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But Miss Matty put on the soft dignified manner, peculiar to her, rarely used, and yet which became her so well, and laying her hand gently on mine, she said—“Never mind the silks for a few minutes, dear.
但是马蒂小姐摆出了她特有的那种温柔端庄的神态，这种神态她很少使用，却非常适合她，她轻轻地把手放在我的手上，说：“暂时别管丝绸了，亲爱的。
I don’t understand you, sir,” turning now to the shopman, who had been attending to the farmer. “Is this a forged note?”
我不明白你的意思，先生，”她转向一直在接待农夫的店员，”这是一张伪造的票据吗？”
“Oh, no, ma’am. It is a true note of its kind; but you see, ma’am, it is a joint-stock bank, and there are reports out that it is likely to break.
“哦，不是，太太。这是真正的票据，但是你看，太太，这是一家合股银行，有传言说它可能会倒闭。
Mr Johnson is only doing his duty, ma’am, as I am sure Mr Dobson knows.”
约翰逊先生只是在尽他的职责，太太，我相信多布森先生是明白的。”
But Mr Dobson could not respond to the appealing bow by any answering smile.
但是多布森先生无法用任何笑容来回应店员表示恳求的鞠躬。
He was turning the note absently over in his fingers, looking gloomily enough at the parcel containing the lately-chosen shawl.
他心不在焉地把票据在手指间翻来翻去，愁眉苦脸地看着装着那条刚选好的披肩的包裹。
“It’s hard upon a poor man,” said he, “as earns every farthing with the sweat of his brow.
“这对穷人来说太难了，”他说，“每一分钱都是用汗水换来的。
However, there’s no help for it.
但这是没办法的事。
You must take back your shawl, my man; Lizzle must go on with her cloak for a while.
你必须把披肩拿回去，兄弟；莉兹尔只能暂时继续穿她的披风了。
And yon figs for the little ones—I promised them to ’em—I’ll take them; but the ’bacco, and the other things”—
还有给孩子们的无花果——我答应过他们的——无花果我买了；但是烟草和其他东西……”
“I will give you five sovereigns for your note, my good man,” said Miss Matty.
“我用五个金币买下你的票据吧，先生，”马蒂小姐说，
“I think there is some great mistake about it, for I am one of the shareholders, and I’m sure they would have told me if things had not been going on right.”
“我认为这里面有很大的误会，因为我是银行的股东之一，如果银行状况不好，他们肯定会告诉我的。”
The shopman whispered a word or two across the table to Miss Matty.
店员隔着桌子低声对马蒂小姐说了一两个字。
She looked at him with a dubious air.
马蒂小姐带着怀疑的神情看着他。
“Perhaps so,” said she.
“或许是这样，”她说，
“But I don’t pretend to understand business; I only know that if it is going to fail, and if honest people are to lose their money because they have taken our notes—I can’t explain myself,” said she, suddenly becoming aware that she had got into a long sentence with four people for audience; “only I would rather exchange my gold for the note, if you please,” turning to the farmer, “and then you can take your wife the shawl.
“但我承认我不懂生意，我只知道，如果生意失败了，如果那些诚实的人因为拿了我们的票据而损失钱财……我也说不清楚，”她说着，突然意识到自己在四个人面前说了一个长句子，“只是，如果你愿意的话，我宁愿用我的金币换你的票据，”她转向农夫，“这样你就可以给你妻子买披肩了。
It is only going without my gown a few days longer,” she continued, speaking to me. “Then, I have no doubt, everything will be cleared up.”
我过几天再做长袍就是了，”她接着对我说，“之后，我毫不怀疑，一切都会弄清楚的。”
“But if it is cleared up the wrong way?” said I.
“但如果是糟糕的情况被弄清楚了呢？”我说。
“Why, then it will only have been common honesty in me, as a shareholder, to have given this good man the money.
“那么，作为股东，我把这笔钱给这位好人，这只是我应尽的诚实义务。
I am quite clear about it in my own mind; but, you know, I can never speak quite as comprehensibly as others can, only you must give me your note, Mr Dobson, if you please, and go on with your purchases with these sovereigns.”
我心里很清楚；但是你知道，我就是不能像别人那样把话说得那么清楚，只是你必须把你的票据给我，多布森先生，如果你愿意的话，然后用这些金币继续买你的东西。”
The man looked at her with silent gratitude—too awkward to put his thanks into words; but he hung back for a minute or two, fumbling with his note.
那个人默默地看着她，心中充满感激之情——他太难为情了，无法用言语表达他的谢意；但他犹豫了一两分钟，摸索着他的票据。
“I’m loth to make another one lose instead of me, if it is a loss; but, you see, five pounds is a deal of money to a man with a family; and, as you say, ten to one in a day or two the note will be as good as gold again.”
“我不愿意让另一个人替我承担损失，如果真是损失的话；但是你知道，对于一个有家庭的人来说，五英镑是一笔不小的钱；而且正如你所说，十有八九在一两天内这张票据就会像金子一样值钱了。”
“No hope of that, my friend,” said the shopman.
“不可能的，我的朋友，”店员说。
“The more reason why I should take it,” said Miss Matty quietly.
“这就更有理由让我买下票据了。”马蒂小姐平静地说。
She pushed her sovereigns towards the man, who slowly laid his note down in exchange.
她把她的金币推给他，他慢慢地放下他的票据作为交换。
“Thank you. I will wait a day or two before I purchase any of these silks; perhaps you will then have a greater choice.
“谢谢。我会等一两天再买这些丝绸；也许到时候你会有更多丝绸供我选择。
My dear, will you come upstairs?”
亲爱的，你想上楼来吗？”
We inspected the fashions with as minute and curious an interest as if the gown to be made after them had been bought.
我们带着一种细致而好奇的兴趣查看这些时装，就好像我们已经买下了按照这些式样制作的长袍。
I could not see that the little event in the shop below had in the least damped Miss Matty’s curiosity as to the make of sleeves or the sit of skirts.
我看不出楼下店里的那件小事在任何程度上减弱了马蒂小姐对袖子的制作或裙子的合身的好奇心。
She once or twice exchanged congratulations with me on our private and leisurely view of the bonnets and shawls;
她有一两次向我表达庆幸，我们能私密地、悠闲地看这些帽子和披肩真是太好了。
but I was, all the time, not so sure that our examination was so utterly private, for I caught glimpses of a figure dodging behind the cloaks and mantles; and, by a dexterous move, I came face to face with Miss Pole, also in morning costume (the principal feature of which was her being without teeth, and wearing a veil to conceal the deficiency), come on the same errand as ourselves.
但我始终不太确定我们是否真的是私密地查看，因为我瞥见有个人影在披风后面躲躲闪闪；我敏捷地上前一步，迎面碰上了波尔小姐，她也穿着晨衣（主要特点是没戴假牙，还戴了面纱来掩饰这个缺陷），也是为了和我们一样的目的来到这里。
But she quickly took her departure, because, as she said, she had a bad headache, and did not feel herself up to conversation.
但她很快就离开了，因为她说她头痛得厉害，觉得自己无法与人交谈。
