第十章（第14/25页）

"Bell!" she said to the big white bull-terrier. "Bell! Have you forgotten me? Don't you know me?” She was afraid of dogs, and Bell stood back and bellowed, and she wanted to pass through the farmyard on to the warren path.

“贝尔！”她呼唤着那只硕大的白色牛头梗，“贝尔！你已经忘记我了么？难道你不记得我了？”她本就怕狗，而贝尔则后退几步，继续猛吠着。她想穿过农家院落，绕到通往畜牧场的路上去。

Mrs. Flint appeared. She was a woman of Constance's own age, had been a school-teacher, but Connie suspected her of being rather a false little thing.

弗林特太太姗姗来迟。她跟康妮年龄相仿，从教多年，但康妮始终怀疑，她是个虚伪狭隘的女人。

"Why, it's Lady Chatterley! Why!” And Mrs. Flint's eyes glowed again, and she flushed like a young girl. "Bell, Bell. Why! Barking at Lady Chatterley! Bell! Be quiet!" She darted forward and slashed at the dog with a white cloth she held in her hand, then came forward to Connie.

“哟，是查泰莱夫人！哎哟！”弗林特太太的双目闪烁起光芒，脸涨得通红，像个小姑娘。“贝尔，贝尔。怎么回事！竟敢朝着查泰莱夫人乱吼！贝尔！住嘴！”她冲上前来，挥舞着手里的白手巾，把狗赶跑，接着走到康妮切近。

"She used to know me," said Connie, shaking hands. The Flints were Chatterley tenants.

“她以前认识我的。”康妮边说，边与她握手致意。弗林特家是查泰莱家的佃户。

"Of course she knows your Ladyship! She's just showing off," said Mrs. Flint, glowing and looking up with a sort of flushed confusion, "but it's so long since she's seen you. I do hope you are better.” "Yes thanks, I'm all right.” "We've hardly seen you all winter. Will you come in and look at the baby?” "Well! "Connie hesitated. "Just for a minute." Mrs. Flint flew wildly in to tidy up, and Connie came slowly after her, hesitating in the rather dark kitchen where the kettle was boiling by the fire. Back came Mrs. Flint.

“她当然认识夫人您！她只是想引起您的注意。”弗林特太太解释道，两眼放光，满面潮红，诚惶诚恐地抬头望着康妮，“但她实在太久没见您了。我衷心希望您贵体安康。”“谢谢，我很好。”“几乎整个冬天都没见到您。你愿意进屋来，看看我家宝宝吗？”“哦！”康妮有些迟疑，“就呆一会儿。”弗林特太太连忙冲进屋去收拾，而康妮则不紧不慢地跟在她身后，在颇为昏暗的厨房里犹豫不前，炉火边壶里的水正在沸腾着。弗林特太太掉头回来。

"I do hope you'll excuse me," she said. "Will you come in here?" They went into the living-room, where a baby was sitting on the rag hearth rug, and the table was roughly set for tea. A young servant-girl backed down the passage, shy and awkward.

“请您原谅我如此冒昧。”她说。“请进。”两人来到起居室，破旧的炉边毡垫上，坐着个小婴儿，茶具杂乱无章地摆在桌上。年轻的女仆慌张地退进走廊，满含羞赧，手脚也不利落。

The baby was a perky little thing of about a year, with red hair like its father, and cheeky pale-blue eyes. It was a girl, and not to be daunted. It sat among cushions and was surrounded with rag dolls and other toys in modern excess.

那婴儿一岁左右，是个活泼的小家伙，火红的头发随父亲，淡蓝色的双目炯炯有神。那是个女孩，一点也不认生。她坐在垫子中间，周围堆满布洋娃娃和其他时兴的玩具。

"Why, what a dear she is!" said Connie, "and how she's grown! A big girl! A big girl!” She had given it a shawl when it was born, and celluloid ducks for Christmas.

“啊，她多可爱呀！”康妮赞叹道，“她长得真快！已经是大姑娘了！地道的大姑娘了！”小家伙出生时，康妮送过一条围巾，还送过几支赛璐珞玩具鸭，作为圣诞礼物。

"There, Josephine! Who's that come to see you? Who's this, Josephine? Lady Chatterley—you know Lady Chatterley, don't you?” The queer pert little mite gazed cheekily at Connie. Ladyships were still all the same to her.

“嘿，约瑟芬！瞧瞧谁来看你了？这是谁呀，约瑟芬？查泰莱夫人——你认识查泰莱夫人的，不是吗？”这个小家伙古灵精怪，活泼聪颖，毫无怯意地盯着康妮。对她来说，从男爵夫人啥都不是。

"Come! Will you come to me?" said Connie to the baby.

“过来！来我这边好吗？”康妮召唤着小婴儿。

The baby didn't care one way or another, so Connie picked her up and held her in her lap. How warm and lovely it was to hold a child in one's lap, and the soft little arms, the unconscious cheeky little legs.

小家伙还没什么主见，于是康妮把她抱起来，放在自己膝上。把小宝宝拥在膝上，多么地温暖，多么地愉快，那柔嫩的小胳膊，乱踢乱蹬的小腿。

"I was just having a rough cup of tea all by myself. Luke's gone to market, so I can have it when I like. Would you care for a cup, Lady Chatterley? I don't suppose it's what you're used to, but if you would...” Connie would, though she didn't want to be reminded of what she was used to. There was a great relaying of the table, and the best cups brought and the best tea-pot.

“我正打算自己鼓捣点茶喝。卢克去市场了，什么时候喝下午茶，全凭我自己做主。留下喝一杯好吗，查泰莱夫人？想必这茶不会有您习惯喝的那么香醇，但如果您愿意的话……”虽然不想人家提及自己平常的习惯，但康妮还是愿意留下来。桌子经过大幅重新布置，摆上最好的茶壶和茶杯。

"If only you wouldn't take any trouble," said Connie.

“只要不会给您添麻烦。”康妮说。

But if Mrs. Flint took no trouble, where was the fun! So Connie played with the child and was amused by its little female dauntlessness, and got a deep voluptuous pleasure out of its soft young warmth. Young life! And so fearless! So fearless, because so defenceless. All the other people, so narrow with fear!

但如果弗林特太太不麻烦，那乐趣又何在呢？这样，康妮就可以顺理成章地逗弄可爱的宝宝，她被小姑娘初生牛犊似的勇敢劲儿逗得乐不可支。这幼小生命的柔嫩与温暖，让她体验到强烈的感官刺激。年幼的生命！如此地无畏！毫无自卫能力，因而如此无所畏惧。而那些成年人却总因为恐惧，而谨小慎微！