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Is there any stronger feeling than curiosity in a woman?
还有比女人的好奇心更加强烈的感觉吗？
Oh! Fancy seeing, knowing, touching what one has dreamt about! What would a woman not do for that? When once a woman's eager curiosity is aroused, she will be guilty of any folly, commit any imprudence, venture upon anything, and recoil from nothing. I am speaking of women who are really women, who are endowed with that triple—bottomed disposition, which appears to be reasonable and cold on the surface, but whose three secret compartments are filled. The first, with female uneasiness, which is always in a state of flutter; the next, with sly tricks which are colored in imitation of good faith, with those sophistical and formidable tricks of apparently devout women; and the last, with all those charming, improper acts, with that delightful deceit, exquisite perfidy, and all those wayward qualities, which drive lovers who are stupidly credulous, to suicide, but which delight others.
啊！想象去看见、了解、接触梦中的东西！为了达到这个目的，她们什么事情不会做呢？一旦一个女人热切的好奇心被勾起，她就会做任何愚蠢的事，行为草率、胆大包天、毫不退缩。我所说的女人是真正的女人，她们的头脑分成三格，表面看起来理智、冷漠，但实际上，三个秘密间隔里被塞得满满的。第一格里装着女性的不安，总是蠢蠢欲动；第二格装着诚实掩盖下的狡猾伎俩，它们是表面上虔诚的女人的那些充满诡辩的可怕伎俩；最后一格里装着令人迷醉的卑劣行径，装着令人高兴的欺骗、处心积虑的背叛、以及所有那些反复无常的品质，让那些盲目轻信的情人走上绝路，却让别人高兴。
The woman whose adventure I am about to relate, was a little person from the provinces, who had been insipidly chaste till then. Her life, which was apparently so calm, was spent at home, with a busy husband and two children, whom she brought up like an irreproachable woman. But her heart beat with unsatisfied curiosity, and some unknown longing. She was continually thinking of Paris, and read the fashionable papers eagerly. The accounts of parties, of the dresses and various entertainments, excited her longing; but, above all, she was strangely agitated by those paragraphs which were full of double meaning, by those veils which were half raised by clever phrases, and which gave her a glimpse of culpable and ravishing delights, and from her country home, she saw Paris in an apotheosis of magnificent and corrupt luxury.
我要讲的奇遇的女主人公是一个来自外省的小个子女人，她曾经是那么平淡而纯洁。表面上，她的生活十分平静，整天呆在家里照顾忙碌的丈夫和两个孩子，这一点无可指摘。但是，她的心里跳动着未能满足的好奇和某种未知的渴望。她总是向往着巴黎，如饥似渴地阅读时尚报纸。对聚会、服装和各式各样的娱乐的描述刺激着她的渴望。然而，那些充满双重意义的段落，那些欲言又止的巧妙语言对她的鼓动尤为强烈，让她瞥见了罪恶又令人陶醉的乐趣。从她的乡间住宅里，她看见的是被神化了的、豪华腐败的巴黎。
And during the long nights, when she dreamt, lulled by the regular snores of her husband, who was sleeping on his back by her side, with a silk handkerchief tied round his head, she saw in her sleep those well—known men whose names appeared on the first page of the newspapers as great stars in the dark skies; and she pictured to herself their life of continual excitement, of constant debauches, of orgies such as they indulged in in ancient Rome, which were horridly voluptuous, with refinements of sensuality which were so complicated that she could not even picture them to herself.
漫漫长夜里，她的丈夫在她身旁仰面大睡，头上绑着丝绸头巾，她就在他有规律的鼾声中做梦，梦见了那些名人的名字出现在报纸头条，像黑夜里夺目的星星。她想象着他们无休止的兴奋和堕落，想象着像古罗马时期那样放纵的生活，这种生活异常奢侈逸乐和荒淫无度，复杂得令她难以想象。
The boulevards seemed to her to be a kind of abyss of human passions, and there could be no doubt that the houses there concealed mysteries of prodigious love. But she felt that she was growing old, and this, without having known life, except in those regular, horridly monotonous, everyday occupations, which constitute the happiness of the home. She was still pretty, for she was well preserved in her tranquil existence, like some winter fruit in a closed cupboard; but she was agitated and devoured by her secret ardor. She used to ask herself whether she should die without having experienced any of those damning, intoxicating joys, without having plunged once, just once into that flood of Parisian voluptuousness.
