目 录 上一节 下一节 
“我的意思是说，有些人一直到了这里还要神气活现。就说这位戈蒂埃小姐，好像她生活有点儿放荡，请原谅我用了这个词。现在，这位可怜的小姐，她死了；而如今没有给人落下过什么话柄我们却天天在她们坟上浇花的女人不是同样有的是吗？但是，那些葬在她旁边的死者的亲属知道了她是个什么样的人以后，亏他们想得出，说他们反对把她葬在这儿，还说这种女人应该像穷人一样，另外有个专门埋葬的地方。谁看见过这种事？我狠狠地把他们顶了回去：有些阔佬来看望他们死去的亲人，一年来不了四次，他们还自己带花束，看看都是些什么花！他们说要为死者哭泣，但却不肯花钱修理坟墓；他们在死者的墓碑上写得悲痛欲绝，却从未流过一滴眼泪，还要来跟他们亲属坟墓的邻居找麻烦。您信么？先生，我不认识这位小姐，我也不知道她做过些什么事，但是我喜欢她，这个可怜的小姑娘，我关心她，我给她拿来的茶花价格公道，她是我偏爱的死人。先生，我们这些人没有办法，只能爱死人，因为我们忙得不可开交，几乎没有时间去爱别的东西了。” I looked at this man, and some of my readers will understand, without my having to explain it to them, what I felt as I heard his words. 我望着这个人，用不着我多作解释，一些读者就会懂得，在我听他讲这些话的时候，我的内心有多么激动。 He sensed my feelings, no doubt, for he went on: 他可能也看出来了。因为他接着又说： 'They say there were gents who ruined themselves for that girl, and that she had lovers who worshipped her; well, when I think that there's not one comes and buys her a single flower, then I say that it's peculiar and sad. Though this one can't complain. She's got a grave, and if there's only one as remembers her, he does right by the others as well. But we've got poor girls here of the same sort and the same age that get thrown into a pauper's grave, and it breaks my heart when I hear their poor bodies drop into the earth. And not a soul looks out for them once they're dead! It's not always very cheery, this job of ours, especially when you've got a bit of feeling left in you. But what do you expect? I can't help it. I got a fine- looking grown-up daughter of twenty, and whenever some dead girl her age is brought in, I think of her, and be it some great lady or a trollop, I can't help being upset. “据说有些人为了这个姑娘倾家荡产，还说她有一些十分迷恋她的情人，嗨，当我想到竟然连买一朵花给她的人也没有，不免感到又是奇怪又是悲哀。不过，她也没有什么可抱怨的，因为她总算还有一个坟墓吧，虽说只有一个人怀念她，这个人也已经替别人做了这些事。但是我们这里还有一些和她身世相同、年龄相仿的可怜的姑娘，她们被埋在公共墓地里。每当我听到她们可怜的尸体被扔进墓地的时候，我的心总像被撕碎了似地难受。只要她们一死，就谁也不管她们了。干我们这一行的，尤其是如果还有些良心的话，有时是快活不起来的唷。您说有什么办法呢？我也是无能为力的啊！我有一个二十岁的美丽的大姑娘，每当有人送来一个和她一样年纪的女尸时，我就想到了她，不论送来的是一位阔小姐，还是一个流浪女，我都难免要动感情。 But I expect I'm wearying you with all this talk, and you didn't come here to listen to me going on. I was told to take you to Mademoiselle Gautier's grave and here you are. Is there anything else I can do for you?' “这些罗唆事您一定听厌烦了吧，再说您也不是来听这些故事的。他们要我带您到戈蒂埃小姐的坟上来，这儿就是，您还有什么事要我做吗？” 
