目 录 上一节 下一节 
接着，她笑起来，不愿讲出那些传闻。萨比娜也被她逗乐了，连忙用手绢掩嘴笑起来。在这间宽敞、庄严的客厅里，这笑声使福什利感到吃惊，笑声犹如水晶玻璃破碎时发出的声音。显然，裂痕就从这里开始。这时，她们每个人都开腔了，杜·荣古瓦太太提出不同看法，尚特罗太太知道他们原来打算成亲的，但是，后来婚事始终没办。男人们也大胆发表了自己的意见。在好几分钟内，众说纷纭。客厅内有各种各样的人物，有的是拿破仑派，有的是正统派，还有的是世俗怀疑派，他们统统混在一起，他们一起讲话，各抒己见。爱丝泰勒按了电铃，叫人拿些劈柴来，添在壁炉里，仆人把每盏灯的灯芯挑高一些，客厅仿佛从沉睡中醒来。福什利微笑着，似乎感到自在了。 "Egad, they become the brides of God when they couldn't be their cousin's," said Vandeuvres between his teeth." 当然罗！她们不能嫁给她们的表兄弟，那么，就嫁给上帝吧，"旺德夫尔嘀咕道。 The subject bored him, and he had rejoined Fauchery. 这个问题争论来争论去，他听厌了，便去找福什利，问道： "My dear fellow, have you ever seen a woman who was really loved become a nun?"" 亲爱的，你见过一个有人爱的女子去当修女的吗？" He did not wait for an answer, for he had had enough of the topic, and in a hushed voice: 他心里烦透了，不等到福什利回答，就轻声说道： 
喂，明天我们有多少人？……有米尼翁夫妇，斯泰内，你自己，布朗瑟和我……除此以外，究竟还有谁？" "Caroline, I believe, and Simonne and Gaga without doubt. One never knows exactly, does one? On such occasions one expects the party will number twenty, and you're really thirty."" 我想还有卡罗利娜……西蒙娜，可能还有加加……究竟确切人数有多少，谁也不知道，在这些场合，大家以为来二十人，实际上会来三十人。" Vandeuvres, who was looking at the ladies, passed abruptly to another subject: 旺德夫尔瞧瞧太太们，突然换了个话题： "She must have been very nice-looking, that Du Joncquoy woman, some fifteen years ago. Poor Estelle has grown lankier than ever. What a nice lath to put into a bed!"" 这个杜·荣古瓦太太，十三年前一定很漂亮……那个可怜的爱丝泰勒又变得消瘦了，把她放在床上，倒是一块好床板！" But interrupting himself, he returned to the subject of tomorrow's supper. 他停了一会，然后又回到第二天吃夜宵的话题上来： 
令人扫兴的是，在这些场合，老是那么几个女人……应当有几个新鲜货色才好。你想法子搞一个新的来吧……喂！我想起来了！我去请那个胖子帮忙，让他把那天晚上他带到游艺剧院去的那个女人带来。" He referred to the chief clerk, sound asleep in the middle of the drawing room. Fauchery, afar off, amused himself by following this delicate negotiation. Vandeuvres had sat himself down by the stout man, who still looked very sedate. For some moments they both appeared to be discussing with much propriety the question before the house, which was, "How can one discover the exact state of feeling that urges a young girl to enter into the religious life?" Then the count returned with the remark: 他说的胖子就是正在客厅正中间打盹的内务部办公室主任，福什利呆在远处，饶有兴致地听他们交涉。旺德夫尔坐在胖子的身边，胖子保持着一副十分庄重的神态，一会儿，他们似乎在一本正经地讨论一个悬而未决的问题，就是要弄清是什么真正的感情促使那个女孩进修道院当修女的。随后，旺德夫尔伯爵回来了，他说： "It's impossible. He swears she's straight. She'd refuse, and yet I would have wagered that I once saw her at Laure's."" 这不可能。他发誓说她是个正派女人。她一定不会答应……但是我敢打赌，我曾经在洛尔饭店里见过她。" "Eh, what? You go to Laure's?" murmured Fauchery with a chuckle. "You venture your reputation in places like that? I was under the impression that it was only we poor devils of outsiders who--"" 怎么？你也常去洛尔饭店！"福什利笑着低声说道，"你竟然也敢到这类地方去？……我还以为只有我们这些可怜虫……" "Ah, dear boy, one ought to see every side of life."" 哎！我的朋友，什么都要见识见识嘛。" 
