目 录 上一节 下一节 
我的眼睛不由自主地向床上望去，床上没有凌乱的迹象； 至于玛格丽特，她已经换上了白色的睡衣。 We sat down at table. 大家围着桌子坐了下来。 Charm, sweetness, high-spirits ?Marguerite had everything, and from time to time I had to admit that I had no right to ask anything else of her, that many a man would be happy to be in my shoes and that, like Virgil's shepherd, I had only to partake of the easy times which a god, or rather a goddess, held out to me. 娇媚、温柔、多情，玛格丽特什么也不缺，我不得不时时提醒自己，我没有权利再向她要求什么了。任何人处在我的地位一定会感到无限幸福，我像维吉尔笔下的牧羊人一样，坐享着一位天神、更可以说是一位女神赐给我的欢乐。 I tried to put Prudence's theories into practice and be as gay as my two companions. But what came naturally to them was an effort for me, and my excited laughter, which they misunderstood, was very close to tears. 我尽力照普律当丝的劝告去办，强使自己跟那两个女伴一样快乐；她们的感情是自然的，我却是硬逼出来的。我那神经质的欢笑几乎像哭一样，她们却信以为真。 At length, supper ended and I remained alone with Marguerite. As was her habit, she went and sat on her rug in front of the fire and looked sadly into the flames in the hearth. 吃完夜宵以后，只剩下我跟玛格丽特两个人了，她像往常一样，过来坐在炉火前的地毯上，愁容满面地望着炉子里的火焰。 
她在沉思！想些什么？我不得而知，我怀着恋情，几乎还带着恐惧地望着她，因为我想到了自己准备为她忍受的痛苦。 'Do you know what I was thinking?' “你知道我在想什么？” 'No.' “不知道。” 'About this scheme I've hit on.' “我在想办法，我已经想出来了。” 'And what is this scheme?' “什么办法？” 
“现在我还不能告诉你，但是我可以把这件事的结果告诉你。那就是一个月以后我就可以自由了，我将什么也不欠，我们可以一起到乡下避暑去了。” 'And can't you tell me how this is to be managed?' “难道您就不能告诉我用的是什么办法吗？” 'No. All it needs is for you to love me as I love you, and everything will come out right.' “不能，只要你能像我爱你一样地爱我，那一切定能成功。” 'And did you hit on this scheme all by yourself?' “那么这个办法是您一个人想出来的吗？” 'Yes.' “是的。” 
“而且由您一个人去办吗？” 'I'll have all the worry myself, ' Marguerite said with a smile which I shall never forget, 'but we will both share the profits.' “由我一个人来承受烦恼，”玛格丽特微笑着对我说，这种微笑是我永远也忘不了的，“但是由我们来共同分享好处。” I recalled Manon Lescaut running through M. de B's money with Des Grieux. 听到“好处”这两个字我不禁脸红了，我想起了玛侬·莱斯科和德·格里欧两人一起把B先生当作冤大头的事。 I answered a little roughly as I got to my feet: 我站起身来，用稍嫌生硬的语气回答说： 'You will be good enough, my dear Marguerite, to allow me to share the profits of only those enterprises which I myself contrive and execute.' “亲爱的玛格丽特，请允许我只分享我自己想出的办法的好处，而且是由我自己参加的事情中所得到的好处。” 
“这是什么意思？” 'It means that I strongly suspect that Count de G is your associate in this splendid scheme, of which I accept neither the costs nor the profits.' “这意思是，我非常怀疑G伯爵在这个美妙的办法里面是不是您的合伙人，对于这个办法我既不负担责任，也不享受它的好处。” 'Don't be childish. I thought you loved me, but I was wrong. As you wish.' “您真是个孩子，我还以为您是爱我的哩，我想错了，那么好吧。” And, so saying, she got up, opened her piano and once more began playing The Invitation to the Waltz as for as the famous passage in the major key which always got the better of her. 说到这里，她站了起来，打开钢琴开始弹那首《邀舞曲》，一直弹到她总是弹不下去的那段为止。 Was this done out of habit, or was it to remind me of the day we first met? All I know is that with this tune, the memories came flooding back and, drawing close to her, I took her head in my hands and kissed her. 不知道她是习惯于弹这支乐曲呢、还是为了要我回想起我们相识那天的情景，我所记得的，就是一听到这个曲调以后，往事就浮现在我的脑海之中，于是，我向她走过去，用双手捧住她的头吻了吻。 
