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"The Christmas—eve supper! Oh! no, I shall never go in for that again!” Stout Henri Templier said that in a furious voice, as if some one had proposed some crime to him, while the others laughed and said:
“平安夜晚餐！哦！我再也不想参加了！” 胖子亨利·唐普利耶愤怒地说着，好像有人指使他做坏事似的，而其他人则笑着说道：
"What are you flying into a rage about? "
“你这么生气干嘛？”
"Because a Christmas—eve supper played me the dirtiest trick in the world, and ever since I have felt an insurmountable horror for that night of imbecile gayety.”
“因为那次平安夜晚宴跟我开了一个世界上最卑鄙的玩笑，从那时起我就对这种穷开心的平安夜感到极端厌恶。”
"Tell us what it is? "
“告诉我们那个玩笑吧？”
"You want to know what it was? Very well then, just listen.
“你们想知道理由？好吧，我讲给你们听听。
"You remember how cold it was two years ago at Christmas; cold enough to kill poor people in the streets. The Seine was covered with ice; the pavements froze one's feet through the soles of one's boots, and the whole world seemed to be at the point of going to pot.
“你们还记得两年前圣诞的时候是多么寒冷吧；冷得足可以把大街上的穷人冻死。塞纳河结了冰，人行道上寒气透过人们的鞋底把脚都冻伤了，整个世界好像都快被封冻了。
"I had a big piece of work on, and so I refused every invitation to supper, as I preferred to spend the night at my writing table. I dined alone and then began to work. But about ten o'clock I grew restless at the thought of the gay and busy life all over Paris, at the noise in the streets which reached me in spite of everything, at my neighbors' preparations for supper, which I heard through the walls. I hardly knew any longer what I was doing; I wrote nonsense, and at last I came to the conclusion that I had better give up all hope of producing any good work that night.
‘我当时有一大堆东西要做，而我更想在书桌前熬通宵，因此我回绝了所有晚宴邀请。我独自吃完晚饭，然后开始工作。但是在十点来钟的时候，一想到整个巴黎都沉浸在热闹、愉快的气氛中，街道上的喧闹声不绝于耳，还有墙那边传来的邻居们准备晚宴的声音，我不禁坐立不安起来。我几乎都不知道自已在做什么，写的东西全是废话，最后我得出结论，最好放弃在那晚创作出好东西的念头。
"I walked up and down my room; I sat down and got up again. I was certainly under the mysterious influence of the enjoyment outside, and I resigned myself to it. So I rang for my servant and said to her:
“我在屋里来回踱步；坐下又站起来。我一定受到了外面愉快氛围的神奇影响，我向它投降了。我摇铃叫来女佣，对她说：
“'Angela, go and get a good supper for two; some oysters, a cold partridge, some crayfish, hams and some cakes. Put out two bottles of champagne, lay the cloth and go to bed. '
“ ‘安吉拉，去好好准备出够两人吃的晚餐：一些牡蛎，鹌鹑冷拼，一些小龙虾，火腿，还有蛋糕。再拿两瓶香槟酒来，铺好桌布，你就可以去睡觉了。’
"She obeyed in some surprise, and when all was ready, I put on my great coat and went out. A great question was to be solved: 'Whom was I going to bring in to supper? ' My female friends had all been invited elsewhere, and if I had wished to have one, I ought to have seen about it beforehand, so I thought that I would do a good action at the same time, and I said to myself:
她感到有些惊讶，但还是按照吩咐去准备了，当一切都弄好了，我便穿上厚大衣出去了。这时出现一个亟待解决的大问题： “我该和谁一起共进晚宴呢？” 我的女性朋友都被邀请去其他地方赴宴了，如果想和其中一位一起就应该提前预约。于是，我想到我可以借机做点好事，便自言自语道：
“ ‘Paris is full of poor and pretty girls who will have nothing on their table to—night, and who are on the look out for some generous fellow. I will act the part of Providence to one of them this evening; and I will find one if I have to go into every pleasure resort, and have to question them and hunt for one till I find one to my choice.’ And I started off on my search.
“ ‘巴黎到处都是今晚餐桌上空空如也的、穷苦而漂亮的姑娘，她们正期待着人们慷慨解囊。今晚我就帮上帝向某个姑娘做些好事；我该踏遍每一个游乐场所，不停打听，直到找到一个中意的为止。’ 于是我便出去搜寻。
"I certainly found many poor girls, who were on the look—out for some adventure, but they were ugly enough to give any man a fit of indigestion, or thin enough to freeze as they stood if they had stopped, and you all know that I have a weakness for stout women. The more flesh they have, the better I like them, and a female colossus would drive me out of my senses with pleasure.
