Chapter 40
第四十章
For the next month, occupied with my own affairs, I saw no one connected with this lamentable business, and my mind ceased to be occupied with it. But one day, when I was walking along, bent on some errand, I passed Charles Strickland. The sight of him brought back to me all the horror which I was not unwilling to forget, and I felt in me a sudden repulsion for the cause of it. Nodding, for it would have been childish to cut him, I walked on quickly; but in a minute I felt a hand on my shoulder.
在施特略夫離開以后的一個月里,我忙于自己的事務,再也沒有見到過哪個同這件悲慘事件有關的人,我也不再去想它了。但是有一天,正當我出外辦事的時候,卻在路上看到了查理斯·思特里克蘭德。一見到他,那些我寧肯忘掉的令人氣憤的事馬上又回到我的腦子里來,我對這個造成這場禍事的人感到一陣嫌惡。但是佯裝不見也未免大孩子氣,我還是對他點了點頭,然后加快了腳步,繼續(xù)走自己的路??墒邱R上就有一只手搭在我的肩膀上。
"You're in a great hurry," he said cordially.
“你挺忙啊。”他熱誠地說。
It was characteristic of him to display geniality with anyone who showed a disinclination to meet him, and the coolness of my greeting can have left him in little doubt of that.
對于任何一個不屑于理他的人他總是非常親切,這是思特里克蘭德的一個特點;從我剛才同他打招呼時的冷淡態(tài)度,他清楚地知道我對他的看法。
"I am," I answered briefly.
“挺忙?!蔽业幕卮鸱浅:喍?。
"I'll walk along with you," he said.
“我同你一起走一段路?!彼f。
"Why?" I asked.
“干什么?”我問。
"For the pleasure of your society."
“因為高興同你在一起?!?/p>
I did not answer, and he walked by my side silently. We continued thus for perhaps a quarter of a mile. I began to feel a little ridiculous. At last we passed a stationer's, and it occurred to me that I might as well buy some paper. It would be an excuse to be rid of him.
我沒有說什么,他默不作聲地伴著我走。我們就這樣走了大約四分之一里路。我開始覺得有一點滑稽。最后我們走過一家文具店,我突然想到我不妨進去買些紙,這樣我就可以把他甩掉了。
"I'm going in here," I said. "Good-bye."
“我要進去買點東西,”我說,“再見。”
"I'll wait for you."
“我等著你?!?/p>
I shrugged my shoulders, and went into the shop. I reflected that French paper was bad, and that, foiled of my purpose, I need not burden myself with a purchase that I did not need. I asked for something I knew could not be provided, and in a minute came out into the street.
我聳了聳肩膀,便走進文具店去。我想到法國紙并不好,既然我原來的打算已經(jīng)落空,自然也就用不著買一些我不需要的東西增加負擔了。于是我問了一兩樣他們準不會有的東西,一分鐘以后就走出來了。