死亡约会 Part I Chapter 9（1）

（单词翻译）

Chapter 9

Dr Gerard walked into the office of Messrs Castle, the tourist agents, and found Sarah King at thecounter.

She looked up.

‘Oh, good morning. I’m fixing up my tour to Petra. I’ve just heard you are going after all.’

‘Yes, I find I can just manage it.’

‘How nice.’

‘Shall we be a large party, I wonder?’

‘They say just two other women—and you and me. One car load.’

‘That will be delightful,’ said Gerard, with a little bow. Then he, in turn, attended to hisbusiness.

Presently, holding his mail in his hands, he joined Sarah as she stepped out of the office. It wasa crisp, sunny day, with a slight cold tang in the air.

‘What news of our friends, the Boyntons?’ asked Dr Gerard. ‘I have been to Bethlehem andNazareth and other places—a tour of three days.’

Slowly and rather unwillingly¹, Sarah narrated² her abortive³ efforts to establish contact.

‘Anyhow, I failed,’ she finished. ‘And they’re leaving today.’

‘Where are they going?’

‘I’ve no idea.’

She went on vexedly: ‘I feel, you know, that I’ve made rather a fool of myself!’

‘In what way?’

‘Interfering in other people’s business.’

Gerard shrugged⁴ his shoulders.

‘That is a matter of opinion.’

‘You mean whether one should interfere⁵ or not?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you?’

The Frenchman looked amused.

‘You mean, is it my habit to concern myself with other people’s affairs? I will say to youfrankly: No.’

‘Then you think I’m wrong to have tried butting⁶ in?’

‘No, no, you misunderstand me.’ Gerard spoke⁷ quickly and energetically. ‘It is, I think, a mootquestion. Should one, if one sees a wrong being done, attempt to put it right? One’s interferencemay do good—but it may do incalculable harm! It is impossible to lay down any ruling on thesubject. Some people have a genius for interference—they do it well! Some people do it clumsilyand had therefore better leave it alone! Then there is, too, the question of age. Young people havethe courage of their ideals and convictions—their values are more theoretical than practical. Theyhave not experienced, as yet, that fact contradicts theory! If you have a belief in yourself and in therightness of what you are doing, you can often accomplish things that are well worth while!

(Incidentally, you often do a good deal of harm!) On the other hand, the middle-aged⁸ person hasexperience—he has found that harm as well as, and perhaps more often than, good comes of tryingto interfere and so—very wisely, he refrains! So the result is even—the earnest young do bothharm and good—the prudent⁹ middle-aged do neither!’

‘All that isn’t very helpful,’ objected Sarah.

‘Can one person ever be helpful to another? It is your problem, not mine.’

‘You mean you are not going to do anything about the Boyntons?’

‘No. For me, there would be no chance of success.’

‘Then there isn’t for me, either?’

‘For you, there might be.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you have special qualifications. The appeal of your youth and sex.’

‘Sex? Oh, I see.’

‘One comes always back to sex, does one not? You have failed with the girl. It does not followthat you would fail with her brother. What you have just told me (what the girl Carol told you)shows very clearly the one menace to Mrs Boynton’s autocracy¹⁰. The eldest¹¹ son, Lennox, defiedher in the force of his young manhood. He played truant¹² from home, went to local dances. Thedesire of a man for a mate was stronger than the hypnotic spell. But the old woman was quiteaware of the power of sex. (She will have seen something of it in her career.) She dealt with it verycleverly—brought a pretty but penniless girl into the house—encouraged a marriage. And soacquired yet another slave.’

Sarah shook her head.

‘I don’t think young Mrs Boynton is a slave.’

Gerard agreed.

‘No, perhaps not. I think that, because she was a quiet, docile¹³ young girl, old Mrs Boyntonunderestimated her force of will and character.