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"You're too kind. But I was only going to ask if you would tell me how to reach some sort of conveyance.
“你太客气了。我只不过想问一下，你能否告诉我怎样找到运输工具。
There are no porters, and no one here seems to listen--"
这儿没有搬行李的，好像也没人听--”
"I know: our American stations must surprise you.
“我知道：我们美国的车站一定让你大吃一惊。
When you ask for a porter they give you chewing-gum.
你要找搬运工，他们却给你口香糖。
But if you'll come along I'll extricate you; and you must really lunch with me, you know."
不过你若是跟我来，我会拉你一把的。同时，真的，你一定要跟我一起吃午饭。”
The young man, after a just perceptible hesitation, replied, with profuse thanks, and in a tone that did not carry complete conviction, that he was already engaged; but when they had reached the comparative reassurance of the street he asked if he might call that afternoon.
经过一阵明显的犹豫，那年轻人再三道谢，用一种不完全令人信服的口气说他已有约在先。不过当他们到了街上，心绪比较安定之后，他问他是否可在下午造访。
Archer, at ease in the midsummer leisure of the office, fixed an hour and scribbled his address, which the Frenchman pocketed with reiterated thanks and a wide flourish of his hat.
阿切尔正处于盛夏公事清闲的时期，他确定了钟点，草写了他的地址，法国人连声道谢地装进口袋，并使劲挥动礼帽。
A horse-car received him, and Archer walked away.
一辆马车接他上去，阿切尔走开了。
Punctually at the hour M. Riviere appeared, shaved, smoothed-out, but still unmistakably drawn and serious.
里维埃先生准时到达，他刮了脸，熨了衣服，但明显还很憔悴、严肃。
Archer was alone in his office, and the young man, before accepting the seat he proffered, began abruptly: "I believe I saw you, sir, yesterday in Boston."
阿切尔一个人在办公室，那位年轻人没等接受他的让坐，便突然开口说：“先生，我想昨天在波士顿我见到过你。”
The statement was insignificant enough, and Archer was about to frame an assent when his words were checked by something mysterious yet illuminating in his visitor's insistent gaze.
这项声明实在无足轻重，阿切尔正准备表示认同，他的话却被客人逼人的目光中一种诡秘的、启发性的神情给卡住了。
"It is extraordinary, very extraordinary," M. Riviere continued, "that we should have met in the circumstances in which I find myself."
“事情很意外，太意外了，”里维埃先生接着说。“我们竟会在我卷人的事情中相遇。”
"What circumstances?" Archer asked, wondering a little crudely if he needed money.
“是什么样的事情？”阿切尔问道，他有些粗鲁地怀疑他是不是需要钱。
M. Riviere continued to study him with tentative eyes.
里维埃先生继续用踌躇的目光审视着他说：
"I have come, not to look for employment, as I spoke of doing when we last met, but on a special mission--" "Ah--!" Archer exclaimed. In a flash the two meetings had connected themselves in his mind.
“我来这儿不是为了找工作，像上次见面时我说的那样，而是负有特殊的使命--”“啊--！”阿切尔喊了一声。一瞬间，两次的相遇在他脑海里联系了起来。
He paused to take in the situation thus suddenly lighted up for him, and M. Riviere also remained silent, as if aware that what he had said was enough.
他停顿一下，考虑他豁然明白了的情况，里维埃先生也保持沉默，仿佛意识到他讲的已经足够了。
"A special mission," Archer at length repeated.
“特殊使命，”阿切尔终于重复了一句。
The young Frenchman, opening his palms, raised them slightly, and the two men continued to look at each other across the office-desk till Archer roused himself to say: "Do sit down"; whereupon M. Riviere bowed, took a distant chair, and again waited.
年轻的法国人伸开两只手掌，轻轻往上举了一下。两个人继续隔着办公桌你看着我，我看着你，直到阿切尔想起来说：“请坐下吧。”里维埃先生点了点头，在远处一把椅子上坐下，又等了起来。
"It was about this mission that you wanted to consult me?" Archer finally asked.
“你是想同我谈谈这项使命的问题吗？”阿切尔终于问道。
M. Riviere bent his head. "Not in my own behalf: on that score I--I have fully dealt with myself.
里维埃低下头说：“不是为了我自己：那方面我已经办妥了。
I should like--if I may--to speak to you about the Countess Olenska."
我想--如果可以--对你谈一谈奥兰斯卡伯爵夫人的事。”
Archer had known for the last few minutes that the words were coming; but when they came they sent the blood rushing to his temples as if he had been caught by a bent-back branch in a thicket.
阿切尔几分钟前就明白了他会说这些话，但等他真的讲开了，他仍然觉得一股热血冲上了太阳穴，仿佛被灌木丛中的一根弯校给绊住了似的。
"And on whose behalf," he said, "do you wish to do this?"
“那么，你为了谁的利益对我谈？”他说。
M. Riviere met the question sturdily. "Well--I might say HERS, if it did not sound like a liberty.
里维埃先生十分坚定地回答了这个问题。“唔--恕我冒昧，是为了她的利益。
Shall I say instead: on behalf of abstract justice?"
或者换句话说，是为了抽象的正义。”
Archer considered him ironically. "In other words: you are Count Olenski's messenger?"
阿切尔讥讽地打量着他说：“换句话说：你是奥兰斯基伯爵的使者吧？”
He saw his blush more darkly reflected in M. Riviere's sallow countenance.
他发现自己脸上的红晕更深地反映到里维埃先生那灰黄的脸上去了。
"Not to YOU, Monsieur. If I come to you, it is on quite other grounds."
“他没有派我来找你，先生。我来找你，是出于完全不同的理由。”
"What right have you, in the circumstances, to BE on any other ground?" Archer retorted.
“在这种情况下，你还有什么权力考虑其他理由呢？”阿切尔反驳说。
"If you're an emissary you're an emissary."
“使者就是使者嘛。”
The young man considered. "My mission is over: as far as the Countess Olenska goes, it has failed."
那年轻人沉思了一会儿说：“我的使命已经完成。就奥兰斯卡夫人的情况而言，我的使命已经失败了。”
"I can't help that," Archer rejoined on the same note of irony.
“这我可帮不了你的忙，”阿切尔仍然以讽刺的口吻说。
"No: but you can help--" M. Riviere paused, turned his hat about in his still carefully gloved hands, looked into its lining and then back at Archer's face.
“对，但是你有办法--”里维埃先生停住口，用那双仍然细心戴了手套的手把他的帽子翻转过来，盯着看它的衬里，然后目光又回到阿切尔脸上。
"You can help, Monsieur, I am convinced, to make it equally a failure with her family."
“你有办法的，先生，我确信你能帮助我，让我的使命在她家人面前同样归于失败。”
Archer pushed back his chair and stood up. "Well-- and by God I will!" he exclaimed.
阿切尔向后推了一下椅子，站了起来。“啊--老天爷，我才不干呢！”他大声喊道。
He stood with his hands in his pockets, staring down wrathfully at the little Frenchman, whose face, though he too had risen, was still an inch or two below the line of Archer's eyes.
他双手插在口袋里，站在那儿怒气冲冲地低头瞪着那个小法国人；尽管他也站了起来，但他的脸仍然低于阿切尔的眼睛一两英寸。
M. Riviere paled to his normal hue: paler than that his complexion could hardly turn.
里维埃先生脸色苍白得恢复了本色：白得几乎超过了他肤色的变化限度。