那些林荫大道对她来说就像是人类激情的一种深渊。毫无疑问，那里的房子里隐藏着一些奇异的爱情故事。但是她觉得自己正在变老，却还没有了解生活，除了那些一成不变的、可怕单调的日常琐事，这构成了这个家庭的幸福。她依然漂亮，因为她在平静的生活中保养得很好，就像在一个封闭的橱窗中的某种冬季的水果，但隐秘的狂热鼓动着她、吞噬着她。她常常问自己是不是此生都不会体验到那些该死的、令人陶醉的快乐，都不会投身于巴黎奢侈淫乐的洪流中，哪怕只有一次。
By dint of much perseverance, she paved the way for a journey to Paris, found a pretext, got some relations to invite her, and as her husband could not go with her, she went alone, and as soon as she arrived, she invented a reason for remaining for two days, or rather for two nights, if necessary, as she told him that she had met some friends who lived a little way out of town.
通过不懈的努力，她为一次巴黎之旅铺平了道路。她找到了一个借口，让她的亲戚邀请她去巴黎。由于她的丈夫不能和她一起去，她就一个人去了。她一到巴黎，就编了个可以呆两天的理由，更准确地说，是两个晚上。她告诉他，她遇到了几个住在城外不远的朋友。
And then she set out on a voyage of discovery. She went up and down the boulevards, without seeing anything except roving and numbered vice. She looked into the large cafes, and read the Agony Column of the Figaro, which every morning seemed to her like a tocsin, a summons to love. But nothing put her on the track of those orgies of actors and actresses; nothing revealed to her those temples of debauchery which she imagined opened at some magic word, like the cave in the Arabian Nights, or those catacombs in Rome, where the mysteries of a persecuted religion were secretly celebrated.
然后，她踏上了发现之旅。她在林荫大道上走来走去，但是除了流浪的、编过号的罪恶，她什么都没看到。她朝那些大咖啡馆望去，阅读《费加罗报》的答读者问专栏。对她来说，每天早上它就像爱情的一个警钟、一个召唤。但她没有寻到任何男演员和女演员们寻欢作乐的线索，也没发现放荡堕落的殿堂。她想象着用某句神奇的话开启这些殿堂，就像《一千零一夜》中的洞穴，或是受到迫害的宗教举行秘密仪式的罗马地下墓穴。
Her relations, who were quite middle—class people, could not introduce her to any of those well—known men with whose names her head was full, and in despair she was thinking of returning, when chance came to her aid. One day, as she was going along the Rue de la Chaussee d 'Antin, she stopped to look into a shop full of those colored Japanese knick—knacks, which strike the eye on account of their color. She was looking at the little ivory buffoons, the tall vases of flaming enamel, and the curious bronzes, when she heard the shop—keeper dilating, with many bows, on the value of an enormous, pot—bellied, comical figure, which was quite unique, he said, to a little, bald—headed, gray—bearded man.
她的亲戚是中产者，没办法给她介绍那些她脑中整天想着名字的名人。绝望之际，她想着要回去，但运气帮了她的忙。一天，她正沿着当丹河堤街走着，看见一家摆满彩色日本小装饰品的铺子，它们的颜色很吸引眼球。她停了下来，朝里张望。她正看着象牙做的小丑角、高大的火红搪瓷花瓶，还有稀奇的青铜制品，这时，她听到店主卑躬屈膝地向一个小个子的、秃顶的、灰白胡子的男人详细地介绍一座高大的、肚子圆圆的、滑稽的瓷像，他说这是唯一的一座。
Every moment, the shop—keeper repeated his customer's name, which was a celebrated one, in a voice like a trumpet. The other customers, young women and well—dressed gentlemen, gave a swift and furtive, but respectful glance at the celebrated writer, who was looking admiringly at the china figure. They were both equally ugly, as ugly as two brothers who had sprung from the same mother.
