For the next month, occupied with my own affairs, I saw no one connected with this lamentable business, and my mind ceased to be occupied with it. 在施特略夫离开以后的一个月里，我忙于自己的事务，再也没有见到过哪个同这件悲惨事件有关的人，我也不再去想它了。

But one day, when I was walking along, bent on some errand, I passed Charles Strickland. 但是有一天，正当我出外办事的时候，却在路上看到了查理斯·思特里克兰德。

The sight of him brought back to me all the horror which I was not unwilling to forget, and I felt in me a sudden repulsion for the cause of it. 一见到他，那些我宁肯忘掉的令人气愤的事马上又回到我的脑子里来，我对这个造成这场祸事的人感到一阵嫌恶。

Nodding, for it would have been childish to cut him, I walked on quickly; but in a minute I felt a hand on my shoulder. 但是佯装不见也未免大孩子气，我还是对他点了点头，然后加快了脚步，继续走自己的路。可是马上就有一只手搭在我的肩膀上。

"You're in a great hurry," he said cordially. “你挺忙啊。”他热诚地说。

It was characteristic of him to display geniality with anyone who showed a disinclination to meet him, 对于任何一个不屑于理他的人他总是非常亲切，这是思特里克兰德的一个特点；

and the coolness of my greeting can have left him in little doubt of that. 从我刚才同他打招呼时的冷淡态度，他清楚地知道我对他的看法。

"I am," I answered briefly. “挺忙。”我的回答非常简短。

"I'll walk along with you," he said. “我同你一起走一段路。”他说。

"Why?" I asked. “干什么？”我问。

"For the pleasure of your society." “因为高兴同你在一起。”

I did not answer, and he walked by my side silently. 我没有说什么，他默不作声地伴着我走。

We continued thus for perhaps a quarter of a mile. 我们就这样走了大约四分之一里路。

I began to feel a little ridiculous. 我开始觉得有一点滑稽。

At last we passed a stationer's, and it occurred to me that I might as well buy some paper. It would be an excuse to be rid of him. 最后我们走过一家文具店，我突然想到我不妨进去买些纸，这样我就可以把他甩掉了。

"I'm going in here," I said. "Good-bye." “我要进去买点东西，”我说，“再见。”

"I'll wait for you." “我等着你。”

I shrugged my shoulders, and went into the shop. 我耸了耸肩膀，便走进文具店去。

I reflected that French paper was bad, and that, foiled of my purpose, I need not burden myself with a purchase that I did not need. 我想到法国纸并不好，既然我原来的打算已经落空，自然也就用不着买一些我不需要的东西增加负担了。

I asked for something I knew could not be provided, and in a minute came out into the street. 于是我问了一两样他们准不会有的东西，一分钟以后就走出来了。