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The household lived frugally on the meager income derived from the husband's insignificant appointments. Two children had been born of the marriage, and the earlier condition of the strictest economy had become one of quiet, concealed, shamefaced misery, the poverty of a noble family—which in spite of misfortune never forgets its rank.
这个家庭靠着丈夫微不足道的职位挣的菲薄的收入节俭地过着日子。他们结婚后生了两个孩子，先前拮据的经济状况变成了悄悄的、隐藏着的、羞于让人知道的悲惨，是那种处于困境但仍然不忘身份的贵族家庭的贫困。
Hector de Gribelin had been educated in the provinces, under the paternal roof, by an aged priest. His people were not rich, but they managed to live and to keep up appearances.
埃克托尔·德格里伯兰是在外省的父亲家里，由一位上了年纪的神父教养长大的。他家里的人并不富裕，但他们尽力维持生活、保住面子。
At twenty years of age they tried to find him a position, and he entered the Ministry of Marine as a clerk at sixty pounds a year. He foundered on the rock of life like all those who have not been early prepared for its rude struggles, who look at life through a mist, who do not know how to protect themselves, whose special aptitudes and faculties have not been developed from childhood, whose early training has not developed the rough energy needed for the battle of life or furnished them with tool or weapon.
在他二十岁时，他们努力帮他谋得一个职位。于是，他进入海军部当了一名职员，年薪六十英镑。他像那些人一样，在生活之礁上沉了船。那些人早先没有对严酷的斗争做好准备，看不清生活，不知道怎么去保护自己，他们的才智和能力没能在小时候就得到开发，他们早期的训练没有发展他们应对生活这场战役的基本能量，也没能为他们提供工具或武器。
His first three years of office work were a martyrdom.
他在办公室工作的最初三年是一场灾难。
He had, however, renewed the acquaintance of a few friends of his family —elderly people, far behind the times, and poor like himself, who lived in aristocratic streets, the gloomy thoroughfares of the Faubourg Saint—Germain; and he had created a social circle for himself.
不过，他恢复了同一些家族朋友的联系。他们是一些落后于时代的老人，像他一样贫穷，住在贵族居住的街道——圣日耳曼区凄凉的大道上。他为自己创造了一个社交圈。
Strangers to modern life, humble yet proud, these needy aristocrats lived in the upper stories of sleepy, old—world houses. From top to bottom of their dwellings the tenants were titled, but money seemed just as scarce on the ground floor as in the attics.
这些贫困的贵族对现代生活很陌生，谦逊却又骄傲，住在安静得像睡着了的旧时代房子的顶上几层。在他们所住的地方，从顶层到底层的房客都有贵族头衔，但钱在第二层如同在阁楼上一样，似乎都很缺少。
Their eternal prejudices, absorption in their rank, anxiety lest they should lose caste, filled the minds and thoughts of these families once so brilliant, now ruined by the idleness of the men of the family. Hector de Gribelin met in this circle a young girl as well born and as poor as himself and married her.
永恒的偏见、对头衔的关注、唯恐失去社会地位的担忧，充斥着这些家庭中的人们的头脑和思想。这些家庭曾经显赫一时，现在因家里男人们的懒散而衰败。埃克托尔·德格里伯兰在这个圈子里遇到了一个和他同样出身于贵族、但又同样贫穷的女孩，并且娶了她。
They had two children in four years.
四年之内，他们有了两个孩子。
For four years more the husband and wife, harassed by poverty, knew no other distraction than the Sunday walk in the Champs—Elysees and a few evenings at the theatre (amounting in all to one or two in the course of the winter) which they owed to free passes presented by some comrade or other.
在接下来的四年里，这对受贫穷困扰的夫妇除了星期日到香榭丽舍大街散散步，还有几个晚上凭着同事或其他人给的免费票去剧院看演出 (整个冬天共一到两次) 之外，就不知道别的消遣了。
But in the spring of the following year some overtime work was entrusted to Hector de Gribelin by his chief, for which he received the large sum of three hundred francs.
