雙語小說連載:《董貝父子》第13章 Part 7

'Unless,' said Mr Dombey, stopping in his reading without looking off the letter, and seeming to listen. 'Unless he has anything to say.'

“除非，”董貝先生說道，他停止閱讀，但眼睛沒有離開信件，好像在聽話似的。“除非他有什麼話要說。”

'No, Sir,' returned Walter, agitated and confused, and almost stunned, as an infinite variety of pictures presented themselves to his mind; among which Captain Cuttle, in his glazed hat, transfixed with astonishment at Mrs MacStinger's, and his uncle bemoaning his loss in the little back parlour, held prominent places. 'I hardly know - I - I am much obliged, Sir.'

“沒有，先生，”沃爾特回答道；當無數種形形色色的景象涌現到他的心頭時，他感到激動和慌亂，幾乎昏了過去；在這些景象當中，卡特爾船長戴着上了光的帽子，在麥克斯廷傑太太家裏驚愕得目瞪口呆；他的舅舅在小後客廳裏悲嘆着他的損失，是最爲突出的兩幅。“我實在不知道——我——我很感謝，先生。”

'He needn't wait, Carker,' said Mr Dombey.

“他不必待在這裏了，卡克，”董貝先生說道。

And as Mr Carker again echoed the words, and also collected his papers as if he were going away too, Walter felt that his lingering any longer would be an unpardonable intrusion - especially as he had nothing to say - and therefore walked out quite confounded.

卡克先生又隨聲重複了這句話，而且還收拾着他的公文，彷彿他也要走似的，這時候沃爾特覺得他再遲延下去就會是不可原諒的打擾了——特別是他已沒有什麼話要說的了——，因此就十分狼狽地走出了辦公室。

Going along the passage, with the mingled consciousness and helplessness of a dream, he heard Mr Dombey's door shut again, as Mr Carker came out: and immediately afterwards that gentleman called to him.

他沿着走廊走過去，像在夢中一樣感到既清醒而又束手無策，這時候他聽到卡克先生走出來時董貝先生的房門又關上的聲音，因爲在這之後，這位先生立即喊住了他。

'Bring your friend Mr Carker the Junior to my room, Sir, if you please.'

“勞駕您把您的朋友，低級職員卡克先生領到我的房間裏來，先生。”

Walter went to the outer office and apprised Mr Carker the Junior of his errand, who accordingly came out from behind a partition where he sat alone in one corner, and returned with him to the room of Mr Carker the Manager.

沃爾特走到外面的辦公室裏，把他的使命告訴了低級職員卡克先生。於是低級職員卡克先生就從一個隔板後面（他單獨坐在一個角落裏）走出來，沃爾特跟他一起回到經理卡克先生的房間裏。

That gentleman was standing with his back to the fire, and his hands under his coat-tails, looking over his white cravat, as unpromisingly as Mr Dombey himself could have looked. He received them without any change in his attitude or softening of his harsh and black expression: merely signing to Walter to close the door.

那位先生背對着壁爐站着，手抄在燕尾服裏面，從白領帶上面看着前面，那種嚴厲可怕的神色只有董貝先生本人才能有。他接待他們的時候，絲毫沒有改變姿勢或使他那生硬與陰沉的表情柔和下來，而僅僅向沃爾特示意，要他把門關上。

註釋：oblige vt. 迫使；強制；賜，施恩惠；責成
vi. 幫忙；施恩惠
[ 過去式obliged 過去分詞obliged 現在分詞obliging ]
Gentlemen Oblige君子成人之美
詞根：oblige
adj.
obliged 必須的；感激的；有責任的
obligate 有責任的，有義務的；必需的
obliging 樂於助人的；有禮貌的；體貼的；親切的
obligated 有義務的；責無旁貸的
n.
obligation 義務；職責；債務
obligated 使負義務（obligate的過去式）
obliger 施惠與人者

例句：
(1) Please oblige me by lifting the box.
請老家幫我把這隻箱子提起來。
(2) I asked him if he could oblige us with a left to the nearest garage.
我問他是否能幫忙將我們帶往最近的加油站。
(3) Will you oblige me with your name and address?
敬請賜告你的姓名和地址好嗎?。
(4) I'll do any thing within reason to oBlige.
凡能做到的我都願效勞[盡力]。
(5) Can you oblige me by opening the window?
能幫忙把窗戶打開嗎？
(6) So if you are up for the challenge, oblige her.
所以，如果你做好了挑戰的準備，就去滿足她吧。
(7) Could you oblige me by opening the window?
請你爲我打開窗子好嗎？
(8) I need my brother to oblige me.
我需要我弟弟幫我做到。
(9) Sorry, I can't oblige you.
很抱歉, 我不能幫你的忙。
(10) Excuse me, but could you oblige me with a match.
對不起，請給我一根火柴好嗎？
(11) I'll do anything within reason to oblige.
能辦到的，我都願效勞。

soft adj. 軟的，柔軟的；溫柔的，溫和的；軟弱的；笨的
adv. 柔軟地；溫和地
n. 柔性；柔軟的東西；柔軟部分
[ 比較級softer 最高級softest ]
詞組：
soft tissue 軟組織
soft soil 軟土，軟泥地
soft ground 軟弱地基；軟土地面；不穩定地層；弱土質
soft clay 軟粘土；軟黏土；軟質粘土
soft landing 軟着陸；軟性經濟滑坡
soft drink n. 軟飲料；不含酒精的飲料
soft power 軟實力；柔性國力
soft ware 軟件；語言設備；設計計算法；程序設備
soft start 軟啓動；緩啓動；平穩起動
soft water n. 軟水
soft capsule 軟膠囊劑
soft texture 鬆軟的組織
soft coal 煙煤
soft science 軟科學；人文科學學科
soft light 柔光；柔光模式；柔光燈
soft palate 軟齶
soft music 輕音樂
soft spot 軟弱不振的企業；弱點
例句：
(1) The soft breeze stirs the leaves.
柔和的微風搖動着樹葉。
(2) The soil felt soft beneath our feet.
我們腳下的土踩上去很鬆軟。
(3) The nail easily penetrated the soft wood.
釘子很容易地就穿透了軟木材。
(4) I'm hacking the soft for netting.
我在設計上網軟件呢。
(5) They should be allowed to work in China, if only to build soft power.
他們應該被允許在中國工作，即使只爲了建立軟實力。
(6) Do you like the soft touch of snowflakes on your face?
你喜歡柔軟的雪花觸到臉上時的感覺嗎？
(7) Many of these objectives and the outcomes I expect are quite soft.
我所期望的這些目標和成果中許多是相當 軟的。
(8) She felt like lying back in the soft chair and enjoying the richness of it.
她真想就這樣躺在柔軟的椅子上，盡情享受那種濃厚的細膩感。