目 录 上一节 下一节 
但是她脸上的神态是一本正经的。 'Are you going to say goodbye to Marguerite?' she went on, with the same seriousness. “您是去向玛格丽特告别吗？”她又接着说，脸上还是那么严肃。 'No.' “不是的。” 'Very wise.' “这样很好。” 'You think so?' “您以为这样好吗？” 
“当然啦，既然您已经跟她吹了，何必再去看她呢？” 'So you know it's all over?' “那么您知道我们吹了？” 'She showed me your letter.' “她把您的信给我看了。” 'And what did she say?' “那么她对您说什么啦？” 'She said: "My dear Prudence, your protege has no manners. People compose letters like this in their heads, but no one actually writes them down."' “她对我说：‘亲爱的普律当丝，您那位宝贝不懂礼貌，这种信只能在心里想想，哪能写出来呢。’” 
“她是用什么语气对您说的？” 'She was laughing. And she also said: "He came to supper twice and now won't even make his party call."' “是笑着说的，她还说：‘他在我家里吃过两次夜宵，连上门道谢都还没有来过呢。’” So this was all the effect my letter and jealous torments had produced! I was cruelly humiliated in my pride of love. 这就是我的信和我的嫉妒所产生的结果。我在爱情方面的虚荣心受到了残酷的损伤。 'And what did she do yesterday evening?' “昨天晚上她在干什么？” 'She went to the Opera.' “她到大歌剧院去了。” 
“这我知道，后来呢？” 'She had supper at home.' “她在家里吃夜宵。” 'Alone?' “一个人吗？” 'With Count de G, I believe.' “我想，是跟G伯爵一起吧。” So the break I had made had altered nothing in Marguerite's habits. 这样说来我和她的决裂丝毫没有改变玛格丽特的习惯。 
遇到这样的情况，有些人就会对您说： "You shouldn't have given the woman another moment's thought. She clearly didn't love you." “决不要再去想这个不爱您的女人了。” 'Ah well, I'm very pleased to see that Marguerite isn't pining for me, ' I went on, with a forced smile. 我勉强笑了笑说：“好吧，看到玛格丽特没有为我而感到难过，我很高兴。” 'And she's absolutely right. You did what you had to. You've been much more sensible than her, for she really loved you. All she did was talk about you, and she might have ended up doing something silly.' “她这样做是很合情理的。您已经做了您应该做的事，您比她更理智些，因为这个姑娘爱着您，她一张口就谈到您，她是什么蠢事都做得出来的。” 'If she loves me, why didn't she reply?' “既然她爱我，为什么不给我写回信呢？” 
“因为她已经知道她是不该爱您的。再说女人们有时候能容忍别人在爱情上欺骗她们，但决不允许别人伤害她们的自尊心，尤其是一个人做了她两天情人就离开她，那么不管这次决裂原因何在，总是要伤害一个女人的自尊心的。我了解玛格丽特，她宁死也不会给您写回信的。” 'What should I do, then?' “那么我该怎么办呢？” 'Nothing. She will forget you, you will forget her and neither of you will have anything to reproach each other for.' “就此拉倒，她会忘记您，您也会忘记她，你们双方谁也别埋怨谁。” 'What if I wrote asking her to forgive me?' “但是如果我写信求她饶恕呢？” 'Don't. She would.' “千万不要这样做，她可能会原谅您的。” 
我差一点跳起来搂普律当丝的脖子。 A quarter of an hour later, I was back in my rooms and writing to Marguerite. 一刻钟以后，我回到家里，接着就给玛格丽特写信。 'Someone who repents of a letter which he wrote yesterday, someone who will go away tomorrow if you do not forgive him, wishes to know at what time be may call and lay his repentance at your feet. 有一个人对他昨天写的信表示后悔，假使您不宽恕他，他明天就要离开巴黎，他想知道什么时候可以拜倒在您脚下，倾诉他的悔恨。 When will be find you alone? For, as you know, confessions should always be made without witnesses.' 什么时候您可以单独会见他？因为您知道，做忏悔的时候是不能有旁人在场的。 I folded this kind of madrigal in prose and sent Joseph with it. He handed it to Marguerite herself, and she told him that she would reply later. 我把这封用散文写的情诗折了起来，差约瑟夫送去，他把信交给了玛格丽特本人，她回答说她过一会儿就写回信。 
我一直没有出门，只是在吃饭的时候才出去了一会儿，一直到晚上十一点我还没有收到她的回信。 I resolved that I should suffer no more and leave the next day. 我不能再这样痛苦下去了，决定明天就动身。 Having made up my mind, knowing that I would not sleep if I went to bed, I began to pack my trunks. 由于下了这个决心，我深知即便躺在床上，我也是睡不着的，我便动手收拾行李。 JOSEPH and I had been getting everything ready for my departure for about an hour, when there was a violent ringing at my door. 我和约瑟夫为我动身做准备，忙了将近一个小时，突然有人猛拉我家的门铃。 'Should I answer it?' said Joseph. “要不要开门？”约瑟夫问我。 
“开吧，”我对他说，心里在嘀咕谁会在这种时候上我家来，因为我不敢相信这会是玛格丽特。 'Sir, ' said Joseph when he returned, 'there are two ladies? “先生，”约瑟夫回来对我说，“是两位太太。” 'It's us, Armand, ' cried a voice which I recognized as belonging to Prudence. “是我们，阿尔芒，”一个嗓子嚷道，我听出这是普律当丝的声音。 I emerged from my bedroom. 我走出卧室。 Prudence was standing and gazing about her at the few curios dotted around my drawing-room; Marguerite was sitting on the sofa, occupied by her thoughts. 普律当丝站着观赏我会客室里的几件摆设，玛格丽特坐在沙发椅里沉思。
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