名著·娜娜 - 第13章


目 录 上一节 下一节

  吕西·斯图华正在与斯泰内和布朗瑟聊天,听见这个邀请,她提高声音,对银行家说道:

   "It's a mania they've all of them got. One of them even went so far as to steal my dog. Now, dear boy, am I to blame if you chuck her?"

   "她们全是疯子。她们当中有一个人,甚至还偷了我的狗……喂,亲爱的,你抛弃了她,难道这是我的过错吗?"

   Rose turned round. She was very pale and gazed fixedly at Steiner as she sipped her coffee. And then all the concentrated anger she felt at his abandonment of her flamed out in her eyes. She saw more clearly than Mignon; it was stupid in him to have wished to begin the Jonquier ruse a second time--those dodgers never succeeded twice running. Well, so much the worse for him! She would have Fauchery! She had been getting enamored of him since the beginning of supper, and if Mignon was not pleased it would teach him greater wisdom!

  罗丝转过头来。她啜着咖啡,脸色苍白,目不转睛地瞅着斯泰内,她被他抛弃后,憋在内心的怒火,霎时集中到眼里,犹如燃烧的烈火。她比米尼翁看得清楚,想把对付戎基埃的故伎重演,是很愚蠢的,这些把戏只能演一次,两次就不灵了。活该!她将获得福什利,从夜宵一开始,她就迷恋上他了;倘若米尼翁不开心,就算是给他的一个教训吧。"

   "You are not going to fight?" said Vandeuvres, coming over to Lucy Stewart."

  你们不会打架吧?"旺德夫尔走过来对吕西·斯图华说道。

   "No, don't be afraid of that! Only she must mind and keep quiet, or I let the cat out of the bag!""

  不会的,别担心。不过,她得放规矩些,否则,我非狠狠教训她一顿不可。"

  说完,她向福什利做了一个手势,意思是叫他快过来,随后她又接着说道:

   "I've got your slippers at home, my little man. I'll get them taken to your porter's lodge for you tomorrow.""

  我的小宝贝,你的拖鞋还在我家里哩。明天我叫人送到你的门房那里去。"

   He wanted to joke about it, but she swept off, looking like a queen. Clarisse, who had propped herself against a wall in order to drink a quiet glass of kirsch, was seen to shrug her shoulders. A pleasant business for a man! Wasn't it true that the moment two women were together in the presence of their lovers their first idea was to do one another out of them? It was a law of nature! As to herself, why, in heaven's name, if she had wanted to she would have torn out Gaga's eyes on Hector's account! But la, she despised him! Then as La Faloise passed by, she contented herself by remarking to him:

   福什利想跟她开开玩笑,她却带着王后般的神态,转身走了。克拉利瑟倚在墙上,想安安静静地喝杯樱桃酒,见了这个场面,耸了耸肩。这就是为了一个男人而招来的麻烦事!当两个女人在她们的情郎面前,她们首先想到的难道不是把情郎抢过来吗?这是规律。就以她来说吧,如果她愿意,为了埃克托尔,她也许把加加的眼睛挖出来。啊!呸!她犯不着这样做。随后,拉法卢瓦兹走过她旁边时,她只对他说:

   "Listen, my friend, you like 'em well advanced, you do! You don't want 'em ripe; you want 'em mildewed!""

  你听着,你爱她们太早了!她们还没成熟呢,你应该爱那些熟过了的烂货。"

   La Faloise seemed much annoyed and not a little anxious. Seeing Clarisse making game of him, he grew suspicious of her.

  拉法卢瓦兹听了显得很恼火,他一直局促不安……见克拉利瑟奚落他,他开始怀疑她了。

  甭开玩笑了,"他嘀咕道,"你一定拿了我的手帕,把它还给我吧。"

   "He's dreeing us with that handkerchief of his!" she cried. "Why, you ass, why should I have taken it from you?""

  你为手帕把我们缠死了!"她大声说道,"喂,白痴,我为什么要拿你的手帕呢?"

   "Why should you?" he said suspiciously. "Why, that you may send it to my people and compromise me.""

