名著·雾都孤儿 - 第61节


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  “我想说的是,费金,”基特宁先生面红耳赤地答道,“这事你们谁也管不着。”

   'No more it is,' replied the Jew; 'Charley will talk. Don't mind him, my dear; don't mind him. Betsy's a fine girl. Do as she bids you, Tom, and you will make your fortune.'

  “你尽管放心,”费金答道,“查理是喜欢说三道四,别理他,我亲爱的,别理他。蓓特是个好姑娘。她要你干什么你就干什么,汤姆,你准会发财的。”

   'So I DO do as she bids me,' replied Mr. Chitling; 'I shouldn't have been milled, if it hadn't been for her advice. But it turned out a good job for you; didn't it, Fagin! And what's six weeks of it? It must come, some time or another, and why not in the winter time when you don't want to go out a-walking so much; eh, Fagin?'

  “我就是她要我干什么我就干什么,要不是听她的话,我也不会给关进去了,到头来还不是便宜了你,对不对,费金。六个礼拜又怎么样?反正总会进去的,不是现在就是将来,你冬天不怎么想上外边溜达的时候,干吗不呆在里边,唔,费金?”

   'Ah, to be sure, my dear,' replied the Jew.

  “嗨,是那么回事,我亲爱的。”老犹太回答。

   'You wouldn't mind it again, Tom, would you,' asked the Dodger, winking upon Charley and the Jew, 'if Bet was all right?'

  “你就是再进去一回也不在乎,汤姆,是吧?”机灵鬼向查理和费金使了个眼色,问道,“只要蓓特不说什么?”

  “我就是想说我不在乎,”汤姆愤愤不平地回答,“行了,行了。啊,你们谁敢这么说,我倒想知道,晤,费金?”

   'Nobody, my dear,' replied the Jew; 'not a soul, Tom. I don't know one of 'em that would do it besides you; not one of 'em, my dear.'

  “没有人敢,亲爱的,”老犹太答道,“汤姆,谁也不敢。除了你,我不知道他们哪一个有这个胆子,没有一个,我亲爱的。”

   'I might have got clear off, if I'd split upon her; mightn't I, Fagin?' angrily pursued the poor half-witted dupe. 'A word from me would have done it; wouldn't it, Fagin?'

  “我当初要是把她供出来,自个儿就可以脱身,不是吗,费金?”可怜的冤大头怒气冲冲,穷追不舍。“我只消说一个字就了结了,不是吗,费金?”

   'To be sure it would, my dear,' replied the Jew.

  “是啊,一点没错,亲爱的。”老犹太回答。

   'But I didn't blab it; did I, Fagin?' demanded Tom, pouring question upon question with great volubility.

  “但我也没把事情抖出去,对不对,费金?”汤姆的问题一个接一个抛了出来。

  “没有,没有,绝对没有,”老犹太答道,“你真有种,绝不会漏出一句话,就是莽撞了点,我亲爱的。”

   'Perhaps I was,' rejoined Tom, looking round; 'and if I was, what's to laugh at, in that; eh, Fagin?'

  “也许是吧,”汤姆扭头看了看,回答道,“就算是吧,那有什么好笑的,嗯,费金?”

   The Jew, perceiving that Mr. Chitling was considerably roused, hastened to assure him that nobody was laughing; and to prove the gravity of the company, appealed to Master Bates, the principal offender. But, unfortunately, Charley, in opening his mouth to reply that he was never more serious in his life, was unable to prevent the escape of such a violent roar, that the abused Mr. Chitling, without any preliminary ceremonies, rushed across the room and aimed a blow at the offender; who, being skilful in evading pursuit, ducked to avoid it, and chose his time so well that it lighted on the chest of the merry old gentleman, and caused him to stagger to the wall, where he stood panting for breath, while Mr. Chitling looked on in intense dismay.

  老犹太听出基特宁先生火气相当地大,赶紧向他担保没有人在笑,为了证明在座各位都很严肃,便问罪魁祸首贝兹少爷是不是这样。然而不幸的是,查理刚开口回答,说他一辈子从来不像现在这样严肃,又忍不住前仰后合地放声大笑起来。备受羞辱的基特宁先生二话不说,冲过去对准肇事者就是一拳。贝兹少爷躲避打击向来就很老练,猛一低头躲开了,时机又选得恰到好处,结果这一拳落到了那位快活老绅士的胸日上,打得他摇摇晃晃,直退到墙边,站在那里拚命喘气,基特宁先生失魂落魄地望着他。

   'Hark!' cried the Dodger at this moment, 'I heard the tinkler.' Catching up the light, he crept softly upstairs.

  “听。”就在这时,机灵鬼叫了起来,“我听到拉铃的声音。”他抓起蜡烛,轻手轻脚地上楼去了。

   The bell was rung again, with some impatience, while the party were in darkness. After a short pause, the Dodger reappeared, and whispered Fagin mysteriously.

  这帮人正搞不清是怎么回事的时候,铃声又颇不耐烦地响了起来。过了一会儿,机灵鬼又回来了,神秘兮兮地跟费金嚼咕了几句。

  “哦。”老犹太嚷道,“一个人?”

   The Dodger nodded in the affirmative, and, shading the flame of the candle with his hand, gave Charley Bates a private intimation, in dumb show, that he had better not be funny just then. Having performed this friendly office, he fixed his eyes on the Jew's face, and awaited his directions.