然而，次年春天，埃克托尔·德·格里伯兰的领导托付给他一些额外的工作，让他挣到了一大笔钱——三百法郎。
The day he brought the money home he said to his wife:
把钱带回家的那天，他对妻子说：
"My dear Henrietta, we must indulge in some sort of festivity—say an outing for the children. "
“亲爱的亨丽埃特，我们必须好好庆祝一下——比如说，带孩子出去玩玩。”
And after a long discussion it was decided that they should go and lunch one day in the country.
经过一段长时间的讨论之后，他们决定选一天到乡下去吃午餐。
"Well, " cried Hector, "once will not break us, so we'll hire a wagonette for you, the children and the maid. And I'll have a saddle horse; the exercise will do me good. "
“好啦，” 埃克托尔叫道， “就这一次，不会让我们怎么样的。那么，我们为你、孩子和女仆租一辆四轮马车。我会租一匹装了鞍的马。这会对我有好处的。”
The whole week long they talked of nothing but the projected excursion.
整整一个星期，他们只在谈论这次计划中的旅行。
Every evening, on his return from the office, Hector caught up his elder son, put him astride his leg, and, making him bounce up and down as hard as he could, said:
每天晚上，从办公室回来之后，埃克托尔就抱起大儿子，让他骑坐在自己一条腿上，使出全身力气将他颠上颠下，说：
"That's how daddy will gallop next Sunday. "
“下个星期天，爸爸就要这样骑着马飞奔了。”
And the youngster amused himself all day long by bestriding chairs, dragging them round the room and shouting:
这个孩子整天骑着椅子，拖着它们满屋跑，喊着：
"This is daddy on horseback! "
“这就是爸爸在骑马！”
The servant herself gazed at her master with awestruck eyes as she thought of him riding alongside the carriage, and at meal—times she listened with all her ears while he spoke of riding and recounted the exploits of his youth, when he lived at home with his father. Oh, he had learned in a good school, and once he felt his steed between his legs he feared nothing—nothing whatever!
女仆用敬佩的眼神盯着她的主人，想象着他在马车旁骑着马。用餐时，她会竖起耳朵听当他讲述骑马，讲他年轻时候的功绩，那时候他同父亲住在家里。噢，他受过良好的教育。一旦马到了他的胯下，他就什么都不怕了——不论什么都不怕！
Rubbing his hands, he repeated gaily to his wife:
他搓着手，快活地对妻子重复讲：
"If only they would give me a restive animal I should be all the better pleased. You'll see how well I can ride; and if you like we'll come back by the Champs—Elysees just as all the people are returning from the Bois. As we shall make a good appearance, I shouldn't at all object to meeting some one from the ministry. That is all that is necessary to insure the respect of one's chiefs. "
“要是他们给我一匹不安生的马，那我就太高兴了。那你就能看到我的骑术有多好。如果你愿意，我们就趁着人们都从树林（指巴黎西面供贵族、资产阶级等游乐的布洛涅森林）里回来时，走香榭丽舍大街回家。我们会显得很神气，而我也完全不会介意遇到部里的人。光凭这个就可以得到长官们的尊重了。”
On the day appointed the carriage and the riding horse arrived at the same moment before the door. Hector went down immediately to examine his mount. He had had straps sewn to his trousers and flourished in his hand a whip he had bought the evening before.
在约定好的那天，马车和马同时来到了家门口。埃克托尔立刻下楼去检查他的坐骑。他已经让人在裤子上缝上了带子，手里挥舞着前一天晚上买的鞭子。
He raised the horse's legs and felt them one after another, passed his hand over the animal's neck, flank and hocks, opened his mouth, examined his teeth, declared his age; and then, the whole household having collected round him, he delivered a discourse on the horse in general and the specimen before him in particular, pronouncing the latter excellent in every respect.
他把马的腿一条一条抬起来摸着，用手按按马的脖子、两肋和跗关节，扳开它的嘴，检查它的牙齿，报出了它的年龄。等家里的所有人都凑到他周围后，他就一般的马，尤其是眼前这匹马给大家上了一堂课，声称这匹马从各方面来说都非常出众。
When the rest of the party had taken their seats in the carriage he examined the saddle—girth; then, putting his foot in the stirrup, he sprang to the saddle. The animal began to curvet and nearly threw his rider.