店主时时刻刻用他喇叭似的声音重复着那位顾客的名字——一个赫赫有名的名字。其他客人——年轻的女子、衣冠楚楚的男士——都迅速地向这位有名的作家偷偷瞥上一眼，眼神里充满尊敬；而作家则正赞赏地观赏着那座瓷像。这位作家和那尊瓷像一样地丑，丑得就像是一个母亲生出来的两兄弟。
"I will let you have it for a thousand francs, Monsieur Varin, and that is exactly what it cost me. I should ask anybody else fifteen hundred, but I think a great deal of literary and artistic customers, and have special prices for them. They all come to me, Monsieur Varin. Yesterday, Monsieur Busnach bought a large, antique goblet of me, and the other day I sold two candelabra like this (is it not handsome? ) to Monsieur Alexander Dumas. If Monsieur Zola were to see that Japanese figure, he would buy it immediately, Monsieur Varin. "
“您出一千法郎我就把它卖给您，瓦兰先生，它刚好花了我这么多。本来不论是谁我都应该再加五百的，但我很崇敬搞文学和艺术的顾客，他们享有特价。他们都到我这儿来，瓦兰先生。昨天，比斯纳什先生买了一个古老的大高脚酒杯。不久前的一天，我卖给了亚历山大·仲马先生两个这样的烛台（难道它不漂亮吗？）。如果左拉先生看到那个日本瓷像，他会立刻买下的，瓦兰先生。”
The author hesitated in perplexity, as he wanted to have the figure, but the price was above him, and he thought no more about her looking at him than if he had been alone in the desert. She came in trembling, with her eyes fixed shamelessly upon him, and she did not even ask herself whether he were good—looking, elegant or young. It was Jean Varin himself, Jean Varin. After a long struggle, and painful hesitation, he put the figure down onto the table. "No, it is too dear, " he said. The shop—keeper's eloquence redoubled.
这位作家完全不知所措了，他想要这座瓷像，但价格对他来说又有点高了。他就像是一个人独自在沙漠里一样，毫不关注她盯着他的目光。她颤抖着走进来，眼睛不害臊地盯着他，甚至都没有问问自己他是否漂亮、优雅或是年轻。那就是让·瓦兰本人，让·瓦兰！经过很长一段时间的挣扎和痛苦的犹豫之后，他把瓷像放回了桌上。 “不，太贵了。” 他说。店主又开始发挥他的口才了：
"Oh! Monsieur Varin, too dear? It is worth two thousand francs, if it is worth a son. " But the man of letters replied sadly, still looking at the figure with the enameled eyes: "I do not say it is not; but it is too dear for me. " And thereupon, she, seized by a kind of mad audacity, came forward and said: "What shall you charge me for the figure? " The shop—keeper, in surprise, replied: "Fifteen hundred francs, Madame. " "I will take it. "
“噢！瓦兰先生，太贵了？卖两千法郎还算便宜的。” 但是，这位文学家仍然盯着这座眼睛上了釉的瓷像，悲伤地回答说： “我不是说它不值这么多，但对我来说，它太贵了。” 这时候，她一下子变得疯狂而大胆，走上前说： “这座瓷像卖给我多少钱？” 店主吃了一惊，答道： “一千五百法郎，太太。” “我买了。”
The writer, who had not even noticed her till that moment, turned round suddenly; he looked at her from head to foot, with half—closed eyes, observantly, and then he took in the details, as a connoisseur. She was charming, suddenly animated by that flame which had hitherto been dormant in her. And then, a woman who gives fifteen hundred francs for a knick—knack is not to be met with every day.
