書(shū)蟲(chóng)四級(jí)《華盛頓廣場(chǎng)》：2.一個(gè)英俊的年輕人

2.A handsome young man

2．一個(gè)英俊的年輕人

Not long after the dancing had begun at the party, Marian Almond came up to introduce Catherine to a tall young man. She told Catherine that the young man very much wanted to meet her, and that he was a cousin of Arthur Townsend, the man she was engaged to.

晚會(huì)上的舞會(huì)開(kāi)始后沒(méi)多久，瑪麗安·阿爾蒙德就把凱瑟琳介紹給了一位高個(gè)子年輕人。她告訴凱瑟琳這個(gè)年輕人很想見(jiàn)她，他是她未婚夫阿瑟·湯森的表兄。

Catherine always felt uncomfortable when meeting new people. The young man, Mr Morris Townsend, was very handsome, and when Marian went away, Catherine stood in front of him, not knowing what to say. But before she could get embarrassed, Mr Townsend began to talk to her with an easy smile.

凱瑟琳遇到生人的時(shí)候總是覺(jué)得不自在。這個(gè)叫莫里斯·湯森的年輕人長(zhǎng)得很英俊，瑪麗安走開(kāi)后，凱瑟琳站在他面前，不知道該說(shuō)些什么好。不過(guò)還沒(méi)等她感到尷尬，湯森先生就已經(jīng)帶著輕松的笑容和她聊起天來(lái)了。

What a delightful party! What a charming house! What an interesting family! What a pretty girl your cousin is!'

“這個(gè)晚會(huì)真令人高興！這房子真漂亮！這一家人真有趣！你表妹長(zhǎng)得真美！”

Mr Townsend looked straight into Catherine's eyes. She answered nothing; she only listened, and looked at him. He went on to say many other things in the same comfortable and natural way. Catherine, though silent, was not embarrassed; it seemed right that such a handsome man should talk, and that she should simply look at him.

湯森先生直視著凱瑟琳的眼睛。她什么也沒(méi)說(shuō)；她只是聽(tīng)著，并望著他。他繼續(xù)以同樣輕松自如的方式講了很多其他的事情。凱瑟琳盡管很沉默，卻沒(méi)有感到不自在；似乎這樣英俊的人就應(yīng)該講話(huà)，而她就應(yīng)該只看著他。

The music, which had been silent for a while, suddenly began again. He smiled and asked her to dance. Catherine gave no answer, she simply let him put his arm around her, and in a moment they were dancing around the room. When they paused, she felt that she was red, and then, for some moments, she stopped looking at him.

音樂(lè)停了一會(huì)兒之后又突然響了起來(lái)。他微笑著請(qǐng)她跳舞。凱瑟琳沒(méi)回答，只是任由他用胳膊摟住自己，不一會(huì)兒他們就在房中翩翩起舞了。他們休息的時(shí)候，她感到臉都紅了，后來(lái)有一段時(shí)間，她不再看他。

Does dancing make you dizzy?' he asked, in a kind voice.

“跳舞讓你覺(jué)得頭暈嗎？”他問(wèn)道，聲音很親切。

Catherine looked up at him. 'Yes,' she murmured, though she did not know why; dancing had never made her dizzy.

凱瑟琳抬起頭看著他。“是啊。”她低聲說(shuō)道，雖然她不知道為什么；跳舞從沒(méi)讓她覺(jué)得頭暈過(guò)。

Then we will sit and talk,' said Mr Townsend. 'I will find a good place to sit.'

“那我們就坐下來(lái)說(shuō)會(huì)兒話(huà)吧，”湯森先生說(shuō)道，“我來(lái)找個(gè)好座位。”

He found a good place—a charming place; a little sofa in a corner that seemed meant for two persons.

他找到了一個(gè)好地方——一個(gè)很吸引人的地方；角落里有一個(gè)好像專(zhuān)供兩人坐的小沙發(fā)。

We will talk,' the young man had said; but he still did all the talking. Catherine sat with her eyes fixed on him, smiling, and thinking him very clever. She had never seen anyone so handsome before.