“我当然找到了许多正在寻找一些奇幻旅程的贫穷女孩，但她们不是丑得叫人倒胃口，就是瘦骨嶙峋，一停下来就会僵住似的。你们也知道，我对胖美人情有独钟。她们越是丰满，我越喜欢，一个体态丰盈的女人会使我神魂颠倒，不能自持。
"Suddenly, opposite the Theatre des Varietes, I saw a face to my liking. A good head, and then two protuberances, that on the chest very beautiful, and that on the stomach simply surprising; it was the stomach of a fat goose. I trembled with pleasure, and said:
“突然，在综艺剧院的对面，我发现了一个心仪的对象。她头部轮廓娇好，胸前突起的双峰非常诱人，鼓鼓的肚子也令人惊叹，胖胖的，像一只肥鹅的肚子。我兴奋地不住颤抖，说道：
“'By Jove! What a fine girl! '
“ ‘天啊！多美的姑娘啊! '
"It only remained for me to see her face. A woman's face is the dessert, while the rest is. the joint.
“只要再看一下她的长相就可以了。女人的面孔就像饭后甜点，而其他部分则像……大块的牛肉。
"I hastened on, and overtook her, and turned round suddenly under a gas lamp. She was charming, quite young, dark, with large, black eyes, and I immediately made my proposition, which she accepted without any hesitation, and a quarter of an hour later, we were sitting at supper in my lodgings. 'Oh! how comfortable it is here, ' she said as she came in, and she looked about her with evident satisfaction at having found a supper and a bed, on that bitter night.
“我快步上前，超过了她，在一个煤气灯下突然转过身去。她拥有一双乌黑的大眼睛，年轻漂亮，肤色黝黑。我立即向她说明来意，她很爽快地就答应了。十五分钟后，我们就坐在了我住所的餐桌旁。 ‘啊！这地方好舒适啊。’ 她进房间时说。她望望四周，眼中带着在这个寒冷的夜晚，看到丰盛的晚餐和舒适的床时的兴奋之情。
She was superb; so beautiful that she astonished me, and so stout that she fairly captivated me.
她真的很不错，漂亮得使我吃惊，丰满得使我销魂。
"She took off her cloak and hat, sat down and began to eat; but she seemed in low spirits, and sometimes her pale face twitched as if she were suffering from some hidden sorrow.
她脱掉大衣和帽子，坐下来开始大吃；但她看起来有些沮丧。她苍白的脸有时会抽搐一下，仿佛正遭受着内心的伤痛。
“'Have you anything troubling you? ' I asked her.
“ ‘有什么伤心的事吗？’ 我问她。
“'Bah! Don't let us think of troubles!’
“ ‘唉！让我们把所有烦恼都忘掉吧！”
"And she began to drink. She emptied her champagne glass at a draught, filled it again, and emptied it again, without stopping, and soon a little color came into her cheeks, and she began to laugh.
“她开始喝酒。她一口喝干了杯中的香槟，又斟满，又喝光。很快，她的脸颊开始泛红，开始大笑。
"I adored her already, kissed her continually, and discovered that she was neither stupid, nor common, nor coarse as ordinary street—walkers are. I asked her for some details about her life, but she replied:
“我已经爱上她了，不住地亲吻她，我发现她既不像一般的站街女那样愚蠢，也不像她们那么庸俗，更不那么粗笨。我细问了她一些生活情况，但她回答：
“'My little fellow, that is no business of yours! ' Alas! an hour later.
“ ‘我亲爱的朋友，那不关你的事！唉！一个小时后……
"At last it was time to go to bed, and while I was clearing the table, which had been laid in front of the fire, she undressed herself quickly, and got in. My neighbors were making a terrible din, singing and laughing like lunatics, and so I said to myself:
“终于到了上床的时间，我正在收拾放在壁炉前的餐桌，她则迅速地脱去衣服，钻进被窝。我邻居那边传来巨大的喧闹声，他们像疯子般唱着笑着，我心想：
“'I was quite right to go out and bring in this girl; I should never have been able to do any work. '
“ ‘带这个女孩回来真是太明智了，否则我什么事情都做不下去。’
"At that moment, however, a deep groan made me look round, and I said:
“这时，一阵低沉的呻吟声传过来，我问：
“'What is the matter with you, my dear? '
“ ‘亲爱的，你没事吧? '
"She did not reply, but continued to utter painful sighs, as if she were suffering horribly, and I continued:
“她没有回答，继续发出痛苦的呻吟，好像她正遭受剧烈的痛苦，我接着问：
“'Do you feel ill? ' And suddenly she uttered a cry, a heartrending cry, and I rushed up to the bed, with a candle in my hand.
“ ‘你生病了吗？’ 突然她发出一声尖叫，这种声音让人心碎，我赶快拿着蜡烛冲到床前。
"Her face was distorted with pain, and she was wringing her hands, panting and uttering long, deep groans, which sounded like a rattle in the throat, and which are so painful to hear, and I asked her in consternation:
“她的脸痛得变了形，她搅着双手，喘着粗气，发出长久、低沉的呻吟，就像是喉咙在咯咯作响一样。这声音真是难听。我不安地问她：
“'What is the matter with you? Do tell me what is the matter. '
“ ‘你怎么了？告诉我怎么了。’
“'Oh! my stomach! my stomach! ' she said. I pulled up the bed—clothes, and I saw… My friends, she was in labor.