当其他人都上了马车坐下来之后，他检查了马鞍的肚带。然后，他脚踩马镫，跳上了马鞍。马开始乱跳，差点把骑在它背上的人给摔下来。
Hector, not altogether at his ease, tried to soothe him:
埃克托尔有点紧张，尽力使它平静下来：
"Come, come, good horse, gently now! "
“好啦，好啦，好马儿，现在温柔点！”
Then, when the horse had recovered his equanimity and the rider his nerve, the latter asked:
之后，马恢复了镇定，骑马的人也平静下来，他问道：
"Are you ready? "
“你们准备好了吗？”
The occupants of the carriage replied with one voice:
马车里坐着的人齐声回答：
"Yes. "
“准备好了。”
"Forward! " he commanded.
“出发！” 他命令道。
And the cavalcade set out.
于是，这支队伍出发了。
All looks were centered on him. He trotted in the English style, rising unnecessarily high in the saddle; looking at times as if he were mounting into space. Sometimes he seemed on the point of falling forward on the horse's mane; his eyes were fixed, his face drawn, his cheeks pale.
所有的目光都集中在他身上。他按照英国人的方式骑马小跑着，在马鞍上跳得夸张的高，有时看起来似乎要跳到天上去一样。有时候，他好像就要朝着马鬃扑下去似的。他的眼睛一动不动，脸紧绷着，双颊苍白。
His wife, holding one of the children on her knees, and the servant, who was carrying the other, continually cried out:
他的妻子搂着一个孩子坐在她腿上，女仆则抱着另一个孩子。她们不停地叫着：
"Look at papa! look at papa! "
“看看爸爸！看看爸爸！”
And the two boys, intoxicated by the motion of the carriage, by their delight and by the keen air, uttered shrill cries. The horse, frightened by the noise they made, started off at a gallop, and while Hector was trying to control his steed his hat fell off, and the driver had to get down and pick it up. When the equestrian had recovered it he called to his wife from a distance:
两个儿子陶醉在马车的移动、心里的快乐和热切的氛围中，发出一阵阵尖叫。马被孩子们制造的噪音吓到了，开始飞奔起来。埃克托尔尽力想控制它，可他的帽子却掉了下来，车夫不得不下来把帽子捡起来。这位骑马者接过帽子之后，远远地对他妻子喊道：
"Don't let the children shout like that! They'll make the horse bolt! "
“不要让孩子们那样大声叫喊！他们会让马狂奔的！”
They lunched on the grass in the Vesinet woods, having brought provisions with them in the carriage.
午餐是在维西内树林的草地上吃的，吃的是马车上带来的食物。
Although the driver was looking after the three horses, Hector rose every minute to see if his own lacked anything; he patted him on the neck and fed him with bread, cakes and sugar.
虽然有车夫照看那三匹马，但埃克托尔还是时不时就会起身去看看他自己那匹是否缺点什么。他轻轻拍打着它的脖子，喂给它面包、蛋糕和糖果。
"He's an unequal trotter, " he declared. "He certainly shook me up a little at first, but, as you saw, I soon got used to it. He knows his master now and won't give any more trouble. "
“它是一匹不好对付的快马，” 他宣称。 “刚开始它的确让我受了点惊吓，不过你们看到了，我很快就适应了它。现在，它认识自己的主人了，不会再制造任何麻烦了。”
As had been decided, they returned by the Champs—Elysees.
按照先前的决定，他们取道香榭丽舍大街返回。
That spacious thoroughfare literally swarmed with vehicles of every kind, and on the sidewalks the pedestrians were so numerous that they looked like two indeterminate black ribbons unfurling their length from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. A flood of sunlight played on this gay scene, making the varnish of the carriages, the steel of the harness and the handles of the carriage doors shine with dazzling brilliancy.
那条宽阔的大道上真的是挤满了各种各样的交通工具，人行道上的行人也如此之多，看起来就像两条模糊的黑丝带，从凯旋门一直延伸到协和广场。一束阳光泻在这欢乐的场景上，让马车上的油漆、马具上的钢铁和马车门的把手都闪着耀眼的光芒。
An intoxication of life and motion seemed to have invaded this assemblage of human beings, carriages and horses. In the distance the outlines of the Obelisk could be discerned in a cloud of golden vapor.
