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老犹太轻蔑地向同伴那张吓得发青的面孔扫了一眼，说了声只要他乐意，可以跟着自己去看一下，便朝楼上走去。他们一个房间一个房间看过去，屋子里空空如也，冷得出奇。他们下到走廊里，随后又走进地下室。淡青色的潮气垂附在矮墙上边，蜗牛、鼻涕虫爬过的痕迹在烛光映照下闪闪发亮，然而一切都死一般地沉寂。 'What do you think now?' said the Jew, when they had regained the passage. 'Besides ourselves, there's not a creature in the house except Toby and the boys; and they're safe enough. See here!' “你现在认为如何？”他们又回到走廊里，老犹太说道。“我们俩不算，这屋里除了托比和那班小鬼，一个人也没有，他们也够安分的。你瞧。” As a proof of the fact, the Jew drew forth two keys from his pocket; and explained, that when he first went downstairs, he had locked them in, to prevent any intrusion on the conference. 老犹太从衣袋里掏出两把钥匙作为凭证，解释说，他第一次下楼的功夫就把门锁上了，为的是谈话绝对不受干扰。 This accumulated testimony effectually staggered Mr. Monks. His protestations had gradually become less and less vehement as they proceeded in their search without making any discovery; and, now, he gave vent to several very grim laughs, and confessed it could only have been his excited imagination. He declined any renewal of the conversation, however, for that night: suddenly remembering that it was past one o'clock. And so the amiable couple parted. 孟可司先生面对这一新添的证据顿时犹豫起来。两人又继续进行了一番毫无结果的搜索，他的抗议渐渐变得不那么激昂了，接着他发出几声狞笑，承认那可能只是自己冲动之下产生的想像罢了，不过当天夜里他再也不愿意换个话题继续说下去，因为他猛然想起这时已经一点多了，于是这一对亲密朋友便分手了。 As it would be, by no means, seemly in a humble author to keep so mighty a personage as a beadle waiting, with his back to the fire, and the skirts of his coat gathered up under his arms, until such time as it might suit his pleasure to relieve him; and as it would still less become his station, or his gallentry to involve in the same neglect a lady on whom that beadle had looked with an eye of tenderness and affection, and in whose ear he had whispered sweet words, which, coming from such a quarter, might well thrill the bosom of maid or matron of whatsoever degree; the historian whose pen traces these words--trusting that he knows his place, and that he entertains a becoming reverence for those upon earth to whom high and important authority is delegated--hastens to pay them that respect which their position demands, and to treat them with all that duteous ceremony which their exalted rank, and (by consequence) great virtues, imperatively claim at his hands. Towards this end, indeed, he had purposed to introduce, in this place, a dissertation touching the divine right of beadles, and elucidative of the position, that a beadle can do no wrong: which could not fail to have been both pleasurable and profitable to the right-minded reader but which he is unfortunately compelled, by want of time and space, to postpone to some more convenient and fitting opportunity; on the arrival of which, he will be prepared to show, that a beadle properly constituted: that is to say, a parochial beadle, attached to a parochail workhouse, and attending in his official capacity the parochial church: is, in right and virtue of his office, possessed of all the excellences and best qualities of humanity; and that to none of those excellences, can mere companies' beadles, or court-of-law beadles, or even chapel-of-ease beadles (save the last, and they in a very lowly and inferior degree), lay the remotest sustainable claim. 一个无足轻重的作家，让诸如教区干事这样举足轻重的角色背对火炉，大衣下摆撩起来夹在胳膊底下，在一边久等，一直等到笔者高兴放他稍息为止，这种作法是极为失礼的。捎带着又把干事曾报以脉脉含情的目光的一位女士也给怠慢了，这与作者的身份或者骑士风度就更不合适了，干事刚才在她耳旁低声倾诉过的甜言蜜语是有很大来头的，完全足以叫无论哪个级别的小姐、太太听了心里卜卜直跳。身为这部传记的作者，本人的笔尖始终追寻着这些话语--在下对自己的地位十分清楚，并且对权势人物抱有恰如其分的敬意--急于向他们表示他们的职位所要求的尊重，并区尽到他们的高贵身份和（随之而来的）崇高品德要求笔者务必尽到的一应礼节。的确，基于这个目的，笔者曾打算在这里就教区干事的神圣权力进行一番论述，并阐明这样一种立场，即教区干事不会出错，心平气和的读者肯定会既感到高兴，又有所收获。然而不幸的是，由于时间和篇幅有限，笔者不得不把这一通议论推迟到某个更为方便、适当的时候，届时本人将要论证，一名经过合法手续任命的干事--就是说，一位隶属教区济贫院，在职权范围内参与该区教会事务的教区干事--凭职权具有人类的一切长处和优秀品质，而一般的公司干事、法院干事甚至小教堂的干事，与这些长处当中任何一种的距离可能还有十万八千里（只有最后一类属于例外，他们处于一种非常低贱的地位）。 