于是他俩冷冷一笑，眸子里闪闪发光，互相详细地谈起殉道者路的洛尔饭店里的饭菜情况。肥胖的洛尔·彼尔德费尔让那些手头拮据的小娘儿们在那里就餐，每人只收三法郎。那可是个偏僻的地方！所有小娘儿们见了洛尔太太都要与她亲吻。这时，萨比娜伯爵夫人偶然听见他们一句谈话，便掉过头来，他们马上向后退了几步，两人互相推推撞撞，高兴得涨红了脸。他们居然没有发现乔治·于贡就在他们旁边，偷听他们谈话，脸色变得绯红，就像一道红潮从耳根一直泛到他那姑娘般的脖子上。这个孩子感到又羞怯又高兴。自从他妈妈把他带到客厅以后，他就在谢泽勒太太的身后转来转去，他认为谢泽勒太太是客厅里唯一漂亮的女人。不过，娜娜比她还漂亮呢！ "Yesterday evening," Mme Hugon was saying, "Georges took me to the play. Yes, we went to the Varietes, where I certainly had not set foot for the last ten years. That child adores music. As to me, I wasn't in the least amused, but he was so happy! They put extraordinary pieces on the stage nowadays. Besides, music delights me very little, I confess."" 昨天晚上，"于贡太太说，"乔治带我去看戏。对啦，游艺剧场我确实已有十年没有进去了。这个孩子挺迷恋音乐……我呢，我对音乐毫无乐趣，可他听音乐是那样开心！……当今，上演的戏真古怪，而且音乐也打动不了我，这我承认。" "What! You don't love music, madame?" cried Mme du Joncquoy, lifting her eyes to heaven. "Is it possible there should be people who don't love music?"" 怎么？太太，你不喜欢音乐！"杜·荣古瓦抬头仰望着天空，大声嚷道，"居然还会有人不喜欢音乐！" The exclamation of surprise was general. No one had dropped a single word concerning the performance at the Varietes, at which the good Mme Hugon had not understood any of the allusions. The ladies knew the piece but said nothing about it, and with that they plunged into the realm of sentiment and began discussing the masters in a tone of refined and ecstatical admiration. Mme du Joncquoy was not fond of any of them save Weber, while Mme Chantereau stood up for the Italians. The ladies' voices had turned soft and languishing, and in front of the hearth one might have fancied one's self listening in meditative, religious retirement to the faint, discreet music of a little chapel. 她的话博得了大家的喝彩。但是大家对游艺剧院上演的那出戏都避而不谈，善良的于贡太太对这出戏全然不懂；这些妇女很了解这出戏，但她们都只字不提。突然，大家把话头全都转到音乐大师们的身上，她们大谈对大师们的看法，个个对他们都无限景仰，简直到了心醉神迷的地步。杜·荣古瓦太太只喜欢韦伯①的作品，尚特罗太太则喜欢意大利音乐家。这时太太们的声音变得柔和、微弱起来，也许有人会说，在壁炉前边，这声音仿佛是教堂中发出的默祷，是小教堂里发出的低沉的、令人神往的赞美歌。 ①韦伯（一七八六～一八二六），德国作曲家，是德国古典音乐过渡到浪漫主义时代的主要人物，被称为德国民族歌剧的先驱。 "Now let's see," murmured Vandeuvres, bringing Fauchery back into the middle of the drawing room, "notwithstanding it all, we must invent a woman for tomorrow. Shall we ask Steiner about it?"" 喂，"旺德夫尔嘟哝道，一边把福什利带向客厅中央，"我们明天还应该邀请一个女人来，我们要不要问问斯泰内？" 
啊！斯泰内呀！"记者说道，"如果他搞到一个女人，那就是巴黎人都不要的女人。" Vandeuvres, however, was searching about on every side. 旺德夫尔向四下张望，在寻找什么人。 "Wait a bit," he continued, "the other day I met Foucarmont with a charming blonde. I'll go and tell him to bring her."" 