I said first, "Take a chair, Mr. Rivers."
我先是说:“坐一下,里弗斯先生,”
But he answered, as he always did, that he could not stay.
可是他照例又回答说,不能逗留。
"Very well," I responded, mentally,
“很好,”我心里回答,
"stand if you like; but you shall not go just yet,I am determined:
“要是你高兴,你就站着吧,但你还不能走,我的决心已下。
solitude is at least as bad for you as it is for me.
寂寞对你和对我至少是一样不好,
I'll try if I cannot discover the secret spring of your confidence,
我倒要试试,看我能不能发现你内心的秘密,
and find an aperture in that marble breast through which I can shed one drop of the balm of sympathy."
在你大理石般的胸膛找到一个孔,从那里我可以灌进一滴同情的香油。”
"Is this portrait like?" I asked bluntly.
“这幅画像不像?”我直截了当地问。
"Like! Like whom? I did not observe it closely."
“像!像谁呀?我没细看。”
"You did, Mr. Rivers."
“你看了,里弗斯先生。”
He almost started at my sudden and strange abruptness: he looked at me astonished.
他被我直率得有些突然和奇怪的发问弄得几乎跳了起来,惊异地看着我。
"Oh, that is nothing yet," I muttered within.
“呵,那还算不了什么,”我心里嘟哝着。
"I don't mean to be baffled by a little stiffness on your part;
“我不想因为你一点点生硬态度而罢休。
I'm prepared to go to considerable lengths." I continued,
我准备付出巨大的努力。”我继续想道,
"You observed it closely and distinctly; but I have no objection to your looking at it again,"
“你看得很仔细很清楚,但我不反对你再看一遍。”
and I rose and placed it in his hand.
我站起来把画放在他手里。
"A well-executed picture," he said;
“一张画得很好的画,”他说,
"very soft, clear colouring; very graceful and correct drawing."
“色彩柔和清晰,是一张很优美、很恰当的画。”
"Yes, yes; I know all that.
“是呀,是呀,这我都知道。
But what of the resemblance? Who is it like?"
不过像不像呢?这像谁?”