  哟!"他疑虑未消,说道:"把它寄到我家里,会败坏我名誉的。"

   In the meantime Foucarmont was diligently attacking the liqueurs. He continued to gaze sneeringly at Labordette, who was drinking his coffee in the midst of the ladies. And occasionally he gave vent to fragmentary assertions, as thus: "He's the son of a horse dealer; some say the illegitimate child of a countess. Never a penny of income, yet always got twenty-five louis in his pocket! Footboy to the ladies of the town! A big lubber, who never goes with any of 'em! Never, never, never!" he repeated, growing furious. "No, by Jove! I must box his ears."

  这时候,富卡蒙正在一股劲儿地喝酒,他继续冷笑着,一边望着拉博德特,拉博德特混在女人中间喝咖啡。他信口雌黄,说出一些没头脑的话来:一个马贩子的儿子,还听一些人说是伯爵夫人的私生子,没有任何收入,口袋里经常只有二十五个路易,娼妇们的当差,从来不睡觉的家伙。"从来不睡觉!从来不睡觉!"他愤愤连声说道,"不,瞧吧,我要给他一记耳光。"

   He drained a glass of chartreuse. The chartreuse had not the slightest effect upon him; it didn't affect him "even to that extent," and he clicked his thumbnail against the edge of his teeth. But suddenly, just as he was advancing upon Labordette, he grew ashy white and fell down in a heap in front of the sideboard. He was dead drunk. Louise Violaine was beside herself. She had been quite right to prophesy that matters would end badly, and now she would have her work cut out for the remainder of the night. Gaga reassured her. She examined the officer with the eye of a woman of experience and declared that there was nothing much the matter and that the gentleman would sleep like that for at least a dozen or fifteen hours without any serious consequences. Foucarmont was carried off.

  他把一小杯查尔特勒酒一饮而尽。这种酒他喝下去一点反应也没有,他自己也说没有反应。他把大拇指的指甲放在牙齿边上敲得咯咯响。然而,就在他向拉博德特走过去时,他的脸变得灰白,一下栽倒在碗橱前面。他喝得酩酊大醉了。路易丝·维奥莱纳看了很难过,她曾经说过,这样喝法是不会有好结果的,现在,这一夜剩下来的时间她就要来照料他了。加加安慰她,用她那富有经验的女人的目光仔细瞅着醉倒的海军军官,说没有什么问题,这位先生会这样睡上十二到十五个小时,不会有危险的。有人把富卡蒙抬走了。

  瞧!娜娜到哪儿去了?"旺德夫尔问道。

   Yes, she had certainly flown away somewhere on leaving the table. The company suddenly recollected her, and everybody asked for her.Steiner, who for some seconds had been uneasy on her account, asked Vandeuvres about the old gentleman, for he, too, had disappeared. But the count reassured him--he had just brought the old gentleman back. He was a stranger, whose name it was useless to mention. Suffice it to say that he was a very rich man who was quite pleased to pay for suppers! Then as Nana was once more being forgotten, Vandeuvres saw Daguenet looking out of an open door and beckoning to him. And in the bedroom he found the mistress of the house sitting up, white-lipped and rigid, while Daguenet and Georges stood gazing at her with an alarmed expression.

  是的,娜娜离开饭桌以后,就不知道飞到哪里去了。这时,大家都想起了她,都嚷着要她回来。斯泰内愁了一阵子,他问旺德夫尔那位老先生到哪里去了,因为他也不见了。不过,伯爵安慰他说,他刚把老先生送走,他是个外国人,名字就不必要说了,他很有钱,他很乐意支付夜宵的全部费用。尔后,娜娜又被大家忘记时,旺德夫尔瞥见达盖内打开一扇门,探出头来叫他进去。他走进卧室,发现东道女主人坐在那里,一动也不动,嘴唇发白,而达盖内和乔治则站在那里,神色沮丧地注视着她。

   "What IS the matter with you?" he asked in some surprise."

  你怎么啦?"旺德夫尔惊讶地问道。

   She neither answered nor turned her head, and he repeated his question.

