarks. 当托克斯小姐随着她那极为迷人的步子和体态从公主广场消失不见的时候,少校站在那里目送着她,脸色比过去任何时候更为发青,同时咕哝着,怒气冲冲地说着一些决不是恭维的话。 'Why, damme, Sir,' said the Major, rolling his lobster eyes round and round Princess's Place, and apostrophizing its fragrant air, 'six months ago, the woman loved the ground Josh Bagstock walked on. What's the meaning of it?' “哼,她妈的,先生,”少校向公主广场转动着他的龙虾眼,转了一圈又一圈,并向着它的芳香的空气说道,“六个月以前,这女人喜爱乔•白格斯托克走过的土地。这是什么意思?” The Major decided, after some consideration, that it meant mantraps; that it meant plotting and snaring; that Miss Tox was digging pitfalls. 'But you won't catch Joe, Ma'am,' said the Major. 'He's tough, Ma'am, tough, is J.B. Tough, and de-vilish sly!' over which reflection he chuckled for the rest of the day. 少校经过稍稍思考之后,断定它的意思是要诱捕男人;它的意思是策划阴谋,安设圈套;托克斯小姐正在挖掘陷阱。“可是您捕捉不到乔,夫人,”少校说道,“他是坚强不屈的,夫人,坚强不屈的正就是约•白。坚强不屈,而且像魔鬼一样的狡猾!”他发表了这些感想之后,就吃吃地笑了一整天。 But still, when that day and many other days were gone and past, it seemed that Miss Tox took no heed whatever of the Major, and thought nothing at all about him. She had been wont, once upon a time, to look out at one of her little dark windows by accident, and blushingly return the Major's greeting; but now, she never gave the Major a chance, and cared nothing at all whether he looked over the way or not. Other changes had come to pass too. The Major, standing in the shade of his own apartment, could make out that an air of greater smartness had recently come over Miss Tox's house; that a new cage with gilded wires had been provided for the ancient little canary bird; that divers ornaments, cut out of coloured card-boards and paper, seemed to decorate the chimney-piece and tables; that a plant or two had suddenly sprung up in the windows; that Miss Tox occasionally practised on the harpsichord, whose garland of sweet peas was always displayed ostentatiously, crowned with the Copenhagen and Bird Waltzes in a Music Book of Miss Tox's own copying. 可是那一天和其他许多天都过去了,托克斯小姐似乎仍旧对少校丝毫也不注意,也丝毫 没有想到他。从前,她习惯偶尔从她黑暗的小窗口往外看看,然后满脸羞得通红地回答一下少校的问候;可是现在她决不给少校一个机会,丝毫也不理会他是否在看下面的道路。另外的一些变化也发生了。少校站在他自己房间的阴影中,能够隐约地看出,托克斯小姐的房间中最近呈现出一派远比过去漂亮的景象;那只老的金丝雀被装进一只新的金丝鸟笼里;从彩色的硬纸板和纸张中剪出的一些玩艺儿似乎已把壁炉架和桌子装饰一新;一两株植物突然出现在窗口;托克斯小姐偶尔在练习弹奏大键琴,它的那一环甜豌豆总是被得意洋洋地炫示着;琴上摆着托克斯小姐亲自抄写在乐谱中的哥本哈根圆舞曲和鸟儿圆舞曲。 Over and above all this, Miss Tox had long been dressed with uncommon care and elegance in slight mourning. But this helped the Major out of his difficulty; and be determined within himself that she had come into a small legacy, and grown proud. 除了这一切之外,托克斯小姐好久以来就非常细心和雅致地穿了一身轻丧服。不过这一点帮助少校走出了困境;他心中断定,她已继承了一小笔遗产,因而趾高气扬起来了。 |