第五章

They formed a congenial group sitting there that summer afternoon-Madame Ratignolle sewing away, often stopping to relate a story or incident with much expressive gesture of her perfect hands; Robert and Mrs. Pontellier sitting idle, exchanging occasional words, glances or smiles which indicated a certain advanced stage of intimacy and camaraderie.

一个夏日的午后，他们情投意合的一伙人结伴坐在一起--拉蒂诺尔夫人在做针线活，时不时地停下来用她那双漂亮的手有声有色地比划着讲述一个故事或是一件真事；罗伯特和蓬迪里埃夫人则懒懒地坐在那里，时不时地交流几句，互相对视一下或是彼此微笑一下，表示他们的情谊和亲昵程度又进了一步。

He had lived in her shadow during the past month. No one thought anything of it. Many had predicted that Robert would devote himself to Mrs. Pontellier when he arrived. Since the age of fifteen, which was eleven years before, Robert each summer at Grand Isle had constituted himself the devoted attendant of some fair dame or damsel. Sometimes it was a young girl, again a widow; but as often as not it was some interesting married woman.

过去一个月里他一直跟她形影不离。没有人会多想什么。很多人早就料到罗伯特一来到这儿就会专心陪伴蓬迪里埃夫人。自从早在十一年前他还十五岁的时候，每年夏天来格兰德岛上时，罗伯特都会成为某个漂亮夫人或小姐的忠实随从。有时是一位年轻小姐，也有时是个寡妇，但也经常会是一个有情趣的已婚女子。

For two consecutive seasons he lived in the sunlight of Mademoiselle Duvigne's presence. But she died between summers; then Robert posed as an inconsolable, prostrating himself at the feet of Madame Ratignolle for whatever crumbs of sympathy and comfort she might be pleased to vouchsafe.

在连续两个季度里，他曾经受到杜菲格妮小姐的宠爱。可是，一个夏天过去了，另一个夏天还没来到时，她却死了。于是罗伯特摆出一副伤心欲绝的样子拜倒在拉蒂诺尔夫人的面前，以求她高兴时能恩赐他些许怜悯与抚慰。

Mrs. Pontellier liked to sit and gaze at her fair companion as she might look upon a faultless Madonna.

蓬迪里埃夫人喜欢坐在那里看着她那漂亮的女伴，好像欣赏一尊洁白无瑕的圣母玛利亚的雕像。

"Could any one fathom the cruelty beneath that fair exterior? " murmured Robert. "She knew that I adored her once, and she let me adore her. It was' Robert, come; go; stand up; sit down; do this; do that; see if the baby sleeps; my thimble, please, that I left God knows where. Come and read Daudet to me while I sew. '"

“有谁能弄清那美丽的外表下所隐藏的冷酷吗？” 罗伯特低声说， “她知道我曾经爱慕过她，她也让我爱慕她。常常是 ‘罗伯特，过来呀；到那儿去；站起来；坐下去；做这个；做那个；去看看小宝贝睡了没有；把我的顶针拿来，上帝啊，我把它放哪儿了呢；来，我缝衣服的时候给我读一段都德（注：法国小说家）的作品。’”

"Par exemple! I never had to ask. You were always there under my feet, like a troublesome cat. "

“比如说吧！我从来都不用要求，你总是赖在我的脚下，像只惹人厌的小猫。”

"You mean like an adoring dog. And just as soon as Ratignolle appeared on the scene, then it WAS like a dog. 'Passez! Adieu! Allez vous-en! ' "

“你的意思是说像只崇拜你的小狗。等到拉蒂诺尔先生一出现，我还真像一条狗了。 ‘去吧！再见！滚吧！’”

"Perhaps I feared to make Alphonse jealous, " she interjoined, with excessive naivete. That made them all laugh. The right hand jealous of the left! The heart jealous of the soul! But for that matter, the Creole husband is never jealous; with him the gangrene passion is one which has become dwarfed by disuse.

