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“放心好了。” 'And if she sends you anything else to sell or pawn, let me know.' “如果她再托您卖掉或者当掉什么东西，您就来告诉我。” 'There's no danger of that. She's got nothing left.' “不用操心，她已什么也没有了。” From there, I went to my apartment to see if there were any letters from my father. 我先回到家里看看有没有我父亲的来信。 There were four. 有四封。 
在前三封信里，父亲因我没有去信而担忧，他问我是什么原因。在最后一封信里，他暗示已经有人告诉他我生活上的变化，并通知我说不久他就要到巴黎来。 I have always felt great respect and a genuine affection for my father. So I wrote back saying that the reason for my silence was that I had been away travelling for a while, and I asked him to let me know on which day he proposed to arrive so that I could be there to meet him. 我素来很尊敬我的父亲，并对他怀有一种很真挚的感情。 因此我就回信给他说我所以不回信是因为作了一次短途旅行，并请他预先告诉我他到达的日期，以便我去接他。 I gave my servant my country address and left orders that he was to bring the first letter that came postmarked C. Then I set off again immediately for Bougival. 我把我乡下的地址告诉了我的仆人，并嘱咐他一接到有C城邮戳的来信就送给我，随后我马上又回到布吉瓦尔。 Marguerite was waiting for me at the garden gate. 玛格丽特在花园门口等我。 Her look was anxious. She threw her arms around my neck and could not stop herself asking: 她的眼神显得很忧愁。她一把搂住我，情不自禁地问我： 
“你遇到普律当丝了吗？” 'No.' “没有。” 'Why did you stay so long in Paris?' “你怎么在巴黎呆了这么久？” 'I found some letters from my father which I had to answer.' “我收到了父亲的几封信，我必须写回信给他。” A few moments after this, Nanine came in. She was out of breath. Marguerite stood up, went over and spoke to her softly. 不一会儿，纳尼娜气喘吁吁地进来了。玛格丽特站起身来，走过去和她低声说了几句。 
纳尼娜一出去，玛格丽特重新坐到我身旁，握住我的手对我说： 'Why did you deceive me? You went to Prudence's, didn't you?' “你为什么骗我？你到普律当丝家里去过了。” 'Who told you?' “谁对你说的？” 'Nanine.' “纳尼娜。” 'And who told her?' “她怎么知道的？” 
“她刚才跟着你去的。” 'So you told her to follow me?' “是你叫她跟着我的吗？” 'Yes. I thought there must have been a very good reason to make you go up to Paris like that. You've not left my side for four months. I was afraid that something awful had happened or that perhaps you were going to see another woman.' “是的。你已经有四个月没有离开我了，我想你到巴黎去一定有什么重要原因。我怕你发生了什么不幸，或是会不会去看别的女人。” 'Silly girl!' “孩子气！” 'My mind's easy now. I know what you did, but I still don't know what you were told.' “现在我放心了，我知道你刚才做了些什么，但是我还不知道别人对你说了些什么。” 
我把父亲的来信给玛格丽特看。 'That's not what I asked. What I'd like to know is why you called on Prudence.' “我问你的不是这个，我想知道的是你为什么要到普律当丝家里去。” 'To see her.' “去看看她。” 'You're lying, my dear.' “你撒谎，我的朋友。” 'All right then. I went to ask her if the horse was better, and if she'd finished with your shawl and your jewels.' “那么我是去问她你的马好了没有，你的披肩，你的首饰她还用不用。” 
玛格丽特的脸刷地红了起来，但是她没有回答。 'And, ' I continued, 'I found out to what use you'd put the horses, shawls and diamonds.' “因此，”我继续说，“我也就知道了你把你的马匹、披肩和钻石派了什么用场。” 'And you're angry with me?' “那么你怪我了吗？” 'I'm angry with you for not thinking of asking me for whatever you needed.' “我怪你怎么没有想到向我要你需要的东西。” 'In affairs like ours, as long as the woman has something of her self- respect left, she must shoulder any number of sacrifices herself rather than ask her lover for money and in so doing taint her love with mercenary motives. You love me, I know you do, but you have no idea just how weak are the ties that bind the love men have for girls like me. Who knows? Perhaps one day, when you were short of money or feeling annoyed, you'd have come round to thinking that our affair was a carefully worked- out plot! Prudence talks too much. I didn't need those horses! I've saved myself money by selling them: I can manage without, and now I don't have to spend anything on them. As long as you love me, that's all I ask. And you can love me just as much without horses and shawls and diamonds.' “像我们这样的关系，如果做女人的还有一点点自尊心的话，她就应该忍受所有可能的牺牲，也决不向她的情人要钱，否则她的爱情就跟卖淫无异。你爱我，这我完全相信。但是你不知道那种爱我这样女人的爱情有多么脆弱。谁能料到呢？也许在某一个困难或者烦恼的日子里，你会把我们的爱情想象成一件精心策划的买卖。普律当丝喜欢多嘴。这些马我还有什么用？把它们卖了还可以省些开销，没有马我日子一样过，还可以省去一些饲养费，我唯一的要求就是你始终不渝的爱情。即使我没有马，没有披肩，没有钻石，你也一定会同样爱我的。” 
这些话讲得泰然自若，我听得眼泪都快流出来了。 'But, my sweet Marguerite, ' I answered, lovingly pressing my mistress's hands in mine, 'you must have known that some day I'd find out about your sacrifice, and that the day I did find out, I'd never have allowed it.' “但是，我的好玛格丽特，”我深情地紧握着我情妇的手回答说，“你很清楚，你这种牺牲，我总有一天会知道的，那时我怎么受得了。” 'And why not?' “为什么受不了呢？” 'Because, dearest girl, I do not intend that the affection you truly feel for me should leave you the poorer by even a single piece of jewelry. Like you, I don't ever want you to think, when things are hard or you're feeling angry, that such bad times would never have happened if you'd lived with somebody else. Nor can I stand the thought that you should ever regret living with me, even for a moment. A few days from now, your horses, your diamonds and your shawls will be returned to you. You need them as much as life needs air. It may be ridiculous, but I'd rather have you lavish than frugal.' “因为，亲爱的孩子，我不愿意你因为爱我而牺牲你的首饰，哪怕牺牲一件也不行。我同样也不愿意在你感到为难或者厌烦的时候会想到，如果你跟别人同居的话，就不会发生这种情况了。我不愿意你因为跟了我而感到有一分钟的遗憾。几天以后，你的马匹、你的钻石和你的披肩都会归还给你，这些东西对你来说就像空气对生命一样是必不可少的。这也许是很可笑的，但是你生活得奢华比生活得朴素更使我心爱。” 'Which is to say you don't love me any more.' “那么说，你不再爱我了。” 
“你疯了！” 'If you really loved me, you'd let me love you in my own way. But you persist in thinking of me as though I'm some girl who can't live without all this luxury, someone you still think you have to pay. You are ashamed to accept proof that I love you. In your heart, you're thinking of leaving me some day, and you're being very careful to put your scruples beyond suspicion. You're quite right, my dear, but I had expected better.' “如果你爱我的话，你就让我用我的方式来爱你，不然的话，你就只能继续把我看成一个奢侈成性的姑娘，而老觉得不得不给我钱。你羞于接受我对你爱情的表白。你总是不由自主地想到总有一天要离开我，因此你小心翼翼，唯恐被人疑心，你是对的，我的朋友，但是我原来的希望还不仅于此。”
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