“我們聊聊。”年輕人說(shuō)；不過(guò)仍然是他一個(gè)人在說(shuō)話(huà)。凱瑟琳坐在那里，目不轉(zhuǎn)睛地看著他，微笑著，覺(jué)得他真聰明。她從未見(jiàn)過(guò)這么英俊的人。

He told her that he was a distant cousin of Arthur Townsend, and Arthur had brought him to introduce him to the family. In fact, he was a stranger in New York—he had not been there for many years. He had been travelling around the world, living in many strange places, and had only come back a month or two before. New York was very pleasant, but he felt lonely.

他告訴她自己是阿瑟·湯森的遠(yuǎn)房表兄，阿瑟帶他過(guò)來(lái)，把他介紹給這家人。實(shí)際上，他對(duì)紐約還很陌生一一他有好多年沒(méi)來(lái)過(guò)這里了。他一直在世界各地旅行，在很多陌生的地方生活過(guò)，直到一兩個(gè)月前才回來(lái)。紐約是一個(gè)很快樂(lè)的地方，但他卻感到孤獨(dú)。

People forget you,' he said, smiling at Catherine.

“人家都把你忘了。”他微笑著對(duì)凱瑟琳說(shuō)。

It seemed to Catherine that no one who had seen him would ever forget him, but she kept this thought to herself.

凱瑟琳覺(jué)得任何見(jiàn)過(guò)他的人都不會(huì)忘記他，但她沒(méi)有把這想法說(shuō)出來(lái)。

They sat there for some time. He was very amusing, and Catherine had never heard anyone speak as well as he did—not even an actor in a theatre. And Mr Townsend was not like an actor; he seemed so sincere, so natural.

他們?cè)谀抢镒艘粫?huì)兒。他很風(fēng)趣，凱瑟琳從未聽(tīng)到過(guò)誰(shuí)說(shuō)話(huà)像他那么動(dòng)聽(tīng)——連劇場(chǎng)的演員也比不上他。而且湯森先生并不像個(gè)演員；他看起來(lái)如此真誠(chéng)自然。

Then Marian Almond came pushing through the crowd of dancers. She gave a little cry, which made Catherine blush, when she saw the young people still together. She told Mr Townsend that her mother had been waiting for half an hour to introduce him to somebody.

后來(lái)瑪麗安·阿爾蒙德穿過(guò)跳舞的人群走了過(guò)來(lái)。當(dāng)她看見(jiàn)這兩個(gè)年輕人仍在一起時(shí)，不由得輕輕地驚呼了一聲，凱瑟琳羞得臉都紅了。她告訴湯森先生她母親想把他引見(jiàn)給別人，已經(jīng)等他半個(gè)小時(shí)了。

We shall meet again,' he said to Catherine, as he left her.

“我們以后再見(jiàn)。”他離開(kāi)的時(shí)候?qū)P瑟琳說(shuō)道。

Her cousin took Catherine by the arm. 'And what do you think of Morris?' she asked.

表妹拉著凱瑟琳的胳膊。“你覺(jué)得莫里斯怎么樣？”她問(wèn)道。

Oh, nothing particular,' Catherine answered, hiding what she really felt for the first time in her life.

“哦，一般吧。”凱瑟琳回答道，沒(méi)有暴露內(nèi)心第一次感受到的真實(shí)情感。

Oh, I must tell him that!' cried Marian. 'It will do him good. He's so terribly conceited.'

“哦，我一定要把這話(huà)講給他聽(tīng)！”瑪麗安大聲說(shuō)道，“這對(duì)他有好處。他太自負(fù)了。”

Conceited?' said Catherine, staring at her cousin.

“自負(fù)？”凱瑟琳盯著表妹說(shuō)道。

So Arthur says, and Arthur knows about him.'

“阿瑟是這么說(shuō)的，阿瑟了解他。”

Oh, don't tell him!' said Catherine.

“哦，別跟他說(shuō)！”凱瑟琳說(shuō)。

Don't tell him! I have told him that many times.'

“別跟他說(shuō)！我已經(jīng)跟他說(shuō)過(guò)好多回了。”

Half an hour later Catherine saw her Aunt Penniman sitting by a window, with Morris Townsend—she already knew the name very well—standing in front of her. He was saying clever things, and Mrs Penniman was smiling.

半小時(shí)之后凱瑟琳看見(jiàn)彭尼曼姑姑坐在窗邊，莫里斯·湯森——她已經(jīng)很熟悉這個(gè)名字了——站在她面前。他正在講一些機(jī)智的話(huà)，而彭尼曼夫人則在微笑。

Catherine moved away quickly; she did not want him to turn round and see her. But she was glad he was talking to Mrs Penniman because it seemed to keep him near to her.

