His absence created much remark, and many were the jokes passed upon the occasion. 他的旷工掀起轩然大波，大家议论纷纷，拿他取笑。

　　One surmised this, and another that, as the cause of the phenomenon; 有的乱加猜测，有的则深究起导致这一现象的原因，

　　and it was finally agreed that the poor fellow must have worked himself into an absolute skeleton, 最后大家一致认为这个可怜的家伙准是变成骷髅了，

　　and taken his final stand in the glass frame of some apothecary, or been blown away by a puff of wind, while his door happened to stand open. 正在某药店的玻璃橱窗理展示呢，或者他住处的门刚一开，他就被一阵风给吹走了。

　　No one thought of going to his lodgings to look after him or his remains. 没有谁想到应该去他的住处看看他到底怎么了。

　　Meanwhile, the object of their mirth was tossing on a bed of sickness. 就在他们七嘴八舌地议论时，他们取笑的对象正因为生病在床上挣扎呢。

　　Disease, which had been slowly sapping the foundations of his strength, burned in every vein; 疾病已经慢慢地蛀蚀了他身体这幢大厦的地基，每一根血管都淤塞了，

　　his eyes rolled and flashed in delirium; his lips, usually so silent, muttered wild and incoherent words. 在神智昏迷中他的眼珠转动着，一闪一闪的。他那平常很少翕张的嘴唇，此时胡乱迸出不连贯的谵语来。

　　In his days of health, poor Duhobret had his dreams, as all artists, rich or poor, will sometimes have. 在他身体健康那段日子，可怜的杜霍布赖特做过各种各样的梦，都是梦想做大艺术家，有时梦到自己是腰缠万贯的人，有时又梦到自己穷困潦倒。

　　He had thought that the fruit of many years' labor, disposed of to advantage, might procure him enough to live, in an economical way, for the rest of his life. 他本想凭借自己多年的辛劳，只要精打细算应该足以解决生计，他的余生不会在为生计发愁的。

　　He never anticipated fame or fortune; the height of his ambition or hope was, 他从来不敢奢望名满天下或者腰缠万贯。他最大的报抱负或者希望就是，

　　to possess a tenement large enough to shelter him from the inclemencies of the weather, with means enough to purchase one comfortable meal per day. 能有一幢足以遮风避雨的房子，每天能够买到可口的饭菜，仅此而已。