狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第19章Part 06

'Miss Florence,' he replied, with an effort to recover the cheerful manner he had preserved while talking with his Uncle, 'I know no more than my Uncle, what to say in acknowledgment of such kindness, I am sure. But what could I say, after all, if I had the power of talking for an hour, except that it is like you?'
Susan Nipper began upon a new part of her bonnet string, and nodded at the skylight, in approval of the sentiment expressed.
'Oh! but, Walter,' said Florence, 'there is something that I wish to say to you before you go away, and you must call me Florence, if you please, and not speak like a stranger.'
'Like a stranger!' returned Walter, 'No. I couldn't speak so. I am sure, at least, I couldn't feel like one.'
'Ay, but that is not enough, and is not what I mean. For, Walter,' added Florence, bursting into tears, 'he liked you very much, and said before he died that he was fond of you, and said "Remember Walter!" and if you'll be a brother to me, Walter, now that he is gone and I have none on earth, I'll be your sister all my life, and think of you like one wherever we may be! This is what I wished to say, dear Walter, but I cannot say it as I would, because my heart is full.'
And in its fulness and its sweet simplicity, she held out both her hands to him. Walter taking them, stooped down and touched the tearful face that neither shrunk nor turned away, nor reddened as he did so, but looked up at him with confidence and truth. In that one moment, every shadow of doubt or agitation passed away from Walter's soul. It seemed to him that he responded to her innocent appeal, beside the dead child's bed: and, in the solemn presence he had seen there, pledged himself to cherish and protect her very image, in his banishment, with brotherly regard; to garner up her simple faith, inviolate; and hold himself degraded if he breathed upon it any thought that was not in her own breast when she gave it to him.
Susan Nipper, who had bitten both her bonnet strings at once, and imparted a great deal of private emotion to the skylight, during this transaction, now changed the subject by inquiring who took milk and who took sugar; and being enlightened on these points, poured out the tea. They all four gathered socially about the little table, and took tea under that young lady's active superintendence; and the presence of Florence in the back parlour, brightened the Tartar frigate on the wall.

“弗洛倫斯小姐，”他努力恢復剛纔跟舅舅談話時所保持的高興的神態，回答道，“說真的，我跟舅舅一樣，不知道說些什麼話來感謝您的深情厚意。可是即使我能說上一個小時，我除了說這再一次表明了您的爲人之外，我究竟還能說些別的什麼呢？”
蘇珊·尼珀開始咬她帽帶另外的一端，並向天窗點點頭，表示贊成沃爾特表達出來的感情。
“啊，沃爾特，”弗洛倫斯說道，“可是在您走之前，我還想跟您再說些話，請你一定管我叫弗洛倫斯，而不要像一個陌生人那樣跟我說話。”
“像一個陌生人一樣！”沃爾特答道，“不，我不能那樣說的。我相信，至少我沒有這樣的感覺。”
“是的，但是那樣還不夠，我也不是這個意思。因爲，沃爾特，”弗洛倫斯眼淚滿滿地涌流出來，繼續說道，“他很喜歡您，臨死的時候還說他愛您，又說，‘別忘記沃爾特！’現在他已死了，我在世界上沒有兄弟了，如果您做我的哥哥，沃爾特，我將一輩子做您的妹妹，不論我們將來在什麼地方，我都會像想到哥哥那樣想到您！這就是我想要說的，親愛的沃爾特，可是我卻不能說得像我想說的那樣好，因爲千言萬語充滿了我的心懷，我不知該說什麼好。”
她懷着那顆充滿了感情、純樸可愛的心，把雙手向他伸過去。沃爾特握着它們，彎下身子，嘴脣接觸到她的流滿了眼淚的臉；當他這樣做的時候，她的臉沒有退縮，沒有轉開，也沒有發紅，而是信賴地、真誠地仰望着他。在那瞬刻之間，任何懷疑或焦慮的陰影都從沃爾特的心靈中消失了；他似乎覺得，他是在那死去的孩子的牀邊回答她的天真的請求，並且在那個他曾親眼看到的莊嚴的場合中發誓說，在他放逐在外的時候，他將以他兄弟般的關懷，珍愛和保護她的形象；他將保持她純樸的信任，不讓遭到破壞；如果他懷有任何當她對他表示信任時心中不曾懷有的思想，因而辜負了這樣的信任時，他就認爲自己卑鄙可恥。
蘇珊·尼珀在這過程中已經同時咬住帽帶的兩端，並向天窗傳送了她本人的許多感情，這時她改變話題，問大家誰要牛奶，誰要糖；這些問題得到回答以後，她就開始倒茶。他們四人和睦友愛地圍坐在小桌子的旁邊，在那位姑娘殷勤的指揮下開始喝茶；弗洛倫斯光臨後客廳，使牆上帶帆的韃靼戰艦發出了光輝。