凱瑟琳迅速走開(kāi)了；她不希望他轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)身看到她。但她很高興他在和彭尼曼夫人談話(huà)，因?yàn)檫@樣似乎把他和她拉近了。

In the carriage, as they drove home, Catherine was very quiet, and Doctor Sloper talked with his sister.

在回家的馬車(chē)上，凱瑟琳很安靜，而斯洛珀醫(yī)生則在和他姐姐說(shuō)話(huà)。

Who was that young man you spent so much time with?' he asked. 'He seemed very interested in you.'

“和你在一起待了那么長(zhǎng)時(shí)間的年輕人是誰(shuí)??？”他問(wèn)，“他好像對(duì)你挺感興趣的。”

He was not interested in me,' said Mrs Penniman. 'He talked to me about Catherine.'

“他對(duì)我不感興趣，”彭尼曼夫人說(shuō)，“他在跟我講凱瑟琳。”

Oh, Aunt Penniman!' Catherine murmured.

“哦，彭尼曼姑姑！”凱瑟琳低聲叫道。

He is very handsome and very clever,' her aunt went on. 'He spoke in a—in a very charming way.'

“他很英俊，也很聰明，”她姑姑繼續(xù)說(shuō)道，“他說(shuō)話(huà)很——很吸引人。”

The Doctor smiled. 'He is in love with Catherine, then?'

醫(yī)生笑了：“那么他是愛(ài)上凱瑟琳了？”

Oh, father!' murmured the girl, thankful that it was dark in the carriage.

“哦，爸爸！”女孩兒低聲說(shuō)道，幸好車(chē)廂里比較黑。

I don't know that; but he admired her dress.'

“我不知道；不過(guò)他夸獎(jiǎng)她的裙子。”

Admiring just the dress, instead of the person, might not seem very enthusiastic, but Catherine did not think this. She was deeply pleased.

夸獎(jiǎng)她的裙子，而不是欣賞她本人，這似乎顯得并不怎么熱情，不過(guò)凱瑟琳不這么認(rèn)為。她感到非常開(kāi)心。

Her father looked, with a cool little smile, at her expensive red and gold dress. 'You see,' he said, 'he thinks you have eighty thousand dollars a year.'

她父親冷笑著看著她那條價(jià)格不菲的紅色和金色相間的裙子。“你看到了，”他說(shuō)道，“他以為你一年有8萬(wàn)美元的收入呢。”

I don't believe he thinks of that,' said Mrs Penniman; 'he is too fine a gentleman.'

“我不相信他會(huì)這么想，”彭尼曼夫人說(shuō)，“他可是個(gè)挺不錯(cuò)的紳士。”

He must be extremely fine not to think of that!'

“他一定要頂好才不會(huì)那么想！”

Well, he is!' Catherine cried, before she knew it.

“嗯，他就是！”凱瑟琳想也沒(méi)想就脫口而出。

I thought you had gone to sleep,' her father answered. 'The hour has come!' he added to himself. 'Lavinia is going to arrange a romance for Catherine.'

“我還以為你已經(jīng)睡著了。”她父親回答道。“已經(jīng)是時(shí)候了！”他自己又想，“拉維尼婭要為凱瑟琳安排一段羅曼史。”

A few days after Mrs Almond's party, Morris Townsend and his cousin called at Washington Square. Catherine and her aunt were sitting together by the fire in the parlour.

阿爾蒙德夫人的晚會(huì)之后幾天，莫里斯·湯森和他表弟一起去造訪華盛頓廣場(chǎng)。凱瑟琳和她的姑姑當(dāng)時(shí)正坐在客廳的壁爐邊。

Arthur Townsend sat and talked to Catherine, while his companion sat next to Mrs Penniman. Catherine, usually so easy to please, tonight found Arthur rather uninteresting. She kept looking over at the other side of the room, where Morris Townsend was deep in conversation with her aunt. Every few minutes he looked over at Catherine and smiled, and she wished that she was sitting nearer to him.