这个由人、马车和马组成的集合似乎陶醉在生命和运动当中。远处，透过一团金色的蒸汽，依稀可见方尖石塔的轮廓。
As soon as Hector's horse had passed the Arc de Triomphe he became suddenly imbued with fresh energy, and, realizing that his stable was not far off, began to trot rapidly through the maze of wheels, despite all his rider's efforts to restrain him.
埃克托尔的马一穿过凯旋门，突然充满了新的活力，它意识到它的马厩就在不远处，于是开始快速地奔跑起来，穿过车轮迷宫，不顾骑在它身上的人竭尽全力的制止。
The carriage was now far behind. When the horse arrived opposite the Palais de l 'Industrie he saw a clear field before him, and, turning to the right, set off at a gallop.
马车现在远远地落在后面。当马到达工业宫对面时，他看到眼前有一片空旷的场地，就向右一转，飞奔起来。
An old woman wearing an apron was crossing the road in leisurely fashion. She happened to be just in Hector's way as he arrived on the scene riding at full speed. Powerless to control his mount, he shouted at the top of his voice:
一个穿着围裙的老妇人正悠闲地穿过马路。当埃克托尔以全速到达此地时，她碰巧挡住了他的去路。他没法控制他的马，只能用最大的声音喊道：
"Hi! Look out there! Hi! "
“喂！小心！喂！”
She must have been deaf, for she continued peacefully on her way until the awful moment when, struck by the horse's chest as by a locomotive under full steam, she rolled ten paces off, turning three somersaults on the way.
她肯定是个聋子，因为她继续平静地走着，直到可怕的时刻到来——她被马的胸撞到了，就像被一辆正在全速前进的机车撞到一样，滚了十步远，在路上翻了三个跟头。
Voices yelled:
很多人喊道：
"Stop him! "
“拦住他！”
Hector, frantic with terror, clung to the horse's mane and shouted:
埃克托尔吓傻了，紧紧抓住马鬃，大声叫道：
"Help! Help! "
“救命啊！救命啊！”
A terrible jolt hurled him, as if shot from a gun, over his horse's ears and cast him into the arms of a policeman who was running up to stop him.
一阵剧烈的颠簸把他扔了出去，他像从枪里射出来一样，飞过马的耳朵，正好落在一名跑来拦他的警察怀里。
In the space of a second a furious, gesticulating, vociferating group had gathered round him. An old gentleman with a white mustache, wearing a large round decoration, seemed particularly exasperated. He repeated:
不到一秒的时间，一群怒气冲冲、指手画脚、大叫大嚷的人聚集到了他周围。一位佩戴着圆形大勋章的白胡子老先生似乎特别愤怒。他反复地说：
"Confound it! When a man is as awkward as all that he should remain at home and not come killing people in the streets, if he doesn't know how to handle a horse. "
“见鬼！像这样笨的人就应该呆在家里，不知道怎样驾驭一匹马就别到街上来害人。”
Four men arrived on the scene, carrying the old woman. She appeared to be dead. Her skin was like parchment, her cap on one side and she was covered with dust.
四个人抬着老妇人出现了。她看起来好像死了一样。她的皮肤像羊皮纸，帽子歪到一边，身上满是灰尘。
"Take her to a druggist's, " ordered the old gentleman, "and let us go to the commissary of police. "
“把她抬到一间药房去，” 老先生命令道， “我们去警察分局。”
Hector started on his way with a policeman on either side of him, a third was leading his horse. A crowd followed them—and suddenly the wagonette appeared in sight. His wife alighted in consternation, the servant lost her head, the children whimpered. He explained that he would soon be at home, that he had knocked a woman down and that there was not much the matter. And his family, distracted with anxiety, went on their way.
