名著·呼啸山庄 - 第33节


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  “你的不值一文的朋友!”我激动地回答,“就是那边那个鬼鬼祟祟的流氓。啊,他瞅见我们啦--他进来啦!既然他告诉过你他恨她,那么不知道他现在还有没有诡计找个巧妙的借口来解释他在向小姐求爱?”

   Mrs. Linton saw Isabella tear herself free, and run into the garden; and a minute after, Heathcliff opened the door. I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation; but Catherine angrily insisted on silence, and threatened to order me out of the kitchen, if I dared to be so presumptuous as to put in my insolent tongue.

  林惇夫人看见伊莎贝拉把自己挣脱开,跑到花园里去了。一分钟以后,希刺克厉夫开了门。我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒,可是凯瑟琳生气地坚持不许我吭声,而且威吓我,说我如果敢于狂妄地出口不逊,她就要命令我离开厨房。

   'To hear you, people might think you were the mistress!' she cried. 'You want setting down in your right place! Heathcliff, what are you about, raising this stir? I said you must let Isabella alone! - I beg you will, unless you are tired of being received here, and wish Linton to draw the bolts against you!'

  “人家要是听见你的话,还以为你是女主人哩!”她喊。 “你要安于你的本分,希刺克厉夫,你这是干吗,惹起这场乱子?我说过你千万不要惹伊莎贝拉!我求你不要,除非你已经不愿意在这里受到接待,而愿意林惇对你飨以闭门羹!”

   'God forbid that he should try!' answered the black villain. I detested him just then. 'God keep him meek and patient! Every day I grow madder after sending him to heaven!'

  “上帝禁止他这样做!”这个恶棍回答。这当儿我恨透了他。“上帝会使他柔顺而有耐心的!我一天天越来越想把他送到天堂上去,想得都发狂了呢!”

   'Hush!' said Catherine, shutting the inner door! 'Don't vex me. Why have you disregarded my request? Did she come across you on purpose?'

  “嘘!”凯瑟琳说,关上里面的门。“不要惹我烦恼了。你为什么不顾我的请求呢?是她故意找你么?”

  “跟你有什么关系?”他怨声怨气地说。“如果她愿意的话,我就有权利吻她,而你没有权利反对。我不是你的丈夫,你用不着为了我而嫉妒!”

   'I'm not jealous of you,' replied the mistress; 'I'm jealous for you. Clear your face: you sha'n't scowl at me! If you like Isabella, you shall marry her. But do you like her? Tell the truth, Heathcliff! There, you won't answer. I'm certain you don't.'

  “我不是为你嫉妒,”女主人回答,“我是出于对你的爱护。脸色开朗些,你不必对我皱眉头!如果你喜欢伊莎贝拉,你就娶她。可是你喜欢她么?说实话,希刺克厉夫!哪,你不肯回答。我就知道你不喜欢!”

   'And would Mr. Linton approve of his sister marrying that man?' I inquired.

  “而且林惇先生会同意他妹妹嫁给那个人吗?”我问。

   'Mr. Linton should approve,' returned my lady, decisively.

  “林惇先生会同意的,”我那夫人决断地回嘴。

   'He might spare himself the trouble,' said Heathcliff: 'I could do as well without his approbation. And as to you, Catherine, I have a mind to speak a few words now, while we are at it. I want you to be aware that I KNOW you have treated me infernally - infernally! Do you hear? And if you flatter yourself that I don't perceive it, you are a fool; and if you think I can be consoled by sweet words, you are an idiot: and if you fancy I'll suffer unrevenged, I'll convince you of the contrary, in a very little while! Meantime, thank you for telling me your sister-in-law's secret: I swear I'll make the most of it. And stand you aside!'

  “他不用给自己找这麻烦,”希刺克厉夫说,“没有他的批准,我也能照样作。至于你,凯瑟琳,现在,我们既然走到这步,我倒有心说几句话。我要你明白我是知道你曾经对待我很恶毒--很恶毒!你听见吗?如果你自以为我没有看出来,那你才是个傻子哩。如果你以为可以用甜言蜜语来安慰我,那你就是个白痴。如果你幻想我将忍受下去,不想报复,那就在最短期间,我就要使你信服,这恰恰相反!同时,谢谢你告诉我你的小姑的秘密,我发誓我要尽量利用它。你就靠边站吧?”

  “这又是他的性格里的什么新花样啊?”林惇夫人惊愕地叫起来。“我曾经对待你很恶毒--你要报复!你要怎样报复呢?忘恩负义的畜生?我对待你怎么恶毒啦?”

   'I seek no revenge on you,' replied Heathcliff, less vehemently. 'That's not the plan. The tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don't turn against him; they crush those beneath them. You are welcome to torture me to death for your amusement, only allow me to amuse myself a little in the same style, and refrain from insult as much as you are able. Having levelled my palace, don't erect a hovel and complacently admire your own charity in giving me that for a home. If I imagined you really wished me to marry Isabel, I'd cut my throat!'

