觉醒(外研社双语读库)(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)

作者：Kate Chopin 凯特·肖邦

出版社：外语教学与研究出版社

格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT

觉醒(外研社双语读库)试读：

I

第一章

A green and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept repeating over and over:

在门外挂着的鸟笼子里一只绿黄相间的鹦鹉不停地叫着：

"Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Sapristi! That's all right!"“滚！滚！该死的东西！这才像话！”

He could speak a little Spanish, and also a language which nobody understood, unless it was the mocking-bird that hung on the other side of the door, whistling his fluty notes out upon the breeze with maddening persistence.

它能说一点儿西班牙语，还能说一种谁也听不懂的语言，但是挂在门另一侧的鸟笼里的画眉除外。这只画眉也迎着微风清亮地啁啾着，叫个不停，真让人生气。

Mr. Pontellier, unable to read his newspaper with any degree of comfort, arose with an expression and an exclamation of disgust.

蓬迪里埃先生实在没法舒舒服服地看报纸了。他站了起来，脸上和嘴里都流露着厌恶。

He walked down the gallery and across the narrow "bridges" which connected the Lebrun cottages one with the other. He had been seated before the door of the main house. The parrot and the mockingbird were the property of Madame Lebrun, and they had the right to make all the noise they wished. Mr. Pontellier had the privilege of quitting their society when they ceased to be entertaining.

他走下长廊，穿过连接勒布伦家一栋栋别墅的狭窄通道。他原本是坐在正屋门口的。鹦鹉和画眉都是勒布伦夫人的宝贝，它们有权为所欲为地喧闹。但当它们不惹人爱的时候，蓬迪里埃先生也有权走开。

He stopped before the door of his own cottage, which was the fourth one from the main building and next to the last. Seating himself in a wicker rocker which was there, he once more applied himself to the task of reading the newspaper. The day was Sunday; the paper was a day old. The Sunday papers had not yet reached Grand Isle. He was already acquainted with the market reports, and he glanced restlessly over the editorials and bits of news which he had not had time to read before quitting New Orleans the day before.

他走到自己的别墅门前停下来。他的别墅是从正屋数的第四栋，也是倒数第二栋。他在门口的柳条摇椅上坐下来，又接着读报。这天是星期天，报纸是前一天的。星期天的报纸还没送到格兰德岛上。他已经了解了有关市场的报道，便匆忙地瞅了几眼社论和杂七杂八的新闻，这些是他头一天离开新奥尔良前没来得及看的。

Mr. Pontellier wore eye-glasses. He was a man of forty, of medium height and rather slender build; he stooped a little. His hair was brown and straight, parted on one side. His beard was neatly and closely trimmed.

蓬迪里埃先生戴着一副眼镜。他四十来岁，中等身高，身形稍瘦，有点儿驼背。棕色的直发梳成分头。胡子被仔细地修剪得整整齐齐。

Once in a while he withdrew his glance from the newspaper and looked about him. There was more noise than ever over at the house. The main building was called "the house," to distinguish it from the cottages. The chattering and whistling birds were still at it. Two young girls, the Farival twins, were playing a duet from "Zampa" upon the piano. Madame Lebrun was bustling in and out, giving orders in a high key to a yard-boy whenever she got inside the house, and directions in an equally high voice to a dining-room servant whenever she got outside. She was a fresh, pretty woman, clad always in white with elbow sleeves. Her starched skirts crinkled as she came and went. Farther down, before one of the cottages, a lady in black was walking demurely up and down, telling her beads. A good many persons of the pension had gone over to the Cheniere Caminada in Beaudelet's lugger to hear mass. Some young people were out under the wateroaks playing croquet. Mr. Pontellier's two children were there sturdy little fellows of four and five. A quadroon nurse followed them about with a faraway, meditative air. Mr. Pontellier finally lit a cigar and began to smoke, letting the paper drag idly from his hand. He fixed his gaze upon a white sunshade that was advancing at snail's pace from the beach. He could see it plainly between the gaunt trunks of the water-oaks and across the stretch of yellow camomile. The gulf looked far away, melting hazily into the blue of the horizon. The sunshade continued to approach slowly. Beneath its pink-lined shelter were his wife, Mrs. Pontellier, and young Robert Lebrun. When they reached the cottage, the two seated themselves with some appearance of fatigue upon the upper step of the porch, facing each other, each leaning against a supporting post.

偶尔他会把目光从报纸上移开，看看四周。宅子的噪音比以前更大了。正屋被称作“宅子”，以区别于其他的别墅。鸟儿们还在那儿喋喋不休地叫着。法理瓦尔家的双胞胎小姐妹正在钢琴上弹奏《扎姆巴》（注：《扎姆巴》：三幕喜歌剧）里的二重奏。勒布伦夫人正忙里忙外，一进屋就要对院子里的杂工大声地发号施令；一出门又要用同样的嗓门对饭厅里的侍女指东道西的。她是一个皮肤鲜亮的漂亮女子，总穿着白色短袖衣服。来回进出时她那浆得硬挺的裙子发出沙沙的声响。远处一栋别墅前，一位身穿黑衣服的女子正娴静地来回走动，边走边数着念珠。膳宿公寓里的很多人都乘坐博德莱家的帆船到谢尼·卡米内达去望弥撒了。‎‏一些年轻人在水栎树下玩槌球。蓬迪里埃先生那两个长得结结实实的孩子也在那儿，两个小家伙一个四岁，一个五岁。一个有点黑人血统的保姆跟着他们，心不在焉的样子，好像在想着什么。蓬迪里埃先生终于点了支雪茄烟开始抽起来，任凭报纸从手中散乱地滑落到地上。他的目光停在一把白色的太阳伞上，它正从海滩缓缓地向前移动。透过细长的水栎树干的缝隙，穿过一片黄春菊丛，他可以清楚地看到它。远处，朦朦胧胧中，海湾与蓝色的地平线交融在一起。太阳伞还在徐徐地靠近。粉色边的伞盖下走着他的妻子蓬迪里埃夫人和年轻的罗伯特·勒布伦。他们俩走到别墅跟前时，面对面地坐到了走廊的上层台阶上，每人靠着一根柱子，面露倦色。

"What folly! To bathe at such an hour in such heat!" exclaimed Mr. Pontellier. He himself had taken a plunge at daylight. That was why the morning seemed long to him.“真蠢！在这么热的天气里的这个时候去洗澡。”蓬迪里埃先生大声说。他自己在天刚亮时已经下水洗了一阵子。因此这个上午对他来说特别漫长。

"You are burnt beyond recognition," he added, looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage. She held up her hands, strong, shapely hands, and surveyed them critically, drawing up her fawn sleeves above the wrists. Looking at them reminded her of her rings, which she had given to her husband before leaving for the beach. She silently reached out to him, and he, understanding, took the rings from his vest pocket and dropped them into her open palm. She slipped them upon her fingers; then clasping her knees, she looked across at Robert and began to laugh. The rings sparkled upon her fingers. He sent back an answering smile.“你被晒得都让人认不出来了。”他看着他的妻子接着说道，就好像看着一件受了些损坏的贵重私人物件一样。她伸出两只又结实又漂亮的手，又把浅黄色的袖子拉到手腕上边，挑剔地打量着自己的手。看着她的手，她忽然想起了她的戒指，临去海滩前她把它们交给了她的丈夫。她默默地向他伸出手，他明白了她的意思，从背心兜儿里掏出戒指放入她打开的掌心。她把戒指一个个套上，然后抱着双膝看着罗伯特笑起来。戒指在她手指上闪闪发光。罗伯特也冲她回以微笑。

"What is it?" asked Pontellier, looking lazily and amused from one to the other. It was some utter nonsense; some adventure out there in the water, and they both tried to relate it at once. It did not seem half so amusing when told. They realized this, and so did Mr. Pontellier. He yawned and stretched himself. Then he got up, saying he had half a mind to go over to Klein's hotel and play a game of billiards.“什么事？”蓬迪里埃先生边问边懒散地向两人各看了一眼，感到很好笑。其实完全只是胡闹，是他们在水里遇到的有意思的事，他们俩都争着马上讲出来。可是讲出来以后就没那么有意思了。他们意识到了这一点，蓬迪里埃先生也是这么觉得。他打了个哈欠，又伸伸懒腰。然后他站起来，说他有点想去克莱恩旅馆玩一盘台球。

"Come go along, Lebrun," he proposed to Robert. But Robert admitted quite frankly that he preferred to stay where he was and talk to Mrs. Pontellier.“走吧，一块儿去玩吧，勒布伦！”他向罗伯特建议道。但罗伯特十分坦率地说他更愿意留下来陪蓬迪里埃夫人聊天。

"Well, send him about his business when he bores you, Edna," instructed her husband as he prepared to leave.“那么，爱德娜，他要是招你烦了，你就让他干自己的事去吧。”她丈夫准备走时叮嘱她说。

"Here, take the umbrella," she exclaimed, holding it out to him. He accepted the sunshade, and lifting it over his head descended the steps and walked away.“哎，把伞带上。”她边喊边把伞递给他。他接过伞，撑在头顶，下了台阶走了。

"Coming back to dinner?" his wife called after him. He halted a moment and shrugged his shoulders. He felt in his vest pocket; there was a ten-dollar bill there. He did not know; perhaps he would return for the early dinner and perhaps he would not. It all depended upon the company which he found over at Klein's and the size of "the game."He did not say this, but she understood it, and laughed, nodding good-by to him.“你回来吃午饭吗？”她的妻子在他身后喊道。他停了一下，耸了耸肩。他伸手摸了摸背心口袋，里面有一张十美元的钞票。他自己也说不好，或许回来吃顿午饭，或许不回。这都要看他在克莱恩旅馆找到什么球友和台球戏的规模而定。他没明说，但她懂他的意思，笑了笑，点了点头表示再见。

Both children wanted to follow their father when they saw him starting out. He kissed them and promised to bring them back bonbons and peanuts.

两个孩子看到爸爸要出门都要跟着去。他亲了亲他们，答应他们回来时会给他们带糖果和花生。

II

第二章

Mrs. Pontellier's eyes were quick and bright; they were a yellowish brown, about the color of her hair. She had a way of turning them swiftly upon an object and holding them there as if lost in some inward maze of contemplation or thought.

蓬迪里埃夫人的眼睛灵动而闪亮，棕黄的颜色接近于她的发色。她看东西时常常眼睛很快地转到这个东西上，然后又盯住它不动，好像陷入了内心的千思万绪之中。

Her eyebrows were a shade darker than her hair. They were thick and almost horizontal, emphasizing the depth of her eyes. She was rather handsome than beautiful. Her face was captivating by reason of a certain frankness of expression and a contradictory subtle play of features. Her manner was engaging.

她眉毛的颜色比发色深些。这又浓又直的眉毛使她的眼睛显得格外深邃。与其说她长得美丽，还不如说她长得俊俏。她有一张迷人的面庞，这是由于她表情坦率，神情难以捉摸而又微妙地变化着。她的确有着动人的风韵。

Robert rolled a cigarette. He smoked cigarettes because he could not afford cigars, he said. He had a cigar in his pocket which Mr. Pontellier had presented him with, and he was saving it for his after-dinner smoke.

罗伯特卷了一支烟。他抽自己卷的纸烟，他说这是因为他抽不起雪茄。他兜里有一支雪茄，是蓬迪里埃先生送给他的，他准备留着饭后抽。

This seemed quite proper and natural on his part. In coloring he was not unlike his companion. A clean-shaved face made the resemblance more pronounced than it would otherwise have been. There rested no shadow of care upon his open countenance. His eyes gathered in and reflected the light and languor of the summer day.

这对于他似乎是很正当且自然的事。在肤色上，他和他的同伴颇为相像。他的脸修得干干净净，使这种相像更加鲜明。从他那明朗的面容看他没有任何忧愁。他的眼睛聚集和反射着夏日的光辉与沉闷。

Mrs. Pontellier reached over for a palm-leaf fan that lay on the porch and began to fan herself, while Robert sent between his lips light puffs from his cigarette. They chatted incessantly: about the things around them; their amusing adventure out in the water—it had again assumed its entertaining aspect; about the wind, the trees, the people who had gone to the Cheniere; about the children playing croquet under the oaks, and the Farival twins, who were now performing the overture to "The Poet and the Peasant."

蓬迪里埃夫人伸手拿起放在门廊上的棕榈叶扇子扇了起来。罗伯特则抽着烟，口吐阵阵轻烟。他们一直在聊天：谈到他们周围的琐事；谈到他们在水里的趣事——这件事现在好像又变得有意思起来；谈到风和树，还有那些去谢尼的人；谈到水栎树下玩槌球的孩子们，以及正在弹奏《诗人和农夫》序曲的法里瓦尔家的双胞胎。

Robert talked a good deal about himself. He was very young, and did not know any better. Mrs. Pontellier talked a little about herself for the same reason. Each was interested in what the other said. Robert spoke of his intention to go to Mexico in the autumn, where fortune awaited him. He was always intending to go to Mexico, but some way never got there. Meanwhile he held on to his modest position in a mercantile house in New Orleans, where an equal familiarity with English, French and Spanish gave him no small value as a clerk and correspondent.

罗伯特讲了很多他自己的事。他还相当年轻，懂得并不多。蓬迪里埃夫人出于同样的原因也只是讲了一点儿关于自己的事。他们彼此对对方说的都颇感兴趣。罗伯特讲到秋天他打算去墨西哥，在那儿他有发财的机会。他一直都想去墨西哥，但因为种种原因一直没去成。他现在在新奥尔良的一家商号拥有一个小职位，由于对英语、法语和西班牙语都同样精通，所以在那儿无论作为书记员还是联络员他都很受重视。

He was spending his summer vacation, as he always did, with his mother at Grand Isle. In former times, before Robert could remember, "the house" had been a summer luxury of the Lebruns. Now, flanked by its dozen or more cottages, which were always filled with exclusive visitors from the "Quartier Francais," it enabled Madame Lebrun to maintain the easy and comfortable existence which appeared to be her birthright.

目前他像往常一样正在格兰德岛他母亲这里度暑假。以前，尚在罗伯特记事前，这座“宅子”曾是专门供勒布伦家来消夏的地方。现在它的两侧盖起了十几栋别墅，总是住满了只从法国居住区来的游客，因此勒布伦夫人仍然可以维持她安逸舒服的生活，过这种生活似乎是她与生俱来的权利。

Mrs. Pontellier talked about her father's Mississippi plantation and her girlhood home in the old Kentucky bluegrass country. She was an American woman, with a small infusion of French which seemed to have been lost in dilution. She read a letter from her sister, who was away in the East, and who had engaged herself to be married. Robert was interested, and wanted to know what manner of girls the sisters were, what the father was like, and how long the mother had been dead.

蓬迪里埃夫人讲起了她父亲在密西西比河上的庄园和她少女时期在熟悉的肯塔基州早熟禾草原地区的家。她是个美国女人，融入了一点法国血统，后来好像也被冲淡并消失了。她读了她妹妹从东方给她寄来的信。她的妹妹已经订婚了，并打算结婚。罗伯特很感兴趣，想知道她的姐妹们是什么样的女孩子，她的父亲又是什么样子，她的母亲去世多长时间了。

When Mrs. Pontellier folded the letter it was time for her to dress for the early dinner.

蓬迪里埃夫人把信收起来的时候，已经是该换衣服吃午饭的时间了。

"I see Leonce isn't coming back," she said, with a glance in the direction whence her husband had disappeared. Robert supposed he was not, as there were a good many New Orleans club men over at Klein's.“我看莱翁斯不会回来了。”她边说边朝她丈夫离开的方向看了一眼。罗伯特也觉得他不会回来了，因为有很多新奥尔良俱乐部的男人都在克莱恩旅馆那儿。

When Mrs. Pontellier left him to enter her room, the young man descended the steps and strolled over toward the croquet players, where, during the half-hour before dinner, he amused himself with the little Pontellier children, who were very fond of him.

当蓬迪里埃夫人离开他进屋时，这个年轻人就下了台阶，踱步走到玩槌球的孩子们那儿。就在那儿，趁着午饭前的半个小时，他和蓬迪里埃家的小孩们玩了一会儿，孩子们都很喜欢他。

III

第三章

It was eleven o'clock that night when Mr. Pontellier returned from Klein's hotel. He was in an excellent humor, in high spirits, and very talkative. His entrance awoke his wife, who was in bed and fast asleep when he came in. He talked to her while he undressed, telling her anecdotes and bits of news and gossip that he had gathered during the day. From his trousers pockets he took a fistful of crumpled bank notes and a good deal of silver coin, which he piled on the bureau indiscriminately with keys, knife, handkerchief, and whatever else happened to be in his pockets. She was overcome with sleep, and answered him with little half utterances.