等一会儿，"他又说道，前几天我碰到富卡蒙与一个迷人的金发女郎在一起，我去跟他说说，让他把她带来。" And he called to Foucarmont. They exchanged a few words rapidly. There must have been some sort of complication, for both of them, moving carefully forward and stepping over the dresses of the ladies, went off in quest of another young man with whom they continued the discussion in the embrasure of a window. Fauchery was left to himself and had just decided to proceed to the hearth, where Mme du Joncquoy was announcing that she never heard Weber played without at the same time seeing lakes, forests and sunrises over landscapes steeped in dew, when a hand touched his shoulder and a voice behind him remarked:"It's not civil of you." 随后，他便去叫富卡蒙。他俩很快说了几句话。大概这事发生了麻烦，他俩蹑手蹑脚地走着，跨过女士们的拖到地上的长裙，去找另一个年轻人，他们在一个窗口，与那个年轻人继续谈话。福什利一个人呆着，决定到壁炉那边去，这时杜·荣古瓦太太向大家声称，她一听到韦伯的音乐，眼前马上就浮现出一片景象：湖泊，森林，在浸透露水的田野上的日出。就在这当儿，一只手落在他的肩膀上，一个人在他身后说道："你很不友好。" "What d'you mean?" he asked, turning round and recognizing La Faloise." 什么？"他问道，一边掉过头来，认出那个人是拉法卢瓦兹。 
明天晚上的夜宵……你本来可以叫人告诉我一声，让我也参加。" Fauchery was at length about to state his reasons when Vandeuvres came back to tell him:"It appears it isn't a girl of Foucarmont's. It's that man's flame out there. She won't be able to come. What a piece of bad luck! But all the same I've pressed Foucarmont into the service, and he's going to try to get Louise from the Palais-Royal." 福什利刚要解释，旺德夫尔走到他面前，说道："那个女人看来不是富卡蒙的朋友，而是那儿一位先生的姘妇……她不能来。真倒霉！……不管怎么说，我已经抓住了富卡蒙。他总得设法把路易丝从王宫剧院里带来。" "Is it not true, Monsieur de Vandeuvres," asked Mme Chantereau, raising her voice, "that Wagner's music was hissed last Sunday?"" 德·旺德夫尔先生，"尚特罗抬高声音问道，"是不是上星期天举行的瓦格纳①音乐会上被人喝了倒彩的那个女人？"①瓦格纳（一八一三～一八八八），十九世纪后期德国主要作曲家、音乐戏剧家。 "Oh, frightfully, madame," he made answer, coming forward with his usual exquisite politeness." 哦！倒彩喝得可厉害呢。"旺德夫尔走上去恭恭敬敬地回答道。 Then, as they did not detain him, he moved off and continued whispering in the journalist's ear:"I'm going to press some more of them. These young fellows must know some little ladies." 说完，太太们没有人与他再谈话，他便离开了，继续与记者耳语道："我再去拉几个人来……那边几个年轻人肯定认识一些小娘儿们。" 
这时候，只见他兴高采烈的样子，微笑着，走到客厅里每个角落，找男人们谈话。他钻到人群中间，同每个人咬耳朵说一句话，又回过头来眨眨眼睛，打个暗号。他那副不慌不忙的神色，像在传递一道口令。他的话传开了，大家都答应赴约；不过，这种热情拉人赴约的悄悄谈话声，被女士们的兴致勃勃的高谈阔论声淹没了。 "No, do not speak of your Germans," Mme Chantereau was saying. "Song is gaiety; song is light. Have you heard Patti in the Barber of Seville?"" 行了，别谈你那些德国音乐家了，"尚特罗太太连连说道，"唱歌，快乐，这才是光明……你听见过帕蒂②演唱的《理发师》吗？" ②帕蒂（一八四三～一九一九），意大利女歌唱家，出生于马德里，她经常在巴黎歌剧院演唱莫扎特、罗西尼、威尔地创作的歌曲。 "She was delicious!" murmured Leonide, who strummed none but operatic airs on her piano." 妙极了！"莱奥妮德低声说道，"她平时只在钢琴上弹些轻歌剧曲子。" Meanwhile the Countess Sabine had rung. When on Tuesdays the number of visitors was small, tea was handed round the drawing room itself. While directing a footman to clear a round table the countess followed the Count de Vandeuvres with her eyes. She still smiled that vague smile which slightly disclosed her white teeth, and as the count passed she questioned him. 萨比娜夫人按了铃。每逢星期二，如果来访客人不多，茶点就摆到这间客厅里来。伯爵夫人一边叫一个男仆收拾小圆桌，一边注视着旺德夫尔。她的嘴角上挂着一丝笑意，露出了洁白的牙齿。伯爵走过她身边时，她问道： "What ARE you plotting, Monsieur de Vandeuvres?"" 你究竟在搞什么鬼，德·旺德夫尔伯爵？" 
