狄更斯雙語小說:《董貝父子》第38章Part6

Polly, who, with a woman's tact, understood this at once, expressed as much in a little look. Mr Toodle, who had not the faintest idea of what Miss Tox was talking about, expressed that also, in a stare.
'Of course,' said Miss Tox, 'how our little coolness has arisen is of no moment, and does not require to be discussed. It is sufficient for me to say, that I have the greatest possible respect for, and interest in, Mr Dombey;' Miss Tox's voice faltered; 'and everything that relates to him.'
Mr Toodle, enlightened, shook his head, and said he had heerd it said, and, for his own part, he did think, as Mr Dombey was a difficult subject.
'Pray don't say so, Sir, if you please,' returned Miss Tox. 'Let me entreat you not to say so, Sir, either now, or at any future time. Such observations cannot but be very painful to me; and to a gentleman, whose mind is constituted as, I am quite sure, yours is, can afford no permanent satisfaction.'
Mr Toodle, who had not entertained the least doubt of offering a remark that would be received with acquiescence, was greatly confounded.
'All that I wish to say, Mrs Richards,' resumed Miss Tox, - 'and I address myself to you too, Sir, - is this. That any intelligence of the proceedings of the family, of the welfare of the family, of the health of the family, that reaches you, will be always most acceptable to me. That I shall be always very glad to chat with Mrs Richards about the family, and about old time And as Mrs Richards and I never had the least difference (though I could wish now that we had been better acquainted, but I have no one but myself to blame for that), I hope she will not object to our being very good friends now, and to my coming backwards and forwards here, when I like, without being a stranger. Now, I really hope, Mrs Richards,' said Miss Tox - earnestly, 'that you will take this, as I mean it, like a good-humoured creature, as you always were.'
Polly was gratified, and showed it. Mr Toodle didn't know whether he was gratified or not, and preserved a stolid calmness.
'You see, Mrs Richards,' said Miss Tox - 'and I hope you see too, Sir - there are many little ways in which I can be slightly useful to you, if you will make no stranger of me; and in which I shall be delighted to be so. For instance, I can teach your children something. I shall bring a few little books, if you'll allow me, and some work, and of an evening now and then, they'll learn - dear me, they'll learn a great deal, I trust, and be a credit to their teacher.'
Mr Toodle, who had a great respect for learning, jerked his head approvingly at his wife, and moistened his hands with dawning satisfaction.
'Then, not being a stranger, I shall be in nobody's way,' said Miss Tox, 'and everything will go on just as if I were not here. Mrs Richards will do her mending, or her ironing, or her nursing, whatever it is, without minding me: and you'll smoke your pipe, too, if you're so disposed, Sir, won't you?'

波利以一個女人的機敏，立刻就明白了，她閃出一道眼光，表明了這一點。圖德爾先生對托克斯小姐所談的話絲毫摸不著頭腦，他瞪了一下眼睛，也表明了這一點。
“當然，”托克斯小姐說道，”我們之間這小小的不和是怎麼發生的，這個問題無關緊要，不需要討論。我只要說這一點就夠了，就是：我對董貝先生和跟他有關的一切，”托克斯小姐的顫抖了，”有著極大的尊敬和關心。”
圖德爾先生受到了啟發，搖搖頭說，他聽別人說過，他本人也認為，董貝先生是個棘手的問題。
“對不起，先生，請您別這麼說，”托克斯小姐回答道，”我求您，先生，不論是現在，還是將來的任何時候，都不要這麼說。我聽到這種意見只能感到很痛苦，對於一位我相信像您同樣具有智慧的先生來說，這種意見也不會使他永遠高興的。”
圖德爾先生原先毫不懷疑他發表的意見是會得到贊同的，這時卻極為困窘了。
“我所想要說的，理查茲大嫂，”托克斯小姐繼續說道，”我也對您說，先生，--只是這樣：那個家庭裡發生的事情，那個家庭的興隆情況，那個家庭的健康情況，你們聽到任何有關這方面的訊息，我將永遠是極願意聽到的。我將永遠很高興跟理查茲大嫂聊聊這個家庭，聊聊過去的事情。因為理查茲大嫂跟我從來不曾有過任何爭吵（雖然我現在真惋惜，從前我們沒能更熟悉更親近一些，不過這隻能完全怪我自己），所以我希望她不會反對我高興的時候常到這裡來走走，就像是自己家裡的人一樣。理查茲大嫂，”托克斯小姐懇切地說道，”您一直是一位心地善良的人，說實在的，我真希望您能體會我的心意，接受我的要求。”
波利聽得很高興，在表情上也流露了出來。圖德爾先生不知道他是不是也高興，呆頭呆腦地保持著沉靜。
“您知道，理查茲大嫂，”托克斯小姐說道，”我希望您也知道，先生--，如果你們不把我當作外人的話，那麼我在好多小事情上對你們是會有點用處的，我也將很高興這樣。比方說，我可以教你們的孩子學點什麼。如果你們允許的話，那麼我將帶一些小書和針線活來，他們可以不時地在晚間學習--啊，我相信，他們將會學到好多東西，並給他們老師增添光彩的。”
圖德爾先生對於學問懷有極大的尊敬，所以向妻子贊同地連連點頭，並開始感到滿意地向手上哈著氣。
“那時候，我不是個外人了，所以我將不會妨礙任何人。”托克斯小姐說道，”一切都將照常進行，就彷彿我不在這裡似的。理查茲大嫂將照常縫補她的東西，熨她的衣服，照看她的孩子，或不論做其他什麼事，用不著管我。您呢，先生，如果您願意，您就抽您的菸斗，您說好嗎？”