那天晚上十一点蓬迪里埃先生才从克莱恩旅馆回到家。他兴致很高，情绪不错，非常健谈。他一进家门就把已经在床上熟睡的妻子吵醒了。他一边脱衣服一边和她说话，告诉她这一天所听来的奇闻趣事、琐碎消息和闲话。他从裤兜儿里掏出一把皱巴巴的钞票，还有很多银币，它们和钥匙、小刀、手绢还有其他任何也装在裤兜里的东西一起被杂乱地堆放在梳妆台上。她太困了，只能支支吾吾地应答着。

He thought it very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, evinced so little interest in things which concerned him, and valued so little his conversation.

他感觉非常败兴。他的妻子是他生存的唯一目标，可她对他所在意的事情却毫无兴致，对他的谈话丝毫也不重视。

Mr. Pontellier had forgotten the bonbons and peanuts for the boys. Notwithstanding he loved them very much, and went into the adjoining room where they slept to take a look at them and make sure that they were resting comfortably. The result of his investigation was far from satisfactory. He turned and shifted the youngsters about in bed. One of them began to kick and talk about a basket full of crabs.

蓬迪里埃先生早把孩子们的糖果和花生的事忘到了脑后。但是他是非常疼爱孩子们的，他走进隔壁孩子们的卧室去看了一看，确保孩子们睡得舒适。这一看结果却不令他满意。他把孩子们在床上翻了翻身又挪动了几下。其中一个开始边踢腿边说梦话，说满满一篮子螃蟹之类的胡话。

Mr. Pontellier returned to his wife with the information that Raoul had a high fever and needed looking after. Then he lit a cigar and went and sat near the open door to smoke it.

蓬迪里埃先生回到妻子身边，对她说拉乌尔发高烧，需要照顾。然后他点了支雪茄，走到敞开的门旁边坐下抽烟。

Mrs. Pontellier was quite sure Raoul had no fever. He had gone to bed perfectly well, she said, and nothing had ailed him all day. Mr. Pontellier was too well acquainted with fever symptoms to be mistaken. He assured her the child was consuming at that moment in the next room.

蓬迪里埃夫人非常肯定拉乌尔没发烧。她说他上床时很好，这一天也没感觉哪里不适。可蓬迪里埃先生对发烧的症状非常了解，不会搞错。他向她确保孩子此刻正在隔壁房间饱受高烧之苦。

He reproached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it was not a mother's place to look after children, whose on earth was it? He himself had his hands full with his brokerage business. He could not be in two places at once; making a living for his family on the street, and staying at home to see that no harm befell them. He talked in a monotonous, insistent way.

他责备妻子不关心孩子们，一向忽视他们。照顾孩子如果不是做母亲的本分的话，又究竟该是谁的呢？他自己手头满是经纪行的业务。他不能同时承担这两个重任：又要在外面赚钱养家糊口，又要在家里照看孩子，确保他们安然无恙。他絮絮叨叨地不停地数落着。

Mrs. Pontellier sprang out of bed and went into the next room. She soon came back and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning her head down on the pillow. She said nothing, and refused to answer her husband when he questioned her. When his cigar was smoked out he went to bed, and in half a minute he was fast asleep.

蓬迪里埃夫人从床上跳起来，去了隔壁房间。不一会儿她就回来了，坐在床边，把头倚在枕头上。她什么也不说，也不回答她丈夫的问话。他抽完烟就上了床，半分钟不到就睡熟了。

Mrs. Pontellier was by that time thoroughly awake. She began to cry a little, and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her peignoir. Blowing out the candle, which her husband had left burning, she slipped her bare feet into a pair of satin mules at the foot of the bed and went out on the porch, where she sat down in the wicker chair and began to rock gently to and fro.

可此时，蓬迪里埃夫人却完全清醒了。她开始轻声哭泣起来，在睡衣袖子上擦着眼泪。吹灭她丈夫点着的还在燃着的蜡烛，她光脚穿上放在床脚的缎面拖鞋，往外走到门廊上。在那里她坐进柳条摇椅，开始轻轻地来回摇晃起来。

It was then past midnight. The cottages were all dark. A single faint light gleamed out from the hallway of the house. There was no sound abroad except the hooting of an old owl in the top of a water-oak, and the everlasting voice of the sea, that was not uplifted at that soft hour. It broke like a mournful lullaby upon the night.

已经是后半夜了。所有别墅都漆黑一片。只有一道微弱的光线从主屋的廊道那里照射过来。外面寂静一片，只能听见水栎树顶一只老猫头鹰的叫声，还有在这夜深人静时分平和的海面上发出的永不停息的声音。它像凄婉的摇篮曲一样打破黑夜的宁静。

The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her peignoir no longer served to dry them. She was holding the back of her chair with one hand; her loose sleeve had slipped almost to the shoulder of her uplifted arm. Turning, she thrust her face, steaming and wet, into the bend of her arm, and she went on crying there, not caring any longer to dry her face, her eyes, her arms. She could not have told why she was crying. Such experiences as the foregoing were not uncommon in her married life. They seemed never before to have weighed much against the abundance of her husband's kindness and a uniform devotion which had come to be tacit and self-understood.

蓬迪里埃夫人泪如雨下，睡衣袖子已经湿透，不能再用来擦泪了。她一只手抓住椅背，宽松的衣袖几乎从举起的手臂滑落到肩部。她转过身去，把热而潮湿的脸塞进臂弯里接着大哭，再也无心去擦拭她的面颊、眼睛和手臂了。她自己也说不清为什么哭。自从结婚以来像刚才这样的经历并不少见。不过之前她丈夫对她无微不至的体贴和一贯的忠诚似乎使这些经历显得微不足道，对于这些她是默然领会、心知肚明的。

An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer day. It was strange and unfamiliar; it was a mood. She did not sit there inwardly upbraiding her husband, lamenting at Fate, which had directed her footsteps to the path which they had taken. She was just having a good cry all to herself. The mosquitoes made merry over her, biting her firm, round arms and nipping at her bare insteps.

一种来自于她意识陌生深处的无以名状的压抑感使她整个人充满了莫名的烦闷。这就像阴影，像迷雾，拂过她夏日的心灵。这是一种奇怪而陌生的感觉，是一种心情。她不是坐在那里暗自谴责她的丈夫，也不是在悲叹自己的命运，而正是命运引领她走上这条他们所走过的道路。她只是独自在那里痛哭。蚊子肆意地叮咬着她，叮咬着她结实圆润的手臂，叮咬着她赤裸的脚背。

The little stinging, buzzing imps succeeded in dispelling a mood which might have held her there in the darkness half a night longer.

正是这些嗡嗡叫着叮咬她的淘气虫们成功地驱走了她的这种情绪，否则，她也许还会带着这种情绪在黑暗中呆上半夜。

The following morning Mr. Pontellier was up in good time to take the rockaway which was to convey him to the steamer at the wharf. He was returning to the city to his business, and they would not see him again at the Island till the coming Saturday. He had regained his composure, which seemed to have been somewhat impaired the night before. He was eager to be gone, as he looked forward to a lively week in Carondelet Street.

第二天一早，蓬迪里埃先生起床很准时，为了坐四轮马车到码头搭汽船。他要回城去处理他的生意，直到下周六他们才会在这个岛上再见到他。此时他很自若，从头一天晚上的坏情绪中恢复了镇静。他急着离开，期望在卡龙德莱特大街过一周快活的生活。

Mr. Pontellier gave his wife half of the money which he had brought away from Klein's hotel the evening before. She liked money as well as most women, and, accepted it with no little satisfaction.

蓬迪里埃先生把头一天晚上从克莱恩旅馆拿回来的钱给了妻子一半。她和大多数女人一样喜欢钱，所以心满意足地收下了。

"It will buy a handsome wedding present for Sister Janet!" she exclaimed, smoothing out the bills as she counted them one by one.“用这钱可以给珍妮特妹妹买件漂亮的结婚礼物！”她高兴地说，一边把钱弄平一边一张一张地数着。

"Oh! We'll treat Sister Janet better than that, my dear," he laughed, as he prepared to kiss her good-by.“哦！我们要对她比这样更好些，亲爱的。”他一边笑着说一边准备跟她吻别。

The boys were tumbling about, clinging to his legs, imploring that numerous things be brought back to them. Mr. Pontellier was a great favorite, and ladies, men, children, even nurses, were always on hand to say goodby to him. His wife stood smiling and waving, the boys shouting, as he disappeared in the old rockaway down the sandy road.

孩子们在他周围转，抱着他的腿，求他给他们带回来许多好东西。蓬迪里埃先生很有人缘，女士们、男人们、孩子们，就连保姆们都总是来跟他告别。他的妻子站在那里，一边微笑一边挥手，孩子们叫喊着，看着他坐着旧四轮马车在砂路上远去。

A few days later a box arrived for Mrs. Pontellier from New Orleans. It was from her husband. It was filled with friandises, with luscious and toothsome bits—the finest of fruits, pates, a rare bottle or two, delicious syrups, and bonbons in abundance.

几天后，一个盒子从新奥尔良寄到了蓬迪里埃夫人这里。这是她丈夫寄过来的。盒子里装满了花式小蛋糕，以及各种各样的美味可口的小食品：精美的水果、馅饼、一两瓶名贵好酒、可口的糖浆还有很多糖果。

Mrs. Pontellier was always very generous with the contents of such a box; she was quite used to receiving them when away from home. The pates and fruit were brought to the dining-room; the bonbons were passed around. And the ladies, selecting with dainty and discriminating fingers and a little greedily, all declared that Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world. Mrs. Pontellier was forced to admit that she knew of none better.

对于盒子里的食品，蓬迪里埃夫人向来很慷慨。她外出度假的时候经常会收到它们。她把馅饼和水果拿到餐厅，糖果则分给周围的人。女士们一边用纤纤细手有点贪婪地挑着糖果，一边齐夸蓬迪里埃先生是世上最好的丈夫。蓬迪里埃夫人也不得不承认她没看到过更好的了。

IV

第四章

It would have been a difficult matter for Mr. Pontellier to define to his own satisfaction or any one else's wherein his wife failed in her duty toward their children. It was something which he felt rather than perceived, and he never voiced the feeling without subsequent regret and ample atonement.

他的妻子到底在哪些地方没有尽到做母亲的责任，蓬迪里埃先生对此还真难做出令自己或别人满意的解释。这其实只是他感觉到的，而不是他察觉到的，而且每次他把这种感觉说出来就开始后悔，接着就尽力弥补。

If one of the little Pontellier boys took a tumble whilst at play, he was not apt to rush crying to his mother's arms for comfort; he would more likely pick himself up, wipe the water out of his eyes and the sand out of his mouth, and go on playing. Tots as they were, they pulled together and stood their ground in childish battles with doubled fists and uplifted voices, which usually prevailed against the other mother-tots. The quadroon nurse was looked upon as a huge encumbrance, only good to button up waists and panties and to brush and part hair; since it seemed to be a law of society that hair must be parted and brushed.

蓬迪里埃家的孩子如果在玩耍时摔了一跤，通常不会立刻哭着跑到妈妈怀里寻找安慰，而是自己爬起来，擦干泪水，弄掉嘴里的沙子，再接着玩。虽然他们还只是些小娃娃，但在跟其他依赖母亲的小孩子们打架时，他们总是能挥舞着双拳，提高嗓门，绑在一起，共同作战，因此他们总是能在打架中占上风。他们把那个有点黑人血统的保姆看成是个大累赘，他们认为她只会给他们系系衣裤的扣子、梳梳头发，因为头发一定是要梳理整齐似乎是社会的法则。

In short, Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman. The motherwomen seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle. It was easy to know them, fluttering about with extended, protecting wings when any harm, real or imaginary, threatened their precious brood. They were women who idolized their children, worshiped their husbands, and esteemed it a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals and grow wings as ministering angels.

简单地说，蓬迪里埃夫人不算是个好妈妈。那年夏天在格兰德岛上到处都能看到好妈妈。好妈妈们一眼就能认出来，她们只要感觉自己的幼雏受到伤害，无论是真的还是她们想象的，她们就会立刻张开翅膀去保护他们。她们是这样的女人：宠爱孩子，尊敬丈夫，认为抹杀自我，长出翅膀成为救苦救难的天使是一种神圣的权利。

Many of them were delicious in the role; one of them was the embodiment of every womanly grace and charm. If her husband did not adore her, he was a brute, deserving of death by slow torture. Her name was Adele Ratignolle. There are no words to describe her save the old ones that have served so often to picture the bygone heroine of romance and the fair lady of our dreams. There was nothing subtle or hidden about her charms; her beauty was all there, flaming and apparent: the spun-gold hair that comb nor confining pin could restrain; the blue eyes that were like nothing but sapphires; two lips that pouted, that were so red one could only think of cherries or some other delicious crimson fruit in looking at them. She was growing a little stout, but it did not seem to detract an iota from the grace of every step, pose, gesture. One would not have wanted her white neck a mite less full or her beautiful arms more slender. Never were hands more exquisite than hers, and it was a joy to look at them when she threaded her needle or adjusted her gold thimble to her taper middle finger as she sewed away on the little night-drawers or fashioned a bodice or a bib.

她们很多人都在甜蜜地扮演着这种角色，其中有一个女人身上更是体现了所有女性的美德与魅力。如果她的丈夫不珍惜她，那么他就是个十恶不赦、不得好死的浑蛋。她的名字是阿黛尔·拉蒂诺尔。除了经常用来描写久远的爱情故事中的女主人公和我们梦中的窈窕淑女的那些陈词滥调外，还真是找不出更好的词来形容她了。她的魅力完全外露，没有什么含蓄与微妙之处。她的美丽全然显现，光彩照人：一头漂亮的金发不管是梳子还是发夹都难束住，一双眼睛像蓝宝石一样闪亮，撅起的两片红唇让人一看就会想起红红的樱桃或是其他深红色的甜蜜果子。她开始有点儿发胖，但这似乎丝毫不影响她步态的优美，姿势的高雅和举止的得体。人们不会要求她那白白的脖颈再稍微瘦些或是她那漂亮的手臂再细些。没有谁的手比她的手更美了，尤其是在她穿针引线或在其纤细的中指上戴着金顶针缝小孩儿睡裤或做着胸衣和围兜的时侯，看着这样一双手简直就是一种享受。

Madame Ratignolle was very fond of Mrs. Pontellier, and often she took her sewing and went over to sit with her in the afternoons. She was sitting there the afternoon of the day the box arrived from New Orleans. She had possession of the rocker, and she was busily engaged in sewing upon a diminutive pair of night-drawers.

拉蒂诺尔夫人很喜欢蓬迪里埃夫人。她经常在下午拿着针线活到她那里坐坐。蓬迪里埃先生从新奥尔良寄来盒装食品的那天下午，她碰巧也在那里。当时她坐在那张摇椅里，正忙着缝制一条小睡裤。

She had brought the pattern of the drawers for Mrs. Pontellier to cut out—a marvel of construction, fashioned to enclose a baby's body so effectually that only two small eyes might look out from the garment, like an Eskimo's. They were designed for winter wear, when treacherous drafts came down chimneys and insidious currents of deadly cold found their way through key-holes.

她拿来了一个小睡裤的样式让蓬迪里埃夫人剪裁－－这真是一个让人惊异的作品：衣服做得正好包住孩子的身体，只露出两只眼睛，就像爱斯基摩人一样。这是专门设计冬天穿的，即便是危险的寒风从烟囱窜入或是冷得要死的寒流阴险地从锁眼袭进，也不用害怕了。

Mrs. Pontellier's mind was quite at rest concerning the present material needs of her children, and she could not see the use of anticipating and making winter night garments the subject of her summer meditations. But she did not want to appear unamiable and uninterested, so she had brought forth newspapers, which she spread upon the floor of the gallery, and under Madame Ratignolle's directions she had cut a pattern of the impervious garment.

蓬迪里埃夫人对于孩子们目前的物质需要很放心，也看不出有什么必要在夏天去想着为孩子做冬季睡衣的事。但是她不想让人感觉她没有亲切感，对此漠不关心，因此她拿出报纸，摊在走廊地面上，在拉蒂诺尔夫人的指点下，把这个风穿不透的睡衣的样式剪出来。

Robert was there, seated as he had been the Sunday before, and Mrs. Pontellier also occupied her former position on the upper step, leaning listlessly against the post. Beside her was a box of bonbons, which she held out at intervals to Madame Ratignolle.

罗伯特也在，还坐在上个星期天坐过的老地方。蓬迪里埃夫人也坐在台阶最上面一级那老地方，懒散地靠着柱子。在她旁边放着一盒糖果，她时不时地拿起来递给拉蒂诺尔夫人。

That lady seemed at a loss to make a selection, but finally settled upon a stick of nougat, wondering if it were not too rich; whether it could possibly hurt her. Madame Ratignolle had been married seven years. About every two years she had a baby. At that time she had three babies, and was beginning to think of a fourth one. She was always talking about her "condition."Her "condition" was in no way apparent, and no one would have known a thing about it but for her persistence in making it the subject of conversation.

