月亮和六便士 第五十一章(3)

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"It was then he told me of his wife in England. “就在这个时候，他告诉我他在英国是有老婆的。

'My poor Strickland,' I said to him, 'they've all got a wife somewhere; that is generally why they come to the islands. ‘我可怜的思特里克兰德，’我对他说，‘他们在别的地方都有个外家；一般说来，这也是为什么他们到我们这些岛上来的原故。

Ata is a sensible¹ girl, and she doesn't expect any ceremony before the Mayor². 爱塔是个通情达理的姑娘，她不要求当着市长的面举行什么仪式。

She's a Protestant, and you know they don't look upon these things like the Catholics.' 她是个耶稣教徒，你知道，信耶稣教的对待这种事不象信天主教的人那么古板。’”

"Then he said: 'But what does Ata say to it?' 'It appears that she has a beguin for you,' I said. “这时候他说道：‘那么爱塔对这件事有什么意见呢？’‘看起来，她对你很有情意，’我说，

'She's willing if you are. Shall I call her?' ‘如果你愿意，她也会同意的。要不要我叫她来一下？’

He chuckled³ in a funny, dry way he had, and I called her. 思特里克兰德咯咯地笑起来，像他平常那样，笑声干干巴巴，样子非常滑稽。于是我就把爱塔叫过来。

She knew what I was talking about, the hussy, 爱塔知道刚才我在同思特里克兰德谈什么，这个骚丫头；

and I saw her out of the corner of my eyes listening with all her ears, while she pretended to iron a blouse that she had been washing for me. 我一直用眼角盯着她，她假装在给我熨一件刚刚洗过的罩衫，耳朵却一个字不漏地听着我们俩讲话。

She came. She was laughing, but I could see that she was a little shy, and Strickland looked at her without speaking." 她走到我面前，咯咯地笑着，但是我看得出来，她有一些害羞。思特里克兰德打量了她一阵，没有说什么。”

"Was she pretty?" I asked. “她长得好看吗？”我问。

"Not bad. “挺漂亮。

But you must have seen pictures of her. He painted her over and over again, sometimes with a pareo on and sometimes with nothing at all. 但是你过去一定看到过她的画儿了。他给她画了一幅又一幅，有时候围着一件帕利欧（当地人的服装，一种用土布做的束腰），有时候什么都不穿。

Yes, she was pretty enough. 不错，她长得蛮漂亮。

And she knew how to cook. I taught her myself. 她会做饭。是我亲自教会她的。

I saw Strickland was thinking of it, so I said to him: 我看到思特里克兰德正在琢磨这件事，我就对他说：

'I've given her good wages and she's saved them, ‘我给她的工资很多，她都攒起来了。

and the captains and the first mates⁴ she's known have given her a little something now and then. 她认识的那些船长和大副有时候也送给她一点儿东西。

She's saved several hundred francs.' 她已经攒了好几百法郎了。’”

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