“我那是可能是担心阿尔方斯嫉妒。” 拉蒂诺尔夫人过于天真地插话说。这使得大家都笑了起来。就像右手嫉妒左手一样！也像心灵嫉妒灵魂一样！但是对这样的事，克里奥尔的丈夫们是从来不会嫉妒的，这种腐烂了的感情已经因为长期不用而变得退化了。

Meanwhile Robert, addressing Mrs Pontellier, continued to tell of his one time hopeless passion for Madame Ratignolle; of sleepless nights, of consuming flames till the very sea sizzled when he took his daily plunge. While the lady at the needle kept up a little running, contemptuous comment:

此时罗伯特还在继续冲着蓬迪里埃夫人讲他对拉蒂诺尔夫人曾经不可自拔的感情，讲到他因此所度过的不眠之夜，讲到这种炽热的情感火焰又是怎样在他每天冲入大海游泳时发出哧哧的响声。此刻，做着针线活的拉蒂诺尔夫人用一点法语轻蔑地连续评论道：

"Blagueur-farceur-gros bete, va! "

“小丑--骗子--怪东西！”

He never assumed this seriocomic tone when alone with Mrs. Pontellier. She never knew precisely what to make of it; at that moment it was impossible for her to guess how much of it was jest and what proportion was earnest. It was understood that he had often spoken words of love to Madame Ratignolle, without any thought of being taken seriously. Mrs. Pontellier was glad he had not assumed a similar role toward herself. It would have been unacceptable and annoying.

当他和蓬迪里埃夫人单独在一起的时候，从来不用这种半严肃半调侃的语气。她真的弄不清是怎么回事，当时她也猜不出这种语气有多少是调侃的成分，又有多少是真心的。谁都明白他曾经常对拉蒂诺尔夫人说些暧昧的话，可从来没想着被当回事。蓬迪里埃夫人非常高兴他没用同样的方式对待她，那可是很让人懊恼、难以接受的。

Mrs. Pontellier had brought her sketching materials, which she sometimes dabbled with in an unprofessional way. She liked the dabbling. She felt in it satisfaction of a kind which no other employment afforded her.

蓬迪里埃夫人随身带着速写工具。她有时候随便画画，画得不专业。她喜欢涂涂画画。画画能给她一种别的什么东西都给予不了她的满足感。

She had long wished to try herself on Madame Ratignolle. Never had that lady seemed a more tempting subject than at that moment, seated there like some sensuous Madonna, with the gleam of the fading day enriching her splendid color.

她早就想试着给拉蒂诺尔夫人画像。那位女士从来没像现在这样有魅力，坐在那里像圣母玛利亚画像一样给人以美感，在落日的余晖下尤其显得光彩夺目。

Robert crossed over and seated himself upon the step below Mrs. Pontellier, that he might watch her work. She handled her brushes with a certain ease and freedom which came, not from long and close acquaintance with them, but from a natural aptitude. Robert followed her work with close attention, giving forth little ejaculatory expressions of appreciation in French, which he addressed to Madame Ratignolle.

罗伯特走了过来，坐在蓬迪里埃夫人下面的一个台阶上，这样可以更方便地看她作画。她用笔轻松自如，并不是因为长期练习之后的熟能生巧，而是因为具有天赋。罗伯特聚精会神地看着她作画，突然用法语冲着拉蒂诺尔夫人赞赏地喊道：

"Mais ce n 'est pas mal! Elle s' y connait, elle a de la force, oui. "

“画得真不赖！她知道怎样作画，她有能力，一点没错。”

During his oblivious attention he once quietly rested his head against Mrs. Pontellier's arm. As gently she repulsed him. Once again he repeated the offense. She could not but believe it to be thoughtlessness on his part; yet that was no reason she should submit to it. She did not remonstrate, except again to repulse him quietly but firmly. He offered no apology. The picture completed bore no resemblance to Madame Ratignolle. She was greatly disappointed to find that it did not look like her. But it was a fair enough piece of work, and in many respects satisfying.

在入神的欣赏过程中他曾一度把头轻轻地靠在蓬迪里埃夫人的手臂上。她轻轻地推开了他。可他又一次靠了上来。她只好当他是无意之举，但她感觉没有理由听任他那样做。她没有直接表达反对之意，只是又一次轻轻地但很坚定地推开了他。他也没表示歉意。作好的画跟拉蒂诺尔夫人根本不像。她看到画儿画得不像她，颇感失望。但这还算是一幅不错的作品，在很多方面还是令人满意的。

Mrs. Pontellier evidently did not think so. After surveying the sketch critically she drew a broad smudge of paint across its surface, and crumpled the paper between her hands.