那位女士好像不知所措，不知道挑哪块好，最后拿了一块牛轧糖，还担心是不是太腻了会使她不适。拉蒂诺尔夫人结婚七年了。大约每两年就有一个孩子。现在她有三个孩子，正准备要第四个呢。她总是谈起她的身孕。她的身孕不大明显，如果不是她总是在谈话当中不时地提起，没人会知道她怀孕了。

Robert started to reassure her, asserting that he had known a lady who had subsisted upon nougat during the entire—but seeing the color mount into Mrs. Pontellier's face he checked himself and changed the subject.

罗伯特开始安慰她，让她放心，说曾认识一位女士简直靠牛轧糖过活，在她整个……但他看到蓬迪里埃夫人脸色不对，马上停住，换了话题。

Mrs. Pontellier, though she had married a Creole, was not thoroughly at home in the society of Creoles; never before had she been thrown so intimately among them. There were only Creoles that summer at Lebrun's. They all knew each other, and felt like one large family, among whom existed the most amicable relations. A characteristic which distinguished them and which impressed Mrs. Pontellier most forcibly was their entire absence of prudery. Their freedom of expression was at first incomprehensible to her, though she had no difficulty in reconciling it with a lofty chastity which in the Creole woman seems to be inborn and unmistakable.

蓬迪里埃夫人虽然嫁给了一个克里奥尔人，但在克里奥尔人的社交圈子里却并非熟不拘礼，此前也从未十分亲切地融入到他们中间去。那年夏天租住勒布伦家别墅的只有克里奥尔人。他们互相之间很熟悉，感觉像是个大家庭，他们中间存在着最为亲切友好的关系。他们与众不同，给蓬迪里埃夫人印象最深的特点是他们从不表现出拘束。他们无拘无束的表达开始蓬迪里埃夫人是不能理解的，可是后来发现克里奥尔女人们天生的明显的高尚德操，她很容易就谅解了她们。

Never would Edna Pontellier forget the shock with which she heard Madame Ratignolle relating to old Monsieur Farival the harrowing story of one of her accouchements, withholding no intimate detail. She was growing accustomed to like shocks, but she could not keep the mounting color back from her cheeks. Oftener than once her coming had interrupted the droll story with which Robert was entertaining some amused group of married women.

爱德娜·蓬迪里埃永远都不会忘记当她听到拉蒂诺尔夫人跟法里瓦尔老先生讲起一次她生孩子的痛苦经历时她有多么震惊，而且拉蒂诺尔夫人讲得非常详细，没有漏掉任何私密的细节。她已经渐渐习惯于类似的让她吃惊的事，但有时还是禁不住脸红。不止一次，当罗伯特正在讲一个可笑的故事逗那些已婚女子时，爱德娜的到来打断了他。

A book had gone the rounds of the pension. When it came her turn to read it, she did so with profound astonishment. She felt moved to read the book in secret and solitude, though none of the others had done so,—to hide it from view at the sound of approaching footsteps. It was openly criticised and freely discussed at table. Mrs. Pontellier gave over being astonished, and concluded that wonders would never cease.

在这个别墅区曾经传读着一本书。她觉得这种书只能在僻静的角落里偷着读，一听到别人的脚步声就该藏起来。可是没有人这样做。这样的书竟被拿到桌面上公开讲评，自由讨论。蓬迪里埃夫人也不再惊愕，她断定这种怪事会经常出现。

V

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。

VI

第六章

Edna Pontellier could not have told why, wishing to go to the beach with Robert, she should in the first place have declined, and in the second place have followed in obedience to one of the two contradictory impulses which impelled her.

爱德娜·蓬迪里埃自己也说不清为什么愿意和罗伯特一起到海滩去。她本应该起初就拒绝他的，但是后来又向驱使她的两股相冲突的冲动中的一股屈服了，跟着他去了。

A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly within her,—the light which, showing the way, forbids it.

她的心中开始隐隐地亮起一线曙光－－这种光线为她指出一条道路，不允许她这样做。

At that early period it served but to bewilder her. It moved her to dreams, to thoughtfulness, to the shadowy anguish which had overcome her the midnight when she had abandoned herself to tears.

在这种萌芽时期，它只能使她困惑。这使她进入梦幻之中，陷入沉思之中，使她她被一种难以捉摸的烦闷包围着，正是这种烦闷致使她在那天子夜里痛哭一场。

In short, Mrs. Pontellier was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her. This may seem like a ponderous weight of wisdom to descend upon the soul of a young woman of twenty-eight—perhaps more wisdom than the Holy Ghost is usually pleased to vouchsafe to any woman.

简单地说，蓬迪里埃夫人开始意识到她作为一个人在整个宇宙间的位置了，也认识到她作为一个个体与自己的内心世界以及周围世界的关系。这或许像是一种有分量的智慧降临到一位二十八岁的少妇的灵魂之上－－这种智慧甚至或许比圣灵常常愿意赐予给任何一位女子的智慧还要多。

But the beginning of things, of a world especially, is necessarily vague, tangled, chaotic, and exceedingly disturbing. How few of us ever emerge from such beginning! How many souls perish in its tumult!

可是万物之初，尤其是世界之初，一定是模糊难辨，纠结缠绕，杂乱无章，且极其困扰人心的。我们中能有几人从这本初中崭露头角！又有多少人在这混乱中陨落！

The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.

大海的浪声是极具诱惑力的：有时私语，有时喧哗，有时低吟，永无休止，引诱人的心灵徘徊于寂寞的深渊中，消失在内心冥想的迷惘中。

The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.

大海的浪声撞击着人的心弦。大海的抚摸令人陶醉，它把人的身体拥入了它那温柔亲切的怀抱。

VII

第七章

Mrs. Pontellier was not a woman given to confidences, a characteristic hitherto contrary to her nature. Even as a child she had lived her own small life all within herself. At a very early period she had apprehended instinctively the dual life—that outward existence which conforms, the inward life which questions.

蓬迪里埃夫人不是那种善于交知心话的女人，目前看来这种性格与她的本性是截然相反的。甚至在孩童时期，她就生活在自己的内心小世界里。从很早开始她就对这种双重生活心领神会：顺从的外部存在，质疑的内心生活。

That summer at Grand Isle she began to loosen a little the mantle of reserve that had always enveloped her. There may have been—there must have been—influences, both subtle and apparent, working in their several ways to induce her to do this; but the most obvious was the influence of Adele Ratignolle. The excessive physical charm of the Creole had first attracted her, for Edna had a sensuous susceptibility to beauty. Then the candor of the woman's whole existence, which every one might read, and which formed so striking a contrast to her own habitual reserve—this might have furnished a link. Who can tell what metals the gods use in forging the subtle bond which we call sympathy, which we might as well call love.

那年夏天在格兰德岛上，她开始一点点掀起那一直包裹着她的沉默保守的帷幔。可能是，不，肯定是有一种既微妙又显而易见的影响力在几个方面起着作用，促使她这样做的，但其中最明显的当属阿黛尔·拉蒂诺尔的影响。这位克里奥尔女人无与伦比的外在魅力首先吸引了她，因为爱德娜很容易受到美的东西的感染。其次这个女人全部存在的率真之处每个人都能看得到。这与她一贯的沉默保守形成鲜明的对比——这一点也可能起到了推波助澜的作用。谁知道上帝用什么样的金属材料铸成了我们既可称之为同情又可称之为爱的微妙联系呢。

The two women went away one morning to the beach together, arm in arm, under the huge white sunshade. Edna had prevailed upon Madame Ratignolle to leave the children behind, though she could not induce her to relinquish a diminutive roll of needlework, which Adele begged to be allowed to slip into the depths of her pocket. In some unaccountable way they had escaped from Robert.

一天上午这两位女士手拉着手，撑着一把大白伞一起向海滩走去。爱德娜虽然劝服了阿黛尔把孩子们留在家里，可她还是没能阻止她放弃那一小卷针线活。这是在阿黛尔的恳求下爱德娜让她塞进她的口袋里去的。她们俩心照不宣地躲开了罗伯特。

The walk to the beach was no inconsiderable one, consisting as it did of a long, sandy path, upon which a sporadic and tangled growth that bordered it on either side made frequent and unexpected inroads. There were acres of yellow camomile reaching out on either hand. Further away still, vegetable gardens abounded, with frequent small plantations of orange or lemon trees intervening. The dark green clusters glistened from afar in the sun.

去海滩的路并不近，包括一条长长的沙路，沙路两旁零星地长出一些纠结在一起的野草，时不时就出乎意料地侵占到路面上来。许多黄菊从路的两边伸展开来。再远一点的地方是大片的菜园，常常有小片的橘子或柠檬树间落其中。郁郁葱葱的树丛在阳光的照耀下从远处看闪闪发光。

The women were both of goodly height, Madame Ratignolle possessing the more feminine and matronly figure. The charm of Edna Pontellier's physique stole insensibly upon you. The lines of her body were long, clean and symmetrical; it was a body which occasionally fell into splendid poses; there was no suggestion of the trim, stereotyped fashion-plate about it. A casual and indiscriminating observer, in passing, might not cast a second glance upon the figure. But with more feeling and discernment he would have recognized the noble beauty of its modeling, and the graceful severity of poise and movement, which made Edna Pontellier different from the crowd.

两位夫人都身材高挑，拉蒂诺尔夫人更具有女性端庄的仪态。爱德娜·蓬迪里埃形体的魅力会偷偷地无形中吸引着你。她身体的线条是修长、简洁和匀称的，身体的姿态时而十分优雅，丝毫没有那些典型的时髦女人精心修饰的味道。一个经常不在意的粗心过路者可能不会再看她第二眼。但一个具有丰富情感和欣赏眼光的人一定会注意到她体格的高贵之美，以及她姿势和动作的高雅与含蓄，这使她格外与众不同。

She wore a cool muslin that morning—white, with a waving vertical line of brown running through it; also a white linen collar and the big straw hat which she had taken from the peg outside the door. The hat rested any way on her yellow-brown hair, that waved a little, was heavy, and clung close to her head.

那天早晨，她穿了一件白底带棕色竖条波浪线的凉爽的细布衣服，配着一个白色的亚麻领子，头戴那顶她从门外钉子上取下的大草帽。帽子随意地戴在她那略带卷曲的棕黄色的头发上，帽子很沉，紧扣在她头上。

Madame Ratignolle, more careful of her complexion, had twined a gauze veil about her head. She wore dogskin gloves, with gauntlets that protected her wrists. She was dressed in pure white, with a fluffiness of ruffles that became her. The draperies and fluttering things which she wore suited her rich, luxuriant beauty as a greater severity of line could not have done.

拉蒂诺尔夫人对自己的皮肤更加呵护，用一条薄纱的丝巾包在头上。她还戴着狗皮手套，带有长护腕以保护她的手腕。她穿着一件纯白色的带松软花边的衣服，很合体。她穿戴的这些饰物和飘逸的衣服非常适合她这种华丽高贵的美，这种美是更为简洁朴素的衣物衬托不出来的。

There were a number of bath-houses along the beach, of rough but solid construction, built with small, protecting galleries facing the water. Each house consisted of two compartments, and each family at Lebrun's possessed a compartment for itself, fitted out with all the essential paraphernalia of the bath and whatever other conveniences the owners might desire. The two women had no intention of bathing; they had just strolled down to the beach for a walk and to be alone and near the water. The Pontellier and Ratignolle compartments adjoined one another under the same roof.

沿着海滩有很多间浴室，建得简陋但很结实，临水边建有矮小的作遮挡之用的长廊。每个浴室都有两间，租住勒布伦家别墅的每家都各占一间，里面有一切沐浴所需要的随身物品以及主人们可能想要的各种其他器材。两位女士并无沐浴之意，她们只不过在海滩上散散步，在离水近的地方独自呆上一会儿。蓬迪里埃和拉蒂诺尔两家的浴室相邻，处在一个屋檐下。

Mrs. Pontellier had brought down her key through force of habit. Unlocking the door of her bath-room she went inside, and soon emerged, bringing a rug, which she spread upon the floor of the gallery, and two huge hair pillows covered with crash, which she placed against the front of the building.

蓬迪里埃夫人习惯性地随身带着钥匙。她打开浴室的门走了进去，很快又出来了，拿了一条毯子铺在长廊的地上，还把两个套着粗布枕套的大马鬃枕头倚在房屋前墙边。

The two seated themselves there in the shade of the porch, side by side, with their backs against the pillows and their feet extended. Madame Ratignolle removed her veil, wiped her face with a rather delicate handkerchief, and fanned herself with the fan which she always carried suspended somewhere about her person by a long, narrow ribbon. Edna removed her collar and opened her dress at the throat. She took the fan from Madame Ratignolle and began to fan both herself and her companion. It was very warm, and for a while they did nothing but exchange remarks about the heat, the sun, the glare. But there was a breeze blowing, a choppy, stiff wind that whipped the water into froth. It fluttered the skirts of the two women and kept them for a while engaged in adjusting, readjusting, tucking in, securing hair-pins and hat-pins. A few persons were sporting some distance away in the water. The beach was very still of human sound at that hour. The lady in black was reading her morning devotions on the porch of a neighboring bathhouse. Two young lovers were exchanging their hearts' yearnings beneath the children's tent, which they had found unoccupied.

她们俩在走廊的阴凉处并肩坐下，背靠着枕头，两腿伸开。拉蒂诺尔夫人摘下面纱，用一条很精致的手绢擦了擦脸，又拿出那把总是用一根细长丝带系挂在身上某处的扇子扇着风。爱德娜也摘下衣领，解开衣裙的领口。她从拉蒂诺尔夫人手里拿过扇子，为他们两人一起扇了起来。天气暖和，好一阵子她们无所事事，只是闲聊着气温、太阳和刺眼的光照。但此时来了一阵猛烈的风，吹得海面波浪翻滚，泛起泡沫。海风也吹乱了两位女士的裙子，弄得她们一时间直忙着整理、再整理衣着，把衣衫塞到裙子里，把发针和帽针别紧。远处有几个人在海水里嬉戏。那个时分海滩上静无人声。在隔壁的浴室长廊上，那位身穿黑色服装的女士正在念早祷文。一对年轻的恋人发现一个儿童帐篷正空闲着，便趁机在那儿谈情说爱。

Edna Pontellier, casting her eyes about, had finally kept them at rest upon the sea. The day was clear and carried the gaze out as far as the blue sky went; there were a few white clouds suspended idly over the horizon. A lateen sail was visible in the direction of Cat Island, and others to the south seemed almost motionless in the far distance.

爱德娜·蓬迪里埃往周围看了看，最后把目光停落在海面上。天气晴朗，蓝蓝的天空一望无际，几片白云懒散地悬于地平线上。在猫儿岛的方向可以看见一只大三角帆船，其他船只向南行驶，远远看去几乎像是静止的样子。

"Of whom—of what are you thinking?" asked Adele of her companion, whose countenance she had been watching with a little amused attention, arrested by the absorbed expression which seemed to have seized and fixed every feature into a statuesque repose.“你在想谁？想什么？”阿黛尔问她的同伴。她十分感兴趣地专注地看着她的同伴的脸，被她那陷入沉思的表情所吸引，那表情完全有着像雕像一样的恬静。

"Nothing," returned Mrs. Pontellier, with a start, adding at once: "How stupid! But it seems to me it is the reply we make instinctively to such a question. Let me see," she went on, throwing back her head and narrowing her fine eyes till they shone like two vivid points of light. "Let me see. I was really not conscious of thinking of anything; but perhaps I can retrace my thoughts."“什么也没想，”蓬迪里埃夫人吃了一惊然后回答道，马上又加上了一句，“多么愚蠢的回答！但我认为这是我们对这样一个问题本能的回答。让我想想啊！”她继续说着，把头往后靠了靠，漂亮的双眼眯成了两个熠熠生辉的光点。“让我想想。我真的没意识到我在想什么，可是或许我会回想起来什么的。”

"Oh! never mind!" laughed Madame Ratignolle. "I am not quite so exacting. I will let you off this time. It is really too hot to think, especially to think about thinking."“哦！没关系！”拉蒂诺尔夫人笑着说，“我只是随便问问。这次我就放过你吧。这么热的天的确没必要去想事情，尤其是想你的思绪。”

"But for the fun of it," persisted Edna. "First of all, the sight of the water stretching so far away, those motionless sails against the blue sky, made a delicious picture that I just wanted to sit and look at. The hot wind beating in my face made me think—without any connection that I can trace of a summer day in Kentucky, of a meadow that seemed as big as the ocean to the very little girl walking through the grass, which was higher than her waist. She threw out her arms as if swimming when she walked, beating the tall grass as one strikes out in the water. Oh, I see the connection now!”“还是想想看吧，这会有趣的，”爱德娜坚持说，“首先，看着海水向远处延伸，那些帆船在碧蓝的天空下一动不动，构成了一幅美妙的图画，这正是我坐在这里想看到的。热风拂着我的脸，使我不禁想起了在肯塔基州度过的一个夏天，这似乎没什么联系，但还是让我想起了在广阔如大海的草地上一个小女孩在草丛中穿行，那草比她的腰还要高呢。她展开双臂，边走边拍打那高高的草丛，就像是游泳时拍打水面一样。哦！现在我明白联系在哪儿了。”