  她不回答,连头也不掉过来。他又重复问一遍。

   "Why, this is what's the matter with me," she cried out at length; "I won't let them make bloody sport of me!"Thereupon she gave vent to any expression that occurred to her. Yes, oh yes, SHE wasn't a ninny--she could see clearly enough. They had been making devilish light of her during supper and saying all sorts of frightful things to show that they thought nothing of her! A pack of sluts who weren't fit to black her boots! Catch her bothering herself again just to be badgered for it after! She really didn't know what kept her from chucking all that dirty lot out of the house! And with this, rage choked her and her voice broke down in sobs."

  我呀!"她终于嚷道,"我不愿意人家瞧不起我。"于是,她脱口说出了到了嘴边的话。是的,是的,她并不是傻瓜,她看得很清楚,吃夜宵的时候,大家都瞧不起她。大家说了一些粗俗不堪的话来蔑视她。那群下流女人,远远比不上她!她经常花了很大力气做好事,到头来反而受到别人的指责!她真不知道是什么原因使自己不把这群下流货赶出门。她愤怒极了,再也说不下去了,终于呜咽起来。

  瞧,姑娘,你喝醉啦,"旺德夫尔说道,他开始用亲昵的人称称呼她,"你应当理智些。"

   No, she would give her refusal now; she would stay where she was.

  不,她开始就不听他的劝说,她要继续坐在那里。

   "I am drunk--it's quite likely! But I want people to respect me!"For a quarter of an hour past Daguenet and Georges had been vainly beseeching her to return to the drawing room. She was obstinate, however; her guests might do what they liked; she despised them too much to come back among them."

  我可能醉了,但是我要人家尊重我。"达盖内和乔治恳求她回到饭厅去,白白劝说了一刻钟。但是她执意不走,她的客人们爱怎么做就怎么做;她太瞧不起他们了,所以不愿跟他们回去。

   No, she never would, never. They might tear her in pieces before she would leave her room!

  决不回去!决不回去!即使把她剁成一块块,她还是要呆在卧室里。

   "I ought to have had my suspicions," she resumed."

  我早该有所警惕,"她补充道,

  这一定是罗丝这个泼妇搞的鬼。我今晚等候的那位正派女人之所以没有来,准是罗丝不让她来。"

   She referred to Mme Robert. Vandeuvres gave her his word of honor that Mme Robert had given a spontaneous refusal. He listened and he argued with much gravity, for he was well accustomed to similar scenes and knew how women in such a state ought to be treated. But the moment he tried to take hold of her hands in order to lift her up from her chair and draw her away with him she struggled free of his clasp, and her wrath redoubled. Now, just look at that! They would never get her to believe that Fauchery had not put the Count Muffat off coming! A regular snake was that Fauchery, an envious sort, a fellow capable of growing mad against a woman and of destroying her whole happiness. For she knew this--the count had become madly devoted to her! She could have had him!

  她说的是罗贝尔夫人。旺德夫尔用荣誉向她担保,是罗贝尔夫人自己不肯来的。他一边听娜娜讲话,一边说出自己的不同意见,脸上没有一丝笑容,这样的场面他见得很多,女人们处在这种情况下,他知道用什么方法来对付她们。然而,等他抓住她的手,把她从椅子上拉起来带往饭厅时,她便火上加油了,拼命挣扎着。嘿!她怎么也不能相信缪法伯爵今晚不来,不是福什利从中作梗。这个福什利,真是条毒蛇,是个嫉妒心十足的男人,他会不择手段地对付一个女人,毁掉她的幸福。因为说到底,她知道缪法伯爵已经迷恋上自己了。她本来可以得到他的。

   "Him, my dear, never!" cried Vandeuvres, forgetting himself and laughing loud."

  他呀,亲爱的,你就甭想了。"旺德夫尔大声说道,得意忘形地笑了。

   "Why not?" she asked, looking serious and slightly sobered."

  为什么?"她严肃地问道,她有点醒酒了。

   "Because he's thoroughly in the hands of the priests, and if he were only to touch you with the tips of his fingers he would go and confess it the day after. Now listen to a bit of good advice. Don't let the other man escape you!""

