月亮和六便士 第二十一章(1)(在线收听

   Chapter 21 第12章

  I let him take me to a restaurant of his choice, but on the way I bought a paper.  我让他带我到一家他选定的餐馆,但是在路上走的时候我买了一份报纸。
  When we had ordered our dinner, I propped it against a bottle of St. Galmier and began to read.  叫了菜以后,我就把报纸支在一瓶圣·卡尔密酒上,开始读报。
  We ate in silence.  我们一言不发地吃着饭。
  I felt him looking at me now and again, but I took no notice.  我发现他不时地看我一眼,但是我根本不理睬他。
  I meant to force him to conversation. 我准备逼着他自己讲话。
  Is there anything in the paper? he said, as we approached the end of our silent meal. “报纸上有什么消息?”在我们这顿沉默无语的晚餐将近尾声时,他开口说。
  I fancied there was in his tone a slight note of exasperation. 也许这只是我的幻觉吧,从他的声音里我好像听出来他已经有些沉不住气了。
  I always like to read the feuilleton on the drama,  “我喜欢读评论戏剧的杂文,”
  I said. I folded the paper and put it down beside me. 我说。我把报纸叠起来,放在一边。
  I've enjoyed my dinner, he remarked. “这顿饭吃得很不错,”他说。
  I think we might have our coffee here, don't you? “我看咱们就在这里喝咖啡好不好?”
  Yes. “好吧。”
  We lit our cigars. I smoked in silence.  我们点起了雪茄。我一言不发地抽着烟。
  I noticed that now and then his eyes rested on me with a faint smile of amusement.  我发现他的目光时不时地停在我身上,隐约闪现着笑意。
  I waited patiently. 我耐心地等待着。
  What have you been up to since I saw you last? he asked at length. “从上次见面以后你都做什么了?”最后他开口说。
  I had not very much to say. It was a record of hard work and of little adventure;   我没有太多的事好说。我的生活只不过是每日辛勤工作,没有什么奇闻艳遇。
  of experiments in this direction and in that; of the gradual acquisition of the knowledge of books and of men.  我在不同方向进行了摸索试验;我逐渐积累了不少书本知识和人情世故。
  I took care to ask Strickland nothing about his own doings.  在谈话中,对他这几年的生活我有意闭口不问,
  I showed not the least interest in him, and at last I was rewarded. He began to talk of himself. 装作丝毫也不感兴趣的样子。最后,我的这个策略生效了。他主动谈起他的生活来。
  But with his poor gift of expression he gave but indications of what he had gone through, and I had to fill up the gaps with my own imagination.  但是由于他太无口才,对他自己这一段时间的经历讲得支离破碎,许多空白都需要我用自己的想像去填补。
  It was tantalising to get no more than hints into a character that interested me so much.  对于这样一个我深感兴趣的人只能了解个大概,这真是一件吊人胃口的事,
  It was like making one's way through a mutilated manuscript.  简直像读一部残缺不全的稿本。
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