评论
打印
Book 2, Chapter 29.
第二册，第29章。
His wife's dark blue brougham with the wedding varnish still on it, met Archer at the ferry, and conveyed him luxuriously to the Pennsylvania terminus in Jersey City.
妻子的深紫色马车在渡口接上阿切尔，其婚礼的外饰犹存，将他堂而皇之地送到泽西城的宾夕法尼亚车站。
It was a sombre snowy afternoon, and the gas-lamps were lit in the big reverberating station.
这天下午天色阴沉，下着雪，反响回荡的大车站里煤气灯已经点亮。
As he paced the platform, waiting for the Washington express, he remembered that there were people who thought there would one day be a tunnel under the Hudson through which the trains of the Pennsylvania railway would run straight into New York.
他在站台上来回踱步，等待华盛顿驶来的快车。这时他不由想起，有人认为有朝一日会在哈德逊河床下面开掘一条隧道，宾夕法尼亚铁路上的火车可以穿过隧道直接开到纽约。
They were of the brotherhood of visionaries who likewise predicted the building of ships that would cross the Atlantic in five days, the invention of a flying machine, lighting by electricity, telephonic communication without wires, and other Arabian Night marvels.
那些人都属于梦想家，他们还预言要建造用5天时间就能横渡大西洋的轮船、发明飞行机器、用电来照明、不用电线的电话交流，还有其他一些天方夜谭般的奇迹。
"I don't care which of their visions comes true," Archer mused, "as long as the tunnel isn't built yet."
“只要隧道不建，哪一种幻想成真我都不关心，”阿切尔沉思道。
In his senseless school-boy happiness he pictured Madame Olenska's descent from the train, his discovery of her a long way off, among the throngs of meaningless faces, her clinging to his arm as he guided her to the carriage, their slow approach to the wharf among slipping horses, laden carts, vociferating teamsters, and then the startling quiet of the ferry-boat, where they would sit side by side under the snow, in the motionless carriage, while the earth seemed to glide away under them, rolling to the other side of the sun.
他怀着中学生那种糊里糊涂的幸福感想象着奥兰斯卡夫人从车上下来的情形：他在很远的地方，在人群中一张张毫无意义的脸中间认出了她，她挽着他的胳臂随他走到马车跟前，他们慢吞吞地朝码头驶去。一路上是迅跑的马匹、载重的货车、大喊大叫的车夫，然后是静得出奇的渡船。他们将肩并肩地坐在雪花飞舞的船上，然后坐进四平八稳的马车，任大地在他们脚下悄然滑行，滚滚滑向太阳的另一侧。
It was incredible, the number of things he had to say to her, and in what eloquent order they were forming themselves on his lips...
真是不可思议，他有那么多事情要对她讲，它们将以怎样的顺序变成他滔滔的话语呢……
The clanging and groaning of the train came nearer, and it staggered slowly into the station like a prey- laden monster into its lair.
火车轰隆轰隆的铿锵声越来越近，它像载着猎物的怪兽进窝一样蹒跚着缓缓进了车站，
Archer pushed forward, elbowing through the crowd, and staring blindly into window after window of the high-hung carriages.
阿切尔挤过人群，冲向前去，茫然地盯着列车一个接一个的窗口，
And then, suddenly, he saw Madame Olenska's pale and surprised face close at hand, and had again the mortified sensation of having forgotten what she looked like.
接着，猛然在不远处看见了奥兰斯卡夫人那张苍白惊讶的脸。这时，那种忘记她的模样的窘迫感觉又涌上心头。
They reached each other, their hands met, and he drew her arm through his. "This way--I have the carriage," he said.
他们走到了一起，两双手相遇，他用手臂挽着她的手臂。“这边走--我带来了马车，”他说。
After that it all happened as he had dreamed. He helped her into the brougham with her bags, and had afterward the vague recollection of having properly reassured her about her grandmother and given her a summary of the Beaufort situation he was struck by the softness of her: "Poor Regina!".