  因为他已被神甫们牢牢控制了,他如果用手指头碰你一下,第二天他就会因这事而去忏悔……你听听我的忠告吧,别丢掉另一个男人。"

  她沉默了一阵子,沉思着。随后,她站起来,走过去洗眼睛。不过,当旺德夫尔要把她带往餐厅时,她还是拼命地叫喊"不去"。旺德夫尔便不再坚持要她走了,笑着离开了卧室。而旺德夫尔刚走,娜娜就大发柔情,一头扑到达盖内的怀里,连声说道:

   "Ah, my sweetie, there's only you in the world. I love you! YES, I love you from the bottom of my heart! Oh, it would be too nice if we could always live together. My God! How unfortunate women are!""

  啊!我的咪咪,世界上只有你……我爱你,我打心底里爱你!……如果我们能够永远生活在一起,那就太好啦。我的天!女人是多么不幸呀!"

   Then her eye fell upon Georges, who, seeing them kiss, was growing very red, and she kissed him too. Sweetie could not be jealous of a baby! She wanted Paul and Georges always to agree, because it would be so nice for them all three to stay like that, knowing all the time that they loved one another very much. But an extraordinary noise disturbed them: someone was snoring in the room. Whereupon after some searching they perceived Bordenave, who, since taking his coffee, must have comfortably installed himself there. He was sleeping on two chairs, his head propped on the edge of the bed and his leg stretched out in front. Nana thought him so funny with his open mouth and his nose moving with each successive snore that she was shaken with a mad fit of laughter. She left the room, followed by Daguenet and Georges, crossed the dining room, entered the drawing room, her merriment increasing at every step.

  接着,她见乔治见到他们拥抱,涨红了脸,于是,她也拥抱了乔治。咪咪不会对一个孩子吃醋的。她希望保尔和乔治永远和睦相处,如果三个人都知道彼此相爱,并且一直保持下去,那该多好呀。这时,一个奇怪的声音干扰了他们,有一个人在卧室里打鼾。于是,他们寻找了一会,发现是博尔德纳夫,他喝过咖啡后,就舒舒服服地躺在那里了。他睡在两张椅子上,头枕在床沿上,腿伸得笔直,张着嘴巴,打一个呼噜鼻子就动一下。娜娜觉得他那样子很滑稽,不禁大笑起来。她走出卧室,身后跟着达盖内和乔治,他们穿过餐厅,进入客厅,笑得越来越厉害。

   "Oh, my dear, you've no idea!" she cried, almost throwing herself into Rose's arms. "Come and see it." "

  哦!亲爱的,"她一边说,一边向罗丝走过去,差点扑到她的怀里,"你们真想不到,跟我过来看看吧。"

   All the women had to follow her. She took their hands coaxingly and drew them along with her willy-nilly, accompanying her action with so frank an outburst of mirth that they all of them began laughing on trust. The band vanished and returned after standing breathlessly for a second or two round Bordenave's lordly, outstretched form. And then there was a burst of laughter, and when one of them told the rest to be quiet Bordenave's distant snorings became audible.

  在场女人只好同意跟她一道去。她亲热地拉拉每个人的手,拼命拖她们走;她是那样开心,那样真心诚意,所以大家都相信她的话,跟着她笑起来。接着,这伙人离开了客厅,进了卧室,发现博尔德纳夫大模大样地躺着。她们在他身边屏住呼吸,呆了一会儿就回来了,这时大家才大笑起来。接着,她们当中一个人叫大家安静下来,这时,她们又听见远处传来的博尔德纳夫的鼾声。

  快到四点钟了。餐厅里摆好了一张赌桌,旺德夫尔、斯泰内、米尼翁和拉博德特已经坐在桌子旁,吕西和卡罗利娜站在他们后面押注;布朗瑟很困倦,觉得这一夜过得很窝囊,每隔五分钟,就催问旺德夫尔一次,问他们是不是马上就回家。呆在客厅里的人都想跳舞。达盖内已经坐到钢琴前面,娜娜叫它"五斗柜",她不想让蹩脚钢琴手来弹,只要大家要咪咪弹,他就能弹出华尔兹舞曲和波尔卡舞曲来。但是,舞跳得没精打采,妇女们都深深地躺在长沙发上闲聊,个个精神不振。突然间,听见一阵嘈杂声。有十一个青年人结伴而来,他们到候见厅时就放声大笑,到了客厅门口时又互相推推搡搡;他们刚刚参加了内务部的舞会,每人穿着晚礼服,戴着白领带,衣服上佩戴着一串大家都不认识的十字勋章。他们这样吵吵闹闹的进来,娜娜很生气。她呼唤呆在厨房里的侍者,叫他们把那群人赶出去;她发誓说,这帮人她从来没见过。福什利、拉博德特、达盖内等所有男人一起走上去,叫他们要尊重女主人。霎时间,他们破口大骂粗话,拳头也伸出来了。那一刻,大家真担心会大打一场。然而,就在这当口,一个面带病容、金发、矮个子的小伙子连声说道:

