月亮和六便士 第四十八章(3)
时间:2018-07-04 01:32:07
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(单词翻译)
"You see, I was interested in him because he was a painter," he told me.? “你知道,我对他感兴趣是因为他是个画家,”他对我说,
"We don't get many painters in the islands, and I was sorry for him because he was such a bad one. “很少有画家到我们这些岛上来,我很可怜他,因为我觉得他画的画很蹩脚。
I gave him his first job. I had a
plantation1 on the
peninsula2, and I wanted a white overseer. 他的头一个工作就是我给他的。我在半岛上有一个种植园,需要一个白人监工。
You never get any work out of the natives unless you have a white man over them. 除非有个白人监督着他们,这些土人是绝不肯给你干活的。
I said to him: 'You'll have plenty of time for painting, and you can earn a bit of money.' 我对他说:‘你有的是时间画画儿,你还可以挣点钱。’
I knew he was starving, but I offered him good wages." 我知道他正在挨饿,但是我给他的工资很高。”
"I can't imagine that he was a very
satisfactory3 overseer," I said, smiling. “我想他不是一个令人满意的监工。”我笑着说。
"I made
allowances4. I have always had a sympathy for artists. It is in our blood, you know. “我对他的要求并不苛刻。我对艺术家总是同情的。我们一家人生来就是这样,你知道。
But he only remained a few months. 但是他只干了几个月的活儿。
When he had enough money to buy paints and
canvases5 he left me. The place had got hold of him by then, and he wanted to get away into the bush. 等他攒够了钱,能够买油彩和画布的时候,他就想离开这地方,跑到荒林里去。
But I continued to see him now and then. 但是我还是经常不断地能见到他。
He would turn up in Papeete every few months and stay a little while; he'd get money out of someone or other and then disappear again. 每过几个月他就到帕皮提来一次,待几天;他会从随便哪个人手里弄到点钱,于是又无影无踪了。
It was on one of these visits that he came to me and asked for the
loan6 of two hundred francs. 正是在他这样一次访问时,他到我家里来,要向我借两百法郎。
He looked as if he hadn't had a meal for a week, and I hadn't the heart to refuse him. 他的样子象是一个礼拜没吃一顿饱饭了,我不忍心拒绝他。
Of course, I never expected to see my money again. 当然了,我知道这笔钱我绝不会再要回来了。
Well, a year later he came to see me once more, and he brought a picture with him. 你猜怎么着,一年以后,他又来看我了,带着一幅画。
He did not mention the money he owed me, but he said: 'Here is a picture of your plantation that I've painted for you.' 他没提向我借钱的事,他只说:‘这是一幅你那座种植园的画,是我给你画的。’
I looked at it. I did not know what to say, but of course I thanked him, and when he had gone away I showed it to my wife." 我看了看他的画。我不知道该说什么。当然了,我还是对他表示感谢。他走了以后,我把这幅画拿给我的妻子看。”
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