  机灵鬼肯定地点了点头,他用手挡住蜡烛火苗,一声不响地给了查理·贝兹一个暗示,要他眼下最好别再开玩笑了。机灵鬼尽到了朋友的责任,他目不转睛地看着老犹太的脸,听候吩咐。

   The old man bit his yellow fingers, and meditated for some seconds; his face working with agitation the while, as if he dreaded something, and feared to know the worst. At length he raised his head.

  老头儿咬着蜡黄的手指,盘算了几秒钟,面孔急剧地抽动着,似乎正担心着什么,害怕得知最坏的情形。末了,他终于抬起头来。

   'Where is he?' he asked.

  “他在哪儿?”他问。

   The Dodger pointed to the floor above, and made a gesture, as if to leave the room.

  机灵鬼指了指楼上,做了一个离开这个房间的动作。

  “好吧,”费金对这无声的询问作了答复。“带他下来。嘘!别出声了,查理。斯文点,汤姆。避一避,避一避。”

   This brief direction to Charley Bates, and his recent antagonist, was softly and immediately obeyed. There was no sound of their whereabout, when the Dodger descended the stairs, bearing the light in his hand, and followed by a man in a coarse smock-frock; who, after casting a hurried glance round the room, pulled off a large wrapper which had concealed the lower portion of his face, and disclosed: all haggard, unwashed, and unshorn: the features of flash Toby Crackit.

  查理·贝兹和他新结下的对头乖乖地服从了向他俩下达的这一番简短的指示。四下里没有一点声音表明他们到哪儿去了,机灵鬼举着蜡烛走下楼来,后边跟着一个身穿粗布罩衫的男人。这人仓惺地扫了周围一眼,把遮住自己下半张脸的大披巾扯下来,露出了花花公子托比·格拉基特的一张脸--十分憔悴,不知多少天没洗脸,没刮胡子了。

   'How are you, Faguey?' said this worthy, nodding to the Jew. 'Pop that shawl away in my castor, Dodger, so that I may know where to find it when I cut; that's the time of day! You'll be a fine young cracksman afore the old file now.'

  “你好吗,费金?”这位可敬的绅士朝老犹太点点头,说道。“机灵鬼,把这张围巾掼到我帽子里边,剃头的时候我好知道上哪儿找去,没错。你将来会出落成一个年轻有为的江洋大盗,比眼下这个老油子高明得多。”

   With these words he pulled up the smock-frock; and, winding it round his middle, drew a chair to the fire, and placed his feet upon the hob.

  说着,他把罩衫撩起来,系在腰上,扯过一张椅子放在炉旁,坐了下来,两腿搭在保温架上。

   'See there, Faguey,' he said, pointing disconsolately to his top boots; 'not a drop of Day and Martin since you know when; not a bubble of blacking, by Jove! But don't look at me in that way, man. All in good time. I can't talk about business till I've eat and drank; so produce the sustainance, and let's have a quiet fill-out for the first time these three days!'

  “瞅瞅,费金;”他满腹牢骚地指着长统马靴说道,“从你知道的那个时候算起,连一滴戴伊马丁①都没碰,一次都没擦过,天啦。喂,你别那样看着我。不要着急,我不吃饱喝足了,也没力气跟你谈正经事。拿点吃的来,我们先把三天没进的货来个一次补齐。”

  老犹太打了个手势,要机灵鬼把能吃的东西都放到桌上去,自己在这个强盗的对面坐下来,等着他开口说话。

   To judge from appearances, Toby was by no means in a hurry to open the conversation. At first, the Jew contented himself with patiently watching his countenance, as if to gain from its expression some clue to the intelligence he brought; but in vain.He looked tired and worn, but there was the same complacent repose upon his features that they always wore: and through dirt, and beard, and whisker, there still shone, unimpaired, the self-satisfied smirk of flash Toby Crackit. Then the Jew, in an agony of impatience, watched every morsel he put into his mouth; pacing up and down the room, meanwhile, in irrepressible excitement. It was all of no use. Toby continued to eat with the utmost outward indifference, until he could eat no more; then, ordering the Dodger out, he closed the door, mixed a glass of spirits and water, and composed himself for talking.

  从外表上看,托比丝毫也不打算马上开口。一开始老犹太还沉得住气,观察着他的脸色,似乎想从表情上看出他到底带来了什么消息,然而毫无效果。托比虽然显得疲惫不堪,但眉宇之间仍保持着那种一贯的怡然自得的神气,真是没得治了,透过油泥污垢、胡须鬓角显现出来的仍旧是花花公子托比·格拉基特那一副自鸣得意的傻笑。老犹太焦躁地站起来,一边盯着托比一点一点把食物送进嘴里,一边激动难忍在屋里踱来踱去。这一招也完全不起作用。托比摆足了旁若无人的派头,一直吃到再也吃不下去,这才吩咐机灵鬼出去,关上门,兑了一杯酒,定了定神,准备发话。

   'First and foremost, Faguey,' said Toby.

  “首先,费金。”托比说道。

   'Yes, yes!' interposed the Jew, drawing up his chair.

  “对呀,对呀。”老犹太挪了一下椅子,插嘴说。

   Mr. Crackit stopped to take a draught of spirits and water, and to declare that the gin was excellent; then placing his feet against the low mantelpiece, so as to bring his boots to about the level of his eye, he quietly resumed.

  格拉基特先生停下来,呷了一口酒,直夸掺水杜松子酒真是好极了,接着又把双脚蹬在壁炉上,以便使靴子和自己的视线大致处于水平的位置,又若无其事地捡起了话题。

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名著·雾都孤儿 - 第61节