埃克托尔夹在两名警察中间走了。还有一名警察牵着他的马。一群人跟在他们身后。突然，那辆四轮马车出现在视野里。他的妻子惊慌失措地奔过来，女仆吓得不知所措，孩子们大哭大叫。他解释说，他不久就会回家，说他撞倒了一个女人，不过没什么事。他的家人惊慌失措地走了。
When they arrived before the commissary the explanation took place in few words. He gave his name—Hector de Gribelin, employed at the Ministry of Marine; and then they awaited news of the injured woman. A policeman who had been sent to obtain information returned, saying that she had recovered consciousness, but was complaining of frightful internal pain. She was a charwoman, sixty—five years of age, named Madame Simon.
他们到达警察分局后，事情三言两语就说清楚了。他说他的名字叫埃克托尔·德·格里伯兰，在海军部任职。然后，他们就等着受伤妇人的消息。一名被派去打听消息的警察回来了，他说她已经恢复了知觉，但是一直抱怨身子里疼得厉害。她是一名女佣，六十五岁，叫做西蒙太太。
When he heard that she was not dead Hector regained hope and promised to defray her doctor's bill. Then he hastened to the druggist's. The door way was thronged; the injured woman, huddled in an armchair, was groaning. Her arms hung at her sides, her face was drawn. Two doctors were still engaged in examining her. No bones were broken, but they feared some internal lesion.
埃克托尔听到她没有死，又重新看到了希望，承诺支付她的医疗费用。接着，他匆匆忙忙地跑去药房。一大堆人聚集在门口，那个受伤的老妇人蜷缩在一把扶手椅里，呻吟着。她的胳膊搭拉在身体两侧，脸色憔悴。两名医生还在给她做检查。她没有骨折，但他们担心会有内伤。
Hector addressed her:
埃克托尔问她：
"Do you suffer much? "
“您疼得厉害吗？”
"Oh, yes! "
“哦，是的！”
"Where is the pain? "
“哪里疼？”
"I feel as if my stomach were on fire. "
“我觉得我的胃像在被火烧一样。”
A doctor approached.
一名医生走上前问道：
"Are you the gentleman who caused the accident? "
“您是引起这起事故的那位先生吗？”
"I am. "
“我是。”
"This woman ought to be sent to a home. I know one where they would take her at six francs a day. Would you like me to send her there? "
“这个女人应该被送到疗养院去。我知道一家，他们会收留她，每天六个法郎。您愿意我把她送到那儿去吗？”
Hector was delighted at the idea, thanked him and returned home much relieved.
埃克托尔对这个主意非常高兴，感谢了医生，如释重负地回到家里。
His wife, dissolved in tears, was awaiting him. He reassured her.
他妻子眼泪汪汪地等着他。他安慰她道：
"It's all right. This Madame Simon is better already and will be quite well in two or three days. I have sent her to a home. It's all right. "
“没什么事了。这位西蒙太太已经好多了，两三天后就会痊愈的。我已经把她送到了一家疗养院。没事的。”
When he left his office the next day he went to inquire for Madame Simon. He found her eating rich soup with an air of great satisfaction.
第二天，他离开办公室后，就去打听西蒙太太的情况。他看见她正满意地喝着油腻的汤。
"Well? " said he.
“怎么样？” 他问。
"Oh, sir, " she replied, "I 'm just the same. I feel sort of crushed—not a bit better. "
“哦，先生，” 她答道， “我还是那样。我有种垮掉的感觉，一点也不见好。”
The doctor declared they must wait and see; some complication or other might arise.
医生声称他们还要等等看，怕引发什么并发症或是别的什么。
Hector waited three days, then he returned. The old woman, fresh—faced and clear—eyed, began to whine when she saw him:
埃克托尔等了三天，之后又过来了。那个老妇人面色红润、眼睛发亮，可一看见他就开始呻吟起来：
"I can't move, sir; I can't move a bit. I shall be like this for the rest of my days. "
“我不能动，先生，我一点也不能动。我这辈子都会这样了。”
A shudder passed through Hector's frame. He asked for the doctor, who merely shrugged his shoulders and said:
埃克托尔感到脊梁骨一阵颤栗。他问医生，医生只是耸了耸肩，说：
"What can I do? I can't tell what's wrong with her. She shrieks when they try to raise her. They can't even move her chair from one place to another without her uttering the most distressing cries. I am bound to believe what she tells me; I can't look into her inside. So long as I have no chance of seeing her walk I am not justified in supposing her to be telling lies about herself. "
“我能做什么呢？我说不出她有什么问题。他们一试图把她扶起来，她就尖叫。甚至每当他们把她的椅子从一个地方移到另一个地方时，她都发出最凄厉的叫声。我必须相信她说的话，我不能钻到她身体里面去看。只要我没机会看到她走，我就不能认定她说的关于自己的话都是谎言。”
The old woman listened, motionless, a malicious gleam in her eyes.
