第八章（第5/8页）

“哦……只是克利福德爵士急着要喝茶。”“你干嘛不给他弄呢？”“噢，我觉得自己没法替您做这些。克利福德爵士也根本不希望由我来做，夫人。”“我真搞不懂他为何不愿意。”康妮说。

She went indoors to Clifford's study, where the old brass kettle was simmering on the tray.

她回到家，径直来到克利福德的书房，那把旧铜壶正在托盘上冒着热气。

"Am I late, Clifford?" she said, putting down the few flowers and taking up the tea-caddy, as she stood before the tray in her hat and scarf. "I'm sorry! Why didn't you let Mrs. Bolton make the tea?” "I didn't think of it," he said ironically. "I don't quite see her presiding at the tea-table.” "Oh, there's nothing sacrosanct about a silver tea-pot," said Connie.

“我回来得有些晚吧，克利福德？”她说着，在托盘前站定，搁下采来的水仙，顺手取过茶叶盒，帽子和围巾都没来得及摘掉。“很抱歉！可你为什么不让博尔顿太太给你泡茶呢？”“我就没这样想过。”他语带讽刺地说。“我觉得茶桌上的事她无法胜任。”“啊，区区银茶壶，也没什么神圣之处。”康妮说。

He glanced up at her curiously.

他诧异地扫了她一眼。

"What did you do all afternoon?" he said.

“你整个下午都做什么去了？”他问。

"Walked and sat in a sheltered place. Do you know there are still berries on the big holly-tree?” She took off her scarf, but not her hat, and sat down to make tea. The toast would certainly be leathery. She put the tea-cosy over the tea-pot, and rose to get a little glass for her violets. The poor flowers hung over, limp on their stalks.

“散步，然后坐在背风处小憩。你知道么？大冬青树还结有果实呢。”她解下围巾，但没摘帽子，坐下来沏茶。烤面包肯定变得硬而不脆了。她给茶壶套上保护套，站起来拿过一个小玻璃瓶，准备用来插紫罗兰。那些可怜的花在花茎上耷拉着脑袋，无精打采。

"They'll revive again!" she said, putting them before him in their glass for him to smell.

“它们会振作起来的！”她边说，边把花瓶端到丈夫跟前让他闻。

"Sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes," he quoted.

“比朱诺的眉眼还要可爱。”他引用莎翁的名句。（注：这句话出自莎士比亚的剧作《冬天的故事》）

"I don't see a bit of connexion with the actual violets," she said. "The Elizabethans are rather upholstered." She poured him his tea.

“我觉得这句诗跟真正的紫罗兰毫不搭界。”她说。“伊丽莎白时期的人都有些华而不实。”她给他斟茶。

"Do you think there is a second key to that little hut not far from John's Well, where the pheasants are reared?" she said.

“约翰井附近那个养野鸡的小屋，有没有备用钥匙？”她问。

"There may be. Why?" "I happened to find it today—and I'd never seen it before. I think it's a darling place. I could sit there sometimes, couldn't I?” "Was Mellors there?" "Yes! That's how I found it: his hammering. He didn't seem to like my intruding at all. In fact he was almost rude when I asked about a second key.” "What did he say?" "Oh, nothing: just his manner; and he said he knew nothing about keys.” "There may be one in Father's study. Betts knows them all, they're all there. I'll get him to look.” "Oh do!" she said.

“或许有。怎么？”“我今天无意间发现的——之前从来没留意。我觉得那儿挺招人爱的。我想时常过去坐坐，可以吗？”“梅勒斯在那儿吗？”“在！把我引到那里的，正是他的锤击声。他似乎很反感我贸然闯入。我问起有没有备用钥匙时，他的反应简直有些粗鲁。”“他说了什么？”“哦，没什么，只是态度不太礼貌，他说钥匙的事他半点不知。”“父亲书房里好像有一把。贝茨认得，所有钥匙都在那儿。我让他去找找看。”“噢，拜托你！”她说。

"So Mellors was almost rude?" "Oh, nothing, really! But I don't think he wanted me to have the freedom of the castle, quite.” "I don't suppose he did.” "Still, I don't see why he should mind. It's not his home, after all! It's not his private abode. I don't see why I shouldn't sit there if I want to.” "Quite!" said Clifford. "He thinks too much of himself, that man." "Do you think he does?" "Oh, decidedly! He thinks he's something exceptional. You know he had a wife he didn't get on with, so he joined up in 1915 and was sent to India, I believe. Anyhow he was blacksmith to the cavalry in Egypt for a time; always was connected with horses, a clever fellow that way. Then some Indian colonel took a fancy to him, and he was made a lieutenant. Yes, they gave him a commission. I believe he went back to India with his colonel, and up to the north-west frontier. He was ill; he was a pension. He didn't come out of the army till last year, I believe, and then, naturally, it isn't easy for a man like that to get back to his own level. He's bound to flounder. But he does his duty all right, as far as I'm concerned. Only I'm not having any of the Lieutenant Mellors touch.” "How could they make him an officer when he speaks broad Derbyshire?" "He doesn't...except by fits and starts. He can speak perfectly well, for him. I suppose he has an idea if he's come down to the ranks again, he'd better speak as the ranks speak.” "Why didn't you tell me about him before?” "Oh, I've no patience with these romances. They're the ruin of all order. It's a thousand pities they ever happened.” Connie was inclined to agree. What was the good of discontented people who fitted in nowhere? In the spell of fine weather Clifford, too, decided to go to the wood. The wind was cold, but not so tiresome, and the sunshine was like life itself, warm and full.

“你刚才说梅勒斯对你无礼？”“啊，没什么，真的！不过，他似乎不愿见我在他的地盘自由出入。”“我想也是。”“可我就不明白，他为什么那样介怀。那又不是他的家！也不是他的私人领地。真搞不明白，只要我喜欢，为何不能去那儿坐坐。”“的确如此！”克利福德说。“那家伙太自以为是。”“你这么认为？”“嗯，这很明显！他觉得自己与众不同。他因为和妻子闹别扭，1915年参军，被派往印度。在埃及，他曾给骑兵营做过铁匠活，总是跟马匹打交道，在那方面倒也有两把刷子。后来，他被某位驻印度的上校相中，晋升为中尉。是的，他们授予他军衔。他追随长官回到印度，前往西北边陲。他疾病缠身，因而得到一份抚恤金。他去年才退伍，当然，这种清高的家伙，被打回原形，自然有些难以接受。内心肯定会挣扎不已。但据我所知，他还算尽职尽责。只是我可不想看到他摆出梅勒斯中尉的神气。”“他满口浓重的德比郡土话，怎么还能被提拔成军官呢？”“他并不常说土话……只是时而说说。他的英语说得相当地道。据我猜测，他准是这样考虑的，既然重新沦为平头百姓，那么最好还是说老百姓说的话。”“你以前为何没跟我提过这些事？”“哦，我可没耐性扯这些传奇故事。这些事对维护社会秩序没啥好处。它们根本就不该发生。”康尼觉得克利福德说得有理。这种家伙与现实格格不入，却又心怀不满，他们有什么好呢？好天气的持续，让克利福德也打算去树林走走。风依然寒冷，但却已经可以承受，阳光则是生机勃勃，温暖而又饱满。