"Where were you going that day in Kentucky, walking through the grass?"“那天在肯塔基州穿过草地时，你打算到哪儿去？”

"I don't remember now. I was just walking diagonally across a big field. My sun-bonnet obstructed the view. I could see only the stretch of green before me, and I felt as if I must walk on forever, without coming to the end of it. I don't remember whether I was frightened or pleased. I must have been entertained.“我现在记不得了。当时我正斜穿过一大片田野。我的太阳帽遮住了视线。我只能看见眼前的绿色在延伸，我感觉好像我得永远走下去，没有尽头。我不记得当时我是害怕还是高兴。我想我一定是感觉特别有意思吧。

"Likely as not it was Sunday," she laughed; "and I was running away from prayers, from the Presbyterian service, read in a spirit of gloom by my father that chills me yet to think of."“很可能那是个星期天，”她笑着说，“我逃避做祷告跑掉了，从长老会礼拜仪式上逃走的，我父亲念祷告词的那种阴郁的语调至今让我想起来还不寒而栗。”

"And have you been running away from prayers ever since, ma chere?" asked Madame Ratignolle, amused.“这么说，亲爱的，从那以后每当做祷告的时候你都溜掉喽？”拉蒂诺尔夫人问她，觉得很有趣。

"No! oh, no!"Edna hastened to say. "I was a little unthinking child in those days, just following a misleading impulse without question. On the contrary, during one period of my life religion took a firm hold upon me; after I was twelve and until-until—why, I suppose until now, though I never thought much about it—just driven along by habit. But do you know," she broke off, turning her quick eyes upon Madame Ratignolle and leaning forward a little so as to bring her face quite close to that of her companion, "sometimes I feel this summer as if I were walking through the green meadow again; idly, aimlessly, unthinking and unguided."“不！哦，不！”爱德娜急忙辩解，“那时我只是一个不懂事的小孩，只是被错误的冲动左右。相反，在我生命中的某个时期，宗教深深地占据了我；从十二岁起直到直到，哦，我想一直到现在，尽管我从来没有认真考虑过，只是受习惯驱使而已。但你知道吗，”她停了一下，目光迅速地移到拉蒂诺尔夫人身上，身子往前倾了倾，把脸靠近她同伴的脸，接着说，“有时侯我感觉这个夏天我好像又走在那块绿色草丛中了：懒懒散散地，漫无目的地走着，没有方向感，什么也不想。”

Madame Ratignolle laid her hand over that of Mrs. Pontellier, which was near her. Seeing that the hand was not withdrawn, she clasped it firmly and warmly. She even stroked it a little, fondly, with the other hand, murmuring in an undertone, "Pauvre cherie."

拉蒂诺尔夫人把她的手放在蓬迪里埃夫人那只靠近她的手上。看她没有将手收回，便更坚定更热情地握住了它。她甚至还用另外一只手爱抚地轻拍它，并低语道：“招人怜的人儿啊！”

The action was at first a little confusing to Edna, but she soon lent herself readily to the Creole's gentle caress. She was not accustomed to an outward and spoken expression of affection, either in herself or in others. She and her younger sister, Janet, had quarreled a good deal through force of unfortunate habit. Her older sister, Margaret, was matronly and dignified, probably from having assumed matronly and housewifely responsibilities too early in life, their mother having died when they were quite young, Margaret was not effusive; she was practical. Edna had had an occasional girl friend, but whether accidentally or not, they seemed to have been all of one type—the self-contained. She never realized that the reserve of her own character had much, perhaps everything, to do with this. Her most intimate friend at school had been one of rather exceptional intellectual gifts, who wrote fine-sounding essays, which Edna admired and strove to imitate; and with her she talked and glowed over the English classics, and sometimes held religious and political controversies.

这一举动刚开始让爱德娜感到有点迷惑不解，但很快她就乐意地接受了这位克里奥尔女子亲切的怜爱之举。她不习惯于那种外露的或口头的情感表达，无论是对别人还是对她。因为这个不幸的习惯，她和她的小妹妹珍妮特曾多次吵架。她的姐姐玛格丽特是很庄重高贵的，这可能是因为她们还小的时候妈妈就过世了，她早早地承担起主妇掌管家事的责任，玛格丽特不属于感情奔放型的，她很实际。爱德娜偶尔结交个女性朋友，但不知是否属于巧合，她们好像都是一个类型－－沉默寡言。她从未意识到自己内敛的性格与此有着很大的，或许是一切的关系。她读书时最亲密的朋友是一个相当具有才智的女孩，写过韵律优美的篇章，对此爱德娜非常钦佩并试图模仿。她和她的朋友经常激烈地讨论英国古典文学，有时还对一些宗教和政治问题争论不休。

Edna often wondered at one propensity which sometimes had inwardly disturbed her without causing any outward show or manifestation on her part. At a very early age—perhaps it was when she traversed the ocean of waving grass—she remembered that she had been passionately enamored of a dignified and sad-eyed cavalry officer who visited her father in Kentucky. She could not leave his presence when he was there, nor remove her eyes from his face, which was something like Napoleon's, with a lock of black hair failing across the forehead. But the cavalry officer melted imperceptibly out of her existence.

爱德娜经常对自己的这种习性感到奇怪，这种习性有时使她在内心里感到迷惑，而在外表上却没有丝毫流露。很早以前－－大概是在她穿越起伏的草海时，她记得她狂热地迷恋过一位外表庄重，眼神忧伤的骑兵军官，这位军官当时到肯塔基州拜访她的父亲。只要他在，她就没法离开，也没法把目光从他脸上移开。那张脸有点像拿破仑的脸，有一绺黑发斜披在额前。可是后来这位骑兵军官不知不觉地在她的存在中渐渐消失了。

At another time her affections were deeply engaged by a young gentleman who visited a lady on a neighboring plantation. It was after they went to Mississippi to live. The young man was engaged to be married to the young lady, and they sometimes called upon Margaret, driving over of afternoons in a buggy. Edna was a little miss, just merging into her teens; and the realization that she herself was nothing, nothing, nothing to the engaged young man was a bitter affliction to her. But he, too, went the way of dreams.

还有一次，她被一位年轻绅士深深吸引，对他产生了爱慕之情，当时这位年轻的绅士是到邻近的庄园拜见一位女士的。那是他们搬到密西西比州定居之后的事。这位年轻的绅士与那位年轻的女士订了婚，准备结婚。他们有时下午坐着轻便马车来拜访玛格丽特。当时爱德娜还是个小姑娘，刚刚进入青年期。她意识到这位已订过婚的年轻人对自己毫不在意，这使她很心酸苦痛。但他也在梦幻之中渐渐消失。

She was a grown young woman when she was overtaken by what she supposed to be the climax of her fate. It was when the face and figure of a great tragedian began to haunt her imagination and stir her senses. The persistence of the infatuation lent it an aspect of genuineness. The hopelessness of it colored it with the lofty tones of a great passion.

在她长成为一位年轻女子时，一件她认为是她生命中的关键性事件降临在她身上。当时，一个伟大的悲剧演员的面孔和身影开始萦绕在她的脑海，扰乱了她的心房。这种迷恋的情感挥之不去，好似真情实感。因为这种感情是毫无结果的，这又使它带有一种伟大激情的崇高色彩。

The picture of the tragedian stood enframed upon her desk. Any one may possess the portrait of a tragedian without exciting suspicion or comment. (This was a sinister reflection which she cherished.) In the presence of others she expressed admiration for his exalted gifts, as she handed the photograph around and dwelt upon the fidelity of the likeness. When alone she sometimes picked it up and kissed the cold glass passionately.

这位悲剧演员的照片被她镶在相框里摆在书桌上。谁都可以拥有一张悲剧演员的照片而不致于引起人们强烈的猜疑或评论。（她把这种不祥的的想法珍藏在心中。）当着别人面，她对他那极高的天赋表示钦佩，还把照片传给大家看，并刻意强调它和照片本人的逼真程度。私下里，她有时拿起那冰冷的玻璃相框，深情地吻着它。

Her marriage to Leonce Pontellier was purely an accident, in this respect resembling many other marriages which masquerade as the decrees of Fate. It was in the midst of her secret great passion that she met him. He fell in love, as men are in the habit of doing, and pressed his suit with an earnestness and an ardor which left nothing to be desired. He pleased her; his absolute devotion flattered her. She fancied there was a sympathy of thought and taste between them, in which fancy she was mistaken. Add to this the violent opposition of her father and her sister Margaret to her marriage with a Catholic, and we need seek no further for the motives which led her to accept Monsieur Pontellier for her husband.

她和莱翁斯·蓬迪里埃的婚姻纯属偶然，这一点跟许多其他的婚姻相似，看起来都像是命运的安排。就在她正处于这种私密的强烈激情之中时，她邂逅了他。正如容易发生在所有男人们身上的那样，他对她一见倾心。他诚挚急切地向她求婚，极其热烈。他取悦了她，他的全情投入使她感到满足。她幻想他们彼此之间会志趣相投，但她这种幻想是错误的。而且，因为他是天主教徒，她的父亲和姐姐玛格丽特强烈反对他们的婚事。这样，我们就不用再找让她接受蓬迪里埃先生做丈夫的缘由了。

The acme of bliss, which would have been a marriage with the tragedian, was not for her in this world. As the devoted wife of a man who worshiped her, she felt she would take her place with a certain dignity in the world of reality, closing the portals forever behind her upon the realm of romance and dreams.

如果能同那个悲剧演员结婚的话，她就会幸福至极了，可这辈子是做不到了。于是她觉得，如果做一个受到忠诚的丈夫崇拜的妻子，她可以有一定的地位，在现实生活中有尊严地活下去，因而永远地关上了通往浪漫和梦幻王国的大门。

But it was not long before the tragedian had gone to join the cavalry officer and the engaged young man and a few others; and Edna found herself face to face with the realities. She grew fond of her husband, realizing with some unaccountable satisfaction that no trace of passion or excessive and fictitious warmth colored her affection, thereby threatening its dissolution.

没过多久，这个悲剧演员也和骑兵军官以及订过婚的年轻人还有其他几个人一起远离了她的生活。爱德娜发觉自己面对着现实的生活。她越来越喜欢她的丈夫，她有一种不可名状的满足感，因为她意识到没有一种激情或泛滥的极其不真实的热情会影响到她的感情，使她的感情消失。

She was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart; she would sometimes forget them. The year before they had spent part of the summer with their grandmother Pontellier in Iberville. Feeling secure regarding their happiness and welfare, she did not miss them except with an occasional intense longing. Their absence was a sort of relief, though she did not admit this, even to herself. It seemed to free her of a responsibility which she had blindly assumed and for which Fate had not fitted her.

她一种不稳定的、冲动的方式爱着她的孩子们。有时她会充满激情地把他们拥在怀里，有时又会忘掉他们。前一年，他们在伊伯维尔和奶奶度过了一部分夏日时光。她觉得他们在奶奶那儿过得很快乐，能得到很好的照顾，所以就不牵挂，只是偶尔有一种见到他们的强烈渴望。孩子们不在她身边是一种解脱，尽管她甚至对自己都不愿意承认这一点。这好像把她从盲目承担下来的职责中解放出来，而命运压根就没有赋予她承担起这种责任的能力。

Edna did not reveal so much as all this to Madame Ratignolle that summer day when they sat with faces turned to the sea. But a good part of it escaped her. She had put her head down on Madame Ratignolle's shoulder. She was flushed and felt intoxicated with the sound of her own voice and the unaccustomed taste of candor. It muddled her like wine, or like a first breath of freedom.

那个夏天当她们面向大海坐在那里的时候，爱德娜并没有把所有的这些讲给拉蒂诺尔夫人听。不过她还是讲了一大部分。她将头靠在拉蒂诺尔夫人的肩膀上。她脸颊发红，陶醉于自己说话的语调和不习惯于的坦诚的感觉之中。这种感觉像美酒一样使她迷醉，或者像初次呼吸到自由的空气一样。

There was the sound of approaching voices. It was Robert, surrounded by a troop of children, searching for them. The two little Pontelliers were with him, and he carried Madame Ratignolle's little girl in his arms. There were other children beside, and two nurse-maids followed, looking disagreeable and resigned.

忽然传来很多人走近的声音。是罗伯特，身边围着很多孩子，正在找她们俩。蓬迪里埃家的两个小家伙在他身边，他怀里还则抱着拉蒂诺尔夫人家的小姑娘。旁边还有其他孩子，两个保姆跟在后面，脸上露出不耐烦但也无奈的神情。

The women at once rose and began to shake out their draperies and relax their muscles. Mrs. Pontellier threw the cushions and rug into the bath-house. The children all scampered off to the awning, and they stood there in a line, gazing upon the intruding lovers, still exchanging their vows and sighs. The lovers got up, with only a silent protest, and walked slowly away somewhere else.

两位夫人马上站起来，抖了抖衣裳，放松放松肌肉。蓬迪里埃夫人把垫子和毯子扔进浴室。孩子们都蹦跳地跑到遮篷下面，站在那一排，盯着那两个抢占他们帐篷的情人看，此刻他们还在山盟海誓，相互慨叹。这对情人站了起来，默默地表示出不满，便慢慢地走开到别处去了。

The children possessed themselves of the tent, and Mrs. Pontellier went over to join them.

孩子们自己占据了帐篷，蓬迪里埃夫人走过去加入到他们的行列。

Madame Ratignolle begged Robert to accompany her to the house; she complained of cramp in her limbs and stiffness of the joints. She leaned draggingly upon his arm as they walked.

拉蒂诺尔夫人要罗伯特陪她回屋去，抱怨说她四肢抽筋，关节僵硬。她靠在他手臂上拖着步子走了。

VIII

第八章

"Do me a favor, Robert," spoke the pretty woman at his side, almost as soon as she and Robert had started their slow, homeward way. She looked up in his face, leaning on his arm beneath the encircling shadow of the umbrella which he had lifted.“帮我个忙，罗伯特。”刚走上回家的路的这位在他身旁的漂亮夫人立即说道。在他举着的太阳伞的阴影的包围中，她倚在他的手臂上，抬头看着他的脸。

"Granted; as many as you like," he returned, glancing down into her eyes that were full of thoughtfulness and some speculation.“尽管吩咐，多少都行。”他回答道，往下看着她那充满冥思和遐想的眼神。

"I only ask for one; let Mrs. Pontellier alone."“我只想求你帮一个忙，别再纠缠蓬迪里埃夫人。”

"Tiens!" he exclaimed, with a sudden, boyish laugh. "Voila que Madame Ratignolle est jalouse!"“瞧瞧！”他带着点孩子气地突然笑着叫道，“看来拉蒂诺尔夫人有点吃醋！”

"Nonsense! I'm in earnest; I mean what I say. Let Mrs. Pontellier alone."“胡说！我说正经的，我是认真的。别再纠缠蓬迪里埃夫人了。”

"Why?" he asked; himself growing serious at his companion's solicitation.“为什么呀？”他问，也开始逐渐严肃地对待起他的同伴的恳求了。

"She is not one of us; she is not like us. She might make the unfortunate blunder of taking you seriously."“她跟我们不是一类的，她不像我们。她会真的把你当回事，这对她来说将是个不幸的错误。”

His face flushed with annoyance, and taking off his soft hat he began to beat it impatiently against his leg as he walked. "Why shouldn't she take me seriously?" he demanded sharply. "Am I a comedian, a clown, a jack-in-the-box? Why shouldn't she? You Creoles! I have no patience with you! Am I always to be regarded as a feature of an amusing programme? I hope Mrs. Pontellier does take me seriously. I hope she has discernment enough to find in me something besides the blagueur. If I thought there was any doubt—”

他有点恼了，脸红了起来，摘下呢帽，很不耐烦地边走边把帽子在腿上拍打着。“为什么她就不应该把我当回事？”他很尖利地责问到。“难道我是一个滑稽演员，跳梁小丑，道具玩偶吗？为什么她就不该这样？你们这些克里奥尔人啊！我真是对你们失去耐心了！难道我总是被看作是娱乐节目中取悦人的主角吗？我希望蓬迪里埃夫人能当真。我希望她有充分的识别能力看清我除了吹吹牛皮的小丑外还有什么品质。如果我觉得可疑的话－－”

"Oh, enough, Robert!" she broke into his heated outburst. "You are not thinking of what you are saying. You speak with about as little reflection as we might expect from one of those children down there playing in the sand. If your attentions to any married women here were ever offered with any intention of being convincing, you would not be the gentleman we all know you to be, and you would be unfit to associate with the wives and daughters of the people who trust you."“哦，够了，罗伯特。”她打断了他激烈的叫嚷。“你不知道自己在说什么。你这样讲话跟那些在沙地上玩的孩子们一样欠思考。如果你对任何一个已婚女子的关注让她们确信有意当真的话，那么你就不是我们大家心目中的正人君子，你也不适合在跟那些信任你的人们的妻子和女儿们来往了。”

Madame Ratignolle had spoken what she believed to be the law and the gospel. The young man shrugged his shoulders impatiently.

