狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第19章Part 04

'Is it possible?' cried Walter, looking round and starting up in his turn. 'Here!'
Why, It was so possible and so actual, that, while the words were on his lips, Florence hurried past him; took Uncle Sol's snuff-coloured lapels, one in each hand; kissed him on the cheek; and turning, gave her hand to Walter with a simple truth and earnestness that was her own, and no one else's in the world!
'Going away, Walter!' said Florence.
'Yes, Miss Dombey,' he replied, but not so hopefully as he endeavoured: 'I have a voyage before me.'
'And your Uncle,' said Florence, looking back at Solomon. 'He is sorry you are going, I am sure. Ah! I see he is! Dear Walter, I am very sorry too.'
'Goodness knows,' exclaimed Miss Nipper, 'there's a many we could spare instead, if numbers is a object, Mrs Pipchin as a overseer would come cheap at her weight in gold, and if a knowledge of black slavery should be required, them Blimbers is the very people for the sitiwation.'
With that Miss Nipper untied her bonnet strings, and alter looking vacantly for some moments into a little black teapot that was set forth with the usual homely service on the table, shook her head and a tin canister, and began unasked to make the tea.
In the meantime Florence had turned again to the Instrument-maker, who was as full of admiration as surprise. 'So grown!' said old Sol. 'So improved! And yet not altered! Just the same!'
'Indeed!' said Florence.
'Ye — yes,' returned old Sol, rubbing his hands slowly, and considering the matter half aloud, as something pensive in the bright eyes looking at him arrested his attention. 'Yes, that expression was in the younger face, too!'
'You remember me,' said Florence with a smile, 'and what a little creature I was then?'
'My dear young lady,' returned the Instrument-maker, 'how could I forget you, often as I have thought of you and heard of you since! At the very moment, indeed, when you came in, Wally was talking about you to me, and leaving messages for you, and — '
'Was he?' said Florence. 'Thank you, Walter! Oh thank you, Walter! I was afraid you might be going away and hardly thinking of me;' and again she gave him her little hand so freely and so faithfully that Walter held it for some moments in his own, and could not bear to let it go.

“可能嗎？”沃爾特喊道，一邊四下環視，現在輪到他跳起來了，“到這裏來了？”
對了，這不僅是可能的，而且是千真萬確的事實。他的話音未落，弗洛倫斯已急忙從他的身邊跑過去，把所爾舅舅的鼻菸色的翻領的兩邊分別握在兩隻手中，吻了吻他的臉頰，然後轉過身來，以她那獨有的十分純樸、真誠、懇切的神情，把手伸向沃爾特，這種神情確是世界上其他人所沒有的！
“要離開這裏了嗎，沃爾特？”弗洛倫斯問道。
“是的，董貝小姐，”他回答道，但不像他努力想要表示出的那麼樂觀開朗，“我將外出航行。”
“您的舅舅，”弗洛倫斯又回過來望着所羅門，說道，“您出去他一定感到難過。唉，我看他是這樣的！親愛的沃爾特，我也感到很難過。”
“天知道，”尼珀姑娘高聲嚷道，“世界上有許多人，我們沒有他們也行，如果要精明善算的人，派皮普欽太太去當監工，稱黃金，準能買到便宜的黃金，如果需要對付黑奴的知識，布林伯他們這家人就是最合適的人選。”
尼珀小姐一邊說，一邊解開帽帶，接着向桌子上和其他家常茶具擺在一起的一隻小黑茶壺裏面發呆地看了一會兒，然後搖搖頭，又搖搖洋鐵皮的茶葉罐，沒經人請就泡起茶來。
在這期間，弗洛倫斯又轉向了儀器製造商；他對她極爲讚賞，又感到極爲驚奇。“長得這麼大了！”老所爾說，“長得這麼漂亮！可是一點沒有變！跟原先一模一樣！”
“真的嗎？”弗洛倫斯說。
“是——是的，”老所爾回答道，一邊慢吞吞地搓着手，低聲地思考着這個問題，這時那雙向他望着的明亮的眼睛中的沉思的神情吸引了他的注意，“是的，過去那張更年輕的臉上也曾表露過這樣的神情！”
“您還記得我哪，”弗洛倫斯微笑着說道，“那時候我是個多麼小的小人兒啊？”
“我親愛的小姐，”儀器製造商回答道，“我怎麼能忘記您呢？從那時起，我多麼經常地想到您，多麼經常地聽到您的消息！說真的，就在您進來的時候，沃利還正在跟我談起您，給您留下口信，還——”
“真的嗎？”弗洛倫斯說道，“謝謝您，沃爾特！啊，謝謝您，沃爾特！我還怕您走了以後不會再想到我了呢。”接着她又無拘無束、充分信任地向沃爾特伸出小手；他把它在自己手中握了好幾秒鐘，捨不得放開。