评论
打印
After the lapse of some minutes, which appeared an immense time to little Paul Dombey on the table, Doctor Blimber came back. The Doctor's walk was stately, and calculated to impress the juvenile mind with solemn feelings. It was a sort of march; but when the Doctor put out his right foot, he gravely turned upon his axis, with a semi-circular sweep towards the left; and when he put out his left foot, he turned in the same manner towards the right. So that he seemed, at every stride he took, to look about him as though he were saying, 'Can anybody have the goodness to indicate any subject, in any direction, on which I am uninformed? I rather think not'.
在几分钟（对坐在桌子上的小保罗·董贝来说，这似乎是一段无穷无尽的时间）之后，布林伯博士回来了。博士的步伐庄严，有意使那颗幼稚的心灵留下严肃的感觉。这类乎一种行军；但是当博士伸出他的右脚的时候，他沉着地围绕着他的脊椎轴心，以半圆形的拐步转向左脚；而当他伸出左脚的时候，他又以同样的姿态转向右脚。因此，他每迈出一步，似乎都要看一下周围，仿佛在说，“有谁肯行个好，向我指出，有哪个学科，在哪个方向，我还没有得到知识的？我想未必有吧。”
Mrs Blimber and Miss Blimber came back in the Doctor's company; and the Doctor, lifting his new pupil off the table, delivered him over to Miss Blimber.
布林伯夫人和布林伯小姐跟布林伯博士一道回来。博士把他新来的小学生从桌子上举出以后，把他交给了布林伯小姐。
'Cornelia,' said the Doctor, 'Dombey will be your charge at first. Bring him on, Cornelia, bring him on.'
“科妮莉亚，”博士说道，“董贝首先交给你管。培养他吧，科妮莉亚，培养他吧。”
Miss Blimber received her young ward from the Doctor's hands; and Paul, feeling that the spectacles were surveying him, cast down his eyes.
布林伯小姐从博士的手中接过了她年幼的弟子；保罗觉得那副眼镜正在打量他，就低下了眼睛。
'How old are you, Dombey?' said Miss Blimber.
“您几岁了，董贝？”布林伯小姐问道。
'Six,' answered Paul, wondering, as he stole a glance at the young lady, why her hair didn't grow long like Florence's, and why she was like a boy.
“六岁，”保罗回答道。当他偷偷地向这位小姐看一眼的时候，他奇怪，她的头发为什么不像弗洛伦斯的那么长，她又为什么像一个男孩子。
'How much do you know of your Latin Grammar, Dombey?' said Miss Blimber.
“您对拉丁语语法知道多少，董贝？”布林伯小姐问道。
'None of it,' answered Paul. Feeling that the answer was a shock to Miss Blimber's sensibility, he looked up at the three faces that were looking down at him, and said:
“一点也不知道，”保罗回答道。他觉得这个回答在布林伯小姐的感觉上引起了震惊，因此就抬起头来望着那些俯视着他的脸孔，说道：
'I have'n't been well. I have been a weak child. I couldn't learn a Latin Grammar when I was out, every day, with old Glubb. I wish you'd tell old Glubb to come and see me, if you please.''What a dreadfully low name' said Mrs Blimber. 'Unclassical to a degree! Who is the monster, child?'
“我的身体不好。我是个虚弱的孩子。我每天跟老格拉布出去的时候，我不能学拉丁语语法。劳驾您告诉老格拉布来看看我。”“多么可怕的粗俗的姓名！”布林伯夫人说道。“一丁点古典的味道也没有！这个妖怪是谁，孩子？”
'What monster?' inquired Paul.
“什么妖怪？”保罗问道。