拉蒂诺尔夫人讲出了她自己认为是法律和准则的话。这个年轻人不耐烦地耸了耸肩。

"Oh! well! That isn't it," slamming his hat down vehemently upon his head. "You ought to feel that such things are not flattering to say to a fellow."“哦！行吧！事情不会是那样的。”他使劲地把帽子按在头上。“你应该知道对一个男人说这种话并不讨人喜欢。”

"Should our whole intercourse consist of an exchange of compliments? Ma foi!"“难道我们现在所有的讲话是在互相恭维吗？真是的！”

"It isn't pleasant to have a woman tell you—” he went on, unheedingly, but breaking off suddenly: "Now if I were like Arobin-you remember Alcee Arobin and that story of the consul's wife at Biloxi?"And he related the story of Alcee Arobin and the consul's wife; and another about the tenor of the French Opera, who received letters which should never have been written; and still other stories, grave and gay, till Mrs. Pontellier and her possible propensity for taking young men seriously was apparently forgotten.“让一个女人来教训你真令人不快－－”他继续说，毫不理会她的话。忽然他停了下来说，“现在假设我像阿罗宾那样－－你还记不记得阿尔塞·阿罗宾和那个在比罗西的领事的妻子的故事吗？”然后他就讲起了关于阿罗宾和领事的妻子的故事，接着又讲了法国歌剧院男高音歌手收到过很多封本不该写出来的信件的故事，还有一些其它的故事，有低沉的，有欢快的，直到他们显然忘记了蓬迪里埃夫人和她倾向于对年轻男子过于认真的话题为止。

Madame Ratignolle, when they had regained her cottage, went in to take the hour's rest which she considered helpful. Before leaving her, Robert begged her pardon for the impatience—he called it rudeness—with which he had received her well-meant caution.

当他们重新回到她的房屋时，拉蒂诺尔夫人进去休息了一小时，她认为这对她很有帮助。在离开她之前，罗伯特请求她原谅自己在听取她善意的劝告时的不耐烦－－他称之为粗鲁。

"You made one mistake, Adele," he said, with a light smile; "there is no earthly possibility of Mrs. Pontellier ever taking me seriously. You should have warned me against taking myself seriously. Your advice might then have carried some weight and given me subject for some reflection. Au revoir. But you look tired," he added, solicitously. "Would you like a cup of bouillon? Shall I stir you a toddy? Let me mix you a toddy with a drop of Angostura."“阿黛尔，其实你犯了一个错误，”他微微笑了一下说，“蓬迪里埃夫人根本不可能对我认真。反倒是你应该提醒我不要对她过于认真。那样你的建议才有些分量，会给我提供思考的内容。再见吧。看来你很累，”他又关切地加了一句，“给你来杯牛肉汤好吗？要不我给你调杯棕榈酒？让我在棕榈酒里加点安古斯图拉苦味剂（注：安古斯图拉树皮制剂，一种苦味剂，源于商标名称）吧。”

She acceded to the suggestion of bouillon, which was grateful and acceptable. He went himself to the kitchen, which was a building apart from the cottages and lying to the rear of the house. And he himself brought her the golden-brown bouillon, in a dainty Sevres cup, with a flaky cracker or two on the saucer.

喝杯牛肉汤的建议很对她心思，她很感激地接受了。他亲自去了厨房。厨房与正屋隔开，位于房子后面。他又亲自给她端来金黄色的牛肉汤，用一个精致的塞夫勒瓷杯盛着，还有一两片薄脆饼干，装在一只碟子里。

She thrust a bare, white arm from the curtain which shielded her open door, and received the cup from his hands. She told him he was a bon garcon, and she meant it. Robert thanked her and turned away toward "the house."

她从遮住敞开的门的帘子后面伸出一只赤裸的白皙的手臂从他手中接过杯子。她告诉他说他是个好小伙子，她此话是真心的。罗伯特谢了她，转身向“宅子”走去。

The lovers were just entering the grounds of the pension. They were leaning toward each other as the wateroaks bent from the sea. There was not a particle of earth beneath their feet. Their heads might have been turned upside-down, so absolutely did they tread upon blue ether. The lady in black, creeping behind them, looked a trifle paler and more jaded than usual. There was no sign of Mrs. Pontellier and the children. Robert scanned the distance for any such apparition. They would doubtless remain away till the dinner hour. The young man ascended to his mother's room. It was situated at the top of the house, made up of odd angles and a queer, sloping ceiling. Two broad dormer windows looked out toward the Gulf, and as far across it as a man's eye might reach. The furnishings of the room were light, cool, and practical.

这时那对情人刚进入别墅区的院子。他们互相依偎着就像被海浪冲击的水栎树依靠在一起那样。他们脚下没有一粒儿尘土。他们绝对都可以头朝地脚朝天地在蓝色的苍穹中漫步了。那个穿黑色衣服的女人在他们后面缓慢地走着，脸色看上去比平时有点苍白，也更疲倦。没看见蓬迪里埃夫人和孩子们的踪迹。罗伯特向周围扫视了一番也没发现他们的踪影。毫无疑问，他们会呆到午饭时才回来。于是，这个年轻人就上楼到他妈妈房间去了。这个房间在正屋的顶层，每个屋角都很奇特，屋顶坡也很奇怪。两扇宽宽的天窗面向海湾，向外看去，一望无际。屋内陈设简洁，清爽，实用。

Madame Lebrun was busily engaged at the sewing-machine. A little black girl sat on the floor, and with her hands worked the treadle of the machine. The Creole woman does not take any chances which may be avoided of imperiling her health.

勒布伦夫人正在缝纫机前忙活着。一个黑人小姑娘正坐在地板上用手摇动缝纫机的踏板。对那些有害身体健康的活儿，只要能避免，这位克里奥尔女人是从来不沾手的。

Robert went over and seated himself on the broad sill of one of the dormer windows. He took a book from his pocket and began energetically to read it, judging by the precision and frequency with which he turned the leaves. The sewing-machine made a resounding clatter in the room; it was of a ponderous, by-gone make. In the lulls, Robert and his mother exchanged bits of desultory conversation.

罗伯特走过去坐在一扇天窗的宽阔的窗台上。他从口袋里掏出一本书开始读了起来。从他翻动书页的准确性和频率上来看，他读得很起劲。缝纫机在房间里发出咔哒咔哒的回响声。这台缝纫机是一个笨重的老牌子。插空罗伯特和母亲漫无边际地闲聊着。

"Where is Mrs. Pontellier?"“蓬迪里埃夫人在哪呢？”

"Down at the beach with the children."“在下边海滩上跟孩子们在一起。”

"I promised to lend her the Goncourt. Don't forget to take it down when you go; it's there on the bookshelf over the small table."Clatter, clatter, clatter, bang! for the next five or eight minutes.“我答应过她要把龚古尔的那本小说借给她的。你走的时候别忘了把它带下去，就在那边小桌子上的书架上面。”咔哒！咔哒！咔哒！砰！接着又持续响了五到八分钟。

"Where is Victor going with the rockaway?"“维克多坐着四轮轻便马车要到哪里去呀？”

"The rockaway? Victor?"“四轮轻便马车？维克多？”

"Yes; down there in front. He seems to be getting ready to drive away somewhere."“对啊，就在下面大门口。他好像准备赶着马车到哪里去似的。”

"Call him."Clatter, clatter!“快叫住他。”咔哒！咔哒！

Robert uttered a shrill, piercing whistle which might have been heard back at the wharf.

罗伯特发出了一声尖锐、有穿透力的就连在码头那儿都能听到的口哨声。

"He won't look up."“可他不抬头看。”

Madame Lebrun flew to the window. She called "Victor!"She waved a handkerchief and called again. The young fellow below got into the vehicle and started the horse off at a gallop.

勒布伦夫人飞快地跑到窗口。她大叫道：“维克托！”她挥着手绢，又叫了一声。下面的那个年轻人跳上马车，赶着马疾驰而去。

Madame Lebrun went back to the machine, crimson with annoyance. Victor was the younger son and brother—a tete montee, with a temper which invited violence and a will which no ax could break.

勒布伦夫人回到缝纫机那儿，气得面红耳赤。维克多是勒布伦家的小儿子，是罗伯特的弟弟，是个急性子，脾气暴躁、倔强，没人能说服他。

"Whenever you say the word I'm ready to thrash any amount of reason into him that he's able to hold."“无论何时，只要您说话，我随时都可以教训他一顿，让他懂点道理。”

"If your father had only lived!"Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter, bang! It was a fixed belief with Madame Lebrun that the conduct of the universe and all things pertaining thereto would have been manifestly of a more intelligent and higher order had not Monsieur Lebrun been removed to other spheres during the early years of their married life.“如果你爸爸还活着该多好啊！”咔哒，咔哒，咔哒，咔哒，砰！勒布伦夫人固执地认为，如果不是勒布伦先生在他们婚后没几年就早早地去了另一个世界的话，整个宇宙以及所有相关事物的运行都会明显地更加聪明，更加有序。

"What do you hear from Montel?"Montel was a middle-aged gentleman whose vain ambition and desire for the past twenty years had been to fill the void which Monsieur Lebrun's taking off had left in the Lebrun household. Clatter, clatter, bang, clatter!“蒙泰尔来信了吗？”蒙泰尔是一个中年绅士，在过去二十年里，他一直想填补勒布伦先生去世后勒布伦家里留下的空缺，但这只是徒劳的奢望。咔哒，咔哒，砰，咔哒！

"I have a letter somewhere," looking in the machine drawer and finding the letter in the bottom of the workbasket. "He says to tell you he will be in Vera Cruz the beginning of next month,"—clatter, clatter!—"and if you still have the intention of joining him"—bang! clatter, clatter, bang!“我有一封他的来信，我把它放在什么地方了。”她往缝纫机抽屉里看了看，在放针线活儿的篮子底下找到了它。“他让我告诉你下个月初他要到维拉克鲁斯”－－咔哒，咔哒－－“假如你仍想跟他一起去”－－砰！咔哒，咔哒，砰！

"Why didn't you tell me so before, mother? You know I wanted—” Clatter, clatter, clatter!“为什么没早点告诉我呢，妈妈？你知道我想－－”咔哒，咔哒，咔哒！

"Do you see Mrs. Pontellier starting back with the children? She will be in late to luncheon again. She never starts to get ready for luncheon till the last minute."Clatter, clatter! "Where are you going?"“你看蓬迪里埃夫人带着孩子们回来了？午餐她又要晚了。她总是在最后一刻做好吃午餐的准备。”咔哒，咔哒！“你要去哪里？”

"Where did you say the Goncourt was?"“你刚才说龚古尔的那本小说放哪了？”

IX

第九章

Every light in the hall was ablaze; every lamp turned as high as it could be without smoking the chimney or threatening explosion. The lamps were fixed at intervals against the wall, encircling the whole room. Some one had gathered orange and lemon branches, and with these fashioned graceful festoons between. The dark green of the branches stood out and glistened against the white muslin curtains which draped the windows, and which puffed, floated, and flapped at the capricious will of a stiff breeze that swept up from the Gulf.

大厅里的所有灯都点着了，每盏灯都点到了最高的亮度，就像差一点就要冒烟或者有爆炸的危险似的。环绕整个房间，靠着墙有间隔地装上了灯。有人还采来些橘子和柠檬树枝，装点在这些雅致的灯饰之间。暗绿的树枝衬托着洁白的亚麻窗帘，闪闪发亮。从海湾那边扫过来一阵阵劲风肆意地吹来，吹得窗帘不停地飞扬飘动。

It was Saturday night a few weeks after the intimate conversation held between Robert and Madame Ratignolle on their way from the beach. An unusual number of husbands, fathers, and friends had come down to stay over Sunday; and they were being suitably entertained by their families, with the material help of Madame Lebrun. The dining tables had all been removed to one end of the hall, and the chairs ranged about in rows and in clusters. Each little family group had had its say and exchanged its domestic gossip earlier in the evening. There was now an apparent disposition to relax; to widen the circle of confidences and give a more general tone to the conversation.

那是个星期六的晚上，离罗伯特和拉蒂诺尔夫人那天在从海滩往回走的路上进行的亲密交谈已有几个星期。回来过星期天的丈夫们、父亲们和朋友们出奇的多；他们受到在这儿的家人体面的款待，还有莱布伦夫人在物质上的帮助。所有的餐桌都移到了大厅的一头，椅子在周围摆成一排排，一圈圈。每个小家庭在黄昏十分已经聊过了家常话。他们现在显然想放松一下，把谈话的圈子扩大，使话题更广一些。

Many of the children had been permitted to sit up beyond their usual bedtime. A small band of them were lying on their stomachs on the floor looking at the colored sheets of the comic papers which Mr. Pontellier had brought down. The little Pontellier boys were permitting them to do so, and making their authority felt.

很多孩子都得到许可，可以玩到比他们正常上床时间晚一些。一小群孩子趴在地上看着蓬迪里埃先生带回来的彩图漫画。蓬迪里埃家的小家伙们带着很有权威的架势允许其他孩子们看这些漫画。

Music, dancing, and a recitation or two were the entertainments furnished, or rather, offered. But there was nothing systematic about the programme, no appearance of prearrangement nor even premeditation.

有音乐、舞蹈和一两段朗诵提供给大家助兴，或者说是友情出演。很明显，这些节目没有体系，不像是有所准备的，甚至是临场发挥的。

At an early hour in the evening the Farival twins were prevailed upon to play the piano. They were girls of fourteen, always clad in the Virgin's colors, blue and white, having been dedicated to the Blessed Virgin at their baptism. They played a duet from "Zampa," and at the earnest solicitation of every one present followed it with the overture to "The Poet and the Peasant."

刚到傍晚时分，法里瓦尔家的双胞胎受邀弹奏钢琴。她们是两个十四岁的姑娘。在接受洗礼时已经献身圣母玛利亚了，所以总穿着蓝白色的贞女服装。她们弹奏了《扎姆巴》里的二重奏，又应在场每个人的诚挚请求接着弹奏了《诗人和农夫》的前奏曲。

"Allez vous-en! Sapristi!" shrieked the parrot outside the door. He was the only being present who possessed sufficient candor to admit that he was not listening to these gracious performances for the first time that summer. Old Monsieur Farival, grandfather of the twins, grew indignant over the interruption, and insisted upon having the bird removed and consigned to regions of darkness. Victor Lebrun objected; and his decrees were as immutable as those of Fate. The parrot fortunately offered no further interruption to the entertainment, the whole venom of his nature apparently having been cherished up and hurled against the twins in that one impetuous outburst.“滚！该死的东西！”挂在门外的那只鹦鹉尖叫道。它是所有在场者中唯一能坦诚地承认那个夏天它并不是第一次听到这样美妙的表演的。老法里瓦尔先生，也就是这对双胞胎的祖父，对这种干扰非常恼怒，执意要把这只鸟移送去黑暗的地方。维克多·勒布伦反对这样做，而他的决定就像是天命，是不可改变的。幸好这只鹦鹉再不干扰人们的娱乐了。在刚才向双胞胎发出的那一声猛烈的尖叫之后，它本性中积攒的所有恶毒的力量都已经用尽了。

Later a young brother and sister gave recitations, which every one present had heard many times at winter evening entertainments in the city.

后来，一对年轻的兄妹表演了朗诵，这个表演在场的每个人在城里的冬季娱乐活动中听过很多次了。

A little girl performed a skirt dance in the center of the floor. The mother played her accompaniments and at the same time watched her daughter with greedy admiration and nervous apprehension. She need have had no apprehension. The child was mistress of the situation. She had been properly dressed for the occasion in black tulle and black silk tights. Her little neck and arms were bare, and her hair, artificially crimped, stood out like fluffy black plumes over her head. Her poses were full of grace, and her little black-shod toes twinkled as they shot out and upward with a rapidity and suddenness which were bewildering.

一个小女孩在地板中央表演了长裙舞。妈妈为她伴奏并热切而赞赏地看着她的女儿，心中满是焦虑和忐忑不安。她本不需要紧张。这个小女孩完全能控制得了场面。她穿着适合这个场合的黑色绢网裙子和紧身黑绸裤子。她的小脖子和手臂露在外面，满头人工做成的卷发像黑色的羽毛一样蓬松地站立着。她的舞姿优美极了，穿着黑色舞鞋的小脚尖时而飞快地踢出去，时而又突然高高地抬起，使人目不暇接。

But there was no reason why every one should not dance. Madame Ratignolle could not, so it was she who gaily consented to play for the others. She played very well, keeping excellent waltz time and infusing an expression into the strains which was indeed inspiring. She was keeping up her music on account of the children, she said; because she and her husband both considered it a means of brightening the home and making it attractive.