  “我并不要对你报复,”希刺克厉夫回答,火气稍减。“那不在计划之内。暴君压迫的奴隶,他们不反抗他;他们欺压他们下面的人。你为了使自己开心,而把我折磨到死,我甘心情愿;只是允许我以同样方式让我自己也开开心,而且也跟你同样地尽力避开侮辱。你既铲平了我的宫殿,就不要竖立一个茅草屋,而且满意地欣赏你的善举,认为你把这草屋作为一个家给了我。要是我以为你真的愿意我娶伊莎贝拉的话,我都可以割断我的喉咙”

   'Oh, the evil is that I am NOT jealous, is it?' cried Catherine. 'Well, I won't repeat my offer of a wife: it is as bad as offering Satan a lost soul. Your bliss lies, like his, in inflicting misery. You prove it. Edgar is restored from the ill-temper he gave way to at your coming; I begin to be secure and tranquil; and you, restless to know us at peace, appear resolved on exciting a quarrel. Quarrel with Edgar, if you please, Heathcliff, and deceive his sister: you'll hit on exactly the most efficient method of revenging yourself on me.'

  “啊,毛病在于我不嫉妒,是吧?”凯瑟琳喊叫着。“好吧,我可不再提这段亲事啦,那就跟把一个迷失的灵魂献给撒旦一样地糟。你的快乐,和魔鬼一样,就在于让人受苦。你证实了这点。埃德加在你才来时大发脾气,这才恢复,我也刚安稳平静下来。而你,一知道我们平静,你就不安,似乎有意惹起一场争吵。跟埃德加吵去吧,如果你愿意的话,希刺克厉夫,欺骗他妹妹吧!你正好找到报复我的最有效的方法。”

   The conversation ceased. Mrs. Linton sat down by the fire, flushed and gloomy. The spirit which served her was growing intractable: she could neither lay nor control it. He stood on the hearth with folded arms, brooding on his evil thoughts; and in this position I left them to seek the master, who was wondering what kept Catherine below so long.

  谈话停止了,林惇夫人坐在炉火房,两颊通红,郁郁不乐。她的这种情绪越来越在她身上摆脱不掉。她放不开,又驾驭不住。他交叉着双臂站在炉边,动着那些坏念头。就在这种情况下,我离开他们,去找主人,他正在奇怪什么事使凯瑟琳在楼下待了这么久。

   'Ellen,' said he, when I entered, 'have you seen your mistress?'

  “艾伦,”当我进去的时候,他说,“你看见你的女主人没有?”

  “看见了,她在厨房里,先生。”我回答。“她被希刺克厉夫先生的行动搞得很不高兴。实在,我认为今后该从另一种关系上考虑他进出我们家了。太随和是有害的,现在已经到了这个地步--”我就把院子里的一幕述说一番,而且尽我的胆量,把这之后的整个争执全说了。我还以为我的叙述对林惇夫人并不会很不利;除非她自己竟为她客人辩护起来,使之不利。埃德加·林惇很费劲地听我讲完。他开头的几句话表明他并不以为他妻子没有过错。

   'This is insufferable!' he exclaimed. 'It is disgraceful that she should own him for a friend, and force his company on me! Call me two men out of the hall, Ellen. Catherine shall linger no longer to argue with the low ruffian - I have humoured her enough.'

  “这是不能容忍的!”他叫起来。“她把他当个朋友,而且强迫我和他来往,真是有失体统!给我从大厅叫两个人来,艾伦。凯瑟琳不能再留在那儿跟那下流的恶棍争论了--我已经太迁就她啦。”

   He descended, and bidding the servants wait in the passage, went, followed by me, to the kitchen. Its occupants had recommenced their angry discussion: Mrs. Linton, at least, was scolding with renewed vigour; Heathcliff had moved to the window, and hung his head, somewhat cowed by her violent rating apparently. He saw the master first, and made a hasty motion that she should be silent; which she obeyed, abruptly, on discovering the reason of his intimation.

  他下了楼,吩咐仆人在过道里等着,便向厨房走去,我跟着他。厨房里的两个人又激怒地争论开了。至少,林惇夫人重新带劲地咒骂着。希刺克厉夫已经走到窗前,垂着头,显然多少被她那怒斥吓倒了。他先看见了主人,便赶忙作势叫她别说了,她一发现他的暗示的原因,便顿时服从了他。

   'How is this?' said Linton, addressing her; 'what notion of propriety must you have to remain here, after the language which has been held to you by that blackguard? I suppose, because it is his ordinary talk you think nothing of it: you are habituated to his baseness, and, perhaps, imagine I can get used to it too!'

  “这是怎么回事?”林惇对她说,“那个下流人对你说了这番怪话之后,你还要待在这儿,你对于遵守礼节究竟有什么看法?我猜想,因为他平常就这样谈话,因此你觉得没什么,你习惯了他的下流,而且也许还以为我也能习惯吧!”

   'Have you been listening at the door, Edgar?' asked the mistress, in a tone particularly calculated to provoke her husband, implying both carelessness and contempt of his irritation. Heathcliff, who had raised his eyes at the former speech, gave a sneering laugh at the latter; on purpose, it seemed, to draw Mr. Linton's attention to him. He succeeded; but Edgar did not mean to entertain him with any high flights of passion.

  “你是在门外听着的吗,埃德加?”女主人问,用的声调特意要惹她丈夫生气,表示自己满不在乎他的愤怒,显出鄙夷的神色,希刺克厉夫,开始在林惇说那番话时还抬眼看看,这时听到这句话就发出一声冷笑,似乎是故意要引起林惇先生的注意。他成功了。可是埃德加却无意对他发什么大脾气。

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名著·呼啸山庄 - 第33节