Mr Dombey glanced at the libelled Master Bitherstone, of whom he knew at least as much as the Major did, and said, in quite a complacent manner, 'Really?'
董贝先生向那位遭到诽谤的比瑟斯通少爷看了一眼；他跟少校一样，对这孩子丝毫也不了解，他很得意地说道，“真的吗？”
'That is what he is, sir,' said the Major. 'He's a fool. Joe Bagstock never minces matters. The son of my old friend Bill Bitherstone, of Bengal, is a born fool, Sir.' Here the Major laughed till he was almost black. 'My little friend is destined for a public school,' I' presume, Mr Dombey?' said the Major when he had recovered.
“真的，他就是这样，先生，”少校说道。“他是个傻瓜。乔·白格斯托克从来不粉饰事实。我的孟加拉老朋友比尔·比瑟斯通的儿子生来就是个傻瓜，先生。”少校说到这里，哈哈大笑着，笑到脸色几乎完全发青。“我想，我的小朋友注定要进公学①的吧，董贝先生？”少校恢复过来之后，问道。
'I am not quite decided,' returned Mr Dombey. 'I think not. He is delicate.'
“我还没有作出决定，”董贝先生回答道。“我想不送去。 他的体质虚弱。”
'If he's delicate, Sir,' said the Major, 'you are right. None but the tough fellows could live through it, Sir, at Sandhurst. We put each other to the torture there, Sir. We roasted the new fellows at a slow fire, and hung 'em out of a three pair of stairs window, with their heads downwards. Joseph Bagstock, Sir, was held out of the window by the heels of his boots, for thirteen minutes by the college clock'.
“如果他的体质虚弱，先生，”少校说道，“您不送去是对的。只有坚强不屈的小伙子才能在经受了桑赫斯特②的苦难之后活下来。我们在那里互相折磨，先生。我们把新来的人放在慢火上烤，把他们从四层楼往窗子外面头朝下地倒挂着。先生，约瑟夫·白格斯托克曾经被握住靴子后跟，在校钟旁边的窗子外面挂了十三分钟。”
The Major might have appealed to his countenance in corroboration of this story. It certainly looked as if he had hung out a little too long.
少校很可以举出他的脸色来证实这段经历，他看上去仿佛确实曾经被倒挂得太久了一些。
'But it made us what we were, Sir,' said the Major, settling his shirt frill. 'We were iron, Sir, and it forged us. Are you remaining here, Mr Dombey?'
“但是它使我们变成了我们那时那样的人，先生，”少校整整衬衫褶边，说道。“我们是铁，先生，它锻造了我们。您住在这里吗，董贝先生？”
'I generally come down once a week, Major,' returned that gentleman. 'I stay at the Bedford.'
“我通常每星期到这里来一次，少校，”那位先生说道。 “我住在贝德福德旅馆。”
'I shall have the honour of calling at the Bedford, Sir, if you'll permit me,' said the Major. 'Joey B., Sir, is not in general a calling man, but Mr Dombey's is not a common name. I am much indebted to my little friend, Sir, for the honour of this introduction.'
“如果您允许，先生，我将荣幸地到贝德福德旅馆去拜访您，”少校说道。“乔埃·白不是个喜爱拜访的人，但是董贝先生不是个平凡的人物。我非常感谢我的小朋友，先生，感谢他使我有幸被介绍跟您认识。”
Mr Dombey made a very gracious reply; and Major Bagstock, having patted Paul on the head, and said of Florence that her eyes would play the Devil with the youngsters before long - 'and the oldsters too, Sir, if you come to that,' added the Major, chuckling very much - stirred up Master Bitherstone with his walking-stick, and departed with that young gentleman, at a kind of half-trot; rolling his head and coughing with great dignity, as he staggered away, with his legs very wide asunder.
董贝先生很亲切友好地回答了他的话；白格斯托克少校拍了拍保罗的头之后，说到弗洛伦斯的时候说，她那双眼睛不久就会使年轻人神魂颠倒的。“说实话，也会使老头子神魂颠倒的，先生，”少校补充说道，一边大声地吃吃地笑着。他用手杖捅捅比瑟斯通少爷，迈着急匆匆的快步，跟那位年轻人离开了。当他两只腿分得很开，蹒跚地继续往前走去的时候，他摇晃着脑袋，极为威严地咳嗽着。 -------- ①公学（publicschool）：英国专为富有子弟而设的私立中等中校，如伊顿（Eton）公学、哈罗（Harrow）公学等。 ②桑赫斯特（Sandhurst）是英格兰南部的一个小镇，英国陆军军官学校设在那里。 |