但是不让每个人都参与跳舞是不应该的。拉蒂诺尔夫人因为不能跳舞，所以很愉悦地答应为跳舞的人伴奏。她伴奏非常出色，华尔兹舞曲的拍子把握得非常准确，并在旋律中注入了鼓舞人心的情感。她说她是为了孩子们坚持经常演奏的，因为她和她丈夫都认为这是营造愉快的家庭氛围，使家更具吸引力的一个好方法。

Almost every one danced but the twins, who could not be induced to separate during the brief period when one or the other should be whirling around the room in the arms of a man. They might have danced together, but they did not think of it.

除了双胞胎之外，差不多每个人都跳了舞。没法让她俩分开，让其中一个和一个男人抱着绕着这间屋子跳舞，一小会儿都不行。她们俩本可以自己搭档跳舞，可她们没想着要跳。

The children were sent to bed. Some went submissively; others with shrieks and protests as they were dragged away. They had been permitted to sit up till after the ice-cream, which naturally marked the limit of human indulgence.

孩子们都被送上床睡觉去了。有些孩子很听话地去了，有的则在被拖走的时候又尖叫又抗议的。大人们允许孩子玩到吃完冰激淋之后再走，这自然意味着大人们能对他们纵容的极限了。

The ice-cream was passed around with cake—gold and silver cake arranged on platters in alternate slices; it had been made and frozen during the afternoon back of the kitchen by two black women, under the supervision of Victor. It was pronounced a great success—excellent if it had only contained a little less vanilla or a little more sugar, if it had been frozen a degree harder, and if the salt might have been kept out of portions of it. Victor was proud of his achievement, and went about recommending it and urging every one to partake of it to excess.

冰激淋和蛋糕一起端上来了，金黄色和银白色的蛋糕一片片盛在大浅盘子里，交叉摆放着。在维克托的监督下，两个黑人妇女在后厨房用了一下午的时间做好它们又进行了冰冻。大家都说做得非常成功－－如果再少放点香草添加剂，多放点糖，冻得再硬实一点，盐加得再适量些，那就更好了。维克多为自己的成就感到骄傲，四处推荐，要每个人都尽量多吃些。

After Mrs. Pontellier had danced twice with her husband, once with Robert, and once with Monsieur Ratignolle, who was thin and tall and swayed like a reed in the wind when he danced, she went out on the gallery and seated herself on the low window-sill, where she commanded a view of all that went on in the hall and could look out toward the Gulf. There was a soft effulgence in the east. The moon was coming up, and its mystic shimmer was casting a million lights across the distant, restless water.

蓬迪里埃夫人跟她丈夫跳了两次舞，跟罗伯特跳了一次，又和拉蒂诺尔先生跳了一次。这位先生又瘦又高，跳舞的时候像一根芦苇随风晃动。之后，她走到外边长廊那里，在矮矮的窗台上坐下。在那里，她既可以看清楚大厅里的一切，也可以远眺海湾的景色。这时东方的天空上可以看到柔和的光辉。月亮爬上了天空，神秘的月光一泻千里，在远处那波澜起伏的海面上映出万道银光。

"Would you like to hear Mademoiselle Reisz play?" asked Robert, coming out on the porch where she was. Of course Edna would like to hear Mademoiselle Reisz play; but she feared it would be useless to entreat her.“你想听雷西小姐弹琴吗？”罗伯特走到她所在的廊前问她。爱德娜当然想听，但她担心请求她没用，请不来她。

"I'll ask her," he said. "I'll tell her that you want to hear her. She likes you. She will come."He turned and hurried away to one of the far cottages, where Mademoiselle Reisz was shuffling away. She was dragging a chair in and out of her room, and at intervals objecting to the crying of a baby, which a nurse in the adjoining cottage was endeavoring to put to sleep. She was a disagreeable little woman, no longer young, who had quarreled with almost every one, owing to a temper which was self-assertive and a disposition to trample upon the rights of others. Robert prevailed upon her without any too great difficulty.“我去跟她说，”他说道，“我去跟她说你想听她弹琴。她很喜欢你。她会来的。”罗伯特转身急匆匆地赶到远处的一栋别墅。雷西小姐正在那里踱着步子。她拖着一把椅子从屋里搬进搬出的，时不时地对一个婴儿的哭声表示抗议。隔壁别墅里，一个保姆正在努力哄这个婴儿睡觉。她是一个难相处的小个子女人，年纪不轻了；因为她自负，脾气坏，性情古怪，无视别人的权利，她几乎跟这里的每个人都吵过架。可罗伯特没费很大劲就说服了她。

She entered the hall with him during a lull in the dance. She made an awkward, imperious little bow as she went in. She was a homely woman, with a small weazened face and body and eyes that glowed. She had absolutely no taste in dress, and wore a batch of rusty black lace with a bunch of artificial violets pinned to the side of her hair.

在跳舞的间歇，雷西小姐跟他一起进入了大厅。她进来时很别扭地轻轻鞠了一躬，给人感觉专横跋扈的样子。她是一个相貌平平的女子，脸孔和身体都很干瘪，眼睛发亮。她对穿着打扮绝对没有品位，穿着一套褪了色的黑色花边衣裙，头发一侧别着一小束假紫罗兰花。

"Ask Mrs. Pontellier what she would like to hear me play," she requested of Robert. She sat perfectly still before the piano, not touching the keys, while Robert carried her message to Edna at the window. A general air of surprise and genuine satisfaction fell upon every one as they saw the pianist enter. There was a settling down, and a prevailing air of expectancy everywhere. Edna was a trifle embarrassed at being thus signaled out for the imperious little woman's favor. She would not dare to choose, and begged that Mademoiselle Reisz would please herself in her selections.“去问一下蓬迪里埃夫人想听我弹什么？”她要求罗伯特道。罗伯特走到窗前给爱德娜传口信的时候，她就绝对安静地坐在钢琴前，没动琴键。当人们看到这位钢琴家进来的时候，都非常地惊喜和满足。大家都安静下来，大厅里弥漫着期待的气氛。受到这个专横跋扈的小女人的特别钟爱使爱德娜感觉稍稍有点尴尬。她不敢挑选，而是请求雷西小姐自己随意选曲弹奏。

Edna was what she herself called very fond of music. Musical strains, well rendered, had a way of evoking pictures in her mind. She sometimes liked to sit in the room of mornings when Madame Ratignolle played or practiced. One piece which that lady played Edna had entitled "Solitude."It was a short, plaintive, minor strain. The name of the piece was something else, but she called it "Solitude."When she heard it there came before her imagination the figure of a man standing beside a desolate rock on the seashore. He was naked. His attitude was one of hopeless resignation as he looked toward a distant bird winging its flight away from him.

爱德娜，用她自己的话说，是非常喜欢音乐的。弹奏得好的乐曲能在她脑海中激起一幅幅回忆的画面。她有时喜欢在早上坐在房间里听拉蒂诺尔夫人弹奏或练习。那位小姐弹奏的一支曲子，爱德娜把它称做《孤独曲》。这是一支很短，很哀婉的小调。这支曲子其实另有其名，但爱德娜把它称为《孤独曲》。当她听到这首曲子的时候，她的脑海中就会浮现出一个人影，站在海滩上一块荒凉的岩石旁。他赤裸着身体。当他看着远方的一只小鸟拍打着翅膀飞离他时，他是无奈而绝望的。

Another piece called to her mind a dainty young woman clad in an Empire gown, taking mincing dancing steps as she came down a long avenue between tall hedges. Again, another reminded her of children at play, and still another of nothing on earth but a demure lady stroking a cat.

另一支曲子使她脑海里浮现出一位身穿帝国时期长袍的优雅的年轻女子，迈着斯文的舞蹈步伐，顺着一条夹在两排高高的篱笆之间的长长的林荫道走过来。又一支曲子使她想起了正在玩耍的孩子，还有一支曲子在她眼前呈现出一位娴静的小姐在爱抚一只小猫的画面，除此之外大地上一片白净。

The very first chords which Mademoiselle Reisz struck upon the piano sent a keen tremor down Mrs. Pontellier's spinal column. It was not the first time she had heard an artist at the piano. Perhaps it was the first time she was ready, perhaps the first time her being was tempered to take an impress of the abiding truth.

雷西小姐弹出的最初几个弦音便使蓬迪里埃夫人的脊背从上到下感到一阵阵强烈的颤抖。她并非第一次听到艺术家弹奏钢琴。但也许这是第一次她有心理准备，渴望接受这一永恒的真理。

She waited for the material pictures which she thought would gather and blaze before her imagination. She waited in vain. She saw no pictures of solitude, of hope, of longing, or of despair. But the very passions themselves were aroused within her soul, swaying it, lashing it, as the waves daily beat upon her splendid body. She trembled, she was choking, and the tears blinded her.

她期待着脑海中的这些真切的图画在她想象中聚集并大放光彩。可她的等待是徒劳的。她没看到任何孤独、希望、渴求或绝望的画面。而这些情感却在她的灵魂身处被唤起，支配并鞭打着她的心灵，正如海潮每天击打着她美好的身体一样。她颤抖着，抽泣着，泪水模糊了她的视线。

Mademoiselle had finished. She arose, and bowing her stiff, lofty bow, she went away, stopping for neither, thanks nor applause. As she passed along the gallery she patted Edna upon the shoulder.

雷西小姐弹完了。她站起来，生硬而又傲慢地略鞠一躬就走了，没有因为大家的感谢与掌声而做任何停留。她路过长廊的时候，轻轻地拍了拍爱德娜的肩膀。

"Well, how did you like my music?" she asked. The young woman was unable to answer; she pressed the hand of the pianist convulsively. Mademoiselle Reisz perceived her agitation and even her tears. She patted her again upon the shoulder as she said:“哦，你喜欢我的演奏吗？”她问道。这位年轻的夫人没能作出回答，只是猛劲地按住了这位钢琴家的手。雷西小姐看出了她的激动情绪，甚至也看到她噙着泪水。她又拍了拍她的肩膀说道：

"You are the only one worth playing for. Those others? Bah!" and she went shuffling and sidling on down the gallery toward her room.“你是唯一值得我为之弹奏的人。其他那些人？呸！”说完就拖着步子侧身穿过长廊回自己房间了。

But she was mistaken about "those others."Her playing had aroused a fever of enthusiasm. "What passion!""What an artist!""I have always said no one could play Chopin like Mademoiselle Reisz!""That last prelude! Bon Dieu! It shakes a man!"

可她对“其他那些人”的想法错了。她的演奏唤起了大家的热情，使大家兴奋不已。“多么有激情啊！”“多么好的一位艺术家啊！”“我总是说没人能像雷西小姐那样把肖邦的曲子弹得那么好吧！”“最后那支前奏曲！美极了！真是震撼人心啊！”

It was growing late, and there was a general disposition to disband. But some one, perhaps it was Robert, thought of a bath at that mystic hour and under that mystic moon.

夜渐深了，大家都有散场的意思。但有人，可能是罗伯特，却考虑要在这神秘的时段到神秘的月光下沐浴呢。

X

第十章

At all events Robert proposed it, and there was not a dissenting voice. There was not one but was ready to follow when he led the way. He did not lead the way, however, he directed the way; and he himself loitered behind with the lovers, who had betrayed a disposition to linger and hold themselves apart. He walked between them, whether with malicious or mischievous intent was not wholly clear, even to himself.

不管怎样，罗伯特最终还是提出了建议，也没有人不赞成。只要他领路，没人不愿意跟他走。最后他也没领路，只是指了方向，而他自己则和那对情侣一起在后面逗留。那对情侣总是喜欢迁延一会儿以和别人保持一段距离，而这次没这样。他在他们中间走着，到底是什么意图，是蓄意的还是故意淘气，没有谁能完全明白，就连他自己也搞不清楚。

The Pontelliers and Ratignolles walked ahead; the women leaning upon the arms of their husbands. Edna could hear Robert's voice behind them, and could sometimes hear what he said. She wondered why he did not join them. It was unlike him not to. Of late he had sometimes held away from her for an entire day, redoubling his devotion upon the next and the next, as though to make up for hours that had been lost. She missed him the days when some pretext served to take him away from her, just as one misses the sun on a cloudy day without having thought much about the sun when it was shining.

蓬迪里埃夫人和拉蒂诺尔夫人在走在前面，各自都靠在她们丈夫的手臂上。爱德娜能听得到罗伯特在他们后面讲话的声音，有时候还能听到他所说的话。她感到奇怪为什么他没有加入他们。他不这样做倒不像他了。最近，他有时一整天都避开她。等到第二天和第三天又加倍对她献殷勤，像是要弥补前一天失去的时光。他找借口来避着她的那些日子里，她很想念他，正如人们在多云天气渴望太阳，而在阳光照耀的日子不会太多地想起太阳一样。

The people walked in little groups toward the beach. They talked and laughed; some of them sang. There was a band playing down at Klein's hotel, and the strains reached them faintly, tempered by the distance. There were strange, rare odors abroad—a tangle of the sea smell and of weeds and damp, new-plowed earth, mingled with the heavy perfume of a field of white blossoms somewhere near. But the night sat lightly upon the sea and the land. There was no weight of darkness; there were no shadows. The white light of the moon had fallen upon the world like the mystery and the softness of sleep.

人们三五成群地向海滩走去。他们谈笑风生，有的还在唱歌。克莱恩酒店那边，有只乐队正在演奏，隐隐约约能听到乐曲的旋律，远远传来，曲调柔和。外面有股奇怪少有的气味－－夹杂着海水、海草和潮湿的新翻泥土的气味，和附近一片田野里盛开的白花散发出来的浓郁香味混合在一起。黑夜静静地笼罩在海面和大地上。夜色不浓，也无阴影。洁白的月色映照着大地，像睡梦一样神秘而轻柔。

Most of them walked into the water as though into a native element. The sea was quiet now, and swelled lazily in broad billows that melted into one another and did not break except upon the beach in little foamy crests that coiled back like slow, white serpents.

大多数人走进水里，就好像进入一个天然的环境里一样。此时海面风平浪静，大片的海面缓慢起伏，又一波一波地消失了，只有在拍打海滩时才形成充满泡沫的浪尖，而立刻又翻卷回去，像一条缓慢的白色巨蛇蜿蜒着向后退去。

Edna had attempted all summer to learn to swim. She had received instructions from both the men and women; in some instances from the children. Robert had pursued a system of lessons almost daily; and he was nearly at the point of discouragement in realizing the futility of his efforts. A certain ungovernable dread hung about her when in the water, unless there was a hand near by that might reach out and reassure her.

爱德娜整个夏天都在尝试着学游泳。她得到男男女女的指教，有时她还向孩子们学习。罗伯特几乎每天都会教她一套游泳课程。当意识到他的努力只是徒劳时，他几乎泄气了。爱德娜下水的时候总是被一种难以控制的恐惧缠绕，除非附近有一只手伸出来能够让她安心。

But that night she was like the little tottering, stumbling, clutching child, who of a sudden realizes its powers, and walks for the first time alone, boldly and with over-confidence. She could have shouted for joy. She did shout for joy, as with a sweeping stroke or two she lifted her body to the surface of the water.

但那天晚上，她像个刚学步的小孩儿，跌跌撞撞，磕磕绊绊，拉拉扯扯，忽然间感觉到了力量，能够初次独立行走了，既勇敢又洋溢着自信。她兴奋地要叫起来了。她真的叫了出来，使劲划了一两下，把身子浮出了水面。

A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her to control the working of her body and her soul. She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before.

她欣喜万分，好像从外部被赋予了一股重要的力量而得以控制她整个的身心。她变得胆大而不顾后果，过高地估计了自己的力量。她想往远处游，游到以前女人们从未游到过的地方。

Her unlooked-for achievement was the subject of wonder, applause, and admiration. Each one congratulated himself that his special teachings had accomplished this desired end.

她这未曾想到的成就成为人们吃惊、赞许和羡慕的对象。每个人都祝贺他，说是他的特殊训练使爱德娜取得这令人满意的成就。

"How easy it is!" she thought. "It is nothing," she said aloud; "why did I not discover before that it was nothing. Think of the time I have lost splashing about like a baby!"She would not join the groups in their sports and bouts, but intoxicated with her newly conquered power, she swam out alone.“这么简单呀！”她想。“这根本不算什么事，”她大声说，“为什么我以前就没发现这根本不算什么事呢。想想我像娃娃一样劈里啪啦地打水所浪费的时间吧！”她不愿意加入到别人的戏水和比赛，而是陶醉于新征服的力量中，自己一个人向海里游去了。

She turned her face seaward to gather in an impression of space and solitude, which the vast expanse of water, meeting and melting with the moonlit sky, conveyed to her excited fancy. As she swam she seemed to be reaching out for the unlimited in which to lose herself.

她转过头朝着大海，看到远处那一大片水域和月光映照的天空相接并融合在一起，使她在激动与幻想之中感到空旷与孤寂。她游着，好像要游到无垠的地方而使自己消失在那里。

Once she turned and looked toward the shore, toward the people she had left there. She had not gone any great distance that is, what would have been a great distance for an experienced swimmer. But to her unaccustomed vision the stretch of water behind her assumed the aspect of a barrier which her unaided strength would never be able to overcome.

