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“您参加了玛格丽特·戈蒂埃家里的拍卖吗？” As he said this, the emotion which the young man had held in check was for an instant stronger than he, and he was obliged to put his hands to his eyes. 一讲到玛格丽特的名字，这个年轻人暂时克制住的激动情绪又控制不住了，他不得不用双手捂住眼睛。 'I must appear very ridiculous to you, ' he added, 'forgive me this too, and please believe that I shall never forget the patience with which you are good enough to listen.' “您一定会觉得我很可笑，”他又说，“请再一次原谅我这副失礼的模样。您这么耐心地听我说话，请相信，我是不会忘记您的这种好意的。” 'Well, ' I replied, 'if a service which it seems I can do for you will in some small way ease the pain that you feel, tell me at once in what way I can help, and you will find in me a man happy to oblige.' “先生，”我对他说，“如果我真的能为您效劳，能稍许减轻您一些痛苦的话，请快点告诉我，我能为您干些什么。您会知道我是一个非常乐意为您效劳的人。” Monsieur Duval's grief was affecting and, even had I felt differently, I should still have wished to be agreeable to him. 迪瓦尔先生的痛苦实在令人同情，我无论如何也要使他对我满意。 
于是他对我说： 'Did you buy anything at Marguerite's sale?' “在拍卖玛格丽特财产的时候，您是不是买了什么东西？” 'Yes. A book.' “是的，先生，买了一本书。” 'Manon Lescaut?' “是《玛侬·莱斯科》吧？” 'That's right.' “是啊！” 
“这本书还在您这儿吗？” 'It' s in my bedroom.' “在我卧室里。” At this, Armand Duval looked as though a great weight had been taken from his shoulders, and he thanked me as though I had already begun to render him a service simply by holding on to the volume. 阿尔芒·迪瓦尔听到这个消息，仿佛心里放下了一块石头，立刻向我致了谢意，好像这本书仍在我这儿就已经是帮了他一点忙似的。 I got up, went to fetch the book from my bedroom and handed it to him. 于是我站起来，走进卧室把书取来，交给了他。 'This is it, ' said he, glancing at the dedication on the first page and riffling through the rest, 'this is it.' “就是这本，”他说，一面瞧了瞧扉页上的题词就翻看起来，“就是这本。” 
两颗大大的泪珠滴落在书页上。 'May I ask, ' he said, raising his eyes to me and making no effort now to hide the fact that he had wept and was near to tears once more, 'if you are greatly attached to this book?' “那么，先生，”他抬起头来对我说，这时候他根本顾不上去掩饰他曾经哭过，而且几乎又要出声哭泣了，“您很珍视这本书吗？” 'Why do you ask?' “先生，您为什么要这样问？” 'Because I have come to ask you to surrender it to me.' “因为我想请求您把它让给我。” 'Forgive my curiosity, ' I said next, 'but it was you, then, who gave it to Marguerite Gautier?' “请原谅我的好奇，”这时我说，“把这本书送给玛格丽特·戈蒂埃的就是您吗？” 
“就是我。” 'The book is yours. Take it. I am happy to be able to restore it to you.' “这本书归您啦，先生，您拿去吧，我很高兴能使这本书物归原主。” 'But, ' continued Monsieur Duval with embarrassment, 'the least I can do is to give you what you paid for it.' “但是，”迪瓦尔先生不好意思地说，“那么至少我也得把您付掉的书款还给您。” 'Please take it as a gift. The price fetched by a single volume in a sale like that is a trifle, and I can't even remember how much I gave for it.' “请允许我把它奉赠给您吧。在这样一次拍卖中，区区一小本书的价钱是算不了什么的，这本书花了多少钱我自己也记不起来了。” 'You gave a hundred francs for it.' “您花了一百法郎。” 
“是啊，”我说，这次轮到我觉得尴尬了，“您是怎么知道的？” 'Quite simple. I hoped to reach Paris in time for Marguerite's sale, but got back only this morning. I was absolutely determined to have something that had been hers, and I went directly to the auctioneer's to ask if I might inspect the list of items sold and of the buyers' names. I saw that this volume had been bought by you, and I resolved to beg you to let me have it, though the price you paid for it did make me fear that you yourself associated some memory with possession of the book.' “这很简单，我原来想及时来到巴黎，赶上玛格丽特的遗物拍卖，但是直到今天早晨我才赶到。说什么我也要得到她一件遗物，我就赶到拍卖估价人那儿，请他让我查一查售出物品的买主名单。我查到这本书是您买的，就决定上这儿来请求您割爱，不过您出的价钱使我担心，您买这本书会不会也是为了某种纪念呢？” In speaking thus, Armand clearly seemed to be afraid that I had known Marguerite in the way that he had known her. 阿尔芒说这话，很明显有一种担心的意思，他是怕我和玛格丽特之间也有他和她那样的交情。 I hastened to reassure him. 我赶忙使他放心。 'I knew Mademoiselle Gautier by sight only, ' I said. 'Her death made the sort of impression on me that the death of any pretty woman he has had pleasure in meeting makes on any young man. I wished to buy something at her sale, and took it into my head to bid for this volume, I don't know why, for the satisfaction of annoying a man who was bent on getting it and seemed determined to prevent it going to me. I repeat, the book is yours, and I beg you once more to accept it. This way it won' t come to you as it came to me, from an auctioneer, and it will be between us the pledge of a more durable acquaintance and closer bonds.' “我不过是见到过她罢了，”我对他说，“一个年轻人对一个他乐于遇见的漂亮女人的去世会产生的那种感受，也就是我的感受。我也不知道为什么想在那次拍卖中买些东西，后来有一位先生死命跟我抬价，似乎存心不让我买到这本书。我也是一时高兴，逗他发火，才一个劲儿地跟他争着买这本书。因此，我再跟您说一遍，先生，这本书现在归您了，并且我再一次请求您接受它，不要像我从拍卖估价人手里买到它那样从我手里买回去，我还希望这本书能有助于我们之间结成更深厚长久的友谊。” 
“太好了，先生，”阿尔芒紧紧握住我的手说，“我接受了。 您对我的好意，我铭诸肺腑，终身难忘。” I very much wanted to question Armand about Marguerite, for the dedication in the book, the young man's journey, his desire to possess the volume, all excited my curiosity; but I feared that by questioning my visitor, I should appear to have refused his money simply to have the right to pry into his business. 我非常想问问阿尔芒有关玛格丽特的事情，因为书上的题词，这位青年的长途跋涉和他想得到这本书的强烈愿望都引起了我的好奇心，但是我又不敢贸然向我的客人提出这些问题，生怕他以为我不接受他的钱只是为了有权干预他的私事。 It was as though he sensed my wishes, for he said: 'Have you read the book?' 可能他猜出了我的心思，因为他对我说：“您看过这本书吗？” 'Every word.' “全看过了。” 
“您对我写的两行题词有没有想过是什么意思？” 'I saw straightaway that, in your eyes, the poor girl to whom you had given the book did not belong in the usual category, for I could not bring myself to see the lines simply as a conventional compliment.' “我一看这两行题词就知道，在您眼里，接受您赠书的那位可怜的姑娘确实是不同寻常的，因为我不愿意把这两行字看作是一般的恭维话。” 'And you were right. That girl was an angel. Here, ' he said, 'read this letter.' 您说得对，先生，这位姑娘是一位天使，您看，”他对我说，“看看这封信！” And he handed me a sheet of paper which, by the look of it, had been read many times over. 他递给我一张信纸，这封信显然已经被看过许多遍了。 I opened it. This is what it said: 我打开一看，上面是这样写的：
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