邦布尔先生把茶匙的数目重新点了一遍，又掂了掂方糖夹子，对奶锅作了一番更为周密的考察，对于家具的一应情形，乃至那几张马鬃椅垫，他都-一做到心中有数，这一程序又重复了六七次，他这才想起柯尼太太也该回来了。他一时思绪万千。柯尼太太归来的足音又老是听不见，邦布尔先生不禁想到，浏览一下柯尼太太的柜橱里的东西，以便进一步满足自己的好奇心，理当算是一种无伤大雅而又合乎道德的消遣方法。 Having listened at the keyhole, to assure himself that nobody was approaching the chamber, Mr. Bumble, beginning at the bottom, proceeded to make himself acquainted with the contents of the three long drawers: which, being filled with various garments of good fashion and texture, carefully preserved between two layers of old newspapers, speckled with dried lavender: seemed to yield him exceeding satisfaction. Arriving, in course of time, at the right-hand corner drawer (in which was the key), and beholding therein a small padlocked box, which, being shaken, gave forth a pleasant sound, as of the chinking of coin, Mr. Bumble returned with a stately walk to the fireplace; and, resuming his old attitude, said, with a grave and determined air, 'I'll do it!' He followed up this remarkable declaration, by shaking his head in a waggish manner for ten minutes, as though he were remonstrating with himself for being such a pleasant dog; and then, he took a view of his legs in profile, with much seeming pleasure and interest. 邦布尔先生贴近锁孔听了一下，确信没有人朝这间屋子走来，便从基层着手，了解三个长抽屉里的内容：里边装满了各式各样的衣物，样式和质地都很讲究，用两层旧报纸细心地保护起来，上边还点缀着熏衣草的干花，这一点似乎使他格外满意。他打开右边角落上的抽屉（钥匙就在里边），看见里边放着一个上了锁的小匣子，他摇了摇，匣子里发出一阵令人愉快的响声，好像是金币的丁当声。邦布尔先生步态庄重地回到壁炉前边，恢复了先前的姿势，神色严肃而果断地说道：“就这么办。”这一份意义重大的公告发布完毕，他怪模怪样地摇了十分钟脑袋，活像是在苦苦劝告自己当一只讨人喜欢的狗一样。随后他侧着身子，对自己的双腿左看右看，似乎非常开心，兴趣盎然。 He was still placidly engaged in this latter survey, when Mrs. Corney, hurrying into the room, threw herself, in a breathless state, on a chair by the fireside, and covering her eyes with one hand, placed the other over her heart, and gasped for breath. 他正在悠哉游哉地进行后一种鉴定，柯尼太太慌慌张张奔了进来，上气不接下气地倒在炉边的椅子上，一只手捂住眼睛，另一只手压在胸脯上，大口大口地喘气。 'Mrs. Corney,' said Mr. Bumble, stooping over the matron, 'what is this, ma'am? Has anything happened, ma'am? Pray answer me: I'm on--on--' Mr. Bumble, in his alarm, could not immediately think of the word 'tenterhooks,' so he said 'broken bottles.' “柯尼太太，”邦布尔先生朝女总管弯下腰来，说道，“怎么回事，夫人？出事了，夫人？你回答我啊，我可是如坐--如坐--”慌张之下，邦布尔没能立刻想起“针毡”这个词，便用“破瓶子”支吾过去了。 'Oh, Mr. Bumble!' cried the lady, 'I have been so dreadfully put out!' “呃，邦布尔先生！”女总管大叫一声，“刚才真烦死我了。” 
“烦死了，夫人！”邦布尔先生惊呼，“谁有这么大胆子--？我知道了。”邦布尔先生耐住性子，摆出固有的庄重气派，说道。“准是那帮可恶的穷鬼。” 'It's dreadful to think of!' said the lady, shuddering. “光想想就烦死人。”女总管直打哆嗦。 'Then DON'T think of it, ma'am,' rejoined Mr. Bumble. “夫人，就别想它了。”邦布尔先生答道。 'I can't help it,' whimpered the lady. “我忍不住。”女士抽抽搭搭地说。 'Then take something, ma'am,' said Mr. Bumble soothingly. 'A little of the wine?' “夫人，那就来点什么，”邦布尔先生很是体贴地说，“一丁点葡萄酒？” 
“这不行啊。”柯尼太太回答，“我喝不--欧！在右边角落最上边一格--呃！”这位可敬的女士说罢，神思恍格地指了指食橱，发出一阵由于内心恐慌引起的抽筋。邦布尔先生向壁橱冲去，按照这一番上气不接下气的指示，从格板上抓起一只容量一品托的绿色玻璃瓶，将瓶中之物斟了满满一茶杯，递到这位女士唇边。 'I'm better now,' said Mrs. Corney, falling back, after drinking half of it. “现在好点儿了。”柯尼太太喝了半杯，身子又缩了回去。 Mr. Bumble raised his eyes piously to the ceiling in thankfulness; and, bringing them down again to the brim of the cup, lifted it to his nose. 邦布尔先生虔诚地抬眼望着天花板感谢上苍。接着又把目光移下来，落到茶杯的边沿上，他端过杯子凑到鼻子底下。 'Peppermint,' exclaimed Mrs. Corney, in a faint voice, smiling gently on the beadle as she spoke. 'Try it! There's a little--a little something else in it.' “薄荷，”柯尼太太有气无力出说，一边笑吟吟地望着教区干事。“尝尝。放了一点--里头放了一点别的东西。” Mr. Bumble tasted the medicine with a doubtful look; smacked his lips; took another taste; and put the cup down empty. 邦布尔先生带着似信非信的神情，尝了尝这种药，咂咂嘴唇，又尝了尝，最后把空茶杯放下来。 
“喝着真叫人舒坦。”柯尼太太说。 'Very much so indeed, ma'am,' said the beadle. As he spoke, he drew a chair beside the matron, and tenderly inquired what had happened to distress her. “的的确确舒坦哩，太太。”教区干事一边说，一边把椅子挪到女总管身旁，温柔地询问发生了什么事情惹她心烦。 'Nothing,' replied Mrs. Corney. 'I am a foolish, excitable, weak creetur.' “没什么，”柯尼太太说道，“我是个容易激动、脆弱、愚蠢的女人。” 'Not weak, ma'am,' retorted Mr. Bumble, drawing his chair a little closer. 'Are you a weak creetur, Mrs. Corney?' “不脆弱，夫人，”邦布尔回了一句嘴，略略把椅子挪得更近了一点。“柯尼太太，你是一个脆弱的女人吗？”
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