那个老妇人一动不动地听着，眼睛里闪过一丝狡猾的光芒。
A week passed, then a fortnight, then a month. Madame Simon did not leave her armchair. She ate from morning to night, grew fat, chatted gaily with the other patients and seemed to enjoy her immobility as if it were the rest to which she was entitled after fifty years of going up and down stairs, of turning mattresses, of carrying coal from one story to another, of sweeping and dusting.
一个星期过去了，两个星期过去了，接着，一个月也过去了。西蒙太太仍旧没有离开她的扶手椅。她从早吃到晚，身体发胖，和其他病人欢快地交谈，似乎很享受这种闲着不动的日子。经过了五十年在楼梯上爬上爬下、翻床垫、把煤一层层往上搬、扫地、除尘的日子之后，这似乎是她应得的休息似的。
Hector, at his wits' end, came to see her every day. Every day he found her calm and serene, declaring:
埃克托尔束手无策，每天都来看她。每天，他都看见她平静而安详，嘴里却说：
"I can't move, sir; I shall never be able to move again. "
“我不能动，先生，我再也不能动了。”
Every evening Madame de Gribelin, devoured with anxiety, said:
每天晚上，德·格里伯兰太太都焦虑不安地问：
"How is Madame Simon? "
“西蒙太太怎么样了？”
And every time he replied with a resignation born of despair:
每次，他都垂头丧气地回答：
"Just the same; no change whatever. "
“还是那样，一点也没变。”
They dismissed the servant, whose wages they could no longer afford. They economized more rigidly than ever. The whole of the extra pay had been swallowed up.
他们辞退了女佣，他们再也承担不起她的工资。他们比以前更加节俭了。那笔额外收入也全都被投进去了。
Then Hector summoned four noted doctors, who met in consultation over the old woman. She let them examine her, feel her, sound her, watching them the while with a cunning eye.
于是，埃克托尔请了四位著名的医生，一起检查老妇人的情况。她边让他们给她检查、摸诊、听诊，边用狡猾的目光看着他们。
"We must make her walk, " said one.
“我们必须让她起来走走，” 其中一人说。
"But, sirs, I can't! " she cried. "I can't move! "
“但是，先生，我不能走！” “我不能动！”
Then they took hold of her, raised her and dragged her a short distance, but she slipped from their grasp and fell to the floor, groaning and giving vent to such heartrending cries that they carried her back to her seat with infinite care and precaution.
于是，他们抓着她，把她扶起来，拖着她走了一小段路。但她挣脱了他们，倒在了地板上。她呻吟着，发出令人心痛的哭声，他们不得不小心翼翼地把她扶回椅子上。
They pronounced a guarded opinion—agreeing, however, that work was an impossibility to her.
他们宣布了一个谨慎的意见，但结论是她不能工作。
And when Hector brought this news to his wife she sank on a chair, murmuring:
当埃克托尔把这个消息告诉他的妻子时，她跌进一把椅子里，喃喃地说：
"It would be better to bring her here; it would cost us less. "
“把她带到这里会好点，这会让我们少花点钱。”
He started in amazement.
他惊讶地说：
"Here? In our own house? How can you think of such a thing? "
“这儿？我们自己家里？你怎么会这样想？”
But she, resigned now to anything, replied with tears in her eyes:
但她现在已是听天由命，满眼泪水地答道：
"But what can we do, my love? It's not my fault! "
“但是，亲爱的，我们还能怎么做呢？这不是我的错！”
The Accursed Bread