   "Come, come, Nana, you saw us the other evening at Peters' in the great red saloon! Pray remember, you invited us.""

  你知道,娜娜,那天晚上在彼得斯家的红色大客厅里……你还记得吧!你不是邀请我们的吗?"

   The other evening at Peters'? She did not remember it all. To begin with, what evening?And when the little light-haired man had mentioned the day, which was Wednesday, she distinctly remembered having supped at Peters' on the Wednesday, but she had given no invitation to anyone; she was almost sure of that.

  一天晚上,在彼得斯家里?她怎么一点也回忆不起来了。首先,得知道是哪一天晚上?金发小伙子告诉她,那一天是星期三。这下她可回忆起来了,星期三她确实在彼得斯家吃过夜宵,可是她却没有邀请任何人呀,这一点她几乎完全可以肯定。

   "However, suppose you HAVE invited them, my good girl," murmured Labordette, who was beginning to have his doubts. "Perhaps you were a little elevated.""

  不过,姑娘,如果你真邀请过他们呢,"拉博德特喃喃说道,他开始有点怀疑了,"也许当时你有点高兴了吧。"

   Then Nana fell a-laughing. It was quite possible; she really didn't know. So then, since these gentlemen were on the spot, they had her leave to come in. Everything was quietly arranged; several of the newcomers found friends in the drawing room, and the scene ended in handshakings. The little sickly looking light-haired man bore one of the greatest names in France. Furthermore, the eleven announced that others were to follow them, and, in fact, the door opened every few moments, and men in white gloves and official garb presented themselves. They were still coming from the ball at the Ministry. Fauchery jestingly inquired whether the minister was not coming, too, but Nana answered in a huff that the minister went to the houses of people she didn't care a pin for. What she did not say was that she was possessed with a hope of seeing Count Muffat enter her room among all that stream of people. He might quite have reconsidered his decision, and so while talking to Rose she kept a sharp eye on the door.

  于是娜娜笑了起来。这倒也可能,但是她却没有一点印象。总之,既然这些先生已经来了,就让他们进来吧。问题都解决了,好几个新来者在客厅里还见到了自己的朋友,这场风波最后以握手而告终。那个面带病容的金发小个子是法兰西的一个名门望族的后代。新来的一帮人还声称,还有一些人要来;果然不错,门不时被打开,又进来一些先生,他们戴着白手套,身着礼服。这批人也是从内务部的舞会上来的。福什利开玩笑说,内务部长是不是也要来。娜娜很恼火,说部长要去的人家肯定都比不上她家。她只字不提的事情,是埋在她心底的一个希望,她希望在这群进来的人中,有一个人是缪法伯爵。缪法伯爵可能改变了主意吧。她一边同罗丝谈话,一边注视着门口。

  五点钟敲响了。大家不跳舞了。只有打牌的人还在坚持打牌。拉博德特把他的位置让给了别人,女人们又回到了客厅里。灯光朦朦胧胧,客厅里长时间熬夜的困倦气氛越发变浓,燃烧的灯芯映红了灯罩。此时此刻,她们不禁触景生情,隐隐忧伤之感油然而生,感到需要讲讲自己的身世。布朗瑟·德·西弗里谈起她的祖父,他是一位将军;克拉利瑟则胡诌了一则故事,说她在她的伯父家里时,有一位公爵去猎野猪,如何引诱她。她们两人都把背朝着对方,听了对方的话,一边耸着肩膀,一边思量着:天啦!她怎么能编造出这样的谎言呢。至于吕西·斯图华,则平心静气地讲了自己的出身,她很乐意谈自己的青年时代,那时候,她的父亲是巴黎北火车站的加油工人,每逢星期天都让她吃上苹果酱馅饼。

