目 录 上一节 下一节 
我正是想让她丢脸,出出丑。她一向仗着自己长得娇俏玲珑,又有那么点大家闺秀的风韵就傲慢骄横,无礼放肆,忘了自己姓甚名谁了。这次狠狠教训她一顿,看她以后还敢不敢如此猖狂!" "But, Cousin, consider that, if you destroy delicacy and a sense of shame in a young girl, you deprave her very fast."" 可是,弟妹,这样会毁了一个女孩子的文雅和羞耻心的,那她就会很快堕落下去!" "Delicacy!" said Marie, with a scornful laugh,--"a fine word for such as she! I'll teach her, with all her airs, that she's no better than the raggedest black wench that walks the streets! She'll take no more airs with me!"" 文雅?"玛丽带着几丝讥讽的语气说,"她也配用这么好的字眼?我就是要好好收拾她,让她瞧瞧,还敢在这儿摆小姐派头,其实她不过和街头流浪的那些肮脏的黑鬼一个样,看她下回还敢不敢在我面前招摇!" "You will answer to God for such cruelty!" said Miss Ophelia, with energy." 这样做太残酷了,以后怎么对上帝交代?"奥菲利亚小姐下死劲说了句重话。 "Cruelty,--I'd like to know what the cruelty is! I wrote orders for only fifteen lashes, and told him to put them on lightly. I'm sure there's no cruelty there!"" 残酷?我倒想知道什么叫残酷呢,我只不过让人打她十五鞭子,还是往轻里打,怎么见得就残酷了?" 
还不残酷?!"奥菲利亚小姐说,"我敢断定,任何一个女孩子都会觉得还不如立马死了好!" "It might seem so to anybody with your feeling; but all these creatures get used to it; it's the only way they can be kept in order. Once let them feel that they are to take any airs about delicacy, and all that, and they'll run all over you, just as my servants always have. I've begun now to bring them under; and I'll have them all to know that I'll send one out to be whipped, as soon as another, if they don't mind themselves!" said Marie, looking around her decidedly." 只有你这么感性的人才这么想呢!挨打对这帮家伙来说已经是家常便饭了,要让他们服贴就得打,一旦纵容他们呀,让他们摆出斯文样,他们马上就骑到你头上来了,我们家的仆人可不就是最好的例子吗?从现在开始,我就要杀杀他们的这股子邪气,得让他们明白,要是他们自己不尊重自己,就别怪我不客气,我挨个地把他们送出去挨鞭子,一点都不带迟疑的!"玛丽坚决地说着,严厉地向周围扫了一眼。 Jane hung her head and cowered at this, for she felt as if it was particularly directed to her. Miss Ophelia sat for a moment, as if she had swallowed some explosive mixture, and were ready to burst. Then, recollecting the utter uselessness of contention with such a nature, she shut her lips resolutely, gathered herself up, and walked out of the room. 简听了这话,吓得垂下头去,身子缩做一团,仿佛这话是专对她说的。奥菲利亚小姐坐了一会儿,仿佛觉得吞了炸药一般,马上就要引爆了。她想,跟这种人再争论下去无异于白费唇舌,便果断地闭了嘴,鼓足勇气站起来,朝屋外走去。 It was hard to go back and tell Rosa that she could do nothing for her; and, shortly after, one of the man-servants came to say that her mistress had ordered him to take Rosa with him to the whipping-house, whither she was hurried, in spite of her tears and entreaties. 她回去告诉罗莎,她对此无能为力,深感抱歉,也感到非常难过。不一会儿,一个男仆过来说是女主人让他带罗莎去鞭笞站,无论罗莎如何哭叫哀求都无济于事了,男仆还是押着她匆匆走了。 A few days after, Tom was standing musing by the balconies, when he was joined by Adolph, who, since the death of his master, had been entirely crest-fallen and disconsolate. Adolph knew that he had always been an object of dislike to Marie; but while his master lived he had paid but little attention to it. Now that he was gone, he had moved about in daily dread and trembling, not knowing what might befall him next. Marie had held several consultations with her lawyer; after communicating with St. Clare's brother, it was determined to sell the place, and all the servants, except her own personal property, and these she intended to take with her, and go back to her father's plantation. 几天之后,汤姆正站在阳台上想心事,阿道夫走了过来。自从男主人死后,阿道夫一直唉声叹气,闷闷不乐,他知道自己向来为玛丽所厌恶,不过男主人在时还无所谓;现在男主人一死,他无日不胆战心凉,如履薄冰,不知道哪一天灾难就会降临。玛丽和她的律师谈了几次,后来又跟圣克莱尔的哥哥进行了商榷,决定把房产和所有的仆人都卖出去,她自己的个人财产不在卖之列,她打算将这些带回她父亲的庄园上去。 
汤姆,你知道吗,我们就要被卖掉了!"阿道夫说。 "How did you hear that?" said Tom." 你从哪儿知道的消息?"汤姆问。 "I hid myself behind the curtains when Missis was talking with the lawyer. In a few days we shall be sent off to auction, Tom."" 女主人和律师说话的时候,我藏在帘子后听到的。不出这几天,我们就要被送到拍卖行去。" "The Lord's will be done!" said Tom, folding his arms and sighing heavily." 那就只有听天由命了!"汤姆抱起胳膊,深深地叹了口气。 "We'll never get another such a master, said Adolph, apprehensively; "but I'd rather be sold than take my chance under Missis."" 不过,我们再也遇不到这样的主人了!"阿道夫说着,声音里夹杂着恐惧,"唉,若是落在女主人的手中,我倒宁愿被卖出去!" 