这位作家突然转过头，直到这时才注意到她。他半眯着眼睛，敏锐地把她从头到脚打量一番，然后，像一个鉴赏家似的仔仔细细地端详起来。她突然被一直在她身体里沉睡的那团火焰赋予了生命力，十分迷人。而且，花一千五百法郎买一件小装饰品的女人也不是每天都能遇到的。
But she was overcome by a feeling of delightful delicacy, and turning to him, she said in a trembling voice: "Excuse me, Monsieur, no doubt I have been rather hasty, as perhaps you had not finally made up your mind. " He, however, only bowed, and said: "Indeed, I had, Madame. " And she, filled with emotion, continued: "Well, Monsieur, if either today, or at any other time, you change your mind, you can have this Japanese figure. I only bought it because you seemed to like it. "
但是，她被一种愉快的微妙感觉征服了。她转向他，用颤抖的声音说道： “先生，不好意思，我的确是太莽撞了，也许您还没有最终下决定吧。” 然而，他只是鞠了一躬，说： “实际上，我已经决定了，太太。” 她十分激动，继续说道： “好吧，先生，如果今天，或者任何时候，只要您改变了心意，您就可以拥有这座日本瓷像。我买它只是因为您好像喜欢它。”
He was visibly flattered, and smiled. "I should much like to find out how you know who I am? " he said.
显然他受宠若惊，笑了笑。 “我很想知道，您是怎么认识我的？” 他说。
Then she told him how she admired him, and became quite eloquent as she quoted his works, and while they were talking he rested his arms on a table, and fixed his bright eyes upon her, trying to make out who and what she really was. But the shop—keeper, who was pleased to have that living puff of his goods, called out, from the other end of the shop: "Just look at this, Monsieur Varin; is it not beautiful? "
于是，她告诉他，她有多么崇拜他。当她引用他的作品时，变得非常健谈。在他们聊天的时候，他把胳膊搁在桌子上，明亮的眼睛死死地盯着她，试图弄清楚她到底是谁，是干什么的。但是因为有这样一个活广告，店主很满意，他在店子的另一头叫道： “看看这个，瓦兰先生，漂亮吧？”
And then everyone looked round, and she almost trembled with pleasure at being seen talking so intimately with such a well—known man.
然后，每个人都回头看。因为被看到和这样一个有名的人如此亲密地交谈，她高兴得几乎颤抖起来。
At last, however, intoxicated, as it were, by her feelings, she grew bold, like a general does, who is going to give the order for an assault. "Monsieur, " she said, "will you do me a great, a very great pleasure? Allow me to offer you this funny Japanese figure, as a keepsake from a woman who admires you passionately, and whom you have seen for ten minutes. "
然而，她终于有点飘飘然了，变得大胆起来，像一个将军即将发出冲锋号令一样。 “先生，” 她说， “请您给我一个荣幸，一个莫大的荣幸，好吗？请允许我把这座有趣的日本瓷像送给您，作为一个来自您只见了十分钟却对您钦慕有加的女人的纪念品。”
Of course he refused, and she persisted, but still he resisted her offer, at which he was much amused, and at which he laughed heartily; but that only made her more obstinate, and she said: "Very well, then, I shall take it to your house immediately. Where do you live? "
当然，他拒绝了。她继续坚持，但他还是拒绝她的礼物。这件事让他觉得很有趣，他由衷地笑了出来。但这只让她更加固执，她说： “那么，我立刻把它送到您家里。您住哪里？”
He refused to give her his address, but she got it from the shop—keeper, and when she had paid for her purchase, she ran out to take a cab. The writer went after her, as he did not wish to accept a present for which he could not possibly account. He reached her just as she was jumping into the vehicle, and getting in after her, he almost fell onto her, and then tumbled onto the bottom of the cab as it started. He picked himself up, however, and sat down by her side, feeling very much annoyed.
他拒绝给她地址，但她向店主打听到了。在付了货款之后，她跑出去，拦了辆出租马车。作家跟在她身后，因为他不想接受一个他说不出是谁的人送的礼物。在她跳上车时，他赶上了她，跟着她上了车，差点倒在她身上。接着，在马车开动时，他跌坐在了车的底部。不过他爬了起来，在她身边坐下来，感到很恼火。
It was no good for him to insist and to beg her; she showed herself intractable, and when they got to the door, she stated her conditions. "I will undertake not to leave this with you, " she said, "if you will promise to do all I want today. " And the whole affair seemed so funny to him that he agreed. "What do you generally do at this time? " she asked him; and after hesitating for a few moments, he replied: "I generally go for a walk. "
他的坚持和乞求都没有用，她表现得很倔强。在他们到达门口时，她提出了她的条件。 “我同意不把这件东西留给您，” 她说， “如果您承诺今天满足我所有的要求。” 整件事看起来很有趣，所以，他同意了。 “您这个时候通常在干什么？” 她问他。他犹豫了一会儿之后，答道： “我通常去散步。”
"Very well, then, we will go to the Bois de Boulogne! " she said, in a resolute voice, and they started.