   "Oh, I must tell you about it!" cried the little Maria Blond abruptly. "Opposite to me there lives a gentleman, a Russian, an awfully rich man! Well, just fancy, yesterday I received a basket of fruit--oh, it just was a basket! Enormous peaches, grapes as big as that, simply wonderful for the time of year! And in the middle of them six thousand-franc notes! It was the Russian's doing. Of course I sent the whole thing back again, but I must say my heart ached a little--when I thought of the fruit!" "

  啊!让我来说吧!"小玛丽亚·布隆突然叫道,"我家对面住着一位先生,他是俄国人,是位富翁。昨天,我收到一篮子水果!可是一篮子水果呀!有硕大的桃子,有这么大的葡萄,还有这样的季节里罕见的东西……在水果中间,放了六张一千法郎的钞票……这是那个俄国人……当然啦,我都退还给他了。不过,那一篮水果,我心里倒有些舍不得!"

   The ladies looked at one another and pursed up their lips. At her age little Maria Blond had a pretty cheek! Besides, to think that such things should happen to trollops like her! Infinite was their contempt for her among themselves. It was Lucy of whom they were particularly jealous, for they were beside themselves at the thought of her three princes. Since Lucy had begnn taking a daily morning ride in the Bois they all had become Amazons, as though a mania possessed them.

  太太们都抿着嘴唇,你瞧着我,我瞧着你。在她这样小的年龄,居然能厚着脸皮说出这番话来,正是凭着这样的脸皮,所以那么多的类似事情才发生在这类贱货身上!她们之间都恨之入骨。她们特别嫉恨吕西,她们怄气她勾上了三个亲王。自从吕西每天早上骑马到布洛涅树林兜风,大出风头以来,她们也都骑起马来,像得了疯病似的。

   Day was about to dawn, and Nana turned her eyes away from the door, for she was relinquishing all hope. The company were bored to distraction. Rose Mignon had refused to sing the "Slipper" and sat huddled up on a sofa, chatting in a low voice with Fauchery and waiting for Mignon, who had by now won some fifty louis from Vandeuvres. A fat gentleman with a decoration and a serious cast of countenance had certainly given a recitation in Alsatian accents of "Abraham's Sacrifice," a piece in which the Almighty says, "By My blasted Name" when He swears, and Isaac always answers with a "Yes, Papa!" Nobody, however, understood what it was all about, and the piece had been voted stupid. People were at their wits' end how to make merry and to finish the night with fitting hilarity. For a moment or two Labordette conceived the idea of denouncing different women in a whisper to La Faloise, who still went prowling round each individual lady, looking to see if she were hiding his handkerchief in her bosom. Soon, as there were still some bottles of champagne on the sideboard, the young men again fell to drinking. They shouted to one another; they stirred each other up, but a dreary species of intoxication, which was stupid enough to drive one to despair, began to overcome the company beyond hope of recovery. Then the little fair-haired fellow, the man who bore one of the greatest names in France and had reached his wit's end and was desperate at the thought that he could not hit upon something really funny, conceived a brilliant notion: he snatched up his bottle of champagne and poured its contents into the piano. His allies were convulsed with laughter.