阿瑟·湯森坐下來(lái)和凱瑟琳說(shuō)話(huà)，而他的同伴則坐在彭尼曼夫人旁邊。通常凱瑟琳是很容易被人逗樂(lè)的，可是這天晚上她卻覺(jué)得阿瑟很令人厭煩。她不停地朝屋子的另一邊望去，莫里斯·湯森和她姑姑正在那里談得起勁。每隔幾分鐘，他就朝凱瑟琳看一眼，對(duì)她笑笑，而她希望自己坐得離他更近點(diǎn)兒。

Arthur seemed to notice that Catherine was interested in his companion. 'My cousin asked me to bring him,' he explained. 'He seemed to want very much to come. I told him I wanted to ask you first, but he said that Mrs Penniman had invited him.'

阿瑟好像注意到凱瑟琳對(duì)他的同伴很感興趣。“我表哥讓我?guī)麃?lái)，”他解釋道，“他好像很想來(lái)。我告訴他我想先問(wèn)問(wèn)你，但他說(shuō)彭尼曼夫人已經(jīng)邀請(qǐng)他了。”

We are very glad to see him,' said Catherine. She wished to talk more about him, but she did not know what to say. 'I never saw him before,' she went on.

“我們很高興見(jiàn)到他。”凱瑟琳說(shuō)。她希望能多談?wù)勊植恢勒f(shuō)什么。“我以前從沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)他。”她繼續(xù)說(shuō)。

Arthur Townsend stared. 'But he told me he talked with you for over half an hour the other night.'

阿瑟·湯森瞧著她：“可他告訴我那天晚上他和你聊了半個(gè)多小時(shí)呢。”

I mean before the other night. That was the first time.'

“我的意思是那晚之前。那次是第一次。”

Oh, he has been away from New York—he has been all round the world.'

“哦，他一直不在紐約——他在世界各地跑。”

My aunt likes him very much,' said Catherine.

“我姑姑很喜歡他。”凱瑟琳說(shuō)。

Most people like him—he's so brilliant—though I know some people who say my cousin is too clever.'

“大多數(shù)人都喜歡他——他很聰明——雖然我也知道有些人說(shuō)我表哥聰明過(guò)頭了。”

Catherine listened with extreme interest. If Morris Townsend had a fault, it would naturally be that one, she thought. After a moment she asked, 'Now that he has come back, will he stay here always?'

凱瑟琳懷著極大的興趣聽(tīng)著。如果莫里斯·湯森有什么缺點(diǎn)的話(huà)，那自然是這一點(diǎn)了，她想。過(guò)了一會(huì)兒，她問(wèn)道：“那他現(xiàn)在回來(lái)了，他會(huì)長(zhǎng)住在這里嗎？”

If he can find something to do,' said Arthur. 'He's looking around for some kind of employment or business, but he can't find anything.'

“如果他能找到事做的話(huà)。”阿瑟說(shuō)，“他正在四處找工作或看有沒(méi)有生意可做，不過(guò)什么也沒(méi)找到。”

I am very sorry,' said Catherine.

“真遺憾。”凱瑟琳說(shuō)。

Oh, he doesn't mind,' Arthur said. 'He isn't in a hurry.'

“哦，他不在乎，”阿瑟說(shuō)，“他不著急。”

Catherine thought about this, then asked, 'Won't his father take him into his business—his office?'

凱瑟琳想了想，然后問(wèn)道：“他父親難道不讓他一起做生意——在他的辦公室里工作嗎？”

He hasn't got a father—he has only got a sister,' said Arthur Townsend. And he looked across at his cousin and began to laugh. 'Morris, we're talking about you.'

“他沒(méi)有父親——只有一個(gè)姐姐。”阿瑟·湯森說(shuō)。接著他朝表哥望去，笑了起來(lái)：“莫里斯，我們正在說(shuō)你吶。”

Morris Townsend paused in his conversation with Mrs Penniman, and stared, with a little smile. Then he stood up.

莫里斯·湯森暫時(shí)中斷了和彭尼曼夫人的談話(huà)，瞧著他們，臉上帶著微笑。然后他站了起來(lái)。

I'm afraid I was not talking about you,' he said to Catherine's companion. 'Though I can't pretend that Miss Sloper's name did not enter our conversation.'

