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They've been married, he snapped. "I never liked him. Of course he was my brother-in-law, and I made the best of it. Did you think him a gentleman? She ought never to have married him."
“他们结婚十六年了，”他没好气儿地说。“我从来就不喜欢他。当然了，他是我的连襟，我尽量容忍着。你以为他是个绅士吗？她根本就不应该嫁给他。”
Is it absolutely final?
“就没有挽回的余地了吗？”
There's only one thing for her to do, and that's to divorce him. That's what I was telling her when you came in. 'Fire in with your petition, my dear Amy,' I said. 'You owe it to yourself and you owe it to the children.' He'd better not let me catch sight of him. I'd thrash him within an inch of his life.
“她只有一件事好做：同他离婚。这就是你刚进来的时候我对她说的。‘把离婚申请书递上去，亲爱的阿美，’我说，‘为了你自己，为了你的孩子，你都该这么做。’他最好还是别叫我遇见。我不把他打得灵魂出窍才怪。”
I could not help thinking that Colonel MacAndrew might have some difficulty in doing this, since Strickland had struck me as a hefty fellow, but I did not say anything. It is always distressing when outraged morality does not possess the strength of arm to administer direct chastisement on the sinner. I was making up my mind to another attempt at going when Mrs. Strickland came back. She had dried her eyes and powdered her nose.
我禁不住想，麦克安德鲁上校做这件事并不很容易，因为思特里克兰德身强力壮，给我留下的印象很深，但是我并没有说什么。如果一个人受到侮辱损害而又没有力量对罪人直接施行惩罚，这实在是一件痛苦不堪的事。我正准备再作一次努力向他告辞，这时思特里克兰德太太又回到屋子里来了。她已经把眼泪揩干，在鼻子上扑了点儿粉。
I'm sorry I broke down, she said. "I'm glad you didn't go away."
“真是对不起，我的感情太脆弱了，”她说，“我很高兴你没有走。”
She sat down. I did not at all know what to say. I felt a certain shyness at referring to matters which were no concern of mine. I did not then know the besetting sin of woman, the passion to discuss her private affairs with anyone who is willing to listen. Mrs. Strickland seemed to make an effort over herself.
她坐了下来。我一点儿也不知道该说什么。我不太好意思谈论同自己毫不相干的事。那时候我还不懂女人的一种无法摆脱的恶习——热衷于同任何一个愿意倾听的人讨论自己的私事。思特里克兰德太太似乎在努力克制着自己。
Are people talking about it? she asked. I was taken aback by her assumption that I knew all about her domestic misfortune.
“人们是不是都在议论这件事啊？”她问。我非常吃惊，她竟认为我知道她家的这件不幸是想当然的事。
I've only just come back. The only person I've seen is Rose Waterford.
“我刚刚回来。我就见到了柔斯·瓦特尔芙德一个人。”
Mrs. Strickland clasped her hands.
思特里克兰德太太拍了一下巴掌。
Tell me exactly what she said. And when I hesitated, she insisted. "I particularly want to know."
“她是怎么说的，把她的原话一个字不差地告诉我。”我有点儿踌躇，她却坚持叫我讲。“我特别想知道她怎么谈论这件事。”
You know the way people talk. She's not very reliable, is she? She said your husband had left you.
“你知道别人怎么谈论。她这个人说话靠不住，对不对？她说你的丈夫把你丢开了。”
Is that all?
“就说了这些吗？”
I did not choose to repeat Rose Waterford's parting reference to a girl from a tea-shop. I lied.
我不想告诉她柔斯·瓦特尔芙德分手时讲到茶点店女侍的那句话。我对她扯了个谎。
She didn't say anything about his going with anyone?
“她说没说他是跟一个什么人一块走的？”
No.
“没有。”
That's all I wanted to know.
“我想知道的就是这件事。”
I was a little puzzled, but at all events I understood that I might now take my leave. When I shook hands with Mrs. Strickland I told her that if I could be of any use to her I should be very glad. She smiled wanly.
我有一些困惑莫解，但是不管怎么说我知道现在我可以告辞了。当我同思特里克兰德太太握手告别的时候我对她说，如果有什么事需要我做，我一定为她尽力。她的脸上掠过一丝笑影。
Thank you so much. I don't know that anybody can do anything for me.
“非常感谢你。我不知道有谁能替我做什么。”
Too shy to express my sympathy, I turned to say good-bye to the Colonel. He did not take my hand.
我不好意思向她表示我的同情，便转过身去同上校告别。上校并没有同我握手。
I'm just coming. If you're walking up Victoria Street, I'll come along with you.
“我也要走。如果你从维多利亚路走，我跟你同路。”
All right, I said. "Come on."
“好吧，”我说，“咱们一起走。”