  天快亮了。娜娜的希望破灭了,便不再盯着大门口张望。大家无聊得要命。罗丝·米尼翁不愿意唱那首《拖鞋歌》,蜷缩在一张长沙发里,一边同福什利低声交谈,一边等候米尼翁,他赢了旺德夫尔五十来个路易。一位肥肥胖胖的先生,神态严肃,身挂勋章,刚刚用阿尔萨斯方言朗诵了《亚伯拉罕的牺牲》①。当朗读到上帝发誓时,他朗读的是"以我的圣名",而以撒总是回答:"是的,爸爸!"因为谁也没有听懂,所以这故事未免显得荒谬。大家不知道怎样才能快乐起来,怎样才能尽情欢乐地度过这一宵。拉博德特想出一个主意,他凑到拉法卢瓦兹的耳边,说是女人们拿了他的手帕。拉法卢瓦兹就跑到每个女人身边转转,看看她们是否有人拿了他的手帕,把它系在脖子上。随后,有人发现碗橱里还剩几瓶香槟酒,那伙年轻人又大喝起来。他们相互呼唤,兴奋异常;可是,那种醉得无精打采,醉得无聊得令人落泪的气氛仍然笼罩着整个客厅,无法改变。这时,那个金发小个子,就是那个法国一个名门望族的后代,由于缺乏灵机,想不出任何逗人的方法,有些气馁,便突发奇想,抓起他那瓶正在喝的香槟酒,一下子全部倒在钢琴里,逗得大伙捧腹大笑。 ①亚伯拉罕是希伯莱人的祖先;犹太教、基督教、伊斯兰教这三种一神教所推崇的古代圣人。据《圣经》记载,在亚伯拉罕一百岁时,其妻撒拉又生一子名以撒。上帝为了试验亚伯拉罕的信心,命令他把以撒当作牺牲献给上帝;亚伯拉罕准备遵命,但是上帝赐给他一只羊羔代替以撒。

   "La now! Why's he putting champagne into the piano?" asked Tatan Nene in great astonishment as she caught sight of him. "

  瞧!"塔唐·内内见此情景,惊讶地问道,"他为什么把香槟酒倒在钢琴里呢?"

  怎么!姑娘,你连这个都不知道?"拉博德特一本正经地回答道,"对钢琴来说,没有比香槟酒再好的东西了。香槟酒可以使钢琴的音质更好。"

   "Ah," murmured Tatan Nene with conviction."

  哦。"塔唐·内内低声说,她还信以为真呢。

   And when the rest began laughing at her she grew angry. How should she know? They were always confusing her.

  随后,大家都笑起来,她生气了。她怎么知道呢?人家总是捉弄她。

   Decidedly the evening was becoming a big failure. The night threatened to end in the unloveliest way. In a corner by themselves Maria Blond and Lea de Horn had begun squabbling at close quarters,the former accusing the latter of consorting with people of insufficient wealth. They were getting vastly abusive over it,their chief stumbling block being the good looks of the men in question. Lucy, who was plain, got them to hold their tongues. Good looks were nothing, according to her; good figures were what was wanted. Farther off, on a sofa, an attache had slipped his arm round Simonne's waist and was trying to kiss her neck, but Simonne, sullen and thoroughly out of sorts, pushed him away at every fresh attempt with cries of "You're pestering me!" and sound slaps of the fan across his face. For the matter of that, not one of the ladies allowed herself to be touched. Did people take them for light women? Gaga, in the meantime, had once more caught La Faloise and had almost hoisted him upon her knees while Clarisse was disappearing from view between two gentlemen, shaking with nervous laughter as women will when they are tickled. Round about the piano they were still busy with their little game, for they were suffering from a fit of stupid imbecillty, which caused each man to jostle his fellow in his frantic desire to empty his bottle into the instrument. It was a simple process and a charming one.

  情况显然不妙。这一夜看样子到结束时还是乱糟糟的。玛丽亚·布隆呆在一个角落里,同莱娅·德·霍恩斗嘴。玛丽亚指责她尽跟一些不富有的男人睡觉,她们竟然骂出一些粗话,就连对方长相好坏也不放过。丑陋无比的吕西劝她们住嘴。面孔长相并不要紧,身材漂亮才算得上漂亮。再过去一点,在一张长沙发上,一位大使馆的随员用一只胳膊搂住西蒙娜的腰,硬要吻她的脖子。西蒙娜疲惫不堪,心情又不好,每次总把他胳膊推开,一边说道:"你真讨厌!"并用扇子在他脸上猛打几下。没有一个女人想让男人来碰自己一下。谁愿意让人家把自己当成婊子呢?不过,加加却抓住拉法卢瓦兹不放,几乎把他拉到自己的膝盖上;而克拉利瑟则夹在两个男人中间,大家几乎看不见她,她神经质般地笑得身子直动,像一个被人胳肢的女人。在钢琴旁边,恶作剧还在继续进行,简直达到了疯狂的程度;那伙年轻人互相推推搡搡,每个人都想把自己瓶里喝剩下来的香槟酒倒在钢琴里。这样玩法既简单又逗人。

   "Now then, old boy, drink a glass! Devil take it, he's a thirsty piano! Hi! 'Tenshun! Here's another bottle! You mustn't lose a drop!""

