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我凝望着这座房子，最后我竟以为这座房子是属于我的了，因为它是多么符合我的梦想啊。我在这座房子里看到了玛格丽特和我两人，白天在这座山岗上的树林之中，晚上一起坐在绿草地上，我心里在想，这个世界上难道还有什么人能像我们这样幸福的吗？ 'What a pretty house!' said Marguerite, who had been following the direction of my eyes and perhaps my thoughts. “多么漂亮的房子！”玛格丽特对我说，她已经随着我的视线看到了这座房子，可能还有着和我同样的想法。 'Where?' said Prudence. “在哪里？”普律当丝问。 'Over there.' And Marguerite pointed to the house in question. “那边。”玛格丽特指着那所房子。 'Oh, it's lovely, ' replied Prudence. 'Do you like it?' “啊！真美，”普律当丝接着说，“您喜欢它吗？” 
“非常喜欢。” 'Well, then, tell the Duke to rent it for you. He'll rent it for you all right, I'm sure of it. You can leave it all to me if you want.' “那么，对公爵说要他把房子给您租下来，我肯定他会同意的，这件事我负责。如果您愿意的话，让我来办。” Marguerite looked at me, as though to ask what I thought of the suggestion. 玛格丽特望着我，似乎在征求我对这个意见的看法。 My dream had been shattered with these last words of Prudence, and its going had brought me back to reality with such a jolt that I was still dazed by the shock. 我的梦想已经随着普律当丝最后几句话破灭了，我突然一下子掉落在现实之中，被摔得头晕眼花。 'Why, it's an excellent idea, ' I stammered, not knowing what I was saying. “是啊，这个主意真妙，”我结结巴巴地说，也不知道自己在说些什么。 
“那么，一切由我来安排，”玛格丽特握着我的手说，她是依着自己的愿望来理解我的话的，“快去看看这座房子是不是出租。” The house was empty, and to let for two thousand francs. 房子空着，租金是两千法郎。 'Will you be happy here?' she said to me. “您高兴到这里来吗？”她问我说。 'Can I be sure of ever being here?' “我肯定能到这儿来吗？” 'Who would I choose to bury myself here for, if not for you?' “如果不是为了您，那么我躲到这儿来又是为了谁呢？” 
“好吧，玛格丽特，让我自己来租这座房子吧。” 'You must be mad! It's not only unnecessary, it would be dangerous. You know perfectly well that I can only take money from one man. So don't be difficult, silly boy, and don't say another word.' “您疯了吗？这不但没有好处，而且还有危险，您明知道我只能接受一个人的安排，让我来办吧，傻小子，别多说了。” 'This way, when I've got a couple of days free, I can come down and spend them with you, ' said Prudence. “这样的话，如果我一连有两天空闲，我就来和你们一起住。”普律当丝说。 We left the house and set off back to Paris talking of this latest decision. I held Marguerite in my arms and, by the time we stepped out of the carriage, I was beginning to view my mistress's scheme with a less scrupulous eye. 我们离开这座房子，踏上了去巴黎的道路，一面还在谈着这个新的计划。我把玛格丽特搂在怀里，以致在我下车的时候，已经能稍许平心静气地来考虑我情妇的计划了。 THE next day, Marguerite sent me away punctually, saying that the Duke was expected early that morning, and promising to write the moment he left to let me know where we should meet in the evening. 第二天，玛格丽特很早就打发我走了，她对我说公爵一大早就要来，并答应我公爵一离开就写信通知我像每天晚上那样都要相会的时间和地点。 
果然，我在白天就收到了这封信。 'Am going to Bougival with the Duke. Be at Prudence's this evening at eight.' 我和公爵一起到布吉瓦尔去了；晚上八点到普律当丝家里等我。 At the appointed time, Marguerite was back and she came to meet me at Madame Duvernoy's. 玛格丽特准时回来了，并到迪韦尔诺瓦太太家里来会我。 'Well, it's all arranged, ' she said as she came in. “行啦，一切都安排好了，”她进来的时候说。 'The house is taken?' asked Prudence. “房子租下来了吗？”普律当丝问道。 
