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邦布尔先生又能怎么样呢？他沮丧地左右看了看，便溜掉了。他刚走到门口，那几个女贫民的吃吃窃笑突然化作乐不可支的格格声，真是刺耳。缺的就是这个了。他在她们眼里身价大跌。当着这几个穷光蛋的面，他失去了人格、地位，从身为教区干事的壮丽巅峰掉进了最遭人白眼的妻管严的无底深渊。 'All in two months!' said Mr. Bumble, filled with dismal thoughts. 'Two months! No more than two months ago, I was not only my own master, but everybody else's, so far as the porochial workhouse was concerned, and now!--' “总共才两个月啊。”邦布尔先生心情坏透了，“两个月。不出两个月以前，我不单单替自己当家，还替教区济贫院的每一个人当家，可现在--” It was too much. Mr. Bumble boxed the ears of the boy who opened the gate for him (for he had reached the portal in his reverie); and walked, distractedly, into the street. 真是太过分了，邦布尔先生照着替他打开大门的那个小孩就是一记耳光（心事重重的他这时已经来到门口），心烦意乱地走到街上。 He walked up one street, and down another, until exercise had abated the first passion of his grief; and then the revulsion of feeling made him thirsty. He passed a great many public-houses; but, at length paused before one in a by-way, whose parlour, as he gathered from a hasty peep over the blinds, was deserted, save by one solitary customer. It began to rain, heavily, at the moment. This determined him. Mr. Bumble stepped in; and ordering something to drink, as he passed the bar, entered the apartment into which he had looked from the street. 他走过一条街又一条街，先前的悲愤心情开始得到缓解，接下来这种感情上的变化又使他生出了口渴的感觉。他走过无数家酒店，最后才在背街的一家酒店前停下来。他从帘子上朝里边草草看了一眼，雅座里空荡荡的，只有孤零零的一个顾客。就在这时候，下起大雨来了。没有办法了。他走进酒店，叫了点喝的，经过酒吧台，走进自己在街上看到的那个雅座单间。 The man who was seated there, was tall and dark, and wore a large cloak. He had the air of a stranger; and seemed, by a certain haggardness in his look, as well as by the dusty soils on his dress, to have travelled some distance. He eyed Bumble askance, as he entered, but scarcely deigned to nod his head in acknowledgment of his salutation. 坐在里边的那个汉子又高又黑，穿着一件宽大的斗篷，样子不大像本地人，从他那副略显憔悴的脸色和浑身的尘土来看，好像是远道而来。邦布尔走进去的时候，跟那人打了个招呼，那人包斜着眼睛看了他一眼，爱理不理地点了点头。 
邦布尔先生的傲慢本来就抵得上两个人，就算陌生人比较容易接近，他也未必赏脸，所以他只顾默默地啜着掺水杜松子酒，一边端足了架子看报。 It so happened, however: as it will happen very often, when men fall into company under such circumstances: that Mr. Bumble felt, every now and then, a powerful inducement, which he could not resist, to steal a look at the stranger: and that whenever he did so, he withdrew his eyes, in some confusion, to find that the stranger was at that moment stealing a look at him. Mr. Bumble's awkwardness was enhanced by the very remarkable expression of the stranger's eye, which was keen and bright, but shadowed by a scowl of distrust and suspicion, unlike anything he had ever observed before, and repulsive to behold. 说来也巧，就像人们在那种情形下走到一起常有的事一样，邦布尔先生时时感到自己有一种克制不住的冲动，想偷偷看一眼陌生人。每当他这样做的时候，又都颇为尴尬地把目光缩回来，因为他发现，陌生人在同一时刻也在偷偷地打量自己。陌生人目光犀利，炯炯有神，但却被一脸的戒心和猜疑蒙上了一层阴影，让人看着讨厌；邦布尔先生从来没有看见过这样异乎寻常的表情，不由得更加手足无措。 When they had encountered each other's glance several times in this way, the stranger, in a harsh, deep voice, broke silence. 就这样，彼此的眼光几度交锋之后，陌生人用一种刺耳、低沉的嗓音打破了沉默。 'Were you looking for me,' he said, 'when you peered in at the window?' “你从窗口往里边瞧的时候，是在找我吗？”他说道。 'Not that I am aware of, unless you're Mr. --' Here Mr. Bumble stopped short; for he was curious to know the stranger's name, and thought in his impatience, he might supply the blank. “我没有这个意思，莫非先生你是--”邦布尔先生说到这里骤然停住，他很想知道陌生人的名字，满以为对方会填上这个空白。 