  喂!老朋友,喝一口吧……喔唷!这钢琴渴了!……注意!这儿还有一瓶;一滴也不能漏掉。"

  娜娜背朝钢琴,没有看见这帮人在胡闹。她现在只好打定主意,选择胖子斯泰内了,他就坐在她的旁边。活该!这是缪法的过错,是他不愿意来的。她穿一条白绸裙,又轻又绉,像件睡衣。她已有几分醉意,脸色发白,眼睛周围发青,带着一副淳厚姑娘的神态,委身于斯泰内了。她戴在发髻上和上衣上的玫瑰花的花瓣已经凋谢了,只剩下花梗。斯泰内突然把一只手从她的裙子里缩回来,因为手刚刚触到乔治别的别针上,还流了几滴血呢,有一滴血滴在裙子上,上面染了一个红点。

   "Now the bargain's struck," said Nana gravely."

  现在,就算签约了吧。"娜娜一本正经地说。

   The day was breaking apace. An uncertain glimmer of light, fraught with a poignant melancholy, came stealing through the windows. And with that the guests began to take their departure. It was a most sour and uncomfortable retreat. Caroline Hequet, annoyed at the loss of her night, announced that it was high time to be off unless you were anxious to assist at some pretty scenes. Rose pouted as if her womanly character had been compromised. It was always so with these girls; they didn't know how to behave and were guilty of disgusting conduct when they made their first appearance in society! And Mignon having cleaned Vandeuvres out completely, the family took their departure. They did not trouble about Steiner but renewed their invitation for tomorrow to Fauchery. Lucy thereupon refused the journalist's escort home and sent him back shrilly to his "strolling actress." At this Rose turned round immediately and hissed out a "Dirty sow" by way of answer. But Mignon, who in feminine quarrels was always paternal, for his experience was a long one and rendered him superior to them, had already pushed her out of the house, telling her at the same time to have done. Lucy came downstairs in solitary state behind them. After which Gaga had to carry off La Faloise, ill, sobbing like a child, calling after Clarisse, who had long since gone off with her two gentlemen. Simonne, too, had vanished. Indeed, none remained save Tatan, Lea and Maria, whom Labordette complaisantly took under his charge.

  天渐渐亮了。朦胧而凄清的光线从窗户射进来。于是,大家开始分手,分别时大家心里很不痛快,满肚子气。卡罗利娜·埃凯非常恼火,觉得这一夜是白白度过了,说如果谁不想看那些胡闹的事,就该走了。罗丝撅着嘴,因为她的女人的荣誉受到了损害。跟这班婊子在一起,总是这个样子;她们不知道怎样的言谈举止才算得体,所以一开始与人接触就令人讨厌。米尼翁大赢旺德夫尔,他输得口袋里连一个子儿也没有了。米尼翁夫妇临走前再次邀请福什利第二天到他们家里吃午饭,压根儿不把斯泰内放在眼里。吕西拒绝新闻记者送自己回家,还大声把他打发到那个蹩脚女演员那边去。罗丝回过头来,低声骂了一句:"臭婊子"。但是米尼翁把她推到门外,劝她不要再骂了。每当女人吵嘴,他总是像父亲一样,表现得很有经验又比她们有见识。吕西独自一人走在他们后边,神态庄重地走下楼梯。在她后面,是拉法卢瓦兹,他生病了,抽抽噎噎,像个小孩,他呼唤克拉利瑟,原来她早就跟两个先生溜了,加加不得不把他带回家。西蒙娜也早就不见了。现在只剩下塔唐、莱娅和玛丽亚,拉博德特自告奋勇送她们回家。

   "Oh, but I don't the least bit want to go to bed!" said Nana. "One ought to find something to do.""

  我一点也不想睡觉,"娜娜连声说道,"现在应该找点事情干干才好。"

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名著·娜娜 - 第13章