狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第39章Part5
'Come, Captain,' cried the injured youth, 'give my crime a name! What have I been and done? Have I stolen any of the property? have I set the house a-fire? If I have, why don't you give me in charge, and try it? But to take away the character of a lad that's been a good servant to you, because he can't afford to stand in his own light for your good, what a injury it is, and what a bad return for faithful service! This is the way young coves is spiled and drove wrong. I wonder at you, Captain, I do.'
All of which the Grinder howled forth in a lachrymose whine, and backing carefully towards the door.
'And so you've got another berth, have you, my lad?' said the Captain, eyeing him intently.
'Yes, Captain, since you put it in that shape, I have got another berth,' cried Rob, backing more and more; 'a better berth than I've got here, and one where I don't so much as want your good word, Captain, which is fort'nate for me, after all the dirt you've throw'd at me, because I'm poor, and can't afford to stand in my own light for your good. Yes, I have got another berth; and if it wasn't for leaving you unprovided, Captain, I'd go to it now, sooner than I'd take them names from you, because I'm poor, and can't afford to stand in my own light for your good. Why do you reproach me for being poor, and not standing in my own light for your good, Captain? How can you so demean yourself?'
'Look ye here, my boy,' replied the peaceful Captain. 'Don't you pay out no more of them words.'
'Well, then, don't you pay in no more of your words, Captain,' retorted the roused innocent, getting louder in his whine, and backing into the shop. 'I'd sooner you took my blood than my character.'
'Because,' pursued the Captain calmly, 'you have heerd, may be, of such a thing as a rope's end.'
'Oh, have I though, Captain?' cried the taunting Grinder. 'No I haven't. I never heerd of any such a article!'
'Well,' said the Captain, 'it's my belief as you'll know more about it pretty soon, if you don't keep a bright look-out. I can read your signals, my lad. You may go.'
“喂，船長，”受了委屈的年輕人喊道，”請給我定一個罪名吧！我是個什麼人，我做了什麼啦？我偷東西了嗎？我放火燒房子了嗎？如果我幹過這些事，那麼您爲什麼不去控告我和審判我？可是，一位曾經是您的好僕人的孩子，就因爲他不能爲了您的利益而妨礙他自己的前程，您就敗壞他的名譽，這是什麼樣的侮辱！對於忠心耿耿的服務又是何等惡劣的報答啊！這就是爲什麼一些年輕小夥子會離開正道，走入歧途的原因！我真對您感到驚奇，船長。”
所有這些話，磨工都是淚流滿面，嚎啕大哭着說出來的，同時他又小心翼翼地往門口退去。
“這麼說，你已經找到另一個鋪位了，是不是，我的孩子？”
船長聚精會神地注視着他。
“是的，船長，就用您的話來說吧，我已經找到另一個鋪位了，”羅布哭道，一邊繼續向後退去；”一個比這裏更好的鋪位；我不需要您替我在那裏說一句好話，船長，這對我來說是幸運的，因爲由於我窮，由於我不能爲了您的利益而妨礙我自己的前程，您已臭罵了我一頓。是的，我已經找到了另一個鋪位；如果我不是擔心沒有找到另外的僕人，就把您留下來的話，那麼我真願意現在就到那裏去，而不來聽您因爲我窮，因爲我不能爲了您的利益而妨礙我自己的前程而謾罵我。您爲什麼因爲我窮，因爲我不能爲了您的利益而妨礙我自己的前程就責怪我呢，船長，您爲什麼能這樣行事呢？””你聽我說，我的孩子，”船長心平氣和地回答道，”你最好別再說這些話。”
“唔，那麼您最好也別再對我說那些話，船長，”被惹得生氣了的無辜的人說道，並繼續後退到店鋪裏去；他的哭聲愈來愈響了；”我寧肯您抽掉我的血，也不要敗壞我的名譽！”
“因爲，”船長平平靜靜地繼續說道，”你也許聽說過打人用的短繩這種東西吧！”
“您聽說過嗎，船長？”罵罵咧咧的磨工喊道，”沒有，我沒聽說過。我從來沒聽說過這樣一種東西！”
“唔，”船長說道，”我相信，如果你不是時刻防備着的話，那麼你將會很快熟悉它的。我明白你的信號，我的孩子。你可以走了。”