“我看你也没这个意思，”陌生人的嘴角动了一下，略微露出一点嘲讽的意味。“要不你也不会打听我的名宇。你并不知道我的名字。我可要劝你别去打听。” 'I meant no harm, young man,' observed Mr. Bumble, majestically. “我不想冒犯你，年轻人。”邦布尔先生大度地说道。 'And have done none,' said the stranger. “你也没有冒犯。”陌生人说。 Another silence succeeded this short dialogue: which was again broken by the stranger. 这一番简短的对话之后又是一阵沉默，还是陌生人又一次打破了僵局。 'I have seen you before, I think?' said he. 'You were differently dressed at that time, and I only passed you in the street, but I should know you again. You were beadle here, once; were you not?' “我恐怕从前见过你。”陌生人说，“那时候你穿着不一样，我只是在街上跟你面对面走过，但应该还是想得起来。你当过本地的教区干事，对不对？” 
“我是当过，”邦布尔先生多少有些吃惊，“教区干事。” 'Just so,' rejoined the other, nodding his head. 'It was in that character I saw you. What are you now?' “就是嘛，”另一位点了点头，接过话题，“我那会儿看见你正担任那个职务。你现在干什么？” 'Master of the workhouse,' rejoined Mr. Bumble, slowly and impressively, to check any undue familiarity the stranger might otherwise assume. 'Master of the workhouse, young man!' “济贫院院长，”邦布尔先生说得很慢，尽量给人留下深刻的印象，免得对方生出任何不相称的热乎劲。“济贫院院长，年轻人。” 'You have the same eye to your own interest, that you always had, I doubt not?' resumed the stranger, looking keenly into Mr. Bumble's eyes, as he raised them in astonishment at the question.'Don't scruple to answer freely, man. I know you pretty well, you see.' “不知道你的眼光还是不是老样子，只盯着自己的利益？”陌生人接着说道，一边目光灼灼地逼视着邦布尔先生的眼睛，这句话问得对方愕然不解地抬起头来。“伙计，怎么回答都行啊。你看得出来，我相当了解你。” 'I suppose, a married man,' replied Mr. Bumble, shading his eyes with his hand, and surveying the stranger, from head to foot, in evident perplexity, 'is not more averse to turning an honest penny when he can, than a single one. Porochial officers are not so well paid that they can afford to refuse any little extra fee, when it comes to them in a civil and proper manner.' “我想，一个已婚的男人跟单身汉一样，”邦布尔先生一边回答，一边用手挡住亮光，将陌生人从头到脚打量了一番，明摆着下不来台。“并不反对有机会的时候挣两个干净钱。教区职员薪水不高，所以不会拒绝任何一笔小小的外快，只要来路正当、规矩就行。” 
陌生人微微一笑，又点了点头，好像是说他没有看错人，接着拉了一下铃。 'Fill this glass again,' he said, handing Mr. Bumble's empty tumbler to the landlord. 'Let it be strong and hot. You like it so, I suppose?' “再来一杯，”说着，他把邦布尔先生的空杯子递给掌柜。“来杯又凶又烫的，你喜欢这样吧，我想？” 'Not too strong,' replied Mr. Bumble, with a delicate cough. “别太凶了。”邦布尔先生轻轻咳嗽一声，答道。 'You understand what that means, landlord!' said the stranger, drily. “掌柜的，你懂这是什么意思。”陌生人干巴巴地说。 The host smiled, disappeared, and shortly afterwards returned with a steaming jorum: of which, the first gulp brought the water into Mr. Bumble's eyes. 老板含笑退了出去，转眼间又端着满满一杯酒回来了，邦布尔先生刚喝了一口，泪水就涌进了他的眼里。 
“现在你听我说，”陌生人关上门窗，说道，“我今天到这个地方来，正是为了找到你。有的时候啊，还真是鬼使神差，正当我满心想着你的功夫，你就走进我坐的这间屋子来了。我想跟你打听点事，我不会让你白说的，尽管不是什么大事。这点小意思你先收起来。” As he spoke, he pushed a couple of sovereigns across the table to his companion, carefully, as though unwilling that the chinking of money should be heard without. When Mr. Bumble had scrupulously examined the coins, to see that they were genuine, and had put them up, with much satisfaction, in his waistcoat-pocket, he went on: 说着，他小心翼翼地把两个金镑从桌子对面朝同伴推过去，似乎不希望让外人听见钱币的叮当声。邦布尔先生翻来覆去查看了一番，见金币都是真的，才分外满意地放进背心口袋里。陌生人继续说道： 'Carry your memory back--let me see--twelve years, last winter.' “把你的记忆带回到--让我想想--十二年以前那个冬天。” 'It's a long time,' said Mr. Bumble. 'Very good. I've done it.' “时间不算短，”邦布尔先生说，“很好。我想起来了。” 'The scene, the workhouse.' “地点，济贫院。”
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