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“可怎么去呢，车子也叫不到了。” 'I'll walk.' “我走着去。” 'But it's raining.' “可是天下着雨哪！” 'So?' “那有什么关系？” 'Madame will be back, or if she's not, there'll still be time in the morning to go and see what's kept her. You'll get yourself murdered on the way.' “太太要回来的，再说即使她不回来，等天亮以后再去看她是让什么事拖住了也不迟啊。您这样在路上走会被人谋害的。” 
“没有危险的，我亲爱的纳尼娜，明天见。” She was a good girl and went to get my coat. She helped me on with it, offered to run round and wake the widow Arnould to enquire whether it would be possible to order a carriage. But I said no. I was certain that her efforts, which might in any case come to nothing, would waste more time than it would take for me to get half way there. 这位忠厚的姑娘把我的大衣找来，披在我肩上，劝我去叫醒阿尔努大娘，向她打听能不能找到一辆车子；但是我不让她去叫她，深信这是白费力气，而且这样一折腾所费的时间比我赶一半路的时间还要长。 Besides, I needed air, needed to tire myself physically as a way of working off the agitation which gripped me. 再说我正需要新鲜的空气和肉体上的疲劳。这种肉体上的劳累可以缓和一下我现在的过度紧张的心情。 I took the key to the apartment in the rue d'Antin and, saying goodbye to Nanine who came with me as far as the gates, I left. 我拿了昂坦街上那所房子的钥匙，纳尼娜一直陪我到铁栅栏门口，我向她告别后就走了。 At first, I set off at a run, but the ground was wet with the recent rain, and I tired quickly. After running for half an hour, I was forced to stop. I was bathed in perspiration. I recovered my breath and went on. The night was so dark that I went in constant fear of colliding with one of the trees lining the road which, as they loomed up unexpectedly, looked like enormous ghosts bearing down on me. 起初我是在跑步，因为地上刚被雨淋湿，泥泞难行，我觉得分外疲劳。这样跑了半个小时后，我浑身都湿透了，我不得不停了下来。我歇了一会儿又继续赶路，夜黑得伸手不见五指，我每时每刻都怕撞到路旁的树上去，这些树突然之间呈现在我眼前，活像一些向我直奔而来的高大的魔鬼。 
我碰到一二辆货车，很快我就把它们甩到后面去了。 A barouche passed making for Bougival at a fast trot. As it drew level with me, my hopes rose that Marguerite was inside. 一辆四轮马车向布吉瓦尔方向疾驰而来，在它经过我面前的时候，我心头突然出现一个希望：玛格丽特就在这辆马车上。 I stopped and shouted: 'Marguerite! Marguerite!' 我停下来叫道：“玛格丽特！玛格丽特！” But no one answered and the barouche continued on its way. I watched it go, and then set off again. 但是没有人回答我，马车继续赶它的路，我望着它渐渐远去，我又接着往前走。 It took me two hours to get to the Barriere de l'Etoile. 我走了两个小时，到了星形广场的栅栏门。 
看到巴黎我又有了力量，我沿着那条走过无数次的长长的坡道跑了下去。 That night, no one was walking along it. 那天晚上路上连个行人也没有。 It was like an avenue in a dead city. 我仿佛在一个死去的城市里散步。 Day was just beginning to break. 天色渐渐亮了。 When I reached the rue d'Antin, the great city was already beginning to stir before waking. 在我抵达昂坦街的时候，这座大城市已经在蠕蠕而动，即将苏醒了。 
当我走进玛格丽特家里时，圣罗克教堂的大钟正敲五点。 I flung my name at the porter, who had got enough twenty-franc tips out of me to know I was quite entitled to call on Mademoiselle Gautier at five in the morning. 我把我的名字告诉了看门人，他以前拿过我好些每枚值二十法郎的金币，知道我有权在清晨五点钟到戈蒂埃小姐的家中去。 In this way, I got past him unimpeded. 因此我顺利地进去了。 I could have asked him if Marguerite was at home. But he might have replied that she wasn't, and I preferred to keep my doubts for another two minutes. While there was doubt there was hope. 我原来可以问他玛格丽特是不是在家，但是他很可能给我一个否定的答复，而我宁愿多猜疑上几分钟，因为在猜疑的时候总还是存在一线希望。 I listened at her door, trying to detect a sound or a movement. 我把耳朵贴在门上，想听出一点声音，听出一点动静来。 
什么声音也没有，静得似乎跟在乡下一样。 I unlocked the door and went inside. 我开门走了进去。 All the curtains were tightly closed. 所有的窗帘都掩得严严实实的。 I drew back those in the dining- room and made for the bedroom. I pushed the door open. 我把餐室的窗帘拉开，向卧室走去，推开卧室的门。 I leaped on the curtain cord and pulled it savagely. 我跳到窗帘绳跟前，使劲一拉。 
窗帘拉开了，一抹淡淡的日光射了进来，我冲向卧床。 It was empty! 床是空的！ I opened all the doors one after another. I looked in all the rooms. 我把门一扇一扇地打开，察看了所有的房间。 There was no one there. 一个人也没有。 I thought I would go out of my mind. 我几乎要发疯了。 
我走进梳妆间，推开窗户连声呼唤普律当丝。 Madame Duvernoy's window remained shut. 迪韦尔诺瓦太太的窗户一直关闭着。 Then I went down to the porter's lodge and asked him if Mademoiselle Gautier had been to her apartment the previous day. 于是我下楼去问看门人，我问他戈蒂埃小姐白天是不是来过。 'Yes, ' the man said, 'with Madame Duvernoy.' “来过的，”这个人回答我说，“跟迪韦尔诺瓦太太一起来的。” 'She left no word for me?' “她没有留下什么话给我吗？” 
“没有。” 'Do you know what they did afterwards?' “您知道她们后来干什么去了？” 'They got into a carriage.' “她们又乘马车走了。” 'What sort of carriage?' “什么样子的马车。” 'A gentleman's brougham.' “一辆私人四轮轿式马车。” 
这一切到底是怎么回事呢？ I rang at the house next door. 我拉了拉隔壁房子的门铃。
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