此后的情形完全跟他梦中憧憬的一样。他扶她上了马车，将她的包裹也放到车上，然后笼统概述了她祖母的病情，让她完全放下心来，又对博福特的情况做了简要介绍，她心软地说了声“可怜的里吉纳”，颇令他感动。
Meanwhile the carriage had worked its way out of the coil about the station, and they were crawling down the slippery incline to the wharf, menaced by swaying coal-carts, bewildered horses, dishevelled express-wagons, and an empty hearse--ah, that hearse!
与此同时，马车也从混乱的车站挤了出来，他们慢吞吞地沿着滑溜的斜坡向码头行进，令他们担心的还有摇摇晃晃的煤车、受惊的马匹、凌乱的运货快车，以及一辆空灵车--啊呀，一辆灵车！
She shut her eyes as it passed, and clutched at Archer's hand.
她闭上眼睛，等灵车过去，并紧抓住阿切尔的手。
"If only it doesn't mean--poor Granny!"
“但愿别是为可怜的祖母准备的！”
"Oh, no, no--she's much better--she's all right, really. There--we've passed it!" he exclaimed, as if that made all the difference.
“哦，不，不--她好多了--真的完全康复了。瞧--过去了！”他大喊道，仿佛这一点有多重要似的。
Her hand remained in his, and as the carriage lurched across the gang-plank onto the ferry he bent over, unbuttoned her tight brown glove, and kissed her palm as if he had kissed a relic.
她的手依然握在他的手里，当马车蹒跚通过渡口的道板时，他弯下身，脱下她那只棕色的紧手套，像吻一件圣物似的亲吻了她的手掌。
She disengaged herself with a faint smile, and he said: "You didn't expect me today?" "Oh, no."
她嫣然一笑挣脱开来，他说：“你没想到今天我会来吧？”“哦，没有。”
"I meant to go to Washington to see you. I'd made all my arrangements--I very nearly crossed you in the train."
“我本来打算去华盛顿看你的，我全都安排好了--险些与你在火车上擦肩而过。”
"Oh--" she exclaimed, as if terrified by the narrowness of their escape.
“啊--”她喊了一声，仿佛被难得逃过的危险给吓坏了。
"Do you know--I hardly remembered you?" "Hardly remembered me?"
“你知道吗--我几乎把你忘了？”“几乎把我忘了？”
"I mean: how shall I explain? I--it's always so. Each time you happen to me all over again."
“我的意思是--怎么说呢？我--总是这样，你对我来说，每一次都是重新开始。”
"Oh, yes, I know! I know!" "Does it--do I too, to you?" he insisted.
“噢，对：我知道！我知道！”“我--对你来说--也是如此吗？”他追问道
She nodded, looking out of the window. "Ellen--Ellen--Ellen!"
她点了点头，向窗外望去。“埃伦--埃伦--埃伦啊！”
She made no answer, and he sat in silence, watching her profile grow indistinct against the snow-streaked dusk beyond the window.
她没有应声。他静静地坐在那儿，注视着她。
What had she been doing in all those four long months, he wondered? How little they knew of each other, after all!
衬着窗外雪痕斑驳的暮色，她的侧影渐渐模糊了。他想，在这漫长的4个月中她都做了些什么呢？他们之间相知毕竟太少了！
The precious moments were slipping away, but he had forgotten everything that he had meant to say to her and could only helplessly brood on the mystery of their remoteness and their proximity, which seemed to be symbolised by the fact of their sitting so close to each other, and yet being unable to see each other's faces.
珍贵的时光在流逝，他却把打算对她讲的话全都忘了，只能茫然地沉思他们既接近又疏远的奥秘。眼下两人近在咫尺，却都看个到对方的脸，似乎正是这种情形的象征。
"What a pretty carriage! Is it May's?" she asked, suddenly turning her face from the window.
“多漂亮的马车啊！是梅的吗？”她突然从窗口转过脸来问。
"Yes." "It was May who sent you to fetch me, then? How kind of her!"
“是的。”“这么说，是梅让你来接我的了？她真是太好了！”
He made no answer for a moment; then he said explosively: "Your husband's secretary came to see me the day after we met in Boston."
他一时没有应声；接着又暴躁地说：“我们在波士顿相会的第一二天，你丈夫的秘书来见过我。”
