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“先生，”他对我说，“您父亲已经到巴黎来了，他请您马上回家，他在那里等您。” The news was the simplest thing imaginable, and yet, as we took it in, Marguerite and I exchanged looks. 这个消息本来是再平常不过的事情，但是，玛格丽特和我听了却面面相觑。 We scented trouble in this turn of events. 我们猜想有大祸临头了。 Which was why, though she did not intimate to me anything of her reaction which I shared, I responded by holding out my hand to her: 因此，尽管她没有把我们所共有的想法告诉我，我把手伸给她，回答她说： 'There's nothing to be afraid of.' “什么也别怕。” 
“你尽量早点回来，”玛格丽特吻着我喃喃地说，“我在窗口等你。” I sent Joseph on ahead to let my father know I was on my way. 我派约瑟夫去对我父亲说我马上就到。 And two hours later, I was in my apartment in the rue de Provence. 果然，两小时以后，我已经到了普罗旺斯街。 MY father was sitting in my drawing-room in his dressing-gown. He was writing. 我父亲穿着晨衣，坐在我的客厅里写信。 I knew at once, from the way he looked up at me as I entered, that serious matters were about to be broached. 从他抬起眼睛看我进去的神情，我立即就知道了他要谈的问题是相当严重的。 
但是我装作没有看到，走上前去抱吻了他。 'When did you arrive, father?' “您是什么时候来的，爸爸？” 'Last night.' “昨天晚上。” 'And you're putting up here as usual?' “您还是像过去一样，一下车就到我这里来的吗？” 'Yes.' “是的。” 
“我很抱歉没有去接您。” I expected that these words would unleash the lecture which my father's cool expression clearly promised. But he did not answer, sealed the letter he had just written, and gave it to Joseph to post. 讲了这几句话以后我就等着父亲的训导，这从他冷冰冰的脸上是看得出来的。但是他什么也不说，封上他刚写好的那封信，交给约瑟夫去寄掉。 When we were alone, my father stood up and, leaning against the mantelpiece, said: 当屋子里只剩下我们两人时，父亲站起来，靠在壁炉上对我说： 'The two of us, my dear Armand, have serious matters to discuss.' “亲爱的阿尔芒，我有些严肃的事情要跟你谈谈。” 'I'm listening, father.' “我听着，爸爸。” 
“你答应我说老实话吗？” 'I'm never anything else.' “我从来不说假话。” 'Is it true that you are living with a woman named Marguerite Gautier?' “你在跟一个叫做玛格丽特·戈蒂埃的女人同居，这是真的吗？” 'Yes.' “真的。” 'Do you know what sort of woman she was?' “你知道这是一个什么样的女人吗？” 
“一个妓女。” 'Was it on her account that you neglected to come down to see your sister and me this year?' “就是为了她，你今年才忘了来看你妹妹和我两个人吗？” 'Yes, father, I admit it.' “是的，爸爸，我承认。” 'So you love this woman very much?' “那么你很爱这个女人罗？” 'You can see I do, father, since she made me forget a sacred duty, for which I now humbly ask your pardon.' “这您看得很清楚，爸爸，正是由于她才使我没有尽到一个神圣的义务，所以我今天来向您请罪。” 
我父亲无疑没有料到我会这样爽快地回答他，因为他似乎考虑了一会儿，后来他对我说： 'You must have know, of course, that you couldn't go on living like this forever?' 'I was afraid it might be so, father, but I knew no such thing.' “你难道真不知道你是不能一直这样生活下去的吗？”“我曾经有过这样的担心，爸爸，但是我不知道为什么。” 'But you must have known, ' my father continued in a slightly sharper tone of voice, 'that I would never allow it.' “可是你应该知道，”我父亲用一种比较生硬的语气继续说，“我是不会允许你这样做的。” 'I told myself that, as long as I did nothing to prejudice the respect which I owe to your name and the time- honoured probity of the family, then I could behave as I have ?and this went some way to reassuring me about the fears I had.' “我想只要我不败坏门风，玷辱家誉，我就可以像我现在这样过日子，正是这些想法才使我稍许安心了些。” Passion arms us against sentiment. I was ready to fight any battle, even against my father, to keep Marguerite. 爱情在和感情作激烈的对抗，为了保住玛格丽特，我准备反抗一切，甚至反抗我父亲。 
“那么现在是改变你生活方式的时候了。” 'But why, father?' “啊，为什么呢？爸爸。” 'Because you are on the point of committing actions which undermine the respect which you say you have for your family.' “因为你正在做一些败坏你家庭名声的事，而且你也认为是应该保持这个名声的。” 'I don't understand what you're saying.' “我不明白您这些话的意思。” 'Then I'll explain what I said. If you have a mistress, all well and good. If you pay her like any gentleman pays to be loved by a kept woman, even better. But when you neglect your most sacred obligations on her account; when you allow rumours of your scandalous conduct to travel all the way down to my part of the world and cast the shadow of a stain on the honourable name I have given you, then that is something which cannot continue, nor shall it continue.' “我马上跟你解释。你有一个情妇，这很好，你像一个时髦人那样养着一个妓女，这也无可非议；但是为了她你忘记了最最神圣的职责，你的丑闻一直传到了我们外省的家乡，玷辱了我家的门楣，这是不行的，以后不准这样。” 
“请听我说，爸爸，那些把我的事情告诉您的人不了解情况。我是戈蒂埃小姐的情人，我和她同居，这些事极其普通。我并没有把从您那儿得到的姓氏给戈蒂埃小姐，我在她身上花的钱是我的收入允许的。我没有欠债，总之我的行动没有任何一点值得一个做父亲的向他儿子说您刚才对我说的这番话。” 'A father is always entitled to turn his son from the ill-considered path on which he sees him set his foot. You have not done anything wrong as yet, but you will.' “看到儿子不走正道，做父亲的总是有权把他拉回来的。 你还没有做什么坏事，但你以后会做的。” 'Really, father!' “爸爸！”
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