“您知不知道阿尔芒·迪瓦尔先生的住址？”我问这个园丁。 'Yes, he lives in the rue de, or at least that's where I went to get paid for all the flowers you see here.' “我知道，他住在……街，您看见这些花了吧，买这些花的钱我就是到那儿去收的。” 'Thank you, my man.' “谢谢您，我的朋友。” I cast a final glance at the flower- strewn grave whose depths, despite myself, I would have gladly plumbed for a sight of what the earth had done with the beautiful creature who had been lowered into it, and then I came away, feeling very sad. 我最后望了一眼这个铺满鲜花的坟墓，不由自主地产生了一个念头，想探测一下坟墓有多深，好看看被丢在泥土里的那个漂亮的女人究竟怎么样了，然后，我心情忧郁地离开了玛格丽特的坟墓。 'Do you want to see Monsieur Duval, sir?' continued the gardener, who walked at my side. “先生是不是想去拜访迪瓦尔先生？”走在我旁边的园丁接着说。 
“是的。” 'The thing is, I'm pretty near certain that he's not back yet. Otherwise I'd have seen him here already.' “我肯定他还没有回来，要不他早到这儿来了。” 'So you are convinced that he hasn't forgotten Marguerite?' “那么您可以肯定他没有忘记玛格丽特吗？” 'Not just convinced, I'd bet anything that this wanting to move her to another grave is his way of wanting to see her again.' “不但可以肯定，而且我可以打赌，他想替玛格丽特迁葬就是为了想再见她一面。” 'How do you mean?' “这是怎么回事？” 
“上次他到公墓来时第一句话就是‘有什么办法可以再见到她呢？’这样的事除非迁葬才办得到。我把迁葬需要办的手续一一告诉了他，因为您知道，要替死人迁葬，必须先验明尸身，而这要得到死者家属的许可才能做，而且还要由警长来主持。迪瓦尔先生去找戈蒂埃小姐的姐姐就是为了征得她的同意。他一回来肯定会先到我们这儿来的。” We had arrived at the cemetery gates; I thanked the gardener again, slipping a few coins into his hand, and I went round to the address he had given me. 我们走到了公墓的门口，我又一次谢了园丁，给了他几个零钱，就向他告诉我的那个地址走去。 Armand was not back. 阿尔芒还没有回来。 I left a note for him, asking him to come and see me as soon as he arrived, or to let me know where I might find him. 我在他家里留了话，请他回来以后就来看我，或者通知我在什么地方可以找到他。 The following morning, I received a letter from Duval which informed me of his return and asked me to drop by, adding that, being worn out by fatigue, it was impossible for him to go out. 第二天早晨，我收到了迪瓦尔先生的一封信，他告诉我他已经回来了，请我到他家里去，还说他因为疲劳过度不能外出。 
我去看阿尔芒的时候，他正躺在床上。 When he saw me, he held out his hand. It was hot. 他一看见我，就向我伸出滚烫的手。 'You have a temperature, ' I said. “您在发烧，”我对他说。 'It won't come to anything ?the fatigue of a hurried journey, nothing more.' “没事，只是路上赶得太急，感到疲劳罢了。” 'Have you come from Marguerite's sister's?' “您从玛格丽特姐姐家里回来吗？” 
“是啊，谁告诉您的？” 'I just know. And did you get what you wanted?' “我已经知道了，您想办的事谈成了吗？” 'Yes, again. But who told you about my journey and my reasons for making it?' “谈成了，但是，谁告诉您我出门了？谁告诉您我出门去干什么的？” 'The gardener at the cemetery.' “公墓的园丁。” 'You saw the grave?' “您看到那座坟墓了吗？” 
我简直不敢回答，因为他讲这句话的声调说明他的心情还是非常痛苦，就像我上次看到他的时候一样。每当他自己的思想或者别人的谈话触及这个使他伤心的话题时，他那激动的心情会有很长一段时间不能自持。 I settled therefore for answering with a nod. 因此我只是点点头，表示我已去过。 'Has he taken good care of it?' continued Armand. “坟墓照管得很好吧？”阿尔芒接着说。
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