Tiare sighed.
蒂阿瑞叹了口气。
"Ah, I wish I were fifteen again."
“啊,我真希望我再回到十五岁的年纪。”
Then she caught sight of a cat trying to get at a dish of prawns on the kitchen table, and with a dexterous gesture and a lively volley of abuse flung a book at its scampering tail.
这时,她忽然看见一只猫正在厨房桌上偷对虾吃,随着连珠炮似的一串咒骂,她又麻利又准确地把一本书扔在仓皇逃跑的猫尾巴上。
"I asked him if he was happy with Ata.
“我问他同爱塔一起生活幸福不幸福。”
"'She leaves me alone,' he said. 'She cooks my food and looks after her babies. She does what I tell her. She gives me what I want from a woman.'
“‘她不打扰我,’他说。‘她给我做饭,照管孩子。我叫她做什么她就做什么。凡是我要求一个女人的,她都给我了。’”
"'And do you never regret Europe? Do you not yearn sometimes for the light of the streets in Paris or London, the companionship of your friends, and equals, que sais-je? for theatres and newspapers, and the rumble of omnibuses on the cobbled pavements?'
“‘你离开欧洲从来也没有后悔过吗?有的时候你是不是也怀念巴黎或伦敦街头的灯火?怀念你的朋友、伙伴?还有我不知道的一些东西,剧院呀、报纸呀、公共马车隆隆走过鹅卵石路的声响?’”
"For a long time he was silent. Then he said:"'I shall stay here till I die.'
很久,很久,他一句话也没有说。最后他开口道:“‘我愿意待在这里,一直到我死。’”
"'But are you never bored or lonely?' I asked.
“‘但是你就从来也不感到厌烦,不感到寂寞?’”我问道。
"He chuckled.
他咯咯地笑了几声。
"'Mon pauvre ami,' he said. 'It is evident that you do not know what it is to be an artist.'"
“‘我可怜的朋友,’他说,‘很清楚,你不懂作一个艺术家是怎么回事。’”
Capitaine Brunot turned to me with a gentle smile, and there was a wonderful look in his dark, kind eyes.
布吕诺船长转过头来对我微微一笑,他的一双和蔼的黑眼睛里闪着奇妙的光辉。
"He did me an injustice, for I too know what it is to have dreams. I have my visions too. In my way I also am an artist."
“他这样说对我可太不公平了,因为我也知道什么叫怀着梦想。我自己就也有幻想。从某一方面讲,我自己也是个艺术家。”