雙語小說連載:《董貝父子》第13章 Part 8

'John Carker,' said the Manager, when this was done, turning suddenly upon his brother, with his two rows of teeth bristling as if he would have bitten him, 'what is the league between you and this young man, in virtue of which I am haunted and hunted by the mention of your name? Is it not enough for you, John Carker, that I am your near relation, and can't detach myself from that - '

“約翰·卡克，”門關上以後，經理突然轉向他的哥哥，露出兩排牙齒，彷彿想要咬他似的。“您跟這位年輕人之間訂立了什麼同盟，憑着它，把我的名字掛在嘴上，來跟我糾纏不休？約翰·卡克，難道你覺得還不夠嗎？我是你的近親，不能擺脫掉那份——”

'Say disgrace, James,' interposed the other in a low voice, finding that he stammered for a word.'You mean it, and have reason, say disgrace.'

“說恥辱吧，詹姆斯，”另一位看到他在整個詞上結巴住了，就低聲插嘴道。“你是想這樣說，也有理由這樣說的，就說恥辱吧。”

'From that disgrace,' assented his brother with keen emphasis, 'but is the fact to be blurted out and trumpeted, and proclaimed continually in the presence of the very House! In moments of confidence too? Do you think your name is calculated to harmonise in this place with trust and confidence, John Carker?'

“那份恥辱，”他的弟弟同意，並強烈地加重了語氣，“可是難道有必要把這事實在公司的老闆面前不斷地吆喝、張揚和通告嗎？甚至在我受到信任的時候也要這樣做嗎？你以爲提到你的名字跟在這裏博得信賴與重用是協調的嗎，約翰·卡克？”

'No,' returned the other. 'No, James. God knows I have no such thought.'

“不是，”那一位回答道。“不是，詹姆斯。上帝知道，我沒有這樣的想法。”

'What is your thought, then?' said his brother, 'and why do you thrust yourself in my way? Haven't you injured me enough already?'

“那麼，你的想法是什麼呢？”他的弟弟說道，“你又爲什麼硬要擋住我的道路？難道你還嫌傷害我不夠嗎？”

'I have never injured you, James, wilfully.'

“我從來沒有故意傷害過你，詹姆斯。”

'You are my brother,' said the Manager. 'That's injury enough.'

“你是我的哥哥，”經理說道，“這傷害就足夠了。”

'I wish I could undo it, James.'

“我但願我能消除這個傷害，詹姆斯。”

'I wish you could and would.'

“我但願你能消除它，而且將消除它。”

During this conversation, Walter had looked from one brother to the other, with pain and amazement. He who was the Senior in years, and Junior in the House, stood, with his eyes cast upon the ground, and his head bowed, humbly listening to the reproaches of the other. Though these were rendered very bitter by the tone and look with which they were accompanied, and by the presence of Walter whom they so much surprised and shocked, he entered no other protestagainst them than by slightly raising his right hand in a deprecatory manner, as if he would have said, 'Spare me!' So, had they been blows, and he a brave man, under strong constraint, and weakened by bodily suffering, he might have stood before the executioner.

在這談話中間，沃爾特懷着痛苦與驚奇的心情，望望這一位，又望望那一位弟兄。那 位年齡較大、但在公司裏職務很低的人的眼睛向地面低垂着，腦袋搭拉着，站在那裏，恭順地聽着另一位的譴責。雖然譴責的語氣很尖刻，神色很嚴厲，而且當着震驚的沃爾特的面，但他卻沒有表示什麼抗議，而只是用哀求的態度，稍稍擡起右手，彷彿想說：“饒恕我吧！”如果這些譴責是打擊，而他是一位體力衰弱的勇士，那麼他也會在劊子手面前站着。

Generous and quick in all his emotions, and regarding himself as the innocent occasion of these taunts, Walter now struck in, with all the earnestness he felt.

沃爾特在感情上是一位寬厚與急躁的人，他認爲他本人是無意間引起這些辱罵的原因，所以這時懷着誠摯的心情插進來說話。

註釋：constraint n. [數] 約束；侷促，態度不自然；強制
詞根：constrain
adj.
constrained 拘泥的；被強迫的；不舒服的
adv.
constrainedly 勉強地；強迫地；不自然地
v.
constrained 驅使；強迫；勉強（constrain的過去分詞）
vt.
constrain 驅使；強迫；束縛
例句：
(1) The boy felt constraint in her presence.
那男孩在她面前感到侷促不安。
(2) The subject of this constraint is customer.
這個約束的主體是客戶。
(3) This very simple program declares the two decision variables: the constraint and the objective function.
這個非常簡單的程序聲明瞭兩個決策變量：約束和目標函數。
(4) You can name the constraint, but you do not have to.
您可以命名約束, 但這不是必須的。
(5) There have been several attempts to deal with this kind of constraint.
已經有人做了一些處理這類約束的嘗試。
(6) Well, here we have to use the constraint.
這裏，我們必須使用約束條件。
(7) If the language is not supported, the constraint is ignored by the tool.
如果指定的語言不被支持, 約束將會被工具所忽略。
(8) An example of a constraint is "a customer must have exactly one legal address".
約束的一個例子是 “一個客戶有且只有一個合法地址”。

occasion n. 時機，機會；場合；理由
vt. 引起，惹起
詞組：
occasion segmentation時機細分；場合細分
Right Occasion合適的情境；適當時刻
occasion n場合；重大或特殊的活動
詞根：occasion
adj. occasional 偶然的；臨時的；特殊場合的
例句：
(1) Try to dress appropriately for each occasion.
試圖爲每個場合適當地打扮。
(2) What you said on the occasion was not appropriate.
在這種場合你說這樣的話是不相宜的。
(3) Conversation on such an occasion is not expected to soar above polite commonplaces.
不能指望在這種場合的談話會超越平常的客套。
(4) They go with this occasion. They go with the relationships.
它們出現在這種場合，它們與關係相隨。
(5) I have no occasion to see him these days.
這些天我都沒有機會見到他。
(6) On what occasion do you lie?
在什麼場合您會撒謊？
(7) I wish to express my sorrow on this occasion.
我希望能在此場合表達我的哀傷.
(8) Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak about myself in this special occasion.
非常感謝給我這次機會在這種特殊的場合談論我自己。
(9) This campaign must be the occasion, the vehicle, of your hopes, and your dreams.
這場競選必須成爲表達你們的希望和夢想的機會與平臺。