“好极了，那么，我们去布洛涅森林。” 她坚决地说道。于是，他们出发了。
He was obliged to tell her the names of all the well—known women, pure or impure, with every detail about them; their life, their habits, their private affairs, and their vices; and when it was getting dusk, she said to him: "What do you do every day at this time? " "I have some absinthe, " he replied, with a laugh. "Very well, then, Monsieur, " she went on, seriously, "let us go and have some absinthe. "
他不得不告诉她所有著名的女人的名字，纯洁的或不纯洁的，以及关于她们的每个细节；还说了她们的生活、她们的习惯、她们的私事和她们的罪恶。快到黄昏时，她对他说： “您每天这个时候在干什么？” “我会喝点苦艾酒，” 他笑着回答。 “很好，那么，先生，” 她继续说，非常严肃， “那我们去喝点苦艾酒。”
They went into a large cafe on the boulevard which he frequented, and where he met some of his colleagues, whom he introduced to her. She was half mad with pleasure, and she kept saying to herself: "At last! At last! " But time went on, and she observed that she supposed it must be about his dinner time, and she suggested that they should go and dine. When they left Bignon's, after dinner, she wanted to know what he did in the evening, and looking at her fixedly, he replied: "That depends; sometimes I go to the theater. " "Very well, then, Monsieur, let us go to the theater. "
他们走进林阴大道上的一家大咖啡馆，那是他经常去的地方。在那里，他遇到了一些同事，把他们介绍给了她。她高兴得快要疯掉了，一直对自己说： “终于！终于！” 但时间一点点过去。她留意到现在应该是他吃晚餐的时间了，于是，她建议他们应该去吃晚餐。晚饭后，他们离开比尼翁餐厅时，她想知道他晚上做什么。他定定地看着她，答道： “这不一定，有时候我会去剧院。” “那好，那么，先生，我们去剧院吧。”
They went to the Vaudeville with an order, thanks to him, and, to her great pride, the whole house saw her sitting by his side, in the balcony stalls.
多亏了他，他们排着队进了通俗滑稽喜剧院。整个剧院的人都看见她坐在包厢里，在他身旁，这让她感到非常骄傲。
When the play was over, he gallantly kissed her hand, and said: "It only remains for me to thank you for this delightful day.... " But she interrupted him: "What do you do at this time, every night? " "Why... why... I go home. " She began to laugh, a little tremulous laugh. "Very well, Monsieur... let us go to your rooms. "
表演结束后，他殷勤地吻了她的手，说： “非常感谢您陪我度过了愉快的一天……” 但是，她打断了他，说： “每天晚上的这个时候，您在干什么？” “这……这……我回家。” 她开始笑，声音有一点点颤抖。 “那么，先生……我们到您家里去。”
They did not say anything more. She shivered occasionally, from head to foot, feeling inclined to stay, and inclined to run away, but with a fixed determination, after all, to see it out to the end. She was so excited that she had to hold onto the baluster as she went upstairs, and he came up behind her, with a wax match in his hand.
他们没有再说什么。她不时从头到脚哆嗦一下，感觉既想走又想留。但是，她终究还是下定了决心，想看看最后到底会怎样。她太兴奋了，上楼的时候不得不抓紧栏杆。他跟在她后面，手里拿着一根蜡质火柴。
As soon as they were in the room, she undressed herself quickly, and retired without saying a word, and then she waited for him, cowering against the wall. But she was as simple as it was possible for a provincial lawyer's wife to be, and he was more exacting than a pascha with three tails, and so they did not at all understand each other. At last, however, he went to sleep, and the night passed, and the silence was only disturbed by the tick—tack of the clock, and she, lying motionless, thought of her conjugal nights; and by the light of the Chinese lantern, she looked, nearly heart—broken, at the little fat man lying on his back, whose round stomach raised up the bed—clothes like a balloon filled with gas. He snored with the noise of a wheezy organ pipe, with prolonged snorts and comic chokings. His few hairs profited by his sleep, to stand up in a very strange way, as if they were tired of having been fastened for so long to that pate, whose bareness they were trying to cover, and a small stream of saliva was running out of one corner of his half—open mouth.