我搞什么啦，太太？"他镇定自若地回答，"我没搞任何鬼。" "Really! I saw you so busy. Pray, wait, you shall make yourself useful!"" 啊！……我看你忙的那副样子……行啦，你来帮帮我的忙吧。" She placed an album in his hands and asked him to put it on the piano. But he found means to inform Fauchery in a low whisper that they would have Tatan Nene, the most finely developed girl that winter, and Maria Blond, the same who had just made her first appearance at the Folies-Dramatiques. Meanwhile La Faloise stopped him at every step in hopes of receiving an invitation. He ended by offering himself, and Vandeuvres engaged him in the plot at once; only he made him promise to bring Clarisse with him, and when La Faloise pretended to scruple about certain points he quieted him by the remark:"Since I invite you that's enough!" 她把一本照相簿放到旺德夫尔的手里，请他递到钢琴上面。可是他仍然想出一个办法低声告诉福什利，说他明天要把塔唐·内内也带来，在冬季里，她是胸部袒露得最美丽的女人，还有玛丽亚·布隆，不久前，她在游乐剧院初次登台演出。然而，他每走一步，拉法卢瓦兹都跟着他，等待旺德夫尔的邀请。最后，他等得不耐烦了，只好毛遂自荐。旺德夫尔马上同意邀请他；不过，叫他答应把克拉利瑟也带去；当拉法卢瓦兹装出有点顾虑时，他安慰他，说道："既然我邀请你了，还怕什么！" Nevertheless, La Faloise would have much liked to know the name of the hostess. But the countess had recalled Vandeuvres and was questioning him as to the manner in which the English made tea. He often betook himself to England, where his horses ran. Then as though he had been inwardly following up quite a laborious train of thought during his remarks, he broke in with the question:"And the marquis, by the by? Are we not to see him?" 拉法卢瓦兹很想知道女主人的名字。这时伯爵夫人呼唤旺德夫尔过去，问他英国人沏茶的方法。因为他经常到英国去，他的马还在英国参加过比赛呢。据他说，只有俄国人才会沏茶；于是他就告诉她俄国的沏茶秘诀。随后，他在说话的时候，仿佛心里还在盘算着如何沏茶，他收住话头，转了个话题，问道： "Oh, certainly you will! My father made me a formal promise that he would come," replied the countess. "But I'm beginning to be anxious. His duties will have kept him."" 顺便说一句，侯爵呢？我们今晚大概不会见到他吧？""会见到他的，我父亲明确答应我他一定来，"伯爵夫人回答道，"我现在担心起来了……他一定有公务在身，走不开。" 
旺德夫尔悄悄地笑了，他似乎猜想到德·舒阿尔侯爵在办什么样的公事，他想起侯爵有时把一个漂亮女子带到乡间去。兴许明天他会来吧。 In the meantime Fauchery decided that the moment had come in which to risk giving Count Muff his invitation. The evening, in fact, was drawing to a close. 福什利认为现在该是邀请缪法伯爵的时候了，不妨试试看。因为晚上活动已进行一段时间了。 "Are you serious?" asked Vandeuvres, who thought a joke was intended." 真的吗？"旺德夫尔问道，他还以为福什利在开玩笑哩。 "Extremely serious. If I don't execute my commission she'll tear my eyes out. It's a case of landing her fish, you know."" 当然是真的……如果我完不成这个差使，她会把我的眼睛挖掉的。她迷恋上他了，你知道吧。" "Well then, I'll help you, dear boy."" 那么，我就助你一臂之力吧，亲爱的。" 