汤姆思绪万千,转身离开了。对自由的憧憬,对远方妻儿的思念一起涌上了他的心头,尽管他极具耐心,但那种可望而不可即的失望还是让他感到煎熬,就好像一个经过长途跋涉、已快抵达港口的水手,他已经望到了故乡教堂的塔尖和亲切的屋顶,不料船却突然翻了,他只能从黑黝黝的塔尖上望它们最后一眼。汤姆把双臂紧紧地抱在胸前,咽回苦涩的泪水,努力定下心来做祷告。这苦命的仆人对自由的热爱已到了无以复加的地步,却屡次不得,因此心里充满强烈的痛楚。他越是念"愿你旨意行在地上",越是感到难受。 He sought Miss Ophelia, who, ever since Eva's death, had treated him with marked and respectful kindness. 他去向奥菲利亚小姐求助。伊娃死后,她都对他非常尊重,非常和善。 "Miss Feely," he said, "Mas'r St. Clare promised me my freedom. He told me that he had begun to take it out for me; and now, perhaps, if Miss Feely would be good enough to speak bout it to Missis, she would feel like goin' on with it, was it as Mas'r St. Clare's wish."" 奥菲利亚小姐,"汤姆说,"圣克莱尔先生生前曾许诺给我自由,他说他已经在办手续了。因此,我想请您在太太面前提提这事。既然这是圣克莱尔先生生前的愿望,或许太太会答应的。" "I'll speak for you, Tom, and do my best," said Miss Ophelia; "but, if it depends on Mrs. St. Clare, I can't hope much for you;--nevertheless, I will try."" 我一定会尽力帮你的,汤姆,"奥菲利亚小姐说,"但是,如果这事由圣克莱尔夫人决定的话,我看希望不太大。不过,我还是会帮你争取的。" This incident occurred a few days after that of Rosa, while Miss Ophelia was busied in preparations to return north. 这是罗莎的事发生几天之后。当时,奥菲利亚小姐正在打点行装,准备回北方去。 
奥菲利亚小姐想到上次和玛丽交谈时,可能自己火气过大,言语间有些冒犯。因此,这一次她决定心平气和地与玛丽好好谈谈,语气尽量委婉含蓄。于是,这个善良的女人鼓足了勇气,带着毛线活,来到了玛丽的屋子。她决定使出浑身解数,竭尽全力促成汤姆的好事。 She found Marie reclining at length upon a lounge, supporting herself on one elbow by pillows, while Jane, who had been out shopping, was displaying before her certain samples of thin black stuffs. 玛丽正斜靠在沙发上,一只胳膊搭在靠垫上支撑着身子。简刚从街上采购回几种黑纱衣料,把它们放在玛丽面前。 "That will do," said Marie, selecting one; "only I'm not sure about its being properly mourning."" 嗯,这块看着不错,"玛丽说,"不过,不知道守丧期间能不能穿。" "Laws, Missis," said Jane, volubly, "Mrs. General Derbennon wore just this very thing, after the General died, last summer; it makes up lovely!"" 哎呀,太太,"简开始滔滔不绝地说,"去年夏天德本农将军过世时,他太太穿的就是这种料子。这种料子正适合居丧穿呢!" "What do you think?" said Marie to Miss Ophelia." 你看怎样?"玛丽问奥菲利亚小姐。 
我看这是风俗问题,"奥菲利亚小姐说,"这种事还是你自己决定吧!" "The fact is," said Marie, "that I haven't a dress in the world that I can wear; and, as I am going to break up the establishment, and go off, next week, I must decide upon something."" 不瞒你说,"玛丽说,"我连适合现在穿的衣服都没有。我打算解散这个家,下礼拜就离开这里,所以现在得选好衣服料子。" "Are you going so soon?"" 这么快就离开吗?" "Yes. St. Clare's brother has written, and he and the lawyer think that the servants and furniture had better be put up at auction, and the place left with our lawyer."" 对,圣克莱尔的哥哥已经来信了,他和律师都建议把仆人和家具送出去拍卖,房子由我们家的律师看管。"
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