“租下来了，一说他就同意了。” I did not know the Duke, but I was ashamed to be deceiving him like this. 我不认识公爵，但是像我这样欺骗他，我感到羞耻。 'But that's not all, ' Marguerite went on. “不过还没有完哪！”玛格丽特又说。 'There's more?' “还有什么事？” 'I was worried about where Armand could stay.' “我在考虑阿尔芒的住处。” 
“不是跟您住在一起吗？”普律当丝笑着问道。 'No, at the Point du Jour, where the Duke and I had lunch. While he was looking at the view, I asked Madame Arnould ?she is called Madame Arnould, isn't she? ?I asked her if she had any suitable apartments. And she has one, with a drawing-room, a reception room and a bedroom. That's all we need, I'd say. Sixty francs a month. The whole place furnished in a manner that would take a hypochondriac's mind off his ailments. I took it. Did I do well?' “不，他住在我和公爵一起吃午饭的曙光饭店里。在公爵观赏风景的时候，我问阿尔努太太，她不是叫阿尔努太太吗？我问她有没有合适的房间可供出租，她正好有一套，包括客厅、会客室和卧室。我想，这样就什么都不缺了，六十法郎一个月，房间里的陈设即使一个生忧郁病的人看了也会高兴起来的。我租下了这套房间，我干得好吗？” I flung my arms around Marguerite's neck. 我紧紧拥抱玛格丽特。 'It'll be lovely, ' she went on. 'You'll have a key to the side door, and I promised the Duke that he shall have a key to the main gate which he won't take since he'll only ever come during the day when he comes at all. Between ourselves, I think he's delighted by this whim of mine, for it'll get me out of Paris for a while and help to shut his family up. Even so, he did ask how it was that I, who love Paris so much, could make up my mind to bury myself in the country. I told him I wasn't well and this way I could rest. He didn't seem to believe me altogether. The poor old thing always seems to have his back against a wall. So we will be very careful, dear Armand, because he'll have me watched there. And he's not done with just renting a house for me: he's also going to have to pay my debts and, unfortunately, I've a few of those. Is all this all right with you?' “这真太妙了，”她继续说，“您拿着小门上的钥匙，我答应把栅栏门的钥匙给公爵，不过他不会要的，因为他即使来也只是在白天。说实在的，我想他对我突然要离开巴黎一段时间的想法一定觉得很高兴，这样也可以使他家里少说些闲话。但是他问我，我这么热爱巴黎，怎么会决定隐居到乡下去的。我告诉他说，因为我身体不好，要到乡下去休养，他似乎不太相信我的话。这个可怜的老头儿经常听到有人说闲话，所以我们要多加小心，我亲爱的阿尔芒。因为他会派人在那儿监视我的，我不单要他为我租一座房子，我还要他替我还债呢，因为倒霉得很，我还欠着一些债。您看这样安排对您合适吗？” 'Yes, ' I replied, trying to silence the scruples which this kind of life a wakened from time to time. “合适，”我回答说，我对这样的生活安排总觉得不是滋味，但我忍住不说出来。 
“我们仔仔细细地参观了这座房子，将来我们住在那里一定非常称心。公爵样样都想到了。啊！亲爱的，”她快乐得像疯了似的搂住我说，“您真福气，有一个百万富翁为您铺床呢。” 'And when are you thinking of moving down there?' asked Prudence. “那您什么时候搬过去？”普律当丝问。 'As soon as possible.' “越早越好。” 'Will you be taking your carriage and the horses?' “您把车马也带去吗？” 'I shall be taking everything. You can look after the apartment while I'm away.' “我把家里的东西全都搬去，我不在家时您替我看家。”
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