他们一进入房间，她就迅速脱光了衣服，躺在了床上，一句话也不说，缩在墙边，等着他。她单纯得像一个外省律师的妻子，而他却比三马尾旌的帕夏还要苛刻，因此，他们完全不懂对方。然而最终，他睡着了。夜晚慢慢过去，只有座钟的滴答声打破了沉寂。她一动不动地躺在那里，想着她夫妻俩的那些夜晚。在中国式灯笼的光亮下，她看着仰面躺着的这个小个子胖男人，他圆圆的肚子撑起了被单，就像一只充满气的气球。她的心都要碎了。他打着鼾，发出喘息的管风琴般的噪音，伴随着拖长的鼻息和滑稽的窒息声。他那几根头发得益于他的睡眠，奇形怪状地竖了起来，似乎厌烦了常驻在他的脑袋上以掩盖他的秃顶。一缕口水正从他半张着的嘴的一角流出来。
At last the daylight appeared through the drawn blinds; so she got up and dressed herself without making any noise, and she had already half opened the door, when she made the lock creak, and he woke up and rubbed his eyes. He was some moments before he quite came to himself, and then, when he remembered all that had happened, he said: "What! Are you going already? " She remained standing, in some confusion, and then she said, in a hesitating voice: "Yes, of course; it is morning... "
终于，日光从关着的百叶窗里射进来。于是，她悄无声息地起床穿好了衣服。她把门开到一半时，弄得门锁嘎吱作响。于是他醒了，揉了揉眼睛。他等了一会儿才清醒过来。接着，当他完全想起来发生的所有事情时，他说： “怎么！您这就要走了么？” 她站在那里不知所措。接着，她说： “是的，当然，天已经亮了……”
Then he sat up, and said: "Look here, I have something to ask you, in my turn. " And as she did not reply, he went on: "You have surprised me most confoundedly since yesterday. Be open, and tell me why you did it all, for upon my word I cannot understand it in the least. " She went close up to him, blushing like as if she had been a virgin, and said: "I wanted to know... what... what vice... really was,... and... well... well, it is not at all funny. "
于是，他坐起来，说： “喂，轮到我了，我有些事想问您。” 她没有回答。他继续说： “从昨天起，您就让我感到十分困惑。请坦率地告诉我您为什么要做这些事。因为说实话，我真的一点也不懂。” 她走近他，脸红得就像她还是个处女一样，说： “我想知道……堕落……到底是怎样的……但是……啊……啊，这一点都没有趣。”
And she ran out of the room, and downstairs into the street.
她跑出了房间，奔下楼梯，冲到了街上。
A number of sweepers were busy in the streets, brushing the pavements, the roadway, and sweeping everything on one side. With the same regular motion, the motion of mowers in a meadow, they pushed the mud in front of them in a semi—circle, and she met them in every street, like dancing puppets, walking automatically with their swaying motion. And it seemed to her as if something had been swept out of her; as if her over—excited dreams had been pushed into the gutter, or into the drain, and so she went home, out of breath, and very cold, and all that she could remember was the sensation of the motion of those brooms sweeping the streets of Paris in the early morning.
许多清洁工在街上忙碌着，打扫人行道和车行道，把所有垃圾都扫到一边。他们做着相同的有规律的动作，就像草地里割草人的动作那样，他们把面前的泥巴扫成一个半圆形。她在每条街道上都可以遇到这样的人，他们就像跳舞的木偶，摇摇摆摆地机械地往前走。她感觉似乎有什么东西从她体内被扫走了，似乎她过度兴奋的梦想被扫进了排水沟，扫进了下水道。于是，她上气不接下气地回家了，觉得浑身冰冷，唯一记得的就是感觉到清早那些扫帚在清扫巴黎的街道。
As soon as she got into her room, she threw herself onto her bed and cried.
一进自己的房间，她就扑到床上，哭了起来。
The Double Pins