已经到了十一点钟了，伯爵夫人在她女儿的帮助下，才把茶点端来。因为来的都是知交密友，茶杯和盛点心的碟子就很随便地传递下去。太太们不离开自己的扶手椅，坐在火炉前，漫不经心地啜着茶，嚼着指头抓着的点心。话题从音乐一下子又转到供应商身上。卖易溶于口的糖果的只有布瓦西埃，供应冰淇淋的要数卡特琳店的好；而尚特罗夫人却认为拉丁维尔的最好。她们谈话的速度越来越慢，客厅里的人都疲倦了，个个昏昏欲睡。斯泰内把那位众议员拦在一张椭圆形的双人沙发的一端，又开始悄悄对他做工作。韦诺先生大概是过去爱吃甜食，弄坏了牙齿，一口一口地吃着干点心，像老鼠啃东西，发出轻轻的响声；而那个内务部办公室主任，嘴巴不离杯子，没完没了地喝茶。伯爵夫人不慌不忙地走到每个人面前，给客人们送茶点，客人们要不要，听凭自便，她在每个人面前站上几秒钟，用询问的神色瞅瞅客人，然后嫣然一笑，走开了。壁炉里的旺火把她的脸烤得通红，乍看上去像是她女儿的姐姐，她女儿与她相比显得又干瘪又呆板。福什利正在同她的丈夫和旺德夫尔谈话，当她走到他面前时，她发现他们闭口不说了，所以她停都未停，又走过去一点，把那杯茶递给了乔治·于贡。 "It's a lady who desires your company at supper," the journalist gaily continued, addressing Count Muffat." 想请你们吃夜宵的是位夫人。"新闻记者愉快地对缪法伯爵说道。 The last-named, whose face had worn its gray look all the evening, seemed very much surprised. What lady was it? 缪法伯爵整个晚上脸色灰沉沉的，听了这话，不禁惊讶起来，问道："是哪个夫人？" "Oh, Nana!" said Vandeuvres, by way of forcing the invitation." 哎！是娜娜！"旺德夫尔说道，他想让缪法伯爵快点接受邀请。 The count became more grave than before. His eyelids trembled just perceptibly, while a look of discomfort, such as headache produces, hovered for a moment athwart his forehead. 伯爵变得更严肃起来。只眨了几下眼皮，这时觉得有点不舒服，从额头上看出，似乎偏头痛发作了。 
可是我不认识这位夫人。"他喃喃说道。 "Come, come, you went to her house," remarked Vandeuvres." 得啦！你还去过她家哩。"旺德夫尔提示他。 "What d'you say? I went to her house? Oh yes, the other day, in behalf of the Benevolent Organization. I had forgotten about it. But, no matter, I am not acquainted with her, and I cannot accept."" 怎么！我到她家里去过！……啊！对啦，有一天，我代表赈济所去的。我记不起来了……去过又算什么，反正我不认识她，我不能接受她的邀请。" He had adopted an icy expression in order to make them understand that this jest did not appear to him to be in good taste. A man of his position did not sit down at tables of such women as that. Vandeuvres protested: it was to be a supper party of dramatic and artistic people, and talent excused everything. But without listening further to the arguments urged by Fauchery, who spoke of a dinner where the Prince of Scots, the son of a queen, had sat down beside an ex-music-hall singer, the count only emphasized his refusal. In so doing, he allowed himself, despite his great politeness, to be guilty of an irritated gesture. 他脸上露出一副冷漠样子，想让他们知道，跟他开这种玩笑毫无意思，像他这样有身份的人是不会到这样的女人家里吃饭的。旺德夫尔大声说："这是艺术家招待的夜宵，天才人物是原谅一切的。"福什利说，曾经有一次晚餐，苏格兰王子，就是王后的儿子，坐在一个在咖啡歌舞厅里当过歌手的女人旁边。伯爵对他的话压根儿不想再听下去，再三拒绝接受邀请。 Georges and La Faloise, standing in front of each other drinking their tea, had overheard the two or three phrases exchanged in their immediate neighborhood. 虽然他是个很讲礼貌的人，还是露出气乎乎的样子。乔治和拉法卢瓦兹面对面地站着喝茶，听见了旁边几个人的谈话。 
哦！原来是在娜娜家里，"拉法卢瓦兹低声说道，"我早就应该料到这地方了！" Georges said nothing, but he was all aflame. His fair hair was in disorder; his blue eyes shone like tapers, so fiercely had the vice, which for some days past had surrounded him, inflamed and stirred his blood. At last he was going to plunge into all that he had dreamed of! 乔治默不作声，但是他的热情却燃起来了，他的金发飘拂着，他的蓝蓝的眼睛像蜡烛似的闪闪发光。几天来他所陷进去的堕落念头，使他激动，使他心绪不宁。他终于进入他所梦想的境界了！ "I don't know the address," La Faloise resumed." 可惜我不知道她住在何处。"拉法卢瓦兹又说。 "She lives on a third floor in the Boulevard Haussmann, between the Rue de l'Arcade and the Rue Pesquier," said Georges all in a breath." 她住在奥斯曼大街，在拉卡德路与帕基埃之间的一幢楼的第四层楼上。"乔治一口气说出来。 And when the other looked at him in much astonishment, he added, turning very red and fit to sink into the ground with embarrassment and conceit: 拉法卢瓦兹惊异地瞅瞅他，他满脸绯红，既得意又尴尬，补充说道： 
