狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第46章Part1

The same increased and sharp attention that Mr Carker bestowed on the business of the House, he applied to his own personal affairs. Though not a partner in the concern - a distinction hitherto reserved solely to inheritors of the great name of Dombey - he was in the receipt of some percentage on its dealings; and, participating in all its facilities for the employment of money to advantage, was considered, by the minnows among the tritons of the East, a rich man. It began to be said, among these shrewd observers, that Jem Carker, of Dombey's, was looking about him to see what he was worth; and that he was calling in his money at a good time, like the long-headed fellow he was; and bets were even offered on the Stock Exchange that Jem was going to marry a rich widow.
Yet these cares did not in the least interfere with Mr Carker's watching of his chief, or with his cleanness, neatness, sleekness, or any cat-like quality he possessed. It was not so much that there was a change in him, in reference to any of his habits, as that the whole man was intensified. Everything that had been observable in him before, was observable now, but with a greater amount of concentration. He did each single thing, as if he did nothing else - a pretty certain indication in a man of that range of ability and purpose, that he is doing something which sharpens and keeps alive his keenest powers.
The only decided alteration in him was, that as he rode to and fro along the streets, he would fall into deep fits of musing, like that in which he had come away from Mr Dombey's house, on the morning of that gentleman's disaster. At such times, he would keep clear of the obstacles in his way, mechanically; and would appear to see and hear nothing until arrival at his destination, or some sudden chance or effort roused him.
Walking his white-legged horse thus, to the counting-house of Dombey and Son one day, he was as unconscious of the observation of two pairs of women's eyes, as of the fascinated orbs of Rob the Grinder, who, in waiting a street's length from the appointed place, as a demonstration of punctuality, vainly touched and retouched his hat to attract attention, and trotted along on foot, by his master's side, prepared to hold his stirrup when he should alight.
'See where he goes!' cried one of these two women, an old creature, who stretched out her shrivelled arm to point him out to her companion, a young woman, who stood close beside her, withdrawn like herself into a gateway.
Mrs Brown's daughter looked out, at this bidding on the part of Mrs Brown; and there were wrath and vengeance in her face.
'I never thought to look at him again,' she said, in a low voice; 'but it's well I should, perhaps. I see. I see!'
'Not changed!' said the old woman, with a look of eager malice.

卡克先生以對待公司業務同樣增強的、敏銳的注意力來處理他的個人事務。他雖然不是公司的合夥人（迄今爲止，只有董貝這個偉大姓氏的繼承人才能享有這個光榮的稱號），但他從它的交易中收取一定的佣金；而且，他還參與公司的有利的投資活動，所以在東方貿易業巨鯨四周的小魚兒們都把他看成是一位闊老。機靈的觀察者們開始談論，董貝公司的傑姆?卡克在計算他的資本；他是個聰明人，正在合適的時候收回他的錢；在證券交易所裏甚至有人打賭說，傑姆將要娶一位有錢的寡婦。
不過這些絲毫也不妨礙卡克先生侍候他的老闆，也絲毫不妨礙他保持乾淨、整潔、圓滑或任何貓般的特性。與其說他的習慣有什麼變化，還不如說他整個人比過去更精練了。在他身上過去可以看到的一切東西，現在仍然可以看得到，只是現在表現得更爲集中罷了。他做每件事情的時候，就彷彿他不做任何其他的事情似的；--對一位具有這樣能力與意圖的人來說，這相當明確地表明，他正在做某件事情來磨練與激勵他最敏銳的才能。
他的唯一顯著的變化是，當他騎着馬在街上來來去去的時候，他深深地陷入沉思之中，就像董貝先生遭到不幸的那天早上，他從那位先生家裏走出來時的情形一樣。在這種時候，他不假思索地自動避開路上的一切障礙物，好像什麼也沒有看見，什麼也沒有聽見，一直到達目的地爲止，除非突然發生什麼意外的事情或突然需要作出什麼努力，才能使他從沉思中驚醒過來。
有一天他這樣騎着他的白腿的馬，向董貝父子公司的辦公室行進的時候，他既沒有留意到兩位女人的眼睛在注視着他，也沒有留意到磨工羅布爲了表明他嚴守時間，正在離指定地點更近一條街的地方等候着他，圓圓的眼睛正被他吸引住；羅布徒勞地一次又一次把手舉到帽檐向他行禮，以便吸引他的注意，然後在他主人身旁急匆匆地走着，準備在他下馬的時候立即抓住馬蹬。
“看，他騎過去了！”這兩位女人當中的一位喊道；她是一位老太婆，伸出滿是皺紋的手，把他指給她的同伴看；她的同伴是一位年輕女人，站在她的身旁，跟他一樣退避到一個門道里。
布朗太太的女兒沿着布朗太太指點的方向望出去，臉上露出憤怒與渴望報仇的神色。
“我從來沒有想到會再見到他，”她低聲說道；”不過也許我見到他是件好事。我看到了。我看到了！”
“樣子沒有變化！”老太婆十分怨恨地看了一眼，說道。
“他變化！”另外一位回答道。”爲什麼會變化？他受過什麼苦嗎？我一個人的變化抵得上二十個人的。難道這還不夠嗎？”