But though I was no less convinced than Stroeve that the connection between Strickland and Blanche would end disastrously, 虽然我同施特略夫一样也认为思特里克兰德同勃朗什的关系将以一场灾难收场，

I did not expect the issue to take the tragic form it did. 我却没有料到这件事会演成这样一出悲剧。

The summer came, breathless and sultry, and even at night there was no coolness to rest one's jaded nerves. 夏天来了，天气郁闷得令人喘不过气来，连夜间也没有一丝凉意，使人们疲劳的神经能够得到一点休息。

The sun-baked streets seemed to give back the heat that had beat down on them during the day, and the passers-by dragged their feet along them wearily. 被太阳晒得炙热的街道好象又把白天吸收的热气散发回来；街头行人疲劳不堪地拖着两只脚。

I had not seen Strickland for weeks. 我又有好几个星期没有见到思特里克兰德了。

Occupied with other things, I had ceased to think of him and his affairs. 因为忙于其他事务，我甚至连这个人同他们那档子事都不去想了。

Dirk, with his vain lamentations, had begun to bore me, and I avoided his society. 戴尔克一见到我就长吁短叹，开始叫人生厌；我尽量躲着他不同他在一起。

It was a sordid business, and I was not inclined to trouble myself with it further. 我感到整个这件事龌龊不堪，我不想再为它伤脑筋了。

One morning I was working. I sat in my Pyjamas. 一天早上，我正在工作，身上还披着睡衣。

My thoughts wandered, and I thought of the sunny beaches of Brittany and the freshness of the sea. 但是我的思绪却游移不定，浮想联翩。我想到布里坦尼阳光灿烂的海滨和清澈的海水。

By my side was the empty bowl in which the concierge had brought me my cafe au lait and the fragment of croissant which I had not had appetite enough to eat. 我身边摆着女看门人给我端来的盛咖啡牛奶的空碗和一块吃剩的月芽形小面包。我的胃口很不好，没能吃完。

I heard the concierge in the next room emptying my bath. 隔壁的屋子里，女看门人正在把我浴盆里的水放掉。

There was a tinkle at my bell, and I left her to open the door. 突然，门铃叮铃铃地响起来，我让她去给我开门。

In a moment I heard Stroeve's voice asking if I was in. 不大的工夫我就听到施特略夫的声音，打听我在不在家。

Without moving, I shouted to him to come. 我大声招呼他进来，而没有离开我的座位。

He entered the room quickly, and came up to the table at which I sat. 施特略夫慌慌张张地走了进来，一直走到我坐的桌子前面。

She's killed herself, he said hoarsely. “她死了，”他声音嘶哑地说。

What do you mean? I cried, startled. “你说什么？”我吃惊地喊叫起来。

He made movements with his lips as though he were speaking, but no sound issued from them. He gibbered like an idiot. 他的嘴唇动了动，好象在说什么，但是什么声音也没有发出来。他象个白痴似地胡乱地说了一些没有意义的话。

My heart thumped against my ribs, and, I do not know why, I flew into a temper. For God's sake,  我的一颗心在胸腔里扑腾腾地乱跳，不知为什么，我突然发起火来。“看在上帝面上，

collect yourself, man, I said. "What on earth are you talking about?" 你镇定点儿好不好？”我说，“你究竟在说些什么？”