蓬迪里埃夫人显然不这么认为。很挑剔地审视了这幅画后，她用颜料在上面涂了宽宽的一道污迹并在手里把画纸揉成了一团。

The youngsters came tumbling up the steps, the quadroon following at the respectful distance which they required her to observe. Mrs. Pontellier made them carry her paints and things into the house. She sought to detain them for a little talk and some pleasantry. But they were greatly in earnest. They had only come to investigate the contents of the bonbon box. They accepted without murmuring what she chose to give them, each holding out two chubby hands scoop-like, in the vain hope that they might be filled; and then away they went.

小孩子们跌跌撞撞地上了台阶，那个有点黑人血统的保姆跟在他们后面，保持了一段距离，这是他们要求她这么做的。蓬迪里埃夫人让他们拿着颜料和其他东西进屋了。她本想把他们留下来聊聊天，逗逗趣。可他们却很认真。他们主要是来检查一下糖果盒里装的东西。他们一声不吭，只顾接着妈妈挑给他们的糖果，都捧着胖胖的小手希望妈妈能给他们满满一捧糖果，可都没能如愿，接着就走开了。

The sun was low in the west, and the breeze soft and languorous that came up from the south, charged with the seductive odor of the sea. Children freshly befurbelowed, were gathering for their games under the oaks. Their voices were high and penetrating.

夕阳西沉，轻柔的南风带着海水诱人的气味慵懒地吹拂过来。孩子们新换了精致的衣服聚在橡树下做游戏。他们时不时地尖声高叫着。

Madame Ratignolle folded her sewing, placing thimble, scissors, and thread all neatly together in the roll, which she pinned securely. She complained of faintness. Mrs. Pontellier flew for the cologne water and a fan. She bathed Madame Ratignolle's face with cologne, while Robert plied the fan with unnecessary vigor.

拉蒂诺尔夫人收起了针线活，将顶针、剪刀、针线整齐地卷在一起，用别针别紧。她叫苦说头晕眼花的。蓬迪里埃夫人很快去拿了古龙香水和一把扇子。她给拉蒂诺尔夫人脸上喷了些古龙香水，罗伯特则使劲地为她摇着扇子。

The spell was soon over, and Mrs. Pontellier could not help wondering if there were not a little imagination responsible for its origin, for the rose tint had never faded from her friend's face.

这阵眩晕很快过去了，蓬迪里埃夫人禁不住怀疑这头晕是不是有点想象出来的，因为拉蒂诺尔夫人脸上的红润一直也没有消退过。

She stood watching the fair woman walk down the long line of galleries with the grace and majesty which queens are sometimes supposed to possess. Her little ones ran to meet her. Two of them clung about her white skirts, the third she took from its nurse and with a thousand endearments bore it along in her own fond, encircling arms. Though, as everybody well knew, the doctor had forbidden her to lift so much as a pin!

她站在那里看着这位美丽的夫人以只有皇后才有的仪态和贵气走下长廊。她的孩子们迎着她跑过来。两个孩子拽着她的白裙子，她把第三个孩子从保姆手里接过来，亲热地抱在手臂里，亲了又亲。可大家都清楚地知道，医生不允许她拿重物，就连一根针都不行呢。

"Are you going bathing? " asked Robert of Mrs. Pontellier. It was not so much a question as a reminder.

“你还要不要去游泳了？” 罗伯特冲着蓬迪里埃夫人说。这与其说是在问，不如说是在提醒她。

"Oh, no, " she answered, with a tone of indecision. "I 'm tired; I think not. " Her glance wandered from his face away toward the Gulf, whose sonorous murmur reached her like a loving but imperative entreaty.

“哦，不了，” 她回答道，口气有点儿犹豫， “我有点儿累了，所以我想还是不去了。” 她的目光从他脸上移向了海湾的方向，海浪那洪亮的哗哗声像是一声声急切的充满爱意的恳求，传入她的耳畔。

"Oh, come! " he insisted. "You mustn't miss your bath. Come on. The water must be delicious; it will not hurt you. Come. "

“哦，来吧！” 他坚持说， “你一定不能错过现在游泳的好时机。快来吧！海水一定很舒服，对你没坏处的。快来吧！”

He reached up for her big, rough straw hat that hung on a peg outside the door, and put it on her head. They descended the steps, and walked away together toward the beach. The sun was low in the west and the breeze was soft and warm.

他伸手把挂在门外钉子上用粗草编成的大草帽拿下来戴在她头上。他们一起走下台阶，向海滩走去。夕阳西下，微风轻拂，暖意十足。