“ ‘啊！我的肚子！我的肚子！’ 她喊道。我马上掀开被子，我看到……亲爱的朋友，她正在生孩子。
"Then I lost my head, and I ran and knocked at the wall with my fists, shouting: 'Help! help! '
我不知所措，我跑去用拳头使劲砸墙，大声叫道： ‘救命！救命! '
"My door was opened almost immediately, and a crowd of people came in, men in evening dress, women in low necks, harlequins, Turks, Musketeers, and this inroad startled me so, that I could not explain myself, and they, who had thought that some accident had happened, or that a crime had been committed, could not understand what was the matter. At last, however, I managed to say:
“我的房门几乎立即被打开了，一群人拥了进来，有穿晚宴服的男人，穿低胸服装的女人，小丑，土耳其人和火枪手。他们这么突然地冲进来，可把我吓坏了，吓得我没法说清楚发生了什么。而他们原以为发生了谋杀之类的事件，现在则弄不懂是怎么了。然而，最后，我还是开口说道：
“'This. this. woman. is being confined. '
“ ‘这个……这个……女人……要生孩子。”
"Then they looked at her, and gave their opinion, and a Friar, especially, declared that he knew all about it, and wished to assist nature, but as they were all as drunk as pigs, I was afraid that they would kill her, and I rushed downstairs without my hat, to fetch an old doctor, who lived in the next street. When I came back with him, the whole house was up; the gas on the stairs had been relighted, the lodgers from every floor were in my room, while four boatmen were finishing my champagne and lobsters.
“然后他们看看她，开始发表各自的意见，其中一个行乞修道士声称他在行，愿意帮她接生。但他们都醉得像死猪一样，我担心她会被他们弄死，于是我连帽子都顾不上戴就冲下楼去叫住在邻街的一位老医生。当我带着医生回来时，整栋房子里的人都到我家来了；楼梯上的煤气灯被重新点燃，每一层的住户都集中在我的房间里，四个船夫正在享用我的香槟酒和龙虾。
"As soon as they saw me they raised a loud shout, and a milkmaid presented me with a horrible little wrinkled specimen of humanity, that was mewing like a cat, and said to me:
“ ‘他们一看我就高声呼喊，一个牛奶女工递给我一个小得要命的、皱巴巴的、像小猫一样叫着的小肉团，对我说：
“'It is a girl. '
“ ‘是个女孩。’
"The doctor examined the woman, declared that she was in a dangerous state, as the event had occurred immediately after supper, and he took his leave, saying he would immediately send a sick nurse and a wet nurse, and an hour later, the two women came, bringing all that was requisite with them.
“医生给那个女人做了检查，说她由于刚刚吃完晚餐就分娩，情况很危险。医生走时说他会尽快派护士和奶妈来。一小时后，那两个女人来了，带了所有需要的东西。
"I spent the night in my armchair, too distracted to be able to think of the consequences, and almost as soon as it was light, the doctor came again, who found his patient very ill, and said to me:
“我在扶手椅上度过了一个不眠之夜，思绪混乱，不知事情会如何发展。第二天天刚亮医生就来了，他发现那女人的情形还是不乐观，医生说：
“'Your wife, Monsieur.. '
“ ‘先生，您的妻子……’
“'She is not my wife, ' I interrupted him.
“ ‘她不是我妻子。’ 我打断他说道。
“'Very well then, your mistress; it does not matter to me. '
“ ‘好吧，那就是情妇了，这我不管。’
"He told me what must be done for her, what her diet must be, and then wrote a prescription.
“他告诉我必须怎样照顾她，必须怎样安排饮食，然后开了一个药方。
"What was I to do? Could I send the poor creature to the hospital? I should have been looked upon as a brute in the house and in all the neighborhood, and so I kept her in my rooms, and she had my bed for six weeks.
“我该怎么办呢？把这个可怜女人送到医院去？那我一定会被这栋房子里的所有人以及邻居们骂成冷酷无情的人。因此我必须收留她，她在我的床上躺了六个星期。
"I sent the child to some peasants at Poissy to be taken care of, and she still costs me fifty francs a month, for as I had paid at first, I shall be obliged to go on paying as long as I live, and later on, she will believe that I am her father. But to crown my misfortunes, when the girl had recovered. I found that she was in love with me, madly in love with me, the baggage! "
“我把孩子送到普瓦西的几个农民家里代为照管，每月还得支付五十法郎的看护费，因为第一笔钱是我付的，从今往后也必须付钱，直到我死的那天为止。以后，她还会以为我是她的爸爸。但最不幸的是，那个女人病好后……这个小丫头竟疯狂地爱上了我！”
"Well? "
“后来呢？”
"Well, she had grown as thin as a homeless cat, and I turned the skeleton out of doors, but she watches for me in the streets, hides herself, so that she may see me pass, stops me in the evening when I go out, in order to kiss my hand, and, in fact, worries me enough to drive me mad; and that is why I never keep Christmas eve now. "
“后来，她瘦得像一只无家可归的猫，我把皮包骨头的她赶了出去。但她藏起来在街上关注着我，一发现我在晚上出门就拦住我，亲吻我的手。这让我非常担心我，都快把我折磨疯了。这就是我永远不过平安夜的原因。”