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"'Mr. Drebber has been with us nearly three weeks.
"'锥伯先生在我们这里差不多住了三个星期。
He and his secretary, Mr. Stangerson, had been travelling on the Continent.
他和他的秘书斯坦节逊先生一直是在欧洲大陆旅行的。
I noticed a Copenhagen label upon each of their trunks, showing that that had been their last stopping place.
我看到他们每只箱子上都贴有哥本哈根的标签，由此可见那是他们最后到过的地方。
Stangerson was a quiet, reserved man,
斯坦节逊倒是一个沉默寡言、有涵养的人；
but his employer, I am sorry to say, was far otherwise.
可是他的主人——真糟糕，完全不一样。
He was coarse in his habits and brutish in his ways.
这个人举止粗野，行为下流。
The very night of his arrival he became very much the worse for drink,
在他们搬来的当天晚上，锥伯就喝得大醉，
and, indeed, after twelve o'clock in the day he could hardly ever be said to be sober.
直到第二天中午十二点钟还没有清醒过来。
His manners towards the maid-servants were disgustingly free and familiar.
他对女仆们态度轻佻、下流，简直令人厌恶极了。
Worst of all, he speedily assumed the same attitude towards my daughter, Alice,
最糟糕的是，他竟然又用这样的态度来对待我的女儿爱莉丝。
and spoke to her more than once in a way which,
他不止一次地对她胡说八道。
fortunately, she is too innocent to understand.
幸好，女儿太年轻，还不懂事。
On one occasion he actually seized her in his arms
有一次，他居然把我的女儿抱在怀里，
and embraced her–an outrage which caused his own secretary to reproach him for his unmanly conduct.' "
紧紧地搂着她。他这种无法无天的做法，就连他的秘书都骂他行为太下流，简直不是个人。'"
'But why did you stand all this?' I asked.
'可是，你为什么还要忍受这些呢？'我问道，
'I suppose that you can get rid of your boarders when you wish.'
'我想，只要你愿意，你尽可以将房客撵走。'
"Mrs. Charpentier blushed at my pertinent question.
"夏朋婕太太经我这么一问，不觉满脸通红，
'Would to God that I had given him notice on the very day that he came,' she said.
她说：'要是在他来的那天我就拒绝了，那该有多好。
'But it was a sore temptation.
可是，就是因为有个诱人之处。
They were paying a pound a day each–fourteen pounds a week, and this is the slack season.
他们每人每天房租是一镑，一个星期就是十四镑；况且现在正是客人稀少的淡季。
I am a widow, and my boy in the Navy has cost me much.
我是个寡妇，我的儿子在海军里服务，他的花费很大。
I grudged to lose the money. I acted for the best.
我实在舍不得白白放过这笔收入，于是我就尽量容忍下来。
This last was too much, however, and I gave him notice to leave on account of it.
可是，最近这一次，他闹的太不象话了，因此我才据理把他撵走，
That was the reason of his going.'
这就是他们搬走的原因。'
"'Well?' "
"'后来呢？'"
'My heart grew light when I saw him drive away.
'后来我看他坐车走了，心里才轻松下来。
My son is on leave just now,
我的儿子现在正在休假。
but I did not tell him anything of all this, for his temper is violent,
可是，这些事我一点都没有告诉过他，因为他的脾气暴躁，
and he is passionately fond of his sister.
而且他又非常疼爱他的妹妹。
When I closed the door behind them a load seemed to be lifted from my mind.
这两个人搬走以后，我关上了大门，心里才算去了一个大疙瘩。
Alas, in less than an hour there was a ring at the bell,
天啊，还不到一个钟头，又有人叫门，
and I learned that Mr. Drebber had returned.
原来是锥伯又回来了。
He was much excited, and evidently the worse for drink.
他的样子很兴奋，显然又喝得不少。
He forced his way into the room, where I was sitting with my daughter,
他一头闯进房来，当时我和我的女儿正在房里坐着；
and made some incoherent remark about having missed his train.
他就驴唇不对马嘴地说什么他没有赶上火车。
He then turned to Alice, and before my very face, proposed to her that she should fly with him.
后来，他冲着爱莉丝，他竟敢当着我的面和爱莉丝说起话来，并建议她和他一起逃走。
"You are of age," he said, "and there is no law to stop you.
他对我女儿说：'你已经长大成人了，任何法律也不能管你了。
I have money enough and to spare.
我有的是钱，
Never mind the old girl here, but come along with me now straight away.
不必管这个老妻子了。现在马上跟我走吧。
You shall live like a princess."
你可以象公主一样地享福。'
Poor Alice was so frightened that she shrunk away from him,
可怜的爱莉丝非常害怕，一直躲着他。
but he caught her by the wrist and endeavoured to draw her towards the door.
可是他一把抓住她的手腕，硬往门口拉，
I screamed, and at that moment my son Arthur came into the room.
我吓得大叫起来。就在这个时候，我的儿子阿瑟走了进来。
