狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第30章Part 6
'Ah! wicked guesser!' replied Cleopatra, shaking her head. 'Ah! cunning, cunning man! One shouldn't tell these things; your sex, my dear Dombey, are so vain, and so apt to abuse our weakness; but you know my open soul - very well; immediately.'
This was addressed to one of the very tall young men who announced dinner.
'But Edith, my dear Dombey,' she continued in a whisper, when she cannot have you near her - and as I tell her, she cannot expect that always - will at least have near her something or somebody belonging to you. Well, how extremely natural that is! And in this spirit, nothing would keep her from riding off to-day to fetch our darling Florence. Well, how excessively charming that is!'
As she waited for an answer, Mr Dombey answered, 'Eminently so.
'Bless you, my dear Dombey, for that proof of heart!' cried Cleopatra, squeezing his hand. 'But I am growing too serious! Take me downstairs, like an angel, and let us see what these people intend to give us for dinner. Bless you, dear Dombey!'
Cleopatra skipping off her couch with tolerable briskness, after the last benediction, Mr Dombey took her arm in his and led her ceremoniously downstairs; one of the very tall young men on hire, whose organ of veneration was imperfectly developed, thrusting his tongue into his cheek, for the entertainment of the other very tall young man on hire, as the couple turned into the dining-room.
Florence and Edith were already there, and sitting side by side. Florence would have risen when her father entered, to resign her chair to him; but Edith openly put her hand upon her arm, and Mr Dombey took an opposite place at the round table.
The conversation was almost entirely sustained by Mrs Skewton. Florence hardly dared to raise her eyes, lest they should reveal the traces of tears; far less dared to speak; and Edith never uttered one word, unless in answer to a question. Verily, Cleopatra worked hard, for the establishment that was so nearly clutched; and verily it should have been a rich one to reward her!
And so your preparations are nearly finished at last, my dear Dombey?' said Cleopatra, when the dessert was put upon the table, and the silver-headed butler had withdrawn. 'Even the lawyers' preparations!'
'Yes, madam,' replied Mr Dombey; 'the deed of settlement, the professional gentlemen inform me, is now ready, and as I was mentioning to you, Edith has only to do us the favour to suggest her own time for its execution.'
Edith sat like a handsome statue; as cold, as silent, and as still.
'My dearest love,' said Cleopatra, 'do you hear what Mr Dombey says? Ah, my dear Dombey!' aside to that gentleman, 'how her absence, as the time approaches, reminds me of the days, when that most agreeable of creatures, her Papa, was in your situation!'
'I have nothing to suggest. It shall be when you please,' said Edith, scarcely looking over the table at Mr Dombey.
'To-morrow?' suggested Mr Dombey.
'If you please.'
"啊！你這可惡的猜測者！"克利奧佩特拉搖搖頭，回答道，"啊，你這狡猾、狡猾的人！我不應當說這些事情；你們男人，我親愛的董貝，虛榮心是多麼重，是多麼喜歡作弄我們的弱點；但是你知道，我的心胸是坦率的--好，立刻就來！"
最後幾個字是對兩位身材很高的年輕人當中的一位說的，他進來通報，晚飯已經準備好。
"但是伊迪絲，親愛的董貝，"她繼續低聲地說道，"當她看不到你在他身旁的時候--我告訴她，她不能經常指望這一點--，至少可以看到屬於你的什麼東西或什麼人。是的，這是極爲自然的事。她懷着這樣的心情，誰也不能阻擋她今天坐着馬車去把我們親愛的弗洛倫斯接來。你看，這是多麼可愛的事啊！"
因爲她等待着回答，董貝先生就回答道，"確實是這樣。"
"親愛的董貝，這證明了你有着善良的心，願上帝爲這保佑你！"克利奧佩特拉握緊他的手，喊道，"可是我有些太認真了！請像個天使一樣，領我到樓下去吧，看看這些人準備給我吃什麼晚飯。願上帝保佑你，親愛的董貝！"
克利奧佩特拉在進行了第二次祝福之後，相當敏捷地跳下長沙發；董貝先生攙着她的胳膊，禮節十分周到地領着她下了樓；當這兩個人走進餐廳的時候，僱來的身材很高的年輕人當中的一位（他向主人表示尊敬的器官是很不發達的）把舌頭伸到臉頰上，在給另一位僱來的身材很高的年輕人逗樂。
弗洛倫斯和伊迪絲已經在那裏，並肩坐着。弗洛倫斯在父親進來的時候本想站起來，把她的椅子讓給他；但是伊迪絲用手堅決地拉住她的胳膊，董貝先生就在圓桌對面的座位上坐下。
談話幾乎完全由斯丘頓夫人一人支撐着。弗洛倫斯簡直不敢擡起眼睛，唯恐顯露出淚痕，更不敢說話了；伊迪絲除了回答一個問題外，一個字也沒有說。克利奧佩特拉爲了很快就要抓到手中的家業，確實很努力地工作着。這也確實是一份富有的家業，可以好好酬勞她的！
"這麼說，你的一切準備終於就要結束了嗎，我親愛的董貝？"當最後的點心、水果端到桌上，白髮蒼蒼的男管家退出去以後，克利奧佩特拉說道，"甚至連法律方面的準備工作也完成了！"
"是的，夫人，"董貝先生回答道，"律師們告訴我，婚約現在已準備好了，正像我對您說的，伊迪絲只要指定個簽訂的日期就行了。"
伊迪絲像美麗的塑像一樣坐着；像塑像一樣冷淡，一樣沉默，一樣一動不動。
"我最親愛的，"克利奧佩特拉說道，"你聽到董貝先生說了嗎？啊，我親愛的董貝！"她轉向這位先生，低聲說道，"她因爲時間快到而心不在焉的神態真使我想起了以往的那些日子啊，那時候，她爸爸那位世上少見的好人，就跟你現在的處境一樣！"
"我不想建議什麼日子。您喜歡什麼時候就什麼時候，"伊迪絲眼光幾乎沒有越過桌面，看着董貝先生，說道。
"明天？"，董貝先生建議。
"隨您的便。"