我也受到了邀请，她是今天早上邀请我的。" But there was a great stir in the drawing room, and Vandeuvres and Fauchery could not continue pressing the count. The Marquis de Chouard had just come in, and everyone was anxious to greet him. He had moved painfully forward, his legs failing under him, and he now stood in the middle of the room with pallid face and eyes blinking, as though he had just come out of some dark alley and were blinded by the brightness of the lamps. 这时，客厅里骚动起来。旺德夫尔和福什利无法继续劝说伯爵了。舒阿尔侯爵进来了，大家都赶紧站起来迎接。侯爵两腿发软，步履维艰地站在客厅中央，面色苍白，两眼一眨一眨，好像刚从光线暗淡的胡同里出来，被刺眼的灯光照得睁不开眼睛。 "I scarcely hoped to see you tonight, Father," said the countess. "I should have been anxious till the morning."" 我以为您不会来了，爸爸，"伯爵夫人说道，"您若不来，我会担心到明天哩。" He looked at her without answering, as a man might who fails to understand. His nose, which loomed immense on his shorn face, looked like a swollen pimple, while his lower lip hung down. Seeing him such a wreck, Mme Hugon, full of kind compassion, said pitying things to him. 他只是看着她，一句话也不说，样子像没有听懂她的话。他的鼻子很大，在他那胡子刮得光光的脸上，鼻子像肿起来的大疙瘩；而他的下嘴唇下垂着。于贡夫人见他如此疲乏，对他既同情又怜悯，说道： "You work too hard. You ought to rest yourself. At our age we ought to leave work to the young people."" 您太劳累了。您应该休息……像我们这样的年龄的人，应该把工作让年轻人来干。" 
工作，啊！是的，工作，"侯爵终于结结巴巴说话了，"我总是有很多工作……" He began to pull himself together, straightening up his bent figure and passing his hand, as was his wont, over his scant gray hair, of which a few locks strayed behind his ears. 他的精神恢复正常了，驼着的背挺直了，用习惯的动作，把一只手放在白发上捋了捋，那稀疏的几绺鬈发在他的耳后飘拂着。 "At what are you working as late as this?" asked Mme du Joncquoy. "I thought you were at the financial minister's reception?"" 您干什么工作，干到这么晚？"杜·荣古瓦太太问道，"我还以为您去出席财政部长举行的招待会了呢。" But the countess intervened with:"My father had to study the question of a projected law." 伯爵夫人截住道："我父亲在研究一项法律草案。" "Yes, a projected law," he said; "exactly so, a projected law. I shut myself up for that reason. It refers to work in factories, and I was anxious for a proper observance of the Lord's day of rest. It is really shameful that the government is unwilling to act with vigor in the matter. Churches are growing empty; we are running headlong to ruin."" 对的，是一项法律草案，"他说，"一项法律草案，一点也不错……我一个人关起门来研究，是有关工厂的法律。但愿大家都遵守星期日的休息。政府不愿全力执行这项制度，这种做法确实不够体面。星期日教堂里阒无一人，我们正在走向灾难。"
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