她时而回头向岸上看一看，向落在在岸边的人们看过去。其实她没有游很远的距离，对一个有经验的游泳者来说，这根本算不上远。但她尚不习惯看到的身后的一大片水域好像变成了一道障碍，若要靠她自己的力量是永远无法克服的。

A quick vision of death smote her soul, and for a second of time appalled and enfeebled her senses. But by an effort she rallied her staggering faculties and managed to regain the land.

一种死亡的兆头突然快速地重击了她的灵魂，一时间使她恐惧不已，全身麻木。但她努力振作精神，鼓足余劲设法游回到岸边。

She made no mention of her encounter with death and her flash of terror, except to say to her husband, "I thought I should have perished out there alone."

她没有提及与死神相遇和那一闪而过的恐惧感，只是跟她丈夫说：“我以为我自己会在那边淹死呢。”

"You were not so very far, my dear; I was watching you", he told her.

你没游出多远，亲爱的，我一直在看着你呢。”他告诉她。

Edna went at once to the bath-house, and she had put on her dry clothes and was ready to return home before the others had left the water. She started to walk away alone. They all called to her and shouted to her. She waved a dissenting hand, and went on, paying no further heed to their renewed cries which sought to detain her.

爱德娜立刻走进浴室，换了干衣服，准备在别人从水里出来之前就回家。她开始独自往回走。大家都叫她，冲她大声喊。她只是挥了一下手表示不愿意留下来并继续往前走，不再理会那些人的一声声叫喊。

"Sometimes I am tempted to think that Mrs. Pontellier is capricious," said Madame Lebrun, who was amusing herself immensely and feared that Edna's abrupt departure might put an end to the pleasure.“有时候我禁不住要想蓬迪里埃夫人真有点变化无常。”勒布伦夫人说。她自己玩得很尽兴，生怕爱德娜的突然离开会结束这欢快的场面。

"I know she is," assented Mr. Pontellier; "sometimes, not often."“我知道她是这样，”蓬迪里埃先生同意地说道，“不过只是有时候，不经常这样。”

Edna had not traversed a quarter of the distance on her way home before she was overtaken by Robert.

爱德娜在回家路上还没走到四分之一路程时就被罗伯特追上了。

"Did you think I was afraid?" she asked him, without a shade of annoyance.“你以为我会害怕呀？”她问他说，丝毫没有恼怒的样子。

"No; I knew you weren't afraid."“不是，我知道你不会害怕。”

"Then why did you come? Why didn't you stay out there with the others?"“那你怎么来了？怎么没留在那里跟其他人在一起呢？”

"I never thought of it."“我根本没想过。”

"Thought of what?"“没想过什么？”

"Of anything. What difference does it make?"“什么都没想过。又有什么关系呢？”

"I'm very tired," she uttered, complainingly.“我非常累。”她抱怨地说道。

"I know you are."“我知道你很累。”

"You don't know anything about it. Why should you know? I never was so exhausted in my life. But it isn't unpleasant. A thousand emotions have swept through me to-night. I don't comprehend half of them. Don't mind what I'm saying; I am just thinking aloud. I wonder if I shall ever be stirred again as Mademoiselle Reisz's playing moved me to-night. I wonder if any night on earth will ever again be like this one. It is like a night in a dream. The people about me are like some uncanny, half-human beings. There must be spirits abroad to-night.”“你什么都不知道。你如何会知道呢？我平生从来没有像这样感到精疲力尽。可这并非不愉快。今晚有千思万绪掠过我的脑海。可我连它们的一半都理解不了。不用在意我在说什么，就当我在胡思乱语吧。我不知道以后会不会再有像今晚听雷西小姐的弹奏这样感到震撼的时候了。我不知道以后在这世上是否会有一天晚上像今晚这样了。这就像梦境中的夜晚。我周围的人好像都神秘古怪，似人非人。今晚外面一定有鬼魂出没。”

"There are," whispered Robert, "Didn't you know this was the twenty-eighth of August?”“肯定是有，”罗伯特说，“你难道忘了今天是八月二十八日吗？”

"The twenty-eighth of August?”“八月二十八日？”

"Yes. On the twenty-eighth of August, at the hour of midnight, and if the moon is shining—the moon must be shining—a spirit that has haunted these shores for ages rises up from the Gulf. With its own penetrating vision the spirit seeks some one mortal worthy to hold him company, worthy of being exalted for a few hours into realms of the semi-celestials. His search has always hitherto been fruitless, and he has sunk back, disheartened, into the sea. But to-night he found Mrs. Pontellier. Perhaps he will never wholly release her from the spell. Perhaps she will never again suffer a poor, unworthy earthling to walk in the shadow of her divine presence.”“是的。八月二十八日午夜时分，如果有月光的话－－必须得有月光，这时一个长久以来一直在这片海岸出现的鬼魂就会从海湾上升起。这个鬼魂会凭着敏锐的眼力找寻某个值得与他为伴的人，值得被提升到一个半神的领域去欢度几个小时的人。直到现在他的寻找都没有结果，于是他总是灰心丧气地沉回到海中。可今天晚上他发现了蓬迪里埃夫人。也许这次他不再会使她完全地从他的魔咒中解脱出来。可能她永远不会再忍受一个可怜的、不值得在意的凡人跟在她神圣的身影后面了吧。”

"Don't banter me," she said, wounded at what appeared to be his flippancy. He did not mind the entreaty, but the tone with its delicate note of pathos was like a reproach. He could not explain; he could not tell her that he had penetrated her mood and understood. He said nothing except to offer her his arm, for, by her own admission, she was exhausted. She had been walking alone with her arms hanging limp, letting her white skirts trail along the dewy path. She took his arm, but she did not lean upon it. She let her hand lie listlessly, as though her thoughts were elsewhere—somewhere in advance of her body, and she was striving to overtake them.“不要戏弄我了。”她说，他的这些看似轻浮的话让她很受伤。他没有理会她的恳求，但她那淡淡的哀婉的语调像是一种责备。他没法解释，没法告诉她他已经猜透并已理解了她的心境。他什么也没说，只是向她伸出了手臂，因为她自己已经承认她精疲力尽了。之前她独自无精打采地垂着手臂走着，让白色长裙拖到沾满露水的小道上。她挽着他的手臂，但没有靠在上面。她懒洋洋地把手搭在他的手臂上，好像思绪已经飞到了别处，一个远离她身体的地方，而她正在努力追赶它们。

Robert assisted her into the hammock which swung from the post before her door out to the trunk of a tree.

罗伯特帮助她躺到悬挂在在门口柱子上和一个树干之间的吊床上。

"Will you stay out here and wait for Mr. Pontellier?" he asked.“你要在这外面等蓬迪里埃先生吗？”他问她。

"I'll stay out here. Good-night.”“我会待在这外边。晚安。”

"Shall I get you a pillow?"“我拿个枕头给你吧？”

"There's one here," she said, feeling about, for they were in the shadow.“这里有一个。”她边说边四处摸索，因为他们在幽暗处。

"It must be soiled; the children have been tumbling it about."“那个一定被弄脏了，孩子们一直拿它到处翻滚呢。”

"No matter."And having discovered the pillow, she adjusted it beneath her head. She extended herself in the hammock with a deep breath of relief. She was not a supercilious or an over-dainty woman. She was not much given to reclining in the hammock, and when she did so it was with no cat-like suggestion of voluptuous ease, but with a beneficent repose which seemed to invade her whole body.“没关系。”她找着了枕头，把它移动到头底下。她在吊床上伸展了一下身体，轻松地长舒了一口气。她不是一个高傲或过分讲究的女人。她平时没有躺在吊床上的喜好，她躺在那里时没有像猫那样的迷人的安逸，而是一种全身舒畅的歇息。

"Shall I stay with you till Mr. Pontellier comes?" asked Robert, seating himself on the outer edge of one of the steps and taking hold of the hammock rope which was fastened to the post.“我留下来陪你到蓬迪里埃先生回来好吗？”罗伯特边问边在外边的一级台阶边上坐下，手抓在门柱上的系吊床用的绳子上。

"If you wish. Don't swing the hammock. Will you get my white shawl which I left on the window-sill over at the house?”“你愿意就留下来吧！别摇吊床。把我放在那边房屋窗台上的白色披肩拿来好吗？”

"Are you chilly?"“你是不是冷了？”

"No; but I shall be presently."“不冷，不过过会儿会冷的。”

"Presently?" he laughed. "Do you know what time it is? How long are you going to stay out here?"“过会儿？”他笑了。“你知道现在几点了？你还打算在外面呆多长时间？”

"I don't know. Will you get the shawl?"“我不知道。你把披肩拿来，好吗？”

"Of course I will," he said, rising. He went over to the house, walking along the grass. She watched his figure pass in and out of the strips of moonlight. It was past midnight. It was very quiet.“当然可以。”他边说边站起身。他沿着草地向房子走去。她看着他的身影在狭长的月光下忽隐忽现。已过午夜。到处寂静无声。

When he returned with the shawl she took it and kept it in her hand. She did not put it around her.

当他拿着披肩回来时，她接过放在手里。她没把披肩围上。

"Did you say I should stay till Mr. Pontellier came back?"“你说我应该在这里呆到蓬迪里埃先生回来吗？”

"I said you might if you wished to."“我说过你愿意就留下来。”

He seated himself again and rolled a cigarette, which he smoked in silence. Neither did Mrs. Pontellier speak. No multitude of words could have been more significant than those moments of silence, or more pregnant with the first-felt throbbings of desire.

他又坐了下来，卷了一支烟，默默地抽着。蓬迪里埃夫人也没说话。此时的沉默比任何喋喋不休都更意味深长，更满含着初尝欲望的那种悸动。

When the voices of the bathers were heard approaching, Robert said good-night. She did not answer him. He thought she was asleep. Again she watched his figure pass in and out of the strips of moonlight as he walked away.

听到游完泳回来的人声越来越近了，罗伯特道了晚安。她没有回应。他还以为她睡着了。他离开了，她再一次看着他的身影时隐时现地在狭长的月光下消失。

XI

第十一章

"What are you doing out here, Edna? I thought I should find you in bed," said her husband, when he discovered her lying there. He had walked up with Madame Lebrun and left her at the house. His wife did not reply.“你在外边干什么呢，爱德娜？我想你应该已经上床了。”她丈夫发现她躺在那儿时说。他跟勒布伦夫人一道走回来，在主屋门口跟她道了别。她妻子没回应他。

"Are you asleep?" he asked, bending down close to look at her.“你是睡着了吗？”他边说边弯下身子靠近她仔细看了看。

"No."Her eyes gleamed bright and intense, with no sleepy shadows, as they looked into his.“没睡着。”她两眼发亮，炯炯有神，毫无睡意，盯着他的眼睛。

"Do you know it is past one o'clock? Come on," and he mounted the steps and went into their room.“你知道现在都过一点钟了吧？来，进屋吧！”他跨上台阶进了屋。

"Edna!" called Mr. Pontellier from within, after a few moments had gone by.“爱德娜！”他从屋里叫道，这时已经过了好一会儿了。

"Don't wait for me," she answered. He thrust his head through the door.“不用等我。”她回答道。他从门那里探出头来。

"You will take cold out there," he said, irritably. "What folly is this? Why don't you come in?"“你在外面会感冒的。”他急躁地说。“这太愚蠢了。你为什么不进来？”

"It isn't cold; I have my shawl."“天不冷，再说我有披肩。”

"The mosquitoes will devour you."“蚊子会把你吃了。”

"There are no mosquitoes."“没有蚊子。”

She heard him moving about the room; every sound indicating impatience and irritation. Another time she would have gone in at his request. She would, through habit, have yielded to his desire; not with any sense of submission or obedience to his compelling wishes, but unthinkingly, as we walk, move, sit, stand, go through the daily treadmill of the life which has been portioned out to us.

她听到他在屋里来回走动，听声音像是很不耐烦和恼怒的样子。要是以前，她早就答应他的请求进去了。她会习惯性地满足他的愿望，没有丝毫屈从或顺应他的强制性意愿的感觉，而是不假思索地那样去做，就像我们每天走路、移动、坐下、站起和度过给我们安排好的单调生活一样。

"Edna, dear, are you not coming in soon?" he asked again, this time fondly, with a note of entreaty.“爱德娜，亲爱的，你不马上进来吗？”他又问，这回带着亲昵而又恳求的口气。

"No; I am going to stay out here."“不，我就在这外面呆着。”

"This is more than folly," he blurted out. "I can't permit you to stay out there all night. You must come in the house instantly."“这太愚蠢了。”他脱口而出，“我不能容许你在那外面呆一整夜。你必须马上进屋。”

With a writhing motion she settled herself more securely in the hammock. She perceived that her will had blazed up, stubborn and resistant. She could not at that moment have done other than denied and resisted. She wondered if her husband had ever spoken to her like that before, and if she had submitted to his command. Of course she had; she remembered that she had. But she could not realize why or how she should have yielded, feeling as she then did.

她扭动了一下身体，更安稳地躺在吊床里。她感觉她的硬性子上来了，倔强而不屈服。此刻她除了拒绝与违抗之外不可能做别的什么。她在想她丈夫以前曾否跟她这样讲过话，她曾否也屈从于他的发号施令。这当然是有过的，她记得有过。但她不明白，那时她也是这么想的话，她为什么屈从了，她是怎样屈从的。

"Leonce, go to bed," she said, "I mean to stay out here. I don't wish to go in, and I don't intend to. Don't speak to me like that again; I shall not answer you."“莱翁斯，你睡吧！”她说，“我就想呆在这儿。我不愿意进去，也不打算进去。别再那样跟我说话了，我是不会回答你的。”

Mr. Pontellier had prepared for bed, but he slipped on an extra garment. He opened a bottle of wine, of which he kept a small and select supply in a buffet of his own. He drank a glass of the wine and went out on the gallery and offered a glass to his wife. She did not wish any. He drew up the rocker, hoisted his slippered feet on the rail, and proceeded to smoke a cigar. He smoked two cigars; then he went inside and drank another glass of wine. Mrs. Pontellier again declined to accept a glass when it was offered to her. Mr. Pontellier once more seated himself with elevated feet, and after a reasonable interval of time smoked some more cigars.

蓬迪里埃先生本已准备上床睡了，可现在又披上一件衣服。他开了一瓶红酒，他在自己的酒柜里存了几瓶精选的好酒。他自己喝了一杯酒，又拿了一杯到长廊那儿给他的妻子。她一点儿都不想喝。他拽过摇椅坐下，抬起穿着拖鞋的脚放在栏杆上，接着点了一支烟。他抽了两支烟，接着又进屋喝了一杯酒。他又拿给他妻子一杯酒，而她又一次谢绝了。蓬迪里埃先生又一次抬起脚坐下来，隔了相当一段时间，又抽了好几支烟。

Edna began to feel like one who awakens gradually out of a dream, a delicious, grotesque, impossible dream, to feel again the realities pressing into her soul. The physical need for sleep began to overtake her; the exuberance which had sustained and exalted her spirit left her helpless and yielding to the conditions which crowded her in.

爱德娜开始感觉逐渐从梦幻中－－一个甜蜜、怪异和不现实的梦幻中醒来，感觉现实又一次挤压着她的心灵。睡眠的生理需要开始袭扰着她，刚才那种激发着她的情绪、使她精神振作的生气现在离开了她，使她无助，只得屈从于紧紧围住她的现实生活。

The stillest hour of the night had come, the hour before dawn, when the world seems to hold its breath. The moon hung low, and had turned from silver to copper in the sleeping sky. The old owl no longer hooted, and the water-oaks had ceased to moan as they bent their heads.

大地这时好像屏住了呼吸，就在黎明前夕，深夜最静寂的时刻来临了。月亮低悬在静谧的天空中，已由银色变成了古铜色。猫头鹰不再鸣叫，水栎树也垂下了头，停止了呜咽。

Edna arose, cramped from lying so long and still in the hammock. She tottered up the steps, clutching feebly at the post before passing into the house.

爱德娜起身来，由于长时间一动不动地躺在吊床上，感觉有点抽筋。她磕磕绊绊地走上台阶，虚弱地抓着柱子进了屋。

"Are you coming in, Leonce?" she asked, turning her face toward her husband.“你进不进来，莱翁斯？”她转过脸问她的丈夫。

"Yes, dear," he answered, with a glance following a misty puff of smoke. "Just as soon as I have finished my cigar."“就来，亲爱的，”他吐了一口烟雾，看了她一眼回答道，“我抽完这支烟就来。”

XII

第十二章

She slept but a few hours. They were troubled and feverish hours, disturbed with dreams that were intangible, that eluded her, leaving only an impression upon her half-awakened senses of something unattainable. She was up and dressed in the cool of the early morning. The air was invigorating and steadied somewhat her faculties. However, she was not seeking refreshment or help from any source, either external or from within. She was blindly following whatever impulse moved her, as if she had placed herself in alien hands for direction, and freed her soul of responsibility.