“您原谅我吗？”我对她说。 'Can't you tell?' she answered. 'But note that this is just our second day, and already I've got something to forgive you for. You're not very good at keeping your promises of blind obedience.' “您瞧，”她对我说，“我们相识才两天，而我已经有些事情要原谅您了，您说过要盲目服从我，但您说话不算数。” 'I'm sorry, Marguerite, I love you too much, and I just have to know everything you think. What you suggested just now should make me jump for joy, but your mysteriousness about what happens before the plan is carried out makes my heart sink.' “您叫我怎么办呢，玛格丽特，我太爱您了，我对您任何一点想法都要猜疑，您刚才向我提到的事使我快乐得心花怒放，但是实行这个计划的神秘性却使我感到难受。” 'Oh come now, let's talk about this seriously for a moment, ' she went on, taking my two hands and looking at me with a bewitching smile which I was quite incapable of resisting. 'You love me, do you not, and you'd be happy to spend three or four months alone with me in the country? I too would be happy for us to be alone together, not just happy to go away with you but I need to for my health. I can't leave Paris for so long without putting my affairs in order, and the affairs of a woman like me are invariably very tangled. Well, I've found a way of bringing it all together ?my affairs and my love for you, yes, you, don't laugh, I'm mad enough to be in love with you! And then you get all hoity-toity and start coming out with fine words. Silly boy! Silly, silly boy! Just remember that I love you and don't worry your head about a thing. Well, is it agreed?' “看您，冷静一点吧，”她握着我两只手说，同时带着一种使我无法抗拒的媚人的微笑凝视着我，“您爱我，是吗？那么如果就您和我两个人在乡下过三四个月，您会感到高兴的吧。我也一样，能够过几天只有我们两个人的那种清静生活，我将觉得很幸福。我不但觉得幸福，而且这种生活对我的健康也有好处。要离开巴黎这么长时间，总得先把我的事情安排一下，像我这样一个女人，杂事总是很多的。好吧，我总算有了法子来安排一切，安排我的那些杂事和我对您的爱情，是的，对您的爱情，请别笑，我爱您爱得发疯呢！而您现在却神气得很，说起大话来啦。真是孩子气，十足的孩子气，您只要记住我爱您，其他您什么也不要管。同意吗？嗯？” 'Everything you want is agreed, as you know very well.' “您想做的我都同意，这您是很清楚的。” 
“那么，一个月以内，我们就可以到某个乡村去，在河边散步，喝鲜奶。我，玛格丽特·戈蒂埃说这样的话，您可能会感到奇怪吧，我的朋友。这种看来似乎使我十分幸福的巴黎生活，一旦不能激起我的热情，就会使我感到厌烦，因此我突然向往起能使我想起童年时代的那种安静生活。无论是谁都有他的童年时代。喔！您放心，我不会跟您说我是一个退役上校的女儿，或者说我是从圣德尼①培养出来的。我是一个乡下的穷姑娘，六年前我连自己的名字也不会写。这样您就放心了，是吗？那么为什么我有生以来第一次对您说要跟您分享我所得到的快乐。因为我看出您是为了我，而不是为了您自己才爱我的。而别人，从来就是为了他们自己而爱我。 'I've been to the country many times, but never the way I should have liked. I'm counting on you to provide the simple happiness I want. Don't be unkind: indulge me. Tell yourself this: "She's not likely to live to be old, and some day I should be sorry I didn't do the very first thing she ever asked me, for it was such a simple thing."' “我过去经常到乡下去，但我从来没有像这一次这样一心想去；对这一次唾手可得的幸福我就指望着您了，别跟我闹别扭，让我得到这个幸福吧！您可以这样想：她活不长了，她第一次要求我做一件轻而易举的事我就不答应她，我以后会不会后悔呢？” What answer could I give to such words, especially with the memory of a first night of love behind me and with the prospect of a second to come? 对这些话我还有什么话好说呢？尤其是我还在回味着第一夜的恩爱，盼望着第二夜到来的时候。
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