第十六章(第13/14页)
“我把睡衣弄丢了?”她问。
He pushed his hand down in the bed, and pulled out the bit of flimsy silk.
他将手伸到床下,拖出块轻薄的绸布。
"I knowed I felt silk at my ankles," he said.
“怪不得我总感觉脚踝处缠着块绸子。”他恍然大悟。
But the night-dress was slit almost in two.
但睡衣已几乎被扯成两半。
"Never mind!" She said. "It belongs here, really. I'll leave it.” "Ay, leave it, I can put it between my legs at night, for company. There's no name nor mark on it, is there?” She slipped on the torn thing, and sat dreamily looking out of the window. The window was Open, the air of morning drifted in, and the sound of birds. Birds flew continuously past. Then she saw Flossie roaming out. It was morning.
“没关系!”她说。“它属于这里。就把它留在这里吧。”“是呀,留在这儿吧,晚上我把它夹在两腿间,就当是你陪在我身边。上面没有名字或者标记吧?”她穿上那件被扯碎的睡衣,坐着望向窗外,似乎依然没有摆脱甜美的梦境。窗户敞开着,她嗅到清晨新鲜的空气,听见清脆的鸟鸣。鸟儿接二连三地从窗前飞过。接着,她看到弗洛西在屋外徜徉起来。早晨确实已经到来。
Downstairs she heard him making the fire, pumping water, going out at the back door. By and by came the smell of bacon, and at length he came upstairs with a huge black tray that would only just go through the door. He set the tray on the bed, and poured out the tea. Connie squatted in her torn nightdress, and fell on her food hungrily. He sat on the one chair, with his plate on his knees.
她听到他在楼下生火汲水,然后从后门出去。熏肉的香味渐渐传来,他终于走上楼来,手里端着个硕大的黑色托盘,大到堪堪能够拿得进门。他把托盘搁在床上,斟好茶。康妮穿着撕破的睡衣,蹲在床上,狼吞虎咽,大快朵颐。他坐着卧室仅有的那把椅子,将餐盘搁在膝盖上面。
"How good it is!" She said. "How nice to have breakfast together." He ate in silence, his mind on the time that was quickly passing. That made her remember.
“这样真好!”她说。“共进早餐多么美妙。”他默默地吃着,心里想着飞速流逝的时间。这让她也记起离别就在眼前。
"Oh, how I wish I could stay here with you, and Wragby were a million miles away! It's Wragby I'm going away from really. You know that, don't you?” "Ay!" "And you promise we will live together and have a life together, you and me! You promise me, don't you?” "Ay! When we can." "Yes! And we WILL! We will, won't we?" she leaned over, making the tea spill, catching his wrist.
“噢,我真的希望能留下,陪在你身边,而拉格比则在距离我们百万英里的地方!其实我要摆脱的是拉格比。你懂我的意思,对吗?”“是呀!”“你答应过,我们将会长相厮守,只有你和我。你答应过的,对吗?”“唉!能做到的时候才作数。”“当然能!我们会做到的!我们会永远在一起,对吗?”她向前探着身子,握住她的手腕,不想茶水却泼溅出来。
"Ay!" He said, tidying up the tea.
“唉!”他说着,将茶渍清理干净。
"We can't possibly not live together now, can we?" she said appealingly.
“现在,我们已经注定将共度余生,对吗?”她期待再度得到肯定的答案。
He looked up at her with his flickering grin.
他抬头看着他,脸上闪过一丝笑意。
"No!" He said. "Only you've got to start in twenty-five minutes.” "Have I?" She cried. Suddenly he held up a warning finger, and rose to his feet.
“是的!”他说。“只是你25分钟后就要出发了。”“是吗?”她叫道。突然,他举起一根手指,示意她不要出声,然后站起身来。
Flossie had given a short bark, then three loud sharp yaps of warning.
刚才,弗洛西先是短吠一声,然后大声汪汪叫了三声,这是在向他示警。
Silent, he put his plate on the tray and went downstairs. Constance heard him go down the garden path. A bicycle bell tinkled outside there.
他不再做声,把餐盘搁在托盘上,下楼去了。康斯坦斯听到他走过花园间的小径。外面响起自行车的铃声。
"Morning, Mr. Mellors! Registered letter!" "Oh ay! Got a pencil?" "Here y'are!” There was a pause.
“早安,梅勒斯先生!挂号信!”“噢!有铅笔吗?”“给您!”片刻的沉默。
"Canada!" Said the stranger's voice.
“加拿大!”这是来自陌生人的声音。
"Ay! That's a mate o'mine out there in British Columbia. Dunno what he's got to register.” "'Appen sent y'a fortune, like.” "More like wants summat." Pause.
“是呀!是俺战友来的信,他在英属哥伦比亚。不晓得他寄来了啥东西。”“兴许给您寄来一笔钱什么的。”“要钱的可能性大些。”沉默再度降临。
"Well! Lovely day again!" "Ay!"
“嘿!又是个大晴天!”“是呀!”
"Morning!" "Morning!" After a time he came upstairs again, looking a little angry.
“再见!”“再见!”片刻之后,他回到楼上,脸上微露怒色。
"Postman," he said.
“邮差。”他说。
"Very early!" She replied.
“真早啊!”她应道。
"Rural round; he's mostly here by seven, when he does come.
“负责收送乡间的信件,总是七点左右到这里。”
"Did your mate send you a fortune?" "No! Only some photographs and papers about a place out there in British Columbia." "Would you go there?" "I thought perhaps we might." "Oh yes! I believe it's lovely!” But he was put out by the postman's coming.
“战友给你寄钱来了?”“不是!只是些关于英属哥伦比亚某地的照片和报纸。”“你打算去那儿吗?”“我打算带你一起去。”“噢,太棒了!那儿准是个美丽的地方!”可邮递员的不期而至,让他有些恼火。
"Them damn bikes, they're on you afore you know where you are. I hope he twigged nothing.” "After all, what could he twig!" "You must get up now, and get ready. I'm just goin'ter look round outside.” She saw him go reconnoitring into the lane, with dog and gun. She went downstairs and washed, and was ready by the time he came back, with the few things in the little silk bag.
“那些倒霉的脚踏车,总是冷不防给你来个突然袭击。希望他没觉察到什么。”“不会的,他发现不了什么!”“你得赶紧起来,做好出发的准备。我去外面巡视一下。”她看到他挎着猎枪,带着猎犬,沿着小径巡查去了。她下楼梳洗,等他回来,已经准备停当,带来的几件物什已经装进小绸布袋里。