她只睡了短短几个小时。这几小时也是烦恼和躁动不安的，不断地被模模糊糊的怎么也记不清的梦境所困扰，留下来的只是半梦半醒难以如愿的感觉。在充满凉意的早晨，她起来穿好了衣服。这空气使她精力充沛，也稍微稳定了她的情绪。然而，她并不是在借助任何外在的或内在的力量来恢复精力。她是在盲目地任凭冲动的影响引导她，好像把自己置身于一种陌生的力量的指引下，从而使自己从心灵的责任中解脱出来。

Most of the people at that early hour were still in bed and asleep. A few, who intended to go over to the Cheniere for mass, were moving about. The lovers, who had laid their plans the night before, were already strolling toward the wharf. The lady in black, with her Sunday prayer-book, velvet and gold-clasped, and her Sunday silver beads, was following them at no great distance. Old Monsieur Farival was up, and was more than half inclined to do anything that suggested itself. He put on his big straw hat, and taking his umbrella from the stand in the hall, followed the lady in black, never overtaking her.

这么早大多数人还仍在床上睡着。只有少数几个打算到谢尼去望弥撒的人在四处走动。那对情人头一天晚上已有所安排，现在已经在往码头方向缓步走去。穿黑色衣服的女人拿着她那本绒面金边的祷告书和做礼拜用的银色念珠在他们后面不远处跟着。老法里瓦尔先生起来了，他之前半点儿打算都没有，只是想有什么事做什么事。他戴上他的大草帽，从大厅的伞架上拿下他的伞，跟在那个穿黑色衣服的女人后面，一直没超过她。

The little negro girl who worked Madame Lebrun's sewing-machine was sweeping the galleries with long, absent-minded strokes of the broom. Edna sent her up into the house to awaken Robert.

那个在勒布伦家摇缝纫机的黑人小女孩正在长廊上拿着扫帚慢吞吞地心不在焉地扫着地。爱德娜让她到主屋去把罗伯特叫醒。

"Tell him I am going to the Cheniere. The boat is ready; tell him to hurry."“告诉他我要去谢尼岛。船已备好，告诉他快点。”

He had soon joined her. She had never sent for him before. She had never asked for him. She had never seemed to want him before. She did not appear conscious that she had done anything unusual in commanding his presence. He was apparently equally unconscious of anything extraordinary in the situation. But his face was suffused with a quiet glow when he met her.

罗伯特很快就过来了。她以前从没派人叫过他。她也从没要求他做过什么。她以前好像从来也没需要过他。对于派人叫他过来她好像也没有意识到有什么异常的地方。他也同样没意识到这有什么不寻常的地方。可他一见到她，脸就悄悄地泛起红晕。

They went together back to the kitchen to drink coffee. There was no time to wait for any nicety of service. They stood outside the window and the cook passed them their coffee and a roll, which they drank and ate from the window-sill. Edna said it tasted good.

他们一起回厨房去喝咖啡。他们没有时间等待周到地服务了。他们在窗外站着，厨师给他们递过来咖啡和面包卷，他们就在窗台上吃喝起来。爱德娜说面包卷味道很好。

She had not thought of coffee nor of anything. He told her he had often noticed that she lacked forethought.

她根本没考虑到咖啡或别的什么。他告诉她他早就注意到她缺乏远见。

"Wasn't it enough to think of going to the Cheniere and waking you up?" she laughed. "Do I have to think of everything?—as Leonce says when he's in a bad humor. I don't blame him; he'd never be in a bad humor if it weren't for me."“我想到了去谢尼岛，想到了把你叫醒，难道这还不够吗？”她笑了笑说，“我难道该事事都考虑到吗？－－就像莱翁斯在情绪糟糕的时候说的那样。我不怪他，要不是因为我，他的情绪也不会那么糟。”

They took a short cut across the sands. At a distance they could see the curious procession moving toward the wharf—the lovers, shoulder to shoulder, creeping; the lady in black, gaining steadily upon them; old Monsieur Farival, losing ground inch by inch, and a young barefooted Spanish girl, with a red kerchief on her head and a basket on her arm, bringing up the rear.

他们抄小路穿过沙滩。远远地他们能够看见一支奇怪的队伍朝码头走去－－那对情人肩并肩缓慢地走着；穿黑色衣服的女人稳步赶上了他们；老法里瓦尔先生一点点掉了队；还有一个光着脚的西班牙小女孩，头上戴一条红色方围巾，胳膊上挎着一个篮子在后面压队。

Robert knew the girl, and he talked to her a little in the boat. No one present understood what they said. Her name was Mariequita. She had a round, sly, piquant face and pretty black eyes. Her hands were small, and she kept them folded over the handle of her basket. Her feet were broad and coarse. She did not strive to hide them. Edna looked at her feet, and noticed the sand and slime between her brown toes.

罗伯特认识这个小女孩，他在船上跟她讲了几句话。在场的人没一个懂得他们在说什么。她的名字叫玛丽吉塔。她的脸圆圆的，俏皮可爱，一双黑眼睛非常漂亮。她的手长得很小，总是紧紧地抓住提篮。她的脚却又大又粗。她并未努力掩藏它们。爱德娜看了一眼她的脚，注意到她棕色的脚趾之间满是沙子和烂泥。

Beaudelet grumbled because Mariequita was there, taking up so much room. In reality he was annoyed at having old Monsieur Farival, who considered himself the better sailor of the two. But he would not quarrel with so old a man as Monsieur Farival, so he quarreled with Mariequita. The girl was deprecatory at one moment, appealing to Robert. She was saucy the next, moving her head up and down, making "eyes" at Robert and making "mouths" at Beaudelet.

博德莱看到玛丽吉塔在船上就嘟哝了一句，嫌她占地方太多。实际上他是对老法里瓦尔先生很恼火，因为这位先生总说自己比他更会驾船。可他不想跟法里瓦尔先生这样岁数大的人争吵，于是便跟玛丽吉塔吵了起来。这个小女孩有一阵子不以为然，并恳求罗伯特的帮助。过一会儿就变得无礼，上下晃着小脑袋，跟罗伯特眉飞色舞，跟博德莱则唇枪舌战。

The lovers were all alone. They saw nothing, they heard nothing. The lady in black was counting her beads for the third time. Old Monsieur Farival talked incessantly of what he knew about handling a boat, and of what Beaudelet did not know on the same subject.

那对情人独自在那里。他们视而不见，充耳不闻。穿黑色衣服的女人正在第三次数她的念珠。老法里瓦尔先生不停地讲他是如何会驾船，而博德莱在这方面又如何不在行。

Edna liked it all. She looked Mariequita up and down, from her ugly brown toes to her pretty black eyes, and back again.

爱德娜喜欢这一切。她上上下下打量着玛丽吉塔，从她难看的棕色脚趾到漂亮的黑眼睛一遍遍地看。

"Why does she look at me like that?" inquired the girl of Robert.“她为什么那样打量我？”这个小女孩问罗伯特说。

"Maybe she thinks you are pretty. Shall I ask her?"“大概她认为你长得漂亮。我去问问她吧？”

"No. Is she your sweetheart?"“不用问。她是你的情人吧？”

"She's a married lady, and has two children."“她是结过婚的夫人，有两个孩子。”

"Oh! well! Francisco ran away with Sylvano's wife, who had four children. They took all his money and one of the children and stole his boat."“哦！好吧！弗朗西斯科和有四个孩子的西尔瓦诺的妻子私奔了。他们卷走了他所有的钱，带走了其中的一个孩子，还偷了他的船。

"Shut up!"“闭嘴！”

"Does she understand?"“她明白吗？”

"Oh, hush!"“哦，嘘！”

"Are those two married over there—leaning on each other?”“那边的那两个结婚了吗？－－相互靠在一起的那两个。”

"Of course not," laughed Robert.“当然没有了。”罗伯特笑着说。

"Of course not," echoed Mariequita, with a serious, confirmatory bob of the head.“当然没有了。”玛丽吉塔附和说，严肃而确定地点了点头。

The sun was high up and beginning to bite. The swift breeze seemed to Edna to bury the sting of it into the pores of her face and hands. Robert held his umbrella over her. As they went cutting sidewise through the water, the sails bellied taut, with the wind filling and overflowing them. Old Monsieur Farival laughed sardonically at something as he looked at the sails, and Beaudelet swore at the old man under his breath.

太阳高高地升起，开始晒人了。疾劲的海风像针一样刺入爱德娜脸和手上的毛孔里。罗伯特为她撑起了伞。当船侧穿水面向前驶去时，帆被风吹得满满的，绷紧着。老法里瓦尔先生看了看帆，带着嘲讽的意味笑着什么，而博德莱则压低嗓门骂起这位老先生。

Sailing across the bay to the Cheniere Caminada, Edna felt as if she were being borne away from some anchorage which had held her fast, whose chains had been loosening—had snapped the night before when the mystic spirit was abroad, leaving her free to drift whithersoever she chose to set her sails. Robert spoke to her incessantly; he no longer noticed Mariequita. The girl had shrimps in her bamboo basket. They were covered with Spanish moss. She beat the moss down impatiently, and muttered to herself sullenly.

船穿过海湾到达了谢尼·卡米内达岛，爱德娜感觉好像从一个把她拴得很牢的锚地里解放出来。昨天晚上，那个神秘的鬼魂出来时，拴住她的铁链被拉断并松开了，使她能够自由自在地随意选择扬帆航行。罗伯特不停地跟她说话，不再理会玛丽吉塔了。这个小女孩的竹篮里装着小虾。上面盖着寄生藤。她一边不耐烦地拍打着寄生藤一边愠怒地喃喃自语着。

"Let us go to Grande Terre to-morrow?" said Robert in a low voice.“我们明天去格兰德·特尔瑞好吗？”罗伯特小声说。

"What shall we do there?"“我们去干什么呀？”

"Climb up the hill to the old fort and look at the little wriggling gold snakes, and watch the lizards sun themselves."“爬上山顶到古老的城堡去看蠕动的金色小蛇，看蜥蜴晒太阳。”

She gazed away toward Grande Terre and thought she would like to be alone there with Robert, in the sun, listening to the ocean's roar and watching the slimy lizards writhe in and out among the ruins of the old fort.

她凝望着远处的格兰德·特尔瑞，心里想她很愿意和罗伯特单独到那里去：在阳光下听大海的呼啸声，看滑溜溜的蜥蜴在古老城堡的废墟里四处扭动着身体。

"And the next day or the next we can sail to the Bayou Brulow," he went on.“接着后天或大后天我们可以航行到贝莱·贝鲁洛去。”他继续说。

"What shall we do there?"

我们到那里能干什么呢？”

"Anything—cast bait for fish.”“干什么都行－－投饵钓鱼。”

"No; we'll go back to Grande Terre. Let the fish alone."“不去。我们还是回格兰德·特尔瑞去吧。不管什么鱼了。”

"We'll go wherever you like," he said. "I'll have Tonie come over and help me patch and trim my boat. We shall not need Beaudelet nor any one. Are you afraid of the pirogue?"“你想上哪儿都行。”他说，“我要让托尼过来帮我把船修补一下。这回我们不需要博德莱或任何人。你害怕乘独木舟吗？”

"Oh, no."“哦，不怕。”

"Then I'll take you some night in the pirogue when the moon shines. Maybe your Gulf spirit will whisper to you in which of these islands the treasures are hidden—direct you to the very spot, perhaps.”“那么哪天晚上有月光的时候我带你乘独木舟。或许你那个海湾的鬼魂会小声告诉你哪个岛上藏有财宝，或许还会把你引到确切的地点。”

"And in a day we should be rich!" she laughed. "I'd give it all to you, the pirate gold and every bit of treasure we could dig up. I think you would know how to spend it. Pirate gold isn't a thing to be hoarded or utilized. It is something to squander and throw to the four winds, for the fun of seeing the golden specks fly."“那么我们马上就能发大财了。”她笑着说，“我会把所有财宝都给你，把我们能挖出来的海盗的金子和所有财宝全给你。我想你会知道怎么把它们花掉。海盗的金子不应该秘藏起来，也不是用来正经花的。它应该是用来挥霍的东西，大把地花掉，也感受一下看着金片飞舞的乐趣。”

"We'd share it, and scatter it together," he said. His face flushed.“我们分享它，一块儿把它花掉。”他说。他的脸有点红。

They all went together up to the quaint little Gothic church of Our Lady of Lourdes, gleaming all brown and yellow with paint in the sun's glare.

他们和其他人一起朝着古老而雅致的小哥特式圣母教堂走去，在阳光照耀下，它那油漆闪耀着棕黄色的光芒。

Only Beaudelet remained behind, tinkering at his boat, and Mariequita walked away with her basket of shrimps, casting a look of childish ill humor and reproach at Robert from the corner of her eye.

只有博德莱一个人留下来修理他的船；玛丽吉塔提着她的一篮子虾走了，满脸孩子气的任性的样子，斜着眼责怪地看了看罗伯特。

XIII

第十三章

A feeling of oppression and drowsiness overcame Edna during the service. Her head began to ache, and the lights on the altar swayed before her eyes. Another time she might have made an effort to regain her composure; but her one thought was to quit the stifling atmosphere of the church and reach the open air. She arose, climbing over Robert's feet with a muttered apology. Old Monsieur Farival, flurried, curious, stood up, but upon seeing that Robert had followed Mrs. Pontellier, he sank back into his seat. He whispered an anxious inquiry of the lady in black, who did not notice him or reply, but kept her eyes fastened upon the pages of her velvet prayer-book.

在教堂做礼拜时，一种压抑和困倦的感觉使爱德娜无法忍受。她的头开始疼，祭坛上的烛光在她眼前摇曳。换做平时，她会努力振奋精神，可她现在唯一的想法就是要逃离教堂里令人窒息的气氛，到外面去透透气。她站起身，跨过罗伯特的脚，低声说了句抱歉。老法里瓦尔先生感到奇怪，慌张地站了起来，但看到罗伯特跟在蓬迪里埃夫人身后，就又坐回到座位里。他有点焦虑地小声问穿黑色衣服的女人，她没注意听他的话，也没回答，眼睛一直盯着她那本绒边儿的祷告书的书页。

"I felt giddy and almost overcome," Edna said, lifting her hands instinctively to her head and pushing her straw hat up from her forehead. "I couldn't have stayed through the service."They were outside in the shadow of the church. Robert was full of solicitude.“我感觉头晕目眩的，几乎受不了了。”爱德娜边说边不自觉地抬起手把草帽从额头推起来。“我实在不能在那呆到礼拜结束了。”他们在教堂外面的阴凉处呆着。罗伯特非常担忧。

"It was folly to have thought of going in the first place, let alone staying. Come over to Madame Antoine's; you can rest there."He took her arm and led her away, looking anxiously and continuously down into her face.“开始你就不应该要来，更别说是呆这么久。来，我们去安托万夫人家吧，你可以在那里休息休息。”他挽着她的胳膊把她带走，不停地焦虑地看着她的脸色。

How still it was, with only the voice of the sea whispering through the reeds that grew in the salt-water pools! The long line of little gray, weather-beaten houses nestled peacefully among the orange trees. It must always have been God's day on that low, drowsy island, Edna thought. They stopped, leaning over a jagged fence made of sea-drift, to ask for water. A youth, a mild-faced Acadian, was drawing water from the cistern, which was nothing more than a rusty buoy, with an opening on one side, sunk in the ground. The water which the youth handed to them in a tin pail was not cold to taste, but it was cool to her heated face, and it greatly revived and refreshed her.

周围真安静啊！只听见海水透过咸水湾里长出的芦苇传出低低的声音。那长长的一排饱经风霜的灰色小房子静静地依偎在橘子树丛中。爱德娜想，在这低洼沉寂的小岛上，一定每天都是安息日吧。他们停了下来，倚在由海上漂浮物做成的凸凹不平的篱笆上，想找水喝。一个面容温和的厄凯底亚青年正从一个蓄水箱里打水。这个水箱埋在地下，一侧有一个出水口，与其说它是蓄水箱还不如说是一个生了锈的浮标。这个青年用镀锡铁皮桶装着水递给他们，水喝起来一点儿也不凉，可是对她那发热的脸来说已算凉爽。这水使她极大地恢复了精神，感觉神清气爽。

Madame Antoine's cot was at the far end of the village. She welcomed them with all the native hospitality, as she would have opened her door to let the sunlight in. She was fat, and walked heavily and clumsily across the floor. She could speak no English, but when Robert made her understand that the lady who accompanied him was ill and desired to rest, she was all eagerness to make Edna feel at home and to dispose of her comfortably.

安托万夫人的小屋舍在村子的远端。她以浓重的乡土热情，非常好客地接待了他们，就像开门迎接阳光一样。她长的很胖，缓慢而又笨拙地走过来。她不会说英语，但当罗伯特让她明白跟他在一起的这位夫人病了，想要休息一下时，她马上不遗余力地想办法让爱德娜感到无拘无束，把她安置得很舒适。

The whole place was immaculately clean, and the big, four-posted bed, snow-white, invited one to repose. It stood in a small side room which looked out across a narrow grass plot toward the shed, where there was a disabled boat lying keel upward.

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