“恐怕我剛才可沒(méi)在說(shuō)你，”他對(duì)凱瑟琳的同伴說(shuō)道，“但是我不能假裝我們的談話(huà)中沒(méi)有提到斯洛珀小姐的名字。”

Catherine thought that this was a wonderfully clever thing to say, but she was embarrassed by it, and she also got up. Morris Townsend stood looking at her and smiling; he put out his hand to say goodbye. He was going, and though he had not said anything to Catherine, she was still glad that she had seen him.

凱瑟琳認(rèn)為這么說(shuō)實(shí)在是太機(jī)智了，但她又為這種說(shuō)法感到局促不安，所以她也站了起來(lái)。莫里斯·湯森站在那里，微笑著看著她；他伸出手說(shuō)再見(jiàn)。他要走了，雖然他一句話(huà)也沒(méi)和凱瑟琳說(shuō)，她仍然很高興能見(jiàn)到他。

I will tell her what you have said—when you go!' said Mrs Penniman with a little laugh.

“我會(huì)告訴她你說(shuō)的話(huà)——在你走之后！”彭尼曼夫人笑了一笑說(shuō)道。

Catherine blushed—she felt they were almost laughing at her. What in the world had this beautiful young man said? She saw that he was looking at her kindly.

凱瑟琳羞紅了臉——她覺(jué)得他們好像是在嘲笑她。這個(gè)漂亮的小伙子到底說(shuō)了些什么呢？她發(fā)現(xiàn)他正和善地看著她。

I have not talked with you,' he said, 'and that was what I came for. But it will be a good reason for coming another time. I am not afraid of what your aunt will say when I go.'

“我們還沒(méi)說(shuō)過(guò)話(huà)，”他說(shuō)，“我來(lái)就是想和你談?wù)劦?。不過(guò)這樣就有很好的理由再來(lái)了。我不擔(dān)心我走后你姑姑會(huì)說(shuō)些什么。”

After the two young men had left, Catherine, who was still blushing, gave Mrs Penniman a serious look.

兩個(gè)年輕人離去之后，凱瑟琳的臉上仍帶著紅暈，她嚴(yán)肅地看了彭尼曼夫人一眼。

What did you say you would tell me?' she asked.

“你說(shuō)要告訴我什么？”她問(wèn)。

Mrs Penniman smiled and nodded a little. 'It's a great secret, my dear child, but he is coming here to court you!'

彭尼曼夫人微笑著點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭。“這是個(gè)大秘密，我親愛(ài)的孩子，不過(guò)他要來(lái)追求你呢！”

Catherine was serious still. 'Is that what he told you?'

凱瑟琳仍然一臉嚴(yán)肅：“他是這么跟您說(shuō)的嗎？”

He didn't say so exactly, but he left me to guess it. I'm good at guessing.' Mrs Penniman gave her niece a soft little kiss. 'You must be very nice to him.'

“他沒(méi)確切地這么說(shuō)，不過(guò)我猜是這樣。我不會(huì)猜錯(cuò)的。”彭尼曼夫人輕輕地吻了一下她的侄女，“你對(duì)他一定很好。”

Catherine stared—she was amazed. 'I don't understand you,' she said. 'He doesn't know me.'

凱瑟琳瞪大了眼睛——她感到很驚奇。“我不明白您的意思，”她說(shuō)，“他并不了解我。”

Oh yes, he does. He knows you more than you think. I have told him all about you.'

“哦不，他了解的。他比你想像的更了解你。我把你的事情都跟他說(shuō)了。”

Oh, Aunt Penniman!' said Catherine in a frightened voice. 'He is a stranger—we don't know him.'

“哦，彭尼曼姑姑！”凱瑟琳吃驚地說(shuō)，“他是個(gè)生人——我們不了解他。”

My dear Catherine, you know very well that you admire him.'

“我親愛(ài)的凱瑟琳，你很清楚你喜歡他。”

Oh, Aunt Penniman!' said Catherine again. Perhaps she did admire him—though this did not seem to her a thing to talk about. But she could not believe that this brilliant stranger wished to court her; only a romantic woman like her aunt would believe that.

“哦，彭尼曼姑姑！”凱瑟琳又說(shuō)道。也許她確實(shí)喜歡他——盡管這件事對(duì)于她來(lái)說(shuō)似乎不適宜討論。不過(guò)她無(wú)法相信這樣一個(gè)出眾的陌生人想要追求她；只有她姑姑那樣浪漫的女人才會(huì)這么想。