狄更斯双语小说:《董贝父子》第35章Part3

With that Mr Dombey stalked away to his own dressing-room, and Mrs Dombey went upstairs to hers. Mrs Skewton and Florence repaired to the drawing-room, where that excellent mother considered it incumbent on her to shed a few irrepressible tears, supposed to be forced from her by her daughter's felicity; and which she was still drying, very gingerly, with a laced corner of her pocket-handkerchief, when her son-in-law appeared.
'And how, my dearest Dombey, did you find that delightfullest of cities, Paris?' she asked, subduing her emotion.
'It was cold,' returned Mr Dombey.
'Gay as ever,' said Mrs Skewton, 'of course.
'Not particularly. I thought it dull,' said Mr Dombey.
'Fie, my dearest Dombey!' archly; 'dull!'
'It made that impression upon me, Madam,' said Mr Dombey, with grave politeness. 'I believe Mrs Dombey found it dull too. She mentioned once or twice that she thought it so.'
'Why, you naughty girl!' cried Mrs Skewton, rallying her dear child, who now entered, 'what dreadfully heretical things have you been saying about Paris?'
Edith raised her eyebrows with an air of weariness; and passing the folding-doors which were thrown open to display the suite of rooms in their new and handsome garniture, and barely glancing at them as she passed, sat down by Florence.
'My dear Dombey,' said Mrs Skewton, 'how charmingly these people have carried out every idea that we hinted. They have made a perfect palace of the house, positively.'
'It is handsome,' said Mr Dombey, looking round. 'I directed that no expense should be spared; and all that money could do, has been done, I believe.'
'And what can it not do, dear Dombey?' observed Cleopatra.
'It is powerful, Madam,' said Mr Dombey.
He looked in his solemn way towards his wife, but not a word said she.
'I hope, Mrs Dombey,' addressing her after a moment's silence, with especial distinctness; 'that these alterations meet with your approval?'

董贝先生说了这些话之后就高视阔步地走到他自己的化妆室中去，董贝夫人则上楼到她自己的化妆室中。斯丘顿夫人和弗洛伦斯向客厅走去；到了那里，这位卓越的母亲认为掉几颗控制不住的眼泪是自己义不容辞的责任，好像是因为看到女儿的幸福情不自禁地掉落的。当她还在用手绢的饰了花边的一个角小心翼翼地抹着眼泪的时候，她的女婿走进来了。
“我亲爱的董贝，你觉得巴黎这世界上最可爱有趣的城市怎么样？”她克制住自己的感情，问道。
“那里天气寒冷，”董贝先生回答道。
“一直是那么欢乐热闹吧，”斯丘顿夫人说道，”那是当然的。”
“并不特别欢乐热闹。我觉得它沉闷无趣，”董贝先生说道。
“看你说的，我亲爱的董贝！沉闷无趣！”她调皮地说道。
“它给我留下了这样的印象，夫人，”董贝先生庄严地、有礼地说道，”我想，董贝夫人也觉得它沉闷无趣。她有一两次谈到这点，她认为是这样的。”
“什么，你这淘气的女孩子！”斯丘顿夫人嘲笑着现在走进来的她的亲爱的孩子，喊道，”你对巴黎说了些多么可怕的、异教徒才说的话！”
伊迪丝带着厌倦的神情扬起眉毛；有一些折门现在打开了，因此显露了一套房间，里面陈列着崭新与漂亮的摆设，她走过折门的时候，只对它们看了一眼，就坐到弗洛伦斯的身旁。
“我亲爱的董贝，”斯丘顿夫人说道，”这些人多么出色地完成了我们略加指点的一切任务。确实，他们已把这座房屋完全变成一座宫殿了。”
“是很漂亮，”董贝先生向四周看看，说道，”我吩咐他们不要节省任何费用；我想，凡是钱能办到的，都已办到了。”
“它还有什么办不到的呢，亲爱的董贝！”克利奥佩特拉说道。
“它是很有力量的，夫人，”董贝先生说道。
他向他的妻子庄重地看了一眼，可是她却一个字也没有说。
“我希望，董贝夫人，”片刻沉默之后，他特别清楚地对她说道，”你赞成这些改变吧？”